Tape head with thermal tape-head distance sensor

摘要

A tape head 1 comprises a tape bearing surface 11, shaped to form an air bearing 40, a thermal tape-head distance sensor circuit adapted to sense heat dissipated at the level of the tape bearing surface by the tape and thereby sense a distance d between the tape bearing surface and the tape. A tape-head distance control means 22 controls the bearing surface to tape distance according to a signal received from the tape-head distance sensor circuit. Closed loop feedback control can be used and the tape bearing surface may have non-skiving edges. The tape head to tape distance may be controlled with electrostatic attractors 24. The tape head may include a heater element 16 and heating circuit 13 to provide constant power to the heating circuit. The heating element may also be a resistance temperature detector which is thermally insulated from the tape bearing surface surrounding it by an air gap.