Abstract:
A magnetic recording cartridge has a housing enclosure with two tape reels rotatably mounted in the housing enclosure, and a magnetic data recording tape wound on the reels for winding and unwinding between the two reels in a tape transport direction, the tape having a width perpendicular to the tape transport direction of at least approximately 2.5 inches. The housing enclosure has two reel access openings respectively disposed in registration with the reels, allowing external access to the reels by a drive for rotating the reels, and a tape access opening allowing external access to the tape for engagement with a data transfer head also carried by the drive. Because of the significantly increased width of the tape, the tape has a surface area available for data recording which is approximately ten times greater than that of conventional tapes. Such a single, extremely wide tape can store as much data as a conventional, fully loaded autoloader magazine, containing approximately ten conventional tape cartridges.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a tape cartridge and a tape drive for accommodating an extremely wide tape. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of magnetic tape as a medium for data recording has the significant advantages of a relatively low cost and a relatively large recording surface area. Nevertheless, conventional magnetic tape has certain disadvantages associated therewith. 
     A first of these disadvantages is that tape is a sequential medium, which means that when a data transfer head is located at a beginning of a tape, it is necessary for the tape to be transported along its entire length in order to retrieve (or re-write) information at the end of the tape. 
     A second disadvantage is that, due to the desire and necessity of storing as much data as possible within an available tape area, the data transfer head technology as well as the recording media technology are pushed to their quality limits. 
     Moreover, many existing drives and cartridges must be designed within specified form factors, in order to satisfy standardization requirements. As an increasing number of functions become available, which are desired to be accommodated in a drive or on a tape, data storage area or other functions must be sacrificed to accommodate the new, additional functions, or some type of compromise must be reached in the overall design. 
     Among the more important market requirements which are expected in the near future for data storage on tape is that the need for higher storage capacity will continue to increase, at an even faster rate than previously. As discussed below, for example, the storage capacity of a currently available single cartridge is not sufficient for unattended backup during a longer period of time, and therefore so-called autoloader systems have been developed to automatically insert and remove a number of cartridges in a sequence. 
     Further market requirements are expected to be a need for faster time to access data, a need for an increased data transfer rate, a lower cost per MB (megabyte) and an overall improved quality and reduced cost. 
     As noted above, the limited data storage capacity of conventional cartridges has resulted in the development of autoloader systems. Conventional autoloader systems, however, are not a satisfactory solution to the problem of storing a large amount of data in an unattended backup procedure over a relatively long period of time. Several disadvantages exist with regard to currently available autoloader systems. 
     Because such autoloader systems make use of a large number of cartridges, the cartridges are made relatively small, and therefore have a limited space available for use for data storage. Typically, six to ten of such cartridges must be put in a magazine in order to have sufficient storage area (capacity). Because of the relatively small size of the cartridges, the drive is also made small, in order to match standardized form factors. The drive is disposed in a system housing, which also contains robotics, electronics and software needed for loading an unloading the cartridges. 
     The relatively large number of components, and therefore the relatively high cost, associated with conventional autoloader systems makes the use of such systems an unattractive alternative for a customer who merely wants long term data backup. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tape cartridge, and a drive therefor, which contains a tape having a maximum tape length in a range comparable to the most commonly used high capacity cartridges (LTO, DLT), and which has a minimum tape length in a range comparable to that for conventional fast access cartridges (STK98-40, Magstar, Accellis), but which nevertheless has a data storage capacity which is many multiples more than such conventional magnetic tapes. 
     The above object is achieved in a magnetic tape cartridge in accordance with the principles of the present invention which accommodates a tape having an extremely large width. The width of the tape in the inventive cartridge can be greater by a factor of six to ten, for example, compared to the aforementioned conventional tapes. The following table compares the inventive tape to several standard formats that are currently in use: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Number of 
                 Width of 
               
               
                 Cartridge/tape 
                 Standard tape 
                 cartridges in a 
                 new tape 
               
               
                 standard 
                 width in mm 
                 magazine 
                 in mm 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 DDS 
                 4 
                 6-10 
                 24-40 
               
               
                 QIC 
                 6.35 
                 6-10 
                 38.1-63.5 
               
               
                 AIT/MAMMOTH/ 
                 8 
                 6-10 
                 48-80 
               
               
                 SLR 
               
               
                 LTO/DLT 
                 12.7 
                 6-10 
                 76.2-127  
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The inventive tape, thus, has a width which is greater than approximately 24 mm, or in a range between approximately 24 mm and approximately 127 mm. 
     A tape of such an increased width has a tape area available for data storage which corresponds to the respective tape areas of approximately six to ten of the aforementioned conventional cartridges, and thus the storage area available on a single inventive tape cartridge would correspond to the data storage available in a completely filled magazine in a conventional autoloader system. An autoloader magazine completely filled with cartridges contains approximately eight to ten times more parts and components, and therefore by replacing such a magazine with a single inventive cartridge, a considerable cost reduction is achieved. 
     The inventive drive for operating the inventive cartridge has a form factor which is smaller than, or the same as, the form factor used in a conventional autoloader system. This means there is room to accommodate robust, high quality drive mechanics for accepting the inventive extremely wide tape cartridge. Since only a single cartridge is necessary in order to achieve the same storage capacity as a completely filled magazine in a conventional autoloader system, there is no need to repeatedly load and unload the inventive, wide cartridge, and thus conventional autoloader components such as robotics, control electronics, and control software are not necessary, thereby producing a further cost reduction. 
     Moreover, in general because the number of parts and components associated with the inventive cartridge and drive is considerably reduced compared to a conventional autoloader system, space is made available for a very robust design, and the quality level will be much higher, and the cost lower, due to the considerable reduction in components. 
     As noted above, strictly in terms of size, the tape area available for data storage in the inventive cartridge is in the range of a fully loaded DLT/LTO magazine, accommodating approximately eight to ten conventional cartridges. The available data storage in the inventive cartridge will in reality be even larger, however, because in any cartridge the edge effects preclude storage of data at the extreme edges of the tape. In the inventive cartridge, only two such edge regions are present, whereas in a fully loaded conventional magazine accommodating ten conventional cartridges, twenty such edge regions exist. 
     In any high speed tape drive/cartridge system, a limitation on the mechanical speed at which the tape can be moved exists due to the unavoidable fact that air will be trapped at regions close to the moving tape, thereby producing “tape lift.” Due to the increased width of the tape in the inventive cartridge, it is recognized that more air will be trapped than in a conventional cartridge, and this will impose a limitation on the winding speed. Nevertheless, the time to data still will be significantly reduced because there is no need to expend time for robotically loading and unloading one or more cartridges. It is possible to proceed directly to the desired data on the inventive tape. Writing data to completely fill the tape also will be much faster, for the same reason. Moreover, the significantly increased width of the inventive tape allows multiple read/write heads to be disposed and operated in parallel, respectively writing and/or reading in parallel tracks on the wide tape, thereby further increasing the data transfer rate. 
     The inventive cartridge and drive system also will be more user friendly than a conventional autoloader system, since the inventive cartridge, although wider than a conventional cartridge, still has only one housing, and therefore the overall weight of the inventive cartridge will be significantly smaller than the weight of a fully loaded autoloader magazine. Such autoloader magazines are conventionally made to be transportable, such as by means of a handle attached to the magazine housing, but the weight of a fully loaded magazine consists of the magazine housing itself, plus approximately ten cartridges, each with its own cartridge housing. 
     Lastly, the inventive cartridge/drive system has the advantage compared to an autoloader system of not requiring robotics and other moving parts, which contribute to acoustical noise in a conventional autoloader system. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isomeric view of an inventive cartridge, seen from the front. 
     FIG. 1 a  is an isomeric view of the inventive cartridge of FIG. 1 seen from the rear, with the tape slightly pulled out of the cartridge in a read/write position. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the inventive cartridge. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the inventive tape cartridge from above, with the housing removed, in an embodiment with rotating tape guides. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inventive tape cartridge, with the top of the housing removed, in an embodiment with non-rotating tape guides. 
     FIG. 5 is an isomeric view of the inventive drive and cartridge in the unload position. 
     FIG. 6 is an isomeric view from below of the inventive cartridge and drive of FIG. 5, as seen from below. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view through the inventive drive and cartridge in the unload position. 
     FIG. 8 is an isomeric view of the inventive cartridge loaded into the inventive drive, with the tape in a read/write (pulled out) position. 
     FIG. 9 is a section view through the inventive drive and cartridge in the load position. 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the inventive cartridge, as seen from below with the base plate removed, in the embodiment having stationary tape guides. 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional, side view through one reel, with a tape pack thereon, of the inventive cartridge. 
     FIG. 12 is an isomeric view of the cartridge base plate, with the housing removed, showing the tape hubs with tape packs thereon, in the inventive cartridge. 
     FIG. 13 is a plan view of the inventive cartridge, with the housing removed, showing an embodiment of a tape tensioning system in the unload position. 
     FIG. 14 is an isomeric view of one tape reel in the embodiment of FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 15 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the inventive tape cartridge wherein it is not necessary to pull the tape from the cartridge, shown in the unload position. 
     FIG. 15 a  is a schematic illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 15 in the read/write position. 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the inventive cartridge with the write head placed on the inner side of the tape path, employing stationary tape guides. 
     FIG. 17 is a further version of the embodiment of FIG. 16, employing rollers instead of the stationary tape guides. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The inventive tape cartridge is shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A from the front and rear. The cartridge contains a magnetic data recording tape  1 , which has a width (i.e., a dimension perpendicular to the direction of tape transport) which is significantly larger, such as by a factor of approximately ten, than conventional tapes. The tape  1  may have a width, for example, of approximately 2.5 inches or more. 
     The cartridge enclosure is formed by a rigid base plate  2 , which may be composed of metal, and an upper housing  11 , which may be composed of plastic. The housing  11  is permanently affixed to the base plate  2 . 
     Within the enclosure formed by the base plate  2  and the housing  11 , the tape  1  is wound on two rotatable reels. In FIG. 1, the upper reel flanges  7  of the respective reels can be seen, and one lower flange can be seen as well. 
     The cartridge enclosure has two slidable doors  37 , each of which has a slanted rib  41  projecting therefrom. When the cartridge is inserted into a drive, the ribs  41  respectively slide along stationary projections in the drive, thereby forcing the doors  37  apart, to produce an opening  10 , which exposes the tape  1 . The tape  1  is disposed in the opening  10  by means of upright guide pins  3 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, the guide pins  3  are respectively mounted on rotatable tension arms  32 , one of which can be seen in FIG.  1 . The tension arms  32  are spring loaded (the spring not being shown) so as to be rotatable around respective pivot pins  33 , one of which can be seen in FIG.  1 . 
     The housing  11  has a vertical opening with notches  39  and  40 , used for automatic loading and ejecting of the cartridge. The notch  39  is used for gripping the cartridge and pulling it into the drive, and the notch  40  is used for automatic ejection of the cartridge. The drive has a suitable latch mechanism which keeps the cartridge in the load position after the cartridge has been loaded therein. 
     The cartridge has a handle  36  affixed to the bottom of the base plate  2  to allow the cartridge to be easily carried by user. In all other views of the inventive cartridge, this handle  36  has been omitted for clarity. 
     In the view shown in FIG. 1A, the tape  1  has been pulled out of the cartridge to the read/write position. Also in the view shown in FIG. 1A, guide ribs  38  at the rear of the cartridge can be seen, which assists in guiding the cartridge into the drive. Also shown in FIG. 1A are positioning holes  42 , which are used for final positioning of the cartridge in the drive relative to the data transfer head. Mating pins (not shown) are respectively received in the holes  42  for this final positioning. 
     FIGS. 1 and 1A also show access openings  8  in the top of the housing  11 , through which the central regions of the respective top flanges  7  are accessible. These central regions have holes  9  therein which receive tappets  24  (see FIGS. 7 and 9) of the drive, for mechanically engaging the reels for rotation thereof. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the cartridge of FIGS. 1 and 1A. As can be seen therein, each reel has a hub core  14 , from which an upper reel flange  7  and a lower reel flange  5  project. Each reel is mounted on a wear-resistant ball  6 , which is disposed in a recess in the hub core  14 . The ball  6  is held in place by the lower flange  5 . A leaf spring  4  is centrally attached to the base plate  2 , and is spring loaded against each of the balls  6 , so as to pre-load the two reels in the axial direction, so as to force the top flanges  7  against the top of the housing  11 , in the area around the access openings  8 . A tape pack  13  is shown in FIG. 2 completely wound on one of the reels. Each hub core  14  has surfaces  12  and  15  which are used for the final radial alignment onto the motor shaft, as is shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 3 shows a plan view, with a housing  11  removed, of the tape cartridge in an embodiment having rotating tape rollers  17 . The cartridge is shown in the unload position, with the tape  1  resting on pins  3 , which provide sufficient clearance to the rollers  17 . 
     FIG. 4 shows an embodiment from below, with the base plate  2  removed, employing a stationary (non-rotating) tape guide  18 . The cartridge is shown in the unload position with the tape resting on the pins  3 . The read/write head  20  (data transfer head) is also shown, as is a portion of the mounting base plate  23  of the drive. 
     A suitable, known head positioning mechanism is used for moving the read/write head  20  in the perpendicular direction relative to the base plate  23 . 
     FIGS. 5,  6 , and  7  are different views of the cartridge and drive in the unload position, i.e., before a cartridge loading movement has started. The drive has the aforementioned mounting base plate  23 , on which a hub motor  21 B is mounted. The drive shaft of the motor  21  B projects through the other side of the mounting base plate  23 , and has portions of successively decreasing diameter. The portion closest to the mounting base plate  23  has a reference surface  19 , on which the aforementioned tappet  24  is disposed, which engages the holes in the hub core  14 . When the cartridge is inserted into the drive, the leaf spring  4  will flex and the top flange  7  will be moved away from the interior surface of the top of the housing  11 . The surfaces  12  and  15  in the hub core  14  will be radially aligned to the exterior surfaces of the other portions  22  and  25  of the drive shaft. 
     Coarse alignment of the reel by means of the drive shaft takes place as the cartridge is loaded into the drive, and more precise alignment is then effected as described above. The cartridge shell is precisely aligned relative to the drive by using the alignment holes  42 . 
     In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 , the non-rotating tape guide  18  is employed. During loading, the tape guide  18  is positioned relative to the mounting plate  23  so as to proceed inside of the tape  1 , within the housing  11 . For executing a read/write procedure (data transfer procedure) the guide  18  is moved by a guide motor  21   a  toward the read/write head  20 , thereby pulling the tape  1  out of the cartridge and into a data transfer position relative to the read/write  20 . This position is shown in FIG. 8, in which a top flange  26  and a base  29  of the guide  18  can be seen. 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the drive and the cartridge fully engaged for executing a read or write procedure. FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration showing the relative positions of the reels, the tape  1 , the guide  18  and the read/write head  20 , in a position close to the mounting base plate  23 . 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view, from the side, showing one of the reels with the tape pack  13  wound thereon in the read/write position, wherein the reel (as well as the other reel) is free to rotate. In the unload position, the reel is normally spring loaded by the spring  4  against the interior surface of the top of the housing  11 , causing engagement of a projection  30  on the interior surface of the housing  11  with a recess  31  in the top flange  7 . In this position, the reel is also guided or held loosely in place by projecting ribs  35  from the base plate  2 . This prevents rotation of the reels during handling and transport of the cartridge. 
     When the cartridge is loaded into the drive, the engagement of the drive shaft (not shown in FIG. 11) with the hub core  14  pushes the reel against the spring force of the spring  4 , which slightly flexes toward the base plate  2 , thereby releasing the reel for free rotation. 
     FIG. 12 is a view of the cartridge with the housing  11  removed, showing the relationship of the components when the cartridge is fully loaded into the drive. As can be seen, the top reel flange  7  has a number of radial slots  31  therein, so that whatever rotational position the reel assumes in the unload condition, it will not rotate very far before one of the slots  31  engages the projection  30 . 
     FIG. 13 shows a view with the housing  11  removed illustrating the tape tensioning arms  32  in more detail. As explained earlier, each tensioning arm  32  carries a guide pin  3  thereon, and is spring loaded so as to be rotatable around a pivot pin  33 . The dashed lines show the amount of movement which can be effected by the tensioning arms  32  in order to maintain the tape  1  at proper tension. 
     The same embodiment is shown in FIG. 14, with one of the reels removed so that the arrangement of the tensioning arms  32  can clearly be seen. 
     In the embodiments described thus far, the tape  1 , in order to effect data transfer, is pulled from the cartridge by moving a component such as the tape guide  18 . In the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 15A, spring loaded arms  44 , each carrying pins  43 , are rotated around respective pivot pins  45  to move the tape  1  out of the cartridge, through the opening  10 , in a loading procedure. The guide  18  is then moved into the thus-produced space. In the embodiment, therefore, the guide  18  moves only axially, but not laterally. The arms  44  are then released so that the tape  1  rests against the guide surface of the guide  18 . FIG. 15A shows the read/write head  20  in position for data transfer. 
     The embodiment shown in FIG. 16 operates in the same way as the embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 15A, however, in the embodiment of FIG. 16 the read/write head  20  is mounted in the guide  18 . 
     FIG. 17 shows a similar embodiment, but instead of using a non-rotating guide  18 , the aforementioned guide rollers  17  are used. A suitable head stepping mechanism  46  is disposed in the space between the guide rollers  17 , for holding and positioning the read/write head  20  in a known manner. 
     It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that in the embodiments wherein the read/write head  20  is disposed at the interior side of the tape  1 , the tape  1  must be wound on the reels so that the oxide-carrying side faces the interior. In the other embodiments, the tape  1  is wound on the reels so that the oxide-carrying side is disposed facing the exterior of the cartridge. 
     Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his contribution to the art.