Tape drive with metal oxide interface between tape and tape head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10176828-B2
Application number	US-201816042864-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A tape head is provided for use with a tape drive that is configured to receive a length of tape. The tape head includes a head body including at least one head element for performing read and/or write operations on the tape, and a protective layer extending over at least a portion of the head body for inhibiting wear of the head body when the tape is moved with respect to the head body. Furthermore, the protective layer is made of titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zinc oxide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a tape head for a tape drive configured to receive a tape, the method comprising:
providing a head element for performing read and/or write operations on the tape;
providing a tape-head interface for coupling the head element with the tape;
applying a layer of metallic material over the tape-head interface; and
oxidizing the layer of metallic material to form a metal oxide layer configured to be in contact with both the tape-head interface and the tape when the tape is moved with respect to the head element.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that the metal oxide layer comprises titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zinc oxide substantially through an entire thickness of the metal oxide layer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that the metal oxide layer substantially comprises an electrically non-conductive metal oxide.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that the metal oxide layer is directly in contact with the tape-head interface without any intervening isolation layer between the metal oxide layer and the tape-head interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer ranges from 4 nanometers to 25 nanometers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer is less than 20 nanometers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer is less than 15 nanometers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer is less than 10 nanometers.

9. A method for making a tape drive for performing read and/or write operations on a tape, the method comprising:
providing a tape head, wherein the tape head comprises:
a head element for performing read and/or write operations on the tape; and
a tape-head interface for coupling the head element with the tape;

applying a layer of metallic material over the tape-head interface; and
oxidizing the layer of metallic material to form a metal oxide layer over the tape-head interface and configured to be in contact with both the tape-head interface and the tape when the tape is moved with respect to the head element.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that the metal oxide layer comprises titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zinc oxide substantially through an entire thickness of the metal oxide layer.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that the metal oxide layer substantially comprises an electrically non-conductive metal oxide.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that the metal oxide layer is directly in contact with the tape-head interface without any intervening isolation layer between the metal oxide layer and the tape-head interface.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer ranges from 4 nanometers to 25 nanometers.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer is less than 20 nanometers.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer is less than 15 nanometers.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the metallic material is applied and oxidized such that a thickness of the metal oxide layer is less than 10 nanometers.

17. A method for making a tape head for a tape drive configured to receive a tape, the method comprising:
providing a head body including at least one head element for performing read and/or write operations on the tape; and
applying a protective layer directly on an exposed portion of the head body to inhibit wear of the head body when the tape is moved with respect to the head body, the protective layer comprising a metal oxide substantially throughout a thickness of the protective layer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the protective layer comprises a thickness substantially consisting of titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zinc oxide.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the protective layer comprises a substantially electrically non-conductive metal oxide.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein a thickness of the protective layer ranges from 4 nanometers to 25 nanometers.

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Li Jianhua
• Link Michael J

Classifications

• G11B5/40

  Protective measures on heads, e.g. against excessive temperature  (G11B5/31 takes precedence; protection against wear G11B5/255  {; protective structure of the head: see under structures, e.g. G11B5/3106}) · CPC title

• G11B15/67

  by extracting end of record carrier from container or spool · CPC title

• G11B15/00

  Driving, starting or stopping record carriers of filamentary or web form; Driving both such record carriers and heads; Guiding such record carriers or containers therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function (driving or guiding heads G11B3/00 - G11B7/00, G11B21/00) · CPC title

• G11B5/00813 Primary

  magnetic tapes · CPC title

• G11B5/3106

  where the integrated or assembled structure comprises means for conditioning against physical detrimental influence, e.g. wear, contamination (G11B5/3133 takes precedence) · CPC title