Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head moving during transducing – Tape record
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-15
2001-01-09
Evans, Jefferson (Department: 2754)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head moving during transducing
Tape record
C360S084000, C360S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172840
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
FIG. 40A
illustrates an M loading tape path of a conventional magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus.
The magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus illustrated in
FIG. 40A
includes a chassis
501
and a cylinder
503
having a rotary magnetic head. The magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus records/reproduces signals to/from a tape
505
of a cassette
502
while winding the tape
505
around the cylinder
503
. In
FIG. 40A
, the tape
505
is wound around the cylinder
503
for a predetermined arc.
FIG. 40B
illustrates the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus of
FIG. 40A
as viewed from a direction indicated by an arrow A.
Referring to
FIG. 40B
, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having the tape path as illustrated In
FIG. 40A
needs a predetermined gap of at least &dgr;
1
so that a lid
504
of the cassette
502
does not contact the upper surface of the cylinder
503
.
Moreover, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having such a structure as illustrated in
FIG. 40A
needs a predetermined gap &dgr;
2
so as to avoid interference between the lid
504
of the cassette
502
and the cylinder
503
. The gap &dgr;
2
may inhibit downsizing of the tape path and the mechanism.
In the M loading tape path as illustrated in
FIG. 40A
, the tape
505
is wound around the cylinder
503
in a spiral pattern, as illustrated in
FIGS. 41A and 41B
, wherein a portion
508
of a lead
507
for guiding the tape
505
is higher than a lower edge
506
of the tape
505
in the cassette
502
by h
1
.
Therefore, in a loading operation in which the tape
505
is pulled out from the cassette
502
and wound around the cylinder
503
, the tape
505
is raised from a position
505
a
to a position
5
O
5
b
, thereby hooking the tape
505
on the lead
507
.
In an unloading operation in which the tape
505
is unwound from the cylinder
503
and pulled back into the cassette
502
, the tape
505
is lowered from the position
505
b
to the position
505
a
, thereby unhooking, or disengaging, the tape
505
from the lead
507
.
Thus, in the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having the structure as illustrated in
FIG. 40A
, the tape
505
may be damaged during the loading/unloading operation in which the tape
505
is hooked/unhooked on/from the lead
507
.
Particularly for a thin tape which is required for a long-time and/or digitalized recording operation, the hooking or mounting of the tape
505
on the lead
507
may cause greater damage to the tape
505
.
In order to avoid damage to the tape
505
, it is necessary to finely adjust the tension acting upon the tape
505
in the loading/unloading operation. Various other problems may also occur. For example, it may be necessary to maintain a high dimensional accuracy for the members for pulling out the tape. These factors may complicate the mechanism and therefore inhibit 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 tape cassette and winding the magnetic tape around a rotary head cylinder, having a rotary head, for a predetermined arc, for recording/reproducing the magnetic tape. The magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus includes: a rotary head cylinder; a first base member on which the tape cassette is mounted; a second base member for guiding a reciprocal movement of the first base member toward/away from the rotary head cylinder; first to fifth vertical posts for guiding the magnetic tape, wherein a winding contact line, along which the magnetic tape contacts each of the first to fifth vertical posts, is perpendicular to a tape driving direction in which the magnetic tape is driven; and first to third inclined posts for guiding the magnetic tape, wherein a winding contact line, along which the magnetic tape contacts each of the first to third inclined posts, is not perpendicular to the tape driving direction. In a tape driving state in which the magnetic tape can be driven, the magnetic tape pulled out from a supply reel is wound around the first vertical post on a non-magnetic side thereof, around the second vertical post on a magnetic side thereof, around the third vertical post on the non-magnetic side thereof, around the first inclined post on the non-magnetic side thereof, around the rotary head cylinder on the magnetic side thereof, around the second inclined post on the non-magnetic side thereof, around the fourth vertical post on the non-magnetic side thereof, around the third inclined post on the magnetic side thereof, around a capstan shaft for driving the magnetic tape on the magnetic side thereof, and around the fifth vertical post on the non-magnetic side thereof, thereby reaching a take-up reel. The rotary head cylinder includes an upper fixed cylinder, an intermediate rotary cylinder having the rotary head and a lower fixed cylinder. The upper fixed cylinder, the intermediate rotary cylinder and the lower fixed cylinder are coaxially aligned with respect to one another. An upper portion of the upper fixed cylinder is cut off so that a cassette lid provided over an opening of the tape cassette does not interfere with the upper fixed cylinder in the tape driving state. The tape driving state is achieved by mounting the tape cassette onto the first base member, moving the first base member toward the rotary head cylinder, pulling out the magnetic tape from the tape cassette by means of a tape guide member, and winding the magnetic tape around the rotary head cylinder, for a predetermined arc, thereby forming a tape drive system to allow the magnetic tape to be recorded/reproduced.
In one embodiment of the invention, the third inclined post is formed integrally with a capstan housing which serves as a bearing member for receiving the capstan shaft.
In another embodiment of the invention, a stop member is provided in an upper portion of a capstan housing which serves as a bearing member for receiving the capstan shaft, the stop member preventing the cassette lid from contacting the upper fixed cylinder.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus further includes: a first vertical post holding arm for holding the first vertical post, the first vertical post holding arm having its pivotal shaft on the first base member; a fifth vertical post holding arm for holding the fifth vertical post, the fifth vertical post holding arm having its pivotal shaft on the first base member; a first tape guide member carrier on which the third vertical post and the first inclined post are mounted; a second tape guide member carrier on which the fourth vertical post and the second inclined post are mounted, wherein the first guide member carrier is guided by a first guiding section provided integrally with the second base member, and also the second tape guide member carrier is guided by a second guiding section provided integrally with the second base member; and a pinch arm pivotally supported on the second base member, the pinch arm having a pinch roller for pressing the magnetic tape against the capstan shaft. The second vertical post and the third inclined post are provided integrally with the second base member.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantage of providing a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus incorporating a reliable and smaller mechanism in which damage to a tape during a loading/unloading operation is eliminated while the tape path is minimized by minimizing a gap between a cylinder and a cassette.
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: 4358797 (1982-11-01), Nishijima et al.
patent: 4491885 (1985-01-01), Morik
Hirabayashi Koichiro
Konishi Akio
Yasutomi Hitoshi
Evans Jefferson
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Renner , Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
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