摘要:
To detect alignment and/or absence of a tape leader pin in an opening of a tape cartridge, a light source scans the opening. Detection logic analyzes the detected reflection waveform signal for deviation from a cylindrical surface reflection of the tape leader pin, if any, such as elliptical or conical, representing tilt angle misalignment of the pin. Further, both ends of the pin are scanned for difference in displacement and for difference in amplitude, displacement representing tilt in the direction of scan, and amplitude representing that one end or the other is likely to have been pulled into the cartridge. Low amplitude of both represents absence of the pin.