Belt driven tape cartridge

Claim 2

A tape cartridge comprising: shell means defining an enclosure having a cutaway portion along one edge, a pair of reel hubs supported for rotation on spaced parallel axes within said enclosure, means defining a tape path within said enclosure extending between said reel hubs along said one edge of said enclosure and across said cutaway portion, a length of tape extending along said tape path, said tape being convolutely wound on said reel hubs in opposite directions about the axes of said reel hubs, a belt driving roller supported within said enclosure for rotation about a stationary axis parallel to the axes of said reel hubs, said driving roller being spaced from said reel hubs and being positioned between said reel hubs toward one edge of said enclosure, a pair of belt guide members supported within said enclosure, said belt guide members being positioned one adjacent each of said reel hubs to define a belt guide path around said belt driving roller and said belt guide members, said belt guide path being spaced from said tape path, passing between said reel hubs from said belt driving roller to each of said belt guide members and having an angle of wrap of at least 60* around the periphery of each said reel hub, a thin, continuous, flexible, elastic belt extending along said belt guide path and contacting said tape on said reel hubs, said belt having a coefficient of elasticity in the range from 0.01 to 0.25 m./nt.m. and a pretension of at least 1.6 nt., and frictional means for applying a predetermined drag on said belt as it is moved along said belt guide path to provide a take-up ratio of at least 0.001 m./m., said frictional means engaging said belt in the portion of said belt guide path from the contact of said belt with said tape on one of said reel hubs around said guide members to the contact of said belt with said tape on the other of said reel hubs.

Claim 3

The tape cartridge of claim 1 wherein said frictional means comprises means for applying said drag at said belt guide members.

Claim 4

The tape cartridge of claim 1 wherein said pair of belt guide members and said frictional means for applying a predetermined drag on said belt comprise a pair of belt guide rollers each supported on a stationary shaft and having a predetermined friction coupling therewith.

Claim 5

The tape cartridge of claim 1 wherein said belt driving roller is positioned adjacent said one edge of said shell means, is formed with a smaller diameter belt guide portion in alignment with and spaced from said tape path and a larger diameter portion extending over said tape path, and wherein said shell means is formed with a drive opening for access to said larger diameter portion of said belt driving roller by a drive roller.

Claim 6

ThE tape cartridge of claim 1 including a pressure roller formed for engagement by a capstan shaft and supported for rotation by said shell means in alignment with and adjacent said tape path along said one edge of said shell means and wherein said shell means is formed with a drive opening for access by a capstan shaft to drive said tape against said pressure roller.

Claim 7

The tape cartridge of claim 5 wherein said belt driving roller is supported in peripheral contact with said pressure roller to be driven thereby and wherein the radii of said pressure roller and said belt driving roller are related to make the peripheral velocity of said belt driving roller at the radius thereof at which it drives said belt greater than the peripheral velocity of aid said roller at the radius thereof formed for engagement by a said capstan shaft.

Claim 8

A tape cartridge comprising: shell means defining an enclosure having a cutaway portion along one edge, a pair of reel hubs supported for rotation on spaced parallel axes within said enclosure, means defining a tape path within said enclosure extending between said reel hubs along said one edge of said enclosure and across said cutaway portion, a length of tape extending along said tape path, said tape being convolutely wound on said reel hubs in opposite directions about the axes of said reel hubs, a belt driving roller supported within said enclosure for rotation about a stationary axis parallel to the axes of said reel hubs, said driving roller being spaced from said reel hubs and being positioned on a line perpendicularly bisecting a line joining the axes of said reel hubs, a pair of belt guide members supported within said enclosure, said belt guide members being similarly positioned one adjacent each of said reel hubs to define a belt guide path around said belt driving roller an said belt guide members, said belt guide path being spaced from said tape path, passing between said reel hubs from said belt driving roller to each of said belt guide members and having an angle of wrap of at least 60* around the periphery of each said reel hub, a thin, continuous, flexible, elastic belt extending along said belt guide path and contacting said tape on said reel hubs, said belt having a coefficient of elasticity in the range from 0.01 to 0.25 m./nt.m. and a pretension of at least 1.6 nt., and frictional means for applying a predetermined drag on said belt as it is moved along said belt guide path to provide a take-up ratio of at least 0.001 m./m., said frictional means engaging said belt in the portion of said belt guide path from the contact of said belt with said tape on one of said reel hubs around said guide members to the contact of said belt with said tape on the other of said reel hubs.

Claim 9

A tape cartridge comprising: shell means defining an enclosure having a cutaway portion along one edge, a pair of reel hubs supported for rotation on spaced parallel axes within said enclosure, means defining a tape path within said enclosure extending between said reel hubs along said one edge of said enclosure and across said cutaway portion, a length of tape extending along said tape path, said tape being convolutely wound on said reel hubs in opposite directions about the axes of said reel hubs, a belt driving roller supported within said enclosure for rotation about a stationary axis parallel to the axes of said reel hubs, said driving roller being spaced from said reel hubs and being positioned on a line perpendicularly bisecting a line joining the axes of said reel hubs, a pair of belt guide members supported within said enclosure, said belt guide members being similarly positioned one adjacent each of said reel hubs to define a belt guide path around said belt driving roller an said belt guide members, said belt guide path being spaced from said tape path, passing between said reel hubs from said belt driving roller to each of said belt guide members and having an angle of wrap of at least 60* around the periphery of each said reel hub, a thin, continuous, flexible, elastic belt extending along said belt guide path and contacting said tape on said reel hubs, said belt having a coefficient of elasticity in the range from 0.01 to 0.25 m./nt.m. and a pretension of at least 1.6 nt., and frictional means for applying a predetermined drag on said belt as it is moved along said belt guide path to provide a take-up ratio of at least 0.001 m./m., said frictional means engaging said belt in the portion of said belt guide path from the contact of said belt with said tape on one of said reel hubs around said guide members to the contact of said belt with said tape on the other of said reel hubs.

Claim 10

The tape cartridge of claim 7 wherein said frictional means comprises means for applying said drag at said belt guide members.

Claim 11

The tape cartridge of claim 7 wherein said pair of belt guide members and said frictional means for applying a predetermined drag on said belt comprise a pair of belt guide rollers each supported on a stationary shaft and having a predetermined friction coupling therewith.

Claim 12

The tape cartridge of claim 7 wherein said belt driving roller is positioned adjacent said one edge of said shell means, is formed with a smaller diameter belt guide portion in alignment with and spaced from said tape path and a larger diameter portion extending over said tape path, and wherein said shell means is formed with a drive opening for access to said larger diameter portion of said belt driving roller by a drive roller.

Claim 13

The tape cartridge of claim 7 including a pressure roller formed for engagement by a capstan shaft and supported for rotation by said shell means in alignment with and adjacent said tape path along said one edge of said shell means and wherein said shell means is formed with a drive opening for access by a capstan shaft to drive said tapE against said pressure roller.

Claim 14

The tape cartridge of claim 11 wherein said belt driving roller is supported in peripheral contact with said pressure roller to be driven thereby and wherein the radii of said pressure roller and said belt driving roller are related to make the peripheral velocity of said belt driving roller at the radius thereof at which it drives said belt greater than the peripheral velocity of said pressure roller at the radius thereof formed for engagement by a said capstan shaft.