Tape cartridge docking apparatus for read/write recording assemblies and method therefor

Docking apparatus operative to receive a tape cartridge and mount and demount said cartridge relative to a tape read/write assembly, comprising:

• (A) a main frame for said tape read/write assembly;
• (B) a subframe pivotally secured to said main frame and movable between a first position to define a demounted state for said cartridge and a second position to define a mounted state for said cartridge, said subframe including a docking bay adapted to receive said tape cartridge to define a received/extended position therefor;
• (C) a pawl element including a first pawl end portion and a second pawl end portion opposite said first pawl end portion and movable between an advanced position and a withdrawn position, said first pawl end portion adapted to engage and disengage said tape cartridge when said tape cartridge is in the received/extended position and said pawl element is in the advanced position;
• (D) a linking element associated with said main frame and said subframe;
• (E) a cam assembly adapted to be driven in first and second modes and including
• (1) a first cam component engaging said second end portion of said pawl element, said first cam component operative when said cam assembly is driven in the first mode to move said pawl element from the advanced position to the withdrawn position, said first cam component operative when said cam assembly is driven in the second mode to move said pawl element from the withdrawn position to the advanced position thereby to move the cartridge from the received/retracted position to the received/extended position;
• and
• (2) a second cam component engaging said link element, said second cam component operative when said cam assembly is driven in the first mode to move said subframe from the first position to the second position thereby to define a mounted state for said cartridge, said first cam component operative when said cam assembly is driven in the second mode to move said subframe from the second position to the first position thereby to define a demounted state for said cartridge;
• and
• (E) a drive operative to actuate said cam assembly selectively in the first and second modes.

A read/write recording assembly adapted to receive a tape cartridge containing a tape medium and operative to perform a read/write function thereon as said tape medium advances therein, comprising:

• (A) a main frame for said tape read/write recording assembly;
• (B) a subframe pivotally secured to said main frame and movable between a first position to define a demounted state for said cartridge and a second position to define a mounted state for said cartridge, said subframe including a docking bay adapted to receive said tape cartridge to define a received/extended position therefor;
• (C) a read/write recording head disposed on said main frame;
• (D) first bearing member located at an upstream location relative to said read/write recording head and second bearing member located at a downstream location relative to said read/write recording head;
• (E) a take-up mechanism supported on said main frame and including a hub having an outer surface about which the tape medium is to be wound;
• (F) a rotatable drive operative to rotate said hub thereby to wind said tape medium thereon;
• (G) a threading assembly operative to transport a free end of the tape medium between said tape cartridge and said take-up mechanism;
• (H) a pawl element including a first pawl end portion and a second pawl end portion opposite said first pawl end portion, said pawl element movable between an advanced position and a withdrawn position, said first pawl end portion adapted to engage and disengage said tape cartridge when said tape cartridge is in the received/extended position and said pawl element is in the advanced position;
• (I) a cam assembly engaging said second end portion of said pawl element, said cam assembly operative upon being driven in a first mode to move said pawl element from the advanced position to the withdrawn position thereby to move the cartridge from the received/extended position to a received/retracted position and further operative to move said subframe from the first position to the second position thereby to define a mounted state for said cartridge relative to said tape read/write assembly, said cam assembly operative upon being driven in a second mode to move said subframe from the second position to the first position thereby to define a demounted state for said cartridge relative to said tape read/write assembly and further operative to move said pawl element from the withdrawn position to the advanced position thereby to move the cartridge from the received/retracted position to the received/extended position;
• and
• (J) a drive operative to actuate said cam assembly selectively in the first and second modes.

A method of mounting and demounting a tape cartridge containing a tape medium onto a read/write recording assembly that includes a main frame and performing a read/write function thereon, comprising:

• (A) inserting the tape cartridge into a bay formed on a subframe that is pivotally secured to the main frame of said read/write recording assembly to define a received/extended state for the tape cartridge;
• (B) engaging said tape cartridge and advancing said tape cartridge from the received/extended state to a received/retracted state;
• (C) pivoting said subframe relative to said main frame from a first position to a second position to move said tape cartridge from a demounted state into a mounted state relative to said read/write recording assembly;
• (D) advancing the tape medium through said read/write recording assembly to perform a read/write function thereon;
• (E) restoring the tape medium in said tape cartridge;
• (F) pivoting said subframe from the second position to the first position to demount and move said tape cartridge into the received/retracted state;
• (G) advancing said tape cartridge from the received/retracted state to the received/extended state;
• and
• (H) disengaging and removing said tape cartridge from the bay.