Head rotator assembly for tape drive
View Patent ↗A head rotator assembly for positioning a head of a tape drive relative to a storage tape that moves over the head comprises a head supporter and a supporter mover assembly. The head supporter is coupled to and supports the head. The supporter mover assembly includes a first actuator that indirectly rotates a portion of the head supporter about an axis to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head. The supporter mover assembly can further include a first lever. The first actuator moves the first lever to rotate the portion of the head supporter so that the head moves in the azimuth direction relative to the storage tape.
1. A head rotator assembly for positioning a head of a tape drive relative to a storage tape that moves over the head, the head rotator assembly comprising:
a head supporter that is coupled to and supports the head; and
a supporter mover assembly including (i) a lever, (ii) a first actuator that moves the first lever to rotate the portion of the head supporter about an axis to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head.
2. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 wherein the first actuator exerts a force against the first lever to rotate the first lever about a lever pivot in a first rotational direction, and wherein upon the rotation of the first lever in the first rotational direction, the first lever exerts a force against the head supporter to rotate the head supporter about a supporter pivot in a second rotational direction that is different than the first rotational direction.
3. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 wherein the first actuator exerts a force against the first lever to flex the first lever, and wherein upon the flexing of the first lever, the first lever exerts a force against the head supporter to rotate the head supporter about a supporter pivot to move the head in the azimuth direction relative to the storage tape.
4. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 wherein the first actuator imparts an actuator bias force against the first lever in a first direction, and the first lever imparts a lever bias force against the head supporter in a second direction that is different than the first direction.
5. The head rotator assembly of claim 4 wherein the first direction is approximately perpendicular to the second direction.
6. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a controller that receives a positioning signal from the head, the controller controlling movement of the supporter mover assembly based at least partially on the positioning signal.
7. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 wherein the first actuator includes a piezoelectric element.
8. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 wherein the supporter mover assembly further includes a second actuator that indirectly rotates the portion of the head supporter about the axis to move the head in the azimuth direction relative to the storage tape.
9. The head rotator assembly of claim 8 wherein the second actuator is on an opposite side of the head supporter from the first actuator.
10. The head rotator assembly of claim 1 wherein the supporter mover assembly further comprises a support plate, and wherein the head supporter is at least partially fixedly secured to the support plate.
11. A tape drive including a head and the head rotator assembly of claim 1 that supports the head.
12. A method for positioning a head of a tape drive relative to a storage tape that moves over the head, the method comprising the steps of:
supporting the head with a head supporter that is coupled to the head; and
indirectly rotating a portion of the head supporter about an axis with a first actuator to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head,
wherein the step of indirectly rotating includes the steps of moving a first lever with the first actuator, and rotating the head supporter with the first lever to move the head in the azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of moving includes the step of imparting an actuator bias force with the first actuator against the first lever in a first direction, and wherein the step of rotating includes the step of imparting a lever bias force with the first lever against the head supporter in a second direction that is different than the first direction.
14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of receiving a positioning signal from the head with a controller, and controlling movement of the first actuator with the controller based at least partially on the positioning signal.
15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of indirectly rotating a portion of the head supporter about an axis with a second actuator to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head.
16. The method of claim 12 futher comprising the step of fixedly securing at least a portion of the head supporter to a support plate.
17. A head rotator assembly for positioning a head of a tape drive relative to a storage that moves over the head, the head rotator assembly comprising:
a head supporter that is coupled to and supports the head; and
a supporter mover assembly including (i) a lever, (ii) a first actuator that indirectly rotates a portion of the head supporter about an axis to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head, and (iii) a second actuator that moves the lever to rotate the portion of the head supporter about the axis to move the head in the azimuth direction relative to the storage tape.
18. A method for positioning a head of a tape drive relative to a storage tape that moves over the head, the method comprising the steps of:
supporting the head with a head supporter that is coupled to the head;
indirectly rotating a portion of the head supporter about an axis with a first actuator to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head;
indirectly rotating a portion of the head supporter about an axis with a second actuator to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head;
wherein the step of indirectly rotating a portion of the head supporter about an axis with the second actuator includes the steps of moving a second lever with the second actuator, and rotating the portion of the head supporter with the second lever to move the head in an azimuth direction relative to the storage tape as the storage tape moves over the head.