Patent ID: 7097125

Claim:
A tape drive configured to automatically adapt to drive different size tape cassettes, comprising: a sensor that senses size of a tape cassette inserted into the tape drive; and moveable spindles that are responsive to the sensor to move to different respective positions to drive different size tape cassettes; wherein the tape drive has only a single tape guide path along which tape from each of the different size tape cassettes is guided; wherein the tape drive positions each of the different size tape cassettes such that a tape withdrawal face of each of the different size tape cassettes is aligned on a same line; and, wherein the moveable spindles are direct drive spindles coupled to motors, the motors being moved to the different respective positions responsive to the sensor; said tape drive further comprising a door arrangement configured with multiple doors, each door configured to accommodate a different size tape cassette wherein the multiple doors include at least a first, larger door and a second, smaller door within the first door.