Tape media guiding assembly for protecting a tape head
AssigneeBenchmark Storage Innovations, Inc.
InventorJohn D. Willems JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A guiding assembly in a tape drive employing a single reel for preventing damage to a tape head during the loading and unloading of magnetic tape media from a tape cartridge also employing a single reel. The guiding assembly having a cam that controls the rotational acceleration of a tape guide to obtain a mechanical advantage as the tape guide is pivoted between a retracted position defining a first tape path for reading and writing data and an engaged position defining a second tape path for loading and unloading the tape media.
Claims9
A guiding assembly in a single reel tape drive configured to prevent damage to a tape head during loading and unloading of a magnetic tape media from a tape cartridge, the guiding assembly comprising:
- a tape guide comprising an elongated channel pivotally connected within a tape path and defined by a pair of adjacent sidewalls connected to a bottom;
- means for moving the tape guide between an engaged position and a retracted position, wherein the retracted position defines a first tape path for reading and writing data to the magnetic tape media and the engaged position defines a second tape path during the loading and unloading of the magnetic tape media from the tape cartridge;
- a cam connected to the moving means;
- and
- means within the cam to variably control the rotational acceleration of the tape guide as the tape guide moves between the engaged position and retracted position.
A method for preventing damage to a tape head in a tape drive, the method comprising:
- loading a magnetic tape media from a tape cartridge into the tape drive;
- prior to loading the magnetic tape media, moving a tape head in a first vertical direction to engage a tape guide;
- pivoting the tape guide from a retracted position that defines a first tape path to an engaged position that defines a second tape path;
- controlling the rotational acceleration of the tape guide to obtain a mechanical advantage as the tape guide is pivoted between the retracted position and the engaged position;
- in response to loading the magnetic tape media from the tape cartridge into the tape drive, moving the tape head in a second vertical direction to disengage the tape guide;
- and
- pivoting the tape guide from the engaged position to the retracted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.