JP2001176038A - Magnetic tape drive device and magnetic head cleaning method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent wear of a magnetic head having a small allowable amount of wear of an MR head and to effectively remove stains of the head such as stains. SOLUTION: This is a magnetic tape drive device 1 which performs recording and reproduction on a magnetic tape 5 by recording and reproducing magnetic heads 3 and 3 which are arranged on a head drum 2 and move on a circular locus. It has a tape tension adjusting means capable of controlling the tape tension, and temporarily increases the tape tension by the tape tension adjusting means so as to increase the contact pressure of the magnetic tape to the magnetic head and remove stains such as stains. I made it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for easily removing stains such as stains attached to a magnetic head which is arranged on a head drum and moves on a circular locus in a magnetic tape drive.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a magnetic tape drive apparatus, for example, a video tape recorder (hereinafter, referred to as VTR), which performs recording and reproduction on a magnetic tape by a recording and reproduction magnetic head which is arranged on a head drum and moves on a circular locus, A plurality of recording / reproducing magnetic heads (hereinafter referred to as recording / reproducing heads) are attached to the head drum, and the recording / reproducing heads move the surface of the magnetic tape sent from the supply reel side to the take-up reel side at a predetermined speed. Scanning is performed while moving as the head drum rotates.

In recent years, it has been desired to improve the recording density with an increase in the amount of information to be handled, and a recording / reproducing head has a magnetoresistive effect (MR effect) which has better detection sensitivity than a so-called inductive head. It is indispensable to adopt an MR head using an element for a magnetic sensing part. However, in general, the MR head has a small allowable amount of abrasion, and in a tape recording apparatus in which a magnetic tape such as a VTR contacts a recording / reproducing head, the abrasion becomes more problematic than ever.

Further, since the recording / reproducing head comes into contact with the surface of the magnetic tape, the magnetic powder on the magnetic tape may fall off, dust or the like may be denatured by the action of heat or the like and deposited on the recording / reproducing head. There has been a problem that the head is stained by the ink (hereinafter referred to as stain) and the electromagnetic conversion characteristics are deteriorated accordingly.

Therefore, in general, a head cleaning means such as a so-called head cleaning roller is used to prevent the head from being stained and the electromagnetic conversion characteristics from being deteriorated.

However, as described above, the MR head has a small allowable amount of wear and is worn by contact with the head cleaning means. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the contact pressure with the head cleaning means at the time of head cleaning or to increase the pressure. However, there is a problem that performing head cleaning adversely affects the MR head.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to prevent wear of a magnetic head, such as an MR head, which has a small allowable amount of wear, and to effectively remove stains on the head, such as stains. Is the subject.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention has a tape tension adjusting means capable of controlling a tape tension when a magnetic tape is running. The tape tension is temporarily increased to increase the contact pressure of the magnetic tape with the magnetic head, thereby removing stains such as stains.

Further, according to the method of cleaning a magnetic head of the present invention, the tape tension is temporarily increased by a tape tension adjusting means capable of controlling the tape tension during running of the magnetic tape, and the contact pressure of the magnetic tape with the magnetic head is increased. To remove stains such as stains.

Therefore, stains such as stains can be effectively removed while minimizing wear of the magnetic head.

[0011]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic tape drive and a magnetic head cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment described below is an example in which the present invention is applied to a video tape recorder (hereinafter, VTR) of a helical scan system which is an example of a magnetic tape drive device.

The VTR 1 has a head drum 2 as shown in the figure, and the head drum 2 has a magnetic head (hereinafter referred to as a recording / reproducing head) 3 for recording and reproducing on a magnetic tape.
3 are disposed, for example, at positions separated by 180 °. The recording / reproducing heads 3, 3 have a magnetoresistive effect (MR effect: Magn effect) in order to cope with a recording method having a high recording density.
A so-called MR head is used in which an element is used as a magnetic sensing portion, a change in magnetism on a magnetic tape is replaced with a change in resistance of an MR film, and this is taken out as a change in current.

Then, a tape cassette 4 is attached to the VTR 1.
Is loaded, the magnetic tape 5 pulled out of the housing of the tape cassette 4 by being hooked on a loading post or the like is subjected to a predetermined loading operation, and the tape guides 6, 6,. ..Pinch roller 7
The tape path is defined by the capstan 8 and the like, and the tape is wound around the head drum 2 rotating at a predetermined number of rotations at a predetermined winding angle. The take-up side tape reels 10, 10 are appropriately driven in accordance with the running direction of the magnetic tape 5. The magnetic tape 5 runs along the outer peripheral surface of the head drum 2 while being floated by several μm from the outer peripheral surface of the head drum 2 by an air film effect due to an air current generated by the rotation of the head drum 2.

The VTR 1 has a tape tension adjusting means for temporarily increasing the tape tension when the magnetic tape 5 runs. That is, the tape tension is temporarily raised by the tape tension adjusting means, and the recording / reproducing head 3
3 (to increase the contact pressure between the recording / reproducing heads 3 and 3 and the magnetic tape 5) to remove stains such as stains attached to the recording / reproducing heads 3 and 3.

Incidentally, the tape tension is a force hanging in the running direction of the magnetic tape 5 at a portion A in the drawing. In a so-called 8-mm VTR which is a conventional general VTR, the tape tension is about 10 g.
In R1, for example, the tape tension is set relatively low, between 2 g (grams) and 6 g.

The control of the tape tension (tape tension) by the tape tension adjusting means includes a pinch roller 7 which temporarily (instantly) interposes the magnetic tape 5 and feeds it out during normal running of the magnetic tape 5. Increasing the number of rotations of the stun 8, applying a load to the supply side of the magnetic tape 5 by a brake or the like (for example, applying a load to the supply-side tape reel 10 using a brake (not shown) or the like) and lengthening the tape path. And so on. When the magnetic tape 5 is rewound or rewound, the tape tension tends to fluctuate. Therefore, by utilizing the fluctuation of the tape tension at the time of rewinding, the tape tension is temporarily increased as described above. It is also possible to create a state.

In the normal tape running state, as described above, the tape tension is set lower. Therefore, in the normal tape running state, the recording / reproducing heads 3, 3 using the MR heads having a small allowable amount of wear are used.
Is small, but stains such as stains are difficult to peel off.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the tape tension is temporarily increased by the tape tension adjusting means so that the magnetic tape 5
Is intended to increase the contact pressure on the recording / reproducing heads 3, 3 so that stains such as stains can be removed from the recording / reproducing heads 3, 3.

The increase in the tape tension by the tape tension adjusting means is performed temporarily (instantaneously), and the time during which the tape tension is high is very short. The used recording / reproducing heads 3, 3 hardly wear. The same applies when the magnetic tapes 3 and 3 are rewound.

If the tape tension adjusting means can instantaneously increase the contact pressure between the magnetic tape 5 and the recording / reproducing heads 3, 3, the tape tension adjusting means can increase the rotation speed of the pinch roller 7 and the capstan 8. In addition to the method of applying a load to the supply side of the magnetic tape 5 by a brake or the like and the method of lengthening the tape path, the same effects can be obtained.

When the tape tension is instantaneously increased by the tape tension adjusting means, for example, V
Performing periodically in consideration of the use time of the TR1, or detecting (monitoring) an error rate or the like, and performing when the error rate deteriorates due to stains such as generation of stains, or a combination thereof. Can be considered.

Further, temporarily increasing the tape tension by the tape tension adjusting means is applied not only when the magnetic tape 5 is used but also when the cleaning tape is used, and the recording / reproducing heads 3 and 3 and the cleaning tape are used. When the contact pressure with the recording medium is increased, stains such as stains attached to the recording / reproducing heads 3 can be more effectively removed.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to remove stains such as stains attached to the recording / reproducing heads 3 and 3 without using a generally used head cleaning means such as a cleaning roller. Is possible, the configuration of the entire VTR 1 can be simplified, which is advantageous in terms of cost and space.

The specific shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the embodiment for carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Should not be interpreted restrictively.

[0024]

As described above, the magnetic tape drive of the present invention performs recording and reproduction on a magnetic tape by a recording and reproduction magnetic head which is arranged on a head drum and moves on a circular locus. And a tape tension adjusting means capable of controlling the tape tension during running of the magnetic tape, and temporarily increasing the tape tension by the tape tension adjusting means to increase the contact pressure of the magnetic tape to the magnetic head. Since stains such as stains are removed, stains on the magnetic heads such as stains can be effectively removed while minimizing wear of the magnetic head, and a head cleaning means such as a head cleaning roller can be used. This eliminates the need for a space- and cost-effective magnetic tape drive. It will be able to provide.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since a magnetic head using a magnetoresistive element for a magnetic sensing portion is used as the magnetic head, it is possible to employ a recording method having a high recording density. .

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the tape tension is temporarily increased by the tape tension adjusting means periodically, it is possible to periodically remove stains such as stains. The recording and reproducing operation can always be performed in an optimal state.

The method of cleaning a magnetic head according to the present invention is a method of cleaning a magnetic head for recording / reproducing which is disposed on a head drum and moves on a circular locus. Sometimes, the tape tension is temporarily increased by the tape tension adjusting means that can control the tape tension, the contact pressure of the magnetic tape to the magnetic head is increased, and stains such as stains are removed. It is possible to effectively remove stains on the magnetic head such as stains while minimizing it, and when the present invention is applied to a magnetic tape drive device, a head cleaning means such as a head cleaning roller is not required, and space is saved. In addition, it is possible to provide a magnetic tape drive device which is advantageous in cost. Kill.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a VTR which is a specific example in an embodiment of a magnetic tape drive apparatus and a magnetic head cleaning method according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Magnetic tape drive device, 2 ... Head drum, 3 ...
Magnetic head, 5 ... magnetic tape

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic tape drive device that performs recording and reproduction on a magnetic tape by a recording and reproduction magnetic head that is arranged on a head drum and moves on a circular locus, and controls a tape tension when the magnetic tape runs. Tape tension adjusting means capable of temporarily increasing the tape tension by the tape tension adjusting means, increasing the contact pressure of the magnetic tape to the magnetic head, and removing stains such as stains. Characteristic magnetic tape drive device. 2. The magnetic tape drive according to claim 1, wherein a head using a magnetoresistive element for a magnetic sensing part is used as the magnetic head. 3. The magnetic tape drive according to claim 1, wherein the tape tension is temporarily increased by the tape tension adjusting means. 4. A method for cleaning a magnetic head for recording and reproducing, which is disposed on a head drum and moves on a circular locus, for cleaning a magnetic head, wherein a tape tension is controlled during running of a magnetic tape. A method of cleaning a magnetic head, comprising temporarily increasing the tape tension by means of a tape tension adjusting means capable of increasing the contact pressure of the magnetic tape with the magnetic head to remove stains and other stains.