Voice coil actuated carriage in which a support structure for the carriage is disposed at least partially within the motor
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorJames C. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A servo positioned carriage and actuator assembly in which the support structure for the carriage is located at least partially within the central portion of the motor. In one embodiment, the assembly includes a motor, a guide rail and a carriage that travels along the guide rail. The motor has a coil of electrically conductive windings and a magnet or magnets adjacent to the coil. The inside perimeter of the coil defines the central portion of the motor. The guide rail extends axially through the central portion of the motor.
Claims10
A head carriage and actuator assembly for a tape drive, comprising:
- a motor comprising a coil of electrically conductive windings and a magnet adjacent to the coil, the motor having a central portion defined by an inside perimeter of the coil;
- a first guide rail extending axially through the central portion of the motor and a second guide rail positioned wholly outside the central portion of the motor parallel to the first guide rail;
- a carriage supported on and moveable along the first and second guide rails;
- and
- a magnetic read/write head coupled to the carriage, the head positioned outside the central portion of the motor opposite the second guide rail such that the first guide rail lies between the head and the second guide rail.
A head carriage and actuator assembly for a tape drive, comprising:
- an annular coil of electrically conductive windings;
- an arcuate magnet surrounding at least a part of the coil;
- a post extending axially through the inside of the coil;
- a first guide rail secured to the post and extending axially through the inside of the coil along the post;
- a second guide rail disposed outside the coil radially opposite and parallel to the first guide rail;
- and
- a head carriage moveably coupled to the first and second guide rails for travel thereon.
A head carriage and actuator assembly for the tape drive, comprising:
- a coil of electrically conductive windings, the coil defining an inside area substantially surrounded by the coil;
- a magnet disposed outside and adjacent to the coil;
- a first guide rail extending axially through the inside all the coil;
- a second guide rail disposed outside the coil opposite and parallel to the first guide rail;
- a carriage moveably coupled to the first and second guide rails for travel thereon;
- and
- a magnetic read/write head coupled to the carriage, the head positioned outside the coil opposite the second guide rail such that the first guide rail lies between the head and the second guide rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.