Imation Corporation

John D Willems

Douglas W Johnson

G Phillip Rambosek

Leif O Erickson

Daniel Charles Egan

Peter A Ridl

A tape reel assembly for maintaining a data storage tape. The tape reel assembly includes a first flange, a second flange and a hub ring. The first flange includes a first plate and at least one loop member extending in a generally axial fashion from an inner face of the top plate at a radius R,The second flange includes a second plate and at least one leg extending in a generally axial fashion from an inner face of the bottom plate. The leg is positioned to selectively engage the loop member. Finally, the hub ring is provided separately and is free of material extending across an inner diameter thereof. The hub ring further defines an outer winding surface and inner surface having a minimum radius R,The hub ring is assembled between the first plate and the second plate. In this regard, the radius R,is greater than the radius R,such that the loop member and the leg extend and interact within an area defined by the inner surface of the hub ring.

Three-piece tape reel assembly for a data storage tape cartridge

A compliant tape guide having a compliant member with optimized planar stiffness. The compliant tape guide includes a top support plate, a bottom support plate, a bearing piece, the compliant member and a biasing member. The bearing piece extends between the top and bottom support plate in a generally perpendicular fashion. The compliant member is associated with an inner surface of the bottom support plate and includes a base, opposing legs, an edge receiving surface and a planar stiffness body. The opposing legs extend from the base. The edge receiving surface is attached to the opposing legs opposite the base to define an opening. The planar stiffness body is disposed within the opening and is configured to increase an in-plane stiffness of the compliant member in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of the base. Finally, the biasing member is associated with the compliant member to bias the edge receiving surface into engagement with a storage tape during use.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

John D Willems