Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head – Head accessory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-15
2001-07-03
Evans, Jefferson (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head
Head accessory
C360S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256167
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 61-203443 will be described with reference to
FIGS. 37 and 38
.
FIG. 37
illustrates the conventional magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus in an eject position where a magnetic tape cassette can be mounted on a moving chassis
201
, and
FIG. 38
illustrates the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus in a loaded position where a magnetic tape is wound around a rotary head drum, and the apparatus is ready to perform a magnetic recording/reproduction operation.
Referring to
FIG. 37
, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus includes a fixed chassis
217
, the moving chassis
201
, a rotary head drum
218
having a rotary head, a magnetic tape
273
, a supply reel base
203
a
, a take-up reel base
203
b
, a tape cassette
277
, and tape loading sections
227
a
and
227
b
each having a rotation guide
229
and an inclined guide
230
. As the tape loading sections
227
a
and
227
b
move along guide rails
209
a
and
209
b
from the position shown in
FIG. 37
to the position shown in
FIG. 38
, and the moving chassis
201
moves along the direction indicated by an arrow C in
FIG. 38
, the magnetic tape
273
is pulled out from the tape cassette
277
and wound around the rotary head drum
218
, thereby establishing the loaded position shown in
FIG. 38
where the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus is ready to perform a magnetic recording/reproduction operation.
In such a tape loading apparatus, the tape loading sections
227
a
and
227
b
generally need a predetermined gap in the thickness direction so that they can smoothly slide along the guide rails
209
a
and
209
b
. Therefore, the tape loading sections
227
a
and
227
b
have some play with respect to the rotation guide
229
and the inclined guide
230
. Accordingly, the tip of the inclined guide
230
can incline in a direction toward the rotary head drum
218
during a loading operation.
As can be seen from
FIGS. 37 and 38
, the inclined guide
230
has a cylindrical shape.
In such a conventional structure, however, as the inclined guide
230
inclines in a direction toward the rotary head drum
218
during a loading operation, the inclined guide
230
may contact and damage the rotary head drum
218
and possibly the head which are in a high speed rotation. This is generally shown in
FIG. 39
, which illustrates a head
501
being in rotation. As illustrated in
FIG. 39
, when the inclined guide
230
inadvertently contacts an upper drum
218
a
(“rotary drum”), the inclined guide
230
may damage the upper drum
218
a
and the head
501
(not shown in FIG.
39
).
In order to avoid this, different approaches have been taken, including the following. For example, the respective loading tracks of the tape loading members
227
a
and
227
b
may be sufficiently spaced from the rotary head drum
218
. Alternatively, the proximity of the inclined guide
230
to the rotary head drum
218
may be reduced by reducing the play of the tape loading members
227
a
and
227
b
by reducing or eliminating the gap in the thickness direction between the guide rails
209
a
and
209
b
and the tape loading members
227
a
and
227
b.
However, spacing the loading track away from the rotary head drum
218
may inhibit downsizing of the mechanism. Moreover, reducing or eliminating the gap between the tape loading members
227
a
and
227
b
and the guide rails
209
a
and
209
b
may increase the load of a loading operation and thus the drive force required from a power source (which is typically a motor). Therefore, the power consumption of the apparatus may increase, and/or a large motor may be required, thereby inhibiting downsizing of the mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of this invention, a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus is provided for pulling out a magnetic tape from a cassette, forming a predetermined tape drive system with a group of tape guide posts while winding the magnetic tape around a rotary head cylinder, having a rotary head, for a predetermined arc, so as to perform recording/reproduction of the magnetic tape. The apparatus includes: an inclined post around which a non-magnetic side of the magnetic tape from the rotary head cylinder is wound; a rail provided integrally with a base on which the rotary head cylinder is mounted; and a tape guide post carrier which has the inclined post mounted thereon and is guided along the rail. The inclined post is a tape guide post around which the winding contact line, along which the magnetic tape contacts the tape guide post, is not perpendicular to a tape drive direction. The inclined post has a tapered tip portion whose diameter upwardly decreases, wherein an upper edge of the magnetic tape is between a base of the tapered tip portion and a tip of the tapered tip portion.
As described above, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus of the present invention has an inclined post with the tip thereof being upwardly tapered.
With such a structure, it is possible to prevent the rotary head drum and the head from being inadvertently damaged during a loading operation, without increasing the mechanism size or the load of the loading operation.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantage of providing a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus incorporating a reliable, low-power-consumption, small-sized mechanism in which the inclined guide is upwardly tapered so as to prevent a rotary head drum and a head from being inadvertently damaged.
This and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5953185 (1999-09-01), Lee
patent: 7-282427 (1995-10-01), None
Konishi Akio
Saito Yoshiyuki
Yanagihara Takefumi
Evans Jefferson
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Renner , Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
LandOfFree
Magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having a mechanism... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having a mechanism..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having a mechanism... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2448345