US 6,550,710 B2Granted

Tape cartridge leader for single reel tape cartridges having increased flexibility for improved performance

AssigneeQuantum Corporation

InventorsDavid Thomas Hoge, William J. Vanderheyden

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Abstract

The present tape cartridge leader includes a flex relief aperture, located in the body of the tape cartridge leader between the guide wings. This flex relief aperture enables the tape cartridge leader to bend in a tight radius as the tape cartridge leader is pulled around the tape guide rollers in the tape drive, thereby ensuring that the tape cartridge leader is properly seated on the tape guide rollers as it traverses the tape path in the tape drive. The flex relief aperture also reduces the possibility of cracks forming in the tape cartridge leader where the guide wings meet the body of the tape cartridge leader, which is a problem in existing tape cartridge leaders. The guide wings are also shaped with a lead in radius to reduce to possibility of damage to the guide wings. In addition, the trailing edge of the guide wings includes a lead in chamfer to aid in the guide wings engaging the guide track in the cartridge housing.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A tape cartridge leader for terminating a magnetic tape media contained on a supply reel, having a hub and a pair of flanges, in a single reel tape cartridge that is loaded into a tape drive having a take-up reel comprising a hub and a pair of flanges, said tape cartridge leader being detachably connectable to a take-up leader located in a single reel tape drive and connected to said take-up reel so that said magnetic tape media can be wound through a curvilinear tape path internal to the tape drive, said tape cartridge leader comprising:

an elongated main body having an upper edge and a lower edge integrally formed between a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is connected to said supply reel in said tape cartridge;
buckling hole means, located within said second end, for detachably connecting to said take-up leader in the tape drive when the tape cartridge is loaded into the tape drive;
and
tape cartridge leader centering means, located within said second end, for guiding said tape cartridge leader, comprising:
a pair of guides formed on opposite edges of said elongated main body for guiding said tape cartridge leader between the flanges of said take-up reel, wherein said pair of guides extends vertically beyond said upper edge and said lower edge of said elongated body,
a flex relief aperture formed in said main body and extending vertically between said pair of guides to increase the flexibility of said pair of guides.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/178,755Filed 24 Jun 2002 · division
Priority: 20 Jul 2001
Published: US 2003/0015614 A123 Jan 2003
Granted: 22 Apr 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G11B 23/107
For housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends: using one reel or core, one end of the record carrier coming out of the magazine or cassette
G11B 15/67
Threading; Loading; Automatic self-loading: by extracting end of record carrier from container or spool
G11B 23/26
With provision for splicing to provide permanent or temporary connections: of leaders for loading or threading, e.g. to form a temporary connection
G11B
Information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer