Abstract:
Fluid is introduced under pressure to the operative face of a magnetic head to lift the magnetic media out of contact with the transducers when the media is stationary or about to be stopped. The media is lifted only locally with respect to the multiple transducers of the magnetic head. The fluid pressure tents the tape with the pressure adjusted such that the media forms a seal with the head at the edges of the media to hold the fluid within the tent-like structure. Slots formed in the magnetic head at the leading and trailing edges allow the fluid to escape to keep the media from excessively lifting from the magnetic head. The fluid pressure is under control of a valve that introduces the pressure to the operative face of the head as well as opening the operative face to atmospheric pressure when the fluid pressure is halted to permit the media tension to quickly pull the media back into contact with the transducers by assisting the slots in dissipating the fluid pressure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a stationary magnetic head with a media transport and, in particular, to a stationary magnetic head provided with a fluid operated media lifter for operation on a stopped media. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A problem has arisen with the highly polished surfaces now being provided on the operative faces of magnetic heads as well as on the flexible magnetic media coating. Both the media and the head include the highly polished contact surfaces in order to diminish undo wear and improve output electrical signals when the media, such as the magnetic tape, is pulled over the magnetic head to read and write information to and from the magnetic tape. However, these highly polished surfaces cause a problem when the tape is stationary or near stationary, as is required in the start and stop operations standard in data processing systems. The two highly polished surfaces cause the tape to &#34;wring-in&#34; and thereby cling to the magnetic head face. Present day high-speed and high-throughput data processing systems require a rapid start of the tape when the start command is given after the tape is stopped at the position required for the next block of data information to be obtained from the tape. With the highly polished surfaces, the tape clings to the operative face of the head and prevents a rapid start until the tape is in motion and an air bearing is built up between the two highly polished surfaces. 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a means for overcoming the clinging of the tape to the head to permit a rapid start and stop operation of the data processing system. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     It is well known in the magnetic tape and magnetic head art to provide a pressurized fluid between the operative face of the magnetic head and the magnetic tape as it passes over the magnetic head. The introduction of the pressurized fluid was to space the magnetic tape a small distance away from the magnetic head in order to cut down the wear when the inevitable contact occurred between the tape and the head as the tape passed over the head. The pressurized fluid was introduced during the time when the magnetic tape was in motion over the magnetic head. 
     It is, therefore, another object of the present invention to provide a means for introducing fluid pressure under a stationary magnetic media. 
     A U.S. Pat. No 3,939,493, issued to Fowler, et al, entitled &#34;Tape Lifter&#34; and assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a fluid pressure device for lifting the tape locally away from a rotating head as the head rotates with the tape stationary. Only the tape in the vicinity of the head is lifted and the lifting is performed to keep the head away from the tape when the head is not sensing data from the tape. The fluid flow lifts the tape without allowing an easy dissipation between the mandrel and the head rotor. The tape is lifted only locally about the head so that the recovery time for continuing a read/write operation is kept to a minimum. 
     There is no showing, as with the present invention, of a tape lifter for a stationary magnetic head and a stationary media wherein the slots, formed in the magnetic head surface to control the flying distance between the media and the head, are used to control the spacing between the media and the head during a stop situation and wherein the lifter itself, as well as the slots, assist in the dissipation of the fluid to shorten the recovery time for renewal of the read/write operations. 
     Yet another object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a controlled fluid tape lifter that operates with a stationary magnetic head and a stationary media with a controlled lift and operation that permits a short recovery time to return to normal read/write operations after the stopping of the tape between operations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a magnetic head includes a fluid entry device placed approximate to the center of the head. The fluid entry device is controlled by a valve which, when activated, allows a fluid pressure to be injected in the area of the operative face of the magnetic head between a magnetic media and the head when the motion of the tape is about to be stopped. The valve in the deactivated state prevents the entry of the fluid pressure into the lifter device and also opens the lifter device to atmospheric pressure. The pressure provided by the lifter device, between the magnetic head and the magnetic media, is such that the media is lifted from contact with the transducers of the head to form a tent over the transducers. The head includes slots in its operative face formed parallel to the tape path to control the fluid flow, such that the media flies at a preset distance from the transducers. The slots in the head allow the fluid to leak away when the tape is moving past the head. With the lifter fluid pressure activated when the tape is stationary, the slots are gauged to permit some fluid to leak around the tent formed by the tape. The tent can be quickly dissipated upon a reactivation to return to a sensing operation by the action of the leakage of the fluid pressure through the slots, as well as through the opening of the lifter device to atmospheric pressure. 
     The present invention provides a magnetic head for sensing magnetic transitions from a magnetic media that includes a plurality of transducers on its operative face for sensing the magnetic transitions as the magnetic media passes adjacent to the transducers. A plurality of slots are formed in the operative face of the magnetic head. At least some of the slots are formed parallel to the motion of the magnetic media and are adjacent to the beginning and end of the tape contact with the operative face of the magnetic head. The magnetic head further includes a means for introducing a fluid under pressure between the magnetic media and the transducers. Means are provided for controlling the pressure of the fluid entry into the means for introducing the fluid. The fluid under pressure, when actuated with the media stopped or near stop adjacent to the operative face of the magnetic head, forms the media into a tent-like structure over the head transducers. The pressurized fluid is contained within the tent-like structure and is permitted to be controllably released into the slots. The means for controlling the fluid pressure preferably opens the means for introducing the fluid to atmospheric pressure when it halts the entry of the pressurized fluid between the head and the media. 
     It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a fluid operated tape lifter that operates with a stationary mounted head to lift the media away from the head when the media is also stationary in the non-recording mode, while using the slots in the head to control the distance between the tape and the head when the pressurized fluid is entered and to permit a dissipation of the fluid when the head transducing action continues. 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide an enhanced magnetic head and media interface for start/stop media-to-head interaction. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for preventing the media from clinging to the head when the movement of the media is halted in a start/stop drive operation. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The various novel features of this invention, along with the foregoing and other objects, as well as the invention itself, both as to its organization and method of operation, may be fully understood from the following description of illustrated embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a tape media and head interface with a section of the tape cutout to show the transducers and the tape lifter; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the magnetic head of FIG. 1 with the tape lifter in operation; and 
     FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 showing the approximate interface of the media with the head with the lifter in operation. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In FIG. 1, a magnetic head 10 is shown with a magnetic tape media 12 interfacing with the head 10 in its operative position to read and write magnetic transitions between the head 10 and the tape 12 for use in a data processing system. The head 10 includes a write module 14 and a read module 16. The write module 14 includes a write chip 18 and a write closure 20. A plurality of transducers are formed at a write transducing line 22 formed between the write chip 18 and the write closure 20. The individual write transducers (not shown) can be readily formed by any of the techniques well known in the magnetic head art. The write chip 18 includes a plurality of write forward blind slots 24 formed in a leading face 26 of the magnetic head. 
     The read module 16 includes a read closure 28 and a read chip 30. The read closure 28 and the read chip 30 form a read transducing gap 32 which includes a plurality of read transducers matching in number and formed in line with the write transducers of the write transducing gap line 22. The read transducers can be formed in any of the standard configurations and procedures as is well known in the art. The read closure 28 includes a plurality of read forward blind slots 34 formed in its leading face at a bond line 36 formed between the write module 14 and the read module 16. The read chip 30 includes a plurality of read backward slots 38 formed at the trailing edge 40 of the read chip 30 which is also the trailing edge of the magnetic head 10. A tube 42 is included in an opening created by a rectangular cutaway within the read module at the approximate center of the magnetic head. The tube 42 permits the entry of the fluid flow between the head 10 and the media 12 in the manner according to the present invention as will be further described. 
     FIG. 2 shows the position of the magnetic tape 12 in a normal read/write operation. The magnetic head 10 is shaped such that the tape 12 flies very close to the write transducer line 22 and the read transducer line 32. The slots 24, for instance, are formed in the write chip 18 to assist in keeping the tape 12 close to the write transducer gap 22 in the forward direction of motion. The slots 34 in the read closure 28 are likewise used to keep the tape 12 in a close flying height from the read transducer gap 32 in the forward direction of motion. The operation of the slots 24 and the slots 34 are mainly for use when the tape is travelling in the direction from the supply reel to the take-up reel, which is the forward direction in this consideration, with the leading edge 26 being the side that first contacts the tape as it travels to the trailing edge 40. The head 10 is conditioned to transduce with the tape travelling in the opposite direction. In this instance, the slots 38 in the read chip 30 operate to keep the tape 12 in close contact with the read transducer gap 32. Normally, the magnetic heads are required to only read data from the tape 12 when the tape is travelling in the reverse direction from the take-up reel to the supply reel. Thus, when the magnetic tape 12 is moving over the magnetic head 10, the tape 12 is in close association with an operative face 44 of the head 10. The operative face 44 includes a land area adjacent to the slots and the transducing gap areas as well as the areas adjacent to the transducing gaps. With the tape 12 and the head 10 in operative transducing association, the lifter tube is open to atmospheric pressure. Thus in the transducing operation, a normally closed valve 46 is inoperative in its normally closed position and a normally open valve 48 is in its inoperative position, that is, normally open. Since the valve 48 is in its normally open position, the lifter tube 42 through connecting tubes 50 is open to atmospheric pressure as shown by the direction of the arrow 52. A pump 54 may or may not be operating because, in any event, valve 46 is closed and no fluid pressure is directed to the lifter tube 42. 
     FIG. 3 shows the relative position of the tape 12 to the operative face 44 of the magnetic head 10. The tape 12 forms a tent-like structure 56 above the operative face 44. In this instance, the normally open valve 48 is activated to close the valve and shut off the exhausting of the pressure to the atmosphere. The normally closed valve 46 is activated to allow the fluid pressure from pump 54 to move in the direction of the arrows 58 and 60 into the area between the operative face 44 and the tape 12. The fluid pressure is controlled such that the tape 12 is lifted away from contact with most of the operative face 44 of the head 10. The tape 12 is lifted away from the write transducing gap 22 and the read transducing gap 32. The tape is in contact with the write chip 18 and the read chip 30 in the land area adjacent to the slots 24 and 38 respectively. FIG. 4 shows the area of contact between the tape 12 and the magnetic head 10. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the fluid pressure into the tent-like structure 56 is of a set amount such that with the tension placed upon the tape 12 between a take-up reel and a supply reel (not shown), the fluid pressure entered through the lifter tube 42 between the tape 12 and the operative face 44 places the tape in contact with the head along the periphery of the tent-like structure 56. The tape 12 is therefore in contact at the leading edge 26 of the head, in the area of the slots 24, such that the tape 12 covers the major portion of the area of the slots but leaves an opening into the tent-like structure to allow some of the fluid to escape through the slots 24. Likewise, at the trailing edge 40 of the head 10, the tape 12 covers a major portion of the area of the slots 38 but again leaves a space such that some of the fluid directed into the tent-like structure 56 can escape through the slots 38. The tape 12 comes in contact with the head 10 along the edges of the tape in the area shown by the reference numerals 62 and 64. The tape 12 forms somewhat of a seal in the areas 62 and 64 in order to permit the tent-like structure 56 to form. As shown in FIG. 4, the tape 12, at this time in the stationary position, is held away from the major portion of the operative face 44 and is held away from the write transducing gap 22 as well as the read transducing gap 32. Read and write operations are not taking place because at this time the tape is stationary. 
     Reference is made to FIGS. 1--4 for the operation of the invention as described in the preferred embodiment shown. The tape 12 is threaded over the head 10 and, as long as the tape is in motion, the interface between the tape and the head is as shown in FIG. 2. The transducers of the head are activated and a read/write operation is performed. The valves 46 and 48 are not activated and therefore any pressure built up in the interface between the tape and the head is exhausted through the tape lifter 42 into the connecting tubes 50 and out the valve 48 in the direction of the arrow 52 (FIG. 2) in order to keep the area adjacent the operative face 44 of the head at atmospheric pressure or a natural foil air bearing pressure. When the tape is stopped for whatever reason, such as when the tape drive is awaiting a further command to sense the next group of data information from the tape 12, the tape and head interface is as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The tent-like structure 56 is formed between the tape and the operative face 44 of the head 10. The tent-like structure 56 is formed since both valves 46 and 48 are activated and the fluid pressure from pump 54 is directed as shown by arrow 58 through the activated valve 46 into the connecting tubes 50 and along the tape lifter tube 42 in the direction of arrow 60. The valve 48 is in a closed position. The fluid pressure forms the tent-like structure with the fluid exhausting through the slots 24 and 38 in order to control the distance between the tape 12 and the operative face 44 of the head 10. 
     At the start-up time where the transducing action between the head 10 and the tape 12 must again be activated, the valves 46 and 48 are deactivated. The tent-like structure 56 collapses immediately because the fluid pressure is vented through the slots 24 and 38, and in the reverse direction opposite the direction of the arrow 60 through the lifter tube 42 out the connecting tubes 50 and the valve 48 to return the pressure between the tape 12 and the operative face 44 of the head 10 to atmospheric pressure or a natural foil air bearing pressure. Thus the operation of the valves 46 and 48 allows the pressurized fluid to be injected between the tape and the head when a stop command is received by the tape drive. The valves 46 and 48 in the deactivated state prevent the entry of the fluid pressure into the tape lifter tube and also opens the lifter tube 42 to atmospheric pressure to prevent any abnormal buildup of pressure between the tape 12 and the head 10. When the stop command is received, the valves 46 and 48 are activated and the fluid pressure provided through the lifter tube 42 is such that the tape is lifted from contact with the transducers thereby forming a tent-like structure 56 over the transducers. The head 10 includes the slots 24 and 38 in its face formed parallel to the tape path to have the tape fly at a preset distance from the transducers. The slots in the head allow the pressurized fluid to exhaust. The pressure is gauged such that the tent-like structure 56 can be quickly dissipated when a start command is received. The start command deactivates the valves 46 and 48 to quickly collapse the tent-like structure 56 by the action of the leakage of the fluid flow through the slots 24 and 38 as well as in the reverse direction through the lifter tube out the valve 48 to atmospheric pressure. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the position of the lifter tube 42 is approximate to the center of the head 10. The dimensions of the lifter tube are determined by the slots 34 and for the preferred embodiment is about 15 millimeters in the width of the tube along the direction of the tape and the length direction is about 40 millimeters. The tape tension is kept at about 8 ounces in a one-half inch tape of a 0.001 inch thickness. The air pressure, in order to form an acceptable tent-like structure, is from 2 to 5 pounds per square inch. The fluid escape path, through the slots in the head, produces in effect a sort of wedge lift while the remaining contact area around the periphery of the magnetic head serves, in effect, as a hinge. Therefore, for the purposes of the transducing action, there is a hinge at the write module 14 as well as a hinge at the read module 16. The hinge concept produces, in effect, a very fast response tape lifting and a very fast collapse of the fluid bubble upon the removal of the fluid in preparation for a normal read/write operation. 
     The principles of the present invention have now been made clear in an illustrative embodiment. There will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of the structure, arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials and components used in the practice of the invention. For instance, many different shapes of tubing, such as rectangular, square or circular, can be used for the lifter tube 42. A slot cut into the ceramic material of the head could form the tube required to carry the fluid to the operative face of the head. A different placement of the tube, other than in the read module or at the exact center of the head, and the number of tubes are anticipated by this invention, the only criteria being that a symmetrical lifting pattern be established on the operative face of the magnetic head. The pressure of the fluid must be such as to create a tent-like structure with an escape path at the leading and trailing edges of the head. The particular shape of the head is included as part of the best mode of the present invention, but the invention itself should not be limited as to the shape and placement of the individual transducers as disclosed. It should be evident that valves 46 and 48 could be encompassed in one package with the valve opening the entry of the passage for the fluid pressure while the valve is closing the exhaust into atmospheric pressure. The appended claims are, therefore, intended to cover and embrace any such modification within the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention.