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US 10,762,924 B2Granted
Electrostrictive control for the width of a tape-head-array
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorDavid J. Seagle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure generally relates to tape heads for use in a tape drive system. The tape head includes a plurality of servo elements and a plurality of data elements disposed between the servo elements. An electrostrictive material is present in the tape head. Electrodes are coupled to the electrostrictive material to permit a voltage to be distributed across the electrostrictive material. The voltage causes the electrostrictive material to expand, and thus expand the tape head. By expanding the tape head by adding voltage, or contracting the tape head by lowering voltage, the spacing between adjacent data elements can be adjusted to match the spacing between adjacent data tracks on a tape.
Claims20
A tape head, comprising:
- a tape head body comprising an electrostrictive material and having:
- a first surface;
- a first servo head disposed on the first surface of the tape head body;
- a second servo head disposed on the first surface of the tape head body;
- and
- a plurality of data heads disposed on the first surface of the tape head body between the first servo head and the second servo head;
- a plurality of first electrodes in contact with the electrostrictive material;
- and
- a plurality of second electrodes in contact with the electrostrictive material, wherein the plurality of first electrodes are spaced from the plurality of second electrodes by a distance that is less than or equal to spacing between adjacent data heads.
6 more elements
A tape drive, comprising:
- a tape head, the tape head comprising:
- a tape head body comprising an electrostrictive material and having:
- a first surface;
- a first servo head disposed on the first surface of the tape head body;
- a second servo head disposed on the first surface of the tape head body;
- and
- a plurality of data heads disposed on the first surface of the tape head body between the first servo head and the second servo head;
- a plurality of first electrodes in contact with the electrostrictive material;
- and
- a plurality of second electrodes in contact with the electrostrictive material,
- wherein the plurality of first electrodes are spaced from the plurality of second electrodes by a distance that is less than or equal to spacing between adjacent data heads.
8 more elements
A tape head, comprising:
- a tape head body having:
- a first servo head;
- a second servo head;
- and
- a plurality of data heads disposed between the first servo head and the second servo head;
- a plurality of segments of electrostrictive material coupled to the tape head body;
- a first conductive material coupled to a first portion of each segment of the plurality of segments of electrostrictive material;
- and
- a second conductive material coupled to a second portion of each segment of the plurality of segments of electrostrictive material, wherein the first conductive material is electrically isolated from the second conductive material.
6 more elements
A tape drive, comprising:
- a tape head, comprising:
- a tape head body having:
- a first servo head;
- a second servo head;
- and
- a plurality of data heads disposed between the first servo head and the second servo head;
- a plurality of segments of electrostrictive material coupled to the tape head body;
- a first conductive material coupled to a first portion of each segment of the plurality of segments of electrostrictive material;
- and
- a second conductive material coupled to a second portion of each segment of the plurality of segments of electrostrictive material, wherein the first conductive material is electrically isolated from the second conductive material.
7 more elements
A tape head, comprising:
- a tape head body disposed on a substrate, the tape head body having:
- a first servo head;
- a second servo head;
- and
- a plurality of data heads disposed between the first servo head and the second servo head;
- an electrostrictive material coupled to the tape head body;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes interspersed within the electrostrictive material, wherein a first number of the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled together, wherein a second number of the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled together, and wherein the first number of the plurality of electrodes are electrically isolated from the second number of the plurality of electrodes.
5 more elements
A tape drive, comprising:
- a tape head, the tape head comprising:
- a tape head body disposed on a substrate, the tape head body having:
- a first servo head;
- a second servo head;
- and
- a plurality of data heads disposed between the first servo head and the second servo head;
- an electrostrictive material coupled to the tape head body;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes interspersed within the electrostrictive material,
- wherein a first number of the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled together, wherein a second number of the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled together, and wherein the first number of the plurality of electrodes are electrically isolated from the second number of the plurality of electrodes.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.