Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge has a cartridge casing, a single reel around which a magnetic tape is wound and which is contained in the cartridge casing for rotation and a leader pin fixed to the leading end portion of the magnetic tape. The leader pin is provided at its opposite ends with engagement portions which are brought into engagement with a tape drawing mechanism of a recording and reproducing system when the magnetic tape cartridge is loaded in the recording and reproducing system. The end face of each engagement portion is provided with a recess at which the tape drawing mechanism chucks the leader pin.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge includes a cartridge casing and a single reel which is contained in the cartridge casing for rotation. The reel has a reel hub in the form of a cylindrical member which has a bottom wall and is provided with an opening and a stopper gear formed on the bottom wall. A brake member is provided with a brake gear and is movable up and down between an operative position where the brake gear is brought into engagement with the stopper gear to prevent rotation of the reel and a retracted position where the brake gear is disengaged from the stopper gear to permit rotation of the reel. The brake member is normally urged toward the operative position and moved to the retracted position by a pusher member of a tape drive system which acts on the brake member through the opening in the reel hub when the magnetic tape cartridge is loaded in the tape drive system.

Abstract: A system and method provide information from a tape cartridge in two axes of the tape cartridge. A memory device is attached to the tape cartridge. At least one data transmitting antenna is provided in communication with the memory device. The data transmitting antenna is mounted to the tape cartridge at an angle to effectively transmit data to two axes of the tape cartridge. The data is transmitted using magnetic fields. Power is supplied to the memory device and the data transmitting antenna using magnetic fields.

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.

Abstract: A tape threading apparatus for use with a single reel cartridge of source tape allows leader tape to be spooled onto an inner leader drum, and source tape to be spooled on to an outer take-up drum. The apparatus has a take-up reel having an outer drum configured to accept source tape. The apparatus further includes a leader drum which is supported essentially concentric with and at least partially rotatable with respect to the outer drum. The leader tape has a first end attached to the leader drum and a second end provided with a tape connector which can be connected to the source tape. The outer drum has a leader tape opening to allow leader tape to pass freely from the leader drum to the outside of the outer drum. The leader tape opening is configured to prevent passage of the tape connector therethrough. In a first embodiment, the leader drum is configured to be driven by a drive motor.

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.

Abstract: A threading apparatus for threading tape from a single reel magnetic tape cartridge through a tape transport machine. The threading apparatus includes a leader block and a take-up reel. The take-up reel includes a leader block receiving section that is adapted to receive the leader block during a threading operation. Upon the take-up reel receiving the leader block, the take-up reel and leader block form a smooth winding substrate for subsequent wraps of magnetic tape.

Abstract: A resilient parking seat for the leader device of a single reel tape cartridge is provided which works in combination with a tape supply reel lock having discrete, evenly-spaced locking positions. The parking seat includes a cradle assembly, which is shaped to receive the leader device. The cradle assembly, mounted in a recess within a tape access port in the cartridge housing, is linearly slidable between two limiting positions along a path that is approximately coincident with that of the tape as it enters or exits the cartridge housing. The cradle assembly is biased with at least one biasing spring in a tape exiting direction, so that when the tape is completely rewound into the cartridge, the leader device enters the access port, makes contact with the cradle assembly, causing the cradle assembly to slide within the recess and compress the biasing spring(s). Compression of the biasing spring(s) is maintained by a rewind mechanism of a tape drive as the reel lock is engaged.

Abstract: A tape cartridge and reel lock that allows the reel lock to be released away from the center of rotation of the tape reel while keeping the frictional interface between the moving and fixed parts at the center of rotation of the reel. The tape cartridge includes a housing, a tape reel rotatably disposed in the housing, a tape drive interface on the reel, a rotatably fixed locking member operatively coupled to the reel and a release mechanism engagable by the tape drive at the tape drive interface on the reel. The release mechanism is movable between a first position in which the release mechanism is not engaged by the tape drive and the locking member is locked and a second position in which the tape drive engages the release mechanism and the locking member is unlocked.

Abstract: A recording tape take-up reel assembly, comprising an annular hub having a top, a bottom, an axis of rotation and a radial surface, a first and second sub flange concentric with the annular hub, each sub flange having a top surface, a bottom surface and an outside circumferential edge surface, wherein the edge surface is adapted to have a tape wound thereon, and wherein the bottom surface of the first sub flange is concentrically attached to the top surface of the hub and the top surface of the second sub flange is concentrically attached to the bottom surface of the hub; and a first and second main flange concentric with the annular hub and the sub flanges, each main flange having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the first main flange is concentrically attached to the top surface of the first sub flange and the top surface of the second main flange is concentrically attached to the bottom surface of the second sub flange.

Abstract: A multiple pole, multiple phase, sensorless DC disk spindle motor in a disk drive is powered by direct current which is commutated among the motor phases from a DC power supply to start the motor and to rotate the disks at constant speed in a predetermined direction whenever the disk drive is in use. When the motor is prevented from rotating by the stiction bond of one or more transducers which have adhered to the disks, the direct current is reversibly commutated among the motor phases near the resonant frequency, a predetermined number of times, to produce substantially sinusoidal, bi-polar motor torques to achieve torque amplification to break the stiction bonds. Following the last of the predetermined number of reversible commutations of direct current, direct current commutation is initiated among the motor phases to rotate the motor and the disks in the desired direction at constant speed.

Abstract: A hard disk drive, having a removable hard disk stack or assembly in which one or more hard disks are bonded by a compliant bonding agent to a circular hub. Bonding of the hard disk(s) to the hub is the sole support of the hard disks. The circular hub has a center section which is secured by screw threaded attachment to a rotatable member of a motor for rotation at constant speed. The hub center section is of sufficient strength not to deflect in the presence of securing forces. The integrated hard disk(s) and hub provide a hard disk assembly or hard disk stack which, when the hub is attached to the rotatable member, functions as a fixed hard disk assembly providing a fixed, hard disk drive function, while affording ease of removal of the integrated, hard disk assembly for replacement or repair. The hard disk assembly is ideally suited for application in small form factor hard disk drives, less than the 31/2 inch form factor, for example, in the one to two inch form factor range.

Abstract: A rotary actuator disk drive in which the rotary actuator is driven by a motor comprising a movable coil and a stationary permanent magnet structure producing a magnetic field which links the coil. The rotary actuator comprises a load beam arm stack and a voice coil arm of electrical insulating material such as a light weight plastic, all of which are axially stacked and swaged to a rotary actuator bearing hub which is rotatably mounted in the disk drive. The coil arm of electrical insulating material has a bobbin section on which the coil is directly wound. The coil arm is molded together with the coil arm mounting bushing, a latch pin of magnetic material and an actuator arm balance weight insert molded therein. The latch pin is linked by the permanent magnet field of the motor permanent magnet structure and functions with that structure to define mechanical limits of angular actuator movement and to magnetically latch the actuator in one angular limit when the disk drive is not in use.

Abstract: A disk drive in which the rotatable magnetic memory disks and the metal actuator are electrically isolated from the metallic mainframe of the disk drive and the magnetic heads on the metallic actuator, the coils of the magnetic heads and the magnetic memory disks are maintained at electrical potential levels which are sufficiently close to prevent arcing therebetween and which is different from the potential of the main frame. Electrical isolation is achieved by electrically insulating the disk spindle on which the disks are journaled from the mainframe and by electrically insulating the metal actuator from the metal actuator support when the metal actuator support is attached directly to the main frame, or by electrically insulating the metal actuator support from the main frame. An electrical potential is applied to the disks via the disk spindle and to the body of the magnetic heads via the metal actuator arm to provide potential levels which among these parts are sufficiently close to prevent arcing.