Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge having more internal tape storage capacity than prior art cartridges adhering to a standard, but having the same outside dimensions as such a standard cartridge. The invention optimizes internal tape storage capacity in a approximately standard quarter inch cartridge by optimizing the geometric configuration and placement of internal tape guide rollers, repositioning internal side walls, and optimizing the size of the tape drive roller. Compared to the standard, the tape guide rollers are reduced in diameter and moved further away from the center line of the tape reels. Also in comparison to the standard, the side walls are also repositioned further away from the radial center of the tape reels. Optionally, the drive interface portion of the belt drive roller is decreased in size, while the required linear velocity of the tape is maintained by proportionally decreasing the radius of the belt interface portion of the belt drive roller.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge has tape spools rotatably mounted in the cartridge, and a belt drive assembly for driving the tape back and forth between the spools. The drive assembly includes three roller supporting pins, a driving roller rotatably mounted on one of the pins and a pair of guide rollers rotatably mounted on the other pins, and an endless drive belt extending around the rollers to contact tape on each spool. The cartridge has an opening for entry of a drive roller to engage and drive the belt driving roller so as to move the drive belt and drive tape back and forth between the spools. The drive roller mounting pin has a recess extending over at least a portion of the pin facing the drive opening for reducing the bearing surface area between the pin and driving roller so as to reduce the tangential drive force needed to rotate the driving roller.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge has tape spools rotatably mounted in the cartridge, and a belt drive assembly for driving the tape back and forth between the spools. The drive assembly includes three roller supporting pins, a driving roller rotatably mounted on one of the pins and a pair of guide rollers rotatably mounted on the other pins, and an endless drive belt extending around the rollers to contact tape on each spool. The cartridge has an opening for entry of a drive roller to engage and drive the belt driving roller so as to move the drive belt and drive tape back and forth between the spools. The drive roller mounting pin has a recess extending over at least a portion of the pin facing the drive opening for reducing the bearing surface area between the pin and driving roller so as to reduce the tangential drive force needed to rotate the driving roller.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge that includes at least one vibration damping pin. The cartridge comprises a base plate, two spools and various tape path members, such as roller guides, tension pins, and the like. The vibration damping pin is mounted on the base plate along an otherwise uninterrupted tape run between two tape path members. A characteristic of the damping pin that distinguishes it from other tape path members is that it does not alter the direction of the tape path significantly (if at all), i.e., any wrap angle is minimal; its sole function is to stabilize the tape. Furthermore, the wrap angle remains constant during operation. In embodiments including more than one damping pin, the pins may be distributed on both sides of the tape or all on the same.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge has a rectangular housing with a front wall shorter than its side walls. The front wall has an access opening for a tape read/write head and a drive opening. A pair of tape spools are rotatably mounted in the housing so as to lie on an axis oriented at an angle to the front wall, and a plurality of tape guides define a tape path between the spools and across the access opening. An endless drive belt extends around a drive roller at the drive opening and at least three belt guide rollers in a belt-path arranged to contact tape on each spool. The tape path has extended portions extending between the tape contacting portions on each side of the spools. At least one belt guide roller is located in the same extended portion of the belt path as the drive roller, and at least two belt guide rollers are located in the other extended portion of the belt path.

Abstract: A highly durable, usually hydrolytically stable, drive belt for belt-driven tape cartridges is disclosed which is a thin continuous flexible loop of at least one polyetherurethane (preferably non-hygroscopic), which is both durable and strong. Preferably the belt will be composed of a composite of two separate polyetherurethane materials, one having a higher molecular weight and longer polymer chain length than the other. Also preferably, these two polyetherurethane materials will be blended to a homogenous mixture by melting both materials and blend the molten material and forming the belt from the resulting polymeric mixture. Optionally a single polyetherurethane polymer may be used as the material comprising the belt if that single material has the requisite properties of flexibility and durability.

Abstract: The tape guidance system includes at least three tape guidance surfaces, each of the tape guidance surfaces having at least one enlarged shoulder extending from the tape guidance surface toward the tape to bear upon an edge of the tape and provide a confinement force parallel to the plane of the tape in a direction transverse to the direction of the tape motion. Two adjacent tape guide surfaces have a close tolerance guide, with a distance between the shoulders being equal to or slightly greater than the width of the tape. The third tape guidance surface has a wide clearance such that if the tape is to contact the shoulder of the third guide, it must deviate from a straight line path. The tape has a tendency toward the shoulder of the third guide as a function of the perpendicularity of the tape guide to the plane of the tape. The tape path is such that if a tape is to contact the shoudler of the third guide it must contact alternature surfaces of the other two guides.

Abstract: A tape spool for use in a magnetic tape cartridge which includes means for maintaining the spool at a predetermined height relative to the cartridge base in order to stabilize the tape path. The spool is adapted for mounting on and rotation relative to a cylindrical pin extending perpendicularly from a base toward an opposite wall, the base and wall defining opposite substantially parallel sides of an enclosure, the tape spool remaining a constant distance from the base and including: a hub having a central aperture for mounting on the pin, an upper surface, a lower bearing surface, and a circumferential tape supporting rim; a disc attached to the hub; a spring formed in the disc and in contact with the upper surface of the hub; and a central aperture for mounting on the pin; and a retaining member adjacent the upper portion of the disc, the spring urging the disc against the retaining member and simultaneously urging the hub downward such that the hub is retained at a constant distance from the base.

Abstract: A fastening system or mechanism for fastening a cover member of a first, resilient material to a base member of a second, relatively rigid material to form a tape cartridge housing comprises a single rigid fastener connected between the base and cover members and at least one expansion or slip fastener rigidly connected to one of the members and loosely connected to the other member in a manner permitting a predetermined degree of relative sliding movement between the members in any direction in the plane parallel to the base and cover members, while restricting perpendicular movement between the members. In the preferred embodiment, the expansion fastener comprises a headed post or screw extending through an enlarged opening in one of the members with some free play and fastened in an opposing bore in the other member.