Mam assembly process and features
View Patent ↗A tape cartridge housing allowing for both pre-shell closure and post-shell closure insertion of an auxiliary memory unit is provided. A flexible tape cartridge housing allows a manufacturer of tape cartridges to select whether to incorporate an auxiliary memory unit into the tape cartridge during the manufacturing process while a tape cartridge is still not fully assembled, during the end of the manufacturing process when the tape cartridge top and bottom shells have been combined, or after the manufacturing process when the tape cartridge is ready for operation.
1. A tape cartridge housing comprising:
a first shell member;
a second shell member; and
an auxiliary memory unit receptacle, wherein the auxiliary memory unit receptacle is adapted to accept an auxiliary memory unit when the first shell member is unassembled from the second shell member;
wherein the auxiliary memory unit receptacle includes a plurality of chamfers for guiding the auxiliary memory unit during insertion into the auxiliary memory unit receptacle when the first shell member is unassembled from the second shell member;
wherein the first shell member and the second shell member assemble to form the tape cartridge housing and define an access slot adapted to allow pass-through of the auxiliary memory unit to the auxiliary memory unit receptacle; and
wherein the auxiliary memory unit receptacle cooperates with the access slot to accept the auxiliary memory unit after the first and second shell members are assembled.
2. The tape cartridge housing of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary memory unit is removable from the tape cartridge housing after the first and second shell members are assembled.
3. The tape cartridge housing of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary memory unit receptacle is formed, at least in part, integrally with the first shell member.
4. The tape cartridge housing of claim 3 , wherein the access slot is defined by the second shell member.
5. The tape cartridge housing of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary memory unit receptacle includes:
a plurality of keys adapted to lock the auxiliary memory unit into the auxiliary memory unit receptacle, wherein the plurality of keys protrude at least partially into the access slot from the housing.
6. The tape cartridge housing of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of keys is integrally formed in the first shell member, and wherein the plurality of keys protrude at least partially into the access slot from the first shell member.
7. The tape cartridge housing of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of keys is integrally formed in the second shell member, and wherein the plurality of keys protrude at least partially into the access slot from the second shell member.
8. The tape cartridge housing of claim 1 , further comprising a supply reel rotatably coupled within the first and second shell members.
9. The tape cartridge housing of claim 1 , the plurality of chamfers including at least a first chamfer and a second chamfer, the first chamfer having a first surface, the second chamfer having a second surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface are oriented in a non-parallel relationship.
10. The tape cartridge housing of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the chamfers decreases along the length of the chamfers in the direction toward the auxiliary memory unit receptacle.
11. A method of manufacturing a tape cartridge housing comprising:
providing a first shell member having a receptacle adapted to hold an auxiliary memory unit, the first shell member further having a plurality of chamfers for guiding the auxiliary memory unit during insertion;
providing a second shell member, wherein the first and second shell members define an access opening adapted for insertion of the auxiliary memory unit;
inserting the auxiliary memory unit into the receptacle before the first shell member and the second shell members are connected to form the tape cartridge housing; and;
attaching the first shell member and the second shell member to form the tape cartridge housing.
12. The method of manufacturing the tape cartridge housing of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
removing the auxiliary memory unit through the access opening without disassembling the first and second shell members from each other.