JPH052722A - Head cleaning tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove the firm accumulation or burning of a magnetic powder, and to recover the recording and reproducing capability of a deteriorated head by providing an abrasive whose abrasive force is strong at an interval in the longitudinal direction of a tape. CONSTITUTION:The utilizing time of a normal cleaning tape for one time is defined as (t) seconds, a head abrasion loss for a unit time is defined as (x)7mum/second, and the head abrasion loss of the cleaning tape whose abrasive force is strong for the unit time is defined as Xum/second. The utilizing time T of the high-strength tape is indicated by the following expression; TXX= (x)X(t) so that the head abrasion loss at the time of using the normal tape and the high-strength tape can be the same. Now, when (t)=15 seconds, (x)=0.008mum/ second, and X=0.5mum/second, T=0.24 seconds, and then a part almost without any abrasive force is provided only for (t)-T=15-0.24=14.76 seconds. Therefore, an abrasive P whose abrasive force is strong, with a small width for a tape travelling 0.24 seconds, is applied to the surface of the cleaning tape with a length for a tape travelling 15 seconds.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic head cleaning tape for a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder, magnetic powder is deposited or burned on the tape sliding surface of the magnetic head as it is used, and the recording / reproducing capability of the head deteriorates. Therefore, the recording and reproducing ability is recovered by polishing and removing the attached magnetic powder with a cleaning tape.

A conventional cleaning tape has a structure in which an abrasive is uniformly applied to the surface of the tape, and while the tape is running, the tape sliding surface is always abraded by the abrasive to remove the deposits. ing. Since the cleaning work by polishing is accompanied by the abrasion of the tape sliding surface, it is usually specified that the operation of 15 seconds is repeated 2-3 times.

[0004]

By the way, in recent years, due to the improvement of magnetic powder and binder used in magnetic tapes and the advent of metal tape heads, the adhesion of magnetic powder has become strong, and the polishing material having a weak polishing force has been improved. The conventional cleaning tape having the above-mentioned structure has a problem that the adhered matter cannot be removed cleanly even after the specified number of times of work and the recording / reproducing ability of the head cannot be sufficiently restored.

Further, it has been found that the polishing force itself is more important than the polishing amount (polishing power × time) for the removal of these strong adhered substances. The effect of removing the adhered matter was weak even after the polishing. Therefore, it is conceivable to apply a strong abrasive to the surface of the tape evenly. If this is done, the effect of removing deposits will be high, but at the same time the amount of wear on the head will be large, so the usage time will be extremely short. It cannot help but be practical.

Incidentally, FIG. 5 shows the polishing power of a conventional head cleaning tape for an 8 mm video tape recorder. In FIG. 5, the polishing power is represented by the head wear amount, and the relationship between the wear amount and the usage time is shown. When a conventional cleaning tape uniformly coated with an abrasive having a weak polishing power is used, the wear amount is 0.008 as shown by the solid line.
It is about μm / sec. On the other hand, when a tape uniformly coated with an abrasive having a strong abrading power is used, it is 0.5 to 1 μm / sec as indicated by a chain line. In the case of using the latter tape, in order to keep the same amount of wear as the former tape, it is necessary to control the wear time to 0.24 seconds for 15 seconds. Therefore, it is not practical.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a head cleaning tape capable of ensuring a practical use time and capable of removing a strong adhered substance without unnecessarily abrading the head. To aim.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in a head cleaning tape for cleaning a head by the polishing action of an abrasive provided on the surface of a tape, abrasive having a strong abrasive force is provided at intervals in the tape longitudinal direction. By doing so, the above object is solved.

[0009]

According to the cleaning tape constructed as described above, a strong adhered substance is removed by an abrasive having a strong abrasive force in an extremely short time, and the lowered recording / reproducing capability of the head is recovered. Further, since the head is hardly worn between the above-mentioned abrasives arranged at appropriate intervals, it is possible to secure a practical use time which is the same as the current state.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, assuming that the conventional cleaning tape has a usage time of t seconds, polishing power (head wear amount per unit time) of x μm / sec, and strong polishing power of T seconds and X μm / sec, respectively. In order to make the head wear amounts the same, the relationship of T = (x × t) / X is established. Therefore, in the case of using an abrasive having a strong polishing force, assuming that the use time per time is t seconds, the head wear amount is conventionally reduced by providing a portion having almost no polishing force for (t−T) seconds. It is possible to suppress the accumulation and sticking of strong magnetic powder, and to recover the lowered recording / reproducing ability of the head.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention made with such consideration. The above t = 15 seconds, x = 0.008
When μm / sec and X = 0.5 μm / sec, T = 0.2
It takes 4 seconds, and it is sufficient to provide a portion having almost no polishing force for t−T = 15−0.24 = 14.76 seconds. Therefore, in the cleaning tape of this example, the surface of the tape has a constant pitch (a length corresponding to 15 seconds of tape travel) and a small width (a width equivalent to 0.24 seconds of tape travel) with a strong polishing force. The polishing material P is applied. In this case, the abrasive material P is arranged parallel to the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tape.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the wear amount and the usage time when the cleaning tape having this structure is used. When a tape having a strong polishing power uniformly applied to the surface of the tape is used, wear progresses as indicated by a chain line. Further, when an abrasive material having a weak polishing power is uniformly applied, abrasion progresses as indicated by a chain double-dashed line. When the tape of the present embodiment is used, as indicated by the solid line, 1
Only constant wear occurs every 5 seconds.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment. In the tape of this embodiment, the abrasive P is provided obliquely to the direction orthogonal to the tape longitudinal direction. FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment. In the tape of this embodiment, the abrasives P having a minute width are arranged at a large pitch, and the abrasives S having a weak polishing force are applied between the abrasives P.

The form of the abrasive P is not limited to that of the above embodiment, and may be arbitrarily changed. Further, if the material between the abrasives P does not damage the head and other tape running systems, magnetic powder is applied even if an abrasive having a weak abrasive force is applied as shown in FIG. Alternatively, nothing may be applied. As a result, the amount of head wear, which affects the life of the head, can be suppressed as usual in a practical use time. Further, the method of fixing the abrasive to the tape surface may of course be a method other than coating.

[0015]

As described above, according to the head cleaning tape of the present invention, since the abrasive having a strong polishing power is arranged at an appropriate interval in the longitudinal direction of the tape surface, a strong magnetic powder accumulation, The burn-in can be removed and the lowered recording / reproducing capability of the head can be restored. At the same time, head wear that affects the life of the head can be suppressed to the same level as before while ensuring a practical use time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between a head wear amount and a use time when the cleaning tape of the embodiment is used.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a head wear amount and a usage time when a conventional cleaning tape is used.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P ... Abrasive with high polishing power S ... Abrasive with weak polishing power

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. A head cleaning tape for cleaning a head by an abrasive action of an abrasive provided on a surface of a tape, wherein an abrasive having a strong abrasive force is provided at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the tape. Characteristic head cleaning tape.