Tape drive bearing temperature control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10679662-B2
Application number	US-201916591684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

A determination is made whether read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit. In response to determining that read/write is enabled, a determination is made whether a temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds a threshold value. In response to determining that the temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds the threshold value, a determination is made of a direction of travel of a tape media within the tape drive storage unit. In response to determining that the direction of travel is a forward direction, a first cooling device is powered on. The first cooling device lowers the temperature of a first guide roller and the tape media coming off a first tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, the method comprising:
determining, by one or more computer processors, that a temperature within a tape drive storage unit exceeds a threshold value;
responsive to determining that the temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds the threshold value, determining, by the one or more computer processors, a direction of travel of a tape media within the tape drive storage unit; and
responsive to determining that the direction of travel of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit is a forward direction, powering on, by the one or more computer processors, a first cooling device within the tape drive storage unit, wherein the first cooling device lowers the temperature of a first guide roller and the tape media coming off a first tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to determining that the direction of travel of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit is a backward direction, powering on, by the one or more computer processors, a second cooling device within the tape drive storage unit, wherein the second cooling device lowers the temperature of a second guide roller and the tape media coming off a second tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold value of the temperature within the tape drive storage unit is the temperature within the tape drive storage unit above which problems affecting track-following performance of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit occur.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein problems affecting track-following performance are selected from the group consisting of thermal expansion of components, effectiveness of lubrication, and increased harmonic disturbance of guide rollers.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by one or more computer processors, that (i) read/write is not enabled within the tape drive storage unit or (ii) read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit and the temperature within the tape drive storage unit does not exceed a threshold value;
responsive to determining that (i) read/write is not enabled within the tape drive storage unit or (ii) read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit and the temperature within the tape drive storage unit does not exceed the threshold value, powering off, by the one or more computer processors, the first cooling device when the first cooling device is powered on and powering off, by the one or more computer processors, a second cooling device when the second cooling device is powered on.

6. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to determine that a temperature within a tape drive storage unit exceeds a threshold value;
responsive to determining that the temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds the threshold value, program instructions to determine a direction of travel of a tape media within the tape drive storage unit; and
responsive to determining that the direction of travel of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit is a forward direction, program instructions to power on a first cooling device within the tape drive storage unit, wherein the first cooling device lowers the temperature of a first guide roller and the tape media coming off a first tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:
responsive to determining that the direction of travel of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit is a backward direction, power on a second cooling device within the tape drive storage unit, wherein the second cooling device lowers the temperature of a second guide roller and the tape media coming off a second tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the threshold value of the temperature within the tape drive storage unit is the temperature within the tape drive storage unit above which problems affecting track-following performance of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit occur.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein problems affecting track-following performance are selected from the group consisting of thermal expansion of components, effectiveness of lubrication, and increased harmonic disturbance of guide rollers.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:
determine that (i) read/write is not enabled within the tape drive storage unit or (ii) read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit and the temperature within the tape drive storage unit does not exceed a threshold value;
responsive to determining that (i) read/write is not enabled within the tape drive storage unit or (ii) read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit and the temperature within the tape drive storage unit does not exceed the threshold value, power off the first cooling device when the first cooling device is powered on and power off a second cooling device when the second cooling device is powered on.

11. A computer system, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media;
one or more computer processors; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to determine that a temperature within a tape drive storage unit exceeds a threshold value;
responsive to determining that the temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds the threshold value, program instructions to determine a direction of travel of a tape media within the tape drive storage unit; and
responsive to determining that the direction of travel of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit is a forward direction, program instructions to power on a first cooling device within the tape drive storage unit, wherein the first cooling device lowers the temperature of a first guide roller and the tape media coming off a first tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , further comprising program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by the one or more computer processors, to:
responsive to determining that the direction of travel of the tape media within the tape drive storage unit is a backward direction, power on a second cooling device within the tape drive storage unit, wherein the second cooling device lowers the temperature of a second guide roller and the tape media coming off a second tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.

13. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the threshold value of the temperature within the tape drive storage unit is the temperature within the tape drive storage unit above which problems affecting track-following performance of the tape m

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bui Nhan X
• Judd Kevin B
• Inch Randy C
• Lantz Mark A
• Harper David H F

Classifications

• G11B15/60 Primary

  Guiding record carrier (guiding devices structurally associated with magazines or cassettes G11B23/04) · CPC title

• G11B33/1406

  Reducing the influence of the temperature · CPC title

• G11B5/00813

  magnetic tapes · CPC title

• G11B33/14

  Reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture, dust · CPC title