Low-friction, belt-driven tape cartridge

Abstract: The belt (40) of a two-reel tape cartridge (10) is stretchably entrained around the tape packs (15, 16), a belt driving roller (18), and a pair of idler rollers (37, 38), each of which is journalled on a shaft projecting from one end of an arm (27, 28). The other end of each arm is pivotably mounted in the cartridge so that the idler rollers ride on the belt and are pressed by the belt against the belt and the underlying tape pack.

Description: The invention relates to a two reel tape cartridge wherein an elastic belt is entrained around the tape packs to drive the tape tangentially, as basically known from US-A-3 692 255 and as also disclosed in US-A-4 688 742 showing the features cited in the preamble of claim 1. US-A-3 692 255 discloses a two-reel tape cartridge in which an elastic belt is driven by a reversible motor to drive the tape bidirectionally. The belt is stretchably entrained around the tape packs, a belt driving roller, and a pair of idler rollers (e.g., belt guide rollers 21 and 22 of Figs. 1-2 of US-A-3 692 255) that are journalled on stationary pins in the corners of the cartridge. A predetermined frictional coupling between the idler rollers and their pins applies a predetermined drag to the belt so that the belt drives the tape faster at the take-up pack than it does at the supply pack, thus applying tension to the tape and taking up any slack that might otherwise develop in the tape between the reel hubs. Because tape cartridges of the type according to US-A-3 692 255 are used for recording data, they are commonly called "data cartridges". They are currently in widespread use on devices that drive the tape at speeds from 0.8 m/sec to more than 2.5 m/sec. Substantially higher tape speeds would require increased drive motor power and involve a tendency for slippage due to air entrapment between the belt and the convolutions of tape. These increased demands would encroach on the margins for safe operation of the cartridge. Furthermore, the higher ambient heat generated by increased motor sizes and drag at the idler rollers could expose the belt to higher temperatures, thus shortening its useful life. In a second type of belt-driven, two-reel tape cartridge, frictional drag is reduced by avoiding the use of journalled idler rollers. Instead, a floating roller is squeezed against the belt and the peripheral surfaces of the tape packs. See, for example, U.S.-A-3,907,230; US-A-4,146,194, US-A-4,209,144 and US-A-4,205,808. In discussing US-A-3 907 230, in US-A-4 205 808 it is stated that the floating roller tends to be unstable, thus inflicting instabilities in the belt which in turn inflicts instabilities in the tape. The solution of US-A-4 205 808 is to taper the surface of the floating roller to form a frusto-conical shape such that the belt tends to climb to the upper lip of the floating roller. While also discussing the problem of stabilizing the position of the floating roller, in US-A-4 146 194 and US-A-4 209 144 it is stated that prior belt-driven cartridges of the second type could not rapidly accelerate and decelerate the tape, and that this can be alleviated by employing a belt which is thin enough and sufficiently inelastic against compression that the pressure of the floating roller compresses the tape packs as well as the belt. US-A-4 146 194 employs a floating roller, the width of which is less than the width of the belt, thus helping to stabilize the position of the floating roller. US-A-4 209 144 employs a floating roller that has a rigid periphery and a belt that is thin and inelastic enough to permit the floating roller to press the belt into the tape packs to deform them to produce an appreciable portion of the tape tension. Although belt-driven, two-reel tape cartridges of the second type were introduced to the market several years ago, they have yet to demonstrate commercial viability. It is the object of the invention to provide a belt-driven, two-reel tape cartridge which, as compared to that according to US-A-3 692 255, has significantly reduced friction so that it can be driven by smaller motors and generates less heat. According to the invention, this object is solved by a low-friction, belt-driven tape cartridge having a boxlike enclosure containing a pair of reel hubs supported for rotation on spaced parallel axes, a length of tape convolutely wound on the reel hubs in opposite directions to provide two tape packs, a belt driving roller and a pair of idler rollers, the axes of which are parallel to the axes of the reel hubs, an elastic belt stretchably entrained around the tape packs, the belt driving roller, and the idler rollers, wherein, each idler roller is journalled on a shaft projecting from a free end of an arm, the other end of which is pivotably mounted in the enclosure, and the elastic belt pulls each idler roller towards the respective tape packs, thereby pressing the respective portion of the belt situated between the respective idler roller and the corresponding tape pack against this tape pack. Because the idler rollers are supported by pivotable arms, they should have much better stability than do the unsupported idler rollers of the above-discussed second type of belt-driven tape cartridge. The elastic belt of the cartridge of US-A-3 692 255 is useful in the novel tape cartridge and preferably is a polyurethane belt having a coefficient N of elasticitiy in the range from 0.005 to 0.05 m/N m. Likewise, the belt should have a pretension of at least 1.5 N, preferably from 2 to 5 N, and an angle of wrap at the reel hubs of at least 60°, preferably at least 90°. In the novel tape cartridge, the fractional differential in speed between the take-up pack and the supply pack (the take-up ratio T r ) is given by the expression T r = t D 1 + t D r where t is the belt thickness, D 1 is the diameter of the supply pack, and D r is the diameter of the idler roller that contacts the take-up pack. Preferably D r is much smaller than D 1 and t/D r is within the range of 25 µm to 250 µm in order to obtain a tape tension sufficient to maintain good head contact without undue wear. It is postulated that the take-up ratio of the novel tape cartridge is primarily the result of stretching of the outside surface of the belt as it passes over the idler roller adjacent the take-up pack, thus driving the outermost convolution of that tape pack faster than the belt. To a lesser extent, the take-up ratio is the result of compression and slowing of the speed of the inside surface of the belt as it contacts the supply pack. Hence, the take-up ratio of the novel tape cartridge is obtained in a substantially lossless manner, in contrast to the frictional drag required by the tape cartridge of US-A-3 692 255. Other elements of the novel tape cartridge preferably are designed to be as nearly lossless as possible, e.g., by lubricating the bearings of the idler rollers and belt driving roller to minimize friction. The invention may be more easily understood in reference to the drawing, all figures of which are schematic. In the drawing: Each of FIGs. 1 and 2 is a top view of a belt-driven tape cartridge of the invention; FIG. 3 is a graph showing the effect of pivot point location on the operation of the tape cartridge of FIG. 1; and FIG. 4 is a graph comparing the driving forces and tape tensions of the tape cartridge of FIG. 1 and a tape cartridge of the Von Behren patent. In the preferred embodiments hereinafter described, the tape is a magnetic recording tape. However, within the scope of the present invention, the term "tape" includes microfilm, paper webs, and other elongated flexible web material which can be transported between a pair of reels. Referring to FIG. 1, a tape cartridge 10 has a boxlike enclosure 11 consisting of a baseplate 12 and a cover 13. Journalled on shafts projecting from the baseplate are a pair of identical reel hubs 15 and 16 and a belt driving roller 18 that is positioned between the reel hubs adjacent a first edge 19 of the enclosure. A length of magnetic recording tape 20 is convolutely wound on the reel hubs in opposite directions and is drawn past a pair of wrap pins 21 and 22 and over a pair of guide pins 23 and 24 to extend along the first edge 19. A cutaway portion 25 allows the tape to be contacted by a recording head (not shown) of a tape recorder. A pair of arms 27 and 28 are pivotably mounted on the baseplate with their free ends extending toward a second edge 30 of the enclosure which is parallel to the first edge 19. Their pivot points are adjacent the third and fourth edges 31 and 32, respectively, of the enclosure and slightly below a line 34 that intersects the axes of the reel hubs (here sometimes called the "hub line"), i.e., between the hub line and the first edge 19 of the enclosure. Journalled on a shaft projecting from a finger at the free end of each arm 27 and 28 is an idler roller 37 or 38, respectively. The idler rollers are identical to each other, and their axes are parallel to the axes of the reel hubs 15 and 16 and the belt driving roller 18. Each of the arms is gently curved to ensure against contact with the tape 20. An elastic belt 40 is stretchably entrained around the tape packs, the belt driving roller, and the idler rollers, thus pressing each idler roller against the belt and underlying tape pack. The shafts on which the idler rollers are journalled preferably have the smallest diameter that affords adequate strength and are lubricated to keep friction to a minimum. Like that of the cartridge of US-A-3 692 255, the belt driving roller 18 has a larger diameter portion that extends over the tape path between the guide pins 23 and 24 to be contacted by a driving roller (not shown) of a tape recorder. The peripheral surfaces of each idler roller and of the belt-bearing portion of the belt driving roller are crowned to keep the belt centered without edge guides. Although each of the idler rollers and belt driving rollers shown in US-A-3 692 255 has a central circumferential belt guide slot, crowned rollers have been used in belt-driven tape cartridges manufactured since that patent issued. The tape cartridge 10' of FIG. 2 is similar to that of FIG. 1 and comparable parts have the same reference characters except for "prime" marks. The tape cartridge 10' of FIG. 2 differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the pivot points of the two arms 27' and 28' are positioned adjacent the second edge 30' of the enclosure so that the fingers at the free ends of the arms extend toward the third and fourth edges 31' and 32', respectively, of the boxlike enclosure 11'. Example 1 Significant features of a low-friction belt-driven tape cartridge as shown in FIG. 1 are as follows: baseplate 12 aluminum 2.5 mm thick cover polycarbonate resin reel hubs 15 and 16 40 mm in diameter magnetic recording tape 20 200 mm in length maximum tape pack dia. 73 mm belt driving roller 18 17.4 mm in diameter larger diameter portion 22.6 mm arms 27 and 28 43 mm in length from pivot point to axis of idler roller pivot points location 9.5 mm below the hub line idler rollers 37 and 38 acetal resin 15.8 mm dia. shafts hardened steel 1.6 mm in dia. elastic belt 40 polyurethane 39.2 cm in length, 0.1 mm in thickness The installed elastic belt had a pretension of 3.3 N and minimum and maximum angles of wrap at the reel hubs of about 110° and 170°. The cartridge was operated at tape speeds up to 5.1 m/sec and at start/stop accelerations up to 75 m/sec 2 while maintaining a tape tension of at least 0.17 N throughout a large number of test cycles. At all times, both the belt and tape tracked perfectly. The motor force to attain a tape speed of 2.3 m/sec was 0.7 N. Tested for comparison was a belt-driven tape cartridge according to US-A-3 692 255 of the N same size. Its elastic belt had a pretension of 4.4 N, because a pretension of at least about 4.4 N was required to prevent failure in start/stop operation at tape speeds up to 2.3 m/sec. Even at this higher belt pretension (as compared to that of the cartridge of Example 1), the tape tension dropped below zero at a speed of 3.4 m/sec. The motor force to attain a tape speed of 2.3 m/sec was 0.9 N. As compared to a belt-driven tape cartridge of US-A-3 692 255, it is believed that the novel tape cartridge can be operated at lower belt tension because the idler rollers squeeze out air from under the belt and between the tape convolutions and thus virtually eliminate any danger of slippage such as may be encountered in cartridges of US-A-3 692 255 at exceedingly high tape speeds. FIG. 3 Ideally, both the force of the idler rollers against the tape packs and the length to which the belt is stretched should both remain constant in spite of changes in the sizes of the tape packs due to transfer of tape from one pack to the other. In FIG. 3, lines 44 and 45 show the maximum and minimum forces exerted by one of the idler rollers against a tape pack at various pivot points along a line parallel to the third and fourth edges 31 and 32. The convergence of those lines indicates a preference to locate the pivot points below the hub line 34, i.e., between the hub line and the second edge 30 of the enclosure. A line 47 shows changes in belt length at the various pivot points and indicates that the change in belt length (and hence the change in tension in the belt) should be zero when the pivot points are above the hub line. Hence there is a compromise in locating the pivot points, preferably slightly below the hub line as in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 In FIG. 4, line 50 charts the driving force and line 52 charts the tape tension while driving the tape of the cartridge of Example 1 from one reel hub to the other at 2.3 m/sec, i.e., from beginning of tape (BOT) to end of tape (EOT). For comparison, lines 54 and 56 chart the driving force and the tape tension, respectively, of the cartridge of US-A-3 692 255 at the same tape speed. This comparison shows that to attain approximately the same tape tension, the tape cartridge of Example 1 requires significantly less driving force than does the cartridge of US-A-3 692 255. Example 2 A low-friction, belt-driven tape cartridge was constructed as shown in FIG. 2, but was adjudged to be inferior to that of Example 1, because there was some slippage between the belt and the tape.

Claims: Tape cartridge comprising a boxlike enclosure (11;11') containing a pair of reel hubs (15,16;15',16') supported for rotation on spaced parallel axes, a length of tape (20;20') convolutely wound on the reel hubs (15,16;15',16') in opposite directions to provide two tape packs, a belt driving roller (18;18'), a pair of idler rollers (37,38;37',38'), the axes of which are parallel to the axes of the reel hubs (15,16;15',16'), and an elastic belt (40;40') entrained around the tape packs, the belt driving roller (18;18'), and the idler rollers (37,38;37',38'), each idler roller (37,38;37',38') being journalled on a shaft mounted on an arm (27,28;27',28'), which is pivotably mounted at one of its ends in the enclosure (11;11'), characterized in that said shaft is situated at the other end of the arm and in that said belt (40;40') pulls the first idler roller (37; 37') towards the first tape pack and the second idler roller (38;38') towards the second tape pack, thereby pressing the respective portion of the belt (40;40') situated between the respective idler roller (37;38; 37';37') and the corresponding tape pack, against this tape pack. Tape cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the arms (27,28) are pivotably mounted adjacent the edges (31,32) of the enclosure (11) close to a line (34) that intersects the axes of the reel hubs (15,16). Tape cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that the pivot points of the arms (27,28) are between said line (34) and an edge (19) of the enclosure (11) adjacent to the belt driving roller. Tape cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the arms (27,28) is gently curved with its concave side adjacent the tape (20). Tape cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the angle of wrap of the elastic belt (40;40') around each of the tape packs is at least 90°. Tape cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the coefficient of elasticity of the belt (40;40') is from 0.005 to 0.05 m/N m. Tape cartridge according to claim 6, characterized in that the elastic belt (40;40') has a pretension of from 2 to 5 N. Tape cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each arm (27,28;27',28') is formed at its free end with a finger, and the idler roller (37,38;37',38') is journalled on a shaft projecting from the finger.

Inventors: VON BEHREN ROBERT A, VON BEHREN, ROBERT A., Von Behren, Robert A., c/o Minnesota Mining
Applicants: IMATION CORP, IMATION CORP.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G11B23
IPC codes: G11B23