JPH09212830A - Tape cassette and magnetic recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a cleaning tape from running more than required and to prevent the service life of a head from being shortened due to wear and deformation of the head by providing a notifying means of a cleaning tape on a cassette case. SOLUTION: The cassette case 1 housing the cleaning tape is provided with a detecting hole 2 as the means of notifying the side of the magnetic recording and reproducing device of the cleaning tape. Then, a system controller is provided on the side of the magnetic recording and reproducing device, and when the cleaning tape is detected in its loading, this cleaning tape is controlled to run only for a fixed time. In addition, other things such as a switch, a memory 3 having stored information showing the cleaning tape or a signal showing the cleaning tape, stored in the cleaning tape itself, may be used as the notifying means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus which prevent the life of a magnetic head from being impaired due to unnecessary running of a cleaning tape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A magnetic head used in a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus has a generally rounded R-shaped head surface for recording and reproducing information signals in contact with a magnetic tape. It is like this. If the head surface of the magnetic head becomes dirty, normal recording / reproduction may not be possible. Therefore, a cleaning tape for cleaning the magnetic head is run to clean the head surface. This cleaning tape is housed in a cassette similar to an ordinary magnetic tape, and the magnetic head can be cleaned by mounting the tape cassette in a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus like the magnetic tape cassette.

[0003]

However, in the conventional cassette containing the cleaning tape and the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, it is necessary to inform the apparatus side that the cleaning tape is the cleaning tape when the cassette is attached to the apparatus main body. Since there is no means for transmitting and there is no means for detecting that it is a cleaning tape even on the device side, the user may run the cleaning tape more than necessary, and the head is worn or the R shape of the head is damaged. Therefore, there is a problem that the life of the head is shortened.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to prevent the cleaning tape from running unnecessarily, the head is worn or the R shape of the head is damaged, and the life of the head is shortened. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus capable of preventing the tape from becoming short.

[0005]

A tape cassette according to the present invention is a tape cassette containing a cleaning tape for cleaning a magnetic head, and is provided with a transmitting means for transmitting to the apparatus side having a magnetic head that the tape is a cleaning tape. It is a thing.

Also, the above-mentioned transmission means uses a switch,
A memory that stores information that the tape is a cleaning tape is used, or a signal that is a cleaning tape that is stored in the cleaning tape itself is used.

Further, the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is
Detecting means for detecting that a tape cassette containing a cleaning tape for cleaning a magnetic head is attached from information from the tape cassette, and cleaning when the tape cassette containing the cleaning tape is attached, only for a fixed time. It is provided with a control means for running the tape.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, showing an appearance of a tape cassette. In the figure, 1 is a cassette case and 2 is a detection hole.

The detection hole of the tape cassette is provided to detect the type and length of the tape in the VHS type magnetic tape or the cassette of 8 mm tape, but in this embodiment, it is a cleaning tape. Is additionally provided for transmitting to the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus side.

When the tape cassette having the above-mentioned structure is mounted on a VCR which is a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, a sensor detects whether or not the detection hole 2 of the VCR is vacant, and the cassette is built by a built-in microcomputer. Determine if the tape is a cleaning tape or a regular magnetic tape. Then, the operation of the video deck is controlled by the result of the determination.

That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, when the mounting of the tape cassette is detected (step S
1) The microcomputer determines whether the tape is a cleaning tape (step S2).
If it is not a cleaning tape but a normal magnetic tape (NO), it operates in the normal mode (step S3).

If it is determined that the cleaning tape is the cleaning tape in step S3 (YES), the cleaning tape is run for a certain period of time (step S3).
4) Then, the cassette is taken out (step S5).

By the above operation, the cleaning tape can be prevented from running unnecessarily, and the head can be prevented from being worn or the R shape of the head being impaired and the life of the head being shortened.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the appearance of the tape cassette as in FIG. In the figure, 3 is a built-in memory (IC) provided in the cassette case 1, and 4 is a communication terminal for performing electrical communication with a microcomputer on the apparatus main body side.

The built-in memory 3 stores various kinds of information such as the type and length of tape, recording date and time and recording time. When this cassette is mounted on a VCR,
At that time, the information is transmitted to the microcomputer on the main body side through the communication terminal 4. Then, the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is executed according to the information. Therefore, even with such a configuration, the same operational effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a main part of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus in each of the above-mentioned embodiments. In the figure, 11 is a drum on which a magnetic head (not shown) is mounted, 12 is a drum motor for rotationally driving the drum 11, 13 is a signal processing circuit for processing video signals read by the magnetic head, 1
Reference numeral 4 is a tape cassette, 15 is a servo control circuit for controlling the drum motor 12, and 16 is a system controller.

The system controller 16 detects the mounting of the tape cassette containing the cleaning cassette from the information from the tape cassette, and a predetermined time when the tape cassette containing the cleaning cassette is mounted. Only the control means for running the cleaning tape is constituted. Further, the tape cassette 14 is provided with transmission means for transmitting the fact that it is the above-mentioned cleaning tape.

When the tape cassette 14 is loaded in the apparatus having the above structure, information such as the type of tape is transmitted from the tape cassette 14 to the system controller 16. Then, the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is performed depending on whether the tape is a cleaning tape or a normal magnetic tape, and in the case of the cleaning tape, the tape running is performed for a certain time.

As described above, by providing the means for transmitting information by distinguishing the cleaning tape and the ordinary magnetic tape on the tape cassette side, it is possible to prevent the abrasion of the head surface and the deformation of the R shape as described above. .

Incidentally, as the means for transmitting the fact that the cleaning tape is the cleaning tape from the tape cassette side to the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus side, as in the above-mentioned embodiment, the detection hole 2 and the switch,
Besides using the built-in memory 3 or the like, a signal indicating that the cleaning tape is stored in the cleaning tape itself may be used, or another configuration may be used.

Further, only the cassette containing the cleaning tape may be provided with means for transmitting the information indicating that the cleaning tape is present, or all cassettes may be provided with the means for transmitting information regarding the tape. .

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the cleaning tape is transmitted from the tape cassette side to the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus main body side, the cleaning tape can be prevented from running unnecessarily, the head is worn or the R shape of the head is damaged, and There is an effect that it is possible to prevent the life from being shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of each embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a main part of a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cassette case 2 detection hole 3 built-in memory 4 communication terminal 14 cassette 16 system controller (detection means, control means)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A tape cassette containing a cleaning tape for cleaning a magnetic head, characterized in that transmission means for transmitting a cleaning tape is provided on the side of the apparatus having the magnetic head. 2. The tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein a switch is used as the transmission means. 3. The tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein the transmission means uses a memory that stores information that the cleaning tape is a cleaning tape. 4. The tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means uses a signal indicating that the cleaning tape is stored in the cleaning tape itself. 5. A detection means for detecting that a tape cassette containing a cleaning tape for cleaning a magnetic head is installed from information from the tape cassette, and a tape cassette containing the cleaning tape is installed. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus comprising a control means for running the cleaning tape only for a fixed time.