JP2504716B2 - Magnetic head cleaning method and cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning a magnetic head on which a magnetic tape slides, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for cleaning a magnetic head that avoids the magnetic tape during cleaning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a storage medium for information equipment that uses a magnetic tape. Information is written and read on this magnetic tape while passing on the pass line of the magnetic head. Also, in the magnetic tape manufacturing process,
The magnetic characteristics of the magnetic tape are evaluated while passing on the path line of the magnetic head in the magnetic tape characteristic evaluation device.

The pass line of the above-mentioned magnetic head is easily contaminated, and it is necessary to frequently clean it to remove dust and the like. Conventionally, as a method for cleaning this magnetic head, "magnetic head cleaning method (first conventional example)" described in JP-A-56-93115 and "magnetic head cleaning method" described in JP-A-53-21920. (Second conventional example) "and the like have been proposed.

[0004]

However, in the "magnetic head cleaning system" of the first conventional example, when the magnetic head is cleaned, the magnetic tape is separated from the magnetic head, but the separated magnetic tape is directly below the magnetic head. Therefore, dust and the like removed from the magnetic head may fall onto the separated magnetic tape and adhere to it.

Further, in the "magnetic head cleaning method" of the second conventional example, a head cleaning ribbon is inserted between the magnetic head and the magnetic tape during cleaning of the magnetic head, and as a result, unnecessary external force is applied to the magnetic tape. May act and damage the magnetic tape.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and it is possible to easily prevent the scattered dust after cleaning from adhering to the magnetic tape while preventing the magnetic tape from being damaged. An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic head cleaning method and a cleaning device.

[0007]

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the magnetic tape moving from the unwinding side to the winding side comes into contact with the magnetic tape.
In the method of cleaning the magnetic head that passes through,
Only part of the total length of the tape around the magnetic head
Was avoided in the width direction from the pass line of the magnetic head.
After that, the magnetic head is cleaned.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic head cleaning device which holds a magnetic tape and moves the magnetic tape in a width direction thereof to avoid the magnetic tape from a pass line of the magnetic head, and the magnetic tape avoiding means. And a magnetic head cleaning unit which is provided so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the magnetic head and which slides a cleaning medium on the magnetic head to clean the magnetic head.

[0009]

According to the magnetic head cleaning method of the first aspect, since the magnetic tape is moved in the width direction of the magnetic head during the cleaning and is avoided from immediately below the magnetic head, scattered dust generated by the cleaning is generated. It is possible to prevent the magnetic tape from dropping and adhering to the magnetic tape. Further, since no external force acts on the magnetic tape during cleaning, the magnetic tape can be prevented from being damaged. At this time,
The air tape is the magnetic head within the entire length from the unwinding side to the winding side.
Only part of the surrounding area is removed from the magnetic head pass line.
It is only avoided in the width direction of the
Not. Therefore, of the total length of the magnetic tape, the magnetic head
Winding reel and winding reel located away from the periphery
Part that is wound around the inner drive roll,
The width of the magnetic tape such as those reels and drive rolls
It is not necessary to perform complicated and difficult tasks to avoid
It is simple and easy.

According to another aspect of the magnetic head cleaning device of the present invention, first, the magnetic tape avoiding means moves the magnetic tape in its width direction, and then the magnetic tape cleaning means advances toward the magnetic head. Then, the magnetic head is cleaned with a cleaning medium. In this way, since the magnetic tape is moved in the width direction during cleaning and is avoided from immediately below the magnetic head, it is possible to prevent scattered dust generated by the cleaning from falling and adhering onto the magnetic tape. Further, the magnetic tape is held by the magnetic tape avoiding means during the cleaning and does not come into contact with the cleaning tape. For this reason, no external force acts on the magnetic tape, so that damage to the magnetic tape can be prevented.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B show an operating state of an embodiment of a magnetic head cleaning device according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is a side view.

The magnetic head cleaning device 10 of this embodiment is a magnetic tape evaluation device 1 for evaluating the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic tape 11 during the manufacturing process of the magnetic tape 11.
Installed in 2. The magnetic tape evaluation device 12 has a characteristic evaluation unit 13, and a plurality of magnetic heads 14 are arranged in the characteristic evaluation unit 13. During evaluation magnetic characteristics of the magnetic tape 11, as shown in FIG. 4 (A) and (B), or the unwinding side
The magnetic tape 11 moving from the take-up side comes into contact with the pass line of the magnetic head 14 and is run by the evaluation section drive roll 15, and the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic tape 11 are evaluated by the magnetic head 14.

The magnetic head 14 needs to be cleaned because it is easily soiled by dust or the like and is easily clogged. After the magnetic tape 11 has been evaluated a predetermined number of times, it is cleaned by the magnetic head cleaning device 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the magnetic head cleaning device 10 includes a magnetic tape avoiding mechanism 1 as a magnetic tape avoiding means having an avoiding arm 16.
7 and a cleaning tape 1 as a cleaning medium
And a magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 as a magnetic head cleaning means. The magnetic tape avoidance mechanism 17 is installed on the substrate 20, and the movable plate 21 is disposed on the substrate 20 so as to be slidable toward the magnetic head 14. The magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 is installed on the movable plate 21.

An elevating cylinder 22 is interposed between the substrate 20 and the movable plate 21, and the operation of the elevating cylinder 22 allows the magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 to move forward and backward toward the magnetic head 14. The lifting cylinder 22 has a built-in lifting cylinder operation switch 23 (FIG. 3) for detecting that the magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 is in the advanced position (raised position) and the retracted position (lowered position).

The magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 is a take-up side drive roll 24 and a take-up side drive roll 2 as a cleaning medium (cleaning tape) drive means.
5 and a cleaning liquid drop lower nozzle 26 as a cleaning liquid supply means
3, tension roll 27 and potentiometer 28 as tension detecting means, and C shown in FIG. 3 as control means.
PU (central processing unit) 29, a large number of guide rolls 30, a pair of cleaning tape detection sensors 31,
Is configured.

On the movable plate 21, there are arranged an unwind reel 32 around which the cleaning tape 18 is wound and a take-up reel 33 around which the cleaning tape 18 is wound. Cleaning tape 18 from unwind reel 32
Is wound around the unwinding side drive roll 24, passes through the tip of the cleaning liquid droplet lower nozzle 26, and passes through a number of guide rolls 30 arranged in the front part of the movable plate 21, and then the tension roll 27 and the winding side drive roll. After being sequentially wound around 25, it is wound around the take-up reel 33.
The cleaning tape detection sensor 31 is composed of a pair of optical sensors and is installed near the unwind reel 32. The cleaning tape detection sensor 31 confirms that the cleaning tape 18 is present on the take-up reel 32 in an appropriate amount.

The unwinding side drive roll 24 and the winding side drive roll 25 hold the cleaning tape 18 between the nip roll 34 and the cleaning tape 18.
Run at a predetermined speed. Unwinding side drive roll 24
Moves the cleaning tape 18 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1A, and the take-up drive roll 25 moves the cleaning tape 18 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1A.
The take-up drive roll 25 is a cleaning tape 18
Not only run for a predetermined length in the B direction, but also allow the cleaning tape 18 to run back and forth (for example, an amplitude of 10 mm) in the directions of the arrows A and B in cooperation with the unwinding side drive roll 24.

By the reciprocating movement of the cleaning tape 18, the cleaning tape 18 can slide back and forth on the magnetic head 14, and the magnetic head 14 is cleaned by removing dust and the like by the cleaning tape 18. Further, by running the cleaning tape 18 in the direction of the arrow B for a predetermined length, the cleaning tape 18 containing the cleaning liquid, which will be described later, is hung over a large number of guide rolls 30 in the front part of the movable plate 21 and does not contain the cleaning liquid. The cleaning tape is switched between a state in which the cleaning tape is wound around a large number of guide rolls 30 in the front part of the movable plate 21.

The cleaning liquid drop lower nozzle 26 drops a cleaning liquid such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol onto the cleaning tape 18. At the time of dropping the cleaning liquid, the take-up drive roll 25 is simultaneously actuated, the cleaning tape 18 is run in the direction of the arrow B, and the take-up reel 33 has a predetermined length, that is, a large number of guides arranged at the front part of the movable plate 21. The cleaning tape 18 containing the cleaning liquid is wound between the rolls 30 for the length (for example, 350 mm). In this way, the cleaning tape 18 containing the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid drop nozzle 26 is arranged on the front part of the movable plate 21, and the magnetic head 14 is provided so as to be wet-cleanable.

The tension roll 27 is rotatably supported by the tip of a tension lever 35, and the tension lever 35 is supported by the movable plate 21 so as to be rotatable in the direction of arrow C. Tension lever 35 and movable plate 2
A spring 36 is interposed between the two and the tension lever 35 is constantly urged. In addition, the tension lever 35
The potentiometer 28 is installed on the support portion 37 of the. The potentiometer 28 detects the tension acting on the cleaning tape 18 from the rotation angle at which the tension lever 35 rotates against the urging force of the spring 36.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the magnetic tape avoidance mechanism 17, a prismatic rod 38 pivotally supporting the avoidance arm 16 is connected to a swing first cylinder 39, and a pinion 41 slides on the rod 38. A rack 42 that is movably inserted and that is connected to the swing second cylinder 40.
Is engaged with the pinion 41. The swing first cylinder 39 and the swing second cylinder 40 are installed on the substrate 20 (FIG. 1), the rod 38 is inserted into the elongated hole 53 formed in the movable plate 21, and the avoiding arm 16 is placed on the movable plate 21. Is located in.

The avoidance arm 16 rotates in the direction of arrow D in FIGS. 2 and 1A by the operation of the swing second cylinder. Also, by the operation of the swing first cylinder 39,
The avoidance arm 16 moves in the axial direction of the rod 38 (direction of arrow E in FIG. 2; direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1A). Therefore,
After the magnetic tape 11 is locked and held by the tape holding portion 43 at the tip of the avoiding arm 16, the swing first cylinder 39 and the swing second cylinder 40 are operated almost at the same time to move in the width direction of the magnetic tape 11. And as a result,
As shown in FIG. 1B, of the total length of the magnetic tape 11.
In the magnetic head 1
Avoid from just below the 4th pass line in the width direction.

The swing first cylinder 39 and the swing second cylinder 42 are both cylinders 39 and 4 respectively.
0 operates to cause the tape holding portion 43 of the avoiding arm 16 to avoid the magnetic tape 11 from the path line of the magnetic head 14, and the tape holding portion 43 of the avoiding arm 16 passes the magnetic tape 11 to the path of the magnetic head 14. A swing cylinder operation switch 44 for confirming that each line has been restored is built in.

Now, as shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 29 of the magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 causes the evaluation end signal a from the magnetic tape evaluation device 12, the magnetic tape avoidance return signal b from the swing cylinder operation switch 44, and the cleaning. The cleaning tape presence / absence detection signal c from the tape detection sensor 31, the elevation signal d from the elevation cylinder operation switch 23, and the tension detection signal e from the potentiometer 28 are input. Also, this CPU 29
Is the swing first cylinder 39 and the swing second cylinder 40, the washing liquid drop nozzle 26, and the lift cylinder 22.
To the servo motor controller 45 of the unwinding side drive roll 24 and the servo motor 46 of the winding side drive roll 25, respectively. Further, the CPU 29
The cleaning end signal k is output to the magnetic tape evaluation device 12.

The tension detection signal e from the potentiometer 28 is amplified by the amplifier 47, and the A / D converter 4
The signal is converted in 8 and sent to the CPU 29. Also, CP
When the U 29 outputs the operation signal i to the servo motor controller 45, the servo motor controller 45 operates the servo motor 49 to cause the unwinding side dry roll 24.
Drive. The rotation speed of the unwinding side drive roll 24 is measured by the encoder 51 and output to the servo motor controller 45. Similarly, when the CPU 29 outputs the operation signal j to the servo motor controller 46,
The servomotor 50 operates and the take-up drive roll 25
Is driven. The rotation speed of the winding side drive roll 25 is measured by the encoder 52 and output to the servo motor controller 46.

Next, the operation of the CPU 29 will be described with reference to FIGS.
Also, a description will be given with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, immediately after the evaluation of the magnetic tape evaluation apparatus 12 is completed, the magnetic tape 11 is released.
Is on the pass line of the magnetic head 14 of the characteristic evaluation unit 13. At this time, the magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 of the magnetic head cleaning device 10 is in the lowered position retracted from the magnetic head 14.

When the evaluation end signal a is output from the magnetic tape evaluation device 12 to the CPU 29, the CPU 29 causes the swing first cylinder 39 and the swing second cylinder 40 to operate.
The operation signal f is output to. As a result, the swing first cylinder 39 and the swing second cylinder 40 operate,
As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the avoiding arm 16 moves the magnetic tape 11 in the width direction thereof, and
Avoid from just under 4.

When the swing cylinder operation switch 44 outputs the magnetic tape avoidance signal b to the CPU 29, and further the cleaning tape detection sensor 31 outputs the cleaning tape presence / absence detection signal c to the CPU 29 to confirm the presence of the cleaning tape. The CPU 29 runs the cleaning tape 18 by the take-up drive roll 25 for a predetermined length while dropping the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid drop nozzle 26. The running amount of this cleaning tape 18 is
The cleaning tape 18 containing the cleaning liquid is used as the movable plate 2
1 is a length (for example, 350 mm) that is stretched between the front guide rollers 30.

After running the cleaning tape 18 for a predetermined length, the CPU 29 outputs an operation signal h to the elevating cylinder 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B), and the magnetic head via the movable plate 21. The cleaning mechanism 19 is raised to bring the cleaning tape 18 containing the cleaning liquid into contact with the magnetic head 14. Lifting cylinder operation switch 23
When the rising signal d is output from the CPU 29 to the CPU 29 and the rising of the magnetic head cleaning mechanism 19 is confirmed, the CPU 29
Outputs the operation signals i and j to the servo motor controllers 45 and 46, respectively, and the unwinding side drive roll 2
4 and the take-up side drive roll 25 are driven to make the cleaning tape 18 reciprocate in the directions of arrows A and B in FIG. 1 (A) (amplitude about 10 mm). Thereby, the magnetic head 1
4 is wet-cleaned by sliding on a cleaning tape 18 containing a cleaning liquid.

The CPU 29 uses the cleaning tape 1
After performing the reciprocating movement of 8 times the set number of times, the operation signal j is output to the servo motor controller 46 to drive the winding side drive roll 25, and the cleaning tape 18 is caused to run for a predetermined length. By this traveling, the cleaning tape 18 containing no cleaning liquid is arranged between the guide rollers 30 in the front part of the movable plate 21. After running the cleaning tape 18 for the predetermined length, the CPU 29 again outputs the operation signals i and j to the servo motor controllers 45 and 46 to drive the unwinding side drive roll 24 and the winding side drive roll 25, The cleaning tape 18 is reciprocated a set number of times. As a result, the magnetic head 14 is dry-cleaned.

After this dry cleaning, the CPU 29
As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the lifting cylinder 22
The operation signal h is output to the magnetic head cleaning mechanism 1
9 is moved down and retracted from the magnetic head 14. CPU
When the descending signal d from the ascending / descending cylinder operation switch 23 is input, the 29 is as shown in FIGS. 4 (A) and 4 (B).
Swing first cylinder 39 and swing second cylinder 4
The operation signal f is output to 0 to return the magnetic tape 11 to the pass line of the magnetic head 14. When the magnetic tape return signal b is output from the swing cylinder operation switch 44, the CPU 29 outputs the cleaning end signal k to the magnetic tape evaluation device 12, and the magnetic tape evaluation device 12
Evaluate the characteristics of the magnetic tape 11 again.

During wet and dry cleaning in which the unwinding side drive roll 24 and the winding side drive roll 25 run the cleaning tape 18 back and forth, the CPU 29
Input the tension detection signal e from the potentiometer 28,
The detected tension T is compared with the set tension T ₀ . When T> T ₀ when the unwinding side drive roll 24 rotates at the set rotation speed and the cleaning tape 18 is running in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1A, the winding side drive roll 25 rotates. Increase the speed higher than the unwind side drive roll 24,
If T ≦ T ₀ , the rotation speed of the unwinding side drive roll 24 is made higher than that of the winding side drive roll 25. When T> T ₀ when the take-up drive roll 25 rotates at the set rotational speed and the cleaning tape 18 is running in the direction of arrow B, the take-up drive roll 24 is provided.
Of the take-up side drive roll 25, and if T ≦ T ₀ , the rotational speed of the take-up side drive roll 25 is made higher than that of the take-up side drive roll 24.
The CPU 29 controls the traveling speed of the cleaning tape in this manner to adjust the tension acting on the cleaning tape 18 within a certain range.

According to the above-described embodiment, during the cleaning of the magnetic head 14 with the cleaning tape 18, the avoiding arm 16 of the magnetic tape avoiding mechanism 17 moves the magnetic tape 11 in its width direction and avoids the magnetic tape 14 from directly below. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the scattered dust generated by the cleaning of the magnetic head 14 from dropping and adhering to the magnetic tape 11.

Further, during cleaning of the magnetic head 14, the magnetic tape 11 is held by the avoiding arm 16 of the magnetic tape avoiding mechanism 17 and does not come into contact with the cleaning tape 18. Therefore, no external force acts on the magnetic tape 11, so that the magnetic tape 11 can be prevented from being damaged. At this time, the magnetic tape 11 is completely wound from the unwinding side to the winding side.
Only part of the length around the magnetic head 14 is magnetic.
It is avoided from the pass line of the head 14 in the width direction.
However, the total length is not avoided. Therefore, magnetic
Of the total length of the tape 11, keep away from the area around the magnetic head 14.
Unwinding reel, winding reel, and intermediate drive that are located apart from each other
The part wound around a roll, etc., those reels,
Avoiding drive rolls in the width direction of the magnetic tape 11
Simple and easy to use without complicated and difficult work
It

After the cleaning tape 18 is wet-cleaned or dry-cleaned once, the new cleaning tape 18 is hung on the guide roller 30 in front of the movable plate 21 by running the winding-side drive roll 25 for a predetermined length. The magnetic head 14
Is always cleaned with new cleaning tape, which makes the cleaning better.

Further, the magnetic head cleaning device 10
After the cleaning of the magnetic head 14 is completed, the magnetic tape 11 is returned to the path line of the magnetic head 14 by the magnetic tape avoidance mechanism 17 of the magnetic head cleaning device 10. The pass line will not be disturbed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the magnetic head 14 is wet-cleaned and dry-cleaned by the cleaning tape 18 containing the cleaning liquid and the cleaning tape 18 not containing the cleaning liquid, respectively. Therefore, both characteristics of the wet cleaning and the dry cleaning are obtained. The magnetic head 14 can be satisfactorily cleaned by the effective cleaning.

Further, since the magnetic head 14 is dry-cleaned after the wet cleaning, the magnetic head 14 is in a dry state when the cleaning of the magnetic head 14 by the magnetic head cleaning device 10 is completed. Therefore, the magnetic head 14 can be used immediately after cleaning the magnetic head 14.

Further, the CPU 29 uses the potentiometer 28.
Based on the detected tension value from the unwind side drive roll 24
Also, the winding-side drive roll 25 is used to control the traveling speed of the cleaning tape 18 and adjust the tension acting on the cleaning tape 18 within a certain range, so that the pressing force acting on the magnetic head 14 by the cleaning tape 18 becomes excessive. In addition, the magnetic head 14 is not damaged. At the same time, the pressing force is not too small, the frictional force between the cleaning tape 18 and the magnetic head 14 is optimized, and the magnetic head 14 can be cleaned well.

Although the magnetic head cleaning device 10 cleans the magnetic head 14 of the magnetic tape evaluation device 12 in the above embodiment, it may be applied to a magnetic head cleaning device such as a tape deck. good.

[0043]

As described above, according to the magnetic head cleaning method and cleaning apparatus of the present invention,
It is possible to easily prevent the scattered dust after cleaning from adhering to the magnetic tape while preventing the magnetic tape from being damaged.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an operating state of an embodiment of a magnetic head cleaning device according to the present invention, (A) is a front view, and (B) is a side view.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the magnetic tape avoidance mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view of C in the magnetic head cleaning mechanism of FIG.
The block diagram which shows the control system of PU.

4A and 4B are a front view and a side view showing a state before the operation of the magnetic head cleaning device shown in FIG. 1, respectively.

5A and 5B are respectively a front view and a side view showing an operating state of a magnetic tape avoidance mechanism in the magnetic head cleaning device of FIG.

6A and 6B are respectively a front view and a side view showing a state immediately after the magnetic head cleaning mechanism in the magnetic head cleaning device of FIG. 1 has finished cleaning.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Magnetic Head Cleaning Device 11 Magnetic Tape 14 Magnetic Head 16 Evasion Arm 17 Magnetic Tape Evasion Mechanism 18 Cleaning Tape 19 Magnetic Head Cleaning Mechanism 22 Elevating Cylinder 24 Unwinding Side Drive Roll 25 Winding Side Drive Roll 26 Washing Liquid Droplet Nozzle 27 Tension Roll 28 Potentiometer 29 CPU (Central Processing Unit) 39 Swing 1st Cylinder 40 Swing 2nd Cylinder 43 Tape Holding Unit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A magnetic tape which moves from an unwinding side to a winding side.
The magnetic head cleaning method
Of the total length of the magnetic tape around the magnetic head.
Part of the magnetic head from the pass line in the width direction
After avoiding the magnetic field, the magnetic
How to clean the air head. 2. A magnetic tape avoiding means for holding a magnetic tape and moving it in the width direction to avoid the magnetic tape from a path line of the magnetic head; and a cleaning medium provided so as to be movable back and forth with respect to the magnetic head. A magnetic head cleaning device comprising: a magnetic head cleaning means for sliding the magnetic head to clean the magnetic head. 3. The magnetic head cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning medium is a cleaning tape.