Patent ID: 6923395

Claim:
A sensing assembly for use with a tape drive employing a single reel equipped with a takeup leader for interconnecting with a tape cartridge leader connected to a length of tape media located within a tape cartridge, to determine it said tape cartridge leader disconnects from said takeup leader during unloading of said tape cartridge, so that said tape cartridge can be removed from said tape drive without damaging said length of tape media, comprising: means for disconnecting said takeup leader from said tape cartridge leader prior to removing said tape cartridge from said tape drive; at least one leader position detecting means to detect a position of at least one of said tape cartridge leader and said takeup leader following said disconnect, said position being used to determine if said tape cartridge leader disconnects from said takeup leader, comprising: a means for sensing movably located a distance from a tape path; and a means for moving said movable sensing means from an initial position into said tape path to detect said position of at least one of said takeup leader and said tape cartridge leader; and a processing means, responsive to said detected position of said at least one of said takeup leader and said tape cartridge leader, for determining if said tape cartridge leader disconnects from said takeup leader.