Tape reel lock mechanism for coaxial reel tape cartridge
AssigneeStorage Technology Corporation
InventorsChristian Allen Todd, Donovan Milo Janssen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The coaxial reel tape cartridge uses a lengthy tape path within the tape cartridge to reduce the stresses on the tape medium as it is transported between the two reels. The tape reel lock mechanism locks the two tape reels together to prevent rotation of the reels with respect to each other when the tape cartridge is removed from the tape drive. The lock mechanism also locks the tape reels to the exterior housing to prevent any rotation of either tape reel. This lock mechanism enables to tape cartridge to implement mid-point loads.
Claims22
A tape cartridge capable of housing a tape data storage medium, said tape cartridge being capable of being inserted into a tape drive for reading/writing data on said tape data storage medium, and including a tape reel lock mechanism, said tape cartridge comprising:
- a first reel rotating about an axis in a first plane;
- a second reel mounted coaxially with said first reel and rotatable about said axis, rotating in a second plane, which is parallel to said first plane;
- an exterior housing, having a top side, a bottom side thereto for enclosing said first and second coaxially mounted reels, which are rotatably mounted within said exterior housing, said exterior housing being directly mountable in a tape drive;
- a first drive spindle affixed coaxially to said first reel and accessible through an opening formed in said bottom side of said exterior housing for providing a mechanical coupling of said first reel to a tape drive in which said tape cartridge is mounted;
- a second drive spindle affixed coaxially to said second reel, insertable through a coaxial opening in said first reel, and accessible through said opening formed in said bottom side of said exterior housing for providing a mechanical coupling of said second reel to said tape drive;
- and
- lock means contained within said exterior housing to concurrently lock said first drive spindle and said second drive spindle to prevent movement of said first and said second drive spindles with respect to each other when said tape cartridge is removed from said tape drive.
A tape cartridge capable of housing a tape data storage medium, said tape cartridge being capable of being inserted into a tape drive for reading/writing data on said tape data storage medium, and including a tape reel lock mechanism, said tape cartridge comprising:
- a first reel rotating about an axis in a first plane;
- a second reel mounted coaxially with said first reel and rotatable about said axis, rotating in a second plane, which is parallel to said first plane;
- an exterior housing, having a top side, a bottom side thereto for enclosing said first and second coaxially mounted reels, which are rotatably mounted within said exterior housing, said exterior housing being directly mountable in a tape drive;
- a first drive spindle affixed coaxially to said first reel and accessible through an opening formed in said bottom side of said exterior housing for providing a mechanical coupling of said first reel to a tape drive in which said tape cartridge is mounted;
- a second drive spindle affixed coaxially to said second reel, insertable through a coaxial opening in said first reel, and accessible through said opening formed in said bottom side of said exterior housing for providing a mechanical coupling of said second reel to said tape drive;
- and
- lock means contained within said exterior housing to concurrently lock said first drive spindle and said second drive spindle to prevent movement of said first and said second drive spindles with respect to each other when said tape cartridge is removed from said tape drive, comprising:
- at least one spring loaded arm which functions to concurrently engage said first drive spindle and said second drive spindle via a feature that is extendable through a slot formed in said second drive spindle to engage one of a plurality of splines formed in said first drive spindle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.