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:
Dec. 21, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 03, 1998
James Eaton, Morgan Hill, CA (US);
Thomas R Albrecht, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert R Heinze, San Clemente, CA (US);
John A Hamming, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
Jeffrey S McAllister, Boise, ID (US);
Thomas W von Alten, Boise, ID (US);
Carl R Hoerger, Boise, ID (US);
Geoffrey W Mansbridge, Boise, ID (US);
Seagate Technology, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A leader pin assembly for attachment to tape as a generic and space-efficient interface between tape and equipment which manipulates the tape, and a method for making the same. The leader pin assembly preferably includes a leader pin, an elastomer element, and a clip. The leader pin is barbell-shaped, having enlarged ends and at least one pair of flanges each spaced a distance from a respective enlarged end to define a pair of recesses and a center section of the leader pin. The center section of the leader pin is sized to permit tape to be wound around the center section, with the elastomer element surrounding the tape and with the clip snugly surrounding the elastomer element to keep the tape securely in place around the center section of the leader pin. The end surfaces of the leader pin may have an outward curve to ensure smooth movement across equipment surfaces during leader pin assembly manipulation. Also the edges of the leader pin may be radiused.