Patent ID: 6962304

Claim:
A single reel tape cartridge that is configured to be loadable into a tape drive to read and write data on rewriteable media that is wound on the single reel tape cartridge, the single reel tape cartridge comprising: a tape reel comprising: a hub having a tape reel center bore formed axially therein, a first flange connected to a top of the hub, a second flange connected to a bottom of the hub in a parallel relationship with the first flange, wherein the first flange and the second flange define a tape containment section between said first and second flanges, and connecting means, attached to said bottom of said hub, to cause rotation of said tape reel; spring for applying a bias force on said connecting means of said tape; a braking means to stop a rotational movement of said tape reel by applying a force on at least one of said first flange and said second flange, said braking means located on a side of said tape cartridge to allow said braking means to engage with said tape reel; and a housing for enclosing said tape reel comprising: a tape reel locator boss formed on an interior surface of said housing and mates with said tape reel center bore, wherein the dimensions of said tape reel center bore and said tape reel locator boss are selected to prevent lateral movement of said tape reel; a spring sleeve coaxially formed within said tape reel locator boss for enclosing one end of said spring to reduce spring deflection in directions other than coaxial with an axis of said tape reel to reduce lateral forces on said tape reel; and a plurality of ramped centering posts formed on an inside surface of said housing to form a channel to funnel said tape reel into a substantially centered position within the tape cartridge housing.