Patents by Inventor Toshiya Kurokawa

Toshiya Kurokawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7252257
    Abstract: The invention proposes a tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Kurokawa, Joichi Daiba, Katsumi Maekawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani
  • Patent number: 7158341
    Abstract: The invention provides a tape library wherein the accommodated number of cassette tapes can be adjusted freely. Where one or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit, when a transport mechanism is positioned within the basic unit, a control circuit section of the basic unit controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the basic unit, but when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit, the control circuit section controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the expansion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7145748
    Abstract: The invention provides a tape library wherein the accommodated number of cassette tapes can be adjusted freely. Where one or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit, when a transport mechanism is positioned within the basic unit, a control circuit section of the basic unit controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the basic unit, but when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit, the control circuit section controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the expansion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7119983
    Abstract: The invention provides a tape library wherein the accommodated number of cassette tapes can be adjusted freely. Where one or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit, when a transport mechanism is positioned within the basic unit, a control circuit section of the basic unit controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the basic unit, but when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit, the control circuit section controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the expansion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7019931
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tape drive apparatus enabled to directly and accurately detect dew condensation on a rotary head drum. Tape serving as a recording medium is drawn out of a cartridge. The drawn tape runs in such a way as to be wound on a tape takeup reel provided in a tape drive apparatus body. Signals are recorded on and reproduced from the tape by winding the drawn tape around the rotary head drum. This tape drive apparatus has a prethreading mechanism that brings the tape into slight contact with the rotary head drum before the tape is completely wound therearound. Dew condensation on the rotary head drum is detected by rotating the rotary head drum during a status in which the tape is brought by the prethreading mechanism into contact with the rotary head drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani, Masaki Yoshizawa, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6991193
    Abstract: A tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge. The apparatus includes a carrying mechanism for extracting the tape as a recording medium from the cartridge where the magnetic tape is stored, and for carrying the magnetic tape to be wound up onto a takeup reel provided on the drive apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Kurokawa, Joichi Daiba, Katsumi Maekawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20050207058
    Abstract: The invention provides a tape library wherein the accommodated number of cassette tapes can be adjusted freely. Where one or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit, when a transport mechanism is positioned within the basic unit, a control circuit section of the basic unit controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the basic unit, but when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit, the control circuit section controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the expansion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20050201007
    Abstract: The invention provides a tape library wherein the accommodated number of cassette tapes can be adjusted freely. Where one or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit, when a transport mechanism is positioned within the basic unit, a control circuit section of the basic unit controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the basic unit, but when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit, the control circuit section controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the expansion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20050190486
    Abstract: The invention provides a tape library wherein the accommodated number of cassette tapes can be adjusted freely. Where one or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit, when a transport mechanism is positioned within the basic unit, a control circuit section of the basic unit controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the basic unit, but when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit, the control circuit section controls the position and operation of the transport mechanism with reference to a position reference point of the expansion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6930854
    Abstract: A tape library wherein a number of cassette tapes are accommodated and adjusted. One or more expansion units are connected to a basic unit. When a transport mechanism is within the basic unit, a control circuit section controls the transport mechanism by referencing a position reference point of the basic unit, and when the transport mechanism is within an expansion unit the control circuit section controls referencing a position reference point of the expansion unit. The control circuit section and the transport mechanism of the basic unit are interconnected by an elongated-belt-like flat cable which includes a plurality of conductors extending in parallel and joined with an insulating material, and when an expansion unit is coupled the cable need not be replaced, allowing coupling of an expansion unit and smooth transportation of a recording medium in the expansion unit to a recording and/or playback section by the transport mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Ryuji Takatsuka, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20050092858
    Abstract: The invention proposes a tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Toshiya Kurokawa, Joichi Daiba, Katsumi Maekawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20050092857
    Abstract: The invention proposes a tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Toshiya Kurokawa, Joichi Daiba, Katsumi Maekawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20050092856
    Abstract: The invention proposes a tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Toshiya Kurokawa, Joichi Daiba, Katsumi Maekawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20050061902
    Abstract: A tape reel in which the reliability while running a magnetic tape at high speed is improved and a tape cartridge including the same. By configuring an annular chucking gear (152b) formed in a center section of a bottom surface of a lower flange (152) of a tape reel (150) with a perpendicular wall, idling and floating of the tape reel is suppressed, and thus, the running stability and linearity of the magnetic tape during high-speed rotation of the tape reel (150) are secured, and the reliability of the tape cartridge with regard to high speed operations is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Takaaki Sanpei, Shuichi Kikuchi, Kazuo Sasaki, Mitsue Sakurai, Toshiya Kurokawa, Katsumi Maekawa, Hitomi Chiba
  • Patent number: 6865047
    Abstract: A single-reel tape cartridge includes a leader block and a take-up reel disposed inside a drive apparatus that are provided with retaining members so that the leader block is firmly positioned and rattling thereof is prevented. A pair of changer grips which extend from end to end of a housing of the cartridge in the vertical direction are formed at two corners of the cartridge housing. In addition, a memory module, which stores the management information for the tape-like recording medium and which is used for radio communication, is disposed at an angle in one of the corners of the cartridge so that a communication antenna of the memory module faces at least two directions. In addition, the leader tape is provided with a striped portion used for identifying the medium, and the cartridge housing is closed by a shutter used for disengaging the reel lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Maekawa, Toshiya Kurokawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani, Yoshitsugu Taki, Motoyoshi Fujimori
  • Patent number: 6829117
    Abstract: An antenna is provided for use with a memory (MIC) incorporated in a recording medium that stores management data. The antenna is located at a position to read data signals from the memory before the recording medium inserted through an insertion port is completely transported to the transport mechanism of a drive. Thus, a recording/playback apparatus and a data library can be provided, which can use a large amount of information to manage the recording medium as management data before the recording medium is inserted into the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Taki, Masahiro Kodama, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6762903
    Abstract: A tape drive uses a single-reel type tape cassette, and includes a pull-back guide shaft for pulling back a tape-shaped recording medium at a predetermined position and a pair of moveable guide pins, whereby the tape-shaped recording medium is positioned between the paired guide pins is wound around the drum. A tension device applies a predetermined tension when the tape-shaped recording medium has been drawn out and a tape path has been formed. A non-winding fast feed mode is set in which the tape-shaped recording medium is fed at high speed under a predetermined tension wherein the tape-shaped recording medium is not wound around the drum. The tension device has a tension regulator lever having two guide shafts for both winding feed mode and non-winding feed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Kano, Toshiya Kurokawa, Katsumi Maekawa, Atsushi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20040109254
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tape drive apparatus enabled to directly and accurately detect dew condensation on a rotary head drum. Tape serving as a recording medium is drawn out of a cartridge. The drawn tape runs in such a way as to be wound on a tape takeup reel provided in a tape drive apparatus body. Signals are recorded on and reproduced from the tape by winding the drawn tape around the rotary head drum. This tape drive apparatus has a prethreading mechanism that brings the tape into slight contact with the rotary head drum before the tape is completely wound therearound. Dew condensation on the rotary head drum is detected by rotating the rotary head drum during a status in which the tape is brought by the prethreading mechanism into contact with the rotary head drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani, Masaki Yoshizawa, Toshiya Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20030168542
    Abstract: The invention proposes a tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Toshiya Kurokawa, Joichi Daiba, Katsumi Maekawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20030089809
    Abstract: A leader block of a single-reel tape cartridge and a take-up reel disposed inside a drive apparatus are provided with retaining members so that the leader block is positioned and rattling thereof is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Katsumi Maekawa, Toshiya Kurokawa, Yasuaki Kano, Atsushi Mitani, Yoshitsugu Taki, Motoyoshi Fujimori