Combination linear and rotary head cleaner
AssigneeStorage Technology Corporation
InventorChristian A. Todd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic tape head cleaning system is provided that linearly moves a cleaner element across the surface of a read/write head while simultaneously using the liner displacement to rotate the cleaner element relative to the surface of the head. A cleaning mechanism includes a stationary post having a drive pin that engages a spiral cam slot in a rotary slide positioned to slide over the post. A linearly moving cleaner slide is mounted over the rotary slide to cause linear displacement of the rotary slide. As the rotary slide is displaced linearly, the drive pin and spiral cam slot cause the rotary slide to rotate. The rotation of the rotary slide in turn drives the cleaner element to rotate.
Claims10
A cleaning system for a read/write head in a tape system, the tape system having at least one tape drive mechanism for receiving tape cartridges, the cleaning system comprising:
- a linear drive mechanism coupled to a drive gear actuated by the tape drive mechanism;
- and
- a cleaning mechanism comprising:
- a cleaner slide element arranged to be linearly displaced relative to the head by the linear drive mechanism;
- a cleaner element rotatably mounted to the cleaner slide and positioned so as to be linearly moved across a surface of the head when the cleaner slide is linearly displaced;
- and
- a rotary drive mechanism arranged to be driven by the linear displacement of the cleaner slide to simultaneously rotate the cleaning element as the cleaning element linearly moves across the surface of the head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.