Foil bearing control apparatus

Claim 2

Magnetic recording apparatus comprising: a. cylindrical surface mounted for rotation about an axis; b. a magnetic recording document having width no greater than the length of the cylindrical surface wrapped about at least a portion of the cylindrical surface, and supported a predetermined distance from the cylindrical surface by rotation of the surface; c. a magnetic recording head mounted in said cylindrical surface; and d. first means applying a vacuum to said recording document for reducing the spacing between the cylindrical surface and the recording document only at the magnetic recording head in an area sufficiently narrow to axially deflect essentially all debris in the path of the magnetic head out of said path.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first means for applying the vacuum comprises an area located in said cylindrical surface, and containing an orifice axially even with said magnetic recording head, preceding said magnetic recording head in the direction of rotation, and having width greater than the width of said magnetic recording head.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first means for applying the vacuum comprises an area located in said cylindrical surface preceding said magnetic head in the direction of rotation, and containing an orifice axially even with said magnetic recording head.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3, further including a second means for applying a vacuum to the recording document in the area preceding said orifice, such that the spacing between the cylindrical surface and the recording document is Partially reduced between said area preceding the orifice and the orifice.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, in which the second means for applying a vacuum comprises an area of the cylindrical surface containing a slot perpendicular to the direction of travel of the magnetic recording heads.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4, in which the second means for applying a vacuum comprises an area of the cylindrical surface containing a slot having a length substantially equal to the recording document width and oriented substantially perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the magnetic heads.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4, in which both first and second means for applying a vacuum to the recording document include control means which limit the applied vacuum to a level such that it deforms the recording document but does not exceed the elastic limit of the material.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising third means for introducing pressurized gas to the area rotationally following said magnetic head such that the effects of the vacuum applied to the recording document will be substantially neutralized.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8, in which there are a multiplicity of magnetic recording heads and the third means comprises an area following the heads and containing a slot in the drum surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of said magnetic recording heads.

Claim 11

An improved magnetic recording apparatus of the type wherein a stationary recording document is wrapped about but does not physically contact a portion of a rotating drum which has a magnetic head mounted at the drum surface, such that the magnetic head can read, write, and erase data on the recording document while the drum rotates, wherein the improvement comprises first means for applying a vacuum to the recording document of sufficient magnitude to reduce the spacing between a portion of the recording document directly over the magnetic head and the drum surface, said reduced space portion being sufficiently narrow to cause essentially all debris in the path of the magnetic head to be axially deflected out of said path.

Claim 12

An improved magnetic recording apparatus of the type wherein a stationary recording document is wrapped about but does not physically contact a portion of a rotating drum which has a magnetic head mounted at the drum surface, such that the magnetic head can read, write, and erase data on the recording document while the drum rotates, wherein the improvement comprises first means for applying a vacuum to the recording document of sufficient magnitude to reduce the spacing between a portion of the recording document directly over the magnetic head and the drum surface, said reduced space portion being sufficiently narrow to cause essentially all debris in the path of the magnetic head to be axially deflected out of said path.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10, in which the first means for applying the vacuum comprises an area located in the surface of said drum preceding said magnetic head in the direction of drum rotation, and containing an orifice axially even with said magnetic head.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11, further including a second means for applying a vacuum to the recording document at a point rotationally preceding said orifice, such that the spacing between the cylindrical surface and the recording document is reduced between each point of application of the vacuum and the orifice.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12, in which said second means for applying a vacuum to the recording document comprises an area of the drum surface containing a slot perpendicular to the direction of travel of said magnetic recording heads.