Patent · US Expired

Method for unlocking a single reel tape cartridge locking mechanism in a tape cartridge load operation

US6572046B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
0References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 9, 2001
Grant dateJun 3, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 27, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B15/673
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present method for unlocking a single reel tape cartridge locking mechanism in a tape cartridge load operation aids the release of the tape cartridge locking mechanism by manipulating the supply reel motor which is engaged to the single reel tape cartridge in a manner that causes the stuck tape cartridge locking mechanism to release. In order to aid the release of the tape cartridge locking mechanism during the tape cartridge loading procedure, the supply reel motor is operated cyclically to cause the supply reel to vibrate. This vibration is held for a predetermined period of time. At the end of the vibration cycle, the tape drive attempts to pull the tape cartridge leader out of the tape cartridge. If the tape drive again detects that the tape cartridge locking mechanism is not released, it repeats the vibration sequence. The drive can execute a predetermined number of attempts to release the tape cartridge locking mechanism in this manner. If this process is not successful, then the tape drive logs a failure and rejects the tape cartridge by ejecting the tape cartridge from the tape drive.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.