Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head – Head accessory
Patent
1984-07-30
1987-05-26
Wolff, John H.
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head
Head accessory
15210R, G11B 2304, G11B 541
Patent
active
046690174
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention is concerned with a cleaning cassette intended to clean signal heads of systems operated by magnetic tape cartridges, such as cartridge tape recorders, video recorders and storage devices of data processing, comprising a cleaning element which, mechanically, is in frictional engagement with the signal head and which is wettable by means of a cleansing fluid.
Signal heads, i.e. recording, reproducing and erasing heads of magnetic tape operated systems, conventionally, have been cleaned manually by means of cotton sticks and a cleansing fluid, such as benzine, Freon or the like, or by resorting to a cleansing cartridge inserted into and driven by the system in place of the normal musicassette, video or data cassette. In the state-of-the-art cleaning cassettes, the cleaning element is a pivoted arm which, during operation of the cassette, is reciprocated by an eccentric drive and, with a small felt pad, rubs along a signal head. The felt pad may be externally impregnated with a cleansing fluid by means of a pipette or flask. As the cleansing fluid is volatile, the major part thereof has already evaporated before the cassette has been inserted and put into operation. Also, a very small amount of cleansing fluid can respectively be put on the felt pad rubbing and lubricating always with the same small surface along a single signal head thereby quickly adopting a large number of sharp-edged dirt and metal oxide particles thus being likely to damage the same, while other signal heads next thereto and the parts of the driving mechanism, i.e. capstan shaft and back pressure roller, getting into contact with the magnetic tapes, are not cleaned at all.
In order to simultaneously clean all signal heads and driving parts getting into contact with the magnetic tapes and to better distribute the removed dirt particles along the cleaning element, conventionally, cleaning cassettes have been used that are provided with a cleaning tape guided like magnetic tapes, with the cleaning tape being designed to either run dry, in which case its abrasive effect will be detrimental, or to be externally impreganted with cleansing fluid. However, wetting of the tape is a complex operation. Moreover, it will take so long that the major part of the fluid has evaporated before the wetted portion of the tape has reached the signal head.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a cleaning cassette of the afore-mentioned type, permitting fast and easy handling and safeguarding thorough cleaning of all signal heads and parts of the driving mechanism that will get into contact with the magnetic tapes.
The afore-described problem, in accordance with the invention, is solved in that the cassette is formed with a cavity for receiving at least the volume of cleansing fluid required for one cleaning operation, and that an outlet valve disposed in a line between the cavity and the cleaning element, is operable by the cassette driving mechanism.
The new cleaning cassette is put, like a normal cassette, into the system without requiring a complicated wetting of the cleaning element so that it will also be suitable for use with motor cars. The cleaning fluid, with the drive running, is put onto the cleaning element to reach immediately thereafter the parts to be cleaned. Hence, evaporation will not constitute a problem any longer.
In order that a plurality of cleaning operations can be performed without requiring a further intake of cleansing fluid, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the major part of the inner cavity of the cartridge forms a sealed compartment provided with an inlet valve for receiving cleansing fluid. By way of alternative, the cavity could also be a recess in the cassette housing insertable into which is a container to receive a cleansing fluid and adapted to be connected to the line leading to the outlet valve.
Depending on the device, the cassettes are inserted either horizontally or vertically. To render the new cleaning cassette position-independent, in the followi
REFERENCES:
patent: 3594850 (1971-07-01), Wellington
patent: 3783470 (1974-01-01), Myers et al.
patent: 3789452 (1974-02-01), Nemoto
patent: 4100643 (1978-07-01), Horian et al.
patent: 4134170 (1979-01-01), Boudreau
patent: 4324014 (1982-04-01), Stutz, Jr. et al.
Blank Thomas H.
Cohn Gabriel
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