Low friction tape head

• US 9,299,368 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Biskeborn, Robert G., Liang, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Renner, Craig A.
• Application Number:
  US14/468,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 360/121, 360/122, 360/128, 360/129, 360/130.1, 360/130.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/18 Driving; Starting; Stopping; Arrangements for control or regulation thereof G11B15/56 takes precedence
• 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 5/00813 magnetic tapes
• 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 5/265 Structure or manufacture of a head with more than one gap for erasing, recording or reproducing on the same track G11B5/33 takes precedence in thin film structures G11B5/31
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/29 Structure or manufacture of unitary devices formed of plural heads for more than one track G11B5/33, G11B5/49 and subgroups take precedence; in thin film structure G11B5/31
• 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 5/584 for track following on tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/60 Fluid-dynamic spacing of heads from record-carriers

Abstract

A magnetic head according to one embodiment includes outer portions each having a tape bearing surface and an array of transducers selected from a group consisting of readers and writers; a central portion positioned between the outer portions, the central portion having a tape bearing surface and an array of transducers selected from a group consisting of readers and writers; wherein outer edges of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions are non-skiving, wherein an inner edge of each of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions is adapted for skiving air from the magnetic medium when the magnetic medium travels in a direction from the central portion towards the respective outer portion.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

outer portions each having a tape bearing surface and an array of transducers selected from a group consisting of readers and writers; and

a central portion positioned between the outer portions, the central portion having a tape bearing surface having a planar upper-most surface and an array of transducers selected from a group consisting of readers and writers;

wherein each of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions has a tape-engaging section configured and arranged relative to the tape bearing surface of the central portion to at least sometimes have contact with a tape passing thereover during normal use,

wherein an inner edge of each of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions is physically oriented with respect to the tape bearing surface of the central portion to skive air from the tape when the tape travels in a direction from the central portion towards the respective outer portion,

wherein an angle is formed between the tape bearing surface of each of the outer portions such that the distance between the tape and the respective tape bearing surface increases from the associated skiving edge toward an outer edge of the respective tape bearing surface when the tape is at rest and in tension.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein outer edges of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions are beveled.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the array of transducers of the central portion includes a plurality of writers and at least one servo reader calibrated to the position of one or more of the writers of the central portion.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions has patterning for at least one of inducing the tape to fly thereover in an area away from the transducers and reducing stiction of the tape to the tape bearing surface of the at least one portion.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the patterning has physical characteristics of being lapped by tape lapping.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the tape contacts the tape bearing surface of the central portion and only the inner edge of each of the tape bearing surfaces of the outer portions when the tape is not in motion and is extended across all of the portions.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the central portion includes an array of writers, wherein the outer portions each have an array of readers.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions has patterning for inducing the tape to fly thereover in an area away from the transducers, the patterning including beveled edges of the tape bearing surface of the at least one of the portions in the area away from the transducers and a skiving edge in an area proximate the transducers.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions has patterning for at least one of inducing the tape to fly thereover in an area away from the transducers and reducing stiction of the tape to the tape bearing surface of the at least one portion, the patterning including texturing.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the tape bearing surface of the central portion is continuously planar between outer tape-engaging edges thereof in an area of the tape bearing surface immediately proximate the transducers.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the tape bearing surface of the central portion has beveled edges in an area of the tape bearing surface away from the transducers.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the tape bearing surface of each outer portion is continuously planar between outer edges thereof in an area of the tape bearing surface immediately proximate the transducers.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, comprising:

a drive mechanism for passing a tape over the portions; and

a controller electrically coupled to the transducers.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the tape bearing surface of each of the outer portions is planar.