Abstract: An operating mode discriminating device for a magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus which adopts an optical detecting elements is disclosed. As the device has non-contacting type detecting elements, there arises no contacting problems and an accurate determination of the operating mode can be ensured.

Abstract: A disc cartridge capable of causing movement of a pickup of a cartridge operating unit with respect to the cartridge and a disc to be simplified to efficiently operate the disc with high reliability and accuracy, enlarging a pickup moving area and ensuring free or desired layout of a pickup. In the disc cartridge, a front wall of a casing defining a pickup inserting hole and a slider are formed with first and second thin-walled sections each having the substantially same level as a surface of the disc, so that a pickup moving area may be enlarged sufficiently to permit only horizontal movement of the pickup to be required.

Abstract: In the present invention, an improved retaining member for a disc drive is disclosed. The disc drive has a spindle with a plurality of data storage discs mounted on the spindle. The retaining member is in the shape of a ring with a central hole and a plurality of spaced-apart teeth-shaped members positioned circumferentially about the ring and protruding into the central hole. The retaining member is positioned with the spindle through the central hole and substantially abuts one of the data storage discs. The plurality of teeth-shaped members are urged against the side of the spindle.

Abstract: Structures of magnetic heads having superconducting shields are disclosed for spatially directing magnetic recording/playback fields. One embodiment is a thin film magnetic head with a layer of superconductor material associated with its throat. Further embodiments provide intertrack shielding and concentration of recording/playback fields into relatively small pole tip regions.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus of a type wherein a magnetic disk having a magnetic recording layer formed on a rigid substrate is rotated at a high speed and magnetic recording and reproduction are conducted by the magnetic head disposed on the surface of the disk, the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus being characterized in that the magnetic recording layer constitutes an oxide layer, a nitride layer or an oxidized coating film at at least its surface layer, and the magnetic recording and reproducing are conducted by the magnetic head which is caused to be substantially in contact with the surface of magnetic disk at at least the innermost cylinder of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A thin film transducer/transformer assembly includes a thin film magnetic transducer assembly formed at a first location on a support surface of a substrate and a thin film transformer assembly formed at a second location of the support surface of the substrate. The transducer assembly and the transformer assembly are each provided with electrically conductive coils which are mutually coupled by electrically conductive paths extending therebetween.The transducer assembly includes a bottom pole member, a top pole member and an electrically conductive coil partially located between the top and bottom pole members. The pole members are mutually coupled at the back gap regions thereof and have pole ends which are mutually spaced and insulated.

Abstract: A rotary magnetic head device utilizes a thin film magnetic head or heads having small mutual influence to external magnetic field in combination with a bulk magnetic head or heads to reduce crosstalk between recording head and reproducing head to thereby improve S/N ratio.

Abstract: Tape recorder able to actuate a plurality of mechanisms, such as an ejector mechanism, a head moving mechanism, and a high-speed rotation transmission mechanism, by the turning force of the motor for transporting tape. The cam gear is rotatable by the motor for transporting tape, a rocking lever is engaged with the cam gear, and an electromagnet for EJECT motion, an ejector mechanism connected operatively to the rocking lever by the electromagnet for EJECT motion, an electromagnet for PLAY motion, and a head moving mechanism connected operatively to the rocking lever by the electromagnet for PLAY motion are also provided. The turning force of the motor is transmitted to the ejector mechanism, or the head moving mechanism through the cam gear and the rocking lever.

Abstract: A magnetic disk recording and reproducing apparatus is provided having a carriage which supports a magnetic head moving in radial directions about a magnetic disk which is rotatably supported on a body of the apparatus, a cam which is rotatable about a rotational shaft to control the radial position of the magnetic disk, an intermittent rotation mechanism which intermittently rotates the cam by a predetermined angular displacement, a click gear which drives the cam, a click lever which is provided, on one of its ends, a pawl which can disengageably engage with the click gear in order to restrict the angular position of the click gear, a fine adjustment member which movably supports one end of the click lever, and a driving device for moving the fine adjustment member in order to adjust the angular position of the click gear, in accordance with the track position of the magnetic head relative to the magnetic disk.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic disc file which comprises a thin film magnetic disc for recording information, a motor for rotating the thin film magnetic disc, a magnetic head for writing and reading information, the head being provided with a flying slider, and a carriage for supporting the magnetic head and changing the position of the head in respect of the thin film magnetic disc, the flying height of the flying slider from the thin film magnetic disc being set in the range of 0.05 to 0.15 .mu.m, and the slider being not in contact with the thin film magnetic disc during the seeking operation on the thin film magnetic disc, the slider being a sintered body containing a metal oxide or oxides in an amount of 50 vol % or more based on the total of said body and containing 0.

Abstract: When the mount and demount operation of information media are achieved between an information medium storage shelf and a plurality of recording/playback apparatuses by use of a plurality of handling devices, in order to execute the operations in a concurrent fashion without causing an interference between the handling devices for an increased operation efficiency, the area of the storage shelf and at least one of the recording/playback apparatuses are respectively subdivided into a plurality of subareas so as to process the obtained subareas by the plurality devices respectively associated therewith.

Abstract: A rotary head device for a recording and reproducing apparatus includes a rotary drum and a stationary drum. The rotary drum has a guide surface formed of a conical surface coaxial with the axis of rotation of the rotary drum and wound with a magnetic tape. A head unit is mounted on the rotary drum to be rotatable integrally therewith. The head unit includes two head elements facing each other, for scanning the tape wound on the guide surface, while the tape is being interposed between the head elements, as the rotary drum rotates.

Abstract: A magnetic head including a head core having at least one gap and a pair of non-magnetic reinforcing members bonded so as to clamp the head core therebetween. An elongate notch or bore is formed in at least one of the non-magnetic reinforcing members, the notch or bore extending from the gap to the end of the non-magnetic reinforcing member in the direction in which the gap extends, so that the depth of the gap can be directly and optically observed through the notch or bore. It is therefore possible to measure the gap depth easily and accurately in the magnetic head manufacturing process and hence possible to obtain a magnetic head with high accuracy.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has magnetic films, at least one of which is composed of a material containing major components of nickel and iron and one or more element from nitrogen, oxygen and carbon and has two of face-centered cubic system and body-centered tetragonal system, whereby thin film magnetic heads having a high permeability and low coercive force can be provided.

Abstract: A differential amplifier (15, 16) which drives a recording head and is located on the headwheel which carries the recording head is equipped with automatic switchover provided by a transistor (18) in series with a resistance and the emitters of the differential amplifier. In the absence of signals in the rotor of the rotary transformer which supplies signals to be amplified for recording, this differential amplifier has substantially no idling current, but in response to the presence of a signal in the rotor, a switchover signal is provided making the transistor (18) in the emitter circuit of the differential amplifier conductive and putting the differential amplifier into class A operation. As a result, digital video signals can be recorded at a high data rate without distortion, whereas unintended erasure of the magnetic tape by direct current components in the winding of the recording head is prevented.

Abstract: In a disc drive with an integrated casting comprising the housing for the stepper and spindle motors, the transducer is mounted on a normal bearing pivot assembly lightweight actuator arm and biasing strip spring. One end of the strip spring is mounted to a block and the effective force of the spring is aligned with the actuator arm running toward the stepper motor. The other, or head end of the actuator arm contains a gear sector having gear teeth on its face which mesh with a pinion on a motor shaft so rotation of the motor shaft across the face of the gear sector causes movement of the head mounting arm. The actuator arm is formed of a self-lubricating polymer or other lightweight self-lubricating material. This way, wear on the gear is reduced; and as the teeth are worn, the gear is still tightly biased against the pinion to maintain accurate movement of the actuator arm with rotation of the pinion.

Abstract: A disc cartridge has a spindle hole, a head insertion hole and a shutter for opening and closing the two holes, the shutter being urged by an elastic member and having an elongated arm whose distal end engages with a guide groove formed on a guide portion of the cartridge.

Abstract: One of the cartridge-type magnetic tapes set in a magazine is loaded into a magnetic tape unit, the magnetic tape thus loaded is data processed in the magnetic tape unit, and the data processed magnetic tape is then unloaded from the magnetic tape unit to be received into the magazine. This series of operations is sequentially repeated for all of the magnetic tapes set in the respective magazine steps. It is judged whether or not the data processed magnetic tapes set in the magazine have been replaced with fresh magnetic tapes yet to be data processed in the middle of the series of operations.

Abstract: A double base type double azimuth magnetic head including two head bases and a pair of head chips bonded and anchored thereto respectively. The two head bases integrally have anchor lugs with flat reverse surfaces for anchoring the head chips thereto. The head bases further have joint regions partially and are joined to each other at the surfaces of the joint regions in such a manner that the anchor lugs are placed mutually adjacent in the same direction and the reverse surfaces of the anchor lugs become flush with each other. The pair of anchored head chips are so disposed as to constitute a double azimuth head while being positioned mutually adjacent on one line with a predetermined gap left therebetween, and screw-setting circular apertures are formed in the joined head bases for attachment to a rotary drum. Due to such a structure, the operation of winding coils around the head chips can be automated, and the dimensional precision is enhanced.

Abstract: A computerized video record rental system and method in which a video record unit such as a tape cassette is provided with an integral counting device for counting the number of times the record is played. Upon rental and return of the record, the counts are recorded in computer memory, together with an identification of the record unit, and the computer computes the rental fee due based on the net play count for the record unit. A central computer is provided at a location remote from the rental sites. The computers at the rental sites are connected to the central computer periodically by way of modems and telephone lines. The central computer is similarly linked to computer terminals located at the record owners' places of business. Rental information is gathered from the rental sites in the central computer, which reports rental figures to the owners.