Abstract: Provided is a magnetic recording medium capable of implementing higher-density recording. This magnetic recording medium includes a substrate containing a polyester and a magnetic layer disposed on the substrate, including a plurality of types of magnetic powder. A surface of the magnetic layer has an arithmetic average roughness Ra of 2.5 nm or less. PSD to a spatial wavelength of 5 ?m is 2.5 ?m or less. The magnetic layer has an average thickness of 90 nm or less. The magnetic powder has an average aspect ratio of 1.0 or more and 3.0 or less. A coercive force in a perpendicular direction is 3000 oersted or less. A ratio of a coercive force in a longitudinal direction to the coercive force in the perpendicular direction is 0.8 or less. A half-value width of an isolated waveform in a reproduced waveform of a data signal is 200 nm or less.

Abstract: A tape media cartridge includes a cartridge housing having a standard form factor, a cartridge reel that is coupled to and retained within the cartridge and a tape media. The tape media can be selectively wound onto the cartridge reel between a fully wound state, a partially wound state and an unwound state. The tape media forms a media hollow cylinder having a media outer diameter and a media inner diameter that varies depending upon the state of the tape media. When the tape media is in the fully wound state, the tape media has a ratio of the media outer diameter to media inner diameter of at least approximately 95:43. The cartridge housing can include a side wall having a wall center and wall edge, the side wall having a side wall thickness that gradually increases from the side wall center to the side wall edge.

Abstract: An optical data storage device includes an optical storage tape having one or more optical storage layers. A plurality of optical pickup units reads and/or writes data to the optical storage tape. A feed reel provides the optical storage tape to the optical pickup units. A guiding wheel that guides the optical storage tape when the optical storage tape is in the vicinity of the optical pickup units during read and/or write operations. Finally, a take-up reel receives the optical storage tape from the guiding wheel.

Abstract: There is provided a tape guiding member including: a hub around which a recording tape is wound or is trained; a flange main body that is provided at the hub, and that restricts a position in a transverse direction of the recording tape; a tape contacting layer that is formed in a shape of a sheet of a material that is different from a material that structures the flange main body, and that is superposed on a surface, at the recording tape side, of the flange main body; and a holding portion that is provided at the flange main body, and covers an outer peripheral edge portion of the tape contacting layer from the recording tape side, and holds the tape contacting layer at the flange main body.

Abstract: A tape guide roller, for use with a tape drive that is configured to receive a length of tape, includes a roller body having an outer surface with one or more grooved areas and one or more non-grooved areas. The one or more grooved areas make up seventy-five percent or less of the outer surface, and the one or more non-grooved areas make up at least twenty-five percent of the outer surface. Furthermore, the one or more grooved areas are configured to affect traction between the roller body and the tape as the tape passes over the roller body.

Abstract: A system and method of modulating tape tension during operation of a tape drive data storage system in which a fixed position tape guide utilizes one or more drag elements to exert a control force on a tape medium that affects downstream tape tension. Drag elements that may be used include, but are not necessarily limited to, air ports that delivery positive or negative air pressure to the tape medium, skiving edge elements that are positionable into and out of engagement with the tape medium, and brakes or motors that engage the tape guide (if it is rotatably mounted) to control its rotational torque. A tension control circuit is used to vary the operation of the one or more drag elements. Signal inputs to the control circuit are provided by a tape tension sensor adjacent to or incorporated in the tape guide.

Abstract: A recording tape cartridge comprises a single reel at which a recording tape is wound around a hub, a case rotatably accommodating the reel, an opening for pulling-out of a leader member attached to an end portion of the recording tape, and a tape guide which the recording tape slidingly contacts is provided within the case. After the recording tape slidingly contacts the tape guide, the recording tape is taken-up at a drive device, and therefore, traveling of the recording tape is stable. In this way, occurrence of reading errors of servo signals and recording/playback errors of data signals at a drive device can be reduced, even with recording tapes whose recording densities are improved.

Abstract: A tape cartridge according to the present invention includes a case, a reel disposed in the case, a tape that can be wound around the reel in such a manner as to be fed out freely, and a guide member for tape guidance disposed in the case. The guide member is supported by a support member, which is held at a predetermined position inside the case and supported by the reel without interfering with a rotation of the reel.

Abstract: A tape guide roller comprises a cylindrical barrel with a cylindrical peripheral surface parallel to a central axis; the cylindrical peripheral surface comprising smooth cylindrical surface zones alternating in the circumferential direction about the cylindrical peripheral surface with non-smooth cylindrical surface zones. The non-smooth cylindrical surface zones may comprise a textured surface, and/or may comprise a grooved surface.

Abstract: A tape guide that has textured surface over which the tape passes. The textured surface has a surface roughness exceeding the flying height of the tape above the surface. This new irregular surface topography reduces the air bearing and allows limited contact between the tape guide and the tape while minimizing tape distortion that can occur with other surface topographies.

Abstract: A system and method of modulating tape tension during operation of a tape drive data storage system in which a fixed position tape guide utilizes one or more drag elements to exert a control force on a tape medium that affects downstream tape tension. Drag elements that may be used include, but are not necessarily limited to, air ports that delivery positive or negative air pressure to the tape medium, skiving edge elements that are positionable into and out of engagement with the tape medium, and brakes or motors that engage the tape guide (if it is rotatably mounted) to control its rotational torque. A tension control circuit is used to vary the operation of the one or more drag elements. Signal inputs to the control circuit are provided by a tape tension sensor adjacent to or incorporated in the tape guide.

Abstract: In one example of one aspect of the invention, a single reel data storage cartridge is provided. The single reel data storage cartridge includes a housing having an access window and a reel rotatably disposed within the housing and having storage tape wound on the reel. A guide surface is further disposed within the housing such that the tape extends from the reel to the guide surface before extending to the access window. The guide surface thereby increases the tape path from the reel to guiding elements within a tape drive to reduce the force imparted on the tape edge during guiding.

Abstract: Magnetic tape guiding system takes advantage of characteristics of slit magnetic tape wherein one of the two tape edges has a higher tendency to shed tape debris than the other, and the slit tape is consistently loaded into tape cartridges in the same direction. A tape guiding system is configured to guide a magnetic tape along a tape path extending across magnetic tape head(s) from a tape cartridge oriented in a single direction, the cartridge having a length of magnetic tape with a second edge tending to create lower debris under contact than a first edge. At least one single flange tape guide roller has a cylindrical surface oriented to provide the tape path for the magnetic tape, and has a single flange at one end of the cylindrical surface that is oriented with respect to the cartridge receiver to correspond to the second edge of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A tape guide is provided for use in routing a tape media, used in a computer or other application, along a pre-specified path of travel. The tape guide is oriented along a vertical axis and comprises three sections or components joined together to form an integral guide structure. An upper section is provided with a concave surface that curves upward to a circular edge around the top of the guide. The guide also includes a cylindrical central section, and a frustoconical lower section having its smaller-diameter end contiguous with the cylindrical section. Thus, the lower section provides a tapered outer surface extending downwardly from the central section. A tape is wrapped around the guide, whereby the tape is directed along its path of travel. As the tape moves along its path of travel, the curved upper section and tapered frustoconical section apply downwardly directed and upwardly directed biasing forces, respectively.

Abstract: A tape guide mechanism in a storage device is disclosed for defining an improved roller guide tape path. A cartridge reel is provided for supplying tape to a take-up reel. Multiple flanged guides are provided located remotely from the cartridge and take-up reels. A non-flanged post guide is provided located proximate to the take-up reel for increasing a length of the tape path and for permitting the flanged guides to be located remotely from the cartridge and take-up reels so that the flanged guides are not located in proximity to the cartridge or take-up reels. An axis of symmetry exists longitudinally about one or two read/write heads. The tape path length is generally symmetrically disposed about this axis of symmetry.

Abstract: Tape drives and methods of operating tape drives are provided. The tape drive may include: a first reel motor for rotating a first reel having a data storage tape medium wound about the first reel; a data transfer head; a second reel motor for rotating a second reel to draw the tape medium from the first reel, across the data transfer head, and onto the second reel; and at least one adaptive bearing for guiding the tape medium between the first reel and the second reel, the adaptive bearing including a roller having a first rotational resistance as the tape medium travels past the adaptive bearing at a first linear velocity and having a second rotational resistance greater than the first rotational resistance when the tape medium travels past the adaptive bearing at a second linear velocity greater than the first linear velocity.

Abstract: A pair of disk-shaped annular flanges is made of material firmer than that of a hollow cylindrical-shaped roller portion. The roller portion has an outer peripheral surface in which the flanges are mounted at opposite ends thereof. On press-fitting a pair of bearings in the roller portion, the flanges are retained by means of bearing flanges. The outer peripheral surface of the roller portion has a pair of flange guides, at opposite ends thereof, for guiding the flanges. The flange guide has a longitudinal length shorter than thickness of the flange. An adhesive agent may be filled in a gap formed among an end surface of the roller portion, the disk-shaped annular flange, and the bearing.

Abstract: A tape path roller guide has a cylindrical guiding surface between two flanges. A plurality of continuous venting valleys in the guiding surface are wholly parallel to a central axis of the cylinder forming axial paddle-like surfaces generating air flow away from the cylindrical guiding surface tending to draw air from the guiding surface. Thus, a tape is allowed to stay in contact with the guiding surface. Because of the continuous venting valleys, the roller cylinder is made by molding or extrusion.

Abstract: The invention is directed to arrangements of tapered data storage tape guides which can improve the guiding of data storage tape. Tapered data storage tape guides having specific sizes relative to the data storage tape are also disclosed. The tapered data storage tape guides and arrangements of tapered guides can improve the ability to properly guide the data storage tape, e.g., during media fabrication, servo recording or readout, data recording or data readout. In one embodiment, a data storage tape guiding system may include a first tapered guide and a second tapered guide. The taper in the first guide can be opposite the taper in the second guide such that the data storage tape is forced against an upper flange of the first guide and forced against a lower flange of the second guide, or vice versa.

Abstract: The invention is directed to arrangements of tape guides which can improve the guiding of data storage tape. Tape guides having specific sizes relative to the data storage tape are also disclosed. The disclosed tape guides and arrangements of tape guides can improve the ability to properly guide the data storage tape, e.g., during media fabrication, servo recording or readout, data recording or data readout. The invention is particularly useful for magnetic tape, but may also find application with optical tape, holographic tape, or other formats of data storage tape.

Abstract: A tape guide that has textured surface over which the tape passes. The textured surface has a surface roughness exceeding the flying height of the tape above the surface. This new irregular surface topography reduces the air bearing and allows limited contact between the tape guide and the tape while minimizing tape distortion that can occur with other surface topographies.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a magnetic tape recording/reproducing device capable of accurately positioning a magnetic tape relative to a magnetic head to thereby improve recording/reproduction characteristics to or from the magnetic tape even when the running direction of the magnetic tape is inverted between forward and reverse directions. First guide rollers are provided so as to swing between a first inclined position and a second inclined position along a tangential direction of the magnetic tape partially wound on roller portions and, where the first inclined position is such that allowing upper flanges to reside on an upstream side of the lower flanges in the tape running direction, and the second inclined position is such that allowing the upper flanges to reside on a downstream side of the lower flanges in the tape running direction. The first guide rollers are respectively provided with drive means for allowing the first guide rollers to swing between the first and second inclined positions.

Abstract: A tape transport roller for a tape drive includes a roller body having a longitudinal axis and first and second grooves that each run obliquely to the axis. The grooves are configured to vent air disposed between the roller body and magnetic tape traveling across the roller body.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for reducing tape media edge damage in data regions and controlling the position of the tape media in a passive manner. A curved tape guide surface of a tape guide roller controls tape media edge damage by restoring the tape media to a properly aligned position on a tape guide roller by using tape guide rollers with curved edge stops that exert a force to the tape media during a lateral shift. As the tape moves around the roller, the restoring force exerted by the curved portion of the tape guide roller on the tape during any lateral shift restores the tape to a centered position. Keeping the tape media in a centered position reduces tape edge wear, lessens degradation of the integrity of the tape and increases the useful lifetime of the tape.

Abstract: A tape guide that has textured surface over which the tape passes. The textured surface has a surface roughness exceeding the flying height of the tape above the surface. This new irregular surface topography reduces the air bearing and allows limited contact between the tape guide and the tape while minimizing tape distortion that can occur with other surface topographies.

Abstract: A tape path roller guide has a cylindrical guiding surface between two flanges. A plurality of continuous venting valleys in the guiding surface are wholly parallel to a central axis of the cylinder forming axial paddle-like surfaces generating air flow away from the cylindrical guiding surface tending to draw air from the guiding surface. Thus, a tape is allowed to stay in contact with the guiding surface. Because of the continuous venting valleys, the roller cylinder is made by molding or extrusion.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette and a guide roller in which the magnetic tape can stably travel and the magnetic head can read/write the record correctly, and a method of manufacturing the guide roller are provided. The magnetic tape cassette of the present invention comprises a guide roller (106) rotatably supported by the lower cassette half. The guide roller is almost in the shape of a barrel of which a coefficient of curvature T expressed by the expression [1] representing the extent of curvature of the circumferential surface is in the range between 0.001 and 0.01, and comprises a primary molding and injected resin injected within the primary molding for bulging said primary molding into the shape of said barrel shaped cavity that has a largest diameter at the parting line by the injection pressure.

Abstract: A tape guide device for a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a pole base assembly to guide a tape supplied from a supply reel and passed through a predetermined path to be moved horizontally to a read surface of a head drum. The pole base assembly includes a pole base installed adjacently to or separately from one side of the head drum during a loading/unloading operation of the tape. The pole base assembly also includes a pole unit including a spiral flange inclined to the pole base to be in a horizontal direction to the read surface of the head drum, to guide the tape entering the head drum to be inclined at a predetermined angle and positioned in the horizontal direction to the read surface.

Abstract: A tape loading apparatus comprises a base, a roller post about which a tape is wrapped for tape loading, and a carrying member for carrying the roller post. The roller post includes a rotation shaft and a roller rotating about the rotation shaft, and a shaft engagement member is provided on the base for holding the roller post at a predetermined position, the shaft engagement member directly contacting and pressing one or both ends of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention can restrain uneven winding of a magnetic tape. The magnetic tape can be restrained, and the magnetic tape cartridge of this invention comprises a cartridge case, a reel, housed inside this cartridge case and around which a magnetic tape is wound, and a tape guide, disposed alongside the abovementioned reel guiding the abovementioned magnetic tape so as to separate magnetic tape once from the magnetic tape wound around reel, and guiding the abovementioned separated magnetic tape so that it contacts again the outer peripheral surface of the wound magnetic tape, wherein the magnetic tape that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the wound magnetic tape is restrained in vibration in the tape width direction.

Abstract: A tape guide in which the corner geometry between the flanges and the hub prevents the tape from abruptly bumping the flange and in which the corner is coated with a very hard wear resistant material such as zirconium nitride, tungsten carbide, silicon nitride, chromium nitride or diamond like carbon.

Abstract: A winding flange guide (10) is utilized to provide a better quality wind of a strand media. The guide (10) has a first flange (12) and a second flange (13) which constrain the movement of the outer wraps of the tape pancake formed by the tape media. The winding flange guide (10) is utilized in a servo writer (20), tape cartridge (40, 60) and tape drive (80).

Abstract: A roller shaft (10) is provided which includes a shaft portion (12) of a substantially solid cylindrical shape and a flange portion (14) of a disk-like shape. The shaft portion (12) includes a hollow cylindrical portion (121) having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape and formed at a lower end (10a) side. The hollow cylindrical portion has an inner peripheral surface with a female screw (12a) formed thereon. A D-shaped cut (122) may be provided on an outer peripheral wall of the hollow cylindrical portion for positioning the roller shaft (10) with respect to the chassis (32) and for preventing the roller shaft from rotating around the chassis, or a D-shaped cut (141) or a slot (142) may be formed in the flange portion (14).

Abstract: A 2 reel type data storage magnetic tape cassette (20) is provided with reels (28, 30) around which a magnetic recording medium (26) is wound. The magnetic recording medium (26) includes a support, a non-magnetic layer comprising a non-magnetic powder and a binder on one surface of the support, a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic metal powder and a binder on top of the non-magnetic layer, and a back layer comprising a carbon black powder and a binder on the other side of the support. The magnetic tape cassette (20) is further provided with a rotating guide roller (36) made of a resin within the cassette (20). The rotating guide roller (36) has a ten-point average roughness Rz of 3.0 to 4.5 &mgr;m and is in contact with the surface of the magnetic layer having a center plane average roughness SRa of 2.0 to 3.5 nm.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette and a guide roller in which the magnetic tape can stably travel and the magnetic head can read/write the record correctly, and a method of manufacturing the guide roller are provided. The magnetic tape cassette comprises a guide roller (106) rotatably supported by the lower cassette half. The guide roller is almost in the shape of a barrel of which a coefficient of curvature T expressed by the expression [1] representing the extent of curvature of the circumferential surface is in the range between 0.001 and 0.01, and comprises a primary molding and injected resin injected within the primary molding for bulging said primary molding into the shape of said barrel shaped cavity that has a largest diameter at the parting line by the injection pressure.

Abstract: A tape guide that includes multiple spaced grooves or a spiral groove in the surface of the hub to bleed air from between the surface of the hub and the tape. The distance between adjacent grooves or turns in the case of a spiral groove is 2.4 to 3.7 times greater than the width of each groove or turn. For tape guides used with ½ inch type data storage tapes that have a nominal tape width of 12.65 mm, the grooves or turns are 0.30 mm to 0.38 mm wide and spaced 0.90 mm to 1.12 mm center to center.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette and a guide roller in which the magnetic tape can stably travel and the magnetic head can read/write the record correctly, and a method of manufacturing the guide roller are provided. The magnetic tape cassette of the present invention comprises a guide roller 106 rotatably supported by the lower cassette half. The guide roller is almost in the shape of a barrel of which a coefficient of curvature T expressed by the expression [1] representing the extent of curvature of the circumferential surface is in the range between 0.001 and 0.01, and comprises a primary molding and injected resin injected within the primary molding for bulging said primary molding into the shape of said barrel shaped cavity that has a largest diameter at the parting line by the injection pressure.

Abstract: A 2 reel type data storage magnetic tape cassette (20) is provided with reels (28, 30) around which a magnetic recording medium (26) is wound. The magnetic recording medium (26) includes a support, a non-magnetic layer comprising a non-magnetic powder and a binder on one surface of the support, a magnetic layer comprising a ferromagnetic metal powder and a binder on top of the non-magnetic layer, and a back layer comprising a carbon black powder and a binder on the other side of the support. The magnetic tape cassette (20) is further provided with a rotating guide roller (36) made of a resin within the cassette (20). The rotating guide roller (36) has a ten-point average roughness Rz of 3.0 to 4.5 &mgr;m and is in contact with the surface of the magnetic layer having a center plane average roughness SRa of 2.0 to 3.5 nm.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette and a guide roller in which the magnetic tape can stably travel and the magnetic head can read/write the record correctly, and a method of manufacturing the guide roller are provided. The magnetic tape cassette of the present invention comprises a guide roller 106 rotatably supported by the lower cassette half. The guide roller is almost in the shape of a barrel of which a coefficient of curvature T expressed by the expression [1] representing the extent of curvature of the circumferential surface is in the range between 0.001 and 0.01, and comprises a primary molding and injected resin injected within the primary molding for bulging said primary molding into the shape of said barrel shaped cavity that has a largest diameter at the parting line by the injection pressure.

Abstract: A tape guide that includes multiple spaced grooves or a spiral groove in the surface of the hub to bleed air from between the surface of the hub and the tape. The distance between adjacent grooves or turns in the case of a spiral groove is 2.4 to 3.7 times greater than the width of each groove or turn. For tape guides used with ½ inch type data storage tapes that have a nominal tape width of 12.65 mm, the grooves or turns are 0.30 mm to 0.38 mm wide and spaced 0.90 mm to 1.12 mm center to center.

Abstract: A winding flange guide (10) is utilized to provide a better quality wind of a strand media. The guide (10) has a first flange (12) and a second flange (13) which constrain the movement of the outer wraps of the tape pancake formed by the tape media. The winding flange guide (10) is utilized in a servo writer (20), tape cartridge (40, 60) and tape drive (80).

Abstract: The invention includes apparatus and methods for forming a tape pack on a drum or the like in aligned formation. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention can include at least one alignment member. The tape pack, as it is formed, can be periodically passed by the alignment member to facilitate substantially aligned formation thereof. A method in accordance with the present invention includes rotating a tape pack, winding a length of tape around the tape pack, and periodically passing the tape pack past a localized, stationary contact point where outermost windings of the tape pack are urged into aligned formation.

Abstract: The present compact tape drive for reading and writing data on single reel magnetic tape cartridges that functions to implement the tape drive in a minimum predefined volume. The compact tape drive comprises a tape threading mechanism that extracts the leader block from the magnetic tape cartridge and threads the leader block into a takeup reel that is located juxtaposed to the loaded magnetic tape cartridge. The read/write head is located adjacent to the takeup reel and the loaded magnetic tape cartridge. A separate magnetic tape wrap mechanism comprising a plurality of cooperatively operative tape wrap arms is also provided to position the magnetic tape around a set of tape guides and the read/write head. The magnetic tape wrap mechanism functions both to thread the magnetic tape around the takeup reel, spanning the space in front of the read/write head, and then to wrap the magnetic tape around the read/write head.

Abstract: A pinch roller is rotatably provided around a roller shaft by way of a bearing member and abutted against a capstan roller by way of a magnetic tape to rotatively drive the capstan roller, thereby causing the magnetic tape to run. The bearing member has a groove portion formed on a longitudinal center portion of an outer periphery thereof so as to form flange portions abutting against an inner periphery of the roller member in both longitudinal sides of the groove portion. The diameter of portions of the inner periphery of the bearing member where oppose to the flange portions are enlarged than the diameter of a portion where opposes to the groove portion.

Abstract: A roll for a tape guide 8 and a method for manufacturing the tape guide roll. The tape guide roll 8 is molded by injecting a molding material into a pre-set cavity 22. The tape guide roll 8 is made up unitarily of an inner cylindrical portion 9, an outer cylindrical portion 10, and plural connecting portions 11, 11, . . . unitarily interconnecting the inner cylindrical portion 9 and the outer cylindrical portion 10. The length of the inner cylindrical portion along the axial direction is longer than the tape width, and the length along the axial length of the outer cylindrical portion is longer than the length along the axial length of the inner cylindrical portion.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette and a guide roller in which the magnetic tape can stably travel and the magnetic head can read/write the record correctly, and a method of manufacturing the guide roller are provided. The magnetic tape cassette of the present invention comprises a guide roller 106 rotatably supported by the lower cassette half. The guide roller is almost in the shape of a barrel of which a coefficient of curvature T expressed by the expression [1] representing the extent of curvature of the circumferential surface is in the range between 0.001 and 0.01, and comprises a primary molding and injected resin injected within the primary molding for bulging said primary molding into the shape of said barrel shaped cavity that has a largest diameter at the parting line by the injection pressure.

Abstract: In a recording and/or reproducing apparatus (1) having at least one guide arrangement (23, 24), preferably in the form of a tape guide roller, for guiding a record carrier (4) in the form of a tape the guide arrangement (23, 24) has at least one damping projection (41, 42) in the area of its guide surface (28), which damping projection extends in tangential directions of the guide surface (28) and is adapted to damp axial relative movements of the record carrier (4) with respect to the guide arrangement (23, 24).