Imation Corporation

Randy S Bay

Daniel Charles Egan

Leif O Erickson

David L Tussey

Armando Jesus Argumedo

Donald L Pochardt

John W Louks

Scott M Rockwell

Dean E Sitz

Steven L Felde

Anthony B Ferguson

David P Smith

James L Albrecht

Kenneth R Shelley

Mary R Hable

Wolfgang G Schoeppel

James J Evanoff

Matthew J Schaenzer

Karunasena A Alahapperuma

Saurin J Shah

The present invention provides a novel one-piece capstan for a tape cartridge which provides good static dissipative properties and wear resistance. The capstan material of the present invention has a charge decay time of no more than 5 seconds as measured according to Mil B-81705C standard. The capstan material also has a flexural modulus of at least 200,000 psi (1379 MPa). The capstan comprises a hard, dimensionally stable polymer and a static dissipating polymer. The capstan also has an improved structure and geometry which enables the part to be easily molded, reduces drive force requirements with a reduction of material from the prior art design, but with no significant loss of performance properties.

One piece capstan for a tape cartridge

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

Housing for a dual reel tape cartridge

A high performance tape reel with an outwardly facing cylindrical tape winding surface parallel to a drive pin bore on a reel hub. The hub has a pair of hub reference surfaces adjacent to the winding surface for aligning tape flanges. Flanges are attached to the hub at a location remote from the winding surface and magnetic tape. A drive cap with a reel pin bearing surface is attached to the hub so that the reel pin bearing surface substantially covers one entrance to the drive pin bore.

High performance tape reel

Growing community of inventors

Wahpeton, ND, United States of America

Randy S Bay