Mechanical lock-out for preventing tape cartridge insertion into incompatible drives
US5497955A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 1994 |
| Grant date | Mar 12, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B23/0233
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A guidance channel for a tape cartridge and a matching guide for a tape drive chassis to prevent a new design cartridge from being inserted into an old design drive but permitting new design drives to accept new design cartridges or old design cartridges. The cartridge guidance channel is wide at the front of the tape cartridge and narrow at the back of the tape cartridge. Tape cartridges having a narrow channel at the back end cannot be inserted into a drive chassis having a guide with a uniform wide width. The drive chassis guide is narrow at the front and wide at the back. The drive chassis guide can mate with tape cartridge channels having a uniform wide width or with tape cartridge channels having a narrow channel at the back end.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.