The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 05, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 09, 1991
Samuel D Cheatham, Golden, CO (US);
Jerry L Donze, Arvada, CO (US);
Storage Technology Corporation, Louisville, CO (US);
Abstract
The self sealing data storage element presents a uniform form factor data storage element that can be used to house any one of a plurality of types of tape media. The tape media is wound around a single reel contained within a housing of predefined external dimensions. The housing includes an opening in one corner thereof through which the tape media is extracted by an associated drive element. In order to enable the drive element to securely grasp the tape media, a leader block is affixed to the end of the tape media nearest the opening in the housing. In order to provide the self-sealing capability, a length of leader tape is provided between the leader block and tape media in order to completely encapsulate the tape media once it is wound around the reel contained within the housing. The leader block is of width at least as great as that as the tape media and preferably slightly larger in order to automatically compensate for any lack of uniformity in the winding of the tape media on the reel. The leader tape can be any compliant material and is preferably an integral part of the tape media, such as the tape media absent the recording surface.