JPS6155184B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a running path for a magnetic tape device, and more particularly to a tape running path having an autothread function in a vertical magnetic tape device.

A magnetic tape device is a device that magnetically writes or reads information onto or from a tape while it is running.In addition to a tape feeding mechanism, a writing/reading mechanism, it also has a sense that detects the beginning and end of the magnetic tape. It is equipped with a mechanism for checking whether information has been written correctly and whether read information is correct, and a mechanism for controlling storage and reproduction of information.

As shown in FIG. 1, a horizontal magnetic tape device in which a supply reel 12 and a take-up reel 6 are arranged horizontally has been commonly used. A vertical magnetic tape device in which magnetic tapes 22 are arranged vertically has also been used as an external storage device for electronic computers.

In these magnetic tape devices, in order to write data to or read data from a tape, the tape must first be loaded into the device.

Conventionally, to load tape into a device, there are two methods: pulling out the starting end of the tape from the supply reel and winding it directly onto the take-up reel through the tape running path;
There are two methods of attachment: one using tape and connecting tabs, and the other using automatic threading.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an autothreading method using an autoloading cartridge 15 in a horizontal magnetic tape assembly.

In FIG. 1, when the tape is first attached to the supply reel 12 and the operation switch is pressed, the supply reel 1
2 rotates, the cartridge guide ring 15
As pressurized air is blown out from the cartridge, the leading end of the tape is drawn out along the inner wall of the cartridge, and the air blown out from the guide side walls 17 and 18 causes friction generated between the tape and the guide side walls 17 and 18. The take-up reel 6 passes through an air bearing layer with a small
wrapped around. If the dedicated cartridge 15 is used in this manner, automatic loading is possible using the cartridge control mechanism 16. After the tape has been wound onto the take-up reel 6, suction is applied by the vacuum column 7 to draw the tape into the column 7 to form a tape buffer.

Furthermore, in order to improve operability, the present applicant previously proposed an automatic loading system as shown in FIG. 2 (see Japanese Patent Application No. 109483/1983).

In FIG. 2, first, when the magnetic tape 1 is set on the hub 2 and the operation switch is pressed, the magnetic tape 1 rotates in the direction of arrow a, and the starting end of the magnetic tape 1 is released to some extent by centrifugal force, and the threading chute 3 reach. A tape start end detection mechanism 6 is formed in the threading chute 3. A plurality of suction holes are provided, and the tape 1 is suctioned by each suction pressure.

When the beginning of the tape is detected by suction, by rotating the tape 1 in the normal direction (direction b),
It passes through the air bearing layer by blowing out pressurized air from the guide side walls 15 and 16 and is wound around the take-up reel 6, completing the rotation. Information is written and read by a magnetic head 4 provided on the magnetic tape running path.

On the other hand, in vertical magnetic tape devices,
Since the exit of the free end of the tape from the supply reel is often at 2 o'clock or 3 o'clock (at the short dial position on a clock), the distance for the tape to reach the take-up reel from the supply reel is long, and therefore Since it is necessary to provide air outlets at a large number of locations for automatic loading, the cost is high, and the success rate of autothreading is low.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve these drawbacks by providing a vertical magnetic tape device with an autothreading function that has a simple structure and low cost by maximally utilizing the tape's own weight, which is an advantage of the vertical configuration. Moreover, the purpose is to provide a tape running path that can increase the success rate of autothreading.

In order to achieve the above object, the running path of a magnetic tape device according to the present invention is such that, in a magnetic tape device having an auto-threading function in which a supply reel and a take-up reel are arranged vertically, a running path of the tape free end up to the take-up reel is provided. a supply reel with a tape outlet for the cartridge to minimize mileage;
Vertical side wall, approximately 45 mm against the side wall to guide the tape from the supply reel using its own weight.
Side walls with an inclination of °, and approximately
A first tape guide side wall with a three-step slope consisting of a side wall with an inclination of 20 degrees, and a tape free end that has been guided by the first tape guide wall at an angle of about 20 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction are vertically In order to change direction,
It is characterized in that it has a second tape guide side wall provided with an air outlet that blows air downward from the slope of the tape position detection means.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the running path of the magnetic tape device of the present invention.

The supply reel 21 stored in the tape storage cartridge 24 is fixed to the apparatus by a reel fixing hub 23. Next, the cartridge 24 is opened by the opening/closing mechanism 27 until its outer periphery contacts the guide rings 25 and 26. As a result, the supply reel 21
is now free to rotate, allowing the free end of the tape to be delivered from the tape outlet 46.
Further, an air flow is sent into the interior of the cartridge 24 from a guide ring 26 in order to improve separation of the free end of the tape.

The free end of the tape 47 wound on the supply reel 21 travels from the tape outlet 48 under its own weight along the tape guide side wall 33 and ends at the guide block 38.
The tape is bent vertically at the location of the tape position detector 37 attached to the tape and passes through the magnetic head 39.
The tape is guided by tape guides 40 and 43 and wound around the take-up reel 22. Thereafter, it is sucked into the vacuum columns 29, 30, guided by guide rollers 31, 32, 46 and guide blocks 38, 41, and driven by the capstan 42.

Note that even in the case of an open reel that is not stored in the tape storage cartridge 24, by rotating the free end of the tape close to the tape outlet 48, it will fall from the tape outlet 48 under its own weight, and will be automatically reeled in the same way as described above. A thread operation is performed.

Incidentally, it is desirable that the tape outlet 48 of the supply reel 21 be set at a position where the free end of the tape can easily separate from the tape wound around the supply reel 21.
It is desirable to install it below. This is because the force due to the tape's own weight is greater toward the lower part of the supply reel 21.

Furthermore, the shorter the tape traveling distance until it is wound around the take-up reel 22, the higher the success rate of autothreading, and from this point of view as well.
It is desirable to provide a tape outlet 48 below the tape.

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG.
The first feature is that it is set at the hour position.

Furthermore, as a second feature, the tape outlet 48
The side wall of the tape guide 33 is shaped to guide the free end of the tape downward.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the tape guide side wall and tape position detector of FIG. 3.

Once the free end of the tape exits the tape outlet 48,
First, the vertically arranged side wall 34 of the tape guide 33
slide down along the Next, it passes along a side wall 35 which has an inclination of about 45 degrees with respect to the side wall 34, and is finally guided to a side wall 36 which has an inclination of about 20 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction to reach a tape position detector 37.

If the vertical guide side wall 34 is
4', the shape of the tape free end may prevent the tape from sliding downwards easily. For example, the fourth
As shown by the dotted line 50 in the figure, when the tape free end is bent, the vertical component force due to the tape's own weight decreases, and the tape free end slides downward due to the frictional force between the side wall 34' and the tape tip surface. Sometimes things don't go well.

The next side wall 35 serves to change the orientation of the free end of the tape from the vertical direction to the rightward direction before sliding along the side wall 36. If the side wall 35 is not provided and the side wall 34 is in direct contact with the side wall 36, after the free end of the tape slides vertically along the side wall 34, the angle formed by the side walls 34 and 36 is large. Therefore, it may not be possible to bend completely.

The last side wall 36 guides the free end of the tape to the tape detector 37.

The guide side wall 34 has these three levels of inclination,
By providing 35 and 36, it becomes possible to convey the tape solely by the tape's own weight without providing an air outlet in these guide side walls.

A third feature of the present invention is that an air outlet 49 is provided on the slope of the tape position detector 37, and the guide 40 is arranged so that the air flow blown out from the outlet guides the free end of the tape in the direction of the tape guide 43. The key is to consider the shape.

The free end of the tape that has slid down along the tape guide side wall 36 changes its direction vertically again by the air flow from the air outlet 49 provided on the slope of the tape position detector 37.

Without the force of this air flow, the free end of the tape would naturally collide with the slope of the tape position detector 37 and be unable to advance any further. Further, the free end of the tape passes through the head 39 and travels downwardly guided by the airflow to the guide block 41 and the tape guide 4.
Reached between 3 and 3. To do this, it is necessary to turn slightly to the left after passing through the head 39, and the guide 40 serves this purpose.

The air flow blown out by the outlet 49 of the tape position detector 37 flows along the slope of the guide 40 and the slope of the guide block 41 that is continuous thereto, and can guide the free end of the tape to the side of the tape guide 43. can. In particular, when the free end of the tape is shaped like a connector added for manual and simple tape loading, the free end of the tape is heavy, so if there is no air flow from the outlet 49, the free end of the tape will move to the tape guide 43. cannot reach.

The tape guide 43 is provided with air outlets 44 and 45 on its side walls, which serve to feed the free end of the tape that has reached the tape guide 43 to the take-up reel 22.

Further, the surface of the core 28 of the take-up reel 22 is provided with a large number of small holes, and by supplying vacuum pressure from these small holes, the take-up reel 2
The free end of the tape fed in the direction 2 can be wound around the core 28 of the take-up reel 22.

As described above, according to the present invention, the tape outlet is provided in the 4 o'clock direction of the supply reel, and the air outlet for changing the direction perpendicular to the guide side wall having three stages of inclination is provided. The guide side wall minimizes the tape travel distance from the supply reel to the take-up reel and maximizes the use of the tape's own weight, resulting in a high autothreading success rate due to minimal airflow assistance. can be obtained. Furthermore, even if the tape free end is deformed or a tape connector is added, the success rate of autothreading can be increased.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a running path in a conventional horizontal magnetic tape device, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an improved automatic loading method for a horizontal magnetic tape device, and FIG. 3 is a vertical magnetic tape showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4, which is a front view of the running path of the device, is a detailed view of the vicinity of the tape guide wall in FIG. 3. 21: Supply reel, 22: Take-up reel, 2
3: Reel fixing hub, 24: Tape storage cartridge, 25, 26: Cartridge guide ring, 27:
Cartridge opening/closing mechanism, 28: Take-up reel core,
29, 30: Vacuum column, 31, 32: Guide
Roller, 33, 40, 43: Tape guide, 34,
35, 36: Tape guide side wall, 37: Tape position detector, 38, 41: Guide block, 39:
Head, 42: Capstan, 44, 45, 4
9: Air outlet, 46: Guide roller, 4
7: tape, 48: tape exit, 50: tape free end.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a magnetic tape device having an autothreading function in which a supply reel and a take-up reel are arranged vertically, the supply reel is provided with a tape outlet of a cartridge such that the running distance of the free end of the tape to the take-up reel is minimized. and a vertical side wall, a side wall inclined at an angle of about 45° relative to the side wall, and an inclined side wall inclined at an angle of about 20° relative to the horizontal direction to guide the tape from the supply reel using its own weight. a first tape guide side wall having a three-step slope, and a first tape guide side wall having a three-step slope;
a second tape guide side wall provided with an air outlet that blows air downward from the slope of the tape position detecting means in order to vertically convert the free end of the tape that has been guided by the tape guide wall; A running path for a magnetic tape device, characterized in that it has: