JPH03171442A - Optical tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain the reliability of the optical tape over a long period of time and to assure the resilience to the bending as the optical tape as well by inserting an optical recording medium into two sheets of films and sealing the right and left ends along the traveling direction of the optical tape. CONSTITUTION:This optical tape is constituted by inserting the optical recording medium 2 contg. the recording material into two sheets of the films 1, 1 consisting transparent plastics and sealing the right and left ends along the traveling direction of the optical tape. Projections 4, 4... are previously formed at the right and left ends of two sheets of the films 1, 1 and after the optical recording medium 2 is formed between the right and left projections 4, 4 on the one film 2, the other film 1 is superposed on this film and the right and left ends are fused by means, such as heat or ultrasonic waves to constitute this optical tape. The contact of the optical recording medium with the outside world is obviated in this way and since the films are used for both the front and rear surfaces, the resilience to the bending as the optical tape is assured and the reliability of the optical tape is maintained over a long period of time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical tape as an optical memory element that records, erases, and reproduces information using light such as a laser beam.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, research and development of optical disks has been carried out in response to the demand for high-density, large-capacity memory elements, and their practical application is currently being considered. Optical tape is attracting attention as a memory device, and its research and development is being promoted.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of an optical tape, which can be inferred from the structure of an optical disk. In the optical tape, a transparent plastic film 1 is used instead of a disk substrate, and an optical recording medium 2, a reflective film 8, and a protective film 11 are formed in this order.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in order to ensure long-term reliability of optical discs, it is necessary to cover the optical recording medium with a hard coat film (e.g., acrylic ultraviolet curing resin) of several tens to hundreds of micrometers, or to attach a protective substrate. It has been demonstrated that it is necessary to make the protective film 11 thick and hard in order to ensure long-term reliability in optical tapes as well. However, if this is done, a problem arises in that the flexibility required for optical tape against bending is lost.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the optical tape of the present invention is an optical tape that records, erases, and reproduces information using light, in which an optical recording medium is sandwiched between two films, and in which the optical tape is It is characterized in that the left and right edges along the line are sealed, for example, by fusion or adhesive.

[For production]

According to the above structure, since the optical recording medium is sandwiched between two films and the left and right ends along the running direction of the optical tape are sealed, the optical recording medium does not come into contact with the outside world. Furthermore, since films are used on both the upper and lower surfaces, the flexibility of the optical tape against bending is ensured.

〔Example〕

Part II describes an embodiment of the present invention! +7'J to +7'J The following is an explanation based on FIG.

The optical tape according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1(a),
In this structure, an optical recording medium 2 containing a recording material is sandwiched between two transparent plastic films 1.l (several 10 μm thick), and the left and right ends along the running direction of the optical tape are sealed.

To seal the left and right edges, as shown in Figure 2(a),
Protrusions 4, 4, etc. are provided in advance on both the left and right ends of the film 1, 1.
The left and right protrusions 4 and 4 on one film 1
4, after forming the optical recording medium 2, the other film 1
They may be overlapped and both left and right ends fused using heat, ultrasonic waves, or other means.

Note that the protrusions 4 may be provided only at both left and right ends of one film 1. Further, the projections 4 of one film 1 may be provided at the left end (or right end), and the projections 4 of the other film 1 may be provided at the right end (or left end).

In addition, in order to seal the left and right ends without forming the protrusions 4, as shown in FIG. 2, the other film 1 may be placed on top of the other film 1, and both left and right ends may be fused using heat, ultrasonic waves, or the like as described above. Also,
Instead of fusing, the left and right ends may be bonded together with adhesive 3, as shown in FIG. 1(b). moreover,
As shown in FIG. 1(c), instead of bonding only the left and right ends, the entire surface including the top of the optical recording medium 2 may be bonded.

The adhesive 3 is required to be a flexible material that can accommodate the bending that the film 1 undergoes while the optical tape is running. For this purpose, a silicone adhesive, a rubber adhesive, a hot melt adhesive, a UV adhesive, etc., whose thickness and degree of crosslinking are adjusted according to the material properties of the film 1, is used.

Note that cellophane, acetate, vinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, etc. are used as the transparent plastic material for film 1, but polyethylene terephthalate is especially flexible, has environmental resistance, and is durable. It has excellent properties and is useful.

As described above, in the optical tape of the present invention, the circumference of the optical recording medium 2 is covered with the film J, l or the film 1 and the adhesive 3, so that the optical recording medium 2-h is smaller than the outside world. There is no contact. Therefore, there is little deterioration of the optical recording medium 2, and the reliability of the optical tape is maintained over a long period of time. In addition, since film 1.1 is used on both the upper and lower surfaces,
Flexibility against bending as an optical tape is ensured. Furthermore, since the optical tape of the present invention has a structure in which the surface of the optical recording medium 2 is protected by the film 1, the optical tape can be easily wound onto a tape reel, and guide rollers, guide posts, etc. during running. The optical recording medium 2 is not scratched during friction.

Next, specific examples of the optical tape will be explained based on FIGS. 3 to 5.

In the case of a rewritable optical tape using a recording material exhibiting a magneto-optic effect, as shown in FIG.
A dielectric film 5, a magnetic film 7, a dielectric film 6, and a reflective film 8 are sequentially formed on the optical recording medium 2 by sputtering or vapor deposition, and the other film is formed on top of the optical recording medium 2. 1 are stacked and the left and right ends are sealed using one of the methods described above. Note that the dielectric films 5 and 6 usually contain AIN.
, S iOz , ZnS, S ia Na , Alz
C) +, SiN, etc., and the magnetic film 7 is made of rare earth transition metal amorphous alloys such as GdTbFe, TbFeCo, and DyFe.
Co, GdNdFe. ．． NdDyFeCo, GdFeC
o, etc., and the reflective film 8 contains AI, Ag. ．． Au etc. are used respectively.

In the case of a rewritable optical tape using a chromic material, that is, a recording material whose transmittance or refractive index changes with light irradiation, an optical recording medium 2 is placed on one film 1, as shown in FIG. As, pho 1 ~ chromic film 9
is formed by means such as vapor deposition or coating, and the other film 1 is placed thereon, and the left and right ends are sealed using one of the methods described above. As the photochromic film 9, for example, stilbene-based, subiropyran-based, fulgide-based, or azobenzene-based compounds are used alone or dispersed in a polymer solid. In addition,
Although FIG. 4 shows a transmissive optical tape in which information is reproduced using transmitted light, a reflective film may be formed on the phos 1 to chromic film 9 to form a reflective optical tape.

In addition, instead of the photo clock film 9, a recording material that records information by irradiating light to change the phase from an amorphous state to a crystalline state or from a crystalline state to an amorphous state, such as G
A rewritable optical tape can also be obtained using chalcogenide materials such as e-As-Te As-Se-S-Ge.

In the case of an optical tape that allows additional recording and uses a recording material that melts or decomposes by irradiating it with light to form geometric holes to record information, as shown in Figure 5, A recording film IO as an optical recording medium 2 and a reflective film 8 are sequentially formed on one film 1 by means such as vapor deposition, and then the other film 1 is superimposed on it, and one of the above-mentioned films is formed. The left and right edges are sealed using this method. Note that as the recording film IO, an organic dye material such as a cyanine dye or anthraquinone dye, or an inorganic material such as Te-based lucogenide is used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the optical tape of the present invention, the optical recording medium is sandwiched between two films and the left and right ends along the running direction of the optical tape are sealed, so that the optical recording medium does not come into contact with the outside world. There is no. Therefore, there is little deterioration of the optical recording medium 2, and the reliability of the optical tape is maintained over a long period of time. Furthermore, since films are used on both the upper and lower surfaces, flexibility for use as an optical tape is ensured.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), and 1(C) are longitudinal cross-sectional views of optical tapes according to embodiments of the present invention, respectively. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are diagrams for explaining a method of manufacturing the optical tape having the structure shown in FIG. 1(a). FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an optical tape using a magnetic material exhibiting a magneto-optic effect as a recording material. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an optical tape using a photochromic ivy material as a recording material. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of an optical tape using a photochromic material as a recording material. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of an optical tape, which is inferred from the structure of an optical disk. 1 is a film, 2 is an optical recording medium, 3 is an adhesive, and 4 is a protrusion. 1 0 N r11 L-) Ku-ha Ku-mi Ku-ha

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an optical tape that records, erases, and reproduces information using light, an optical recording medium is sandwiched between two films, and the left and right ends along the running direction of the optical tape are sealed. An optical tape characterized by: