US 8,643,977 B1Granted

Tape drive for recording data onto and reading data from opposing sides of tape media

AssigneeOracle International Corporation

InventorWilliam J. Vanderheyden

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Abstract

A tape drive that passes first and second sides of a storage tape by respective first and second tape head assemblies disposed on a common side of a tape path of the tape to allow for dual-sided recording and/or reading of the tape by the tape head assemblies. Tape leaving a cartridge/supply reel within the tape drive may be wound over one or more tape path guides (e.g., rollers) to face a first side of the tape (e.g., with a first magnetic layer) towards a first tape head assembly. The tape may subsequently be wound over one or more additional guides and then passed in front of a second tape head assembly such that the opposing side of the tape (e.g., with a second magnetic layer) faces the second tape head assembly. After passing by the second tape head assembly, the tape may be wrapped onto a take-up reel.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tape drive, comprising:

a housing;
at least first and second tape head assemblies secured to the housing on an outside of a tape path for a magnetic tape within the tape drive;
a first set of tape path guides secured to the housing and defining a first portion of the tape path for facing a first side of the magnetic tape towards the first tape head assembly and an opposing second side of the magnetic tape towards the first set of tape path guides, wherein the first tape head assembly writes and/or reads data to and/or from the first side of the magnetic tape in the first portion of the tape path;
a second set of tape path guides secured to the housing and defining a second portion of the tape path for facing the second side of the magnetic tape towards the second tape head assembly and the first side of the magnetic tape towards the second set of tape path guides, wherein the second tape head assembly writes and/or reads data to and/or from the second side of the magnetic tape in the second portion of the tape path;
and
at least one component secured to the housing and defining a third portion of the tape path for facing the second side of the magnetic tape towards the outside of the tape path for entry of the magnetic tape into the second portion of the tape path in a first direction of movement of the magnetic tape along the tape path, and for facing the first side of the magnetic tape towards the outside of the tape path for entry of the magnetic tape into the first portion of the tape path in an opposing second direction of movement of the magnetic tape along the tape path.

3 more elements

A tape drive for reading data from and/or writing data to opposing first and second sides of a magnetic tape of a single-reel tape cartridge, comprising:

a housing;
a bay within the housing for receiving a single-reel tape cartridge;
at least first and second tape head assemblies secured to the housing on an outside of a tape path for a magnetic tape within the tape drive;
a first set of tape path guides secured to the housing and spaced from the bay, wherein the first set of tape path guides define a first portion of the tape path for facing a first side of the magnetic tape towards the first tape head assembly;
a second set of tape path guides secured to the housing and spaced from the bay, wherein the second set of tape path guides define a second portion of the tape path for facing the second side of the magnetic tape towards the second tape head assembly;
and
at least one component secured to the housing and spaced from the bay, wherein the at least one component defines a third portion of the tape path for facing the second side of the magnetic tape towards the outside of the tape path for entry of the magnetic tape into the second portion of the tape path in a first direction of movement of the magnetic tape along the tape path, and for facing the first side of the magnetic tape towards the outside of the tape path for entry of the magnetic tape into the first portion of the tape path in an opposing second direction of movement of the magnetic tape along the tape path.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.