Method of forming a head assembly, a head assembly, and a...

Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head – Plural gaps

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C360S122000, C360S125330, C360S129000, C360S235400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06639753

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of forming a head assembly, a head assembly, and a linear tape drive.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
High capacity storage capabilities are becoming more commonplace and desired in numerous applications, such as libraries, back-up and archive configurations, for example. It is desired for arrangements to provide such back-up capabilities without interrupting business operations. Increased speed, accessibility and reliability are additionally desired for providing long-term storage of digital data.
The Linear Tape Open (LTO) Ultrium format has been developed as a linear tape format to provide enhanced high capacity storage. First generation configurations deliver up to 100 GB of native data capacity on a single cartridge. Future configurations are believed scalable to provide single-cartridge native data capacities of 1.6 TB.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional head configuration
10
for writing and reading data within a high capacity storage device is illustrated. The depicted configuration
10
includes a head die substrate
12
, filler block
14
and cover bar
16
. Head elements are provided within a region
18
including a plurality of deposited layers and an insulating matrix. Exemplary deposited layers include metallic magnetic materials to provide write poles, shields and magneto-resistive read elements. Such is typically deposited upon die substrate
12
and contained between die substrate
12
and cover bar
16
. The insulating matrix and layers typically comprise relatively soft materials (compared with the substrate and cover bar) due to fabrication methodologies. The soft materials are susceptible to increased wear compared to other portions of the head assembly including the substrate
12
and the cover bar
16
.
Accordingly, numerous conventional configurations suffer from pole tip recession wherein the insulating matrix and layers are abrasively removed by a tape passing thereover during use. These conventional head configurations are subject to spacing loss in magnetic tape recording resulting from the pole tip recession. Such spacing loss decreases the density of recording capabilities of data upon a given magnetic tape.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, pole tip recession is illustrated within a conventional head arrangement within region
18
. The depicted configuration includes AL(
1
) corresponding to a layer of relatively soft material, such as deposited alumina, upon substrate
12
. Designation P
3
corresponds to a shield adjacent a read element (not labeled). Designation P
2
corresponds to a shared shield/pole adjacent the read element. Designation P
1
corresponds to a write pole and AL(
2
) corresponds to a layer of alumina material over the deposited layers forming the head elements. Such heightened susceptibility to pole tip recession decreases the maximum attainable recording density in conventional devices.
For future increases in linear recording density, there exists a need to provide improved devices and methodologies having improvements over the prior art devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method of forming a head assembly, a head assembly, and a linear tape drive.
One aspect of the present invention provides a method of forming a head assembly comprising: providing a base member; forming a plurality of head components upon the base member individually adapted to communicate information relative to a tape; providing a plurality of component regions adjacent respective ones of the head components and a path of travel of the tape; and providing a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and positioned to support the tape moving along the path of travel, the support region comprising a material different than a material of the component regions.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a head assembly configured to communicate information relative to a tape comprising: a base member; and a head member adjacent the base member and comprising: a plurality of head components adjacent a path of travel of a tape and adapted to communicate information relative to the tape; a plurality of component regions adjacent the path of travel of the tape and respective ones of the head components; and a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and positioned to support a tape moving along the path of travel, the support region comprising a material different than a material of the component regions.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a linear tape drive configured to communicate information relative to a tape comprising: an input adapted to couple with an external device; a cartridge receiving assembly adapted to receive a cartridge including a tape; and a head assembly positioned adjacent a path of travel of the tape, the head assembly comprising: a base member; a cover member adjacent the base member; a head member intermediate the base member and the cover member and comprising: a plurality of head components configured to communicate information relative to the tape including reading information from the tape and writing information to the tape; a plurality of component regions adjacent the path of travel of the tape and respective ones of the head components; and a support region intermediate adjacent ones of the head components and positioned to support a tape moving along the path of travel, the support region comprising a material having a hardness greater than a material of the component regions.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3686466 (1972-08-01), Sato et al.
patent: 3864753 (1975-02-01), Becker et al.
patent: 4797767 (1989-01-01), Baus, Jr.
patent: 4825532 (1989-05-01), Ricards
patent: 5541793 (1996-07-01), Schwarz
patent: 5710683 (1998-01-01), Sundaram
patent: 5781383 (1998-07-01), Strand
patent: 5896253 (1999-04-01), Dirne et al.
patent: 6097570 (2000-08-01), Dee
patent: 6236537 (2001-05-01), Poorman et al.
patent: 6282051 (2001-08-01), Albrecht et al.

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