Low stiffness spring for drag induction and component retention in computer data cartridges

摘要

A multi-armed spring in a data tape cartridge is formed from a planar sheet of resilient material and is shaped and mounted to maintain loose components in place during assembly, and to press tape hubs and belt rollers toward a base portion of the cartridge, thereby to provide tension and lateral position for the tape within the cartridge. The spring has five arms extending from a central mounting region, with first arm and a second arm extending substantially in opposite directions from the central region to corner belt rollers. A third arm extends from the central region in a direction perpendicular to the aligned first arm and second arm to a drive roller for the belt. A fourth arm extends from the central region in an angular direction intermediate the right angle formed by the first arm and third arm to a tape hub, and a fifth arm extends from the central region in an angular direction intermediate the right angle formed by the second arm and third arm to another tape hub. Each arm extends substantially to the center of the associated rotating component in the data tape cartridge to control drag friction of the corner belt rollers and to control axial positioning of the tape hubs and drive roller of the cartridge.