JPH042413Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a head cleaner mainly for cleaning the rotating magnetic head of a player to which a magnetic tape cartridge for video or audio is applied. In particular, the present invention relates to a so-called reel-to-reel system in which the magnetic head is cleaned while the cleaning tape runs, and the cleaning tape can be replaced.

[Conventional technology]

As a reel-to-reel type head cleaner, one in which the magnetic tape in a magnetic tape cartridge is simply replaced with a predetermined amount of cleaning tape is known. This is because the structure is simple and can be obtained at relatively low cost, so when the cleaning tape exceeds its usage limit, the entire case is discarded and the cleaning tape is not replaced.

The concept of replacing the cleaning tape is known from Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 105321/1983, proposed by Allsopp. However, the head cleaner in this case is of a so-called stop cleaning type, in which the cleaning tape stands still and circumscribes the magnetic head, and the magnetic head rotates to perform cleaning. In this system, cleaning tape is stored in a replacement cartridge, and when the tape exceeds its usage limit, the entire cartridge is replaced, and the main case continues to be used.

In the case of the stop cleaning type head cleaner mentioned above,
Since only the same part of the cleaning tape circumscribes the magnetic head and performs cleaning, the cleaning surface of the tape is likely to get dirty quickly and deteriorate due to abrasion. Furthermore, since dirt accumulates, there is a disadvantage in that dirt that was previously wiped off may adhere to the head surface.

[Problems that the invention aims to solve] This invention makes it possible to replace the cleaning tape in a reel-to-reel type head cleaner that can be obtained at a relatively low cost, making tape deck maintenance possible at an even lower cost. The purpose of this system is to solve the following problems, especially when replacing tapes.

In order to replace the tape, it is necessary to be able to attach and detach the cleaning tape at two locations between the feed reel and the take-up reel. Specifically, it would be practical to provide a removable connection member at the connection point between the lead tape and the cleaning tape. The connecting member must be located outside the case and must be able to be replaced when the cleaning tape is pulled out of the case for replacement.

However, if the connecting member is exposed outside the case, there is a risk that it will get caught on the front cover when opening and closing, causing malfunction of the tape deck, or that the connecting member will come off, making it impossible to use the cleaning tape. Furthermore, during tape loading, the connecting member may come into contact with the loading pin or the magnetic head, resulting in poor loading or damage to the head surface.

[Means for solving problems]

In FIG. 1, lead tapes 2a, 2b and cleaning tape 2 are connected via a connecting member 40. As shown in FIG. Lead tapes 2a and 2b are connection members 40
Set it to a length long enough to allow it to be attached and detached outside the case. The connecting member 40 can be pulled out of the case only when replacing it, and is not exposed to the outside of the case during normal use such as tape loading or rewinding.

Specifically, the tape guides 10, 10 are arranged to sandwich the loading pocket 14 on the left and right sides, and the sub guides 45, 45 are arranged in the vicinity of the tape guides 10, 10 sandwiching the tape movement path. The connecting member 40 is hooked on and received by both guides 10 and 45. In addition, the circumferential distance D between both guides 10 and 45 is determined by the thickness T of the connecting member 40.
It is set larger and smaller than the left and right width B. Furthermore, after setting the connection point of the cleaning tape 2 with the connection member 40 in the middle of the left and right width direction,
A contact piece 42a is integrally formed with the connecting member 40 on the inner side of the tape closer to the cleaning tape 2 than the connecting point.

[Effect]

For example, when the cleaning tape is rewound, as shown in FIG. The tape guide 10 is moved, and the contact piece 42a at the end thereof comes into contact with the tape guide 10. At this time, tension is applied to the cleaning tape 2 in the direction crossing the connection member 40, but since the connection point with the connection member 40 is in the middle of the connection member 40 in the left-right width direction, it comes into contact with the connection member 40. Sub guide 4 using piece 42a as a fulcrum
A moment acts so that it falls down to the 5th side. Therefore, the connecting member 40 straddles between the sub-guide 45 and the tape guide 10 and is in a state of being circumscribed and hooked to both, and cannot pass between the guides 10 and 45. When the cleaning tape 2 is wound on the take-up reel 4 and the feed reel 3 is empty, or at the beginning of tape loading, the connecting member 40 is connected to both guides 10,
Caught on 45.

When replacing the tape, after pulling the cleaning tape 2 out of the case, the cleaning tape 2 is separated from the tape guide 10 as shown in FIG. Pull 40. Then, the connecting member 40 can be pulled out of the case by passing between the guides 10 and 45 while the contact piece 42a slides along the circumferential surface of the tape guide 10. Thereafter, the cleaning tape 2 is replaced by releasing the connecting member 40, and the cleaning tape 2 is stored by rewinding the take-up reel 4 and the feed reel 3. Pull it into the case.

[Effect of idea]

According to this invention as described above, the connecting member 40 is prevented from being pulled out of the case when used as a head cleaner, and when necessary, the connecting member 40 can be pulled out of the case to replace the tape. Malfunction of the tape deck and damage to the head surface due to the member 40 being exposed outside the case can be prevented. Also,
By simply replacing the cleaning tape 2, all other components of the head cleaner can continue to be used, so the cost required for replacing the tape can be kept to a minimum for only the cleaning tape 2.
Overall, a head cleaner is obtained that allows tape deck maintenance to be performed at low cost.

〔Example〕

In Figures 1 to 7, the present invention head cleaner is exemplified as one compatible with a tape deck to which a VHS type magnetic tape cartridge is applied, and is a cartridge having the same external shape and function as a magnetic tape cartridge. Inside the Toritsuji case 1,
Basic components such as the cleaning tape 2, a feed reel 3 on which the tape is wound, and a take-up reel 4 are housed. A drive mechanism 5 for transmitting the power of the pinch roller R to the take-up reel 4 is provided in the cartridge case 1.

The cartridge case 1 is made by combining upper and lower plastic cases 1a and 1b with lids fitted together.
1 pocket for tape loading on the front
3, 14 and a pocket 15 for a capstan, and a front lid 16 for opening and closing the front of the case.
It is equipped with The front cover 16 is pivoted to the closed position and locked in the closed position, similar to that of a real magnetic tape cartridge, and when loaded into the tape deck, the lock is automatically released by a member on the deck side. and then rotate to open upward.

Compatible with standard components such as the positioning pin on the deck side, the reel brake release pin, the reel drive shaft, and the lamp 47 that detects the beginning and end of the tape.
Positioning holes 17, 17, a release pin hole 18, drive shaft insertion holes 19, 19, a lamp hole 20, etc. are formed in the bottom wall of the lower case 1b at specified positions and in predetermined shapes. Lamp hole 2 in the center of the bottom surface of the lower case 1b
A groove for preventing erroneous loading is formed in a prescribed manner across 0 in the front and back directions. These holes and grooves are mainly for loading the cartridge case 1 into the tape deck without any trouble. An optical path P 1 for detecting the beginning of the tape and an optical path P ₂ for detecting the end of the tape are set on lines connecting the lamp hole 20 and the lamp windows 12 near the front end of the left and right side walls of the cartridge case ₁ , respectively. S ₁ and S ₂ are deck-side detection members arranged outside the case on the respective optical paths P ₁ and P ₂ .

The cleaning tape 2 is made of natural leather or artificial leather. For example, the contact surface of the magnetic head has raised leather fibers entwined with each other, and is made of a tough backing material with appropriate softness and sufficient tensile strength. Each edge of the tape body is latched and connected to a take-up reel 4 and a feed reel 3 via transparent lead tapes 2a and 2b. The total length of the cleaning tape 2 is set to 30 to 40 cm because the cleaning tape 2 on the take-up reel 4 side is also rewound onto the pay-out reel 3 at the same time by an automatic rewind operation when the player performs a stop operation or the like. In addition, lead tapes 2a, 2
The total length of the cleaning tape 2 including b is set to about 1.5 to several times the length required for tape loading. Note that the lead tapes 2a and 2b may be opaque sheets with light passage holes formed therein. In order to reduce the curling of the cleaning tape 2, the hub diameter of the feed reel 3 is set to be large, and the hub diameter of the take-up reel 4 is set to a very small diameter sufficient to wind up the cleaning tape 2. Engaging teeth 3b are formed on the circumferential surface of the lower flange of the feed reel 3, and a reel brake 7 that engages with the teeth 3b to prevent the reel 3 from rotating when not in use is similar to a magnetic tape cartridge. It is provided facing the release pin hole 18.

It is desirable to reduce the amount of tape drawn out during tape loading and to reduce the amount of relatively expensive cleaning tape 2 used. Therefore, the cleaning tape 2 is drawn out only from the central pocket 14 for tape loading.
In other words, the tape guides 10, 10 are arranged so that the pocket 14 is sandwiched between the left and right sides, and the tape guide 10 on the right side as viewed from the figure is arranged so that the cleaning tape 2 circumscribes the magnetic head at a predetermined wrapping angle. The other tape guide 10 was placed in the vicinity of the capstan pocket 15. Tape guide 10 in the figure,
10 was expected to consist of a freely rotatable roller, but it may also be a simple pin-shaped roller.

The feed reel 3 is located above the drive shaft insertion hole 19 on the right side and is rotatable, and has a hub hole into which the drive shaft engages, similar to the tape reel in a real magnetic tape cartridge. This payout reel 3
In particular, it has a function of rewinding and storing the cleaning tape 2 that has been pulled out of the case during tape loading.

The take-up reel 4 is disposed between the lamp hole 20 and the drive shaft insertion hole 19 on the left side, and the tape guide 10
The tape moving path between the tape and the take-up reel 4 is set so as to avoid the capstan pocket 15. This is to enable the use of a thick cleaning tape 2, and to prevent the pinch roller R from circumscribing the capstan C and making it impossible to feed the tape when the tape is thick.
The take-up reel 4 is rotatably supported at the front end of a swinging arm 23 which is horizontally swingably supported on the bottom wall of the lower case 1b. The swinging arm 23 is urged to swing clockwise by a spring 24, and is held in a fixed position by a stopper 25 fixed to the lower case 1b. Gear teeth 26 are formed on the circumferential surface of the lower flange of the take-up reel 4, as shown in FIG.

A drive mechanism 5 is arranged between the take-up reel 4 and the capstan pocket 15. This drive mechanism 5 includes an input roller 28 that is circumscribed to the pinch roller R and receives power, a belt transmission mechanism 29 that is rotationally driven by this roller 28, and a belt transmission mechanism 29 that rotates together with a driven pulley of the mechanism 29 and is connected to the gear teeth described above. 26, a rubber ring 31 that circumscribes the input roller 28 to receive power and rotationally drive the drive-side pulley, a main swing lever 32 that supports these members so that their posture can be changed, and an auxiliary arm. 33, a pulley arm 34, etc. When the drive mechanism 5 is not in use, it is biased by a spring to a standby position in which the gear 30 is separated from the gear teeth 26, as shown in FIG. and,
Utilizing the movement of the pinch roller R into the fixed position inside the pocket 15, the gear 30 is switched to a transmission position in which it meshes with the gear teeth 26. In order to change the posture, a cam surface 35 is provided protruding from the side edge of the lower pulley arm 34, and a guide roller 36 for guiding the cam surface 35 is fixed to the lower case 1b.

In the reel-to-reel type head cleaner as described above, the present invention is characterized in that the cleaning tape 2 can be replaced.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaning tape 2 and lead tapes 2a, 2b are separably connected via a connecting member 40. As shown in FIG. The connecting member 40 is a plastic molded product, and is connected to the lead tapes 2a and 2b.
A rectangular frame 41 to which is connected and fixed, and a T-shaped locking piece 42 protruding from this frame 41 are integrally formed, and a contact piece 42a is provided at the side end of the locking piece 42. It consists of a protruding structure. In order to hook the connecting member 40, a connecting hole 43 into which the hooking piece 42 is hooked and a notch 44 for attaching and detaching the hooking piece 42 are formed on the edge of the cleaning tape 2. The connecting member 40 and the cleaning tape 2 are connected by a hooking piece 42.
is the tape guide 10,1 of the cleaning tape 2
It is connected so that it protrudes from the sliding surface side with 0, that is, from the inside surface of the tape. Thereby, the cleaning tape 2 is connected to the connecting member 40 at the midway point in the left and right width direction. Note that the lead tapes 2a and 2b are set to have a length necessary and sufficient to pull the connecting member 40 out of the case and attach/detach it.

In order to prevent the connecting member 40 from being pulled out of the case during normal use, the circumferential surfaces of the tape guide 10 and the hub 3a of the feed reel 3, and the circumferential surfaces of the tape guide 10 and the hub 4a of the take-up reel 4 are Sub-guides 45, 45 are provided in the vicinity of each tape guide 10, 10, on the inner side of each connecting external tangent line E, E, with the tape moving path sandwiched therebetween. Sub guides 45, 45 are tape guide 1
Similar to 0 and 10, it may be a roller shape or a pin shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the circumferential distance D between the pair of guides 10 and 45 on the feed reel 3 side and the take-up reel 4 side, respectively.
is set larger than the thickness T of the connecting member 40, so that the connecting member 40 can be pulled out of the case as needed. Further, the circumferential spacing D is smaller than the width B of the connecting member 40 in the left-right direction, preferably about half or less.

According to the head cleaner constructed as described above, during normal use, the connecting member 40 connects to both guides 10, 45.
This prevents the connecting member 40 from being caught in between and being pulled out of the case, and allows the cleaning tape 2 to be replaced by pulling out the connecting member 40 out of the case only when necessary.

Specifically, the connecting member 40 on the take-up reel 4 side is caught between the guides 10 and 45 during a rewinding operation or when tape loading is completed. At this time, the connecting member 40 stretched by the cleaning tape 2 is connected to the sub guide 45 and the take-up reel 4.
It moves on a line connecting the peripheral surfaces of the hub 4a, and moves while maintaining this posture while slidingly contacting the sub-guide 45. Then, the contact piece 42a contacts the tape guide 10 as shown in FIG. Sub guide 4
5 is located inside the external tangent line E of the tape guide 10, so the direction in which the cleaning tape 2 is pulled at this time intersects the connecting member 40 in a plan view. Further, the tension at this time acts on the intermediate portion of the connecting member 40. Therefore, the connecting member 40 has a contact piece 42a.
A moment acts on the sub-guide 45 with the fulcrum as a fulcrum, and the posture changes so that it straddles both guides 10 and 45, resulting in a stuck state.
As shown in FIG. 7, on the feed reel 3 side, when the connecting member 40 is similarly caught by both guides 10 and 45, it is prevented from being drawn out of the case.

When replacing the tape, pull the cleaning tape 2 so that it contacts only the sub-guide 45 as shown in FIG. Then, the contact piece 42a of the connecting member 40 enters between the guides 10 and 45 along the circumferential surface of the tape guide 10, and easily connects the guides 10 and 45.
It can pass between 0.45. The cleaning tape 2 can be removed from the connection member 40 by laying the connection member 40 pulled out of the case sideways and passing through the notch 44 of the cleaning tape 2. After removing the other end of the cleaning tape 2 from the connecting member 40 in the same way, attach a new cleaning tape 2 to the left and right connecting members 40, 4.
Connect to 0. Thereafter, the cleaning tape 2 is stored in the case by operating the feed reel 3 or the take-up reel 4.

[Another example]

8a and 8b each show another embodiment of the connecting member 40, and in FIG. 8a, the protruding amount of the abutting piece 42a is set large, and the cleaning tape 2 is connected approximately at the center of the connecting member 40. This embodiment differs from the above embodiments in that this embodiment does not. This allows the connecting member 40 to be hooked onto the tape guide 10 more reliably. As shown in FIG. 8b, even if the hooking piece 42 side and the abutting piece 42a are bent in a dogleg shape through the hinge portion, the hooking on the tape guide 10 is improved.

In the above embodiment, the take-up reel 4 is driven by the pinch roller R via the drive mechanism 5, but this is not necessarily necessary, and the take-up reel 4 can be driven by the pinch roller R in the same way as the take-up reel in a real magnetic tape cartridge. , it may be located above the drive shaft insertion hole 19 and rotated by the reel drive shaft of the tape deck. In this case, the tape guide 10 on the left side of the capstan pocket 15
A sub-guide 45 is provided near a (see FIG. 3). The sub-guide 45 does not necessarily need to be provided inside the circumscribed line E, but may be provided outside the circumscribed line. Further, in the above embodiment, the abutting piece 42a is provided separately, but depending on the connection position of the cleaning tape 2 with the connecting member 40, the latching piece 42 may also serve as the abutting piece 42a. The contact piece 42a can be omitted.

Furthermore, tape loading is carried out in each pocket 13, 14 as in the case of magnetic tape cartridges.
The tape may be pulled out at the same time from both sides, or the tape may be pulled out only from the pocket 13 near the side end.

Further, in the illustrated example, a VHS type video head cleaner has been described, but it can also be widely applied to a Beta type video tape player or a type of audio tape player in which the magnetic tape is pulled out of the case.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 7 show an embodiment of the head cleaner according to the present invention, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the main parts, Figure 2 is a plan view of the main parts when replacing the tape, and Figure 3 is a plan view of the main parts.
The figure is a plan view of the internal structure when not in use, Figure 4 is a plan view of the main parts when in use, Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the connection points. 7 are plan views of the main parts. Figure 8 a, b
2A and 2B are plan views of essential parts showing other embodiments of the connection member 40, respectively. 1... Cartridge case, 2... Cleaning tape, 2a, 2b... Lead tape, 3...
Payout reel, 4... Take-up reel, 10...
... Tape guide, 14 ... Loading pocket, 40 ... Connection member, 42a ... Contact piece, 4
5...Sub guide, T...40 thickness, B...4
Left and right width of 0, D... circumferential distance of 10 and 45.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A cartridge case 1 includes a feed reel 3 and a take-up reel 4 on which the cleaning tape 2 is wound, and each edge of the cleaning tape 2 is connected to lead tapes 2a and 2b whose one end is fixed to each reel 3 and 4. The tape guides 10, 10 are removably connected via a member 40, and the tape guides 10, 10 are arranged sandwiching the loading pocket 14 on the left and right sides, and sub-guides 45, 45, each tape guide 10, 10 and each sub guide 45, 4
5, the circumferential distance D is larger than the thickness T of the connecting member 40 and smaller than the horizontal width B, and the cleaning tape 2 is connected to the middle part of the connecting member 40 in the horizontal width direction. Attach the contact piece 42a to the inner side of the tape to the connecting member 40.
Head cleaner formed integrally with.