Magnetic tape device having a tape guide which prevents excessive compressive force on a magnetic tape

A tape guide, suitable for use in a magnetic tape device, to guide a magnetic tape as the magnetic tape travels past a magnetic head performing reading and writing of data with respect to the magnetic tape, comprising:

• a roller guide, including
• a roller guide shaft,
• a roller guide upper flange unit disposed on an upper portion of the roller guide shaft in sliding contact with an upper edge of the magnetic tape,
• a roller guide lower flange unit disposed on a lower portion of the shaft in sliding contact with a lower edge of the magnetic tape, and
• a roller unit located coaxially with the roller guide shaft between the roller guide upper flange unit and the roller guide lower flange unit, and rotating accompanying the travel of the magnetic tape wrapped on an outer circumferential surface;
• a guide post, including
• a guide post shaft,
• an guide post upper flange unit disposed on an upper portion of the guide post shaft having a lower surface in sliding contact with the upper edge of the magnetic tape,
• a guide post lower flange unit disposed on a lower portion of the guide post shaft having an upper surface in sliding contact with the lower edge of the magnetic tape, and
• a sliding contact member located coaxially with the guide post shaft between the upper flange unit and the guide post lower flange unit, in sliding contact with a portion of the magnetic tape wrapped on an outer circumferential surface,
• wherein the roller guide lower flange unit and the guide post lower flange unit are the same member.

A magnetic tape device, comprising:

• a magnetic head to read data from and write data to a magnetic tape;
• a transfer device to move the magnetic tape past the magnetic head;
• and
• a roller unit to guide the magnetic tape as the magnetic tape travels past the magnetic bead, the roller unit including a flat surfaced flange in sliding contact with an edge of the magnetic tape, the flange having a concave portion in the flat surface in sliding contact with the edge of the magnetic tape to prevent contact with the edge of the tape.

A magnetic tape device, comprising:

• a magnetic head to read data from and write data to a magnetic tape;
• a transfer device to move the magnetic tape past the magnetic head;
• and
• a guide unit to guide the magnetic tape as the magnetic tape travels past the magnetic head, the guide unit including
• a roller having a lower flange in sliding contact with an edge of the magnetic tape, the lower flange having a concave portion, and
• a guide having a lower flange in sliding contact with an edge of the magnetic tape, the lower flange having a concave portion.