E-systems, Inc.

Mervin L Gangstead

John D Boardman

Jeffrey P Welch

Scott M Hamilton

Richard A Trimble

Jimmie L Sadler

An optical scanning system wherein a moving cylinder supporting a segment of recording media on its inner surface is axially moved over a pair of fixed cylinders. A slit is provided between the fixed cylinders, and a light beam is radially scanned by the system through and along the slit to scan the surface of the supported segment of media as the moving cylinder moves in an axial direction over the fixed cylinders and across the slit. A pressure source provides air to the moving cylinder, with the supplied air expelled from an inner surface of the moving cylinder against the fixed cylinders to form an air bearing. Air is also expelled into the area between the fixed and moving cylinders to float the media therein during media advancement. A vacuum source is also provided to draw air through the moving cylinder from the area between the fixed and moving cylinders holding the media against the inner surface of the moving cylinder while the media is being scanned by the light beam.

Optical scanning system

The optical tape recorder of the present invention is capable of archiving data at rates in excess of 400 megabits per second by concurrently writing or reading a plurality data tracks in each data trace. A read-write module outputs an illumination beam comprised of combined multiple write beams (channels), a read beam and an autofocus beam. Optics within the read-write module spatially combine and accurately position the plurality of beams with respect to each other to form the multi-beam illumination beam. A read-write head comprised of a synchronized scanning transmissive polygon and rotating lens wheel scans the multi-beam illumination beam across a recording media to read or write multi-channel data tracks. An autofocus system is also included to ensure that the multi-beam illumination beam is accurately focused on the recording media.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Mervin L Gangstead