Tape drive apparatus with a head alignment system
View Patent ↗A tape drive apparatus is provided with a base plate and tape path components on this base plate. The apparatus includes a bracket that is adjustably coupled to the base plate, the bracket carrying a magnetic head for reading and writing to a tape transported by the tape path components. Adjustment couplings couple the bracket to the base plate and are lockably settable to adjust and lock the spatial orientation of the magnetic head with respect to a tape transported by the tape path components. Pre-loaded jackscrews of the adjustment couplings are rotated to adjust and lock the azimuth and zenith settings for the magnetic head. A separate penetration screw independently controls the penetration of the magnetic head into the path of the magnetic tape.
1. A tape drive apparatus with head alignment system, comprising:
a magnetic head;
a base plate;
tape transport apparatus on the base plate;
a bracket that carries the magnetic head;
connectors that connect the bracket to the base plate by an adjustable distance;
wherein the connectors include first, second and third posts that separate the bracket from the base plate; and,
means for adjusting the spatial orientation of the magnetic head with respect to a magnetic tape;
wherein the means for adjusting is configured to adjust azimuth, zenith and penetration of the magnetic head with respect to a magnetic tape.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first post is a pivot post, the second post is separated from the first post in a first direction and is a zenith post, and the third post is separated from the first post in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and is an azimuth post.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the connectors include concentric springs on the first, second and third posts that bias the bracket away from the base plate.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the connectors include adjustment screws that extend through the base plate and into the first, second and third posts, with selective turning of the screws changing a separation of the bracket from the base plate and controllably adjusting the zenith and azimuth.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the screws include screwheads and the connectors include spherical washers positioned on the screws between the screwheads and the base plate.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the means for adjusting include a retainer to which the magnetic head is connected and slidably attached to the bracket, and a penetration screw coupled to the retainer and that slides the retainer with respect to the bracket upon turning of the penetration screw to thereby adjust the penetration of the magnetic head.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus has a top side and each of the adjustment screws are accessible for turning from the top side.
8. A tape drive apparatus comprising:
a base plate;
tape path components on the base plate;
a bracket adjustably coupled to the base plate, the bracket carrying a magnetic head for reading and writing to a tape transported by the tape path components; and
adjustment couplings that couple the bracket to the base plate and are lockingly settable to adjust and lock the spatial orientation of the magnetic head with respect to a tape transported by the tape path components;
wherein the adjustment couplings include:
upwardly extending posts on the bracket, each post having a screwhole for receiving a screw;
a spring concentrically surrounding each post bearing at opposite ends of the spring against the bracket and the base to bias the bracket and the base away from each other; and
screws extending through the base and into each screwhole, turning of the screws adjusting the spatial orientation.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment couplings are positioned relative to one another such that a first one of the adjustment couplings is a pivot point coupling, a second one of the adjustment couplings is spaced in a first direction from the pivot point coupling and is an azimuth adjustment coupling, and a third one of the adjustment couplings is spaced in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and is a zenith adjustment coupling.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the adjustment couplings include spherical seats on the base plate, and spherical washers on the screws, such that the spherical washers interact with the spherical seats.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the tape drive apparatus has a top side and each of the screws are accessible for turning from the top side.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a retainer to which the magnetic head is connected and slidably attached to the bracket, and a penetration screw coupled to the retainer and that slides the retainer with respect to the bracket upon turning of the penetration screw to thereby adjust the penetration of the magnetic head into tape transported by the tape path components.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the spacing between the pivot point coupling and the azimuth adjustment coupling is at least 100 mm.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the screws have metric threads of size M3×0.50.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the turning of the screw of the azimuth adjustment coupling provides 0.5 minutes of azimuth alignment for every 10° of rotation of the screw of the azimuth adjustment coupling.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the turning of the screw of the zenith adjustment coupling provides 1.5 minutes of zenith adjustment for every 10° of rotation of the screw of the zenith adjustment coupling.