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. 14, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
Eric Alan Eckberg, Rochester, MN (US);
Gerald Daniel Malagrino, Jr, Rochester, MN (US);
Brian Lee Rappel, Grand Meadow, MN (US);
Thomas Donald Weller, Rochester, MN (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A tape drive which may accommodate tapes having a servo control track thereon as well as tapes without such tracks advantageously uses a lockout to prevent unwanted head translation when operating in an open loop mode. The lockout may be accomplished by energizing a voice coil motor to fix the head position, driving the voice coil motor to a fixed stop positioning the head, or latching a rocker connected to the head, thereby preventing movement of the head. The latching/unlatching function may be accomplished by driving an actuator supporting the beam springs, head and latch to an end-of-track position to similarly unlatch the rocker and return the assembly to a servo controlled mode of operation.