MAGNETIC TAPE DEVICE AND MAGNETIC TAPE MAINTENANCE METHOD

• US 20170178679A1
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: OJIMA, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/00 Driving, starting or stopping record carriers of filamentary or web form; Driving both such record carriers and heads; Guiding such record carriers or containers therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function driving or guiding heads G11B3/00 - G11B7/00, G11B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/18 Driving; Starting; Stopping; Arrangements for control or regulation thereof G11B15/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/43 Control or regulation of mechanical tension of record carrier, e.g. tape tension
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/62 Maintaining desired spacing between record carrier and head
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/67 by extracting end of record carrier from container or spool
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00821 using stationary heads
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/41 Cleaning of heads of record carriers G11B23/50

Abstract

A magnetic tape device includes a magnetic tape as a storage medium; a travel unit that moves the magnetic tape along a travel route; a magnetic head that is arranged at the travel route and performs data reading and writing for the magnetic tape that moves on the travel route; and a lifter unit that is arranged at the travel route and contacts the magnetic tape which is stopped on the travel route, where the lifter unit is able to reciprocate in a direction that intersects the travel route so as to separate the magnetic tape from the magnetic head.

Claims

1. A magnetic tape device comprising:

a magnetic tape as a storage medium;

a travel unit that moves the magnetic tape along a travel route;

a magnetic head that is arranged at the travel route and performs data reading and writing for the magnetic tape that moves on the travel route; and

a lifter unit that is arranged at the travel route and contacts the magnetic tape which is stopped on the travel route, where the lifter unit is able to reciprocate in a direction that intersects the travel route so as to separate the magnetic tape from the magnetic head.

2. The magnetic tape device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the travel unit has a drive unit to move the magnetic tape along the travel route;

the lifter unit has;

a rotator supported rotatably around a first rotating shaft;

a lifter unit main body, one end of which contacts the rotator and is supported rotatably around a second rotating shaft while the other end contacts the magnetic tape; and

the rotator rotates by a driving force from the drive unit, which rotates the lifter unit main body.

3. The magnetic tape device in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the lifter unit main body has a contact part that contacts the magnetic tape; and

in a width direction of the magnetic tape, the contact part has a size greater than that of the magnetic tape.

4. A magnetic tape maintenance method by using a magnetic tape device that includes:

a magnetic tape as a storage medium;

a travel unit that moves the magnetic tape along a travel route;

a magnetic head that is arranged at the travel route and performs data reading and writing for the magnetic tape that moves on the travel route; and

a lifter unit that arranged at the travel route,

wherein the method comprises;

making the lifter unit contact the magnetic tape which is stopped on the travel route; and

separating the magnetic tape from the magnetic head by reciprocating the lifter unit in a direction that intersects the travel route.