Regenerative Braking For Tape Drive
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorErhard SCHRECK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure generally relates to a tape drive having a regenerative braking system. The tape drive comprises a first reel; a first spindle coupled to the first reel; a first motor coupled to the first spindle, wherein the first motor is configured to rotate the first spindle; a second reel; a second spindle coupled to the second reel; a second motor coupled to the second spindle, wherein the second motor is configured to rotate the second spindle; and a regenerative braking circuit coupled to the first motor and the second motor, wherein during a braking of the motors, the regenerative braking circuit and the motors convert a mechanical energy of the motors to electrical energy for a power storage mechanism, thereby providing resistance to the rotation of the spindles.
Claims20
A tape drive, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a first reel disposed in the enclosure, to accept a tape configured to wind around the first reel;
- a first spindle coupled to the first reel;
- a first motor coupled to the first spindle;
- a power storage mechanism;
- and
- first regenerative braking circuit coupled to the first motor and the power storage mechanism, wherein during a braking of the first motor, the regenerative braking circuit and the first motor convert a mechanical energy of the first motor to electrical energy for the power storage mechanism, thereby providing resistance to rotation of the first spindle.
A tape drive, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a first reel disposed in the enclosure to accept a tape configured to wind around the first reel;
- a second reel disposed in the enclosure to accept the tape configured to wind around the second reel;
- a motor coupled to the second reel;
- and
- a power storage mechanism coupled to the motor and configured to be coupled to a storage capacitor, wherein the storage capacitor is external to the tape drive, wherein during a braking of the motor, a regenerative braking circuit and the motor convert a mechanical energy of the motor to electrical energy for the power storage mechanism, thereby providing resistance to rotation of the second reel.
A tape drive, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a first reel disposed in the enclosure configured to accept a tape configured to wind around the first feel;
- a means for controlling a rotational speed of the first reel;
- and
- a means for power storage coupled to the means for controlling the rotational speed of the first reel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.