Tape guiding assembly for a tape drive

• US 6,886,766 B1
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quantum Corporation (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Removable Storage Solutions LLC (Chi Ko Investment Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Weng, Ming-chih, Nayak, Ashok B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivera, William A.
• Application Number:
  US10/342,286
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 242/341, 242/346, 242/346.1, 242/346.2, 242/615.1, 242/615.2, 360/71, 360/95, 360/96.4, 360/130.21, 360/130.2
• US Class Current: 242/346.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/602 for track selection, acquisition or following

Abstract

A tape drive with a tape guiding assembly guides tape past the read/write head along a tape path. First and second inner guide rollers are disposed along the tape path on opposite sides of the read/write head and adjacent to the read/write head. First and second outer guides are disposed along the tape path on opposite sides of the read/write head. The inner guides are positioned off-centered with respect to the nominal tape path, while the outer guides are centered on the nominal tape path. The inner guides are adjustable in height and in radial direction to adjust the off-center position of the inner guides, as well as the tape wrap and penetration of the read/write head into the tape.

Claims

1. A tape guiding assembly for a tape drive, comprising:

a takeup reel that receives tape from a supply reel; and

means for constraining motion of the tape;

wherein the means includes four guides serially positioned along a tape path between the takeup reel and a supply reel, the four guides including two inner guides and two outer guides, the two outer guides centered at a nominal tape path and the two inner guides positioned off-centered from the nominal tape path;

wherein the inner guides each include a guide roller mounted on an eccentric shaft such that the guide rollers are movable in radial direction to adjust tape wrap and penetration of a magnetic write/read head into the tape.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein both of the inner guides are off-centered below the nominal tape path.

3. The assembly of the claim 1, wherein both of the inner guides are off-centered above the nominal tape path.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein one of the inner guides is off-centered above the nominal tape path and the other of the inner guides is off-centered below the nominal tape path.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner guides are adjustable in height to adjust off-center positioning of the inner guides with respect to the nominal tape path.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner guides are roller assemblies.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein each roller assembly includes:

the guide roller, which has a central opening;

ball bearings within the central opening that support the guide roller;

the eccentric shaft mounted in the central opening and which supports the ball bearings;

a washer fixed near one end of the eccentric shaft; and

a bearing preload spring between the washer and the ball bearings.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each guide has flanges at each end of the guide.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each guide is tapered at each end of the guide.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each guide is fixed in position.

11. A tape drive with a tape guiding assembly that guides tape past a read/write head along a tape path, comprising:

first and second inner guides disposed along the tape path on opposite sides of the write/read head and adjacent to the read/write head;

first and second outer guides disposed along the tape path on opposite sides of the read/write head and further from the read/write head than the first and second inner guides;

wherein the first and second inner guides are positioned off-centered with respect to a nominal tape path and the first and second outer guides are centered on the nominal tape path; and

wherein the first and second inner guides include guide rollers on an eccentric shaft that are adjustable in radial direction to adjust tape wrap and penetration of a read/write head into the tape.

12. The tape drive of claim 11, wherein the first and second outer guides are fixed in position and the first and second inner guides are adjustable in height to adjust off-center positioning of the inner guides with respect to the nominal tape path.

13. The tape drive of claim 11, wherein the first and second inner guides is roller assemblies, each roller assembly including:

the guide roller, which has a central opening;

ball bearings within the central opening that support the guide roller;

the eccentric shaft mounted in the central opening and which supports the ball bearings;

a washer fixed near one end of the eccentric shaft; and

a bearing preload spring between the washer and the ball bearings.

14. The tape drive of claim 13, wherein each guide roller has flanges at each end of the guide.

15. The tape drive of claim 11, wherein both of the first and second inner guides are off-centered either above or below the nominal tape path.

16. The tape drive of claim 11, wherein one of the first and second inner guides is off-centered above the nominal tape path and the other one of the first and second inner guides is off-centered below the nominal tape path.

17. A tape guiding assembly for a tape drive, comprising:

a takeup reel that receives tape from a supply reel; and

means for constraining motion of the tape;

wherein the means includes four guides serially positioned along a tape path between the takeup reel and a supply reel;

wherein the four guides include two outer guides and two inner guides, the two outer guides centered at a nominal tape path and the two inner guides positioned off-centered from the nominal tape path;

wherein the inner guides have guide rollers mounted on an eccentric shaft to be translatable into and out of a plane of the tape.

18. A tape drive with a tape guiding assembly that guides tape past a read/write head along a tape path, comprising:

first and second inner guides disposed along the tape path on opposite sides of the write/read head and adjacent to the read/write head; and

first and second outer guides disposed along the tape path on opposite sides of the read/write head and further from the read/write head than the first and second inner guides;

wherein the first and second inner guides are positioned off-centered with respect to a nominal tape path and the first and second outer guides are centered on the nominal tape path; and

wherein the first and second inner guides have guide rollers mounted on an eccentric shaft to be translatable into and out of a plane of the tape.