Head assembly with suspension system for a tape embedded drive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10991390-B2
Application number	US-201916365034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2019
Priority date	Feb 8, 2019
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A storage device comprises tape reel(s) holding tape media for storing data, a head assembly, motor(s) configured to actuate the head assembly, a sealed casing, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) configured to control operations of the motor(s). The head assembly comprises a support structure, a head bar with read head(s) and write head(s), and a suspension system connecting the head bar to the support structure. The sealed casing encloses in its interior the tape reel(s), the head assembly, and the motor(s). Meanwhile, the PCBA is mounted on an external surface of the casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head assembly for reading or writing to tape media in a tape drive, the head assembly comprising:
a support structure;
a head bar comprising at least one read head and at least one write head, the head bar less than half a width of the tape media; and
a suspension system connecting the head bar to the support structure and configured to move the head bar across the width of the tape media, the suspension system comprising:
a first piezoelectric actuator configured to pull in a first configuration and push in a second configuration;
a second piezoelectric actuator configured to push in the first configuration and pull in the second configuration;
a frame connected to the support structure; and
a plurality of suspension wires attaching the head bar to the frame;
wherein the first piezoelectric actuator connects a first side of the head bar to a first side of the frame, and the second piezoelectric actuator connects a second side of the head bar to a second side of the frame, the second side of the head bar opposite the first side of the head bar.

2. The head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the head bar comprises a writer-reader-writer layout of heads.

3. The head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the head bar comprises a writer-reader-reader-writer layout of heads.

4. A storage device comprising the head assembly of claim 1 .

5. A storage device comprising:
one or more tape reels comprising tape media for storing data;
a head assembly comprising:
a support structure;
a head bar comprising at least one read head and at least one write head; and
a suspension system connecting the head bar to the support structure and configured to move the head bar across a width of the tape media, the suspension system comprising:
a first piezoelectric actuator configured to pull in a first configuration and push in a second configuration;
a second piezoelectric actuator configured to push in the first configuration and pull in the second configuration;
a frame connected to the support structure; and
a plurality of suspension wires attaching the head bar to the frame;
wherein the first piezoelectric actuator connects a first side of the head bar to a first side of the frame, and the second piezoelectric actuator connects a second side of the head bar to a second side of the frame, the second side of the head bar opposite the first side of the head bar;

one or more motors configured to actuate the head assembly;
a sealed casing comprising an inner cavity, the inner cavity holding the one or more tape reels, the head assembly, and the one or more motors; and
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) mounted on an external surface of the casing, the PCBA electrically connected to the one or more motors and configured to control operations of the one or more motors.

6. The storage device of claim 5 , wherein the PCBA comprises a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or a Serial ATA (SATA) connector.

7. The storage device of claim 5 , wherein the casing is a 3.5 inch form factor.

8. The storage device of claim 5 , wherein a width of the head bar is less than the width of the tape media.

9. The storage device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more motors comprise:
a stepping motor configured to provide coarse movement of the head assembly; and
a voice coil motor configured to provide fine movement of the head assembly.

10. A storage device comprising:
one or more tape holding means configured to hold tape media for storing data;
a head assembly comprising:
a support structure;
a tape reading and writing means; and
a suspension means connecting the tape reading and writing means to the support structure, the suspension means configured to move the tape reading and writing means across a width of the tape media, the suspension means comprising:
a first actuating means configured to pull in a first configuration and push in a second configuration;
a second actuating means configured to push in the first configuration and pull in the second configuration;
a frame connected to the support structure; and
suspension means for attaching the tape reading and writing means to the frame;

wherein the first actuating means connects a first side of the tape reading and writing means to a first side of the frame, and the second actuating means connects a second side of the tape reading and writing means to a second side of the frame, the second side of the tape reading and writing means opposite the first side of the tape reading and writing means;

one or more additional actuating means configured to actuate the head assembly;
a sealed casing comprising an inner cavity, the inner cavity holding the one or more tape holding means, the head assembly, and the one or more additional actuating means; and
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) mounted on an external surface of the casing, the PCBA electrically connected to the one or more additional actuating means and comprising components configured to control operations of the one or more additional actuating means.

11. The storage device of claim 10 , wherein the PCBA comprises a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or a Serial ATA (SATA) connector.

12. The storage device of claim 10 , wherein the casing is a 3.5 inch form factor.

13. The storage device of claim 10 , wherein a width of the tape reading and writing means is less than the width of the tape media.

14. The storage device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more additional actuating means configured to actuate the head assembly comprises:
a stepping motor configured to provide coarse movement of the head assembly; and
a voice coil motor configured to provide fine movement of the head assembly.

Assignees

• Western Digital Tech Inc

Inventors

• Kobayashi Masahito

Classifications

• G11B5/584 Primary

  for track following on tapes · CPC title

• G11B15/675

  Guiding containers {, e.g. loading, ejecting cassettes} · CPC title

• G11B33/14

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

• G11B5/00817

  on longitudinal tracks only, e.g. for serpentine format recording · CPC title

• G11B23/087

  using two different reels or cores · CPC title