Imation Corporation

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

James L Albrecht

G Phillip Rambosek

Dean E Sitz

Michael A Mewes

Jason Moses

Jerome D Brown

Geoffrey A Lauinger

Michael E Reard

Leonard M Volin

Gregory H Johnson

Christopher J Zwettler

Robert C Martin

Peter A Ridl

Anthony O Banal

Mary R Hable

Harvey D Ogren

Randy S Bay

David L Tussey

Jason D Hanzlik

Carter J Hansen

Matthew J Schaenzer

Trevor J Stav

William E Linton

A data storage tape cartridge has a housing, at least one tape reel assembly rotatably disposed within the housing, a storage tape wound about a tape winding surface of the tape reel assembly, and a brake assembly. The brake assembly includes a brake plate and a brake button. When the brake assembly is an unlocked position, a depression in the brake plate mates with a protruding member of the brake button to limit vibration of the brake assembly, thereby limiting noisy vibration of cartridge.

Data storage tape cartridge brake assembly

A data storage device is disclosed. The data storage device includes a continuous band, and a memory device assembly disposes within the continuous band. The continuous band defines an internal housing recess formed by opposing sides extending between first and second major surfaces, and an access window formed in one of the first and second major surfaces and communicating with the internal housing recess. In this regard, the memory device assembly is disposed in the internal housing recess, and a flexing of the continuous band exposes a data/power port of the memory device assembly through the access window.

Continuous flexible band housing a memory device

A tape reel assembly for a tape drive system component, such as a data storage tape cartridge, is described that includes a hub. The hub defines an inner surface and a tape winding surface, and at least a portion of the hub is made of plastic. The tape winding surface has an effective radial modulus of greater than 0.3 million pounds-per-square-inch.

Tape reel assembly with stiff winding surface for a tape drive system

Wrist band data storage device

A data storage tape cartridge providing robust interactions with leadering mechanisms of data storage tape drives. In one relevant aspect, a data storage tape cartridge includes improved leader member access area features, such as a docking ramp configured to transition from a first height, to a second height greater than the first.

Data storage tape cartridge and leadering mechanism interaction

A single reel data storage tape cartridge is described that includes a housing having a tape access window. A single tape reel assembly is rotatably disposed within the housing and includes a hub about which a storage tape is wrapped. A tape guide is disposed within the housing adjacent the single tape reel assembly, opposite the tape access window, and is configured to define a pathway of the storage tape from the single tape reel assembly to the tape access window and limit lateral motion of the storage tape.

Single reel data storage tape cartridge with internal tape guide

A corner roller for a belt-driven tape cartridge consists of an outer wall which contacts a drive belt in the cartridge and an inner wall attached to the outer wall. The inner wall includes a stepped axial bore which engages a shaft attached to a baseplate of the cartridge. A small diameter region of the axial bore forms a journal bearing surface for the shaft, and this surface preferably has a length and orientation with respect to the cartridge baseplate sufficient to symmetrically distribute on the journal bearing surface a load exerted on the corner roller by the cartridge belt.

Data cartridge corner roller with stepped bore

The winding system includes several rollers and a rotating drum, around which the web winds before being wound on a core. A cutting and tabbing assembly cuts the web against the rotating drum and cuts and applies the tab on the web in registration with the cut end of the web. The cutting and tabbing assembly includes a wheel, a knife mounted on the wheel, and a tab bar mounted on the wheel adjacent the knife. During the winding of the web on the core the proper amount of tab paper is unwound and moved toward the knife to cut and grab the tab. Then, the knife and tab bar rotate to cut the web while the tab bar applies the tab onto the cut end of the web.

Tab applicator for log roll winders

A continuous log roll winder cuts and transfers on the fly without stopping the winding process. The web passes around a rotating drum with the adhesive side out and travels to a wind-up spindle. A knife cuts the web against the surface of the drum. By heating the knife to temperatures above 300.degree. F., the web and adhesive does not stick to the knife; the adhesive does not accumulate on the knife; and the adhesive does not transfer through the cut in the web backing and deposit on the rotating drum.

Heated web knife

Growing community of inventors

Wahpeton, ND, United States of America

James L Albrecht