Storage Technology Corporation

Robert M Ariniello

Stuart W Bray

A pneumatic monitoring system for a magnetic tape drive includes a single sensor which includes a differential pressure transducer. Points in the tape drive to which vacuum is applied are coupled to one side of the sensor and points in the tape drive to which pressure is applied are coupled to the other side of the detector. The sensor produces an analog voltage representing the state of the pneumatic system. It is digitized and applied to a microprocessor which compares the sensor voltage to present ranges for calibrated conditions of the tape drive. If the sensed voltage is outside of these ranges, error conditions are indicated.

Pneumatic monitoring system for a magnetic tape drive

Combined magnetic tape cleaner and rewind foot for cleaning foreign material from the oxide side of the tape during read/write operation and for lifting the tape away from the read/write head during rapid rewind. In the read/write mode, the cleaning screen located on the bottom side of the cleaning head loosen the foreign matter on the tape. This foreign matter is suctioned off and lifted from the tape through the holes in the screen, by means of negative pressure applied to the tape through a cavity in the cleaning head. In the rewind mode, the rewind foot, which is deposed around the cleaning head is rotated down into the tape path, lifting the tape off the cleaning head and away from the read/write head. The bearing surface of the rewind foot has a radial curve such that the rewind movement of the tape creates hydrodynamic pressure which lifts the tape off of the rewind foot. After rewind is complete, the rewind foot is rotated out of the tape path and the tape allowed to reengage the cleaning head and read/write head.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Robert M Ariniello