GB2348044A - Scratch resistant tape leader - Google Patents
Scratch resistant tape leader Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2348044A GB2348044A GB9905823A GB9905823A GB2348044A GB 2348044 A GB2348044 A GB 2348044A GB 9905823 A GB9905823 A GB 9905823A GB 9905823 A GB9905823 A GB 9905823A GB 2348044 A GB2348044 A GB 2348044A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- tape
- leader
- scratch resistant
- cartridge
- resistant material
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 230000003678 scratch resistant effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 28
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 30
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000013500 data storage Methods 0.000 claims 5
- NIXOWILDQLNWCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N acrylic acid group Chemical group C(C=C)(=O)O NIXOWILDQLNWCW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 1
- 238000006748 scratching Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000002393 scratching effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 description 2
- BTFMCMVEUCGQDX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1-[10-[3-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinyl]propyl]-2-phenothiazinyl]ethanone Chemical compound C12=CC(C(=O)C)=CC=C2SC2=CC=CC=C2N1CCCN1CCC(CCO)CC1 BTFMCMVEUCGQDX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000004925 Acrylic resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000178 Acrylic resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 241000283986 Lepus Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000206607 Porphyra umbilicalis Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002474 experimental method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000696 magnetic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229960004265 piperacetazine Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004417 polycarbonate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000515 polycarbonate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
- G11B23/20—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture with provision for splicing to provide permanent or temporary connections
- G11B23/26—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture with provision for splicing to provide permanent or temporary connections of leaders for loading or threading, e.g. to form a temporary connection
Landscapes
- Magnetic Record Carriers (AREA)
Abstract
A cartridge tape leader 11 is coated with a thin layer of scratch resistant material 13. During load/unload operation within a tape drive, the scratch resistant material protects the leader against scrapping tape path components e.g. leader guide, sensor guide and read/write head. The scratch resistant material is deposited onto the leader using methods known to those skilled in the art. The coating minimizes the amount of microscopic leader debris generated, thereby reducing failures due to spacing loss between the tape and head.
Description
2348044
SCRATCH RESISTANT TAPE LEADER Field of the Invention
This invention relates generallv to tape leaders for magnetic tape recording. More particularly, it relates to a tape leader coated with a thin layer of protective material for protecting the leader from being scratched and damaged during cartridge loading/unloading.
Background of the Invention
With the recent advancements in digital information technology (e.g. multimedia, world wide web, etc.) and the resulting voluminous applications and data files, the need for increased storage capacity, particularly for archival or "back-up" purposes has increased significantly. Because of its storage capacity, compactness. and portability, the use of tape drives has also proliferated. A typical single reel magnetic tape drive includes a housing, a baseplate. a take-up reel, a tak-e-up leader attached thereto, a read/1ATite head. motors and control circuits. and an opening defined in the housing for receiving a tape cartridge.
A typical tape cartridge includes a housing. a supply reel, and a Fixed length of magnetic storage tape attached thereto. The cartridge is inserted into the tape drive to store the desired information thereon, and removed from the tape drive and stored in a secure location. Fla. I shows a typical tape cartridge 10, which is typically four and one tenth inches square and one inch high.
As shown in Fig. 2b. a typical magnetic recording tape includes a cartridge leader I I section for buckling and a data section 12 for storing data. Both sections are commonly made of a plastic material such as Polyethylene Terepthalate (PET). The data section 12 Is typically coated with a magnetic recording matenial on one side and a non stick "back coating" on the other side. Depending on the storage capacity, the data I section 12 may have varying lengths and thicknesses so as to be loaded onto the same supply reel. For example. a Quantum DLTtape 111. with a data section of approximatelN 1170 feet and a thickness of approximately 0.5 mill1inches. provides 10 GB of formatted storage. While a Quantum DLTtape IV. with a data section of approximatel% 1 -80 feet and a thickness of approximately 03 mill1inches. provides 35 GB of formatted storagre.
The leader 11, shown in detail in Fig. 2a. is approximately 12 inches in length and generally has a greater cross-sectional thickness than the tape section and accordingl'' is relatively stiffer. For example. in the Quantum DLTtape 111. the leader has a cross sectional thickness of approximately 1.5 millinch while the data section has a cross sectional thickness of approximately 0.5 millinch. The leader I I is seamlessly atlached with a suitable adhesive means at one end of the data section 11. while the other end of the data section 12 is attached to and spooled about a hub axially defined about the supply reel. As shown in Fig. 2a, the leader I t includes a cut out area 16 at the tip for engaging the take up leader.
A typical magnetic read/write head contains one or more raised strips or supports that have surfaces over which the tape media passes. Embedded in each support surface is a transducer which may be a recording transducer (i.e. recording or writing head) for -,vriting information (i.e. bits of data) onto the tape or a reproducing transducer (i.e. a reproducing or reading head) for reading information from the tape. An embedded recording transducer produces a magnetic Field in the vicinity of a small gap in the core of the recording transducer which causes information to be stored on the magnetic tape as it streams across the support surface. In contrast, a reproducing transducer detects a magnetic field near the surface of the magnetic tape in the vicinity of a small gap as the media streams over the support surface.
There is typically some microscopic separation between the gap of the transducer core and the recording media- This separation reduces the magnetic field coupllnv_ between the recording transducer and the tape during writing and between the 2 reproducing transducer and the tape during reading. The magnetic field coupling decreases exponentially both with respect to increases in the separation between the tape and the support and with respect to increase in recording density. Thus, it is desirable to keep the tape in intimate contact with the transducer core, and specifically, in contact with a gap in the core, and thus, minimize "spacing loss".
During operation, as the tape cartridge 10 is inserted into the tape drive, a takeup leader buckles with cartridge leader I I to pull and transfer the tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel. As the cartridge is unloaded, the take-up leader is "unbuckled" from the cartridge leader and the data section 12 and cartridge leader I I are transferred back into the cartridge. The process of buckling/unbuckling the tak-e-up leader with the cartridge leader involves the mating/unma-ting of the leaders and is described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/666.854 and is incorporated herein by reference.
During the processes of loading and unloading a cartnidge to and from a drive, the cartridge leader I I follows a tape path 19. as illustrated in Fig. 3). which is defined by tape roller guides 24 and read/write head 23. As illustrated in Fig. 3 the relative stiffness of the cartnidge leader I I results in the cartfidge leader I I contacting and rubbing against leader guide 22. read wfite head 23), and sensor guide 27 (contact points are designated as 25). Since these components tend to be made of material which is harder than the cartndge leader I I material, microscopic debfis of leader material are commonly generated from contact therein between. After repeated load, unload operations. leader debris is commonly, transferred on-to the data section 12 and eventually onto the read/write surface of the read/write head 23. This leads to unwanted spacing loss between head and media, causing failures in read, -.vrite and calibration.
The present invention provides a tape leader having a coating of scratch resistant material that minimizes debris from leader scratching, thereb-, minimizing contamination to the read/write head.
3 Summat-v of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape leader coated vith a thin layer of scratch resistant material. The coated tape leader provides an economical means for reducing leader scratching and the resulting debris generated during the cartridge loading/unloading operation. The scratch resistant leader reduces read, write or calibration failures due to spacing loss between the read/write core and media.
It is an object of the present invention to coat a scratch resistant material on one side of a cartridge leader of a magnetic tape cartridge. The scratch resistant material prevents debris from forming as a result of the leader contacting tape path components e.g. leader guide. sensor guide and the read/write head, It is also an object of the present invention to provide a thickness of scratch resistant material such that a relative stiffness of the leader is unchanged.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed descniptions and studying the various figures of the drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. I is a plan view of a prior art tape cartfidge. including the cartfidge leader of
Fig. Ia.
Fig. 2a is a top view in elevation of a section of a pnior art cartridge leader.
Fig. 2b is a side view In elevation of a section of a pnior art tape and cartridge leader.
Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of a tape path of a prior art tape drive, including a cartndge reel of the tape cartridge of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a section of the cartridge leader and tape in accordance with principles of the present invention.
4 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The present invention described herein relates to a tape leader and its use in tape drive cartridges and tape drives. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent. however, to one skilled in the art, that the present inventions mav be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well knovn structures and/or process steps have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a tape drive. illustrating the components that are particularly significant to the present invention. including the tape cartridge 10, which is represented by supply reel 21. As mentioned above. the tape path 19 is defined by a plurality of tape guide rollers 24 and the read/'-,Tlte head 23.
Each tape guide roller 24 is rotatably- mounted to the tape drive and designed to minimized lateral tape movement (LTMa-s- the- tape streams across the read'vTite head 23. Essentially. each tape Quide roll-e'r-214 is a machined cylinder. Each roller 24 210 includes a stem, a tape support surface, and at least one flanee for contacting and g'dinc, the longitudinal edges of the tape. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
ul 5,414.585 and U.S. Pat. No. 5. 173.828 d(iscribe, in more detail, preferred embodiments of the tape guide rollers 24. The contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in Fig. leader guide 22 is an elongated member mounted to the o-il tape drive base and in close proxim ty t he tape guide rollers 24 to prevent the tape from streaming away from the tape path 19. Typically, leader guide 22 is made from polycarbonate material. Ho"ever, it should be understood that other suitable material may be used. Sensor guide 27 similarly mounted to the tape drive hase, close proximity to takeup reel 26. and includes an optical sensor for identifying End of Tape (EOT) and Beginning of Tape (BOT) indicators defined at predetermined locations along the tape 12 that signif, the beginning/end of the tape 12.
Motors 50 and 5 1 (sho\.v-n in dotted outline) drive supply reel 2 1 and take up reel 26. respectively. Proper balance of the opposing torque of the two motors produces the required tension and also produces tape motion either in or out of cartridge 10.
In one preferred embodiment, the present invention is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the cartridge leader I I is coated with a thin laver 13) of scratch resistant material. Preferably, the scratch resistant material is sufficiently resistant to repeated contact with tape path components without scratching or flaking. At the same time the scratch resistant material preferably does not alter the relative stiffness of the leader. By way of example, a layer of acrylic resin having a cross sectional thickness of approximately 2 micrometers, is sufficiently resistant to scratching yet enables the leader I I to maintain the same relative stiffhess/flexibility. Those skilled in the art will understand that the scratch resistant material may be applied to the tape by known methods similar to those used to apply the magnetic and back coating to the tape. For example, gravure roll coating is a method used to coat magnetic material to recording tape and is described in detail in "The Complete Handbook of Magnetic Recording", 4" Ed., by Firm Jorgensen. It should be noted that the actual thickness of the scratch resistant material will depend on the type of scratch resistant material used. the magnitude of additional stiffening that the leader is able to tolerate, and other such factors.
The cartridge leader I I and take-up leader are generally dimensioned. length wise, to extend over the entire tape path when buckled. Because of the relative stiffness of the leader 11, and the way in which the leader is wound on supply reel 2 1.
3'0 Y from tape rollers 24 and into contact with leader the leader I I tends to "bow" awa,, 6 guide 22 and sensor guide 27 during the load/unload process. as shown in Fig. 3. Without the scratch resistant material, this repeated contact tends to generate microscopic debris from the leader. In accordance,vith principles of the present invention, the surface of the leader that contacts the tape path components is coated with scratch resistant material. as shown in Fig. 4. Alternatively. both surfaces of the leader may be coated with scratch resistant material.
In experiments conducted by the inventors of the present invention, the use of a scratch resistant cartridge leader reduced the rate of read or calibration failures from one in approximately 2.000 load/unload cvIces to one in approximately 10, 000 cycles.
The present invention provides particular benefits and advantages to tape library applications where man), cartridges are continuously loaded to and unloaded from the same drives.
To those skilled in the art. many changes and modifications will be readily apparent from consideration of the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment without departure from the spirit of the present invention. the scope thereof being more particularly pointed out by the following claims. The descriptions herein and the disclosures hereof are by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention which is more particularly pointed out by the following claims.
7
Claims (8)
- What is claimed is:I A tape cartridge for supplying one of a plurality Q)f types of magnetic recording tape into a tape cartridge data storage subsystem, the tape cartridge comprising:a housing:a rotatable reel attached %%ithin the housing-, a first end of one of the plurality of types of magnetic recording tape being secured to the rotatable reel:a leader section attached at a second end of the tape, the leader section being coated with scratch resistant material.
- 2. The tape carthidge of claim 1, wherein the scratch resistant material is acrylic.
- 3. The tape cartridge of claim 1, wherein the leader section comprises tNVO surfaces, one of the surfaces being coated with the scratch resistant matenial.
- 4. The tape cartnidge of claim 2 wherein the scratch resistant material is approximately 2 micrometers thick.
- 5. An elongated tape comprising a data section and a leader section attached to an end of the data section. the leader section being coated with scratch resistant material.
- 6. The elongated tape of claim 5 wherein the data section is coated with a Z magnetic matenial.
- 7. A cartridge tape data storage and retrieval subsystem for recording and playback of digital user data from a formatted data storage tape, the subsystem comprising:8 a baseplate; a take-up reel rotatably mounted to the baseplate; a takeup leader attached to the take-up reel, means for rotating the takeup reel.the tape cartridge comprising:a housing:a rotatable reel attached within the housing; a first end of the data storage tape being secured to the hub; a cartridge leader section attached at a second end of the data storage tape. the cartridge leader section being coated with a scratch resistant material Z
- 8. In a tape cartidge, including a tape section and a leader section, a method of minimizing damage to the leader section compfising the step of applying a coating of scratch resistant material to the leader section.9
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US4235898A | 1998-03-13 | 1998-03-13 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9905823D0 GB9905823D0 (en) | 1999-05-05 |
| GB2348044A true GB2348044A (en) | 2000-09-20 |
Family
ID=21921463
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9905823A Withdrawn GB2348044A (en) | 1998-03-13 | 1999-03-15 | Scratch resistant tape leader |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE19911468A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2348044A (en) |
Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS52145008A (en) * | 1976-05-27 | 1977-12-02 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Magnetic tape leader or trailer tape |
| GB1527283A (en) * | 1975-04-14 | 1978-10-04 | Sony Corp | Tape leaders for recording tapes |
| GB2080702A (en) * | 1980-07-28 | 1982-02-10 | Tdk Electronics Co Ltd | Leader tape |
| JPS5928279A (en) * | 1982-08-04 | 1984-02-14 | Sanyo Kokusaku Pulp Co Ltd | Leader tape for magnetic tape |
| EP0368667A2 (en) * | 1988-11-10 | 1990-05-16 | Nakamichi Corporation | A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus |
| US5209425A (en) * | 1991-09-06 | 1993-05-11 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Single reel cartridge with thinner cover and leader block area dimensional stability |
| JPH05274640A (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 1993-10-22 | Diafoil Co Ltd | Leader tape for magnetic tape |
-
1999
- 1999-03-15 GB GB9905823A patent/GB2348044A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1999-03-15 DE DE1999111468 patent/DE19911468A1/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1527283A (en) * | 1975-04-14 | 1978-10-04 | Sony Corp | Tape leaders for recording tapes |
| JPS52145008A (en) * | 1976-05-27 | 1977-12-02 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Magnetic tape leader or trailer tape |
| GB2080702A (en) * | 1980-07-28 | 1982-02-10 | Tdk Electronics Co Ltd | Leader tape |
| JPS5928279A (en) * | 1982-08-04 | 1984-02-14 | Sanyo Kokusaku Pulp Co Ltd | Leader tape for magnetic tape |
| EP0368667A2 (en) * | 1988-11-10 | 1990-05-16 | Nakamichi Corporation | A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus |
| US5209425A (en) * | 1991-09-06 | 1993-05-11 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Single reel cartridge with thinner cover and leader block area dimensional stability |
| JPH05274640A (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 1993-10-22 | Diafoil Co Ltd | Leader tape for magnetic tape |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9905823D0 (en) | 1999-05-05 |
| DE19911468A1 (en) | 1999-10-07 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |