US 5,906,324 AGranted

Single reel tape cartridge with integral tape guide

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsGeorge Frederick Adams, Armando Jesus Argumedo, Edwin Ralph Childers

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Abstract

Disclosed is a single reel tape cartridge having a supply reel positioned within a central cavity of a shell. The supply reel is coupled to the attachment end of a length of recording tape which is wound in a sequence of wraps from an inner circumference to a maximum outer circumference when the length of recording tape is fully wound on the supply reel. A tape guide and bearing assembly positioned within the central cavity closely adjacent the maximum outer circumference, faces towards an aperture in the shell and away from the supply reel. The tape guide and bearing assembly defines a tape path for the outermost wrap from the supply reel to the tape guide and bearing assembly, across an aperture in the shell for interfacing the outermost wrap with the tape head of the tape drive at the aperture. The tape path then extends to an isolator, e.g. the supply reel, for isolating the tape path at the tape guide and bearing assembly from the free end of the length of recording tape as the free end is wound at a take up reel in the drive. A stable head to tape interface is thus provided at the cartridge tape guide and bearing assembly, which allows a small form factor tape drive having a short tape path to the take up reel.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A single reel tape cartridge for supporting a length of recording tape for use in a tape drive, said length of recording tape having an attachment end and a free end, said tape drive having a tape head, comprising:

a shell defining a central cavity and having a first aperture therein for interfacing with said tape head of said tape drive;
a supply reel positioned within said central cavity of said shell, said supply reel having a central axis, said supply reel for coupling said attachment end of said length of recording tape and for winding said length of recording tape about said central axis in a sequence of wraps from an inner circumference to a maximum outer circumference when said length of recording tape is fully wound on said supply reel;
a tape guide and bearing assembly positioned within said central cavity of said shell and closely adjacent said maximum outer circumference, said tape bearing assembly facing towards said first aperture in said shell and away from said central axis of said supply reel, said tape guide and bearing assembly defining a tape path for the outermost wrap of said sequence of wraps of said length of recording tape from said supply reel to said tape guide and bearing assembly, across said first aperture in said shell for interfacing said outermost wrap of said length of recording tape with said tape head of said tape drive;
and
an isolator for additionally defining said tape path subsequent to said tape guide and bearing assembly for isolating said tape path at said tape guide and bearing assembly from said free end of said length of recording tape.

2 more elements

A single reel tape cartridge for use in a tape drive, said tape drive having a tape head, comprising:

a length of recording tape having an attachment end and a free end;
a shell defining a central cavity and having a first aperture therein for interfacing with said tape head of said tape drive;
a supply reel positioned within said central cavity of said shell, said supply reel having a central axis, said supply reel for coupling said attachment end of said length of recording tape and for winding said length of recording tape about said central axis in a sequence of wraps from an inner circumference to a maximum outer circumference when said length of recording tape is fully wound on said supply reel;
a tape guide and bearing assembly positioned within said central cavity of said shell and closely adjacent said maximum outer circumference, said tape bearing assembly facing towards said first aperture in said shell and away from said central axis of said supply reel, said tape guide and bearing assembly defining a tape path for the outermost wrap of said sequence of wraps of said length of recording tape from said supply reel to said tape guide and bearing assembly, across said first aperture in said shell for interfacing said outermost wrap of said length of recording tape with said tape head of said tape drive;
and
an isolator for additionally defining said tape path subsequent to said tape guide and bearing assembly for isolating said tape path at said tape guide and bearing assembly from said free end of said recording tape.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.