Porous air bearings for tape transports and method of fabrication thereof
AssigneeSegway Systems, LLC
InventorsStephan E. Gavit, K. John Stahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air bearing system for a tape transport (10) including air bearing (322) having portions (360 and 370) providing different flow rates of air to support the tape.
Claims29
An air bearing system adapted for use on a tape transport apparatus to support a tape on a cushion of air as said tape is transported in a transport direction thereacross, comprising:
- (a) an air bearing member including an air bearing surface having a first surface portion and a second surface portion spaced from one another in the transport direction;
- and
- (b) a source of pressurized air communicating with said air bearing member, said air bearing member constructed such that air escapes through the first surface portion is at a greater flow rate than air that escapes from the second surface portion.
An air bearing system adapted for use on a tape transport apparatus to support a tape on a cushion of air as said tape is transported in a transport direction thereacross, comprising:
- (a) an air bearing member including an air bearing surface having a first surface portion and a second surface portion and including a first plenum associated with the first surface portion and a second plenum associated with the second surface portion, said air bearing member constructed such that air at a first pressure in the first plenum will pass therethrough and out of the first surface portion and air at a second pressure in the second plenum will pass therethrough and out of the second surface portion;
- and
- (b) a source of pressurized air communicating with the first and second plenums such that the first pressure is greater than said second pressure whereby air will flow through said air bearing member and out of the air bearing surface to create an air cushion to support a tape transported thereacross with there being a differential in the air cushion along the first and second surface portions, respectively.
A tape transport apparatus to support a tape as said tape is transported by a tape drive in a reversible transport direction between a supply reel and a take-up reel across a recording head, comprising:
- (a) a first air bearing member disposed on one transport side of said recording head and a second air bearing member disposed on another transport side of said recording head, each of said first and second air bearing members including an air bearing surface having a first surface portion formed at a first radius of curvature and located proximate to the respective supply and take-up reel and a second surface portion formed at a second radius of curvature and located proximate to the recording head, the first radius of curvature being smaller than the second radius of curvature, each said air bearing member constructed such that air will pass through the first and second surface portions to produce a cushion of air on which the tape may ride;
- and
- (b) a source of pressurized air communicating with the first and second air bearing members, said first and second air bearing members constructed such that air escapes through the first surface portion is at a greater flow rate than air that escapes from the second surface portion.
An air bearing system adapted for use on a tape transport apparatus to support a tape on a cushion of air as said tape is transported in a transport direction thereacross, comprising:
- (a) an air bearing member including an air bearing surface having a first surface portion and a second surface portion;
- (b) a source of pressurized air communicating with said air bearing member, said air bearing member constructed such that air escapes through the first surface portion is at a greater flow rate than air that escapes from the second surface portion;
- and
- (c) a plenum associated with said air bearing member and in fluid communication with said source of pressurized air, and wherein said air bearing member has a wall with one surface thereof in fluid communication with said plenum and with an opposite surface thereof defining the air bearing surface, said wall being fabricated out of a porous material, a first portion of said wall underlying the first surface portion being thinner than a second portion of said wall underlying the second surface portion.
An air bearing system adapted for use on a tape transport apparatus to support a tape on a cushion of air as said tape is transported in a transport direction thereacross, comprising:
- (a) an air bearing member including an air bearing surface having a first surface portion and a second surface portion and including a rib disposed at one end of said air bearing surface and extending transversely thereacross, said rib extending upwardly from the bearing surface and operative to resist flow of air thereacross as the tape moves thereover;
- and
- (b) a source of pressurized air communicating with said air bearing member, said air bearing member constructed such that air escapes through the first surface portion is at a greater flow rate than air that escapes from the second surface portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.