Mechanism to reduce adjacent track interference in a magnetic tape data storage system

Claim 1

In a tape drive for a data storage system, the tape drive including a base member and a read/write head for recording data on and retrieving data from a plurality of data tracks on magnetic tape and further including head actuating means for translating said head from data track to data track across the width of the tape and head actuator control logic for controlling said head actuating means, said head being capable of recovering data previously recorded on said tape only when said previously recorded data is oriented on said tape within an azimuth range having a first azimuth magnitude relative to the orientation of said head during said data recovery, the improvement comprising: an azimuth actuator base plate on which said head actuating means is mounted; azimuth pivot means, located at a first end of said azimuth actuator base plate and connecting said azimuth actuator base plate to said base member, said first end being displaced in a first direction from said head along an axis substantially parallel with a direction of tape motion past said head, for allowing said azimuth actuator base plate to pivot relative to said tape; azimuth actuator means, located at a second end of said azimuth actuator base plate, said second end being displaced in a second direction from said head along said axis from said first end, for pivoting said azimuth actuator base plate about said azimuth pivot means; and azimuth control logic for controlling said azimuth actuator means and pivoting said azimuth actuator base plate to introduce an azimuth of a second magnitude greater than said first azimuth magnitude in a first direction for all accesses to a first set of data tracks consisting of all even numbered tracks, and to introduce azimuth of said second magnitude in a second direction opposite said first direction for all accesses to a second set of data tracks consisting of all odd numbered tracks.