Claims
- 1. A universal tape path subassembly, comprising:
a chassis; a tape transport structure coupled to and supported by the chassis; and wherein the chassis and tape transport structure together form a data storage tape supply and path for use with tape cartridge housings of differing form factors.
- 2. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 1, further comprising:
registration features formed on the chassis and being exposed through openings in each of the tape cartridge housings when the chassis is positioned within such a tape cartridge housing, the registration features serving to align the tape path subassembly with a tape drive adapted to receive the tape cartridge housing and tape path subassembly.
- 3. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 2, wherein the registration features enable alignment with the tape drive along x-, y- and z-axes.
- 4. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 1, wherein the tape transport structure includes dual reels positioned along a major dimension of such tape cartridge housings.
- 5. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 1, wherein the tape transport structure includes at least one reel, the reel extending substantially across a major dimension of such tape cartridge housings and supporting a wide format storage tape.
- 6. The universal tape path subassembly set forth in claim 5, wherein the tape comprises a wide format magnetic data storage tape.
- 7. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 1, wherein one of the differing form factors comprises a digital linear tape (DLT) tape cartridge form factor.
- 8. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 1, wherein one of the differing form factors comprises a form factor other than a DLT tape cartridge form factor.
- 9. The universal tape path subassembly of claim 8, wherein the form factor is that of a Linear Tape-Open (LTO) style tape cartridge.
- 10. A tape cartridge for a magnetic recording tape, comprising:
a housing; and a tape path subassembly enclosed within the housing, the tape path subassembly having registration features that are exposed through openings in the housing and serve to align the tape path subassembly with a tape drive adapted to receive the housing and tape path subassembly.
- 11. The tape cartridge of claim 10, wherein the tape cartridge housing includes reference features enabling engagement, transport and handling of the tape cartridge incident to automatic loading into, and unloading from, a tape drive adapted to receive the tape cartridge housing and tape path subassembly.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/440,459, filed Nov. 15, 1999, and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/247,405, filed Nov. 10, 2000, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
[0002] This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/577,637, filed May 24, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60247405 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09440459 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Child |
09918149 |
Jul 2001 |
US |