System and method for testing media device doors

• US 20060060002A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Stamm, Stephen J., Argys, Gregory P., Faulkner, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,267,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.80
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/045 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/08735 Covers

Abstract

A system and method for direct measurement of torque is disclosed herein. The system includes a torque transducer and a contact arm, wherein the torque transducer, contact arm, and pivot point of the device being measured are positioned along a rotational axis of the pivot point of the device. A cartridge door of a tape cartridge may be measured.

Claims

1. A method for measuring operating torque of a media device, the method comprising:

rotating a door of the media device to at least one angle using an actuator applying force at a contact point on the door, wherein a distance from a rotational axis of the door to the contact point is constant over a range of angles of the door; and

sensing torque associated with the door for the at least one angle, wherein a rotational axis of the actuator is coaxial with the rotational axis of the door.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a door operating lever.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sensing includes sensing torque representative of an amount of torque applied to the door by the lever.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating a door includes manually rotating the door.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating a door includes electromechanically rotating the door.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating includes applying a pushing force in a direction perpendicular to a major plane of the door at the contact point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the door is at least one of a tape cartridge door, a tape cassette door, a storage medium door, a drive bezel door, and a media drive device door.

8. A system for measuring torque of a media device door, the system comprising:

an actuator configured to contact the media device door at a contact point, wherein a distance from a rotational axis of the media device door to the contact point is constant over a range of angles of the media device door; and

a torque sensor configured to measure torque applied to the media device door by the actuator at the contact point, wherein the torque sensor is coupled to the actuator and a rotational axis of each of the actuator and the torque sensor is coaxial to the rotational axis of the media device door.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the actuator includes a door operating lever, the door operating lever in contact with the media device door at the contact point.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the door operating lever includes a rotating arm and a contact pin.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the actuator includes a torque transducer.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the actuator includes a torque transducer and a lever, the lever in contact with the media device door at the contact point and a rotational axis of the lever is coaxial with the rotational axis of the media device door.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a rotational axis of the torque transducer is off-set from the rotational axis of the media device door and the torque transducer couples to the lever via a gear train.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an interface coupled between the lever and the torque transducer, wherein a pivot point of the interface is coaxial to the rotational axis of the media device door.

15. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a motor coupled to the actuator and positioned along the rotational axis of the media device door.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the motor is a brushless servo-motor.

17. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a media device holder and positioner for maintaining the media device relative to the actuator over the range of angles of the media device door.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the range of angles of the media device door is in the range of approximately 0 degrees to 115 degrees.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the actuator applies a force in a direction perpendicular to a length of the media device door and in a direction away from a closed door position.

20. The system of claim 8, wherein the media device door is a tape cartridge door.

21. The system of claim 8, wherein the media device door is a tape cassette door.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein the media device door is a door of a drive bezel.

23. The system of claim 8, wherein the media device door is a door of at least one of a storage device, magnetic recording medium, optical recording medium, and storage device drive.

24. An apparatus for testing a pivoting door, the apparatus comprising:

an assembly configured to apply a force to the pivoting door in a direction perpendicular to a major plane of the pivoting door to move the pivoting door to a first open position, the assembly contacting the pivoting door at one location on the pivoting door for a range of open positions; and

a torque measurement device configured to obtain a direct torque value associated with the pivoting door at the first open position, the torque measurement device coaxially coupled to the assembly along a pivot axis of the pivoting door.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the torque measurement device includes a torque sensor and a torque transducer.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the assembly includes an interface for coupling the torque sensor and the torque transducer along the pivot axis of the pivoting door.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the torque measurement device obtains one of an analog torque value and a digital torque value.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the torque measurement device obtains a real-time measurement of the direct torque value.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the force includes a manual force applied by an operator.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the force includes a force generated by a servo-motor.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the assembly applies another force to position the pivoting door to a second open position, wherein the first and second open positions are different from each other.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the assembly and device provide automated measurement without human assistance.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for loading and unloading a different pivoting door to obtain the direct torque value.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the pivoting door is selected from a group including a tape cartridge door, a tape cassette door, a drive bezel door, a storage or media device door, and a media device drive door.

35. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the assembly contacts the pivoting door a constant distance from the pivot axis of the pivoting door for the range of open positions.

36. A method for manufacturing a media device, the method comprising:

positioning the media device in a torque tester;

rotating a door of the media device to at least one open position, wherein rotating a door includes applying a force to the door in a direction perpendicular to a major plane of the door, applying the force at one location on the door, and applying the force at a known distance from a rotational axis of the door;

sensing a torque value associated with the door for at least one open position; and

determining manufacturing quality of the media device based on the sensed torque value.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein at least one of positioning the media device, rotating a door, sensing a torque value, and determining manufacturing quality is automated.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein sensing a torque value is approximately in real-time.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein rotating a door includes rotating the door to more than one open position and sensing a torque value at each of the more than one open positions.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein sensing a torque value includes continuously sensing a torque value over the range of rotation.

41. A method for direct measurement of torque associated with a door, the method comprising:

rotating the door about a rotational axis to at least one open position, wherein a force is applied to the door in a direction perpendicular to a major plane of the door and the force is applied at a constant distance from the rotational axis for a range of positions; and

sensing a torque value corresponding to the door for the at least one open position along the rotational axis.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein rotating the door is actuated by a mechanical torque transducer.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein rotating the door is actuated by a servo-motor.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the door is a door of a tape cartridge.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein rotating the door includes applying the force at one location on the door for the range of positions.