Patent ID: 8243396

Claim:
A tape drive system, comprising: a support for engaging a tape, wherein the support includes a roller adapted for engaging a tape wrapped around at least a portion of an outer surface thereof, wherein an outer surface of the roller has at least one of texturing, grooves extending circumferentially therealong, and channels that allow air to bleed out from between the tape and the support; and a head directly opposing the support such that a tape engaging the support is positioned between the head and the roller of the support, the head being for performing at least one of reading from a tape and writing to a tape, wherein, during an operation period when the head is reading from or writing to a tape, the head is positioned such that at least one of the following occurs: the head does not contact the tape for a majority of the operation period; and the head does not contact the tape for at least a portion of the operation period.