Methods for selecting wrap angle for inducing tape tenting above transducer

• US 10,643,654 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Biskeborn, Robert G., Czarnecki, W. Stanley, Lo, Calvin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Klimowicz, William J
• Application Number:
  US16/445,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20190311740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/43 Control or regulation of mechanical tension of record carrier, e.g. tape tension
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/60 Guiding record carrier guiding devices structurally associated with magazines or cassettes G11B23/04
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/62 Maintaining desired spacing between record carrier and head
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/64 by fluid-dynamic spacing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00813 magnetic tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00826 comprising a plurality of single poles or gaps or groups thereof operative at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/187 Structure or manufacture of the surface of the head in physical contact with, or immediately adjacent to the recording medium; Pole pieces; Gap features G11B5/265, G11B5/29 , G11B5/31 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/1871 Shaping or contouring of the transducing or guiding surface
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/255 comprising means for protection against wear in thin film structures G11B5/3106
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4893 relative to moving tape
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/60 Fluid-dynamic spacing of heads from record-carriers

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment includes running a magnetic recording tape over a tape bearing surface of a module having at least one edge, detecting signals from the tape at differing wrap angles for estimating a height of tenting of the tape above a transducer at each of the wrap angles, and selecting a wrap angle to provide about a predefined height of tenting of the tape above the transducer. A resulting tent of the moving magnetic recording tape extends from the edge of the module closest thereto to a minima with a tent apex therebetween, where the minima is at a first point of closest approach of the moving magnetic recording tape to the tape bearing surface of the module nearest the tent apex.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

running a magnetic recording tape over a tape bearing surface of a module having at least one edge;

detecting signals from the tape at differing wrap angles for estimating a height of tenting of the tape above a transducer at each of the wrap angles; and

selecting a wrap angle to provide about a predefined height of tenting of the tape above the transducer whereby a resulting tent of the moving magnetic recording tape extends from the edge of the module closest thereto to a minima with a tent apex therebetween, wherein the minima is at a first point of closest approach of the moving magnetic recording tape to the tape bearing surface of the module nearest the tent apex.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising positioning a guide to set the selected wrap angle.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising positioning a second module to set the selected wrap angle.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising determining a distance from the transducer of the module to an edge of the module closes thereto.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the determined distance from a location of the transducer on the tape bearing surface to the edge of the module closest thereto is less than the length from a location directly under the tent apex to the edge of the module closest thereto.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the distance is measured optically.

7. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the distance is measured mechanically.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a height of the tent apex is in a range of from about 5 to about 30 nanometers from a media facing surface of a tape support surface.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising moving the tape over the module for an amount of time sufficient to cause detectable wear on the edge;

and adjusting the wrap angle to produce the predefined height of tenting.

10. A computer program product for determining a wrap angle, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

running, by the processor, a magnetic recording tape over a tape bearing surface of a module having at least one edge;

detecting, by the processor, signals from the tape at differing wrap angles for estimating a height of tenting of the tape above a transducer at each of the wrap angles; and

selecting, by the processor, a wrap angle to provide about a predefined height of tenting of the tape above the transducer whereby a resulting tent of the moving magnetic recording tape extends from the edge of the module closest thereto to a minima with a tent apex therebetween, wherein the minima is at a first point of closest approach of the moving magnetic recording tape to the tape bearing surface of the module nearest the tent apex.

11. A computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein a module of a tape head is set in a vertical direction to create the selected wrap angle.

12. A computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein a guide is set to create the selected wrap angle of the magnetic recording tape.

13. A computer program product as recited in claim 10, comprising determining, by the processor, a distance from the transducer of the module to an edge of the module closes thereto.

14. A computer program product as recited in claim 13, wherein the determined distance from a location of the transducer on the tape bearing surface to the edge of the module closest thereto is less than the length from a location directly under the tent apex to the edge of the module closest thereto.