Low profile, high-capacity streaming tape drive
First Claim
1. A low profile, high-capacity tape drive system of the rack-mounted type, comprising:
- a main base plate;
a blower;
a take-up reel, said take-up reel having a central hub;
hub means for receiving a supply reel;
means including a first brushless DC motor for rotatably driving said take-up reel;
a second brushless DC motor for driving said hub means and an associated supply reel;
a third brushless DC motor for rotating said blower;
each of said motors having a stator, a permanent magnet rotor, and a central drive shaft;
said main base plate having first, second, and third short, downwardly extending, integral tubes for mounting said first, second and third motors;
means for mounting the stator of each of said motors on the outer surface of one of said tubes;
bearing means for supporting the drive shaft of each of said motors from the inner surface of one of said tubes;
means for mounting each of said permanent magnet rotors from the lower end of said drive shaft, and in coupling proximity with said stator;
means including a tape drive enclosure for automatically threading tape from a supply reel mounted on said supply reel hub onto said take-up reel, said threading means including air ducts integral with said base plate on the upper and lower surfaces thereof for directing air from said blower to blow the end of a tape from a supply reel into engagement with the hub of said take-up reel; and
said hub of said take-up reel having openings in it coupled to the intake of said blower, and constituting means for holding the end of the tape onto said hub of said take-up reel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low profile, high-capacity streaming tape drive system primarily for rack-mounted applications has a height of less than six inches, and a weight of less than 60 pounds. The main base plate of the tape drive has downwardly extending short tubes upon which the motors for the supply reel, the take-up reel and for the loading and cooling blower are mounted. The stator of each motor may be mounted on the outside of the associated tube, and the main drive shaft for the motor may be mounted on bearings within the tube and a permanent magnet rotor mounted by a cup-shaped member is arranged to rotate around the stator, thus providing motors which take up very little vertical height. Air ducts for cooling and for automatically threading the tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel are formed by integral ridges on the top and bottom of the main base plate forming U-shaped channels which are closed by sheet metal strips. A read formatter including microprocessor controlled error detection and correction circuity may be used to further reduce the size and weight of the unit.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A low profile, high-capacity tape drive system of the rack-mounted type, comprising:
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a main base plate; a blower; a take-up reel, said take-up reel having a central hub; hub means for receiving a supply reel; means including a first brushless DC motor for rotatably driving said take-up reel; a second brushless DC motor for driving said hub means and an associated supply reel; a third brushless DC motor for rotating said blower; each of said motors having a stator, a permanent magnet rotor, and a central drive shaft; said main base plate having first, second, and third short, downwardly extending, integral tubes for mounting said first, second and third motors; means for mounting the stator of each of said motors on the outer surface of one of said tubes; bearing means for supporting the drive shaft of each of said motors from the inner surface of one of said tubes; means for mounting each of said permanent magnet rotors from the lower end of said drive shaft, and in coupling proximity with said stator; means including a tape drive enclosure for automatically threading tape from a supply reel mounted on said supply reel hub onto said take-up reel, said threading means including air ducts integral with said base plate on the upper and lower surfaces thereof for directing air from said blower to blow the end of a tape from a supply reel into engagement with the hub of said take-up reel; and said hub of said take-up reel having openings in it coupled to the intake of said blower, and constituting means for holding the end of the tape onto said hub of said take-up reel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A low profile, high-capacity tape drive system of the rack-mounted type, comprising:
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a main base plate; a blower; a take-up reel, said take-up reel having a central hub; hub means for receiving a supply reel; means including a first brushless DC motor for driving said take-up reel; a second brushless DC motor for driving said hub means and an associated supply reel. each of said motors having a stator, a permanent magnet rotor, and a central drive shaft; and
having an axial height of less than three inches;means for mounting said motors in immediate proximity below said main base plate; and means including a tape drive enclosure for automatically threading tape from a supply reel mounted on said supply reel hub onto said take-up reel, said threading means including air ducts in immediate proximity to the upper and lower surfaces of said base plate for directing air from said blower to blow the end of a tape from a supply reel into engagement with the hub of said take-up reel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A low profile, high-capacity tape drive system of the rack-mounted type, comprising:
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a main base plate; a blower; a take-up reel, said take-up reel having a central hub; hub means for receiving a supply reel; means including a first brushless DC motor for driving said take-up reel; a second brushless DC motor for driving said hub means and an associated supply reel; a third brushless DC motor for rotating said blower; each of said motors having a stator, a permanent magnet rotor, and a central drive shaft; said main base plate having first, second and third short, downwardly extending, integral tubes for mounting said first, second and third motors; means for mounting the stator of each of said motors on the outer surface of one of said tubes; bearing means for supporting the drive shaft of each of said motors from the inner surface of one of said tubes; means for mounting each of said permanent magnet rotors from the lower end of said drive shaft, and in coupling proximity with said stator; means including a tape drive enclosure for automatically threading tape from a supply reel mounted on said supply reel hub onto said take-up reel, said threading means including air ducts adjacent at least one surface of said base plate for directing air from said blower to blow the end of a tape from a supply reel into engagement with the hub of said take-up reel; and said hub of said take-up reel having openings in it coupled to the intake of said blower, and constituting means for holding the end of the tape onto said hub of said take-up reel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A low profile, high-capacity tape drive system of the rack-mounted tape, comprising:
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a main base plate; a blower; a take-up reel, said take-up reel having a central hub; hub means for receiving a supply reel; means including a first brushless DC motor for driving said take-up reel; a second brushless DC motor for driving said hub means and an associated supply reel; a third brushless DC motor for rotating said blower; each of said motors having a stator, a permanent magnet rotor, and a central drive shaft and having an axial height of less than three inches; means for mounting said motors in immediate proximity to and below said main base plate; and means including enclosing structure for automatically threading tape from a supply reel mounted on said supply reel hub onto said take-up reel, said threading means including air ducts on the upper and lower surfaces thereof for directing air from said blower to blow the end of a tape from a supply reel into engagement with the hub of said take-up reel. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification