The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 31, 1978
Filed:
Jul. 10, 1975
Donald L Burdorf, Newport Beach, CA (US);
BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen (Rhine), DT;
Abstract
An apparatus for guiding a span of high speed magnetic recording tape past a recording/transducing head. Pressurized air is utilized to lift the tape off of the guide thereby eliminating sliding friction between the apparatus and the tape. In addition, a pair of beveled flanges are provided on opposite sides of the path followed by the tape as it is transported, which are spaced apart at their base a distance less than the minimum width of the tape. In operation, an air film of substantially constant pressure is generated along the air chamber formed by the tape, guide, beveled flanges and tangent points where the tape enters and exits from the guide sufficient to lift the tape off of the guide to a point where its width substantially equals the horizontal distance between the beveled flanges, thereby maintaining the tape in a centered relationship with respect to the center line of the guide and impeding the airflow about the lateral edges of the tape. In this manner, the magnetic tape will remain in alignment with the recording/transducing head irrespective of manufacturing variations in its width.