JPH0612745A - Magnetic tape device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely prevent an off-track without generating the contamination by the worn dust of a tape, etc. CONSTITUTION:Each of a pair of magnetic tape guides 3 provided before and behind a recording and reproducing head 1 is constituted of a tape plane supporting member 6 having an arc-shaped guide surface 6a, a bottom end supporting member 5 and a top end supporting member 7. The guide surface 6a of the tape plane supporting member 6 is provided with plural air blow-off holes 6b and an inclined region 6e formed along the neighborhood of the top end supporting member 7. The magnetic tape 2 is floated without being in contact with the guide surface 6a and the top end supporting member 7 by the air flowing out of the air blow-off holes 6b. The energizing force to place the magnetic tape 2 along the reference bottom end supporting member 5 is generated by the force generated by the air flow flowing out of the end edge on the inclined region 6e side and the restitutive force of the deformation at the end edge along the grade of the inclined region 6e.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic tape device, and more particularly to a technique effective for realizing stable running of a magnetic tape as a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a technique for stabilizing the running path of a magnetic tape with respect to a recording / reproducing head in a magnetic tape device, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-230359.
There is a technique disclosed in the publication. That is, a collar is provided at both ends of the roller on which the magnetic tape runs in sliding contact at intervals corresponding to the width dimension of the magnetic tape to restrict the displacement in the width direction,
As a movable structure in which one flange is urged by a spring or the like, a means for correcting the traveling route by constantly pressing the other flange in the width direction is adopted.

[0003]

However, in the prior art as described above, since the side end portion of the magnetic tape always slides strongly against the brim, the edge of the magnetic tape is abraded and the abrasion powder is abraded. The magnetic tape, the recording / reproducing head, and the traveling path are contaminated by the magnetic recording medium, and there is a problem that the life of the magnetic tape is shortened and reliability is deteriorated due to frequent recording / reproducing errors.

In order to avoid such a problem caused by sliding,
For example, if the distance between the ribs in the width direction of the magnetic tape is simply relaxed by widening the interval between the collars, the positioning of the recording track on the magnetic tape with respect to the recording / reproducing head becomes incomplete, and so-called off-track is likely to occur. The reliability of operation is reduced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tape device capable of reliably preventing off-track without causing contamination of the magnetic tape by abrasion powder or the like.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0007]

Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, a brief description will be given to the outline of typical ones.
It is as follows.

The magnetic tape device of the present invention comprises a recording / reproducing head for recording / reproducing information on / from the magnetic tape, a magnetic tape drive mechanism for driving the magnetic tape to drive the recording / reproducing head, and recording. A pair of magnetic tape guides provided on the running path of the magnetic tape before and after the reproducing head, each of the magnetic tape guides having an arc shape for setting a predetermined winding angle of the magnetic tape with respect to the recording / reproducing head. A guide surface, a plurality of air blowout holes for ejecting air to the guide surface, and first and second portions arranged along the both sides of the traveling path of the magnetic tape on the guide surface at a distance larger than the width dimension of the magnetic tape. Of the side end support member and the second side end support member along the vicinity of the second side end support member toward the second side end support member. What is obtained by a structure consisting of an inclined region formed on the guide surface.

[0009]

According to the above-described magnetic tape device of the present invention, when there is no positional change in the width direction of the magnetic tape between the pair of magnetic tape guides with respect to the first side end supporting member, the air blowing hole The supplied air forms an air layer between the guide surface and the magnetic tape in equilibrium with the magnetic tape tension, and the magnetic tape is attached to the guide surface and the second side end support member along the first side end support member. It is possible to stably travel in a non-contact manner and to secure the traveling position accuracy of the recording / reproducing head in the track width direction. Further, when a path change in the width direction occurs due to external force or deformation of the magnetic tape itself, the displacement of the first side end support member to the side is restricted by the contact with the first side end support member, and conversely. With respect to the displacement to the side of the second side end support member, the presence of the inclined region reduces the gap between the magnetic tape side end and the guide surface on the side of the second side end support member, and the gap from the outside The urging force toward the first side end support member side by the air flow flowing out to the side becomes large, and the displacement is corrected along the first side end support member. Further, the side end portion of the magnetic tape on the side of the second side end support member is deformed along the inclined region, and the displacement is also restricted by the reaction force at the deformed portion. Further, when the deformation toward the first side end support member side further increases, the outer peripheral radius of the arcuate guide surface partially increases outside due to the sectional shape of the inclined region, and the second side end support member side The length of the traveling path of the edge of the magnetic tape extends toward the first side end support member side, the tension acting on the magnetic tape partially increases, and the widthwise displacement of the magnetic tape that bends in the longitudinal direction is restricted.

Further, a large displacement that occurs when the magnetic tape is not loaded, such as when the magnetic tape is loaded, is restricted by abutting the first and second side end supporting members.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A magnetic tape device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an essential part of a magnetic tape device of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an arrow in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by BB, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an outline of the entire magnetic tape device of this embodiment. Also,
5 and 6 are a sectional view and a side view showing an example of the operation of the magnetic tape device according to the present embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the cartridge 8
The tape buffer 11, the recording / playback head 1,
A tension sensor 10 is arranged. Recording / playback head 1
A pair of magnetic tape guides 3 are arranged in front of and behind. In the case of this embodiment, the magnetic tape 2 runs in a horizontal plane.

In this case, the magnetic tape guide 3 is shown in FIGS.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, a tape flat surface supporting member 6 having an arcuate guide surface 6 a facing the flat surface of the magnetic tape 2.
And a lower end support member 5 and an upper end support member 7 arranged at both ends of the magnetic tape 2 traveling on the guide surface 6a at intervals sufficiently larger than the width dimension of the magnetic tape 2.

The positions of the pair of magnetic tape guides 3 and the radius of the guide surface 6a of the tape flat surface supporting member 6 are set so that the magnetic tape 2 is wound around the recording / reproducing head 1 in a predetermined manner. Further, the position of the lower end support member 5 is precisely positioned with respect to a track position (not shown) in the recording / reproducing head 1 and
It is fixed to the base member 4 together with the reproducing head 1,
It is a standard for the recording / reproducing head 1 of the magnetic tape 2 running along the lower end supporting member 5.

On the guide surface 6a of the tape flat surface supporting member 6,
A plurality of air blowing holes 6b are provided, and air 6d supplied from a pressurizing cavity 6c formed inside the tape flat surface supporting member 6 blows into the gap between the guide surface 6a and the magnetic tape 2, so-called. An air bearing is formed.

The guide surface 6a of the tape flat surface supporting member 6
Is provided with an inclined region 6e in the vicinity of the upper end supporting member 7 along the traveling path of the magnetic tape 2, and as shown in the sectional view of FIG. The clearance between the floating magnetic tape 2 and the magnetic tape 2 has a gradient that gradually decreases in the width direction toward the upper end support member 7. Thereby, as will be described later, an urging force that causes the magnetic tape 2 to run along the lower end support member 5 is generated.

An example of the operation of the magnetic tape side end support member of this embodiment will be described below.

First, when the magnetic tape 2 is loaded, it is guided by the upper end support member 7 and the lower end support member 5 which are arranged at sufficiently large intervals at both ends of the tape flat surface support member 6, thereby guiding the two. The surface 6a and the recording / reproducing head 1 are wound in a predetermined state.

When the magnetic tape 2 runs,
An air pressure having a pressure P ₁ higher than the outside air pressure P ₀ is applied to the pressurizing cavity 6c to eject the air 6d from the air blowing hole 6b.

As a result, the air 6d flows out from both edges of the magnetic tape 2 along the path shown by the arrow in FIG. At this time,
Since the inclined region 6e exists on the side of the upper end support member 7,
As shown in FIG. 3, when the flow path of the air 6d is bent, F _{Y1 which} is a component of the downward biasing force F _Y that presses the magnetic tape 2 along the lower end support member 5 is guided. It acts on the surface 6a in a non-contact state, and serves as a force for restricting the widthwise variation of the running path of the magnetic tape 2.

FIG. 5 shows the inclined region 6e indicated by C in FIG. 3 in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, the edge of the magnetic tape 2 on the upper end supporting member 7 side is the inclined region. It is slightly deformed along the gradient of 6e, and a component force F _Y2 of F _{X2 in} the direction perpendicular to the guide surface 6a generated by the tape tension is generated. When the magnetic tape 2 is running steadily, the resultant force of F _Y1 and F _Y2 acts as a force for suppressing path fluctuation in the tape width direction.

FIG. 6 shows the magnetic tape 2 on the guide surface 6a.
2 shows a state in which the travel route of the vehicle actually changes in the width direction. In this case, the magnetic tape 2 is deformed due to the path change, and the restoring force of this deformation acts as a correction force. The restoring force includes a restoring force F _Y2 for the deformation of the magnetic tape 2 in the thickness direction in FIG. 5 and a restoring force F _Y3 for the deformation in the tape longitudinal direction of FIG. 6, both of which are inclined regions 6e of the guide surface 6a. The gradient of increases the restoring force in proportion to the variation.

The tension T ₁ shown in FIG. 6 causes the magnetic tape 2 to move along the gradient of the inclined region 6e due to the increase in tension caused by the bending of the magnetic tape 2 and the fluctuation of the path,
It is caused by an increase in tension caused by a partial extension of the path length in the magnetic tape 2. The restoring force F _Y3 is generated by the composition of the tension T ₁ as shown in FIG. Therefore, the restoring force F when the path of the magnetic tape 2 varies in the width direction
_Y becomes F _Y = F _Y1 + F _Y2 + F _Y3 , and this F _Y corrects the fluctuation of the traveling path of the magnetic tape 2 without contacting the guide surface 6 a, and the upper end support member 7 other than the standard lower end support member 5 is corrected. It does not slide on the guide surface 6a or the like.

Therefore, it becomes possible to maintain the traveling path of the magnetic tape 2 with high accuracy while avoiding generation of abrasion powder due to sliding, and contamination of the magnetic surface of the magnetic tape 2 and the traveling path by the abrasion powder. Further, the off-track can be surely prevented without damaging the magnetic tape 2 and the reliability of the operation of the magnetic tape device is improved.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the invention is not limited to the embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

[0027]

The effects obtained by the typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.
It is as follows.

That is, according to the magnetic tape device of the present invention, the effect that the off-track can be surely prevented without being contaminated by abrasion powder is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an essential part of a magnetic tape device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by an arrow BB in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an outline of an entire magnetic tape device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation of the magnetic tape device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an example of the operation of the magnetic tape device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 recording / reproducing head 2 magnetic tape 3 magnetic tape guide 4 base member 5 lower end support member (first side end support member) 6 tape flat surface support member 6a guide surface 6b air blowing hole 6c pressurizing cavity 6d air 6e inclined area 7 Upper end support member (second side end support member) 8 Cartridge 9 Machine reel (magnetic tape drive mechanism) 10 Tension sensor 11 Tape buffer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A recording / reproducing head for recording / reproducing information on / from a magnetic tape, a magnetic tape drive mechanism for drivingly driving the magnetic tape with respect to the recording / reproducing head, and a recording / reproducing head. A pair of magnetic tape guides provided on the running path of the magnetic tape in the front and rear, each of the magnetic tape guides having an arc shape for setting a predetermined winding angle of the magnetic tape with respect to the recording / reproducing head. A guide surface, a plurality of air blowout holes for ejecting air to the guide surface, and a first gap arranged along both sides of a traveling path of the magnetic tape on the guide surface at a distance larger than a width dimension of the magnetic tape. And between the second side end support member and the magnetic tape and the guide surface in the width direction toward the second side end support member along the vicinity of the second side end support member. A magnetic tape device comprising: an inclined region formed on the guide surface with a gradually decreasing gap.