Tape head with tape-bearing surface exhibiting an array of protruding topographic features
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLaurent A. Dellmann, Johan B.C. Engelen, Vara Sudananda Prasad Jonnalagadda, Mark A. Lantz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tape head, adapted for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape, has a tape-bearing surface and is configured to urge a magnetic tape against the bearing surface, in operation. The bearing surface includes a transducer area, having at least one transducer that is a read and/or write element, designed for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape, and a structured area adjacent to the transducer area, comprising a periodic array of topographic features, the topographic features configured within the structured area to determine a minimal distance between the transducer area and a tape.
Claims18
A tape head, adapted for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape, the tape head having a tape-bearing surface and being configured to urge a magnetic tape against the bearing surface, wherein the bearing surface comprises:
- a transducer area, comprising at least one transducer that is at least one of a read element and a write element, designed for at least one of reading from and writing to a magnetic tape;
- and
- a structured area adjacent to the transducer area, comprising a periodic array of topographic features on the tape-bearing surface, the topographic features configured within the structured area to determine a minimal distance between the transducer area and a tape.
A method of implementing tape head distance control for a tape head, adapted for at least one of reading and or writing to a magnetic tape, the tape head having a tape-bearing surface and configured to urge a magnetic tape against the tape-bearing surface, the tape-bearing surface comprising a transducer area having at least one transducer that is at least one of a read element and a write element, and a structured area adjacent to the transducer area, comprising a periodic array of topographic features on the tape-bearing surface, the topographic features configured within the structured area to determine a minimal distance between the transducer area and the magnetic tape, the method comprising:
- circulating the magnetic tape with respect to the tape head by streaming the magnetic tape over the tape bearing surface to form an air bearing between the magnetic tape and the tape bearing surface;
- sensing, via a thermal sensor circuit, a distance between the tape bearing surface and the magnetic tape;
- and
- altering the distance according to a signal received from the sensor circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.