US3893176A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Means and method of tape guide control with tape skew and lateral displacement corrections in a rotary head drum
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1974-06-12
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Granted: 1975-07-01
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Expires: 1994-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A rotary head helical tape drive includes a split mandrel with a rotary head drum between the mandrel sections. Separate air chambers formed with the mandrel structure are provided, to which controlled air pressures are applied during transport of the tape. To adjust for skew angle and lateral displacement of the tape during operation of the apparatus, the pressures are varied at the air chambers, thereby changing the angle or shifting the position of the tape relative to the rotary head drum.
Inventors
- 👤 David Wilkes Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:06
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/60; G11B15/61
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus for transporting a tape relative to a magnetic head comprising: a porous cylindrical mandrel structure about which a magnetic tape is transported; a magnetic head positioned for transducing relation with said tape; first and second spaced air chambers formed with said mandrel and positioned for providing air pressures to different sections of the tape that are engaged with said mandrel, so that skew of the tape relative to said head may be compensated; third and fourth air chambers formed with said mandrel and positioned for providing air pressures to another section of said tape that is disposed between said different sections, so that lateral displacement of the tape relative to said head may be corrected; and a sensing and pressure control means for developing error signals representative of tape skew and lateral displacement, and for controllably varying the pressures to said air chambers to effectively correct for such skew and displacement.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus for transporting a tape relative to a magnetic head comprising: a porous cylindrical mandrel structure about which a magnetic tape is transported; a magnetic head positioned for transducing relation with said tape; first and second spaced air chambers formed with said mandrel and positioned for providing air pressures to different sections of the tape that are engaged with said mandrel, so that skew of the tape relative to said head may be compensated; third and fourth air chambers formed with said mandrel and positioned for providing air pressures to another section of said tape that is disposed between said different sections, so that lateral displacement of the tape relative to said head may be corrected; and a sensing and pressure control means for developing error signals representative of tape skew and lateral displacement, and for controllably varying the pressures to said air chambers to effectively correct for such skew and displacement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, including photosensing means for sensing the edges of said tape and for generating a skew error signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said first and second spaced air chambers are displaced circumferentially relative to the central axis of the cylindrical mandrel structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said mandrel structure is split into two cylindrical sections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said magnetic head is a rotary head disposed between said two mandrel sections.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said third and fourth air chambers are closely adjacent to said rotary head.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of correcting the position and alignment of a tape that is transported relative to a magnetic head comprising the steps of: sensing the edges of the moving tape and generating an error signal representative of the angle of skew of said tape relative to said head; providing a differential air pressure to different sections of said tape to correct for said skew error; sensing prerecorded servo signals associated with recorded data tracks and developing a track following error signal representative of the displacement of the tape relative to the position of the magnetic head; and providing a second differential air pressure across one section of the tape adjacent to said head to correct for lateral displacement of said tape.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of correcting the position and alignment of a tape that is transported relative to a magnetic head comprising the steps of: sensing the edges of the moving tape and generating an error signal representative of the angle of skew of said tape relative to said head; providing a differential air pressure to different sections of said tape to correct for said skew error; sensing prerecorded servo signals associated with recorded data tracks and developing a track following error signal representative of the displacement of the tape relative to the position of the magnetic head; and providing a second differential air pressure across one section of the tape adjacent to said head to correct for lateral displacement of said tape.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3541272A
Cited
US3623042A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-30 | 1978-12-30 | 1979-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-30 | 1982-12-30 | 1983-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-30 | 1986-12-30 | 1987-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |