Method of forming a head assembly, a head assembly, and a linear tape drive
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsRichard H. Henze, Albert H. Jeans, Paul W. Poorman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of forming a head assembly, a head assembly, and a linear tape drive are provided. One aspect provides a method of forming a head assembly including providing a base member; forming a plurality of head components upon the base member individually adapted to communicate information relative to a tape; providing a plurality of component regions adjacent respective ones of the head components and a path of travel of the tape; and providing a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and positioned to support the tape moving along the path of travel, the support region comprising a material different than a material of the component regions.
Claims18
A head assembly configured to communicate information relative to media comprising:
- a base member;
- and
- a head member adjacent the base member and comprising:
- a plurality of head components adjacent a path of travel of media and adapted to communicate information relative to the media;
- a plurality of component regions adjacent the path of travel of the media and respective ones of the head components;
- and
- a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and positioned to support media moving along the path of travel, the support region comprising a material different than a material of the component regions;
- wherein the component regions and the support region are laterally spaced different distances with respect to a line parallel to a direction of travel of the media moving along the path of travel and are configured to contact the media moving along the path of travel.
A linear tape drive configured to communicate information relative to a tape comprising:
- an input/output adapted to couple with an external device;
- a cartridge receiving assembly adapted to receive a cartridge including a tape;
- and
- a head assembly positioned adjacent a path of travel of the tape, the head assembly comprising:
- a base member;
- a cover member adjacent the base member;
- a head member intermediate the base member and the cover member and comprising:
- a plurality of head components configured to communicate information relative to the tape including reading information from the tape and writing information to the tape;
- a plurality of component regions adjacent the path of travel of the tape and respective ones of the head components and configured to contact the tape moving along the path of travel;
- a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and positioned to contact the tape moving along the path of travel, the support region comprising a material having a hardness greater than a material of the component regions;
- and
- wherein the component regions and the support region are arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the tape moving along the path of travel.
An assembly configured to communicate information relative to media comprising:
- a plurality of head components laterally spaced from one another in a direction substantially perpendicular to a path of travel of media;
- a plurality of insulative material formations adjacent respective ones of the head components and configured to contact media moving along the path of travel;
- and
- a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and the respective insulative material formations, wherein the support region comprises a material different than a material of the insulative material formations and is configured to contact the media moving along the path of travel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.