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:
Jun. 04, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 26, 2000
Chan Kim, Holliston, MA (US);
Roy MacKinnon, Shrewsbury, MA (US);
George Saliba, Northboro, MA (US);
Quantum Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A tape drive ( ) that includes a cartridge receiver ( ), a take-up reel ( ) and a drive leader ( ) is adapted for use with a cartridge ( ) that includes a cartridge leader ( ) having a cartridge buckle component ( ). The drive leader ( ) includes a drive buckle component ( ) that engages the cartridge buckle component ( ) to couple the drive leader ( ) to the cartridge leader ( ). The drive leader ( ) includes a leader connector ( ) having a connector aperture ( ). The take-up reel ( ) includes a hub ( ) that receives the drive leader ( ). Uniquely, the hub ( ) including a drive component channel ( ) that is sized and shaped to receive the drive buckle component ( ). Preferably, the hub ( ) also includes a cartridge component channel ( ) that is sized and shaped to receive the cartridge buckle component ( ) and a pair of member channels ( ) ( ) for receiving the leader connector ( ). With this design, the surface of the storage tape ( ) that is being wound around the take-up reel ( ) is substantially a uniform distance from an axis of rotation ( ) of the take-up reel ( ). This reduces the amount of wear of the storage tape ( ) and reduces speed variations caused by winding the tape ( ) onto an eccentric surface.