Planar Bidirectional Tape Head With Planar Read And Write Elements

Abstract

A planar bidirectional tape head with planar read and write elements for reading and writing data on a magnetic recording tape includes a substrate, a tape bearing surface for engaging the magnetic tape, one or more write element arrays formed on the substrate, and one or more read element arrays formed on the substrate. The one or more write element arrays and the one or more read element arrays comprise plural thin film layers oriented in generally parallel relationship with the tape bearing surface.

1 . In a tape drive, a tape head for reading and writing data on a magnetic recording tape, comprising:
 a substrate;   a tape bearing surface for engaging said magnetic tape;   one or more write element arrays formed on said substrate;   one or more read element arrays formed on said substrate; and   said write element array and said one or more read element arrays comprising plural thin film layers oriented in a generally parallel planar relationship with said tape bearing surface.   
   
   
       2 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more write element arrays are interposed between two read element arrays in a trackwise direction relative to said magnetic recording tape. 
   
   
       3 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more read element arrays are interposed between two write element arrays in a trackwise direction relative to said magnetic recording tape. 
   
   
       4 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more write element arrays comprise write elements having a pancake coil construction. 
   
   
       5 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more write element arrays comprise write elements having a helical construction. 
   
   
       6 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more write element arrays comprise write elements having a pair of pole tips providing a write gap at said tape bearing surface and a pair of pole pieces extending from said pole tips to a back gap region where said pole pieces are joined, said back gap region being spaced in a trackwise direction from said write gap and wherein said write elements are arranged so that adjacent write elements have adjacent pole tips but oppositely extending pole pieces and back gaps. 
   
   
       7 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more write element arrays comprise adjacent write elements arranged for contiguous track bundle writing. 
   
   
       8 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 7  wherein said one or more write element arrays comprise adjacent write elements arranged with near contiguous write gaps in order to bundle write on contiguous tracks of said magnetic recording medium. 
   
   
       9 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more read element arrays comprise read elements having a thin film sensor structure spaced from said tape bearing surface and a flux guide extending from said sensor structure to a read gap at said tape bearing surface. 
   
   
       10 . A tape drive in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said one or more read element arrays are arranged so that the transducing gaps of adjacent read elements are aligned in a direction that is generally transverse to a streaming direction of said magnetic recording tape. 
   
   
       11 . A tape head for reading and writing data on a magnetic recording tape, comprising:
 a substrate;   a tape bearing surface for engaging said magnetic tape;   one or more write element arrays formed on said substrate;   one or more read element arrays formed on said substrate;   said one or more write element arrays and said one or more read element arrays comprising plural thin film layers oriented in a parallel planar relationship with said tape bearing surface; and   said one or more write element arrays comprising write elements having a pancake coil construction with a pair of pole tips providing a write gap at said tape bearing surface and a pair of pole pieces extending from said pole tips to a back gap region where said pole pieces are joined, said back gap region being spaced in a trackwise direction from said write gap.   
   
   
       12 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 11  wherein adjacent write elements are arranged with near contiguous write gaps. 
   
   
       13 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 11  wherein said one or more write element arrays are interposed between two of said read element arrays in a trackwise direction relative to said magnetic recording tape. 
   
   
       14 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 11  wherein said one or more read element arrays comprise read elements having a thin film sensor structure spaced from said tape bearing surface and a flux guide extending from said sensor structure to a read gap at said tape bearing surface. 
   
   
       15 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 11  wherein said one or more read element arrays are arranged so that the transducing gaps of adjacent read elements are aligned in a direction that is generally transverse to a streaming direction of said magnetic recording tape. 
   
   
       16 . A tape head for reading and writing data on a magnetic recording tape, comprising:
 a substrate;   a tape bearing surface for engaging said magnetic tape;   one or more write element arrays formed on said substrate;   one or more read element arrays formed on said substrate;   said one or more write element arrays and said one or more read element arrays comprising plural thin film layers oriented in a parallel planar relationship with said tape bearing surface; and   said one or more write element arrays comprising write elements having a helical coil construction with a pair of pole tips providing a write gap at said tape bearing surface and a pair of pole pieces extending from said pole tips to a back gap region where said pole pieces are joined, said back gap region being spaced in a trackwise direction from said write gap.   
   
   
       17 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 16  wherein adjacent write elements are arranged with near contiguous write gaps. 
   
   
       18 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 16  wherein said one or more write element arrays are interposed between two of said read element arrays in a trackwise direction relative to said magnetic recording tape. 
   
   
       19 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 16  wherein said one or more read element arrays comprise read elements having a thin film sensor structure spaced from said tape bearing surface and a flux guide extending from said sensor structure to a read gap at said tape bearing surface. 
   
   
       20 . A tape head in accordance with  claim 19  wherein said one or more read element arrays are arranged so that the transducing gaps of adjacent read elements are aligned in a direction that is generally transverse to a streaming direction of said magnetic recording tape.