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, 2003
Filed:
May. 22, 2000
James C. Anderson, Eagle, ID (US);
Curtis P. Gonzales, Eagle, ID (US);
Jeffrey S. McAllister, Boise, ID (US);
Hewlett-Packard Development, L.P., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for a magnetic tape drive, which allow a magnetic tape to be positioned with respect to a tape head. The invention includes actively controlling the position of a tape guide used to support the tape as it passes over the tape head. By controlling the position of the tape guide, the tape can be caused to move a direction perpendicular to the primary direction of travel of the tape. One method of the invention includes providing a first tape guide aligned along a primary axis and disposed proximate a first side of the tape head. The tape is moved across the first tape guide and the tape head in a primary direction while the first tape guide is pivoted, to thereby cause the tape to move in a secondary direction essentially perpendicular to the primary direction. Alternately, or in addition to the step of pivoting the first tape guide, the method can include the step of translationally moving the first tape guide along the primary axis while moving the tape across the first tape guide and the tape head. The apparatus of the present invention can include one or more tape guides which support a tape as it moves across a tape head. Each tape guide can be configured to tilt or move translationally, or to do both, to cause the tape to move in a direction perpendicular to the primary direction of transport of the tape across the tape head.