Quantum Corporation

Benchmark Storage Innovations, Inc.

Henrik Vladimir Nejezchleb

William Joseph Vanderheyden

David T Hoge

James Zweighaft

Clark M Janssen

Vladimir Nejezchleb

The write protect mechanism provides a method for identifying the write protect state of the tape media enclosed in a tape cartridge from at least two orientations. A write protect switch on the front side of the tape cartridge housing moves to block the write protect aperture on the side of the tape cartridge housing when the write protect switch is in the write enable position and away from the aperture in the write protect position. A write protect indicator on the tape cartridge top cover includes a window that allows the user to view the position of the write protect switch by viewing the top of the switch. The top of the switch may include an arrow that moves corresponding to the position of the write protect switch, thus providing a means for the user to determine the write protect state. Human readable icons or color combinations on the write protect switch and/or adjacent to the write protect indicator clearly indicate the write protect state of the tape media enclosed within the tape cartridge.

Tape cartridge write protect mechanism

The self-centering tape reel for a single reel tape cartridge provides a magnetic tape reel that is equipped with one or more features to center the tape reel with respect to a rotatably driven feature, such as a drive chuck, in the tape drive that rotates the tape reel. The self-centering tape reel uses a chamfered ring that encircles the drive teeth formed on the tape reel that engage the drive chuck. The chamfered ring fits into a chamfer that is formed in the circumference of the spline access hole located in the bottom of the tape cartridge housing.

Self-centering tape reel for single reel tape cartridges

The single reel tape cartridge with tape reel centering features provides one or more features to center the tape reel with respect to the interior surfaces of the tape cartridge housing and a rotatably driven feature, such as a drive chuck, in the tape drive that rotates the tape reel. The single reel tape cartridge with tape reel centering features provides mechanical positioning and centering of the tape reel with respect to the drive chuck of the tape drive when the tape cartridge is in any orientation and constrains lateral movement of the tape reel to prevent the tape reel from contacting the interior surfaces of the tape cartridge housing. This is accomplished by the use of a spring that applies a bias force to press the tape reel against the drive chuck in the tape drive, which rotates the tape reel. One end of the spring is seated in a spring sleeve that is formed in the center of the interior surface of the top section of the tape cartridge housing. The other end of the spring engages the tape reel.

Single reel tape cartridge with tape reel centering features

Magnetic tape cartridge

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Henrik Vladimir Nejezchleb