Tape lifter
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsThomas M. Fowler, Harvey R. Fraser, Jr., Francis E. Hauke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various pneumatic means are shown for lifting tape locally away from a rotating head as the rotating head moves. Only the tape in the vicinity of the head is lifted. The lifting is done with minimal pneumatic force, and done only locally about the head so that recovery time for read/write operations after a lifting operation is short, Air to lift the tape can be blown from passages around the head, from passages through the head, or from passages in front of the head. Local lifting about the head is enhanced by insuring that the pneumatic air flow to lift the tape does not easily dissipate in air space between the mandrel and the head rotor.
Claims12
Apparatus for reducing wear on magnetic head and magnetic tape in a rotating-head tape recording device comprising:
- mandrel means for supporting the tape along the arcuate path of the rotating head;
- pneumatic means for generating an air flow locally about the head lifting the tape as the head rotates to avoid contact between head and tape when the head is not reading or writing information;
- said mandrel means providing uniform support of tape as tape wraps said mandrel means except that additional support of tape due to air flow generated by said pneumatic means forms a chimney between the tape and said mandrel means;
- said chimney conducts the additional air flow to the edge of the tape and travels with the rotating head lifting tape away from the head as the head passes under the tape.
Method for reducing wear on magnetic tape and magnetic head in a rotating-head magnetic recording device where during read and write operations the head flies relative to tape comprising the steps of:
- wrapping the tape around an air bearing mandrel and an air bearing rotor carrying the head;
- inserting additional air flow in the vicinity of the head when the head is not reading or writing information on magnetic tape;
- forming a wave in the tape with said additional air flow so that as the head rotates the wave propagates along the tape with the movement of the head and the tape is lifted away from the head as the head moves under the tape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.