US 6,282,058 B1Granted

Belt-type tape cartridge with increased magnetic tape capacity

AssigneeSony Corporation

InventorYuji Iwaki

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Abstract

A tape cartridge comprising a base plate and a cover fixed to the base plate to define a closed space housing first and second hubs, first and second tape guides, a drive roller and first and second corner rollers all of which are mounted on the base plate. A magnetic tape is unwound from one of the first and second hubs, guided by the first and second tape guides and wound on the other hub. The drive roller is located between the first and second tape guides for driving a drive belt looped on its tape winding surface. The drive belt is also looped on the tape winding surfaces of the first and second corner rollers. The first corner roller is located to hold the drive belt in contact with a peripheral surface of the first hub and the second corner roller is located to hold the drive belt in contact with a peripheral surface of the second hub. The first hub has its rotation axis spaced at a first distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the drive roller and at a second distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the first corner roller. The first distance is substantially equal to the second distance. The second hub has its rotation axis spaced at a third distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the drive roller and at a fourth distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the second corner roller. The third distance is substantially equal to the fourth distance.

A tape cartridge comprising:

a base plate;
a cover fixed to the base plate to define a closed space;
a first hub mounted on the base plate for rotation about a rotation axis thereof within the closed space;
a second hub mounted on the base plate for rotation about a rotation axis thereof within the closed space;
a magnetic tape unwound from one of the first and second hubs and wound on the other hub;
first and second tape guides mounted on the base plate to guide the magnetic tape unwound from the one hub;
a drive roller mounted on the base plate between the first and second tape guides for driving a drive belt, the drive belt having a tape winding surface on which the drive belt is looped;
first and second comer rollers mounted on the base plate for guiding the drive belt, the first coner roller having a tape winding surface on which the drive belt is looped, the first coner roller being located to hold the drive belt in contact with a peripheral surface of the first hub, the second coner roller having a tape winding surface on which the drive belt is looped, the second coner roller being located to hold the drive belt in contact with a peripheral surface of the second hub;
the rotation axis of the first hub being spaced at a first distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the drive roller and at a second distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the first coner roller, the first distance being substantially equal to the second distance;
and
the rotation axis of the second hub being spaced at a third distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the drive roller and at a fourth distance with respect to the tape winding surface of the second coner roller, the third distance being substantially equal to the fourth distance;
wherein the cover includes:
a wide portion having a width substantially equal to the width of the base plate,
a narrow portion having a width smaller than the width of the base plate, and
a stepped portion between the wide and narrow portions, the stepped portion being located between the first/second hubs and the first/second tape guides.

12 more elements

Abstract

Claims4