TAPE HEAD WITH THERMAL TAPE-HEAD DISTANCE SENSOR

摘要

Tape head with thermal tape-head distance sensor to reduce the distance between the tape and the head to allow an increase in areal density. A tape head designed for reading and/or writing to a tape, including: a tape bearing surface shaped to form an air bearing when moving the tape with respect to the tape bearing surface; 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 between the tape bearing surface and the tape; and tape-head distance control means connected to the thermal tape-head distance sensor circuit to receive a signal provided by the tape-head distance sensor circuit and configured to alter the distance according to a signal received from the tape-head distance sensor circuit. This invention is further directed to a method of tape-head distance control for the above tape head.

主权项

1. A tape head for reading and/or writing to a tape, comprising:
a tape bearing surface for forming an air bearing when the tape moves with respect to the tape bearing surface; a thermal tape-head distance sensor circuit adapted to sense heat dissipated at a level of the tape bearing surface by the tape thereby sensing a distance between the tape bearing surface and the tape; and a tape-head distance control means connected to the thermal tape-head distance sensor circuit to receive a signal provided by the tape-head distance sensor circuit, wherein the tape-head distance control means is configured to alter the distance according to the signal.