Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A drive for a tape cartridge having an access door along one side edge thereof, comprising: a frame dimensioned to have the cartridge endwise inserted therein; means for supporting the cartridge within the frame when the cartridge is inserted; means for opening the access door of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted; a magnetic head; means for moving the head within the frame between operative engagement and disengagement with a length of tape in the cartridge after the cartridge has been inserted and the access door opened; means for moving the cartridge within the frame into a predetermined alignment with the head after the cartridge has been inserted; and means for moving the tape in the cartridge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A drive for a tape cartridge having an access door along one side edge thereof, comprising: a frame dimensioned to have the cartridge endwise inserted therein; means for supporting the cartridge within the frame when the cartridge is inserted; means for opening the access door of the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted; a magnetic head; means for moving the head within the frame between operative engagement and disengagement with a length of tape in the cartridge after the cartridge has been inserted and the access door opened; means for moving the cartridge within the frame into a predetermined alignment with the head after the cartridge has been inserted; and means for moving the tape in the cartridge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive according to Claim 1 wherein the means for moving the magnetic head and the cartridge include a manually actuated lever rotatable on the front panel of the housing to provide the driving force for moving the magnetic head and the cartridge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A drive according to Claim l wherein the cartridge ' moving means moves the cartridge out of plane to thereby determine the precise alignment position of the cartridge relative to the head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A drive according to Claim 1 wherein the cartridge supporting means includes a tray and means on the frame for supporting the tray for longitudinal movement from a retracted position in which the tray is substantially contained within the frame to an extended position in which a portion of the tray extends outside the frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drive according to Claim 4 wherein the door opening means includes means mounted on the tray for opening the access door of the cartridge after insertion of the cartridge on the tray and during movement of the tray to its retracted position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A drive according to Claim 5 and further comprising means for automatically moving the tray to its extended position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A tape drive according to Claim 1 and further comprising means to prevent full insertion of the cartridge within the frame unless the cartridge is oriented in a predetermined manner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tape drive according to Claim 2 wherein the cartridge moving means do not engage the cartridge during insertion thereof and thereafter engage the cartridge by manual actuation of the lever.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A tape drive according to Claim 1 wherein the cartridge moving means includes a plurality of clamps movable into engagement with the base plate of the cartridge and a plurality of reference locators for engaging and limiting movement of the cartridge by the clamps.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
10 . A tape drive according to Claim 9 wherein there are three movable clamps and three reference locators so that the cartridge may be moved into a precise alignment position by triangulation.