Patent ID: 8351145

Claim:
A method of retaining a movable head assembly of a transducer on a base of the transducer, the transducer further including a linear motor in the base that operatively engages a frame of the head assembly, the movable head assembly and base defining an anti-rotation guide for the transducer; the anti-rotation guide having a ball disposed between a magnetically attracted portion of the frame and a magnet disposed on the base, the method comprising: providing a magnetic field that retains the ball in engagement between the magnetically attracted portion of the frame and the magnet; tracking the movement of a tape in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tape; providing a representative signal to a controller that is representative of the movement of the tape in the perpendicular direction; driving the head assembly with the linear motor in the perpendicular direction in response to a signal from the controller that is based upon the representative signal; and resisting rotation of the head assembly relative to the base with the magnetic field when the tape changes direction.