Read / write assembly, magnetic head module and magnetic-tape storage device

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a read / write assembly, a magnetic head module and a magnetic-tape storage device. The read / write assembly comprises a base, a read assembly, and a first write assembly. The read assembly and the first write assembly are separately fixedly mounted on the base, and are spaced apart in the direction of width of the base. The read assembly comprises a first read head. The first write assembly comprises a first write head group, wherein the first write head group comprises a plurality of write heads arranged in the direction of length of the base. The first read head and the first write head group constitute a first read / write unit, and at least one write head of the first write head group and the first read head are arranged opposite each other in the direction of width of the base. The read / write assembly provided in the embodiments of the present application can reduce the impact of the assembly misalignment between a read head and each write head on a real-time read / write data verification function, thereby ensuring the reliability of magnetic-tape storage of data; and the read / write assembly improves the assembly yield of products, thereby lowering production costs.

Description

Read-write assembly, head module and tape storage device

[0001] The present application claims priority from the Chinese patent application No. 202411111053.0 filed on August 13, 2024, and entitled "Read-write assembly, head module and tape storage device", the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of tape storage, in particular to a read-write assembly, a head module and a tape storage device. BACKGROUND

[0003] Tape storage is a data storage technology that uses magnetic tape as the storage medium. Compared with other storage media such as hard disk drives, tape storage has a lower cost, so it still has a wide range of applications in large storage space scenarios. A tape storage device mainly consists of a magnetic tape and a head module. The magnetic tape is coated with a magnetic material, and the magnetic field generated by the write head on the head module can change the magnetization direction of the magnetic material, thereby storing data on the magnetic tape. When the magnetic tape passes through the read head on the head module, the magnetized area storing data will cause a change in the coil current in the read head, generating a voltage pulse. After decoding, the voltage pulse is restored to the original digital data, i.e., data reading.

[0004] Some commercial tape storage devices support real-time data read-write verification. During data storage, the data written by the write head can be read in real time by the read head that follows it, and automatic error detection and correction can be performed. This mechanism can ensure the accuracy and integrity of the tape data, thereby improving the reliability of the data. However, in the assembly process of the head module, the write head and the read head are integrated on separate chips, and there is an assembly deviation between the chips, which leads to misalignment of the write head and the read head. The data written by the write head may not be read by the corresponding read head, and the real-time data read-write verification cannot be completed, which reduces the reliability of the tape storage data. When the assembly deviation between the read head and the write head is large, some manufacturers will choose to discard the tape storage device, resulting in a low assembly yield of the product and increasing the production cost.

[0005] It can be seen that the assembly deviation between the read head and the write head in the prior art has a great impact on the real-time data read-write verification function of the tape storage device, reduces the reliability of the tape storage data, and has a low assembly yield and high production cost. SUMMARY

[0006] The read-write assembly, the head module and the tape storage device provided by the embodiments of the present application solve the problem that the assembly deviation of the read head and the write head greatly affects the real-time data read-write checking function of the tape storage device, reduces the reliability of the tape storage data, and has low assembly yield and high production cost.

[0007] The first aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a read-write assembly for writing data to a tape or reading data from the tape, which comprises a base, a read assembly and a first write assembly, the read assembly and the first write assembly are respectively fixedly installed on the base and are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the base.

[0008] The read assembly comprises a first read head. The first write assembly comprises a first write head group, and the first write head group comprises a plurality of write heads arranged in the length direction of the base. The first read head and the first write head group constitute a first read-write unit, and at least one write head of the first write head group is arranged opposite to the first read head in the width direction of the base.

[0009] The read-write assembly provided by the embodiments of the present application comprises a read assembly and a first write assembly, the first write assembly is used for writing data on a tape, and the read assembly is used for reading tape data. The read assembly comprises a first read head, and the first write assembly comprises a first write head group, and the first write head group comprises a plurality of write heads. The first read head corresponds to a first write head group, and the corresponding first read head and first write head group constitute a first read-write unit, and the first read-write unit covers the functions of writing and reading. Not only can data be written / read on a track, but also real-time data read-write checking can be performed in the running direction of the tape, so that the data written by the write head group can be read by the read head in real time. In the first read-write unit, at least one write head of the first write head group is arranged opposite to the first read head in the width direction of the base, so that the first read head corresponds to at least one write head in the width direction of the base. Or it can be understood that among the plurality of write heads in the first read-write unit, at least one write head can be found corresponding to the first read head in the width direction of the base. It can be understood that the read-write assembly of the present application provides a plurality of write heads for a first read head, and the plurality of write heads cover a wide range in the length direction of the base, which improves the probability of the relative arrangement of the write head and the first read head. Under the existing assembly process, when the read assembly and the first write assembly produce assembly deviation in the length direction of the base, even if the read head deviates from the original assembly position, at least one write head in the first write head group can be found corresponding to the read head in the width direction of the base, and the data written by the write head can be read by the first read head. In this way, the data written by the write head in the first read-write unit can be read by the corresponding first read head, so as to perform real-time data checking, improve the accuracy and integrity of the tape data, and have higher reliability. Moreover, the assembly yield of the read-write assembly is improved, and the cost is lower.

[0010] It can be seen that the read-write assembly provided by the embodiment of the application can reduce the influence of the assembly deviation of the read head and the write head on the real-time verification function of read-write data, ensure the reliability of the data stored in the magnetic tape, improve the assembly yield of the product, and reduce the production cost.

[0011] In a possible implementation, in the first write head group, two adjacent write heads partially overlap in the length direction of the base.

[0012] By using the above scheme, the space occupied by the multiple write heads in the length direction of the base can be reduced, the total width of the first write head group in the length direction of the base is smaller, and the distance between adjacent tracks in the data tape can also be shortened. When the width of the data tape is constant, more tracks can be set, and the data capacity of the magnetic tape is improved. Moreover, the gap between the two adjacent write heads in the length direction of the base can be avoided from falling within the reading range of the first read head, and the integrity of the data read by the read head is ensured.

[0013] In a possible implementation, in the first write head group, the multiple write heads are arranged in sequence in the width direction of the base.

[0014] By using the above scheme, the multiple write heads can be staggered in the width direction of the base, so that the adjacent write heads are avoided from being stacked or contacting each other, and the coil coupling and interference between the write heads are avoided.

[0015] In a possible implementation, in the first write head group, the multiple write heads are arranged in sequence in the thickness direction of the base.

[0016] By using the above scheme, the adjacent write heads can be avoided from being stacked or contacting each other, and the coil coupling and interference between the write heads are avoided.

[0017] In a possible implementation, in the length direction of the base, the width of the overlapping region of two adjacent write heads in the first write head group is greater than or equal to the width of the first read head.

[0018] By using the above scheme, the width of the overlapping region of the two adjacent write heads in the length direction of the base is wide, and the first read head can be completely covered in the length direction of the base. When the first read head is arranged in this region, the first read head can be covered by the two write heads at the same time, and one of the write heads can be selected as the write head actually working in the first read-write unit, so that the reliability is high.

[0019] In a possible implementation, in the first write head group, two adjacent write heads do not overlap in the length direction of the base.

[0020] According to the above scheme, the first write head group has a larger width in the length direction of the base, covers a wider area, and provides a larger installation deviation range for the first read head.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the plurality of write heads of the first write head group are two write heads.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the plurality of write heads of the first write head group are three write heads.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the three write heads are equidistantly arranged in the length direction of the base.

[0024] According to the above scheme, the first write head group is uniformly distributed in the length direction of the base, has a larger tolerance for assembly deviation, and is easier to implement in the process.

[0025] In a possible implementation, in the first read-write unit, in the length direction of the base, the width of each write head in the first write head group is greater than or equal to twice the width of the first read head.

[0026] According to the above scheme, the write head has a larger width, which can ensure that data is written into a wider area, thereby reducing the possibility of writing errors. The first read head needs to accurately detect the magnetization state of the disk surface, and the first read head is set to have a smaller width, which can more accurately detect the slight changes in the disk surface, thereby providing more reliable data reading. On the other hand, the wider the write head, the larger the range covered by the first write head group in the length direction of the base, and the first read head has a higher probability of falling within the range of the first write head group and finding the corresponding write head. On the other hand, during data reading and writing, the tape may be offset by a certain amount (generally ±200 nm) in the length direction of the base relative to the read-write assembly, and the width of the first read head is generally 600 nm, so the write head needs to be at least 1000 nm (600 nm + 200 nm + 200 nm), which is about twice the width of the first read head. Furthermore, the write head is provided with a coil, which has a large volume, and it is also easier to implement the write head to be wider from the process point of view.

[0027] In a possible implementation, the read-write assembly further includes a second write assembly, the first write assembly, the read assembly, and the second write assembly are arranged in the width direction of the base, and the first write assembly and the second write assembly are respectively arranged on both sides of the read assembly.

[0028] According to the above scheme, any one of the first write assembly and the second write assembly can be selected to write data, and no matter how the tape moves in the width direction of the base, the data written by the write assembly can be read by the read assembly for real-time verification of reading and writing data.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the first write component further comprises a first electrical connection end and a second electrical connection end arranged correspondingly to the first write head group, and the first electrical connection end and the second electrical connection end are used to connect with the conductive circuit; the write head arranged in the length direction of the base and overlapping with the first read head is the first write head. In the first read-write unit, each write head of the first write head group has a coil, and one end of the coil of each write head is connected to the first electrical connection end, and the other end of the coil of the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end.

[0030] By using the above scheme, the first write head and the first read head are arranged in the length direction of the base (or can be understood as, the first write head and the first read head are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the base), the coil of the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end, and the two ends of the coil of the first write head in the write head group are connected to the first electrical connection end and the second electrical connection end respectively, so as to be in conduction with the conductive circuit. The circuit structure of the FPC and the tape storage device can be simplified, and the production process is simplified and the cost is reduced.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the two adjacent write heads of the first write head group are arranged in the length direction of the base and overlapping with the first read head.

[0032] The overlapping region of the two adjacent write heads and the first read head in the length direction of the base has the same width, and any one of the two adjacent write heads is the first write head; or, the overlapping region of the two adjacent write heads and the first read head in the length direction of the base has different widths, and the write head with a larger overlapping region width is the first write head.

[0033] By using the above scheme, when the first read head corresponds to two write heads in the width direction of the base, one of the two write heads is taken as the first write head, the coil of the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end, so as to be connected with the conductive circuit and serve as the actual working write head. When the overlapping region widths of the two write heads and the first read head in the length direction of the base are the same, any one of the write heads can be taken as the first write head. However, when the overlapping region widths of the two write heads and the first read head in the length direction of the base are different, the write head with a larger overlapping region width is taken as the first write head, and the data written by the first write head has a higher probability to be read and verified by the first read head relative to the other write head, so as to further improve the reliability of the tape data.

[0034] In a possible implementation, the other end of the coil in the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end through a wire.

[0035] Alternatively, the first write component further comprises a selection switch, and the other end of the coil in the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end through the selection switch.

[0036] By using the above scheme, when the wires are used for connection, the circuit is more concise, and the production cost is saved. When the selection switch is used for connecting the coil of the first write head, the alignment of each write head in the first write head group and the first read head can still be checked multiple times after the product is shipped, the position of the selection switch is changed, and the subsequent maintenance cost is reduced.

[0037] In a possible implementation, the first read-write unit is multiple, and the multiple first read-write units are arranged at intervals in the length direction of the base.

[0038] By using the above scheme, the multiple first read-write units can read and write data on the magnetic tape at the same time, and the data reading and writing efficiency is improved.

[0039] The second aspect of the embodiment of the application provides a head module, which comprises a head driving device and the read-write assembly provided in any of the implementation manners, and the head driving device is used for driving the read-write assembly to move.

[0040] The head module provided in the embodiment of the application can overcome the influence of the assembly deviation of the read head and the write head on the real-time verification function of reading and writing data, improve the reliability of the magnetic tape in storing data, improve the assembly yield of the product, and reduce the production cost.

[0041] The third aspect of the embodiment of the application provides a magnetic tape storage device, which comprises a magnetic tape and the head module provided in any of the implementation manners.

[0042] The magnetic tape comprises at least one data tape, the data tape comprises multiple tracks arranged at intervals, the read-write assembly is arranged on one side of the magnetic tape, and the write head in the first read-write unit, which is arranged to overlap the first read head in the length direction of the base, is used for writing data into the track, and the first read head is used for reading data from the track.

[0043] The magnetic tape storage device provided in the embodiment of the application can perform real-time verification of reading and writing data, has high reliability in storing data, has high assembly yield, and has low production cost.

[0044] In a possible implementation, the width of the overlapping region of the two adjacent write heads is greater than or equal to the width of the track.

[0045] By using the above scheme, the width of the overlapping region of the adjacent write heads is further increased, and the first read head can be completely covered in the length direction of the base.

[0046] In a possible implementation, the overall width of the write head group in the length direction of the base is greater than or equal to three times the width of the track.

[0047] According to the above scheme, the write head group covers a larger area in the length direction of the base, and has higher tolerance for assembly deviation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0048] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a magnetic tape storage device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Fig. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a head module according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Fig. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the distribution of data bands and tracks of a magnetic tape in a magnetic tape storage device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the assembly deviation of a read assembly and a write assembly;

[0053] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the correspondence between read heads and write heads in a reference design, in which one read head corresponds to one write head;

[0054] Fig. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a read assembly and a write assembly in a first embodiment of a read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figs. 8A to 8C are structural schematic diagrams of a first read-write unit in the first embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figs. 9A to 9D are structural schematic diagrams of a first read-write unit in a second embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figs. 10A to 10C are structural schematic diagrams of a first read-write unit in a third embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Fig. 11A is a structural schematic diagram of a first read-write unit in a fourth embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Fig. 11B is a structural schematic diagram of a first read-write unit in a fifth embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Fig. 11C is a structural schematic diagram of a first read-write unit in a sixth embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Fig. 12 is a structural schematic diagram of a read assembly and a write assembly in the second embodiment of the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Figs. 13A to 13B are circuit diagrams of a first embodiment of a first write head group in the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] Fig. 14 is a circuit diagram of a second embodiment of the first write head group in the read-write assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0064] Reference design: 1101', track; 3A', first write assembly; 311a', write head; 3B', second write assembly; 312a', write head; 4', read assembly; 41', read head; 5', read / write unit. This application: 100, tape storage device; 11, magnetic tape; 110, data tape; 1101, track; 1101a, head; 1101b, tail; 12, controller; 141, supply reel; 1411, spool; 142, take-up reel; 1421, spool; 15, guide wheel; 16, housing; 200, head module; 22, head drive; 221, first motor; 222, second motor; 223, head carriage; 224, slide; 25, first flexible circuit board; 26, second flexible circuit board; 300, read / write assembly; 3, write assembly; 3A, first write assembly; 3B, second write assembly; 311, first write head group; 311a, write head; 311b, write head; 311c, write head; 3110, first write head; 312, second write head group; 312a, write head; 312b, write head; 312c, write head; 32, first electrical connection; 33, second electrical connection; 34, coil; 35, selection switch; 36, wire; 4, read assembly; 41, first read head; 5, first read / write unit; 6, base; 61, sub-base; X, width direction of base; Y, length direction of base; Z, thickness direction of base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The specific embodiments of the present application will now be described in detail with specific reference being made to the drawings. The following detailed description is designed to provide a thorough understanding of the application. However, the application can be practiced without the use of these details. In other instances, well-known methods and structures have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the application. Also, some embodiments of the present application can be used without the specific details (e.g., most of the specific internal details of a microprocessor, a memory device, or the like) that are shown in the drawings and described herein below. In other instances, well-known structures have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the application. In the following description, numerous specific details are discussed to provide a thorough understanding of the application. However, in some instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the application. Although the description will focus on some embodiments, it is to be understood that the description is only by way of example and is not intended to limit the application.

[0066] It should be noted that in this description and in the claims, numbers and letters of reference on different drawings represent like items, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings.

[0067] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", "top", "bottom", and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second" are only for the purpose of description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0068] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connecting" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integral connection; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be direct connection, or indirect connection through intermediate medium, or internal communication of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0069] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that "electrical connection" in the present application can be understood as physical contact and electrical conduction of components; it can also be understood as the form of connection between different components in the circuit structure through the entity circuit of printed circuit board (PCB) copper foil or wire that can transmit electrical signals.

[0070] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that the mutual perpendicularity in the present application is not absolute perpendicularity, and the approximate perpendicularity (for example, the included angle between two structural features is 89.9°) caused by processing error and assembly error is also within the range of mutual perpendicularity in the present application. The mutual parallelism in the present application is also not absolute parallelism, and the approximate parallelism (for example, the included angle between two structural features is 0.1°) caused by processing error and assembly error is also within the range of mutual parallelism in the present application. The axial symmetry in the present application is not absolute axial symmetry, and the approximate axial symmetry (for example, part of the structure is offset by a certain distance or angle relative to the symmetry axis) caused by processing error and assembly error is also within the range of axial symmetry in the present application. The center symmetry in the present application is not absolute center symmetry, and the approximate center symmetry (for example, part of the structure is offset by a certain distance or angle relative to the symmetry axis) caused by processing error and assembly error is also within the range of center symmetry in the present application. The present application does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0071] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0072] Please refer to Fig. 1, which is a structural schematic diagram of a magnetic tape storage device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 1, the present application provides a magnetic tape storage device 100, which may, for example, be a tape drive, a tape library, a virtual tape library, etc. The present application does not limit the specific type thereof, and the following is described by taking a tape drive as an example. The type of the tape drive may, but is not limited to, be an open-reel tape drive, a cartridge tape drive, a data stream tape drive, a high-speed tape drive, a medium-speed tape drive, a low-speed tape drive, etc.

[0074] The magnetic tape storage device 100 comprises a magnetic tape 11 and a head module 200. The magnetic tape 11 is a physical medium for data storage, which is usually made of a long strip-shaped tape base coated with magnetic material, such as metal particles or metal oxide particles, etc. When the magnetic tape storage device 100 is working, the magnetic tape 11 moves relative to the head module 200, and the head module 200 is provided with a read-write assembly 300. When the magnetic tape 11 moves, it generates electromagnetic induction with the heads (for example, the write head 311b and the first read head 41 in Fig. 8A) on the read-write assembly 300. The heads can write data by changing the magnetization state of the magnetic material on the magnetic tape 11, or read data by detecting the magnetization state of the magnetized area on the magnetic tape 11.

[0075] As shown in Fig. 1, in a possible implementation, the magnetic tape storage device 100 further comprises a supply reel 141 and a take-up reel 142. The supply reel 141 comprises a spool 1411 and the magnetic tape 11 wound on the spool 1411, and the take-up reel 142 comprises a spool 1421 and the magnetic tape 11 wound on the spool 1421. The spools of the supply reel 141 and the take-up reel 142 rotate simultaneously, so that the magnetic tape 11 on the supply reel 141 moves towards the take-up reel 142, and the part of the magnetic tape 11 passing through the read-write assembly 300 can be written or read data. In a possible implementation, a servo control system (not shown in the figure) can also be arranged in the magnetic tape storage device 100. The servo control system comprises a servo motor and a control circuit. The servo motor drives the supply reel 141 and the take-up reel 142 to rotate, and the control circuit measures the position of the magnetic tape 11, adjusts the rotation speed of the servo motor, so as to ensure that the magnetic tape 11 moves at a correct speed and direction. As shown in Fig. 1, in a possible implementation, a plurality of guide wheels 15 can also be arranged in the magnetic tape storage device 100. The guide wheels 15 are in contact with the magnetic tape 11, and are used to guide the movement trajectory of the magnetic tape 11 between the two reels (i.e., the supply reel 141 and the take-up reel 142), so as to ensure that the magnetic tape 11 can pass through the read-write assembly 300 on the head module 200. The specific number and distribution position of the guide wheels 15 are not limited, and the figure is only schematic.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 1, in a possible implementation, the magnetic tape storage device 100 further comprises a controller 12. The controller 12 is configured to control the write head 31 on the head module 200 to write data onto the magnetic tape 11, and control the first read head 41 to read data from the magnetic tape 11. The controller 12 can be a chip or a circuit, and the like, and the present application does not limit it. In a possible implementation, the magnetic tape storage device 100 can further comprise a circuit board (not shown in the figure), and the controller 12 is mounted on the circuit board. The circuit board can be a PCB board, and the like, and the present application does not limit it. The circuit board can be a separate component, or can be integrated into the head module 200 or the servo control system, and the present application does not limit it.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 1, in a possible implementation, the magnetic tape storage device 100 further comprises a housing 16, and the magnetic tape 11, the head module 200, the supply reel 141, the take-up reel 142 and the controller 12 can be mounted in the housing 16. In some possible implementations, the magnetic tape storage device 100 can also not have the housing, and the present application does not limit it.

[0078] It should be noted that the magnetic tape storage device 100 can further comprise more or fewer components than those shown in the figures and described above, and the present application does not limit it

[0079] Please refer to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the head module of the embodiment of the present application; FIG. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the read-write assembly of the embodiment of the present application; and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the data tape and track distribution of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape storage device of the embodiment of the present application.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 2, the head module 200 comprises a read-write assembly 300, and the read-write assembly 300 is provided with a magnetic head for writing data onto the magnetic tape 11 or reading data from the magnetic tape 11.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 3, the read-write assembly 300 comprises a read assembly 4 and a write assembly 3 which is arranged in the width direction X of the base and spaced from the read assembly 4. The width direction X of the base can be, for example, the direction in which the magnetic tape 11 moves relative to the read-write assembly 300. The specific form of the read assembly 4 and the write assembly 3 is not limited. In a possible implementation, the read assembly 4 is a chip integrated with a plurality of first read heads 41 and corresponding circuits, and the write assembly 3 is a chip integrated with a plurality of write heads 31 and corresponding circuits.

[0082] The read component 4 and the write component 3 are arranged at intervals in the width direction X of the base, and the data written by the write component 3 can be read by the read component 4. It should be noted that the number of read components 4 and write components 3 in the read-write component 300 is not limited. As shown in FIG. 3, in a possible implementation, the read-write component 300 includes one read component 4 and two write components 3, i.e., the first write component 3A and the second write component 3B in the figure. The two write components 3 are respectively arranged on both sides of the read component 4 in the width direction X of the base. With this structure, any one of the first write component 3A and the second write component 3B can write data to the magnetic tape, and the data written by the write component can be read by the read component 4 regardless of how the magnetic tape 11 moves in the width direction X of the base, so as to perform real-time verification of read and write data. For example, when the magnetic tape 11 moves relative to the read-write component 300 in the direction indicated by the arrow X1, it first passes through the first write component 3A and then passes through the read component 4, data can be written by the first write component 3A, and the read component 4 verifies the data written by the first write component 3A. When the magnetic tape 11 moves relative to the read-write component 300 in the direction indicated by the arrow X2, it first passes through the second write component 3B and then passes through the read component 4, data can be written by the second write component 3B, and the read component 4 verifies the data written by the second write component 3B. In some possible implementations, the read-write component 300 can also be provided with one write component 3, for example, the first write component 3A, and can also be provided with multiple read components 4, which are not limited in the present application.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 3, in a possible implementation, the read-write component 300 further includes a base 6, and the read component 4 and the write component 3 are both mounted on the base 6. Specifically, the base 6 can include three sub-bases 61, and the read component 4, the first write component 3A and the second write component 3B can be respectively mounted on different sub-bases 61, and then the sub-bases 61 are fixedly connected together. It should be noted that the sub-bases 61 can also be of an integrated structure, which is not limited in the present application.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 4, in a possible implementation, the magnetic tape 11 includes at least one data band 110, and the data band 110 includes a plurality of magnetic tracks 1101 arranged at intervals. Each magnetic track 1101 is an independent storage unit for storing data. The specific number of data bands 110 on the magnetic tape is not limited, and can be one or more. The specific number of magnetic tracks 1101 in each data band 110 is not limited, and can be, for example, two, three, four, or the like, and three magnetic tracks 1101 are shown in FIG. 4 as an example. When the magnetic tape 11 includes a plurality of data bands 110, the read-write assembly 300 of the head module 200 can move along the arrangement direction of the data bands 110 to switch between different data bands 110. For example, the plurality of data bands 110 in FIG. 4 are arranged along the length direction Y of the base, and the read-write assembly 300 can move along the length direction Y of the base to switch the data bands 110, and the process can be controlled by the controller 12. The length direction Y of the base can be, for example, the width direction of the magnetic tape 11.

[0085] Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of first read-write units 5 are arranged in the read-write assembly 300, and each first read-write unit 5 corresponds to one magnetic track 1101 in the data band 110. A read head and a write head can be arranged in each first read-write unit 5, so that each magnetic track 1101 in the data band 110 corresponds to a write head and a read head. In a possible implementation, one first read-write unit 5 can also be arranged in the read-write assembly 300, and the first read-write unit 5 can move and switch among a plurality of magnetic tracks 1101 to read and write data on the plurality of magnetic tracks 1101. Alternatively, the number of first read-write units 5 can be greater than the number of magnetic tracks 1101, and each magnetic track 1101 has a corresponding write head and read head. As shown in FIG. 4, the magnetic track 1101 has a head portion 1101a and a tail portion 1101b, and when data is written, the data can be recorded in the order from the head portion 1101a to the tail portion 1101b of the magnetic track 1101, or in the order from the tail portion 1101b to the head portion 1101a, which is not limited in the present application. In a possible implementation, data can also be recorded along an S-shaped track, for example, data is first written from the head portion 1101a to the tail portion 1101b of the first magnetic track 1101, and then data is written from the tail portion 1101b to the head portion 1101a of the second magnetic track 1101, and so on.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 2, in a possible implementation, the head module 200 further comprises a head driving device 22, which can drive the read-write assembly 300 to move for switching between the data bands 110 and aligning each first read-write unit 5 in the read-write assembly 300 with the tracks 1101. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the head module 200 is located at one side of the magnetic tape 11 in the thickness direction Z of the base, and the read-write assembly 300 contacts the magnetic tape 11 to perform write and read operations on the magnetic tape 11. It can be understood that, as shown in FIG. 4, each first read-write unit 5 in the read-write assembly 300 needs to be aligned with each track 1101 on the magnetic tape 11 one by one, but during the running of the magnetic tape 11, the part of the magnetic tape 11 contacting the read-write assembly 300 does not always move relative to the read-write assembly 300 along the width direction X of the base, but will uncontrollably deviate, causing the first read-write units 5 on the read-write assembly 300 to be misaligned with the tracks 1101, and the read and write operations to deviate from the intended tracks. To avoid this, the head driving device 22 can be used to control the movement of the read-write assembly 300 to adapt to the track deviation of the magnetic tape 11.

[0087] It should be noted that the structure of the head driving device 22 is not limited. As shown in FIG. 2, in a possible implementation, the head driving device 22 comprises a first motor 221 and a second motor 222. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the first motor 221 is configured to drive the read-write assembly 300 to move in the length direction Y of the base to switch between different data bands 110. The second motor 222 can drive the read-write assembly 300 to rotate around an axis N and move in the length direction Y of the base. The axis N extends in the thickness direction Z of the base. The movement of the read-write assembly 300 in the length direction Y of the base by the second motor 222 can enable each first read-write unit 5 in the read-write assembly 300 to be finely aligned with each track 1101 in the length direction Y of the base. The rotation of the read-write assembly 300 around the axis N by the second motor 222 can be used to adapt to the track deviation of the magnetic tape 11. When the part of the magnetic tape 11 contacting the read-write assembly 300 deviates from the width direction X of the base, the read-write assembly 300 also deviates under the driving of the second motor 222, so that each first read-write unit 5 is aligned with the tracks 1101. The first motor 221 can be, for example, a stepper motor, and the second motor 222 can be, for example, a VCM motor (Voice Coil Motor), which is not limited in the present application.

[0088] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the automatic alignment of the read-write assembly 300 can be controlled and adjusted by the controller 12, which can not only control the first motor 221 to operate so that the read-write assembly 300 switches to a specific data tape 110, but also control the second motor 222 to operate so that each first read-write unit 5 in the read-write assembly 300 is aligned with a track 1101 in the data tape 110, thereby ensuring that the write head writes data to the corresponding track 1101 and the read head reads data from the corresponding track 1101.

[0089] In a possible implementation, as shown in FIG. 2, the head module 200 can further include a head bracket 223, and the read-write assembly 300 can be installed on the head bracket 223. For example, the first motor 221 and the second motor 222 of the head driving device 22 can drive the read-write assembly 300 to move by driving the head bracket 223 to move. In other alternative implementations, the head bracket 223 can not be provided, which is not limited in the present application.

[0090] In a possible implementation, the head module 200 can further include a fixing frame (not shown in the figure), and the first motor 221 and the second motor 222 of the head driving device 22 can be installed on the fixing frame. It should be noted that in other alternative implementations, the fixing frame can not be provided, for example, the first motor 221 and the second motor 222 can be directly placed on the ground, which is not limited in the present application.

[0091] In a possible implementation, the head module 200 can further include a sliding seat 224, and the sliding seat 224 is rotationally connected with the head bracket 223. For example, the first motor 221 is used to drive the sliding seat 224 to slide along the length direction Y of the base (for example, to make the sliding seat 224 slide relative to the ground or the fixing frame in the length direction Y of the base), so as to drive the read-write assembly 300 to move along the length direction Y of the base through the linkage of the sliding seat 224 and the head bracket 223. The second motor 222 is used to drive the head bracket 223 to rotate relative to the sliding seat 224 around the axis N, so as to drive the read-write assembly 300 to rotate around the axis N. The second motor 222 can also drive the whole structure composed of the head bracket 223 and the sliding seat 224 to slide along the length direction Y of the base, so as to drive the read-write assembly 300 to move along the length direction Y of the base.

[0092] It should be noted that the head module 200 can include more or fewer components than those shown in the drawings and described above, which is not limited in the present application.

[0093] Please refer to FIGS. 5-6. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the assembly deviation of the read-write assembly; and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the corresponding relationship between the read head and the write head in a reference design, in which one read head corresponds to one write head.

[0094] As shown in Fig. 3, the skilled in the art can understand that there is an assembly deviation between the read component 4, the write component 3 and the sub-base 61, and there is also an assembly deviation between the sub-bases 61, which results in a misalignment between the read head and the write head in the same first read-write unit 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the center line (indicated by a dashed line) of each component in the length direction Y of the base is taken as the reference line, and the length direction Y of the base can be, for example, the width direction of the magnetic tape 11, the arrangement direction of the data band 110 and the track 1101. In an ideal case, the center lines of the three components should be aligned in the length direction Y of the base, i.e. d1 = 0, d2 = 0, but in an actual case, d1 and d2 will have a deviation of ±1.5 μm, i.e. d1 ≤ 1.5 μm, d2 ≤ 1.5 μm. This also means that there will also be a deviation of ±1.5 μm between the read head and the write head in the same read-write unit 5.

[0095] As shown in Fig. 6, in a reference design, the read-write component includes a first write component 3A', a read component 4' and a second write component 3B', and the first write component 3A' and the second write component 3B' are respectively arranged on the two sides of the read component 4'. The first write component 3A' is provided with a write head 311a', the second write component 3B' is provided with a write head 312a', and the read component 4' is provided with a read head 41'. The write head 311a', the read head 41' and the write head 312a' constitute a read-write unit 5'. If there is a large assembly deviation between the read component 4' and the first write component 3A' and the second write component 3B', a large installation deviation will also occur between the read head 41' and the write heads 311a' and 312a' in the read-write unit 5', and the read head 41' can deviate from the track 1101', or can be understood as deviating from the write range of the write heads 311a' and 312a', and cannot read the data written by the write heads 311a' and 312a', so that the real-time data read-write verification cannot be completed, the reliability of the magnetic tape data is reduced, and the product scrap rate is high.

[0096] Therefore, the read-write component is improved in the present application to reduce the influence of the assembly deviation between the read head and the write head on the real-time data read-write verification function.

[0097] Please refer to Figs. 7 to 8C, Fig. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the read component and the write component in the first embodiment of the read-write component of the present application; Figs. 8A to 8C are structural schematic diagrams of the first read-write unit in the first embodiment of the read-write component of the present application.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 7, the read-write assembly 300 includes a read assembly 4 and a first write assembly 3A for writing data on the magnetic tape, and the read assembly 4 for reading data of the magnetic tape. In a possible implementation, the read-write assembly 300 further includes a second write assembly 3B, so that no matter in which direction the magnetic tape moves, one write assembly writes data that can be read by the read assembly 4. It should be noted that, for the sake of brevity, the structure of the first write assembly 3A is described and illustrated in detail hereinafter, and the structure of the second write assembly 3B can be understood with reference to the first write assembly 3A, which will not be described herein again.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 8A, the read assembly 4 includes a first read head 41, and the first write assembly 3A includes a first write head group 311, and the write head group 311 includes a plurality of write heads arranged in the length direction Y of the base, such as the write head 311a, the write head 311b, and the write head 311c shown in the figure. The first read head 41 and the first write head group 311 constitute a first read-write unit 5, in which at least one write head of the first write head group 311 is arranged opposite to the first read head 41 in the width direction X of the base, so that the first read head 41 corresponds to at least one write head in the width direction X of the base. At least one write head of the first write head group 311 is arranged opposite to the first read head 41 in the width direction X of the base, or it can be understood that at least one write head of the first write head group 311 is arranged opposite to the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base.

[0100] Similarly, the second write assembly 3B can include a second write head group 312, and the second write head group 312 includes a plurality of write heads arranged in the length direction Y of the base, such as the write head 312a, the write head 312b, and the write head 312c shown in the figure. At this time, the first read-write unit 5 further includes the second write head group 312.

[0101] The read-write assembly 300 provided by the embodiment of the present application includes a read assembly 4 and a first write assembly 3A for writing data on the magnetic tape 11, and the read assembly 4 for reading data of the magnetic tape 11. The read assembly 4 includes a first read head 41, and the first write assembly 3A includes a first write head group 311, and the first write head group 311 includes a plurality of write heads. The first read head 41 corresponds to the first write head group 311, and the corresponding read head 41 and the first write head group 311 constitute a first read-write unit 5, which covers the functions of writing and reading, and can not only write / read data on the track 1101, but also read / write data in real time by controlling the running direction of the magnetic tape 11, so that the data written by the first write head group 311 can be read by the first read head 41 in real time.

[0102] In the first read-write unit 5, at least one write head of the first write head group 311 is arranged opposite to the first read head 41 in the width direction X of the base, so that the first read head 41 corresponds to at least one write head in the width direction X of the base. Alternatively, among the plurality of write heads in the first read-write unit 5, at least one write head can be found corresponding to the first read head 41 in the width direction X of the base, for example, the write head 311a and the write head 311b in FIGS. 8A and 8B both correspond to the first read head 41. It can be understood that the read-write assembly 300 of the present application provides a plurality of write heads for one first read head 41, and the plurality of write heads cover a wide range in the length direction Y of the base, thereby improving the probability of the write head being arranged opposite to the first read head in the width direction X of the base. In the existing assembly process, when the read assembly 4 and the first write assembly 3A are deviated in the length direction Y of the base, even if the read assembly 4 deviates from the original assembly position, at least one write head in the first write head group 311 can be found corresponding to the first read head 41 in the width direction X of the base, and the data written by the write head can be read by the first read head 41. In this way, the data written by the write head in the first read-write unit 5 can be read by the first read head 41, so as to perform real-time data verification, improve the accuracy and integrity of the data of the magnetic tape 11, and improve the assembly yield of the read-write assembly and reduce the cost.

[0103] For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, in an ideal state, the first read head 41 in the first read-write unit 5 should be installed at the middle position of the first write head group 311 in the length direction Y of the base, and the first read head 41 can be completely covered by the middle write head 311b and read the data written by the write head 311b. However, in actual situations, the first read head 41 may deviate from the installation position of the first write head group 311 in the length direction Y of the base, for example, the first read head 41 is deviated upward in FIG. 8B. In this scenario, although the first read head 41 cannot be completely covered by the middle write head 311b in the length direction Y of the base, it can be covered by the upper write head 311a, so as to read the data written by the upper write head 311a. As shown in FIG. 8C, similarly, when the first read head 41 is deviated downward, it can be covered by the lower write head 311c and read the data written by the lower write head 311c.

[0104] It can be seen that the read-write assembly 300 provided by the embodiment of the present application can reduce the influence of the assembly deviation of the read head and the write head on the real-time verification function of the read-write data, ensure the reliability of the data stored in the magnetic tape 11, and improve the assembly yield of the product and reduce the production cost.

[0105] Based on the same principle, at least one of the plurality of write heads of the second write assembly 3B can correspond to the first read head 41, reducing the impact of assembly deviation on the read-write data real-time verification function. The deviations of the first write assembly 3A and the second write assembly 3B relative to the first read head 41 can be in the same direction or in the opposite direction, and the deviation sizes can be the same or different. The accompanying drawings are only illustrative.

[0106] Those skilled in the art can understand that the number of write heads in the first write head group 311 is not limited, and can be an odd number, such as 3, 5, etc., or an even number, such as 2, 4, etc. In the following, taking the first write head group 311 with three write heads as an example, the possible arrangement of the plurality of write heads in the first write head group 311 is described.

[0107] Please refer to FIGS. 9A-10C, FIGS. 9A-9D are structural schematic diagrams of the first read-write unit in the second embodiment of the read-write assembly of the present application; and FIGS. 10A-10C are structural schematic diagrams of the first read-write unit in the third embodiment of the read-write assembly of the present application.

[0108] As shown in FIGS. 8A-8C, in a possible implementation, the plurality of write heads of the first write head group 311 are three write heads. In a possible implementation, the two adjacent write heads partially overlap in the length direction Y of the base.

[0109] In the partial overlap, if a coordinate system is established, the coordinates of the write head 311c in the length direction Y of the base are Y1-Y2, the coordinates of the write head 311b are Y3-Y4, and the coordinates of the write head 311a are Y5-Y6, then Y1≤Y3≤Y2 and Y3≤Y5≤Y4. For example, in FIG. 8A, the write head 311a and the write head 311b are arranged in the S1 region in an overlapping manner, the write head 311b and the write head 311c are arranged in the S2 region in an overlapping manner, and the three write heads form a stepped structure. In this way, the space occupied by the three write heads in the length direction Y of the base can be reduced, and the total width Wz of the first write head group 311 in the length direction Y of the base is small. When there are multiple first write head groups 311 in the first write assembly 3A, since the magnetic tracks 1101 in the data tape 110 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the first write head groups 311, when the width of the data tape 110 is constant, the distance between adjacent magnetic tracks 1101 can be shortened, more magnetic tracks 1101 can be arranged, and the data capacity of the data tape 110 can be improved. On the other hand, if adjacent write heads do not overlap in the length direction Y of the base, the gap between the adjacent write heads in the length direction Y of the base is likely to fall within the reading range of the first read head 41 (for example, the scheme shown in FIG. 10A), which can cause the first read head 41 to read part of the data on the magnetic track 1101. Arranging the adjacent write heads in an overlapping manner in the length direction Y of the base can avoid this situation and ensure the integrity of data reading.

[0110] As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, in a possible implementation, the three write heads 311a, 311b, and 311c in the first write head group 311 are arranged in sequence in the width direction X of the base. It should be noted that in the width direction X of the base, adjacent write heads can be partially overlapped (not shown in the figure) or not overlapped (as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C). When adjacent write heads are not overlapped, the adjacent write heads can be staggered (i.e., the adjacent write heads are arranged with a distance, not shown in the figure) or arranged continuously (i.e., the adjacent write heads are arranged continuously, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C), which is not limited in this application.

[0111] In this way, the adjacent write heads can be prevented from being stacked or contacting each other, which can cause the coil coupling and interference between the write heads.

[0112] Based on the structure, further, in the thickness direction of the base (the direction perpendicular to the paper in FIGS. 8A to 8C), adjacent write heads can be partially overlapped (not shown in the figure), completely overlapped (as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C), or not overlapped (not shown in the figure). When adjacent write heads are not overlapped, the adjacent write heads can be staggered (i.e., the adjacent write heads are arranged with a distance) or arranged continuously, which is not limited in this application.

[0113] As shown in FIGS. 9A-9D, in one possible implementation, the plurality of write heads 311a, 311b, 311c in the first write head group 311 can also be arranged in the thickness direction Z of the base in sequence. The thickness direction Z of the base can be understood as the height direction of the read-write assembly 300. Based on this structure, in the thickness direction Z of the base, the adjacent write heads can partially overlap (not shown in the figure) or not overlap (as shown in FIG. 9B). When the adjacent two write heads do not overlap, they can be staggered by a certain distance (as shown in FIG. 9B) or arranged continuously (not shown in the figure), which is not limited in the present application. By arranging in this way, the adjacent write heads can also be prevented from stacking or contacting each other, causing coil coupling and interference between the write heads.

[0114] Further, in the width direction X of the base, the adjacent write heads can partially overlap (not shown in the figure) or completely overlap (as shown in FIGS. 9A, 9C and 9D) or not overlap (not shown in the figure), and when the adjacent two write heads do not overlap, they can be staggered by a certain distance (i.e., the adjacent two write heads are arranged with a distance therebetween) or arranged continuously, which is not limited in the present application.

[0115] As shown in FIG. 8A, in one possible implementation, in the length direction Y of the base, the width of the overlapping region of the adjacent two write heads in the first write head group 311 is greater than or equal to the width of the first read head 41. For example, the width of the S1 region in the length direction Y of the base is W1, the width of the S2 region in the length direction Y of the base is W2, and the width of the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base is Wr, W1≥Wr, W2≥Wr. With this structure, the width of the overlapping region of the adjacent two write heads is relatively wide, which can completely cover the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base. When the first read head 41 is arranged in this region, it can be covered by the two write heads at the same time, and one of the write heads can be selected as the actual working write head in the first read-write unit 5, which has high reliability. Further, the width of the track 1101 in the length direction Y of the base is Wc, and in one possible implementation, W1≥Wc, W2≥Wc. That is, the width of the overlapping region of the adjacent two write heads in the length direction Y of the base is greater than or equal to the width of the track 1101, which further increases the width of the overlapping region of the adjacent write heads. In other possible implementations, the width of the overlapping region of the adjacent two write heads can also be less than the width of the track 1101 or less than the width of the first read head 41, which is not limited in the present application.

[0116] As shown in FIGS. 10A-10C, in one possible implementation, in the first write head group 311, two adjacent write heads (e.g., between write heads 311a, 311b, between write heads 311b, 311c) do not overlap in the length direction Y of the base. For example, two adjacent write heads can be arranged with a space therebetween or abutted in the length direction Y of the base. With this structure, the first write head group 311 has a larger width Wz in the length direction Y of the base, covering a wider area, and providing a larger installation error range for the first read head 41.

[0117] Based on this structure, in the width direction X of the base, two adjacent write heads can partially overlap (not shown in the figures), completely overlap (as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C), or not overlap (not shown in the figures). When two adjacent write heads do not overlap, they can be arranged with a space therebetween or consecutively, which is not limited in the present application. Further, in the thickness direction of the base (the direction perpendicular to the paper in FIGS. 10A-10C), two adjacent write heads can partially overlap (not shown in the figures), completely overlap (as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C), or not overlap (not shown in the figures). When two adjacent write heads do not overlap, they can be arranged with a space therebetween or consecutively, which is not limited in the present application.

[0118] As shown in FIGS. 10A-10C, in one possible implementation, the plurality of write heads 311a, 311b, 311c in the first write head group 311 can be arranged along the same line parallel to the length direction Y of the base (or can be understood as, the three write heads are located on the same line parallel to the length direction Y of the base), so that the first write head group 311 occupies a smaller space in the width direction X of the base and in the thickness direction of the base.

[0119] As shown in FIGS. 8A-10C, in one possible implementation, the three write heads 311a, 311b, 311c are equidistantly arranged in the length direction Y of the base, for example, equidistantly arranged (the distance between the center lines of two adjacent write heads is consistent). It can be understood that the assembly deviation of the first read head 41 and the first write head group 311 can be a positive error or a negative error, and when the three write heads are equidistantly arranged, the first write head group 311 as a whole is symmetric about the central axis O, and the inclusiveness of the positive error and the negative error is relatively uniform. For example, in FIG. 10A, the three write heads are equidistantly arranged in the length direction Y of the base, and the central axis O of the middle write head 311b is taken as the reference line, which is also the central axis of the first write head group 311 as a whole. The first write head group 311 is symmetric about the central axis O, and the write head distribution areas on both sides of the central axis O are the same. At this time, the central axis O is taken as the ideal installation position of the first read head 41. In the ideal state, after the read-write assembly 300 is assembled, the first read head 41 in the first read-write unit 5 should be located on the central axis O, that is, the state shown in FIG. 10A. As shown in FIG. 10B, in one possible scenario, the read assembly 4 deviates from the central axis O in the positive direction (i.e., the upper direction of the view angle of FIG. 10B), and the assembly deviation at this time is a positive error. As shown in FIG. 10C, in one possible scenario, the read assembly 4 deviates from the central axis O in the negative direction (i.e., the lower direction of the view angle of FIG. 10C), and the assembly deviation at this time is a negative error. Since the write head distribution areas on both sides of the central axis O are the same, the tolerance ranges on both sides of the central axis O are also relatively uniform, that is, the inclusiveness of the positive error and the negative error is relatively uniform. In other possible implementations, the three write heads are not equidistantly arranged in the length direction Y of the base, which is not limited in the present application.

[0120] As shown in FIGS. 8A-10C, in one possible implementation, the overall width Wz of the write head group in the length direction Y of the base is greater than or equal to three times the width Wc of the corresponding track 1101. At this time, the write head group covers a larger area range in the length direction Y of the base, and the inclusiveness of the assembly deviation is higher. In other possible implementations, the overall width Wz of the write head group in the length direction Y of the base can also be less than three times the width Wc of the corresponding track 1101, which is not limited in the present application.

[0121] As shown in FIGS. 8A-10C, in one possible implementation, in the first read-write unit 5, the width of each write head in the first write head group 311 in the length direction Y of the base is greater than or equal to twice the width of the first read head 41. For example, the widths of the three write heads in the length direction Y of the base in FIG. 10A are Ww1, Ww2, Ww3, respectively, where Ww1≥2Wr, Ww2≥2Wr, Ww3≥2Wr, and Ww1, Ww2, Ww3may be the same or different, which is not limited in the present application. Those skilled in the art can understand that a larger width of the write head can ensure that data is written into a wider area, thereby reducing the possibility of writing errors. The first read head 41 needs to accurately detect the magnetization state of the surface of the magnetic tape, and a smaller width of the first read head 41 can more accurately detect the slight changes in the surface of the magnetic tape, thereby providing more reliable reading data. In other possible implementations, the width of each write head in the first write head group 311 can also be less than twice the width of the first read head 41, which is not limited in the present application. Moreover, the wider the write head, the larger the range covered by the first write head group 311 in the length direction Y of the base, and the higher the probability that the first read head 41 falls within the range of the first write head group 311 and finds the corresponding write head. On the other hand, during the data reading and writing process, the magnetic tape 11 can be offset by a certain amount (generally ±200 nm) in the length direction of the base relative to the read-write assembly 300, and the width of the first read head 41 is generally 600 nm, so the write head needs to be at least 1000 nm (600 nm + 200 nm + 200 nm), about twice the width of the first read head 41. Furthermore, the write head is provided with a coil, which has a large volume, and it is also relatively easy to implement from a process point of view to set the write head to be wider.

[0122] It should be noted that the specific width of the first read head 41 and the write head in the length direction Y of the base is not limited. In one possible implementation, the width of the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base can be 600 nm-660 nm, i.e., 600 nm≤Wr≤660 nm, and in other possible implementations, the width of the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base can also be less than 600 nm or greater than 660 nm. In one possible implementation, the width of the write head in the length direction Y of the base can be 2 μm-3 μm, i.e., 2 μm≤Ww1≤3 μm, 2 μm≤Ww2≤3 μm, 2 μm≤Ww3≤3 μm. In other possible implementations, the width of the write head in the length direction Y of the base can also be less than 2 μm or greater than 3 μm.

[0123] Referring to FIGS. 11A-11C, FIG. 11A is a structural schematic diagram of the first read-write unit in the fourth embodiment of the read-write assembly of the present application; FIG. 11B is a structural schematic diagram of the first read-write unit in the fifth embodiment of the read-write assembly of the present application; and FIG. 11C is a structural schematic diagram of the first read-write unit in the sixth embodiment of the read-write assembly of the present application.

[0124] As shown in FIGS. 11A-11C, in one possible implementation, the plurality of write heads in the first write head group 311 can also be two write heads. Similarly, the two write heads can partially overlap in the length direction Y of the base and sequentially arranged in the width direction X of the base, such as the structure shown in FIG. 11A. The two write heads can also partially overlap in the length direction Y of the base and sequentially arranged in the thickness direction Z of the base, such as the structure shown in FIG. 11B. The two write heads can also not overlap in the length direction Y of the base, such as the structure shown in FIG. 11C. The two write heads can also be arranged in other ways, which are not limited in the present application. As shown in FIGS. 11A-11C, when the write heads in the first write head group 311 are two, the middle axis O of the two write head group as a whole in the length direction Y of the base can be used as a reference line, which can be located in the middle seam of the two write heads (FIG. 11C), or in the middle position of the overlapping region of the two write heads (FIGS. 11A, 11B).

[0125] Those skilled in the art can understand that when the number of write heads in the first write head group 311 is odd, it can be arranged as shown in FIGS. 8A-10C, and when the number of write heads in the first write head group 311 is even, it can be arranged as shown in FIGS. 11A-11C, which will not be repeated here.

[0126] Referring to FIG. 12, FIG. 12 is a structural schematic diagram of the read assembly and the write assembly in the second embodiment of the read-write assembly of the present application.

[0127] The number of the first reading heads 41 in the reading assembly 4, the number of the first writing head groups 311 in the first writing assembly 3A, the number of the second writing head groups 312 in the second writing assembly 3B, i.e. the number of the first reading and writing units 5, are not limited. As shown in FIG. 7, in one possible implementation, only one first reading head 41 is arranged in the reading assembly 4, only one first writing head group 311 is arranged in the first writing assembly 3A, and only one second writing head group 312 is arranged in the second writing assembly 3B, so that there is one first reading and writing unit 5 in the reading and writing assembly 300. As shown in FIG. 12, in one possible implementation, the reading assembly 4 includes a plurality of first reading heads 41, the first writing assembly 3A includes a plurality of first writing head groups 311, and the second writing assembly 3B includes a plurality of second writing head groups 312, so that the reading and writing assembly 300 includes a plurality of first reading and writing units 5. The number of the first reading and writing units 5 corresponds to the number of the tracks 1101 in each data tape 110, and when the reading and writing assembly 300 moves to any data tape 110 under the control of the controller 12, each track 1101 in the data tape 110 has a corresponding first reading and writing unit 5, i.e. each track 1101 corresponds to one first reading head 41 and one writing head group. It should be noted that the number of the first reading and writing units 5 can also be different from the number of the tracks 1101 in each data tape 110, which is not limited in the present application.

[0128] In one reference design, one track corresponds to one reading and writing unit, and the reading and writing unit includes a plurality of reading heads and one writing head, i.e. one writing head in the reading and writing unit is correspondingly provided with a plurality of reading heads. In this structure, the reading heads cover a wider range, and when there is an assembly deviation between the reading assembly and the writing assembly, the reading head corresponding to the writing head can be found with a higher probability. Although this way can also reduce the influence of the assembly deviation on the real-time data verification function to a certain extent and improve the reliability of the data stored in the magnetic tape, the effect is far from that of the present application, and the realizability is low. It can be understood that the width of the reading head is generally smaller than that of the writing head, and in the reference design, a plurality of reading heads are arranged in the reading and writing unit, and in the present application, a plurality of writing heads are arranged in the reading and writing unit. Assuming that the number of the reading heads in the reference design is the same as that of the writing heads in the present application, and the arrangement is the same, the range covered by the writing head group in the present application is larger than that covered by the plurality of reading heads in the reference design, and the tolerance to the assembly deviation is also higher, so the effect of improving the reliability of the data stored in the magnetic tape is more obvious.

[0129] On the other hand, those skilled in the art can understand that the read component and the write component need to be connected with components such as a flexible circuit board and a circuit board, each write head in the write component and each read head in the read component need to be led out with two wires, the wires led out by all read heads in the read component are integrated on one flexible circuit board, and the wires of all write heads in the write component are also integrated on the same flexible circuit board. In the case of a large number of read heads, the number of wires led out is also large, and the flexible circuit board of the read component needs to be designed to be wide. However, due to space and process limitations, the width of the flexible circuit board in the tape storage device is often limited, and the scheme of arranging multiple read heads can cause difficulty in wiring on the flexible circuit board. In another aspect, the more the number of wires on the flexible circuit board, the wider the width, and it is difficult to realize the miniaturization of the head module. For example, assuming that there are 32 tracks in the data tape, 32 read-write units need to be arranged, each read-write unit includes 2 read heads, and there are 64 read heads in total, and the read component needs to be led out with 64x2=128 wires, which will directly increase the width of the flexible circuit board by one time compared with the traditional scheme (for example, the scheme of FIG. 6), occupy a large space and increase the cost. The present application solves this problem through the improvement of the circuit. Those skilled in the art can understand that in order to simultaneously receive signals of multiple read heads, an amplification circuit needs to be arranged for each read head in the circuit structure of the tape storage device, and the more the number of read heads, the more the number of amplification circuits, and the circuit structure is more complex, the requirement for the analog front end is extremely high, the requirement for the circuit design and process of the entire tape storage device is also higher, and the production cost is increased.

[0130] Please refer to FIGS. 13A to 14, FIGS. 13A to 13B are circuit diagrams of a first implementation of the first write head group in the read-write component of the embodiment of the present application; and FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of a second implementation of the first write head group in the read-write component of the embodiment of the present application.

[0131] As shown in FIG. 13A, in a possible implementation, the first write component 3A further includes a first electrical connection end 32 and a second electrical connection end 33 corresponding to the first head group 311, and the first electrical connection end 32 and the second electrical connection end 33 are used to be connected with a conductive circuit (not shown in the figure). The conductive circuit refers to the circuit part connecting the head and the controller, which is responsible for transmitting electrical signals, power supply, circuit protection, etc., and the write head can only perform the write function after being connected with the conductive circuit. The first electrical connection end 32 and the second electrical connection end 33 are the ports of the first write head group 311 connected with the conductive circuit. The conductive circuit can be arranged on the circuit board and / or other positions (for example, the first flexible circuit board mentioned below), which is not limited in the present application.

[0132] Further, the write head overlapping the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base is the first write head 3110, in the first read-write unit 5, each write head in the write head group has a coil 34, and one end of the coil 34 of each write head is connected to the first electrical connection end 32, and the other end of the coil 3110 of the first write head 3110 is connected to the second electrical connection end 33. Among them, the coil 34 of the write head is used to produce electromagnetic induction with the magnetic material on the magnetic tape 11, and when writing data, the change of current in the coil 34 generates a magnetic field, which can change the magnetization state of the corresponding area on the magnetic tape 11, thereby writing data. The other end of the coil of the first write head 3110 is connected to the second electrical connection end 33, which can be understood as connecting the coil 34 of one of the write heads corresponding to the first read head 41 to the second electrical connection end 33, and the coil 34 of the write head in the first write head group 311 is connected to the first electrical connection end 32 and the second electrical connection end 33 respectively, so as to be in conduction with the conductive circuit.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 13A, one of the write heads in the first write head group 311 (i.e. the first write head 3110) is selectively connected to the conductive circuit, and the first write head 3110 is arranged opposite to the first read head 41 in the width direction X of the base. The first write head 3110 connected to the conductive circuit can work normally. By such arrangement, the first write head group 311 only needs to draw two wires, instead of drawing two wires for each write head. That is, even if the number of write heads in the first read-write unit 5 is increased, the number of wires drawn by the read-write assembly 300 will not increase. For example, when 32 tracks 1101 are arranged in the data tape 110, 32 first read-write units 5 are arranged accordingly, and 32 first write head groups 311 are arranged in the first write assembly 3A. No matter how many write heads are arranged in the first write head group 311, 2 wires need to be drawn, and the first write assembly 3A needs a total of 32x2=64 wires. This will not increase the size of the FPC, and the process is relatively easy to implement. Moreover, the write head does not need to be provided with an amplification circuit. Compared with the scheme of multiple read heads, even if each write head of the present application is connected to the conductive circuit, the circuit design and manufacturing process of the tape storage device can be simplified to a certain extent, and the production cost can be reduced.

[0134] As shown in FIGS. 13A-13B, in one possible implementation, the first write assembly 3A further comprises a selection switch 35, and the other end of the coil 34 in the first write head 3110 is connected to the second electrical connection end 33 through the selection switch 35. Alternatively, it can be understood that one write head in the write head group is selected as the first write head 3110 through the selection switch 35, and the coil 34 thereof is connected to the conductive circuit. For example, as shown in FIG. 13B, the other end of the coil 34 in each write head can be a selection connection point, which is denoted as point a, point b, and point c, respectively. The selection switch 35 is connected to one of the selection connection points, for example, point b in FIG. 13A, and the write head 311b corresponding to point b is the first write head 3110, which is connected to the conductive circuit. As shown in FIG. 13B, in one possible implementation, a selection connection point d can be additionally provided, which is not connected to the coil 34 of any write head, but is an empty gear. When the selection switch 35 is connected to point d, none of the write heads in the first write head group 311 works.

[0135] As shown in FIG. 14, in one possible implementation, the other end of the coil 34 in the first write head 3110 can also be connected to the second electrical connection end 33 through a wire 36, which is not limited in the present application.

[0136] As can be understood by those skilled in the art, the first write head 3110 is the write head actually working in the first write head group 311, and the selection of the first write head 3110 is particularly important. As shown in FIGS. 13A and 14, when the first read head 41 is arranged to overlap with only one write head in the length direction Y of the base (i.e., the first read head 41 has only one corresponding write head in the width direction X of the base), the coil 34 of the write head can be connected to the second electrical connection end 33. As shown in FIG. 13B, when the adjacent two write heads in the first write head group 311 are arranged to overlap with the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base, if the adjacent two write heads have the same overlapping area width with the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base, any one of the adjacent two write heads can be the first write head 3110. If the adjacent two write heads have different overlapping area widths with the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base, the write head having a larger overlapping area width with the first read head 41 is the first write head 3110.

[0137] It can be understood that when the first read head 41 corresponds to two write heads in the width direction X of the base, one of the two write heads is taken as the first write head 3110, and the coil 34 of the first write head 3110 is connected with the second electrical connection end 33, so as to be connected with the conductive circuit and serve as the actual working write head. When the width of the region where the two write heads overlap with the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base is the same, any one of the write heads can be taken as the first write head 3110. However, when the width of the region where the two write heads overlap with the first read head 41 in the length direction Y of the base is different, the write head with a larger width of the region overlapping with the first read head 41 is taken as the first write head 3110, and the data written by the first write head 3110 has a higher probability of being read and verified by the first read head 41 relative to the other write head, further improving the reliability of the data of the magnetic tape 11.

[0138] It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the selection of the write head can be set when the magnetic tape storage device 100 is shipped, for example, reading and writing to the magnetic tape 11 at the time of shipment, and then detecting the write head with the strongest magnetic signal or the highest signal-to-noise ratio in the first read-write unit 5 as the actual working first write head 3110, and connecting the coil 34 of the first write head 3110 directly with the second electrical connection end 33 through the wire 36, or connecting the selection switch 35 with the coil 34 of the first write head 3110, and the selected first write head 3110 will be used as the working write head after shipment. Alternatively, an algorithm can be introduced to detect multiple times during the operation of the magnetic tape reading and writing device, and each detection can select a write head with better reading and writing effect, and the controller 12 controls the selection switch 35 to switch the selection connection point. The present application does not limit the selection method of the write head. It should be noted that the above selection circuit is a preferred scheme, and in some possible implementations, the selection circuit can not be provided, and each write head in the first write head group 311 can be connected with the conductive circuit. For example, each write head is respectively connected with a first electrical connection end 32 and a second electrical connection end 33; or each write head is respectively connected with a first electrical connection end 32, and all write heads are commonly connected with a second electrical connection end 33; or each write head is respectively connected with a second electrical connection end 33, and all write heads are commonly connected with a first electrical connection end 32, etc. Alternatively, several write heads in the first write head group 311 can be connected with the conductive circuit, and the other write heads are not connected with the conductive circuit, which is not limited in the present application.

[0139] In one possible implementation, the head module 200 further comprises a first flexible circuit board (not shown in the figure) and a second flexible circuit board (not shown in the figure). One end of the first flexible circuit board is connected to the first write assembly 3A, and one end of the second flexible circuit board is connected to the read assembly 4. The one end of the first flexible circuit board is connected to the first electrical connection end 32 and the second electrical connection end 33 of the first write head group 311, so that the first electrical connection end 32 and the second electrical connection end 33 are connected to the conductive circuit. Alternatively, the first flexible circuit board is used to connect the selected first write head 3110 in the first write head group 311 of the first write assembly 3A to the conductive circuit, so that the controller 12 can control the selected first write head 3110 to perform a write operation through the conductive circuit. Those skilled in the art can understand that the circuit composition of the tape storage device 100 further comprises a magnetic signal processing circuit, and the second flexible circuit board is used to connect the read assembly 4 to the magnetic signal processing circuit. The magnetic signal processing circuit is responsible for converting and processing the magnetic signal detected by the first read head 41 into an electrical signal. The magnetic signal processing circuit includes but is not limited to functions such as magnetic signal detection, signal conversion, signal amplification, signal processing, data decoding, etc. Similarly, the second write head group 312 of the second write assembly 3B can also be provided with two electrical connection ends, and a first write head (which can be understood as an actual working write head) is selected, and then the first write head of the second write assembly 3B is connected to the conductive circuit through the flexible circuit board. The present application will not be repeated here.

[0140] Those skilled in the art can understand that the controller 12, the magnetic signal processing circuit, and the conductive circuit can be integrated on the same circuit board, such as a circuit board, or can be provided on different circuits, or in other forms in the tape storage device 100, which is not limited by the present application.

[0141] Those skilled in the art can understand that the tape storage device 100 can be provided with more flexible circuit boards. According to the functional division, the types of flexible circuit boards in the tape storage device 100 include but are not limited to: the outgoing line of the first write assembly 3A, the outgoing line of the second write assembly 3B, the outgoing line of the read assembly 4, the signal input line of the first motor 221, the signal input line of the second motor 222, etc. In actual engineering, each flexible circuit board can be split and combined, which is not limited by the present application.

[0142] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes to the present application without departing from the scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and changes of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalent technologies, the present application also intends to include these modifications and changes.

Claims

1. A read-write assembly for writing data to a magnetic tape or reading data from the magnetic tape, characterized in that, The read-write assembly comprises a base, a read component and a first write component, the read component and the first write component are fixedly installed on the base and are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the base; The read component comprises a first read head; The first write component comprises a first write head group, the first write head group comprises a plurality of write heads arranged in the length direction of the base; The first read head and the first write head group constitute a first read-write unit, and at least one write head of the first write head group is arranged opposite to the first read head in the width direction of the base.

2. The read / write assembly of claim 1, wherein, In the first write head group, two adjacent write heads partially overlap in the length direction of the base.

3. The read / write assembly of claim 2, wherein, In the first write head group, the plurality of write heads are sequentially arranged in the width direction of the base.

4. The read / write assembly of claim 2, wherein, In the first write head group, the plurality of write heads are sequentially arranged in the thickness direction of the base.

5. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, In the first read-write unit, in the length direction of the base, the width of the overlapping region of two adjacent write heads in the first write head group is greater than or equal to the width of the first read head.

6. The read / write assembly of claim 1, wherein, In the first write head group, two adjacent write heads do not overlap in the length direction of the base.

7. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The plurality of write heads of the first write head group are two write heads.

8. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The plurality of write heads of the first write head group are three write heads.

9. The read / write assembly of claim 8, wherein, The three write heads are equidistantly arranged in the length direction of the base.

10. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, In the first read-write unit, in the length direction of the base, the width of each write head in the first write head group is greater than or equal to twice the width of the first read head.

11. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The read-write assembly further comprises a second write component, the first write component, the read component and the second write component are arranged in the width direction of the base, and the first write component and the second write component are arranged on the two sides of the read component respectively.

12. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The first write component further comprises a first electrical connection end and a second electrical connection end corresponding to the first write head group, the first electrical connection end and the second electrical connection end are used for connecting with a conductive circuit; the write head overlapping with the first read head in the length direction of the base is a first write head; In the first read-write unit, each write head of the first write head group has a coil, and one end of the coil of each write head is connected to the first electrical connection end, and the other end of the coil of the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end.

13. The read / write assembly of claim 12, wherein, In the first read-write unit, two adjacent write heads of the first write head group are arranged overlapping with the first read head in the length direction of the base; The overlapping region width of the two adjacent write heads and the first read head in the length direction of the base is the same, and any one of the two adjacent write heads is the first write head; or, the overlapping region width of the two adjacent write heads and the first read head in the length direction of the base is different, and the write head with a larger overlapping region width with the first read head is the first write head.

14. The read-write assembly of claim 12 or 13, wherein: The other end of the coil in the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end through a wire; Alternatively, the first write assembly further comprises a selection switch, and the other end of the coil in the first write head is connected to the second electrical connection end through the selection switch.

15. A read / write assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, The first read-write units are arranged in a length direction of the base.

16. A head module, comprising: The read-write assembly of any one of claims 1-15, and a head driving device for driving the read-write assembly to move.

17. A magnetic tape storage device, characterized by The magnetic tape and the head module of claim 16. The magnetic tape comprises at least one data track, and the read-write assembly is arranged on one side of the magnetic tape, and the write head in the first read-write unit which overlaps the first read head in the length direction of the base is used to write data to the data track, and the first read head is used to read data from the data track.

18. The magnetic tape storage device of claim 17, wherein, The width of the overlapping area of the two adjacent write heads is greater than or equal to the width of the data track.

19. The magnetic tape storage device of claim 17 or 18, wherein, The overall width of the write head group in the length direction of the base is greater than or equal to three times the width of the data track.

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