JP2545680Y2 - Magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system, and more particularly, a magnetic tape is wound around a pair of hubs in a hollow space of a cassette case and is housed in a freely movable manner. The present invention relates to a magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system using a magnetic tape cassette which can be used by turning a case upside down.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In audio equipment such as a magnetic tape recorder and video equipment such as a VTR, consumer and business video tape cassettes and audio magnetic tape cassettes are widely used as magnetic recording media for recording and reproduction. Have been. Various improvements have been made in this type of magnetic tape cassette and a recording / reproducing system using the cassette. In one of the magnetic tape recording / reproducing systems, a semiconductor module is built in a cassette of a magnetic tape cassette such as a computer tape cassette or a video tape cassette, and data such as recorded contents of a magnetic tape and index information are stored in the semiconductor module. A system for storing such management information as that described above has been proposed (JP-A-63-168889). The purpose of this system is to control recording or reproduction of a magnetic tape based on management information recorded in the semiconductor module when using a magnetic tape, for example, to shorten the access time in recording or reproducing necessary information. Things.

However, the system disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-168889 needs to write a considerable amount of information into the semiconductor module, and requires two signal transmission / reception sequences of the magnetic tape and the semiconductor module. In addition, the system for writing to and reading from the semiconductor module tends to be extremely complicated and complicated.

On the other hand, in a magnetic tape cassette, in order to avoid a drawback that exists because the recording medium is tape-shaped, such as a tape winding disorder, a magnetic tape is replaced with a magnetic tape in the same cassette case as a conventional magnetic tape cassette. A cassette in which a solid-state memory is built in and which can record and reproduce an information signal corresponding to a conventional recording and reproducing apparatus has been proposed (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-12775).

However, this cassette has a recording system having a circuit for switching between recording and reproduction, a magnetic detector, and an A / D changer, in addition to a solid-state memory as a member arranged in the case.
A reproduction system having a D / A converter, a power supply device, a magnetic-electric converter, and the like must be provided. This not only complicates the structure of the cassette, but also has many problems that must be solved in comparison with the large recording capacity of the magnetic tape and the non-volatility (retention of signals) of data. The fact is that there are many problems compared to gender.

Under such circumstances, the object of the present invention is a system using a magnetic tape cassette that is widely used as audio or the like. As is well known, a magnetic tape cassette used for audio and the like has a structure in which a pair of flangeless hubs around which a magnetic tape is wound are rotatably held in a cassette case formed of upper and lower half cases. Has been adopted. In this magnetic tape cassette, the inside of the case hollow is divided into a recording / reproducing area and a tape housing area by a partition wall. Then, when using the magnetic tape cassette (at the time of recording / reproducing).
In the above, the magnetic head is inserted into the cassette from the opening in front of the cassette and abuts on the magnetic tape.

[0007]

As described above, the magnetic tape cassette used for audio and the like has a configuration in which both sides A and B can be used, that is, a so-called upside down use, as is well known. I have. That is, the magnetic tape contained in the cassette case is used by the magnetic head in the upper and lower halves in the tape width direction, and uses the entire width of the tape by reciprocating the tape.

In recent years, an apparatus has been used which can continuously record or reproduce data on or from the magnetic tape cassette on the A side and the B side. This apparatus has a configuration in which the running of the tape can be reversed immediately after the end of the magnetic tape in the cassette is detected, and the position of the magnetic head can be moved, for example. However, at the time of the above-mentioned reversal, when the magnetic tape is reversed, no matter what configuration is adopted, the tape running must be temporarily stopped, and the system for running the magnetic tape to record and / or reproduce information. In this case, the occurrence of a signal break at the time of reversal of the tape running direction was regarded as a fatal disadvantage. For example, when trying to record for a long time such as using both sides of AB on the magnetic tape cassette (when the recording time is not enough with only one side of the magnetic tape), conventionally, the sound is not interrupted. Was impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system which does not cause any sound interruption even when the tape running of a magnetic tape cassette which can be used upside down is reversed. is there.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette case 1 in which a magnetic tape T is wound around a pair of hubs 12 in a tape storage area 5 so as to run freely. In a magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system comprising a magnetic tape cassette which can be used upside down, a semiconductor memory 15 is mounted in the tape storage area 5 and an input / output terminal 16 of the semiconductor memory 15 is connected to the outer periphery. The cassette case 1 disposed along the outer surface of the wall 2; the amplifier 20, the FM modulator 21, and the magnetic head 4 disposed outside the cassette case 1, respectively.
Recording circuit consisting of 0; magnetic head 40, FM demodulator 2
3, a reproduction circuit including a switch 34, an amplifier 35, and a speaker 36; a sensor 33, an A / D converter 30, and a D / A
And a control circuit comprising a converter 31 and a controller 32. The recording circuit performs recording on the magnetic tape T while the recording circuit performs magnetic recording on the magnetic tape T.
Recording part, near the part connected to the leader tape.
A signal detectable by the sensor 33 is input in advance, and
In response to the operation of reversing the running direction of the
When the sensor 33 constituting the control circuit detects,
Controller 3 which also forms the control circuit
2, the A / D converter 30 is operated, and the analog signal
The digital signal is converted to a digital signal, and the signal is transmitted to the semiconductor memory 15 connected to the control circuit to perform recording.
A signal recorded in the semiconductor memory 15 is reproduced through a converter 31 to prevent the occurrence of sound interruption due to the reversal of the running of the magnetic tape T. It can be solved by the system.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a magnetic tape cassette to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where components are mounted on a cassette case, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lower half case. First, the structure of the entire magnetic tape cassette will be described with reference to FIG.

The structure of the magnetic tape cassette of the present embodiment is substantially the same as that of a conventional one used for audio and the like. That is, the cassette case 1 of the magnetic tape cassette shown in FIG. 1 has a hollow interior formed by a pair of upper and lower half cases (only the lower half case 1a is shown and the upper half case is not shown). 4 and a tape storage area 5. The tape storage area 5 is provided with a hub 12 and a rotation guide roller 13 symmetrically with respect to a center line C extending in the front-rear direction of the cassette. Also, the recording / reproducing area 4
A plate having a capstan insertion hole 6, a cassette positioning hole 7, a guide pole 8 and the like formed symmetrically with respect to the center line C, and further having a pressure pad 9 behind the guide pole 8. A shield plate 11 is incorporated behind the spring 10 and the leaf spring 10.

The above configuration is exactly the same as the conventional cassette structure, but the characteristic configuration of the present embodiment is a semiconductor device capable of recording and reproducing an electric signal from outside the cassette in the tape storage area 5 inside the hollow. The memory 15 is built in. The semiconductor memory 15 is provided at an appropriate position of the cassette case 1, in the present embodiment, at the rear of the cassette on the right side of the lower half case 1a in the drawing.

On the outer surface of the cassette outer peripheral wall 2 close to the semiconductor memory 15, an input / output terminal 16 is provided which can be connected to the terminal of the recording / reproducing apparatus only by loading the cassette into the apparatus. I have. This input / output terminal 16
Is a portion for outputting a recording signal of the semiconductor memory 15 to the reproducing device or for inputting a signal from the recording device to the semiconductor memory 15, regardless of whether the cassette is loaded in any direction (top and bottom). For connection, for example, the recording / reproducing apparatus is provided with two left and right connection terminals.

The semiconductor memory 15 has, for example, an EEPR
In the case of the OM, a backup power supply is not required. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a backup power supply is provided in the cassette using an electrically rewritable EPROM and the operation thereof is guaranteed for a long time. 4 and 5
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the configuration of the semiconductor memory 15 and the input / output terminal 16. The semiconductor memory 15 here is mounted on the upper surface of a flexible substrate 42 via a plurality of lead terminals 41 projecting from the package outer surface, and each of the lead terminals 41 is mounted on the upper surface of the substrate 42, Each of the lead terminals 41 is connected in advance to the inside of the substrate 42, and is connected to the sealed connection thin wire 43. The other end of the thin wire 43 is connected to the input / output terminal 16 formed integrally with the substrate 42 at a corner of the substrate 42.
Are connected to the input / output terminals 16 through the inside of the support portion 44. The input / output terminals 16 are extended along the direction in which the magnetic tape cassette is inserted into and detached from the deck in the recording / reproducing apparatus, and are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction.

Although not shown, a connection terminal which can be electrically connected to each of the input / output terminals 16 is provided on a deck in the recording / reproducing apparatus. The semiconductor memory 15 and the input / output terminal 16 configured as described above are previously combined integrally via the substrate 42, and a part of the outer peripheral wall 2 of the cassette case 1 is 44 is cut out in advance so that it can be fitted.

Therefore, in assembling the magnetic tape cassette, the assembly including the semiconductor memory 15, the input / output terminals 16, the substrate 42, and the like is mounted at a predetermined position and a fixing means such as an adhesive is used. Thereby, the mounting work can be performed extremely easily. A magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system using the magnetic tape cassette configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIG.

First, recording on the magnetic tape T in a normal case is performed by a so-called recording circuit in which an input signal is amplified by an amplifier 20 and then modulated by an FM modulator 21 and sent to a magnetic head 40. Therefore, the electric signal is recorded on the magnetic tape T by the magnetic head 40 as a magnetic signal. At the time of normal reproduction, the signal picked up by the magnetic head 40 is transmitted to the FM demodulator 23.
To the amplifier 35 via the switch 34
A so-called reproducing circuit in which the signal of the amplifier 35 is sent to the speaker 36 is used.

In the vicinity of the end of the magnetic tape T (in the vicinity of the connection portion with the leader tape), for example, a magnetic signal for generating an electric signal of a specific wavelength, which can be detected by an appropriate sensor 33 provided in the recording / reproducing apparatus. An appropriate switching signal is input in advance. Therefore, in the case where the tape running is automatically reversed by the auto-reverse mechanism, when the switching signal from the magnetic tape T is picked up by the sensor 33, the controller 32 operates.

The control circuit operated by the above-mentioned switching signal includes the controller 32, an A / D converter 30 (analog / digital converter), and a D / A converter 3 which will be described later.
1 (digital / analog converter) and the sensor 33
And is connected to the semiconductor memory 15. At the time of recording, when the switching signal is picked up by the sensor 33, the controller 32
As a result, the A / D converter 30 is operated, the analog signal is converted into a digital signal, and recording from the input / output terminal 16 to the semiconductor memory 15 is started. It should be noted that the input signal to the magnetic head 40 may be cut off when the recording to the semiconductor memory 15 is started. In this embodiment, however, switching is performed by the switch 34 as described later. Therefore, there is no problem even if the recording on the magnetic tape T is continued. Thereafter, the tape running is reversed, and the sensor 33 picks up the switching signal on the opposite side, so that the A / D converter 3 is controlled by the controller 32.
The operation of 0 and the recording of the semiconductor memory 15 are stopped. Thus, while the recording is being performed by the semiconductor memory 15, the tape reversal is completed.

When reproducing the signal recorded in this way, when the switching signal is picked up by the sensor 33, the D / A converter 31 is operated by the controller 32 and the switch 34 is turned on by the D / A converter. A converter 31
Switch to the side. Therefore, the signal output from the semiconductor memory 15 is converted into an analog signal, amplified by the amplifier 35 via the switch 34, and sent to the speaker 36.

Thereafter, when the running of the tape is reversed and the sensor 33 picks up the switching signal on the opposite side, the switch 34 is switched by the controller 32 to the D / A converter 3.
The signal is switched from the side 1 to the side of the magnetic head 40 to output a signal from the magnetic tape T. If it takes a short time for the circuit to start up during playback,
In order to allow this delay, for example, sound connection can be smoothly performed by appropriately controlling the tape running between recording and reproduction.

Thus, the above-described magnetic tape recording and / or
Alternatively, according to the reproducing system, the recording in the semiconductor memory 15 is performed in the period from immediately before the tape running is reversed to immediately after the tape running is reversed, for example, in parallel with or instead of the magnetic recording on the magnetic tape T. At times, since the recording signal of the semiconductor memory 15 is output instead of the output signal of the magnetic tape T, it is possible to prevent a sound interruption when the tape running is reversed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the semiconductor memory is located on the rear side of the cassette. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this configuration but may be appropriately changed as long as the position does not hinder the tape running.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, a semiconductor memory capable of recording and reproducing an electric signal from outside the cassette is built in a cassette case containing a magnetic tape. Since it has an output terminal for inputting a recording signal to the reproducing device and an input terminal for inputting the signal from the recording device to the semiconductor memory,
Not only it became possible to use both the magnetic tape and the semiconductor memory as the information recording form,
Further, a switching signal for starting and stopping the recording of the semiconductor memory and for starting and stopping the output of the reproduction signal from the semiconductor memory (in the vicinity of the end of the magnetic tape recording area so as to be detectable by a sensor of the recording device or the reproducing device). During recording, recording is performed on the semiconductor memory via an analog-to-digital converter. During reproduction, the magnetic tape side and the semiconductor memory side are switched by a changeover switch, and the digital-analog converter is operated. Since the semiconductor memory is configured to be played back through the tape, when the tape running reverses during signal recording or playback,
The recording / reproducing function of the semiconductor memory can be used in place of the magnetic tape, and the surrogate recording / reproducing function of the semiconductor memory can prevent the recording / reproducing signal from being cut when the tape running is reversed. Can provide a magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system in which sound interruption is completely prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the inside of a magnetic tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the half case according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a recording / reproducing system using the magnetic tape cassette shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a configuration of a semiconductor memory and input / output terminals according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state where the semiconductor memory and the input / output terminals are mounted on the half case according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Signs in the figure]

 Reference Signs List 1 cassette case 1a lower half case 2 outer peripheral wall 3 partition wall 4 recording / reproducing area 5 tape storing area 6 capstan insertion hole 7 cassette positioning hole 8 guide pole 9 pressure pad 10 leaf spring 15 semiconductor memory 16 input / output terminal 20 amplifier 21 FM modulation 23 FM demodulation 30 A / D converter 31 D / A converter 32 Controller 33 Sensor 34 Switch 35 Amplifier 36 Speaker 40 Magnetic head 41 Lead terminal 42 Substrate 43 Thin wire 44 Supporting part T Magnetic tape

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A magnetic tape T is wound around a pair of hubs 12 in a tape storage area 5 of a cassette case 1 so as to run freely, and the cassette case 1 can be used by reversing its front and back. In the magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system provided, a semiconductor memory 15 is mounted in the tape storage area 5 and an input / output terminal 16 of the semiconductor memory 15 is arranged along the outer surface of the outer peripheral wall 2. A cassette case 1; an amplifier 20 and an FM modulator 21 disposed outside the cassette case 1, respectively.
And a recording circuit comprising a magnetic head 40;
0, a reproduction circuit including an FM demodulator 23, a switch 34, an amplifier 35, and a speaker 36; and a control circuit including a sensor 33, an A / D converter 30, a D / A converter 31, and a controller 32. while performing the recording to the magnetic tape T by the recording circuit, the magnetic
The magnetic recording portion of the tape T, which is in contact with the leader tape.
A signal detectable by the sensor 33 is provided in the vicinity of the connection part.
Pre-input, depending on the operation of reversing the running direction of the cassette tape
The signal is output to the sensor 3 which constitutes the control circuit.
When 3 is detected, the control circuit is also configured.
The A / D converter 30 is operated by the
To convert an analog signal to a digital signal,
It was subjected to recording and transmitted to the control circuit and the semiconductor memory 15 that is connected to, at the time of reproduction through the D / A converter 31 of the control circuit, performing the reproduction of the signal recorded in the semiconductor memory 15 A magnetic tape recording and / or reproducing system for preventing the occurrence of sound interruption due to the reversal of the running of the magnetic tape T.