Western Digital Technologies Assigned Three Patents

Seek time to beginning position of data on tape media
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA, has been assigned a patent (11990154) developed by Sakagami, Akira, Kanagawa, Japan, Hamaguchi, Takehiko, Fujisawa, Japan, and Okada, Keiichi, Yokohama, Japan, for a “seek time to the beginning position of data on tape media.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, comprising: a magnetic tape, a tape head configured to write data to and read data from the magnetic tape, a first reel having a first interior surface, a second reel, wherein the first reel and the second reel are configured to wind and unwind the magnetic tape, one or more motors configured to actuate the first reel and the second reel, a first magnetic recording surface disposed on the first interior surface of the first reel, an actuating arm disposed between the first reel and the second reel, an actuator coupled to a distal end of the actuating arm, and a magnetic recording head disposed on the actuating arm. The magnetic recording head being situated a distance away from the actuator, wherein the actuating arm is configured to move about the actuator such that the magnetic recording head is able to contact the first magnetic recording surface to write data to and read data from the first magnetic recording surface.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-07-11 (18/350580).

Tape head assembly with single beam, actuator and spring adaptor
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA, has been assigned a patent (11990164) developed by Kuroki, Kenji, Fujisawa, Japan, Ruiz, Oscar J., Torres Mireles, Eduardo, San Jose, CA, Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Kobayashi, Masahito, Fujisawa, Japan, for a “tape head assembly with single beam, actuator and spring adaptor.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure is generally related to a tape drive comprising a tape head assembly. The tape head assembly comprises a spring adaptor, the spring adaptor comprising a first hole, a second hole, and a spring member disposed between the first hole and the second hole, a beam disposed within the first hole of the spring adaptor, a first module disposed on the beam, the first module comprising a first plurality of write transducers and a first plurality of read transducers, a second module disposed on the beam adjacent to the first module, the second module comprising a second plurality of write transducers and a second plurality of read transducers, and an actuator disposed in the first hole. The actuator is controllable to move the beam in a direction transverse to a media movement direction. The spring adaptor stabilizes the beam while the beam is being actuated.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-07-28 (18/227520).

Independent reader/writer overcoats for SGV tape head
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA, has been assigned a patent (11990162) developed by Seagle, David J., Morgan Hill, CA, and Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “tape head assembly with single beam, actuator and spring adaptor.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure generally relates to a tape head and a tape head drive including a tape head. The tape head comprises at least one same gap verify (SGV) module comprising a closure, a substrate, and a plurality of write transducer and read transducer pairs disposed between the substrate and the closure. The write transducer and the read transducer of each pair are aligned in a first direction and spaced a distance in the downtrack direction of about 5 ?m to about 20 ?m. A first overcoat is disposed over each write transducer at a media facing surface (MFS), and a second overcoat is disposed over each read transducer at the MFS. The first and second overcoats may comprise different materials, and are deposited during different processes.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-09-27 (17/954089).