Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head – Head accessory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-07
2002-03-05
Renner, Craig A. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head
Head accessory
C242S615000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06353512
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tape recorders wherein a path of travel of a magnetic tape extends from a supply reel support to a rotary head cylinder and returns to a take-up reel support for recording signals on the tape or reproducing signals from the tape when the tape travels along the path, and more particularly to a tape guide mechanism for causing the magnetic tape to extend along the path of travel as specified.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With reference to
FIG. 8
, video tape recorders (VTRs) comprise a supply reel support
3
and a take-up reel support
31
arranged on a chassis
1
and a rotary head cylinder
2
mounted on the chassis
1
in a predetermined inclined posture. Arranged at opposite sides of the cylinder
2
are a pair of leading guide posts
4
,
41
reciprocatingly movable along respective guide grooves
11
,
12
. A magnetic tape
10
is withdrawn from a tape cassette (not shown) by the advance of the guide posts
4
,
41
. The tape
10
is wound around the head cylinder
2
and brought into sliding contact with a plurality of tape guide members to be described below to provide a specified path of travel of the tape.
Arranged on the chassis
1
along the specified path are a fixed guide post
42
, tension post
43
, fixed guide post
44
, full-width erasing head
21
, sound erasing head
22
, sound/control head
23
, fixed guide post
45
, capstan
46
, pinch roller
47
and withdrawing guide post
48
. The capstan
46
, when driven, moves the tape
10
in one direction for recording or reproduction of signals.
For example, the fixed guide post
44
disposed at a position immediately backward from the full-width erasing head
21
with respect to the direction of travel of the tape is a tape guide member by which the magnetic tape
10
withdrawn by the tension post
43
on a tension lever
49
is guided at a specified level to the erasing head
21
as shown in FIG.
6
. The guide post
44
comprises a pole portion
44
a
for the main surface of the tape
10
to be brought into sliding contact therewith, and a flange portion
44
b
positioned for sliding contact with the lower of a pair of side edges at opposite sides of the main surface of the tape
1
. The lower side edge of the tape
10
which is closer to the chassis
1
bears on the upper face of the flange portion
44
b
, with the main surface of the tape
10
in sliding contact with the peripheral surface of the pole portion
44
a
, whereby the level of the tape
10
is regulated widthwise thereof.
Since the level of the magnetic tape
10
tends to lower toward the chassis
1
in the section of the tape travel path between the tension post
43
and the full-width erasing head
21
, the level of the tape
10
can be regulated satisfactorily when the tape
10
is restrained from lowering at one side only.
As described above, the VTR has at least three fixed guide posts
42
,
44
,
45
in order to provide the specified path of travel of the tape. High precision is required of these fixed guide posts
42
,
44
,
45
with respect to the position and posture thereof. Especially, the fixed guide post
44
comprising the pole portion
44
a
and the flange portion
44
b
as shown in
FIG. 6
requires high precision in forming the pole portion
44
a
on the flange portion
44
b.
However, highly accurate press work is required in the case where the fixed guide post
44
comprising the pole portion
44
a
and the flange portion
44
b
is to be provided in the form of an integral piece of metal, highly accurate press work is required to entail a problem in manufacturing cost. Further when the post
44
is prepared as an assembly by joining a pole member and a flange member of metal to a resin boss, an increase in the number of components makes the assembly process complex, giving rise to problems with respect to the manufacturing cost and the accuracy of assembling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a tape guide mechanism for use in VTRs and like tape recorders which mechanism can be manufactured at a lower cost than conventionally without impairing the accuracy of the path of travel of the tape.
While VTRs and like tape recorders have at least three fixed guide posts
42
,
44
,
45
arranged on the chassis
1
, we directed attention to the fixed guide post
44
disposed between the tension post
43
and the full-width erasing head
21
. In the case where the fixed guide post
44
comprises a pole portion
44
a
and a flange portion
44
b
as in the prior art, the pole portion
44
a
serves the function of guiding the main surface of the magnetic tape
10
(tape main surface guiding function), and the flange portion
44
b
receives the lower side edge of the tape
10
, performing the function of regulating the level of the tape
10
widthwise thereof (tape edge guiding function). Our research conducted on these two guiding functions of the fixed guide post
44
has revealed that the tape edge guiding function is important and indispensable, but that the tape main surface guiding function is not always essential. We have found that a trouble-free path of travel of the tape can be provided even if the tape main surface guiding function is dispensed with, by modifying the position and orientation of the full-width erasing head
21
, and accomplished the present invention.
The present invention provides a tape recorder in which a path of travel of a magnetic tape
10
extends from a supply reel support
3
toward a rotary head cylinder
2
and which comprises, as arranged on a chassis
1
along the path from a position close to the supply reel support
3
, a fixed guide post
42
for guiding the travel of the tape, a tension post
43
for imparting definite tension to the tape
10
, and a full-width erasing head
21
for erasing signals recorded on a main surface of the tape
10
over the entire width thereof.
The recorder includes a fixed guide member
5
disposed for the path between the tension post
43
and the erasing head
21
and having a tape guide face
54
to be brought into sliding contact with the lower of a pair of side edges of the tape
10
between the main surface thereof, with the lower side edge positioned closer to the chassis
1
. The fixed guide member
5
regulates the level of the tape
10
widthwise thereof by receiving the lower side edge of the tape by the tape guide face
54
while being held out of contact with the main surface of the tape
10
.
The tape recorder of the invention described above has the fixed guide member
5
serving the tape edge guiding function only and substituted for the conventional fixed guide post
44
comprising a pole portion and a flange portion and disposed between the tension post
43
and the full-width erasing head
21
. Thus, the tape main surface guiding function is dispensed with. As previously described, the tape guide member to be disposed between the tension post
43
and the full-width erasing head
21
need not always have the tape main surface guiding function. Even when the tape guide mechanism has such a fixed guide member
5
, a path of travel of the tape is provided which ensures signal recording or reproduction free of trouble.
Accordingly, the fixed guide member
5
need not have the conventional pole portion but is formed with the tape guide face
54
only to perform the tape edge guiding function. The fixed guide member
5
therefore has a very simple construction, which readily assures the tape guide face
54
of accuracy.
Stated more specifically, the fixed guide member
5
comprises a resin boss
52
provided upright on the chassis
1
, and a metal flange plate
51
attached to an upper end of the boss
52
, and the boss
52
has a flange receiving face
56
receiving a rear side of the flange plate
51
, and a plurality of elastic hooks
53
,
53
engaging a front side of the flange plate
51
on the flange receiving face
56
, the front side of the flange plate
51
providing the tape guide face
54
. With this specific construction, the boss
52
of the fixed
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Renner Craig A.
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
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