Patent ID: 6809897
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A helical scan tape drive comprising:a cartridge compartment for accommodating a single reel cartridge of magnetic tape; a take-up reel; a rotatable scanner having an element for transducing information relative to the magnetic tape; a threading system which grasps an end of the magnetic tape in the cartridge and which transports the magnetic tape trough a threading path whereby the magnetic tape is at least partially wrapped around the scanner before attaching the end of the magnetic tape to the take-up reel; wherein the magnetic tape in the single reel cartridge travels in a single reel plane when the magnetic tape is wound or unwound in the single reel cartridge, wherein the magnetic tape on the tape-up reel travels in a take-up reel plane when the magnetic tape is wound or unwound relative to the take-up reel; and wherein the single reel plane and the take-up reel plane are non-parallel planes.