Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a box-shaped cassette case whose outline being defined by a bottom wall, a top wall, and a side wall and including a plurality of corner portions, at least one tape contained within a tape containment area defined within the outline, a pair of cavities extending from the bottom wall and being provided between the tape containment area and the outline at opposite ends of a diagonal line connecting one of the corner portions to another of the corner portions, and a side face indicator portion provided in the side wall, indicating a type of the tape, and including a plurality of indicator portions disposed in a pattern in accordance with the type of the tape, each of the indicator portions being one of a switch hole and a surface portion.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a box-shaped cassette case whose outline being defined by a bottom wall, a top wall, and a side wall and including a plurality of corner portions, at least one tape contained within a tape containment area defined within the outline, a pair of cavities extending from the bottom wall and being provided between the tape containment area and the outline at opposite ends of a diagonal line connecting one of the corner portions to another of the corner portions, and a side face indicator portion provided in the side wall, indicating a type of the tape, and including a plurality of indicator portions disposed in a pattern in accordance with the type of the tape, each of the indicator portions being one of a switch hole and a surface portion.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a box-shaped cassette case whose outline being defined by a bottom wall, a top wall, and a side wall and including a plurality of corner portions, at least one tape contained within a tape containment area defined within the outline, a pair of cavities extending from the bottom wall and being provided between the tape containment area and the outline at opposite ends of a diagonal line connecting one of the corner portions to another of the corner portions, and a side face indicator portion provided in the side wall, indicating a type of the tape, and including a plurality of indicator portions disposed in a pattern in accordance with the type of the tape, each of the indicator portions being one of a switch hole and a surface portion.

Abstract: A removable storage cartridge system includes a rack and pinion gear reduction mechanism that assists in extending an eject spring and may assist in engaging a pair of data interface connectors as a cartridge is inserted into the system, and that may further function as a gear multiplication mechanism that assists in disengaging the pair of data interface connectors as the cartridge is ejected from the system.

Abstract: A disc device records or reproduces information in or from a disc stored in a disc cartridge. The disc cartridge includes a casing having a front face with an opening for receiving the disc; and a cover closing the opening of the casing. The cover includes a slider moving along a side face of the casing, a shutter closing the opening; and a hinge part rotatably coupling the shutter to the slider. The disc device includes a stopper contacting the slider when the disc cartridge is inserted into the disc device to restrict movement of the slider in an insertion direction, and a cam part separating the hinge part from a contact region between the shutter and the casing when or before the casing further moves with the stopper restricting movement of the slider and the shutter is pressed by the casing to rotate about the hinge part.

Abstract: A drive-removal mechanism may include, but is not limited to: at least one rotatable member; and at least one drive-engaging member operably coupled to the at least one rotatable member, wherein the drive-removal mechanism is detached from at least one drive to be removed. A drive enclosure may include, but is not limited to: at least one drive-receiving member including at least one drive-receiving channel; and at least one drive-removal mechanism including: at least one rotatable member; and at least one drive-engaging member operably coupled to the at least one rotatable member, wherein the drive-removal mechanism is configured to at least partially remove at least one hot swappable drive from the at least one drive-receiving channel.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration.

Abstract: To provide a magnetic tape loader with which undesirable slippage does not occur while a cartridge is inserted/ejected and carried, whose configuration is simple, and capable of being produced at a low cost. While a projection on an endless belt wrapped around pulleys is engaged with a notch section formed in a front end face of the cartridge in a rack, wherein the pulleys are provided within a cartridge housing container along a cartridge inserting/ejecting direction and having an interval in between, the pulleys and the endless belt are driven to rotate so that the projection slides and the cartridge is pulled out from the rack or a magnetic tape drive. Then the cartridge is housed in the cartridge housing container. The pulley and the endless belt are driven to rotate in reverse so that the projection slides to insert the cartridge from the cartridge housing container into the rack or the magnetic tape drive.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably attached to a printer apparatus includes a casing, an ink ribbon provided in the casing, a supply spool provided in the casing for supplying the ink ribbon, and a take-up spool provided in the casing for retrieving the ink ribbon. The printer apparatus includes a locking member rotatably supported on the printer apparatus and locking the cartridge to the printer apparatus, a detection device for detecting an installation of the cartridge by detecting a locked state of the locking member, a locking portion for locking the locking member when the cartridge is installed in the printer apparatus, and a guide forcefully and rotatingly displacing the locking member from a locking position when the cartridge is pulled out from the printer apparatus.

Abstract: A cartridge loading device 10 for magnetic tape cartridges comprises a first member 12, a second member 14 and a guide arrangement 30, 32, 36, 38 for guiding movement of said second member relative to said first member from a first position to a second position. The first and second members cooperate when in the first position to define a first sized opening having a height sized to receive first sized magnetic tape cartridges having a predetermined height and, when in the second position, cooperating to define a second sized opening that has a height that is greater than the height of the first sized opening and is sized to receive second sized magnetic tape cartridges having a predetermined height that is greater than the height of the first sized magnetic tape cartridges.

Abstract: The magazine includes a rail installed on its bottom surface approximately parallel to an insertion/extraction direction, the rail including a plurality of stepped portions formed at a side surface thereof. A device body includes: a lock lever installed rotatably within the same plane as the bottom surface of the magazine, the lock lever including one portion located in a space below the magazine and another portion located beside the magazine; a spring which urges in a direction in which the rail is installed so that a portion of the lock lever located in a space below the magazine is engaged with the stepped portion; and an accessor which moves beside the magazine along the insertion/extraction direction. The lock lever engaged with each stepped portion is released in such a way that the accessor rotates the lock lever in an opposite direction to an urging direction of the spring.

Abstract: A data storage device is provided with a housing having an access opening, a pair of tape reels and dual sided data tape. The access opening is adjacent to a tape path for access of each tape side. A tape drive is provided with a pair of read/write heads, each having a first position to receive the tape, and a second position for engaging one side of the tape for performing a read/write function. A method is disclosed for reading and/or writing data with a data storage device by providing a housing having an access opening, a pair of tape reels, and dual sided tape. The data storage device is loaded to a tape drive having a pair of read/write heads that are actuated to engage the data tape sides. The tape is conveyed along the pair of read/write heads while a read/write function is performed.

Abstract: A cartridge tray is supported to be movable relative to a frame and capable of receiving a cartridge inserted thereinto. The cartridge tray comprises a cartridge locking lever for locking the cartridge to the cartridge tray, and a lever guard for enabling the cartridge locking lever to act to lock the cartridge to the cartridge tray when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge tray. With the provision of the lever guard, the cartridge locking lever is prevented from transitioning to a locking state even if the tray locking lever is unlocked while no cartridge is accommodated in the cartridge tray.

Abstract: A cartridge slot door mechanism is disclosed that covers a cartridge slot arranged at a front panel of a frame. The cartridge slot door mechanism includes an upper door having an upper side supported by the front panel, and a lower door having a lower side supported by the front panel. The upper door and the lower door are configured to open toward the inner side of the frame, and a lower side portion of the upper door and an upper side portion of the lower door are arranged to overlap.

Abstract: A tape drive bezel forming a front surface of a tape drive is provided, the bezel comprising a housing, an opening in the housing for receiving a tape cartridge, a plurality of targets or fiducials, each fiducial providing an alignment target for one of a plurality of robotic assemblies to insert or remove a tape cartridge in the opening of the housing, and a plurality of projections extending from the front of the housing forming legs for supporting the tape drive and for protecting the fiducials from handling damage. The plurality of fiducials provided on the bezel are compatible with the plurality of robotic assemblies used by different tape library systems enabling a tape drive fitted with the bezel to be used interchangeably with the different libraries.

Abstract: A power supply device of a tape-end detecting sensor for a tape recorder. The power supply device comprises a reel cover disposed on a sub-chassis, with a tape-end detecting sensor being seated on the reel cover for detecting the passing of a terminal end of a magnetic portion of a magnetic tape, a first power transmitting member mounted in the reel cover to be connected to the detecting sensor and having a first contacting portion, and a second power transmitting member disposed on the sub-chassis and having a second contacting portion that comes into contact with the first contacting portion when the reel cover is mounted on the sub-chassis. The power supply device further comprises a resilient pressing member integrally formed with the sub-chassis, for resiliently pressing the second contacting portion toward the first contacting portion to improve a contacting force between the first and the second contacting portions.

Abstract: A bracket structure is utilized to assemble an electronic device into a case. The bracket structure includes a main bracket, a side bracket, a pin, and a guiding groove. The main bracket has a chassis and a bracket wall. The electronic device would be assembled on the chassis. The side bracket would be disposed on a case wall of the case. The pin would be protruded on a surface facing the side bracket of the bracket wall. The guiding groove is disposed on the side bracket. The pin would slide in the guiding groove to guide the main bracket into the case.

Abstract: A cartridge loading device for magnetic tape cartridges comprises a first member 12, a second member 14, a guide arrangement 30, 32, 36, 38 for guiding movement of the second member relative to the first member from a first position to a second position and a locking system 80, 82, 84 for locking the second member in the first position. A second sized opening is sized to receive second sized magnetic tape cartridges having a predetermined height that is greater than the height of the first sized magnetic tape cartridges. The locking system is arranged to lock the second member in its first position and is actuable by insertion of a second sized cartridge into the first sized opening to release the second member to permit movement from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A locking device for a tape cassette housing of a tape recorder comprises a locking recess and a locking protrusion respectively provided in sides of a tape cassette housing and a deck chassis and corresponding to each other, thereby fastening a tape cassette housing to the deck chassis, the tape cassette housing resiliently coming into contact with the deck chassis as a tape cassette is loaded. In here, around external circumference of the locking protrusion is formed at least one edge, and an end of the edge comes into contact with a corner of the locking recess right before the locking protrusion is inserted into the locking recess. Accordingly, the locking protrusion comes into linear contact with the corner of the locking recess in loading/unloading operations of the tape cassette so that the stopping of the ascending and descending movements of the tape cassette housing is prevented during the loading/unloading operations of the tape cassette.

Abstract: A cartridge loading apparatus 300 comprises a cartridge loading device 10 for magnetic tape cartridges and a mounting 302 for the device. The cartridge loading device comprises a first member 12, a second member 14 and a guide arrangement for guiding movement of the second member relative to the first member from a first position to a second position. The first and second members cooperating when in the first position to define a first sized opening having a height sized to receive first sized magnetic tape cartridges having a height that is greater than the height of the first sized opening. The cartridge loading device has a front end at which cartridges are inserted into the opening, a rear end and opposite sides extending between the front and rear ends.

Abstract: A data drive for detecting loading/unloading positions and media type is provided. The drive includes: a drive base; a receiver for receiving a storage media device, the receiver being movably coupled to the drive base and translatable from an unloaded position to a loaded position; a media flag, for detecting a media type of the storage media device, movably coupled to the receiver and translatable from a first position to a second position when the storage media device is inserted into the receiver; a media flag sensor fixedly coupled to the drive base for detecting movement of the media flag; a receiver flag, for detecting position of the storage media device, fixedly coupled to the receiver; and a receiver flag sensor fixedly coupled to the drive base for detecting movement of the receiver flag.

Abstract: A cassette housing assembly for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus includes a cassette housing adapted to receive a cassette tape and having a locking lever. An X-lever supports vertical movement of the cassette housing with respect to a deck chassis. A locking member fixes the locking lever to retain the cassette housing is in a down position. The locking member is made of substantially the same material as the X-lever, such that abrasion of the locking member and the locking lever is substantially prevented. The locking member may be integrally formed with the X-lever, such as a drawing boss or a burring boss.

Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed that is arranged to receive a tape cassette accommodating a tape recording medium that is selectively loaded thereto. The apparatus includes a rotating drum unit having a rotating head, and a loading mechanism that is configured to pull the tape recording medium of the loaded tape cassette out of the loaded tape cassette, wind the tape recording medium around the rotating drum unit, and form a tape path. The loading mechanism includes a short loading pole that is adapted for a first tape cassette accommodating a narrow tape recording medium and a long loading pole that is adapted for a second tape cassette accommodating a wide tape recording medium, which short pole and long pole are positioned at the same height, and a loading pole raising mechanism that is configured to raise the long loading pole when the second tape cassette is loaded.