JP2886977B2 - Magnetic head guide device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a magnetic head guiding device, and more particularly to a magnetic head guiding device for guiding a magnetic head in a width direction of a magnetic tape having a multitrack.

[Background Art] In recent years, in the field of information processing, development of a data recording / reproducing apparatus which records a large amount of data on a magnetic tape having a width of 1/4 inch and reproduces the data has been advanced.

The most important issue in developing such a data recording / reproducing apparatus is how to record and reproduce a large amount of data on a magnetic tape. This problem can be solved by so-called multi-tracking in which a large number of tracks are formed on a magnetic tape.

However, since the magnetic head must be moved in the width direction of the magnetic tape to accurately access a desired track with the multi-tracking of the magnetic tape, a magnetic head guiding device for guiding the magnetic head in the width direction of the magnetic tape Requires high positioning accuracy. For example, 1 /
When forming 16 tracks on a 4-inch wide magnetic tape,
The moving distance for the magnetic head to move from one track to the adjacent track is about 360 μm, and extremely accurate positioning accuracy on the order of microns is required.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for guiding a magnetic head in the width direction of a magnetic tape to access a large number of tracks on the magnetic tape, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-23219.
This conventional magnetic head guide device uses two slide shafts as guide members for guiding a carriage to which a magnetic head is attached in the width direction of a magnetic tape, and guides the carriage along these slide shafts.

By the way, such a conventional magnetic head guide device needs to provide a slight gap between the carriage and the slide shaft in order to guide the carriage smoothly.

However, in such a conventional magnetic head guide device, the magnetic head may be inclined with respect to the magnetic tape due to a gap provided between the carriage and the slide shaft. Often you get off track.

In order to avoid such an undesirable situation, in the conventional magnetic head guide device, the carriage is biased with respect to the slide shaft by a coil spring. However, according to such a solution, there is a problem in that a part of the carriage moves while rubbing the slide shaft, so that the sliding portion gradually wears, and the inclination of the magnetic head becomes excessively large.

In addition to the above-described conventional magnetic head guide devices, there are also those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,958 and JP-A-59-101061. The conventional magnetic head guide device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,958 has a plurality of rollers in a hollow portion surrounding a cylindrical head positioning post (guide), and a cylindrical carriage is provided via these rollers. Move in the width direction of the magnetic tape.

However, such a conventional magnetic head guide device requires a large number of components at a structural point, and is complicated and large.
It becomes difficult to accommodate it in a limited space in the data recording / reproducing device. Further, in the structure disclosed in this U.S. Patent, a pin implanted in the carriage is inserted into a groove formed in the block for preventing rotation, thereby preventing rotation of the carriage. There is also a problem that the part is gradually worn and the magnetic head floats from the magnetic tape.

On the other hand, a conventional magnetic head guide device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-101061 has a graphite piston fixed to an outer periphery of a cylindrical sleeve (guide), and an inner periphery of a carriage surrounding the outer periphery of the graphite piston. The carriage is slid in the width direction of the cylindrical sleeve to guide the magnetic head in the width direction of the tape. However, special wear-resistant parts such as glass cylinders and graphite pistons are expensive, which causes an increase in the cost of the entire apparatus.

In summary, in a conventional magnetic head guide device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-23219, a configuration in which a slide shaft is used as a guide for guiding the carriage in the width direction of the magnetic tape is provided between the carriage and the slide shaft. There has been a problem that the magnetic head is inclined with respect to the magnetic tape by the gap provided.

Further, in the configuration in which the carriage is biased with respect to the slide shaft by the coil spring to prevent the magnetic head from being tilted, the tilt of the magnetic head becomes larger due to wear of a sliding portion between a part of the carriage and the slide shaft. There was a problem.

Further, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,958, the configuration using rollers or the like to reduce the wear of the guide portion is complicated and large in size, and the magnetic head guide is provided in a limited space in the data recording / reproducing device. There is a problem that it is difficult to house the device.

Further, the configuration using a special wear-resistant material in place of the above-mentioned roller as in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 59-100161 has a problem that the cost is increased.

In other words, the above-described conventional magnetic head guide devices are all practically inadequate, and for the development of a magnetic recording / reproducing device in the field of information processing in which a higher-level multi-track is required in the future, It is a serious bottleneck.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to tilt the magnetic head at a predetermined position in the width direction of the magnetic tape with a configuration as simple and inexpensive as possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic head guiding device capable of accurately guiding the magnetic head.

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, there is provided an apparatus for guiding a magnetic head in a width direction of a magnetic tape, wherein the base member and the base member extend in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape, and A fixed guide rail member supported by the base member with first and second guide grooves spaced apart in a direction orthogonal to the width direction of the magnetic tape; and the first and second fixed guide rail members, respectively. A third, spaced-apart relationship with the second guide groove
And a movable guide rail member provided with a fourth guide groove so as to be movable in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape; and a movable guide rail member integrally supported with the movable guide rail member. A magnetic head, and the first and third guide grooves of the first and second guide grooves of the fixed guide rail member and the third and fourth guide grooves of the movable guide rail member, which are opposed to each other; A plurality of rolling members provided in a rolling contact relationship with the guide groove and between the second and fourth guide grooves, wherein the plurality of rolling members are rolled into a retainer. A magnetic head guide device is provided, which is movably held.

According to the present invention, as the magnetic head guide device for guiding the magnetic head in the width direction of the magnetic tape, a fixed guide rail member fixed to the base member, and substantially magnetically engaged with the fixed guide rail member. Using a guide rail mechanism comprising a movable guide rail member that is movable together with the head, first to fourth guide grooves are formed in each of opposed portions of the two guide rail members, and these guide grooves are formed. The magnetic head is integrated with the movable guide rail member by utilizing the rolling member rolling contact between the two guide rail members by holding the plurality of rolling members rotatably by the retainer therebetween. Guided movement has been added.

Thereby, according to the magnetic head guide device of the present invention,
With a configuration as simple as possible, the magnetic head can be accurately guided without tilting at a predetermined position in the width direction of the magnetic tape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a magnetic head guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a guide rail mechanism of FIG. 3 is a plan view of the guide rail mechanism of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a side view of the magnetic head guide device of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line AA of FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the magnetic head guide device of FIG. 1, FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are diagrams showing other different modifications of the guide rail mechanism of FIG. 1, respectively. FIGS. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view and an exploded perspective view of a magnetic head guide device according to a second embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 to 6 showing a first embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 1 denotes a base member formed in a substantially L-shaped side surface,
A guide rail mechanism 2 is provided inside the vertical side of the base member 1.
The carriage (head support member) 3 is attached via the. A magnetic head 4 is screwed to the head support member 3.
The magnetic tape 6 is attached to the magnetic tape 6 by the drive mechanism 5 via the head support member 3.

The guide rail mechanism 2 includes a screw 21
a first guide rail member 7 having a U-shaped cross section fixed by a and 21b, and a second guide rail member 8 having a U-shaped cross section fixed to the base member 1 by screws 21c and 21d;
The second guide rail member 8 is opposed to the inside of the first guide rail member 7. The first to fourth linear guide grooves 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d each having a V-shaped cross section are formed on the inner surface of the first guide rail member 7 and the outer surface of the second guide rail member 8, respectively. They are provided facing each other.
A plurality of ball-shaped rolling members 10 are provided between the first and third linear guide grooves 9a and 9c and between the second and fourth linear guide grooves 9b and 9d, respectively. The retainer 11 is rotatably held on both sides of the retainer 11. The first guide rail member 7 and the second guide rail member 8 are relatively slidable through rolling contact by the plurality of rolling members 10.

That is, in this case, the second member supported by the base member 1
Guide rail member 8 becomes a fixed guide rail member,
The first guide rail member 7 supported by the head support member (carriage) 3 becomes a movable guide rail member.

The free fall of the retainer 11 inserted between the first and second guide rail members 7, 8 to hold the plurality of rolling members 10 rotatably is prevented as follows. That is, the first and third guide grooves 9a, 9
opposing dimension between c and second and fourth guide grooves 9b, 9d
The facing dimension between them is made slightly smaller than the diameter of the rolling member 10. As a result, a slight pressing force acts on the rolling member 10 between the first and second guide rail members 7 and 8.
Accordingly, the retainer 11 actually takes approximately half the moving amount of the movable guide-side second guide rail member 8, but its free fall is prevented.

However, such a retainer 11 is not always necessary.If the number of the plurality of rolling members 10 is increased and they are arranged in close contact with each other so that they are adjacent to each other, the retainer 11 as a holding member becomes It is not necessary to use it. However, in this case, a member for preventing the rolling member 10 from falling off between the guide grooves is required. FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show other different modifications of the guide rail mechanism including such a case, respectively.

Returning to FIGS. 1 to 6, the drive mechanism 5 is provided at the center of a stepping motor 12 attached to the lower side of the horizontal side of the base member 1 and a rotating shaft 13 of the stepping motor 12. A screw hole 14, a screw shaft 15 screwed into the screw hole 14 through a through hole formed in a horizontal side of the base member 1, and a fixing member 16 fixed to the head support member 3 by screws 21e and 21f. And a slit 17 provided in the fixing member 16 and a detent member fitted in the slit 17
And a set screw 19 for fixing the tip of the screw shaft 15 to the rotation stopping member 18. The screw shaft 15 is driven in the axial direction by the rotation of the stepping motor 12, and the head support member 3 and the magnetic head 4 are driven. Is moved in the width direction of the magnetic tape 6 under the guidance of the guide rail mechanism 2. A compression coil spring 20 is provided between the base member 1 and the head support member 3, and the compression coil spring 20 allows the head support member 3 to move against the backlash of the screw shaft 15. It is urged away from 1.

The thus configured magnetic head guide device includes a guide rail mechanism 2 using rolling contact of the rolling member 10 as a guide rail mechanism for guiding the magnetic head supported by the head support member 3 in the width direction of the magnetic tape 6. Is used, the magnetic head 4 can be accurately guided and moved to a predetermined position in the width direction of the magnetic tape 6.

That is, the guide rail mechanism 2 used in the present invention has a first guide rail member 7 having a U-shaped cross section fixed to the head support member 3 and fixed to the base member 1 provided inside the first guide rail member 7. Second section with a U-shaped cross section
And a first to a fourth linear guide groove having a V-shaped cross section provided opposite to the inner surface of the first guide rail member 7 and the outer surface of the second guide rail member 8. 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d between the first and third linear guide grooves 9a, 9c and the second and fourth linear guide grooves 9
b, 9d and a plurality of rolling members 10 sandwiched between
The rolling member 10 and the first and second guide rail members 7, 8 are configured by utilizing rolling contact.

Thus, in the present invention, there is no need to provide a gap between the slide shaft and the carriage as in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-23219 using a slide shaft as a guide. Tilting can be prevented, and the magnetic head 4 can be accurately moved to a predetermined position in the width direction of the magnetic tape 6.

Further, in the present invention, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,958, since rollers and the like are not used to reduce abrasion of the guide portion, the device is as simple and compact as possible without increasing the size and complexity of the device. Therefore, the magnetic head guide device can be simply and reliably accommodated in the limited space of the data recording / reproducing device.

Further, in the present invention, since the first guide rail member 7 and the second guide rail member 8 are in rolling contact by a plurality of rolling members 10, graphite or the like as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. It is not necessary to use a special and expensive abrasion-resistant material such as that described above, so that an increase in cost can be prevented.

Further, in the present invention, V-shaped first to fourth linear guide grooves 9a, 9b, 9a, 9b, which are provided to face the inner surface of the first guide rail member 7 and the outer surface of the second guide rail member 8, respectively.
9c, 9d between opposing linear guide grooves 9a, 9c and 9b, 9d
Since a plurality of rolling members 10 are sandwiched between the rolling members 10, the rolling contact between the linear guide grooves 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d and the rolling members 10 is utilized. Frictional force can be reduced as much as possible, and the load on the drive mechanism 5 can be reduced.

Further, in the present invention, the opposing linear guide grooves 9a, 9c and 9b, 9d among the respective guide grooves 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d select rolling members 10 having different diameters without increasing their processing accuracy. By assembling them, gaps between them can be easily eliminated.

Further, according to the present invention employing the above-described guide rail mechanism 2, as shown in FIG.
There is a unique advantage that the influence of undesired stress depending on the running direction of the magnetic tape, which occurs in the direction of the arrow when the magnetic tape is in contact with the magnetic tape 6, can be prevented beforehand. That is, as described above, since the plurality of rolling members 10 sandwiched between the first and second guide rail members 7 and 8 are pressed against each other, the left and right directions in FIG. Thus, the position is regulated with respect to the running direction of the magnetic tape. Therefore, even if a stress corresponding to the tape running direction acts on the magnetic head 4 on the entire magnetic head guide device, it can be prevented from being affected by the position regulating force of the guide rail mechanism 2 in the same direction. You can do it.

Although the first guide rail member 7 is fixed to the head support member 3 and the second guide rail member 8 is fixed to the base member 1 in the first embodiment described above, the first guide rail member 7 is The second guide rail member 8 may be fixed to the head support member 3 while being fixed to the member 1. In this case, the head support member 3 may be formed integrally with the first or second guide rail members 7, 8. The driving mechanism 5
Is not limited to the one described above, and the structure is not particularly limited as long as the magnetic head 4 is moved in the width direction of the magnetic tape 6.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention including such a modification.

8 and 9, a guide rail mechanism 102 is attached to a base member 101b formed integrally with the motor 101.
The fixed guide rail member 102a with a U-shaped cross section
Attached via 109a, 109b. Inside the fixed guide rail member 102a, a movable guide rail member 102b having a U-shaped cross section has the same relationship as the first and second guide rail members 7, 8 in the guide rail mechanism 2 of the first embodiment described above. It is provided so as to be movable vertically in the figure.

The movable guide rail member 102b is attached to one end of a carriage (head support member) 103 via screws 109c and 109d. A magnetic head 104 is attached to the other end of the head support member 103 via a screw 109e so as to be able to face the magnetic tape 6. Further, a feed screw 101a screwed into the shaft of the motor 101 is penetrated through the head support member 103. A stopper 107 is attached to the distal end of the feed screw 101a via a spacer 105 and a nut member 106 with a screw 109f. A compression coil spring 108 is mounted between the base member 101b and the head support member 103.

Thus, the magnetic head guide device having the above-described configuration operates in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and can guide and move the magnetic head 104 to a predetermined position in the width direction of the magnetic tape 6 accurately.

Note that the magnetic tape 6 is used throughout the first and second embodiments.
When the number of tracks to be formed is 16 tracks, when the track pitch is 360 μm, the feed screw pitch is 360 μm, and the rotation angle per step (1 step) of the stepping motor is 15 degrees, the motor feed amount per step is 15 μm. I was able to move between tracks in 24 steps.

Further, assuming that the multi-track is further developed than the above 16 tracks, in the case of 26 tracks, the track pitch is 228.6 μm, the feed screw pitch is 1.27 mm, and the rotation angle per step (1 step) of the stepping motor is 0.9 degrees. At this time, the feed amount of the motor per step was 3.175 μm, and the motor could be moved between tracks in 72 steps.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above and illustrated embodiments, and various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Therefore, as described in detail above, according to the present invention, the magnetic head can be accurately guided without tilting at a predetermined position in the width direction of the magnetic tape with a configuration as simple, small and inexpensive as possible. And a magnetic head guide device capable of performing the above-described operations.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY A magnetic head guide device according to the present invention is a magnetic head guide device for a multi-tatch recording / reproducing magnetic tape in a general magnetic tape recording / reproducing device including a data recording / reproducing device. Is effective as

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus for guiding a magnetic head in a width direction of a magnetic tape, comprising: a base member, each extending in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape;
A fixed guide rail member supported by the base member with first and second guide grooves separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the magnetic tape; And a movable guide rail member provided with third and fourth guide grooves spaced apart from each other so as to be opposed to the second guide groove and movably provided in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape. A magnetic head supported so as to move integrally with the movable guide rail member; the first and second guide grooves of the fixed guide rail member and the third guide groove of the movable guide rail member, respectively. Between the first and third guide grooves, which are opposed to each other, of the second and fourth guide grooves, and between the second and fourth guide grooves.
And a plurality of rolling members provided in a rolling contact relationship with the fourth guide groove, wherein the plurality of rolling members are rotatably held by a retainer. Characteristic magnetic head guide device. 2. An apparatus for driving a magnetic head in the width direction of a magnetic tape, comprising: a base member, each extending in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape;
A fixed guide rail member supported by the base member with first and second guide grooves separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the width direction of the magnetic tape; And a movable guide rail member provided with third and fourth guide grooves spaced apart from each other so as to be opposed to the second guide groove and movably provided in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape. A support member supported so as to move integrally with the movable guide rail member; a magnetic head supported by the support member; and the first and second guides of the fixed guide rail member, respectively. The groove and the third and fourth guide grooves of the movable guide rail member, between the first and third guide grooves in opposition to each other, and between the second and third guide grooves.
A plurality of rolling members provided in a rolling contact relationship with the fourth guide groove, and a rotation axis direction in the same direction as the width direction of the magnetic tape with respect to the base member. A drive source supported by the drive source, one end of which is connected to the rotation shaft of the drive source and the other end of which is connected to the support member. A magnetic head drive device comprising: a screw shaft for moving the base member and the support member to a predetermined position in a width direction; and an elastic member for constantly urging the base member and the support member in opposite directions.