Tape head with thin tape bearing surface coating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9704518-B2
Application number	US-201615079317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

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 tape head for a tape drive that is configured to receive a length of tape, the tape head comprising:
a head body including at least one head element for performing read and/or write operations on the tape; and
a protective layer disposed directly on 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, wherein the protective layer is made of titanium oxide such that an entire thickness of the protective layer comprises titanium oxide, and wherein the protective layer is arranged to directly contact the tape when the tape is moved with respect to the head body.

2. The tape head of claim 1 wherein the head body includes a device region positioned between two head bulk material regions, the device region comprises the at least one head element, and the protective layer extends at least partially over the device region.

3. The tape head of claim 2 wherein the protective layer is disposed directly on the device region.

4. The tape head of claim 2 wherein the protective layer has a thickness less than 20 nanometers.

5. The tape head of claim 4 wherein the protective layer is disposed directly on the device region.

6. The tape head of claim 1 wherein the protective layer is made of a layer of titanium that is deposited on the at least a portion of the head body and subsequently oxidized to form titanium oxide.

7. A tape drive for use with tape, the tape drive comprising:
a drive body; and
a tape head according to claim 1 supported on the drive body.

8. The tape drive of claim 7 wherein the head body includes a device region positioned between two head bulk material regions, the device region comprises the at least one head element, and the protective layer extends at least partially over the device region.

9. The tape drive of claim 8 wherein the protective layer is disposed directly on the device region.

10. The tape drive of claim 9 wherein the protective layer has a thickness less than 20 nanometers.

11. A tape head for a tape drive that is configured to receive a length of tape, the tape head comprising:
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, the protective layer being made of a layer of titanium, chromium, zirconium, aluminum, or zinc that is deposited directly on the at least a portion of the head body and subsequently oxidized to form titanium oxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, or zinc oxide along an entire thickness of the protective layer, wherein the protective layer is arranged to directly contact the tape when the tape is moved with respect to the head body.

12. The tape head of claim 11 wherein the head body includes a device region positioned between two head bulk material regions, the device region comprises the at least one head element, and the protective layer extends at least partially over the device region.

13. The tape head of claim 12 wherein the protective layer is disposed directly on the device region.

14. The tape head of claim 12 wherein the protective layer has a thickness less than 20 nanometers.

15. The tape head of claim 12 wherein the protective layer has a thickness less than 10 nanometers.

16. A tape drive for use with tape, the tape drive comprising:
a drive body; and
a tape head according to claim 11 supported on the drive body.

17. The tape drive of claim 16 wherein the head body includes a device region positioned between two head bulk material regions, the device region comprises the at least one head element, and the protective layer extends at least partially over the device region.

18. The tape drive of claim 17 wherein the protective layer is disposed directly on the device region.

19. The tape drive of claim 18 wherein the protective layer has a thickness less than 20 nanometers.

20. The tape drive of claim 16 wherein the protective layer is made of a layer of titanium that is deposited on the at least a portion of the head body and subsequently oxidized to form titanium oxide.

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Li Jianhua
• Link Michael J

Classifications

• G11B15/67

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

• G11B5/40 Primary

  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

• G11B5/00813 Primary

  magnetic tapes · CPC title

• C23C14/5853

  Oxidation · CPC title

• G11B5/255

  comprising means for protection against wear {(in thin film structures G11B5/3106)} · CPC title