Patents by Inventor Tom Kao

Tom Kao 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: 6032895
    Abstract: A tape cartridge has a baseplate surrounded by a housing. Two hub pins are disposed within the housing substantially perpendicular to the baseplate. Each pin has top and bottom portions and a collared portion therebetween. The bottom portion of each pin is press-fitted into a mating aperture in the baseplate with the collared portion bearing against the baseplate. A large diameter tape hub is rotatably mounted on the top portion. The collared portions allow the hub pins to withstand heavy side loads without significantly deflecting from the perpendicular. Two large diameter tape hubs are rotatably mounted around the hub pins and improve the empty hub to full pack diameter ratios, and improve the resulting tangential drive force and tape tension profiles as the tape moves between the hubs. A back set of belt rollers includes a high-drag roller that engages the drive belt at a fixed wrap angle and produces a relatively constant drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Verbatim Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Krula, Tom Kao, Li Zhao