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:
Oct. 26, 1993
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1992
Gustavo Caicedo, Jr, Westminster, CA (US);
Scott L Hanson, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Archive Corporation, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Abstract
An optical alignment system for aligning a multiple gap tape head assembly of a tape drive, including a cartridge plate insertable in a tape drive and having a first surface mirror that is parallel to a reference plane for the drive when the plate is inserted in the drive, a microscope objective imaging lens for providing images of the head gaps of the tape head assembly, a video camera and display for providing an operator viewable display of the output of the imaging lens, translation apparatus for moving the imaging lens, and an interferometer cooperating with the first surface mirror for maintaining the imaging lens at a constant distance relative to the first surface mirror as the translation apparatus moves the imaging lens from one head gap to another, such that the imaging lens moves in a plane parallel to the reference plane for the drive. By maintaining the imaging lens at a constant distance relative to the first surface mirror reflecting surface, as the imaging lens is moved from one head gap to another, the misalignment of a tape head assembly can be detected and corrected by an operator by reference to the images of the head gaps which are displayed with a reticle that is at a fixed location in the field of view of the imaging lens.