Patent Application
20070262190
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for sticking a magnetic tape strip on a reel hub of a reel of a tape cartridge which is used in a cartridge assembling line and a method and an apparatus for assembling a tape cartridge using the tape end sticking method and apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, magnetic tape cartridges are commonly used as an external memory device for computer data backup. Such a tape cartridge comprises a cartridge case, and a tape reel and its associated parts enclosed in the cartridge case. The cartridge case has a tape egress opening located in one of end walls. In a cartridge case assembling line, a magnetic tape strip is wound on a reel hub at a final stage of the assembling line. The tape wind is entered by firmly sticking one tape end of the magnetic tape strip on the reel hub using a tape end sticking apparatus. There have been proposed a variety of tape end sticking apparatus. One of the tape end sticking awash which is known from, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-322353 comprises a tape carrier arm which is provided with a sponge with a liquid such as alcohol instilled therein and capable of grasping or picking one tape end of a magnetic tape strip with vacuum and moving in and out of a cartridge case. When the tape carrier arm is moved into the cartridge case, the sponge is forced against the reel hub so as to apply the liquid to the reel hub. Then, the tape carrier arm brings the tape end of the magnetic tape strip held with vacuum into contact with the reel hub, the tape end of the magnetic tape strip is firmly stuck on the reel hub. Subsequently to movement of the tape carrier arm out of the cartridge case after sticking the magnetic tape strip on the reel hub, a desired length of the magnetic tape strip is wound on the reel hub of the tape reel in the cartridge case and cut off. A magnetic tape cartridge is completed by sticking a slip of leader tape on and attaching a leader pin to the cutoff end of the magnetic tape strip.
A problem encountered by the tape end sticking apparatus is that a relative position between the tape carrier arm and a tape end of a magnetic tape strip held with vacuum by the tape carrier arm varies. In particular, if the relative position varies in the tape width direction, the magnetic tape strip is stuck on the reel hub with an axial deviation. This axial deviation makes the magnetic tape strip apt to lean against reel flange at one of opposite tape edges and consequentially to be folded back at its leading end portion, resulting in accounting for an occurrence of a radial winding irregularity in a roll of the magnetic tape strip wound on a reel hub. The occurrence of a radial winding irregularity produces such local defects, e.g. wrinkles, on the magnetic tape strip as to lead to loose contact with a recording/reproducing head and, in consequence, deterioration in recording/reproducing quality.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for sticking an end portion of a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel in a desired position in a width of tape strip.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of and an apparatus for winding a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel without causing a radial winding irregularity in a roll of tape strip wound on the tape reel.
The foregoing objects of the present invention is accomplished by a tape end sticking method and a tape end sticking apparatus for sticking a tap end of a tape strip on a hub of a tape reel installed in a cartridge case having an egress/ingress opening before winding the tape strip on the reel hub of the tape reel. The tape end sticking apparatus comprises cartridge case setting means for supporting said tape cartridge so as to permit rotation of said tape reel, tape carrier means movable into and out from an interior of the tape cartridge passing through the egress/ingress opening for grasping a tape end portion of the tape strip in a position where the tape carrier means is outside the tape cartridge and bringing the tape end portion to a position where the tape end portion is placed adjacently to the tape reel, liquid applying means for applying a sticking liquid to the tape end portion and/or the reel hub when the tape end portion is placed adjacently to the tape reel, side edge detection means for detecting a position in a tape width direction of a side edge of the tape strip on the way of movement of the tape carrier means toward the tape cartridge, and position adjustment means for adjusting the tape carrier means in the tape width direction relative to the reel hub according to the position in the tape width direction of the side edge of the tape strip before movement of the tape carrier means to the reel hub.
With this configuration of the tape end sticking apparatus, while supporting the tape cartridge so as to permit the tape reel to rotate, the tape carrier means grasps a tape end portion of a tape strip to be wound on a tape reel. On the way of movement of the tape carrier means toward the tape cartridge, the position adjustment means adjusts the tape carrier means in the tape width direction relative to the reel hub according to a position in the tape width of a side edge of the tape strip detected by the side edge detection means. When the tape carrier means is moved to enter the tape cartridge until placing the tape end portion close to the reel hub, the liquid applying means applies a sticking liquid to the reel hub and then the tape carrier means is further moved to place the tape end portion adjacently to the reel hub and to release the tape end portion so as thereby to stick it on the reel hub with the sticking liquid. The side edge detection means may detects a deviation of a side edge of the tape strip carried by the tape carrier means from a predetermined reference position in the tape width direction so that the position adjusting means may adjust the tape carrier means according to the deviation.
Accordingly, even if a tape end portion of a tape strip is grasped significantly off from a predetermined position in the tape width direction by the tape carrier means, the tape carrier means is shifted in the tape width direction according to a deviation in the tape width direction, so that the tape end portion is always stuck on the reel hub in an adequate position.
The tape winding apparatus for winding a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel installed in a cartridge case having an egress/ingress opening comprises the tape end sticking apparatus having the configuration described above and winding means for rotating the tape reel so as thereby to wind the tape strip onto the reel hub of the tape reel.
According to the tape winding apparatus, since a tape end portion of a tape strip is always stuck on the reel hub in an adequate position relative to the reel hub, the tape winding apparatus always winds the tape strip in a roll on the tape reel without causing a radial winding irregularity in the roll.
The tape end sticking method of sticking a tap end portion of a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel installed in a cartridge case having an egress/ingress opening before winding the tape strip on the reel hub comprises the steps of supporting the tape cartridge so that the tape reel is permitted to rotate, grasping a tape end portion of the tape strip by a tape carrier means which is movable into and out from the tape cartridge through the egress/ingress opening, moving the tale carrier means into an interior of the tape cartridge until placing the tape end portion close to the tape reel, adjusting the tape carrier means in a tape width direction according to a position of a side edge of the tape end portion in the tape width direction relative to the reel hub during movement of the tape carrier means toward the tape reel, applying a sticking liquid to the reel hub and/or the tape end portion on the way of movement of the tape carrier means to the reel hub, and bringing the tape end potion into contact with the reel hub after releasing the tape end potion from the tape carrier means so as thereby to stick the tape end portion on the reel hub with the sticking liquid. The step of sticking liquid application may be performed at any time between the tape end grasping step and the tape end releasing step. The tape end sticking method may further comprises the step of detecting a deviation of the side edge of the tape end portion in the tape width direction from a predetermined position of side edge of the tape end portion on the way of movement of the tape carrier toward the tape reel.
According to the tape end sticking method, even if a tape end portion of a tape strip is grasped significantly off from a predetermined position in the tape width direction by the tape carrier means, the tape carrier means is shifted in the tape width direction according to a deviation in the tape width direction, so that the tape end portion is always stuck on the reel hub in an adequate position.
The tape winding method of winding a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel installed in a cartridge case having an egress/ingress opening comprises the tape end sticking method described above and the step of rotating the tape reel so as thereby to wind the tape strip on the reel hub of the tape reel.
According to the tape winding method, since a tape end portion of a tape strip is always stuck on the reel hub in an adequate position relative to the reel hub, the tape strip is always wound in a roll on the tape reel without producing a radial winding irregularity in the roll.
The method of and the apparatus for sticking a tap end portion of a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel installed in a cartridge case enables sticking the tape end portion on the reel hub in an adequate position, so as to prevent an occurrence of sticking defects of a tape end portion on the reel hub, e.g. a lean against a reel flange and a bend at a tape end. In addition, the method of and the apparatus for winding a tape strip on a reel hub of a tape reel tilled in a cartridge case prevents an occurrence of sticking defects of a tape end portion on the reel hub, so as to prevent a roll of tape strip wound on the tape reel from producing a radial winding irregularity and to manufacture tape cartridges at a high yield rate.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following detailed description when reading with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention is suitable for use on all types of tape cartridges and has particular application in the assembling of tape cartridges which are compliant with Linear Tape Open (LTO) standard. However, it should be appreciated that the invention has broader application and is not limited to this particular use.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail,
The tape feeder 30 includes two tape reels R1 and R2, each reel R1, R2 having a roll of a roll of magnetic tape strip MY wound thereon, and drives it to feed the magnetic tape strip MT at a predetermined constant rate toward the tape end sticking apparatus 20. When one of the tape reels R1 and R2 runs out of the magnetic tape strip MT, the other tape reel R1 or R2 is alternatively driven to feed the magnetic tape strip MT toward the tape end sticking apparatus 20 so as thereby to feed the magnetic tape strip MT continuously.
The tape end sticking apparatus 20 comprises a cartridge setting chamber 21 for receiving a tape cartridge 10 from the a cartridge feeder 80 and rotate the tape cartridge 10 at a high speed, a tape carrier 22 for picking a leading end MT1 of the magnetic tape strip MT fed from the tape feeder 30 and carrying it to the tape cartridge 10 received in the tape cartridge setting chamber 21, a side edge detection device 23 for detecting a cross-diretional position of a side edge of the magnetic tape strip MT carried by the tape carrier 22, and a position adjustment device 26 for adjusting the tape carrier 22 in a tape width direction (a direction of depth or a direction perpendicular to the panel 100 in this embodiment).
The tape carrier 22 is provided with a blotting sponge pad 228 which is instilled with a sticking liquid, such as alcohol including methanol, ethanol, isopropanol (IPA), etc. in this embodiment to be applied to the reel hub 2 of the tape reel 1 of the tape cartridge 10 set in the tape cartridge setting chamber 21 for sticking a tape end on the reel hub 2. The tape cartridge setting chamber 21, which is disposed on the panel 100a, for example, in a lower right position, receives and the tape cartridge 10 with the tape egress/ingress opening 11c directed lower left, i.e. toward the tape carrier 22 and holds it so that the tape reel 1 is driven by a reel driving unit (not shown) so as to wind the magnetic tape strip MT thereon.
Referring to
The sponge chamber 223 receives the blotting sponge pad 228 therein and is supplied with sticking alcohol such as alcohol including methanol, ethanol, isopropanol (IPA), etc. so that the blotting sponge pad 228 is regularly instilled with an adequate quantity of sticking alcohol. The first suction table 224 has a number of air orifices H1 in communication with a common air passage (not shown) formed in the carrier arm 22 which is connected to and unconnected from an external air compressor and a vacuum pump (not shown) through a conduit tube having a selector solenoid valve. Therefore, the first suction table 224 can suck and grasp the magnetic tape strip MT with vacuum thereon. Similarly, the second suction table 225 has a number of air orifices H2 in communication with a common air passage (not shown) formed in the carrier arm 22 which is connected to and unconnected from a vacuum pump (not shown) through a conduit tube having a solenoid valve. Therefore, the second suction table 225 can suck and grasp the magnetic tape strip MT with vacuum thereon. The sponge seat 226 is formed in the shape of dent by a bottom wall 226a and front and rear tapered walls 226b continuing to the first and second suction tables 224 and 225, respectively. In the case where the magnetic tape strip MT has a width of 12.65 mm (112 inch), the sponge seat 226 is cut to a width A less than 11 mm, a length B greater than 19 mm and a depth C greater than 0.5 mm. In order to avoid interference of the tape carrier 22 with flanges 4 of tape reels 1, the sponge seat 226 should have a width A less than the magnetic tape strip MT. Further, the sponge seat 226 having a width less than 11 mm and a length B greater than 19 mm prevents the front and rear tapered walls 226b from interfering with the reel hub 2 when the bottom wall 226a is brought into contact with the reel hub 2. A sponge pad 227, that is tapered so as to fit the front and rear tapered walls 226b, is stuck on the sponge seat 226 by set screws V, or otherwise may be secured by a double-sides adhesive tape or an adhesive. The sponge pad 227 is brought into crimping on the reel hub 2 of a tape reel 1 to force the magnetic tape strip MT against the reel hub 2 of a tape reel 1 when the tape carrier 22 is moved upward. Using the sponge pad 227 for forcing the magnetic tape strip MT against the reel hub 2 is contributive to that alcohol applied to the reel hub 2 by the blotting sponge pad 228 gets more intimate with the magnetic tape strip MT and that the magnetic tape strip MT is forced to acclimate the shape of the reel hub 2. In this instance, since the suction arm 220 is nothing but provided with the air orifices HI and H2 and the common air passages only, the tape carrier 22 can be made compact in overall size according to the egress/ingress opening 11c of the cartridge case 11.
Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the driving device 24 for moving the tape carrier 22 comprises a pair of reverse L-shaped base supports 245 mounted on the panel 100, a pair of guide rails 243 horizontally held by brackets 244 secured to the base supports 245, respectively, a slide table 242 supported for slide movement by the guide rails 243, a L-shaped mounting 241 sticked to the slide table 242, an air slide table 252 supported for slide movement by the mounting table 241 and having a vertically movable head 253, and a reverse L-shaped table 251 secured to the movable head 253 and supporting a mounting 261 forming a part of the position adjustment device 26 thereon. The mounting 261 is movable in the tape width direction (a direction perpendicular to the panel 100 in this embodiment) on the reverse L-shaped table 251 and mounts the tape carrier 22 thereon. Therefore, the tape carrier 22 is moved vertically and horizontally by the driving device 24 and in the tape width direction (a direction perpendicular to the panel 100) by the position adjustment device 26.
The position adjustment device 26 comprises a pair of tails 268 which is mounted at their opposite ends on brackets 267 secured to the reverse L-shaped table 251 and supports the mounting 261 for slide movement in the tape width direction, and an adjustment screw rod 265 connected to a rotary shaft 263 of a pulse motor 262 through a coupling 264. The adjustment screw rod 265 extends loosely passing through a bore 261a of the mounting 261 and screwed into threaded openings formed in tie boards 266 stickedly attached to opposite side surfaces of the mounting 261. The pulse motor 262 is connected to a controller 27 (see
In operation of the tape winding apparatus 100 thus configured, as shown in
When completing winding of a given length of magnetic tape strip MT, the cutting device 70 is activated to move the cutting blade CT upward between the front and rear suction tables 71 and 72, thereby cutting off the magnetic tape strip MT on the front and rear suction tables 71 and 72. Thereafter, a leader tape strip L is connected to the magnetic tape strip MT wound on the reel hub 2 by means of a splicing strip S, and a leader pin 5 is attached to the free end of the leader tape strip L (see
On the other hand, another end portion of magnetic tape strip MT1 remains sucked by the front suction table 71. This state is an initial condition of the beginning of magnetic tape winding for another tape cartridge. As shown in
As shown in
After the position adjustment, the tape carrier 22 enters the cartridge setting chamber 21 for sticking the end portion of magnetic tape strip MT1 on a hub 2 of the empty tape cartridge 10.
In the state shown in
The position map stored in the controller 27 includes a reference edge position Xo which indicates an edge position when the magnetic tape strip MT0 is in a predetermined position in the tape width direction X relative to the reel hub 2. The controller 27 calculates a deviation ΔX of a detected edge position X1 from the reference edge position Xo from the position map and provides pulses according to the deviation ΔX so as to cause operate the pulse motor 262 to turn the adjustment screw rod 265, thereby shifting the mounting 261, and hence the tape carrier 22, in the tape width direction X so as to shift the tape edge of the magnetic tape strip MT from the position X1 to the reference position Xo. For example, when the mounting 261 is shifted 1 μm every turn of the pulse motor 262 per one pulse, 100 pulses are required in order to shift the mounting 261 0.1 mm. A shift direction of the mounting 261 is changed by reversing a direction of current flow to the pulse motor.
As just described above, the tape winding apparatus 100 equipped with the tape end sticking apparatus 20 is capable of aligning centers in the tape width direction of a tape end portion of magnetic tape strip MT and a reel hub 2 of a tape reel 1 with each other when sticking tape end portion of magnetic tape strip MT on the reel hub. In consequence, the tape winding apparatus 100 equipped with the tape end sticking apparatus 20 prevents an occurrence of a radial winding irregularity in a roll of magnetic tape strip wound onto a tape reel and, as a result produces magnetic tape cartridges at a high yield rate.
Although, in the above embodiment, the magnetic tape strip is directly stuck on the reel hub of a tape reel, it is permitted to attach a splicing tape previously connected to a cutoff end of the magnetic tape strip to the reel hub of the reel.
It is also to be understood that although the present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments thereof various other embodiments and variants may occur to those skilled in the art, which are within the scope and spirit of the invention, and such other embodiments and variants are intended to be covered by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-128910 | May 2006 | JP | national |
