`
`PCT
`
`WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`
`
`1 May 1997 (01.05.97)
`G11B 23/107 (43) International Publication Date:
`
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`(51) International PatentClassification © :
`(11) International Publication Number:
`WO 97/15925
`
`PCT/US96/16434|(81) Designated States: CN, DE,JP.
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`:
`
`‘
`
`‘
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`16 October 1996 (16.10.96) Published
`With international search report.
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`08/548,706
`
`26 October 1995 (26.10.95)
`
`US
`
`(71) Applicant: IMATION CORP.[US/US]; 1 Imation Place, P.O.
`Box 64898, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0898 (US).
`
`(72) Inventor: MARTIN,Robert, C.; P.O, Box 64898, Saint Paul,
`MN 55164-0898 (US).
`
`(74) Agent: DENNIS, Charles, L., IJ, Imation Legal Affairs, P.O.
`Box 64898, Saint Paul, MN 55164-0898 (US).
`
`
`
`(54) Title: STRUCTURE TO LIMIT EDGE CREASING IN A SCATTER-WOUND CARTRIDGE
`
`10
`
`Ss
`
`SS)
`
`(57) Abstract
`
`Various structures are described to minimize tape edge creasing in a tape cartridge. Several structures prevent the flange from being
`pressed by the housing of the tape cartridge into the tape pack with sufficient force to crease the edges of any exposed tape strands. Use
`of various structures or alternative materials also can stiffen the flange, again reducing the likelihood of the flange deflecting into the tape
`pack.
`
`
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`

`

`AM
`AT
`AU
`BB
`BE
`BF
`
`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international
`applications under the PCT.
`
`Republic of Moldova Malawi
`
`Armenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Cdte d'Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Czechoslovakia
`Czech Republic
`Germany
`Denmark
`Estonia
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgystan
`Democratic People's Republic
`of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakhstan
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`Lithuania
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`
`Mexico
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Swaziland
`Chad
`Tago
`Tajikistan
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
`Viet Nam
`
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`WO 97/15925
`
`PCT/US96/16434
`
`STRUCTURE TO LIMIT EDGE CREASING
`IN A SCATTER-WOUND CARTRIDGE
`
`Backgroundof the Invention
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`The present invention relates to support mechanismsfor tape in a
`tape cartridge, and in particular, to structures for supporting scatter-wound
`
`tape packs.
`
`Description of the Related Art
`
`The tape in many types of tape cartridges winds into a tape pack
`about the tape spool such that someportions of the tape project above or
`below the main body of thetape pack. This type of winding is called
`scatter-wound,as distinct from the smoother winding (with better alignment
`from one piece of tape to the next) found in some cartridges using belts or
`the like to assist in packing.
`
`The tape spool in a 3480-style tape cartridge such as that shown in
`
`European Published Patent Application 0 588 219 (Martin et al.) is free to
`float within the cavity created by the base and cover. The only restraint
`against such motionis the low restraining force of a spring biasing a brake
`into engagement with the spool. However, during shipping and handling
`the inertia of the tape pack can easily overcome the force of the brake
`spring, causing the tape spool to contact the inner walls of the cavity. This
`contact can force the spoolflanges to deflect into the tape pack, thereby
`creasing the edges of any tape strand which protrudes from the pack.
`Creasesin the tape can result in high error counts on the edge tracks of
`the tape and the like. Evenfairly routine shipping and handling of the
`
`cartridge can develop this probiem.
`
`30
`
`This problem is usually most significant for the upper flange
`because the spool normallyis biased toward the bottom of the cartridge
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`WO 97/15925
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`PCT/US96/16434
`
`housing. This meansthatit alreadyis resting flat against the bottom, so
`any forces tend to be evenly distributed over the entire lower flange. Thus,
`the lowerflangeis notlikely to be significantly bent or distortedif the
`cartridge is struck on the bottom.
`In contrast, the gap between the top of
`the spool and the coverallows the spool to be thrown against the cover,
`and,in particular, to be thrown against the coverat varying angles. This
`meansthatthe outer diameterof the flange maybe the only part of the
`spool contacting the cover. Since the flange is a cantilever beam,a force
`applied only to the outer diameter deflects the flange much more than a
`force applied to the inner diameteror the entire flange. This deflection
`causestheflange to press against the tape pack, potentially creasing the
`edge of any tape strand(s) projecting above the main bodyofthe tape
`pack.
`
`Efforts have been madetolimit the amount of tape which can
`protrude from the tape pack bytightly controlling the spacing and taper of
`the spool flanges. The effectivenessof this approach has been limited by
`the molding and assembly tolerances encountered during manufacture of
`the spool and assembly of the drive. As a consequence ofthis, some past
`spool designs allow tapes to become creased within the recording part of
`the tape, thus resulting in high error counts.
`
`Summary of the Invention
`The present invention significantly reduces creasing by modifying
`the tape spool or coverto limit contact between the flange and the
`cartridge cover. A ring or ridge of material is added to the upper surface of
`the flange nearits inner diameter.
`If the cartridge is bumped, causing the
`spool move toward the cover, this ring will define the primary line of
`contact of the spool with the inner surface of the cover. Preferably, the
`height of the ring is such that only the ring will contact the cover. However,
`it is acceptable for the very outer diameterof the flange to also contact,
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`-2-
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`WO 97/15925
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`PCT/US96/16434
`
`provided the geometry is such that the outer diameteris not significantly
`
`deflected by the contact. As a result, the inner surface of the flange will
`
`not be deflected into the tape pack.
`
`The ring or ridge preferably is placed close to the inner diameter of
`
`the flange. This provides the maximum transfer of force directly to the
`
`spool hub, with the minimum deflection of the flange.
`
`Alternatively, a ring or ridge of material can be added to the coverof
`
`the tape cartridge instead of or in addition to the ring on the flange.
`
`According to another embodimentof the invention, the upperflange
`
`10
`
`is madestiffer to resist deflection into the tape pack. One methodis to
`
`make the flange out of a material with a higher flexural modulus, such as
`
`glass reinforced material. Another methodis to provide the flange with
`
`radial ribs which resist deflection.
`
`Aswill be apparent, these various embodiments are not mutually
`
`15
`
`exclusive, and can be combined asdesired to achieve the desired effect,
`
`which is preventing the flange from creasing the tape edges projecting
`
`from the main body of the tape pack.
`
`Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`20
`
`Fig. 1 is a partial cross-section of a cartridge accordingto a first
`
`embodimentof the invention.
`
`Fig. 2 is a partial cross-section of a cartridge according to a second
`
`embodimentof the invention.
`
`Fig. 3 is a partial cross-section of a cartridge accordingto a third
`
`25
`
`embodiment of the invention.
`
`Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
`
`Fig. 1 depicts a cartridge 10 with a cover 12 and a base 14 defining
`
`a cavity 15 therebetweenin which a tape spool 16 is rotatably mounted. A
`
`30
`
`brake 18 also is positioned in the cavity 15 and is biased by a brake spring
`
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`WO 97/15925
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`PCT/US96/16434
`
`In
`
`20 toward the spool hub 21. Whenpositioned in a drive, the drive would
`push the brake 18 awayfrom the spool hub 21 (as shown in the drawing
`for clarity). When notin a drive, the brake spring 20 would bias the brake
`teeth 22 into engagementwith the spool teeth 24, thereby preventing
`rotation of the spool 16.
`The spool16 includes a lowerflange 26 and an upperflange 28.
`use, tape (shown schematically at 29) would be wound around the spool
`16 between the lower and upperflanges 26, 28. The spool 16 may be
`formed as a single piece (as shown in Fig. 1), or, more conveniently, in
`multiple pieces, as shown,e.g., in European Published Patent Application
`0 588 219 (Martin et al.).
`According to the current invention, a ring 30 is provided on the
`upper surface of the upperflange 28 nearthe center thereof.
`If the
`cartridge is dropped or otherwise impacted and the spool16 is displaced
`toward the top cover 12, the ring 30will engage the cover 12. Preferably,
`the height and radial position of the ring 30 are such that only the ring will
`contact the cover. However,it is acceptable for the very outer diameterof
`the upperflange 28 to also contact, provided the geometry is such that the
`upperflange 28is notsignificantly deflected by the contact. The upper
`flange 28 therefore will not press against the tape pack 29.
`A droptest can be useful in determining the appropriate height and
`radial position for the ring 30. To usethis test, the height and radial
`position of the ring 30 should be such that the cartridge 10 can be dropped
`from a predetermined height, e.g., about 1.5 m, andstill prevent the flange
`from deflecting into the tape pack with sufficient force to crease the edges
`of any exposed tape strands.
`Fig. 2 depicts a cartridge which is substantially the same as that
`depictedin Fig. 1 and therefore will not be describedin detail. The
`difference between Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is the location of the ring 30.
`In Fig.
`2, a ring 30'is positioned on the cover 12' abovethe central portion of the
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`4.
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`WO 97/15925
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`PCT/US96/16434
`
`spool 16'. This ring 30' will interact with the upper portion of the spool 16'
`
`in much the same fashion asthe ring 30 to prevent the flange 28’ from
`
`pressing against the tape pack 29’.
`
`Fig. 3 depicts a third embodiment according to the present
`
`invention. Again, most of the elements are substantially the same as those
`
`shown in Fig. 1 and will not be describedin detail.
`
`In the embodiment of
`
`Fig. 3, however, instead of a ring 30, a radially extending rib 32 is provided
`
`on the upperflange 28". A plurality of these ribs 32 distributed around the
`
`spool 16"stiffen the upper flange 28". As a result, this added stiffnesswill
`
`10
`
`prevent upperflange 28" from pressing against the tape pack 29”. Note
`
`that the rib 32 is shown onthe right side of the drawing and not ontheleft
`
`becausethe ribs 32 may not necessarily be along the same diameter
`
`across the spool 16".
`
`in addition to or instead of using a ring 30, 30' or ribs 32, the upper
`
`15
`
`flange 28 may be formedof a material having a higherflexural modulus.
`
`For example, the material could be a glass reinforced material. Such a
`
`material currently is used with someregularity in forming the lowerflange
`
`26, @.g., as taught in European Published Patent Application 0 588 219
`
`(Martin et al.), so one skilled in the art will be familiar with how to form a
`
`20
`
`flange of such material.
`
`It will be understood by oneskilled in the art that any orall of the
`
`various embodiments described above could be combined. For example,it
`
`would be perfectly possible to have a ring on both the upper cover and the
`
`top of the flange, as well as to have both a ring and ribs. The rings 30, 30’
`
`25
`
`and rib 32 also can be molded as part of the upper flange 28, 28’, 28”, or
`
`can be added thereto, as convenient for manufacturing. Finally, any of
`
`these could be combined with a stiffer modulus material.
`
`With all of these alternative embodiments and materials, the drop
`
`test described in connection with the first embodiment can be used to set a
`
`30
`
`useful guide for the necessary height, position and/orstiffness.
`
`-5-
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`WO 97/15925
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`PCT/US96/16434
`
`it will be understood that these exemplary embodimentsin no way
`limit the scope of the invention. Other modifications of the invention will be
`apparentto thoseskilled in the art in view of the foregoing description.
`These descriptions are intended to provide specific examples of
`embodiments which clearly disclose the presentinvention. Accordingly,
`the invention is notlimited to the described embodiments orto the use of
`specific elements, dimensions, materials or configurations contained
`therein. All alternative modifications and variations of the present
`invention which fall within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims are
`covered.
`
`10
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`WO 97/15925
`
`| Claim:
`
`1.
`
`A tape cartridge having:
`
`PCT/US96/16434
`
`a)
`
`b)
`
`c)
`
`a housing defining a cavity therein;
`
`a spool having a central hub, and twoflanges; and
`
`tape wound on the spool betweenthe flanges to form a tape
`
`pack;
`
`characterized in that an abutmentstructure is formed on at least the
`
`housing or oneflange, the abutment structure being of a height and
`
`radial position such thatit does not interfere with operation of the
`
`10
`
`spool in normaluse, butif the cartridge is dropped from a
`
`predetermined height, the abutment structure will contact the
`
`opposing flange or housing to substantially prevent the flange from
`
`being deflected by the housing into the tape pack with sufficient
`
`force to crease the edge of any tape strands projecting beyond the
`
`15
`
`main body of the tape pack.
`
`The tape cartridge of claim 1, further characterized in that the
`
`abutmentstructure comprises a ring.
`The tape cartridge of claim 2, further characterizedin that the ringis
`formed on a surface of the spool near the center of the flange.
`
`20
`
`The tape cartridge of claims 2 or 3, further characterized in that the
`
`ring is formed on an inner surface of the housing adjacentto the
`
`central portion of the flange.
`
`The tape cartridge of any of claims 1-4, further characterized in that
`
`the abutment structure is formed on both the housing and one
`
`25
`
`flange.
`
`The tape cartridge of claim 5, further characterized in that the
`
`abutment structure on the housing aligns with the abutment
`
`structure on the flange.
`
`-7-
`
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`

`WO 97/15925
`
`PCT/US96/16434
`
`A tape cartridge having:
`a)
`a housing defining a cavity therein;
`b)
`@ spool having a central hub and an upper and a lower
`flange; and
`tape wound onthe spool betweentheflanges;
`c)
`characterized in that the upperflangeis stiffened by stiffening
`means enoughthatif the cartridge is dropped from a predetermined
`height and the flange contacts the housing, the housing will not
`deflect the flange into the tape pack with sufficient force to crease
`the edgeof any tape strands projecting beyond the main body of the
`tape pack.
`
`The tape cartridge of any of claims 1-7, further characterizedin that
`the upperflangeis stiffened by being formed of materials having a
`sufficiently high flexural modulus to make the flangesufficiently stiff
`to prevent the deflection.
`
`The tape cartridge of any of claims 1-8, further characterizedin that
`the upperflange is stiffened by forming a plurality of radially
`extending ribs on an uppersurface of the upperflange,the ribs
`being of a sufficient thickness to stiffen the upper flange sufficiently
`to prevent the deflection.
`
`10.
`
`The tape cartridge of any of claims 1-9, further characterized in that
`the upperflange is formed of a glass reinforced material.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
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`

`WO 97/15925
`
`PCT/US96/16434
`
`1/1
`
`aSBZANANAAAN
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`

`
`
`
`INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
`
`tna”
`
`wal Appticauon No
`
`11B23/10
`
`According to International Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and [PC
`B. FIELDS SEARCHED
`Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classificakon symbols)
`IPC 6
`G1iB
`
`Documentation searched other than minimum documentation to the extent that such documents are included in the fields searched
`
`Electronic data base consulted during the internatonal search (name of data base and, where practical, search terms used)
`
`C. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT
`
`Citation of document, with indication, where appropniate, of the relevant passages
`
`Relevant to claum No.
`
`EP,A,0 588 219 (MINNESOTA MINING & MFG
`sSTORAGE TECHNOLOGY CORP (US)} 23 March
`1994
`cited in the application
`see column 5,
`line 12 - column 6,
`
`line 34
`
`1,7
`
`US,A,3 987 489 (SCHOETTLE KLAUS ET AL) 19
`October 1976
`see column 4,
`
`line 47 -
`
`line 64
`
`US,A,3 836 096 (FUKUSHIMA J ET AL) 17
`September 1974
`see column 5,
`
`line 29 -
`
`PCT/US 96/16434 A. 6eTIB23OFSiov MATTER
`
`* Special categories of ated documents :
`Pe
`e
`.
`document defining the genera! state of the art which is not
`dered to be of
`cular relevance
`” earlier document but published on or after the international
`filing date
`. document which mayanewdoubts on pronty claims) or
`h
`is ited to establish
`the publication
`date of another
`citation or other special reason (as specified)
`" document referring to an oral disclosure, use, exhibition or
`other means
`P” document published prior to the international filing date but
`later than the pnority date claimed
`Date of the actual completion of the international search
`
`line 64
`
`US,A,3 857 531 (JANTZEN J) 31 December
`1974
`see colum 3,
`
`line 11 -
`
`line 17
`
`later documentpublished after the internatonal filing date
`or prionty date and not in conflict with the applicagon but
`Citedfounderstand the principle or theory underlying the
`documentof particular relevance; the claimed invention
`cannot be considered novel or cannot be considered to
`involve an inventive step when the document is taken alone
`documentof particular relevance; the claimed invention
`cannot be considered to involve an inventive step when the
`document is combined with one or more other such docu-
`ments, such combination beng obvious to a person skilled
`in the art.
`document member of the same patent family
`Date of mailing of the internanonal search report
`
`"&°
`
`17 January 1997
`Name and mailing address of the ISA
`European Patent Office, P.B. 5818 Patentlaan 2
`NL - 2280 HV Rijswijk
`Tel. (+ U-70) 340-2040, Tx. 31 651 epo nl,
`Fasc (+ 31-70) 340-3016
`Form PCTASA/210 (second theet) {July 1992)
`
`28.01.97
`Authonized officer
`
`Ressenaar, J-P
`
`FUJIFILM, Exh. 2017, p. 12
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`

`

`INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
`«aformation on patent family members
`
`
`
`Inter
`nal Applicaton No
`PCT/US 96/16434
`
`
`
`Patent document
`cited in search report
`
`Publication
`date
`
`member(s)
`
`date
`
`
`18-04-74
`
`02-05-74
`03-12-75
`03-12-75
`05-06-73
`03-10-74
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`23-03-94
`EP-A-0588219
`15-03-94
`2105116
`CA-A-
`
`07-10-94
`6282960
`JP-A-
` 980317
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DE-A-
`DE-A-
`GB-A-
`GB-A-
`NL-A,B
`AU-B-
`
`2264553
`2264555
`1416744
`1416743
`7216248
`453571
`4948372
`
`Fosm PCT/ISA/210 (patent family annex) (July 1992)
`
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`