MICHAEL AARON JOHNSON
Pilots at Indian Blvd, Cottage Grove, MN

5303875, Apr 19, 1994

Feb 10, 1992

7/833350

David T. Hoge - Arvada CO
Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
John C. Owens - Arvada CO
George P. Rambosek - Shafer MN

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company - St. Paul MN
Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

G03B 104, G11B 1532

242197

The improved leader block uses a substantially rectangular body that is equipped with two tape guide projections which form, in conjunction with the front of the body, a U-shaped channel open at one end and adapted to received the end of the magnetic tape that extends through the opening in the housing of the magnetic tape cartridge. The size and shape of this U-shaped channel substantially corresponds to the dimensions of the magnetic tape in order to precisely align the magnetic tape within the channel and with reference to the leader block body. The section of the front of the leader block body that constitutes the bottom of the U-shaped channel includes a plurality of parallel oriented, spaced apart grooves inscribed therein. These grooves extend from the top tape guide projection to the bottom tape guide projection in order to provide slots to receive corresponding projections that are included on the surface of the cover of the leader block. The cover fits into the U-shaped channel once the magnetic tape has been placed therein to sandwich the magnetic tape between the cover and the body of the leader block.

6663034, Dec 16, 2003

Oct 27, 2000

09/698751

Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
Christian A. Todd - Thornton CO

Imation Corp. - Oakdale MN
Storage Technology Corp. - Louisville CO

G03B 2302

2423482, 2423384, 360 965, 360132

A data storage tape cartridge is disclosed including a housing, a single tape reel, a storage tape, and a leader block. The housing includes a front, a back, a first side, a second side, a top, and a bottom. Further, the housing forms a leader block window, a lateral datum pad, and a longitudinal datum pad. The leader block window is formed at a corner defined by the front and the first side. The lateral datum pad is formed in the top. Finally, the longitudinal datum pad is formed in the front. The single tape reel is rotatably maintained within the housing. The storage tape is wrapped about the tape reel. The leader block is coupled to a leading end of the storage tape and is selectively secured to the housing at the leader block window. With this configuration, the lateral datum pad is configured to identify a top-to-bottom position of the tape reel. Similarly, the longitudinal datum pad is configured to identify a front-to-back position of the tape reel.

6386471, May 14, 2002

Nov 20, 2000

09/716743

Joseph P. Keller - Wahpeton ND
Gregg C. Hagen - Wahpeton ND
Gregory D. Roberts - Breckenridge MN
Gregory H. Johnson - Oakdale MN
Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
Bryan W. Noble - Afton MN

Imation Corp. - Oakdale MN

G11B 2304

242347, 403285, 220653

System for releasably retaining portions of a data cartridge shell in an assembled configuration including at least one first boss tower on a first portion of the data cartridge shell having a receiving hole with an inner surface. At least one second boss tower on a second portion of the data cartridge shell including an outer surface is adapted to releasably engage with the receiving hole at a boss tower interface in the assembled configuration. A plurality of retention ribs and a plurality of guide ribs are located at the boss tower interface to releasably retain the first portion of the cartridge shell to the second portion.

6452747, Sep 17, 2002

Apr 25, 2000

09/558964

Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
Wayne Hemzacek - Westminster CO

Imation Corp. - Oakdale MN
Storage Technology Corp. - Louisville CO

G11B 23107

360132, 2423381, 242348

A data storage tape cartridge for use with a high speed tape drive as part of a tape drive system. The data storage tape cartridge includes a housing, at least one tape reel, a storage tape, a brake body, and a spring. The housing defines an enclosure and forms an opening for accessing the enclosure. The tape reel is rotatably disposed within the enclosure, and defines a central bore. The tape reel maintains the storage tape. The brake body is disposed within the central bore of the tape reel and includes a stem, a reel engagement section, and a button. The stem is slidably connected to the housing. The reel engagement section is configured to selectively engage a portion of the tape reel in a locked position. The button is positioned opposite the stem and terminates in a leading end. In a preferred embodiment, the leading end forms a concave surface configured to selectively receive a rounded surface associated with a tape drive.

5239437, Aug 24, 1993

Apr 17, 1992

7/870578

David T. Hoge - Arvada CO
Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
John C. Owens - Arvada CO

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company - St. Paul MN
Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

G11B 1504

360132

The universal data storage element presents a of uniform form factor that enables the user to vary the contents to include a selection of media types to provide variable data storage and/or recording characteristics. The physical characteristics of the media located within the data storage element are identified by a coding arrangement located on the exterior housing of the data storage element. The data storage element self identification apparatus consists of a plurality of coding apertures arranged in a linear array and located along one edge of the exterior housing of the data storage element. These coding apertures are placed as a function of the type of media contained within the data storage element or various data management characteristics of this media. The coding apertures are implemented by inserting a block into a corresponding recess in the front of the housing. One of the apertures is manually definable by a slide mechanism to enable a user to set the write protect status of the media.

6270030, Aug 7, 2001

Sep 28, 1999

9/407817

Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
Douglas W. Johnson - Stillwater MN
Charles L. Dennis - Lake Elmo MN

Imation Corp. - Oakdale MN
Benchmark Storage Innovations Inc. - Boulder CO

G03B 2302, G11B 2302

242338

A tape cartridge and cartridge drive system for controlling the compatibility of first and second tape cartridges having the same form factor in first and second tape drives. The system permits backward compatibility of the first tape cartridge in the second tape drive, while prohibiting the second tape cartridge from being used in the first tape drive. The second tape cartridge includes a tab projecting distally from a recess. The tab is positioned to contact the door actuator surface on the first tape drive so as to prevent insertion of the second tape cartridge into the first tape drive. The tab defines a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the insertion direction smaller than a gap in the door actuator assembly of the second tape drive to permit the second tape cartridge to be inserted into the second tape drive, whereby the second tape cartridge is compatible only with the second tape drive.

6273352, Aug 14, 2001

Apr 11, 2000

9/546774

Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
David T. Hoge - Westminster CO

Imation Corp. - St. Paul MN
Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

G11B 2304

242340

A data storage tape drive system includes a data storage tape cartridge and a tape drive mechanism. The data storage tape cartridge includes a tape reel including a circular ring of teeth projecting in a direction generally parallel to an axis of rotation thereof and an engagement surface spaced radially from the circular ring of teeth. The tape drive mechanism includes a drive hub including a circular ring of teeth projecting in a direction generally parallel to an axis of rotation thereof and an engagement feature spaced radially from the circular ring of teeth of the drive hub. When the drive hub is operatively engaged with the tape reel, the teeth of the drive hub are engaged with the teeth of the tape reel and the engagement feature of the drive hub is engaged with the engagement surface of the tape reel so as to control operative engagement between the data storage tape cartridge and the tape drive mechanism.

5371644, Dec 6, 1994

Sep 1, 1993

8/115135

David T. Hoge - Westminster CO
John C. Owens - Arvada CO
Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company - St. Paul MN

G11B 1504

360132

A mechanism for defining a write protect state of a data storage media enclosed in a housing of a data storage element is disclosed. The mechanism includes an aperture formed in an exterior surface of the housing, wherein the aperture has a first region and a second region. A member is movably secured within the aperture and is manually moveable between a first position wherein the member is positioned proximate the aperture first region, and a second position wherein the member is positioned proximate the aperture second region. A first human intelligible mark is placed on the housing proximate the aperture first region. The first human intelligible mark depicts a portion of a predetermined symbol corresponding to one of a write enabled state and a write protect state of the data storage media. A second human intelligible mark is placed on the member. The second human intelligible mark depicts a remaining portion of the symbol.

6279845, Aug 28, 2001

Sep 12, 2000

9/660109

Wayne R. Hemzacek - Westminster CO
David T. Hoge - Westminster CO
Joseph P. Falace - Louisville CO
David C. Graves - Fort Collins CO
Clark Janssen - Loveland CO
Michael W. Johnson - Cottage Grove MN
Steven A. Bendson - Edina MN

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

G11B 2304

242340

A coupling for driving a magnetic tape reel uses the interface between a flat surface on the coupling and datum pads on the reel to locate the reel. The coupling includes a drive ring with ring teeth located around a drive shaft. The ring teeth engage mating teeth on the tape reel. The coupling also includes a datum ring having an annular surface located about the drive shaft. The annular surface contacts datum pads on the tape reel to axially position the tape reel relative to the drive shaft.