Partial width mass produced linear tape recording head

• US 5,883,770 A
• Filed: 07/18/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Biskeborn, Robert Glenn, Eaton, James Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, JEFFERSON A
• Application Number:
  US08/896,356
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 360/122, 360/125, 360/128, 360/129, 360/130.2, 360/130.21
• US Class Current: 360/130.21
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/602 for track selection, acquisition or following
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/62 Maintaining desired spacing between record carrier and head
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00813 magnetic tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/10 Structure or manufacture of housings or shields for heads
• 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 5/3106 where the integrated or assembled structure comprises means for conditioning against physical detrimental influence, e.g. wear, contamination G11B5/3133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4893 relative to moving tape
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/584 for track following on tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/60 Fluid-dynamic spacing of heads from record-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4903 with bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49041 with significant slider/housing shaping or treating

Abstract

Disclosed is a dimple magnetic recording head in a transducer assembly for linear tape drives. The dimple head has a flat transducing surface extending laterally a partial width of the magnetic recording tape. Two parallel tape support surfaces extend laterally the full width of the magnetic recording tape, positioned on either side of and spaced from the dimple head in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic recording tape. The tape support surfaces form a plane, and the dimple head flat transducing surface is parallel to the tape support surface plane and projects above the tape support surface plane to form tape wrap angles with respect to the tape support surfaces within a range of approximately 1/2 degree to 2.5 degrees. The dimple magnetic tape head is mass produced by lapping a row of transducers on a substrate to form a flat transducing surface. The row of substrate elements is then diced into separate substrate elements. The two parallel, spaced apart tape support surfaces are provided, and one of the diced substrate elements is mounted intermediate the tape support surfaces with the flat transducing surface exposed for forming a tape facing surface.

Claims

1. A magnetic tape head assembly for use with a magnetic recording tape passing thereover, comprising:

a magnetic head having a flat transducing surface extending laterally a partial width of a magnetic recording tape; and

a plurality of outrigger tape support surfaces, each extending laterally the full width of a magnetic recording tape, on either side of and spaced from said magnetic head in the longitudinal direction of a magnetic recording tape, each said outrigger tape support surface having a portion parallel in said lateral direction to said magnetic head flat transducing surface.

2. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 1, wherein said outrigger tape support surfaces form a plane;

and said magnetic head flat transducing surface is parallel to said outrigger plane and projects above said outrigger plane to form tape wrap angles with respect to said outrigger tape support surfaces within the range of approximately 1/2 degree to 2.5 degrees.

3. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 2, movable laterally to move said magnetic transducing head laterally across the width of a magnetic recording tape, wherein said outrigger tape support surfaces extend laterally the full width of a tape for all positions of said magnetic transducing head across a tape.

4. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 1, wherein said outrigger tape support surfaces are flat, planar, rectangular surfaces.

5. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 1, wherein said magnetic head flat transducing surface is a lapped surface.

6. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 5, wherein said tape support surfaces form a plane;

and said magnetic head flat transducing surface is parallel to said tape support surface plane and projects above said tape support surface plane to form tape wrap angles with respect to said tape support surfaces within the range of approximately 1/2 degree to 2.5 degrees.

7. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 5, wherein said tape support outriggers are stationary and said magnetic head is moveable in said lateral direction.

8. The magnetic tape head assembly of claim 1, wherein said magnetic head comprises two flat transducing surfaces positioned adjacent each other in said longitudinal direction, forming a center junction, and sloped down from said center junction from a plane perpendicular to said center junction between approximately 1/2 degree to 1 degree each.

9. A magnetic tape drive for use with a magnetic recording tape, comprising:

a tape reel drive system for moving a magnetic recording tape linearly;

a dimple head having at least one magnetic transducing head and having a flat transducing surface extending laterally a partial width of a magnetic recording tape; and

a plurality of outrigger tape support surfaces, each extending laterally the full width of a magnetic recording tape, on either side of and spaced from said dimple head in the longitudinal direction of a magnetic recording tape, each said outrigger tape support surface having a portion parallel in said lateral direction to said dimple head flat transducing surface.

10. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said outrigger tape support surfaces form a plane;

and said dimple head flat transducing surface is parallel to said outrigger plane and projects above said outrigger plane to form tape wrap angles with respect to said outrigger tape support surfaces within the range of approximately 1/2 degree to 2.5 degrees.

11. The magnetic tape drive of claim 10, additionally comprising a positioning system for moving said magnetic transducing head laterally across the width of a magnetic recording tape, and wherein said outrigger tape support surfaces extend laterally the full width of a tape for all positions of said magnetic transducing head across a tape.

12. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said outrigger tape support surfaces are flat, planar, rectangular surfaces.

13. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said dimple head flat transducing surface is rectangular in shape.

14. The magnetic tape drive of claim 13, wherein said rectangular dimple head flat transducing surface has rounded corners.

15. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said dimple head flat transducing surface is square in shape.

16. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said dimple head flat transducing surface is a lapped surface.

17. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said tape support outriggers are stationary and said magnetic head is moveable in said lateral direction.

18. The magnetic tape drive of claim 9, wherein said magnetic head comprises two flat transducing surfaces positioned adjacent each other in said longitudinal direction, forming a center junction, and sloped down from said center junction from a plane perpendicular to said center junction between approximately degree to 1 degree each.