Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
  • G11B23/20—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture with provision for splicing to provide permanent or temporary connections
  • G11B23/26—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture with provision for splicing to provide permanent or temporary connections of leaders for loading or threading, e.g. to form a temporary connection
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B15/00—Driving, starting or stopping record carriers of filamentary or web form; Driving both such record carriers and heads; Guiding such record carriers or containers therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function
  • G11B15/60—Guiding record carrier
  • G11B15/66—Threading; Loading; Automatic self-loading
  • G11B15/67—Threading; Loading; Automatic self-loading by extracting end of record carrier from container or spool
  • G11B15/674—Threading or attaching end of record carrier on or to single reel
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
  • G11B2220/90—Tape-like record carriers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to tape recording. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism for buckling a take-up leader with a cartridge leader in a single reel cartridge tape drive.
• ⁇ typical magnetic tape includes a plastic film, e.g. a Mylar substrate, having a costing of magnetic recording material on one side and a non-stick "back coating" on the other side of the Mylar.
• the tape runs between a rotatable supply tape reel, typically housed within a tape cartridge 10 such as that shown in Fig. l a. and a rotatable take-up tape reel in the tape drive assembly 15. such as that shown in Fig. lb.
• the take-up reel includes a take-up leader 50 secured therein, shown in Fig. lb. while the supply reel includes a cartridge leader 30 at one end of the tape, shown in Fig. la.
• the take-up leader 50 locks with cartridge leader 30 and pulls and transfers the tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel.
• the procedure of locking the take-up leader 50 with the cartridge leader 30 is known as "buckling".
• the buckling process is automatic is response to the tape cartridge being inserted into the tape drive.
• Fig. 2a shows the cartridge leader 30 including a cartridge leader hoop 39.
• the hoop 39 includes a notch area 32.
• the hoop 39 is dimensioned to enable a take- up leader nose 51 and a take-up leader neck 55. both shown in Fig. 2b. to pass therethrough.
• the notch 32 is dimensioned to enable the neck 55 to pass therethrough, but prevent the nose 51 from passing therethrough. Thus, in a buckled position, the nose 51 is locked against the notch 32 about take-up leader ears 56 and 57.
• Fig. 2b also shows a take-up leader window 52 enabling a buckling mechanism to engage the take-up leader 50.
• Commonly assigned U.S. Patent Nos. 4,662.049 and 4,720,913 provide examples of prior tape buckling arrangements and structures.
• the take-up leader may develop a condition called "curl in”. In this state, the take-up leader tends to "curl" away from the cartridge leader hoop, making a successful buckling operation less likely.
• the cartridge leader may be buckled in a misaligned manner.
• Prior buckling mechanisms of the type generally described in the referenced patents have not been designed to compensate for leader curl or misaligned cartridges. Two common buckling failure modes are "leader runaway" and "half-buckling".
• Leader runaway occurs when the leaders are not completely locked, and the take-up leader unbuckles before the cartridge leader has been pulled into the take-up reel.
• Half-buckling occurs when only one ear of the take-up leader nose engages and locks to the cartridge leader hoop often resulting in leader runaway.
• Leader runaway if a failure which cannot be fixed by the end user and requires the tape drive to be returned to the manufacturers for repair. Thus it is imperative for tape drive manufacturers to ensure that a possibility of leader runaway, as well as any unsuccessful buckling, be minimized.
• the present invention provides a buckling mechanism which improves the reliability of the buckling process by minimizing the failure modes mentioned herein above.
• the present invention provides a buckling mechanism disposed within a tape drive assembly which provides enhanced buckling reliability between a take-up leader and a cartridge leader.
• the buckling mechanism includes a buckling link, a buckling arm, and a link driver.
• the buckling link includes a protruding portion at one end and is pivotably biased about the other end. The protruding portion is dimensioned to contact and guide the take-up leader into a locking relationship with the cartridge leader, as the cartridge leader is loaded into the drive.
• the combination of the biasing force and the size dimension of the protruding portion enables the buckling link to maintain constant contact with the take-up leader throughout the buckling process ensuring that the leaders do not lose locking relationship.
• the buckling arm releasably engages with the take-up leader, pulling the take-up leader into the locking position with the cartridge leader.
• the link driver includes a cam portion for contacting the cartridge.
• the link driver is also coupled to the buckling arm thereby providing cammed movement for the buckling arm.
• the buckling link is mounted such that it functions independently of the other components, enabling it to maintain the biasing force against the take-up leader even after the buckling arm releases the take-up leader.
• Fig. la is an isometric view in elevation of a prior art single-reel tape cartridge including a cartridge leader therein.
• Fig. lb is a front view in elevation of a front panel of a prior art tape drive, showing a take-up leader inside the tape drive, located at a nominal position to engage a cartridge leader upon cartridge insertion.
• Fig. 2a is an enlarged plan view of a prior art cartridge leader.
• Fig. 2b is an enlarged plan view of a prior art take-up leader, having the same dimensional scale as the Fig. 2a cartridge leader.
• Fig. 3a is an enlarged isometric view of the buckling mechanism in accordance with principles of the present invention.
• Fig. 3b is an enlarged isometric view of the buckling link shown in Fig. 3a.
• Fig. 3c is a plan view of the protruding portion of the Fig. 3b buckling link shown cut away from the other portion of the buckling link of Fig. 3b.
• Fig. 3d is a side view in elevation of the protruding portion of Fig. 3c, shown cut away from the other portion of the buckling link of Fig. 3b.
• Figs. 4a, 4b and 4c are isometric views showing the functional relationships between the buckling mechanism and the take-up leader and cartridge leader in successive stages of the tape buckling operation employing the Fig. 3a improved buckling mechanism.
• a buckling mechanism 70 is shown in Fig. 3a and includes three members: a buckling link 40, a buckling arm 60 and a link driver 20.
• Link driver 20 is pivotably biased about one end 24 and pivotably coupled to buckling arm 60 about the other end.
• Link driver 20 also includes a cam portion (not shown) for contacting the tape cartridge 10 as the cartridge is inserted into the tape drive 15.
• buckling arm 60 includes an elongated slot 64 at one end and a hook member 62 extending from the other end.
• the slot 64 fits over a pin (not shown), enabling the buckling arm 60 to move rotationally as well as linearly, relative to the drive 15. This translational movement, in turn, enables the hook member 62 of the buckling arm 60 to relcasably engage the take-up leader 50 without interfering with tape travel.
• the buckling link 40 is presented in detail in Fig. 3b and includes a protruding portion 42 extending from one end of an elongated body 41. Finger-like members 48 also extend from the same end, away from the protruding portion 42.
• the buckling link 40 is pivotably biased about an opposite end 44, and a spring (not shown) provides a constant rotational biasing force to the protruding portion 42 towards the leaders.
• An arm 46 extends away from the body 41 at a location intermediate the two ends. During a buckling mechanism assembly process, the arm 46 functions to maintain the link 40 in concert with other members of the buckling mechanism 70.
• the protruding portion 42 includes an improved tapered plateau region defining a T-shaped face 43, shown in Fig. 3c. for contacting and guiding the take-up leader 50 into a locking position with the cartridge leader 37.
• the T-shaped face 43 includes a wide portion Wl and a narrower portion
• W2 W2. Wide portion Wl is dimensioned sufficiently wider than the width of the neck
• the narrow portion W2 is also wide enough to prevent the neck 55 from slipping and possibly half-buckling.
• the wide portion Wl exhibits a nominal width of approximately 0.26 inches, while the neck 55 exhibits a nominal width of approximately 0.10 inches.
• a depth, d. of protruding portion 42 is dimensioned to ensure that the take-up leader nose 51 penetrates through the cartridge leader hoop 39 as the cartridge 10 is inserted into the drive 15.
• the buckling link 40 functions independently of the buckling arm 60 and the link driver 20. This enables the protruding portion 42 to maintain biased contact against the take-up leader 50. keeping the take-up leader nose 51 protruding through the cartridge leader hoop 39 after the buckling arm 60 has disengaged from the take-up leader 50. As will be explained herein below, these features cooperate to improve buckling reliability.
• Figs. 4a - 4c show successive stages of a buckling process.
• the tape cartridge 10 has been inserted into the tape drive 15, but not fully installed, i.e. the cartridge 10 has not contacted the link driver 20.
• take-up leader 50 is engaged by the buckling arm hook member 62 through the take- up leader window 52.
• the protruding portion 42 forces the neck 55 and the nose 51 of the take-up leader 50 to penetrate through the hoop 39.
• the take-up leader 50 is in position to successfully buckle with the cartridge leader 37 once tension is applied to the take-up leader 50.
• take-up leader nose 51 may not lock into the notch 32 of hoop 39 when tension is applied.
• the protruding portion 42 releases contact with the take-up leader 50 before tension is applied, the nose 51 may half- buckle with the hoop 39. Leader curl would further increase this possibility.
• the cartridge 10 contacts the link driver 20, rotating the link driver 20 and the buckling arm 60.
• buckling arm 60 is also moving linearly about slot 64. enabling the hook member 62 to disengage with the take-up leader window 52 without contacting the leader 50.
• the protruding portion 42 remains in contact with the take-up leader 50 and the take-up leader nose 51 continues to penetrate through the cartridge leader hoop 39.
• the take-up leader neck 55 is securely supported on the T-shaped face 43 of the protruding portion 42.
• the T-shaped face 43 is advantageously dimensioned to prevent the neck 55 from "slipping off of the protruding portion 42, thereby minimizing half buckling failures. Again, without the protruding portion 42 remaining in contact with the take-up leader 50. the nose 51 may not sufficiently protrude into the hoop 39 to successfully buckle therewith.
• the take up reel of the drive 15 applies tension to the take-up leader 50. pulling the take-up leader neck 55 through the notch 32 of the hoop 39 and the take-up leader nose 51 into a locked relationship with the notch 32.

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• Replacement Of Web Rolls (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=24675770

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (23)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 1996
  • 1996-06-19 US US08/666,854 patent/US5769346A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1997
  • 1997-06-18 JP JP50363698A patent/JP3877778B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1997-06-18 KR KR1019980703493A patent/KR20000064353A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-06-18 WO PCT/US1997/012597 patent/WO1997048631A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1997-06-18 CA CA002229999A patent/CA2229999A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-06-18 AU AU38860/97A patent/AU3886097A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-06-18 EP EP97936108A patent/EP0854836A2/en not_active Withdrawn

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