JPH061538B2 - Magnetic head mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a magnetic head mechanism suitable for multi-track azimuth recording.

(Prior Art) For example, in a magnetic tape device such as a backup tape recorder of a magnetic disk device, multi-track recording is performed. FIG. 10 shows the state of conventional multi-track recording, in which the tape TP is divided into a plurality in the width direction and a guard band GB is provided between the recording tracks TR to prevent crosstalk. Generally, recording is performed by reciprocating the tape TP as shown by an arrow.

In a video tape recorder and a digital audio tape recorder, as shown in FIG. 11, recording tracks are formed in an oblique direction by slidably contacting a magnetic head with respect to the width direction of the tape TP, and adjacent tracks are formed. Prevents crosstalk by performing azimuth recording by changing the azimuth angle of the magnetic head sliding on the
The need for a guard band between tracks is eliminated, increasing the recording density.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) Even in a tape recorder for data backup,
Although it is possible to increase the recording density by performing azimuth recording as shown in the figure, a rotating cylinder head is required to perform azimuth recording as shown in FIG. 11, which is too complicated for data backup, It is also expensive.

Therefore, it is conceivable to perform azimuth recording without using a rotating cylinder head. For that purpose, it is necessary to use a multi-channel magnetic head having different azimuth angles, but it is difficult to manufacture such a magnetic head. Also,
In order to perform azimuth recording, at least two-channel heads with different azimuth angles are required, and when attempting multi-track recording, it is necessary to move the magnetic head to the full tape width, which requires a large space. Has the problem of becoming thick.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the conventional problems, and provides a magnetic head mechanism capable of realizing azimuth recording with a magnetic head having a simple structure and thinning the mechanism. To aim.

(Means for Solving Problems) The present invention includes a first head having a predetermined azimuth angle,
A second head having a different azimuth angle from the first head is arranged in the width direction of the magnetic tape and arranged in a head block. The head block supports the magnetic tape so that the head block is movable in the width direction and the tape slides. It is rotatably provided by an axis perpendicular to the contact surface, and the axis is the first head and the second head.
It is characterized in that it is provided at a substantially intermediate position of the head.

(Operation) If the first head is used for recording when the tape is traveling in the forward direction, the second head is used for recording when the tape is traveling in the reverse direction. When recording on one track is completed, the head block is shifted by two racks in the tape width direction for recording. Further, by inverting the head block about the axis and recording in the other half of the tape in the same manner, azimuth recording in which adjacent tracks have different azimuth angles and multi-track recording are performed.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of a magnetic head mechanism according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a head block designated by reference numeral 3 is provided with a first head 1 and a second head 2 to form a two-channel configuration. A tape (not shown) moves in the left-right direction in the drawing, and the first head 1 and the second head 2 are arranged in the width direction of the tape. The first head 1 has a recording head W1 and a reproducing head R1 that have a predetermined azimuth angle with respect to the recording track of the tape and are aligned in the tape running direction, and the second head 2 is the first head described above. The recording head W2 and the reproducing head R2, which have different azimuth angles and are aligned in the tape running direction,
It has read / write capability. The recording head W1 of the first head 1 and the reproducing head R1 are arranged in an opposite direction to the tape running direction, whereas the recording head W2 and the reproducing head R2 of the second head 2 are arranged in the opposite direction. The head block 3 is supported so as to be movable in the width direction of the magnetic tape. Further, the head block 3 is perpendicular to the tape and the sliding contact surface, and the first head 1
And the second head 2 is rotatably provided by a shaft provided at an intermediate position. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the symbol C indicates the center of rotation of the shaft.

The tape running direction shown in FIG. 2A is the forward direction and the tape running direction shown in FIG. 2B is the reverse direction. Recording tracks are arranged in this order from the top in the width direction of the tape TP. I'm supposed to be out. Recording / reproduction is performed on the first track by the first head 1 when the tape is running in the forward direction. Similarly,
The third track, the fifth track, the seventh track, and the ninth track are the first when the tape is running in the forward direction.
Recording / playback is performed by the head 1. Of course, recording / reproducing on each track is performed after the head block 3 is moved in the tape width direction. On the other hand, recording / reproduction is performed on the second track by the second head 2 when the tape is running in the reverse direction. Similarly, recording / reproduction is performed on each track by the second head 2 when the tape is running in the reverse direction. Also at this time, the recording / reproducing on each track is performed after the head block 3 is moved in the tape width direction.

Next, the head block 3 is reversed about the center of rotation C, and recording / reproduction is performed by the second head 2 when the tape is running in the forward direction on each track, and when the tape is running in the reverse direction on each track. Recording / reproduction is performed by one head 1.

When the multi-track recording / reproducing is performed by the procedure as described above, the upper half track of the tape TP is recorded / reproduced when traveling in the forward direction, and the lower half of the tape TP is recorded / reproducing during traveling in the reverse direction. Then, on the tracks adjacent to each other, the head blocks 3 are reversed about the axis and are recorded and reproduced alternately by the first head 1 and the second head 2 having different azimuth angles from each other. Recording and reproduction with different corners will be performed. Therefore, as shown in the drawing, even if the tracks are formed in close contact, there is no problem of crosstalk, and high density recording is possible.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals F and R indicate the moving ranges of the head block 3 in the tape width direction during the tape running in the forward direction and the tape running in the reverse direction, respectively. Further, if the total track width is 4L, the first and second heads 1 and 2 have a total track width of 4L with respect to the rotation center C.
Since it is arranged at a distance of / 4 (= L), in the case of the method of changing the recording direction for each half of the tape width as shown in the figure,
The range of movement in the width direction of the head tape can be minimized. Therefore, the height of the entire mechanism can be reduced.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to perform multi-track recording and azimuth recording with a simple magnetic head having a two-channel structure, reduce the moving range of the head in the tape width direction, and reduce the height dimension. It is possible to obtain a reduced magnetic head mechanism. Further, because of azimuth recording, off-track can be prevented without performing wide recording / narrow reproducing or narrow recording / wide reproducing.

Incidentally, as the moving mechanism of the head block in the tape width direction and the rotating mechanism of the head block by the axis perpendicular to the tape sliding contact surface, an appropriate mechanism may be selected and adopted.
The mechanism shown in FIGS. 3 to 8 can be used.

In FIGS. 3 and 5, the head support member 12 is rotatable on the chassis 31 about a shaft 14 fixed to the chassis 31 in a horizontal plane parallel to the surface of the chassis 31, and
It is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction along 14. Axis 14
Is located near the left end of the head support member 12. At a position near the right end of the head support member 12, a pair of support portions 12a, 12a are integrally formed with the head support member 12 sandwiched in the width direction, and the support portions 12a, 12a are inverted from the head holder 11. Axis 1
1a penetrates. Head holder 11
Can rotate. The head block 3 is fixed to the front end side of the head holder 11. Since the head block 3 is integrated with the head holder 11, it is reversible with respect to the running direction of the magnetic tape within the sliding contact surface with the magnetic tape about the reversing shaft 11a.

A positioning protrusion 11d is provided on one side surface of the head holder 11. The rear end portion of the reversing shaft 11a is the rear support portion 1
A leaf-shaped reversal plate 11b protruding from 2a to the rear side is fixed. A spring hook 11c is fixed to the tip of the reversing plate 11b, and a reversing spring 20 is hooked between the spring hook 11c and the spring hook 12c fixed to the head support member 12. The spring hook 12c and the reversing shaft 11a are provided at substantially the same height position, and as shown in FIG.
When the spring hook 11c is on the line connecting the c and the inversion shaft 11a, the inversion spring 20 is on the dead center, but when the spring hook 12c and the inversion shaft 11a are above or below the spring hook 11c,
The reversing spring 20 exceeds the dead center, and the reversing plate 11b rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 5 or clockwise as shown in FIG. The head block 3 is inverted with the rotation of the inversion plate 11b. A head holder for the head support member 12
11 A pair of set screws 25,2
6 is screwed in. Positioning protrusions 11d are brought into contact with the lower ends of the positioning screws 25 and 26 according to the reversing direction of the head holder 11, and the reversing position of the head holder 11 is determined.

A fan-shaped gear 12b is formed at the right end of the head support member 12. The gear 12b is rotated by a motor (not shown).

A holding plate 18 is fixed on the chassis 31 at the upper left of FIG. A track switching stepping motor 17 is fixed to a vertical piece of the holding plate 18, and a worm is attached to an output shaft of the stepping motor 17 which horizontally penetrates the vertical piece.
30 is stuck. The horizontal piece of the holding plate 18 has the shaft
The screw shaft 19 is fixed downward at the side of 14. A female screw of the track switching gear 16 is screwed into the screw shaft 19. The track switching gear 16 meshes with the worm 30. The head support member
12 is urged upward along a shaft 14 by a spring 15 hung between a spring hook 12d at its left end and a spring hook 18a of a holding plate 18 located above it. The lower end of 16 restricts the upward movement due to the biasing force. The screw shaft 19 is a track adjusting nut with a holding spring 29 interposed between the screw shaft 19 and the holding plate 18.
It is provided by 28 so that the position can be adjusted in the vertical direction.

A head rotation cam 21 is fixed to the rear of the head holder 11 on the chassis 31. As shown in FIG. 8, the cam 21 has upper and lower cam surfaces 21 that can come into contact with the head holder 11 depending on the vertical position of the spring hook 11c.
It has a and 21b and a horizontal center groove 21c formed in the middle of these cam surfaces. Each cam surface 21a, 21b has a center groove 21c that engages the spring hook 11c when the spring hook 11c is pressed.
It has an inclined surface that leads to.

Next, the operation of the above mechanism will be described.

The operation modes of FIGS. 3 and 5 are the recording / reproducing state in the forward running state of the tape. In this state, the track switching gear 16 is in the lower position and the head support member 12 is also in the lower position, and the force of the reversing spring 20 causes the head block 3 together with the reversing plate 11b to reverse clockwise around the reversing shaft 11a as shown in FIG. The head block 3 is rotated and the positioning protrusion 11d contacts the positioning screw 26, whereby the head block 3 is positioned in the rotational direction. In addition, the head support member 12 is
Is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 so that the head block 3 advances forward together with the head support member 12,
Head block 3 on the magnetic tape running left and right
The front surface of the is slidingly contacted for recording and playback.

Next, when a reverse signal is issued from an appropriate control means, the track switching stepping motor 17 is rotationally driven, and the head support member 12 is returned to a substantially central position in the vertical direction which is the width direction of the magnetic tape. That is, when the worm 30 is rotationally driven by the stepping motor 17, the track switching gear 16 is rotationally driven, the gear 16 rises along the screw shaft 19, and following this, the head support member is driven.
12 is raised by the biasing force of spring 15. Head support member 12
When the stepping motor reaches approximately the center of the vertical direction
17 is stopped. Subsequently, a motor (not shown) for retracting the head is driven, and the head supporting member 12 is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 4 via the fan gear 12b. With the rotation of the head support member 12, the head holder 11
Moves to the rear, and its spring hook 11c causes the head rotation cam 2
It contacts the cam surface 21a on the upper side of 1. The spring hook 11c is pushed obliquely downward by the cam surface 21a, and the reversing plate 11b and the head holder 11 and the head block 3 which are integral with the reversing plate 11b rotate clockwise from the state shown in FIG. The spring hook 11c is eventually guided to the central groove 21c of the cam 21, and in this state, the head retracting motor stops. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the spring hook 12c, the reversing shaft 11a and the spring hook 11c are aligned to reach the dead point of the reversing spring 20.

Next, the stepping motor 17 is driven to drive the head support member 12
Move to the upper side. The spring hook 11c is the center groove 21c of the cam 21.
While the vertical position is regulated by, the spring hook 11c is moved by the upward movement of the head support member 12
It is located below the line connecting 2c and the shaft 11b, and the elastic force of the reversing spring 20 acts as a force for rotating the reversing plate 11b in the clockwise direction in FIG. In this state, the head reversing motor rotates the head support member 12 clockwise to the position shown in FIG. 3, and when the head holder 11 is moved forward, the spring hook 11c slips out of the central groove 21c of the cam 21 and the head holder 11 And the head block 3 is rotated clockwise by the elastic force of the reversing spring 20 as shown in FIG. At this time, spring hook 11c
Is performed while slidingly contacting the cam surface 11b on the lower side of the cam 21, the head holder 11 and the head block 3 do not rotate and receive an impact, and azimuth shift can be prevented. The rotation of this head block 3 is
The positioning protrusion 11d of the head holder 11 is regulated by coming into contact with the lower end of the positioning screw 25. By the forward movement of the head holder 11, the front surface of the head block 3 slides on the magnetic tape running in the reverse direction, and recording / reproducing is performed. Track switching can be performed by controlling the height position of the head support member 12 by the stepping motor 17.

Depending on the conditions such as the space for arranging parts, the shape of the surface of the magnetic head, and other conditions, the magnetic head may be reversed while being slidably in contact with the tape without moving backward.

It should be noted that the first and second heads do not necessarily have to be provided with a recording head and a reproducing head, respectively, and as shown in FIG. 9, one first head H1 which can be switched as a recording head or a reproducing head in terms of a circuit. In addition to providing one second head H2, the full width erasing head E may be provided integrally with the head block 3. And the first head H1 and the second head
An axis for reversing the first head H1 and the second head H2 is provided at an intermediate position C with respect to H2. The head block 3 is supported so as to be movable in the tape width direction.

Also in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, multi-track recording and azimuth recording are performed by switching the heads H1 and H2 circuit-wise as recording heads or reproducing heads according to the tape running direction and recording mode or reproduction mode. be able to.

(Effect of the Invention) According to the present invention, a head block including two heads having different azimuth angles is provided so as to be movable in the tape width direction and reversible around an intermediate position between the two heads, so that a two-channel configuration is provided. Azimuth recording is possible with this simple head, and since the moving distance of the head in the tape width direction can be shortened, the mechanism can be made thinner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a magnetic head mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view showing a state of recording / reproducing according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is applicable to the above embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of a head moving mechanism, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a different operation mode of the head moving mechanism, and FIG. 5 is a front view of an operation mode corresponding to FIG. 3 of the head moving mechanism.
4 is a front view showing an operation mode corresponding to FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a front view showing another operation mode of the head moving mechanism, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a head reversing cam in the head moving mechanism. FIG. 9 is a front view showing another embodiment of the magnetic head mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 10 is a front view showing an example of multi-track recording by the conventional magnetic head mechanism, and FIG. 11 is a conventional magnetic head mechanism. It is a front view showing another example of recording by the head mechanism. 1 ... First head, 2 ... Second head, 3 ... Head block, TP ... Magnetic tape, 11a ... Axis, H1 ... First head, H2 ... Second head

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first head having a predetermined azimuth angle and a second head having a different azimuth angle from the first head are arranged in a head block side by side in the width direction of the magnetic tape. Is movably supported in the width direction of the magnetic tape and is rotatably provided by an axis perpendicular to the tape sliding contact surface, and the axis is provided at an approximately intermediate position between the first head and the second head. A magnetic head mechanism characterized by the above.