Magnetic tape cartridges

Claim 2

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) characterised by: a cartridge casing (14, 16) acceptable in a disc drive and defining therein a tape run path (62) across a disc drive for establishing communication between a magnetic tape (12) and said disc drive for recording and reproducing a tape track formed on said magnetic tape (12); a tape driving mechanism (128) for driving said magnetic tape (12) along said tape run path (62), said tape driving mechanism (128) being designed selectively to drive said magnetic tape (12) both in forward and reverse directions; and a centre core assembly (200) received within said cartridge casing (14, 16) and exposed therefrom to be chucked by a disc driving mechanism (302) of said disc drive; said centre core assembly (200) including a first chucking means (216) active in forward direction drive of said magnetic tape (12) for establishing chucking engagement between said centre core assembly (200) and said disc driving mechanism (302) for transmitting driving force of said disc driving mechanism (302) to said tape driving mechanism (128), and a second chucking means (310) active in reverse direction drive of said magnetic tape (12) for establishing chucking engagement between said centre core assembly (200) and said disc driving mechanism (302) for transmitting driving force of said disc driving mechanism (302) to said tape driving mechanism (128).

Claim 3

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 1 wherein said centre core assembly (200) comprises a centre core disc (202) formed with a groove (206) extending around the periphery thereof for engaging with a drive belt (162) which transmits driving force transmitted to said centre core disc (202) to said tape driving mechanism (128).

Claim 4

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 2 wherein said cartridge casing (14, 16) houses a pair of tape reels (26, 28) around which said magnetic tape (12) is wound.

Claim 5

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 3 wherein said tape reels (26, 28) have aligned rotational axes.

Claim 6

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 4 wherein said tape driving mechanism (128) cooperates with said tape reels (26, 28) to drive one of the tape reels (26, 28) according to the tape driving direction by transmitting driving force transmitted through said centre core disc (202) to said one of the tape reels (26, 28).

Claim 7

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 5 wherein said disc driving mechanism (302) is designed drivingly to rotate with said centre core disc (202) of said magnetic tape cartridge (10) in a first direction for driving said magnetic tape (12) in said forward direction and in a second direction opposite to said first direction for driving said magnetic tape (12) in said reverse direction.

Claim 8

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 1 or claim 6 wherein said first chucking means (216) comprises a through opening (216) defined in said centre core assembly (200) and having at least one corner, to receive a driving pin (306) provided in said disc driving mechanism for fixedly receiving said driving pin (306) at said corner for establishing said chucking engagement.

Claim 9

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 7 wherein said driving pin (306) is normally biased in a direction away from said corner.

Claim 10

A magnetic tape cartridge (10) according to claim 7 wherein said second chucking means (310) comprises a chucking pin (310) extending from said centre core assembly (202) and engageable with a chucking opening (319) defined in said disc driving mechanism (302) and having at least one corner, said chucking pin (310) being fixedly engageable with said corner of said chucking opening (319) for establishing chucking enegagement.

Claim 11

A magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 9 wherein said chucking pin (310) is supported by means of a resilient member (220) which normally biases said chucking pin (310) towards said chucking opening (319).

Claim 12

A combination characterised by: a chucking and driving mechanism for a disc drive and a disc-drive-­compatible magnetic tape cartridge (10) comprising means (64) for defining a tape run path (62) passing across a disc drive head for transferring data between a magnetic tape (12) and said disc drive head, and means (128) for selectively driving said magnetic tape (12) in forward and reverse directions along said tape run path (62), said chucking and driving mechanism comprising: a driving mechanism (300) provided in said disc drive suitable for rotatingly driving a magnetic disc, said driving mechanism (300) including a rotary disc (302) driven by a drive shaft (322) of the disc drive; a centre core assembly (200) rotatably provided in said magnetic tape cartridge (10) and cooperating with said magnetic tape driving means (128) for driving said magnetic tape (12) in forward and reverse directions selectively; a first chucking means (216), active while said magnetic tape (12) is driven in said forward direction for chucking said centre core assembly (200) of said magnetic tape cartridge (10) onto said rotary disc (302) of said disc drive so as to transmit driving torque of said drive shaft (322) to said magnetic tape driving means (128) therethrough; and a second chucking means (310), active while said magnetic tape (12) is driven in said reverse direction for chucking said centre core assembly (200) onto said rotary disc (302) so as to transmit driving torque of said drive shaft (322) to said magnetic tape driving means (128).

Claim 13

A combination characterised by: a chucking and driving mechanism for a disc drive and a disc-drive-­compatible magnetic tape cartridge (10) comprising means (64) for defining a tape run path (62) passing across a disc drive head for transferring data between a magnetic tape (12) and said disc drive head, and means (128) for selectively driving said magnetic tape (12) in forward and reverse directions along said tape run path (62), said chucking and driving mechanism comprising: a driving mechanism (300) provided in said disc drive suitable for rotatingly driving a magnetic disc, said driving mechanism (300) including a rotary disc (302) driven by a drive shaft (322) of the disc drive; a centre core assembly (200) rotatably provided in said magnetic tape cartridge (10) and cooperating with said magnetic tape driving means (128) for driving said magnetic tape (12) in forward and reverse directions selectively; a first chucking means (216), active while said magnetic tape (12) is driven in said forward direction for chucking said centre core assembly (200) of said magnetic tape cartridge (10) onto said rotary disc (302) of said disc drive so as to transmit driving torque of said drive shaft (322) to said magnetic tape driving means (128) therethrough; and a second chucking means (310), active while said magnetic tape (12) is driven in said reverse direction for chucking said centre core assembly (200) onto said rotary disc (302) so as to transmit driving torque of said drive shaft (322) to said magnetic tape driving means (128).

Claim 14

A combination according to claim 11 wherein said centre core assembly (200) comprises a centre core disc (202) to be chucked on said rotary disc (302) of said disc drive for rotation therewith and thereby transmitting driving torque of said drive shaft (322) therethrough.

Claim 15

A combination according to claim 12 wherein each of said first and second chucking means (216, 310) comprises a chucking pin (306, 310) coupled with one of said centre core disc (202) and said rotary disc (302) and a chucking aperture (216, 319) formed in the other of said centre core disc (202) and said rotary disc (302) and having at least one corner to which said chucking pin (306, 310) is urged for establishing chucking engagement between said centre core disc (202) and said rotary disc (302).

Claim 16

A combination according to claim 13 wherein said chucking pin (306, 310) is resiliently supported by means of a resilient member (303, 220) for assuring chucking engagement with said chucking aperture (216, 319).

Claim 17

A combination according to claim 14 wherein said magnetic tape cartridge (10) further comprises first and second reels (26, 28) provided at respective ends of said tape run path (62) and with said magnetic tape (12) wound therearound for feeding from one to said other.

Claim 18

A combination according to claim 15 wherein said first and second tape reels (26, 28) have aligned rotational axes.

Claim 19

A combination according to claim 15 wherein said magnetic tape driving means (128) comprises a first gear (126) for rotation with said first reel (28), a second gear (124) provided for rotation with said second reel (26) and a third gear (128) coupled with said centre core disc (202) to be driven by driving torque transmitted through said centre core disc (202) as chucked on said rotary disc (302), said third gear (128) being movable between a first position where it engages with said first gear (126) for transmitting driving torque to said first gear (126) in forward drive of said magnetic tape (12), and a second position where it engages with said second gear (124) for transmitting driving torque to said second gear (124) in reverse drive of said magnetic tape (12).