Arcuate scan tape drive

A tape drive, comprising:

• a base;
• a cover mating with said base;
• a rotating head assembly, having a rotational axis, for transferring data to and from a plurality of arcuately-shaped data tracks on a data tape advancing in a longitudinal direction, said rotating head assembly capable of recording data on said data tape, said rotating head assembly including:
• a rotating head drum at a forward end of said rotating head assembly,
• a plurality of core elements affixed to said rotating head drum and proximate to said data tape for transmitting and receiving data signals,
• an inside-out spin motor for causing rotation of said rotating head assembly, said inside-out spin motor including a rotating magnet surrounding a plurality of stationary coils of electrically conductive windings,
• support means for supporting said rotating head assembly, said support means including rotating means for allowing said rotating head assembly to rotate and pivot means for allowing said rotational axis to pivot in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, and
• a voice coil motor provided at a second end opposite said forward end for pivoting said rotating head assembly;
• and
• control means for providing information to and receiving information from said plurality of core elements and providing control signals to said inside-out spin motor and said voice coil motor.

A rotating head assembly for transferring data to and from a plurality of data tracks on a data tape in an arcuate scan tape drive, comprising:

• an axis of rotation of the rotating head assembly intersecting the plane of the data tape at an oblique angle;
• a front surface adjacent to the data tape, said front surface having a conical shape;
• a plurality of core elements provided at an outer radius on said front surface for transferring data to and from the data tape, each core element of said plurality of core elements rotating about said axis of rotation such that said each core element is in close proximity to the data tape while reading or writing the plurality of data tracks;
• an inside-out spin motor for causing rotation of said head assembly including:
• a plurality of coils of electrically conductive windings stationarily mounted with respect to said rotating head assembly, and
• a rotating annular magnet radially surrounding said plurality of coils of electrically conductive windings;
• a spin motor cap means mounted at a rear end of said head assembly opposite said front surface for covering said spin motor, said plurality of coils of electricity conductive windings stationarily mounted to an interior surface of said spin motor cap means;
• and
• a voice coil motor for pivoting said rotational axis to align with a centerline of the data tape, said voice coil motor including:
• a single coil of electrically conductive windings secured to a rear exterior surface of said spin motor cap means;
• and
• a magnet fixedly supported within the tape drive and juxtaposed to said coil of electrically conductive windings.

An arcuate scan tape drive for transferring data to and from a data tape, comprising:

• a base;
• and
• a rotating head assembly mounted within said base having an axis of rotation aligning with a centerline of the data tape, said axis of rotation intersecting the data tape at an oblique angle, said rotating head assembly including:
• a front section having a front surface juxtaposed to the data tape, said front surface having a conical shape, and
• a plurality of core elements provided on said front surface such that, during one rotation of said rotating head assembly, a core element of said plurality of core elements traverses the data tape in a first pass wherein data is transferred to or from the data tape and said core element traverses the data tape in a second pass wherein said data is not transferred to or from the data tape, said data tape being in close proximity to said core element in said first pass and said data tape being spaced away from said core element in said second pass;
• an inside-out spin motor for causing rotation of said head assembly including:
• a plurality of coils of electrically conductive windings stationarily mounted with respect to said rotating head assembly, and
• a rotating annular magnet radially surrounding said plurality of coils of electrically conductive windings;
• spin motor cap means stationarily mounted with respect to said head assembly at a rear end opposite said front surface for covering said inside-out spin motor, said plurality of electrically conductive windings stationarily mounted to an interior surface of said spin motor cap means
• a voice coil motor for pivoting said rotational axis to align with a centerline of the data tape, said voice coil motor including:
• a single coil of electrically conductive windings secured to a rear exterior surface of said spin motor cap means;
• and
• a magnet fixedly mounted with respect to said base and juxtaposed to said coil of electrically conductive windings.

An arcuate scan tape drive for transferring data to and from a data tape, comprising:

• a rotating head assembly having an axis of rotation aligning with a centerline of the data tape, said axis of rotation intersecting the data tape at an oblique angle, said rotating head assembly including:
• a front section having a front surface adjacent to the data tape, said front surface having a conical shape,
• a plurality of core elements provided on said front surface such that, during one rotation of said rotating head assembly, a core element of said plurality of core elements traverses the data tape in a first pass wherein data is transferred to or from the data tape and said core element traverses the data tape in a second pass wherein data is not transferred to or from the data tape, said data tape being in close proximity to said core element in said first pass and said data tape being spaced away from said core element in said second pass, and
• a voice coil motor provided at a rear end opposite said front surface for adjusting said axis of rotation of said rotating head assembly to align with the centerline of the data tape;
• means for advancing said data tape in said longitudinal direction;
• means for securing said data tape in a proper position with respect to said rotating head assembly;
• and
• control means for providing information to and receiving information from said plurality of core elements and for controlling alignment of said plurality of core elements with data tracks on the data tape.

A tape drive for transferring data to and from a flexible data tape, comprising:

• a face plate having a front surface penetrating into a plane of the data tape as the data tape travels past a recording area so that at least a section of said front surface contacts the data tape, penetration of said front surface into said plane causing a first bend in the data tape where the data tape encounters said front surface, said front surface having a rounded shape so that the data tape in contact with said front surface wraps around said front surface to create a second bend in said tape, said second bend being transverse to said first bend so as to create a stiff border region between said first bend and said second bend;
• a plurality of transducing elements provided on said face plate for transferring data to and from the data tape, pole tips of said plurality of transducing elements contacting the data tape to transfer data in said stiff border region;
• a first motor for moving said plurality of transducing elements with respect to a section of the data tape;
• and
• a second motor for moving the data tape with respect to said face plate.

A tape drive for transferring data to and from a flexible data tape, comprising:

• a rotating head assembly having an axis of rotation aligning with a centerline of the data tape, said axis of rotation intersecting the data tape at an oblique angle, said rotating head assembly including:
• a front section having a front surface penetrating into a plane of the data tape as the data tape travels past a recording area so that at least a section of said front surface contacts the data tape, penetration of said front surface into said plane causing a first bend in the data tape where the data tape encounters said front surface, said front surface having a rounded shape so that the data tape in contact with said front surface wraps around said front surface to create a second bend in said tape, said second bend being transverse to said first bend so as to create a stiff border region between said first bend and said second bend,
• a plurality of core elements provided on said front surface such that, during one rotation of said rotating head assembly, a core element of said plurality of core elements traverses the data tape in a first pass wherein data is transferred to or from the data tape and said core element traverses the data tape in a second pass wherein data is not transferred to or from the data tape, said data tape being in close proximity to said core element in said first pass and said data tape being spaced away from said core element in said second pass, and
• a voice coil motor provided at a rear end opposite said front surface for adjusting said axis of rotation of said rotating head assembly to align with the centerline of the data tape;
• means for advancing said data tape in said longitudinal direction;
• means for securing said data tape in a proper position with respect to said rotating head assembly;
• and
• control means for providing information to and receiving information from said plurality of core elements and for controlling alignment of said plurality of core elements with data tracks on the data tape.

A rotating head assembly for transferring data to and from a plurality of data tracks on a data tape in an arcuate tape drive, comprising:

• an axis of rotation of the rotating head assembly intersecting the plane of the data tape at an oblique angle;
• a front surface adjacent to the data tape, said front surface having a conical shape;
• a plurality of core elements provided at an outer radius on said front surface for transferring data to and from the data tape, each core element of said plurality of core elements rotating about said axis of rotation such that said each core element is in close proximity to the data tape while reading or writing the plurality of data tracks;
• a base on which the rotating head assembly is mounted;
• and
• support means pivotally supporting the rotating head assembly for allowing the rotating head assembly to pivot in a plane perpendicular to said base.

An arcuate scan tape drive for transferring data to and from a data tape, comprising:

• a base;
• and
• a rotating head assembly mounted within said base having an axis of rotation aligning with a centerline of the data tape, said axis of rotation intersecting the data tape at an oblique angle, said rotating head assembly including:
• a front section having a front surface juxtaposed to the data tape, said front surface having a conical shape, and
• a plurality of core elements provided on said front surface such that, during one rotation of said rotating head assembly, a core element of said plurality of core elements traverses the data tape in a first pass wherein data is transferred to or from the data tape and said core element traverses the data tape in a second pass wherein said data is not transferred to or from the data tape, said data tape being in close proximity to said core element in said first pass and said data tape being spaced away from said core element in said second pass;
• and
• support means pivotally supporting said rotating head assembly for allowing said rotating head assembly to pivot in a plane perpendicular to said base.