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US4037264A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Magnetic head housing with wedge locking means
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1976-12-08
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Granted: 1977-07-19
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Expires: 1996-12-08
Abstract
Abstract This magnetic head construction includes two or more elements defining a transducing gap which are positioned and held together within a shell by a wedge. The magnetic head assembly disclosed normally includes a shell structure, a pair of transducer elements defining a transducing gap, a wedge and a wedge follower. The wedge follower may be present as either a separate element or as a surface carried by one of the transducer elements. The assembly is normally formed by the process of disposing the transducer elements, and the wedge follower, if present, within the shell wall, and then rough positioning these elements within the shell, followed by the insertion of the wedge against the wedge following surface to bring the parts into final position in a locked relationship. Generally speaking, locking is achieved by selecting the wedge angle, θ as a function of the coefficients of friction of the mating surfaces according to given formulae. This head structure and process requires no additional adhesive, glass, or other material to lock the parts of the structure together.
Inventors
- 👤 John Allen Barkley
- 👤 Neil Lloyd Robinson
- 👤 Frank Boyd Shelledy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:39
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/10; G11B5/105; G11B5/127; G11B5/31; G11B5/3103
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
289 words
A magnetic head structure comprising: a shell defining an opening including an inner wall surface; a first rigid transducer element located within said shell, said element including a surface portion abutting the inner wall surface of said shell, said element also including a second surface portion generally opposed to its first surface portion; a second rigid transducer element located within said shell, said element including a first surface portion juxtaposed to said second surface portion of said first element, an insulating layer between the second surface of the first element and the first surface of said second element and in contact with both said surfaces, said second element also including a second surface portion generally opposed to its first surface, said juxtaposed surface portions of said first and second transducer elements defining a transducing gap; transducer elements positioniong and locking means including a wedge follower surface located within said shell, and a wedge, said wedge and said wedge follower surface carrying means located within said shell, each including a first face portion in abutting and sliding relationship to one another and each having a second surface portion generally opposed to their respective first surface portions, said second surface portions also generally opposed to said transducing gap and said inner wall surface of said shell respectively, said positioning elements engaging said second transducer element and a portion of said shell inner wall surface to transmit a lateral force positioning and locking all of said elements within the inner wall surfaces of said shell and wherein the wedge in generally planar and the wedge angle of said wedge is θ and is defined by the formula tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the wedge and wedge follower abutting surfaces.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
289 words
A magnetic head structure comprising: a shell defining an opening including an inner wall surface; a first rigid transducer element located within said shell, said element including a surface portion abutting the inner wall surface of said shell, said element also including a second surface portion generally opposed to its first surface portion; a second rigid transducer element located within said shell, said element including a first surface portion juxtaposed to said second surface portion of said first element, an insulating layer between the second surface of the first element and the first surface of said second element and in contact with both said surfaces, said second element also including a second surface portion generally opposed to its first surface, said juxtaposed surface portions of said first and second transducer elements defining a transducing gap; transducer elements positioniong and locking means including a wedge follower surface located within said shell, and a wedge, said wedge and said wedge follower surface carrying means located within said shell, each including a first face portion in abutting and sliding relationship to one another and each having a second surface portion generally opposed to their respective first surface portions, said second surface portions also generally opposed to said transducing gap and said inner wall surface of said shell respectively, said positioning elements engaging said second transducer element and a portion of said shell inner wall surface to transmit a lateral force positioning and locking all of said elements within the inner wall surfaces of said shell and wherein the wedge in generally planar and the wedge angle of said wedge is θ and is defined by the formula tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the wedge and wedge follower abutting surfaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The magnetic head structure of claim 1 wherein said wedge follower surface carrying means is a separate element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The magnetic head structure of claim 1 wherein said wedge follower surface carrying means is a separate element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The head structure of claim 1 wherein said first and second transducer elements are selected from the group consisting of magnetic ceramic and ferrite.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The magnetic head structure of claim 1 wherein a thin film structure is provided within the transducer gap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The magnetic head structure of claim 3 wherein said wedge and wedge follower are selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The magnetic head structure of claim 6 wherein the wedge and wedge follower are titanium, the coefficient of friction between the wedge follower surface and the wedge is about 0.27, and wherein θ is no greater than about 15°.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The head structure of claim 2 wherein said wedge follower is adjacent said second transducer element and said wedge is disposed between said wedge follower and and inner wall surface portion of said shell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The head structure of claim 2 wherein said wedge is adjacent said second transducer element and said wedge follower is in contact with an inner wall surface portion of said shell.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein transducing circuitry is included in said structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A magnetic recording system wherein the head structure of claim 1 is in transducing relationship with a magnetic recording media.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
A magnetic head structure comprising: a shell; a plurality of transducer elements disposed within said shell; wedge means and wedge follower means within said shell having mutually engaging surfaces, said means engaging said transducer segments and said shell to position said transducer segments to define at least one transducing gap and to lock said segments within said shell said wedge having an angle θ wherein tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the engaging wedge and wedge follower surfaces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
80 words
A magnetic head structure comprising: a shell; a plurality of transducer elements disposed within said shell; wedge means and wedge follower means within said shell having mutually engaging surfaces, said means engaging said transducer segments and said shell to position said transducer segments to define at least one transducing gap and to lock said segments within said shell said wedge having an angle θ wherein tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the engaging wedge and wedge follower surfaces.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of manufacturing a magnetic head structure including at least two rigid transducer elements defining at least one transducing gap and a shell defining an opening for receiving said transducer elements, comprising the steps of: providing transducer element positioning and locking means including a wedge follower surface and a wedge within said shell opening in juxtaposition to said transducing elements and having a surface in engagement with said wedge follower surface to transmit a lateral force positioning and locking all of said elements within the inner wall surfaces of said shell, and providing said wedge with an angle θ wherein tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the engaging wedge surface and wedge follower surface.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of manufacturing a magnetic head structure including at least two rigid transducer elements defining at least one transducing gap and a shell defining an opening for receiving said transducer elements, comprising the steps of: providing transducer element positioning and locking means including a wedge follower surface and a wedge within said shell opening in juxtaposition to said transducing elements and having a surface in engagement with said wedge follower surface to transmit a lateral force positioning and locking all of said elements within the inner wall surfaces of said shell, and providing said wedge with an angle θ wherein tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the engaging wedge surface and wedge follower surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
138 words
A magnetic head structure comprising: a shell; a plurality of transducer elements disposed in said shell in juxtaposed relationship, means interposed between said elements defining a transducer gap, a wedge element and wedge follower element disposed within said shell and including mating wedging surface means in sliding contact disposed to provide uniform lateral movement of one of said elements in its entirety upon sliding contact movement of the surfaces of said elements, one of said members having engaging surface means in contact with a mating engaging surface of one of said elements to provide locking engagement, whereby upon sliding movement of said wedging surfaces lateral movement of the entire mating surface on the member maintains surface contact with the engaged mating surface on the element to provide uniform lateral pressure on the mating surface of the transducer element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
138 words
A magnetic head structure comprising: a shell; a plurality of transducer elements disposed in said shell in juxtaposed relationship, means interposed between said elements defining a transducer gap, a wedge element and wedge follower element disposed within said shell and including mating wedging surface means in sliding contact disposed to provide uniform lateral movement of one of said elements in its entirety upon sliding contact movement of the surfaces of said elements, one of said members having engaging surface means in contact with a mating engaging surface of one of said elements to provide locking engagement, whereby upon sliding movement of said wedging surfaces lateral movement of the entire mating surface on the member maintains surface contact with the engaged mating surface on the element to provide uniform lateral pressure on the mating surface of the transducer element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention as defined in claim 14, wherein a separate wedge follower element is provided which has the mating surface thereon, and wherein said wedge follower is laterally moveable towards and away from the transducer element adjacent thereto.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the wedge has a wedge angle θ and wherein tan θ ≦ the coefficient of friction between the mating surfaces of the wedge element and the wedge follower element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-18 | 1981-01-17 | 1981-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-18 | 1985-01-17 | 1985-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-18 | 1989-01-17 | 1989-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |