Data storage device tape path cleaner
AssigneeOracle International Corporation
InventorsDaniel W. Underkofler, Steven Suttle, Scott D. Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tape cartridge is provided with a reel mounted for rotation in a housing. Tape with a length, a width and a thickness, is wound upon the reel in a length direction of the tape. A leader is mounted to a free end of the tape. The leader has at least one portion with a width greater than the tape width to clean a tape path, such as a guide and/or a lens. Another tape cartridge is provided with a reel mounted for rotation in a housing. Tape is wound upon the reel in a length direction of the tape. A leader is mounted to a free end of the tape. A brush is mounted to a portion of the leader for cleaning a tape path.
Claims21
The data storage device of claim 8 wherein the tape has length, a width and a thickness, the tape wound upon the reel in a length direction of the tape;
- and
- wherein the leader has at least one portion with a width greater than the tape width to clean a tape path.
(canceled)
A data storage device comprising:
- a tape drive housing with a receptacle adapted to receive a tape cartridge comprising a housing, a reel mounted for rotation in the housing, tape wound upon the reel, a leader mounted to a free end of the tape, and a brush mounted to a portion of the leader to clean a tape path, wherein the brush and the leader collectively have an unloaded thickness;
- a take-up reel;
- at least one motor to drive at least one of the tape cartridge reel and the take-up reel;
- a guide;
- and
- a member spaced apart from the guide a distance that is less than the unloaded thickness of the brush and the leader in order to compress the brush as the brush travels across the guide.
(canceled)
18-20. (canceled)
A data storage device comprising:
- a tape drive housing with a receptacle adapted to receive a tape cartridge comprising a housing, a reel mounted for rotation in the housing, tape wound upon the reel, a leader mounted to a free end of the tape, and a brush mounted to a portion of the leader to clean a tape path;
- a take-up reel;
- at least one motor to drive at least one of the tape cartridge reel and the take-up reel;
- and
- a lens aligned with the tape path to read data from the tape, wherein the lens has a radiused edge adjacent a side of the lens facing the tape path.
A data storage device comprising:
- a tape drive housing with a receptacle adapted to receive a tape cartridge comprising a housing, a reel mounted for rotation in the housing, tape wound upon the reel, a leader mounted to a free end of the tape, and a brush mounted to a portion of the leader to clean a tape path;
- a take-up reel;
- at least one motor to drive at least one of the tape cartridge reel and the take-up reel;
- a lens aligned with the tape path to read data from the tape, wherein the lens is mounted to the drive housing for limited translation relative to the drive housing;
- a lens actuator operably connected to the lens and the drive housing to adjust the lens relative to the housing;
- and
- a controller in communication with the lens actuator, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the lens actuator to translate the lens when the brush is aligned with the lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.