Tape drive apparatus having an arrangement for capturing and retaining a leader pin from a tape cartridge
AssigneeCertance LLC
InventorJohn A. Hamming
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tape drive apparatus with an arrangement for capturing, retaining and releasing a leader pin from the tape cartridge provides a leader pin holding assembly having a body and a swing pivotally coupled to the body. Upon movement into the tape cartridge, the swing is controllably pivoted against the force of a spring into an open position to capture the leader pin within the tape cartridge. Closing the swing retains the leader pin between the swing and the body of the leader pin holding assembly. A minimum number of external actuators is achieved by employing a hub leader that controls the opening and closing of the swing with relation to the body.
Claims10
A tape drive with an arrangement for capturing and retaining a leader pin from a tape cartridge, comprising:
- a) a holding assembly having a body and a capture element movable with respect to the body between an open position to capture the leader pin and a closed position to retain the leader pin within the holding assembly between the capture element and the body, wherein the capture element is pivotally mounted to the body to swing between the open and closed positions;
- b) a biasing element mounted on the holding assembly and configured to bias the capture element towards the closed position;
- c) a control element coupled to the capture element to control movement of the capture element between the open and closed positions, wherein the control element is a hub leader attached to the capture element such that application of tension to the hub leader causes the capture element to pivot to the open position counter to the biasing of the capture element by the biasing element.
A tape drive comprising:
- a) a take-up reel;
- b) a leader pin holding assembly having a body and a swing pivotally coupled to the body, with a leader pin opening formed between the swing and the body when the swing is in a closed position;
- c) a spring coupled to the swing to bias the swing into the closed position;
- and,
- d) control element coupled to the swing to control movement of the swing between an open position and the closed position, wherein the control element is a hub leader attached to the swing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.