Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting – For shifting head between tracks
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-24
2004-03-09
Tupper, Robert S. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
For shifting head between tracks
Reexamination Certificate
active
06704169
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a linear tape storage system for storing linear tapes represented by DLT (Digital Linear Tape) and LTO (Linear Tape Open) and, in particular, to a magnetic tape head actuator assembly for use in such a linear tape storage system.
A linear tape storage system of the type has been developed as a backup for a computer system. A variety of linear tape storage systems have heretofore been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,014 discloses a digital linear tape drive which is for use in driving a magnetic tape such as DLT (Digital Linear Tape).
A digital linear tape drive (hereinafter may simply be referred to as “driving device”, “tape drive”, or “drive”) is adapted to receive a tape cartridge (hereinafter may simply be referred to as “cartridge”) having a single reel (supply reel). The digital linear tape drive contains a take-up reel which is installed in a manner such that once a tape cartridge is inserted into the tape drive, a magnetic tape will be fed out from the tape cartridge. Then, the magnetic tape will be wound around the take-up reel by way of a head guide assembly (HGA). Here, the head guide assembly serves to guide a magnetic tape (hereinafter may simply be referred to as “tape”) fed out from the tape cartridge. A magnetic head operates to perform data exchange between the magnetic head and the magnetic tape. In detail, the head guide assembly comprises an aluminum plate having a boomerang shape and also comprises six large guide rollers which comprise bearings.
The head guide assembly is also called a tape guide assembly, which is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,585. On the other hand, an example of guide rollers has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-100025 (JP 2000-100025 A).
In general, a tape drive contains a generally rectangular housing which has a common base, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,574. In detail, the common base mounts two spindle motors (reel motors). The first spindle motor has a spool (take-up reel) permanently installed on the base. This spool is dimensioned so as to receive a magnetic tape streaming at a relatively high speed. The second spindle motor (reel motor) is adapted to receive a detachable tape cartridge. Such a detachable tape cartridge can be inserted manually or automatically into the drive through a slot formed in the housing of the drive. Once the tape cartridge is inserted through the slot into the drive, the tape cartridge is engaged with the second spindle motor (reel motor). Prior to the rotation of the first and second spindle motors (reel motors), the tape cartridge will be connected with the permanently installed spool (take-up reel), by virtue of a mechanical buckling structure. A plurality of rollers (guide rollers) are positioned between the tape cartridge and the permanently installed spool and are rotated to guide the magnetic tape when it is moved back and forth at a relatively high speed between the tape cartridge and the permanently installed spool.
However, the digital linear tape drive having the above-described structure is required to have a tape pulling device which enables the take-up reel to pull the magnetic tape from the supply reel. Such a tape pulling device is disclosed, for example, in International Publication No. WO86/07471. According to this International Publication, take-up leader means (first tape leader) is connected with the take-up reel while supply tape leader means (second tape leader) is fixed with the tape on the supply reel. Further, the first tape leader has a tab on one end thereof while the second tape leader has a locking hole, thereby allowing the tab to be engaged into the locking hole.
Further, it is also necessary to have a structure which can connect a first tape leader to a second tape leader. Such connection structure is disclosed in International Publication No. WO86/07295.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-100116 (JP 2000-100116 A) discloses a “leader tape retaining structure” which is capable of retaining an end portion of a leader tape to a tape end retainer of the tape cartridge, without having to provide a thin leaf member protruding outwardly from one side of the leader tape (a second tape leader).
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,634 discloses a locking system which is useful for preventing an undesired rotation of a take-up reel of a tape drive under a condition when a tape cartridge has not been inserted into the tape drive.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-149491 (JP 2000-141491 A) discloses an example of a tape cartridge suitable for being inserted into a digital linear tape drive.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,171 discloses a tape drive which does not require the use of a buckling structure or a take-up leader, but enables a tape leader to be pressed forward by a take-up reel so that it moves from a tape cartridge.
The above tape drive further has a magnetic tape head actuator assembly. Such a magnetic tape head actuator assembly is located on a tape path defined by a plurality of rollers and positioned between a take-up spool and a tape cartridge. During the operation of the tape drive, the magnetic tape streams back and forth between the take-up spool and the tape cartridge. While streaming along the tape path defined as mentioned above, the magnetic tape is allowed to get extremely close to the magnetic head actuator assembly. One example of such magnetic head actuator assembly is disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,574.
FIG. 1
is used to illustrate a conventional tape drive containing a conventional magnetic tape head actuator assembly. In fact,
FIG. 1
is a plan view showing a conventional tape drive with its top cover taken away for clear illustration.
As shown in the drawing, a tape drive
10
′ is adapted to receive a tape cartridge (not shown) and contains a take-up reel
11
in its internal space. In practice, such a take-up reel
11
can also be called a spool. Specifically, the tape drive
10
′ comprises a housing (chassis)
12
′ which has a generally parallelepiped shape and a common base
12
′
a.
Two spindle motors (reel motors)
13
′ and
14
are mounted on the common base
12
′
a.
In particular, the first spindle motor
13
′ has a spool (take-up reel)
11
permanently installed on the base. The spool
11
has a relatively large size so that it can receive one roll of magnetic tape (not shown) streaming at a relatively high speed. The second spindle motor (reel motor)
14
is provided to receive a detachable tape cartridge. Such a detachable tape cartridge can be inserted automatically or manually into the drive
10
′ along a direction represented by an arrow A in the drawing, passing through a slot
12
′
b
formed in the housing
12
′ of the drive
10
′.
Once the tape cartridge is inserted through the slot
12
′
b
into the tape drive, the tape cartridge will be engaged with the second spindle motor
14
. In this way, prior to the rotation of the first and second spindle motors (reel motors)
13
′ and
14
, the tape cartridge will be connected with the spool (take-up reel)
11
installed in position by virtue of a mechanical buckling structure. A plurality of rollers (guide rollers)
15
are provided between the tape cartridge and the permanently installed spool
11
, so as to guide a magnetic tape when the magnetic tape moves back and forth at a high speed between the tape cartridge and the spool
11
.
The housing (chassis)
12
′ is formed by an aluminum die-cast which is of course non-magnetic material. Accordingly, in order to stop a magnetism leakage from a magnet (not shown) contained in the second spindle motor
14
, the second spindle motor
14
is covered by a plate
16
formed by a ferric magnetic material.
In fact, the tape drive
10
′ further contains a magnetic tape head actuator assembly (hereinafter, simply referred to as actuator assembly)
20
′. Such magn
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
Tupper Robert S.
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