Tape drive system

Claim 2

A tape drive system comprising a frame, means for rotatably mounting supply and takeup reels on said frame; tape guiding means on said frame for guiding a tape web traveling along a path between said supply and takeup reels; means for unwinding said tape from said supply reel and for driving said tape along said path; means for winding said tape on said takeup reel and for producing a tension on said tape web, comprising a pretensioned endless elastic belt having a first portion engaging an arcuate portion of the tape on said supply reel without slippage to be driven by said tape, a second portion engaging an arcuate portion of the tape on said takeup reel without slippage for winding said tape on said takeup reel, a third portion connecting first ends of said first and second portions, and a fourth portion connecting second ends of said first and second portions; first idler roller means mounted for rotation substantially without friction on said frame for guiding but not driving said third belt portion; and second roller means rotatable substantially without friction and movable relative to said frame for guiding said fourth belt portion, said second roller means being urged by said belt toward said reels for squeezing and elastically deforming said second ends of said first and second belt portions against said supply and takeup reels respectively to oppose movement of said first belt portion thereby producing a tension on said tape web when said tape is unwound from said supply reel.

Claim 3

The tape drive system of claim 1 wherein said second roller means comprises an idler roller member mounted for rotation substantially without friction about an axis movable relative to said frame, and means for maintaining said roller member at a predetermined distance from said frame.

Claim 4

The tape drive system of claim 1 wherein said first and second belt portions pass between said tape reels from said first roller means to said second roller means so that the tension of said belt urges said second roller means toward sais tape reels.

Claim 5

The tape drive system of claim 1 wherein said means for driving said tape comprises means for engaging said tape along said path.

Claim 6

The tape drive system of claim 1 wherein said tape is a magnetic tape having a non sensitive surface, said belt engaging said arcuate tape portions on said non sensitive surface of said tape.

Claim 7

The tape drive system of claim 5 wherein said belt is substantially as wide as said tape.

Claim 8

A tape drive system comprising a frame having means for rotatably mounting two tape packs with a tape web connecting said packs; tape guiding means mounted on said frame for defining a tape path for said tape web; tape driving means on said frame engaging said tape web for driving said tape; a first roller spaced apart from said tape packs and rotatably mounted substantially without friction on said frame; a second roller rotatable substantially without friction and adapted to be urged toward said tape packs in tangential relationship with said tape packs; and a pretensioned endless elastic belt extending around said first and second rollers and engaging two arcuate tape portions of said tape packs respectively in a slipless relationship to be driven exclusively by said tape, said belt being squeezed and elastically deformed between said second roller and each of said tape packs in such a way that this squeezing action opposes the movement of said belt induced by said tape to produce tension on said tape web.

Claim 9

A tape drive system comprising a frame having means for rotatably mounting two tape packs with a tape web connecting said packs; tape guiding means mounted on said frame for defining a tape path for said tape web; tape driving means on said frame engaging said tape web for driving said tape; a first roller spaced apart from said tape packs and rotatably mounted substantially without friction on said frame; a second roller rotatable substantially without friction and adapted to be urged toward said tape packs in tangential relationship with said tape packs; and a pretensioned endless elastic belt extending around said first and second rollers and engaging two arcuate tape portions of said tape packs respectively in a slipless relationship to be driven exclusively by said tape, said belt being squeezed and elastically deformed between said second roller and each of said tape packs in such a way that this squeezing action opposes the movement of said belt induced by said tape to produce tension on said tape web.

Claim 10

The tape drive system of claim 7 wherein said rollers and said belt are disposed in a configuration such that the tension of said belt urges said second roller toward said tape packs.

Claim 11

The tape drive system of claim 7 further comprising means for maintaining said second roller at a predeterminEd distance from said frame.

Claim 12

The tape drive system of claim 7 wherein said tape is a magnetic tape having a non-sensitive surface and said tape reels are wound with waid non-sensitive surface directed outwardly so that said belt engages said reels on said non-sensitive surface.

Claim 13

A tape cartridge comprising a housing; first and second tape drums rotatably mounted about spaced parallel axes in a plane in said housing with a tape web extending between said drums; tape guiding means on said housing for guiding said tape web along a path between said first and second drums, said path having a straight portion along one edge of said housing; a compartment for storing tape being supplied to said first drum and removed from said second drum; means adjacent said straight portion for pressing said tape web against external capstan means to drive said tape web; a pretensioned endless elastic belt having two arcuate portions passing between and engaging said tape web without slippage as said web passes around said first and second drums, respectively, said belt being driven exclusively by said tape web; and rollers disposed in said plane for rotation substantially without friction relative to said housing for guiding but not driving said belt along first and second belt paths between said belt arcuate portions, said rollers comprising a first idler roller member rotatably mounted about a stationary axis and engaged by said belt along a portion of said first belt path; and a second roller member engaged by said belt along said second belt path to be urged by the tension of said belt into tangential relationship with said drums for squeezing and elastically deforming said belt at the ends of said second belt path against both of said drums so that such squeezing action opposes the movement of said belt to produce a tension on said tape web when said tape is driven by said capstan means.

Claim 14

A tape cartridge comprising a housing; first and second tape drums rotatably mounted about spaced parallel axes in a plane in said housing with a tape web extending between said drums; tape guiding means on said housing for guiding said tape web along a path between said first and second drums, said path having a straight portion along one edge of said housing; a compartment for storing tape being supplied to said first drum and removed from said second drum; means adjacent said straight portion for pressing said tape web against external capstan means to drive said tape web; a pretensioned endless elastic belt having two arcuate portions passing between and engaging said tape web without slippage as said web passes around said first and second drums, respectively, said belt being driven exclusively by said tape web; and rollers disposed in said plane for rotation substantially without friction relative to said housing for guiding but not driving said belt along first and second belt paths between said belt arcuate portions, said rollers comprising a first idler roller member rotatably mounted about a stationary axis and engaged by said belt along a portion of said first belt path; and a second roller member engaged by said belt along said second belt path to be urged by the tension of said belt into tangential relationship with said drums for squeezing and elastically deforming said belt at the ends of said second belt path against both of said drums so that such squeezing action opposes the movement of said belt to produce a tension on said tape web when said tape is driven by said capstan means.

Claim 15

A tape cartridge according to claim 11 further comprising means for maintaining said second roller member in said plane.

Claim 16

A tape cartridge according to claim 12 wherein said tape is a magnetic tape having a non-sensitive surface and said tape is supplied to said drums with said non-sensitive surface directed outwardly so that said belt engages said tape web on the non-sensitive surface thereof.

Claim 17

A tape drive system comprising a frame, means for rotatably mounting supply and takeup reels on said frame; tape guiding means on said frame for guiding a tape web traveling along a path between said supply and takeup reels; means for winding said tape on said takeup reel and for producing a tension on said tape web, comprising a pretensioned endless elastic belt having a first portion engaging an arcuate portion of the tape on said supply reel without slippage to drive said tape, a second portion engaging an arcuate portion of the tape on said takeup reel without slippage for winding said tape on said takeup reel, a third portion connecting first ends of said first and second portions, and a fourth portion connecting second ends of said first and second portions; first roller means mounted for rotation substantially without friction on said frame for guiding and driving said third belt portion; and second roller means rotatable substantially without friction and movable relative to said frame for guiding said fourth belt portion, said second roller means being urged by said belt toward said reels for squeezing and elastically deforming said second ends of said first and second belt portions between said second roller means and both of said supply and takeup reels respectively to oppose movement of said first belt portion thereby producing a tension on said tape web when said tape is unwound from said supply reel.

Claim 18

A tape drive system comprising a frame, means for rotatably mounting supply and takeup reels on said frame; tape guiding means on said frame for guiding a tape web traveling along a path between said supply and takeup reels; means for winding said tape on said takeup reel and for producing a tension on said tape web, comprising a pretensioned endless elastic belt having a first portion engaging an arcuate portion of the tape on said supply reel without slippage to drive said tape, a second portion engaging an arcuate portion of the tape on said takeup reel without slippage for winding said tape on said takeup reel, a third portion connecting first ends of said first and second portions, and a fourth portion connecting second ends of said first and second portions; first roller means mounted for rotation substantially without friction on said frame for guiding and driving said third belt portion; and second roller means rotatable substantially without friction and movable relative to said frame for guiding said fourth belt portion, said second roller means being urged by said belt toward said reels for squeezing and elastically deforming said second ends of said first and second belt portions between said second roller means and both of said supply and takeup reels respectively to oppose movement of said first belt portion thereby producing a tension on said tape web when said tape is unwound from said supply reel.

Claim 19

The tape drive system of claim 14 wherein said second roller means comprises an idler roller member mounted for rotation substantially without frictIon about an axis movable relative to said frame, and means for maintaining said roller member at a predetermined distance from said frame.

Claim 20

The tape drive system of claim 14 wherein said first and second belt portions pass between said tape reels from said first roller means to said second roller means so that the tension of said belt urges said second roller means toward said tape reels.

Claim 21

A tape cartridge comprising a housing; a pair of tape packs rotatably mounted about spaced parallel axes in a plane in said housing with a tape web connecting said packs; tape guiding means for defining a tape path for said tape web, said tape path having a straight portion along one edge of said housing; means for pressing said tape web against external capstan means to drive said tape; a pretensioned endless elastic belt having two arcuate portions passing between and engaging said tape packs respectively without slippage, said belt being driven by said tape exclusively; and rollers dispoed in said plane for rotation substantially without friction relative to said housing for guiding but not driving said belt along first and second belt paths between said belt arcuate portions, said rollers comprising a first idler roller member rotatably mounted about a stationary axis and engaged by said belt along a portion of said first belt path; and a second idler roller member engaged by said belt along said second belt path to be urged by the tension of said belt into tangential relationship with said packs for simultaneously squeezing and elastically deforming said belt at the ends of said second belt path against said tape packs respectively so that such squeezing action opposes the movement of said belt to produce a tension on said tape web when said tape is driven by said capstan means.

Claim 22

A tape cartridge comprising a housing; a pair of tape packs rotatably mounted about spaced parallel axes in a plane in said housing with a tape web connecting said packs; tape guiding means for defining a tape path for said tape web, said tape path having a straight portion along one edge of said housing; means for pressing said tape web against external capstan means to drive said tape; a pretensioned endless elastic belt having two arcuate portions passing between and engaging said tape packs respectively without slippage, said belt being driven by said tape exclusively; and rollers dispoed in said plane for rotation substantially without friction relative to said housing for guiding but not driving said belt along first and second belt paths between said belt arcuate portions, said rollers comprising a first idler roller member rotatably mounted about a stationary axis and engaged by said belt along a portion of said first belt path; and a second idler roller member engaged by said belt along said second belt path to be urged by the tension of said belt into tangential relationship with said packs for simultaneously squeezing and elastically deforming said belt at the ends of said second belt path against said tape packs respectively so that such squeezing action opposes the movement of said belt to produce a tension on said tape web when said tape is driven by said capstan means.

Claim 23

A tape cartridge according to claim 17 further comprising means for maintaining said second roller member in said plane.

Claim 24

A tape cartridge according to claim 18 wherein said tape is a magnetic tape having a non-sensitive surface and said tape packs are wound with said non-sensitive surface directly outwardly so that said belt engages said tape packs on said non-sensitive surface of said tape.