Abstract: In a record and/or replay system of the type wherein magnetic tape moves in a loop about a drum which is rotated by a motor to scan transducer gaps across the tape, drum stall conditions are overcome by momentarily reversing the intended rotational direction of the motor when a command is given to rotate the drum in the intended rotational direction but such rotation does not occur because of tape sticktion on the drum.

Abstract: A case provided with a conveying means for conveying tape-like information carrier as well as an apparatus for writing, reading or erasing information to be utilized in combination with such a case. A case for an information carrying tape, provided with two reels. No rotary parts extend through the wall. Each reel is rotatably mounted and can also move axially between a position in which it is locked and one in which it can rotate. If no (electro)magnetic field is present each reel is in the locked position. If outside the case a rotary (electro)magnetic field is generated which penetrates to a reel, this reel is moved from the locked into the unlocked position and subsequently rotated by the field.

Abstract: A tape recorder includes an auto-reverse system comprising an actuator incorporated with a tape driving means for switching driving direction from forward to reverse direction or from reverse to forward direction and a circuit for switching the actuator between operative and inoperative conditions. The switching circuit cooperates with a manual reversing switch and a tape end detecting means, used for auto-reverse operation. The switching circuit includes a manually operative switching means for selectively switching the auto-reverse system between operative and inoperative.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel flying head supported on a stationary, rigid arm to present a "hydrodynamic" head-face to a passing flexible record segment, the segment being induced by this face to automatically assume a prescribed, relatively controlled configuration and spacing relative to the head-face.

Abstract: For the servo track control of magnetic heads over magnetic tracks, in addition to the main servo position signals arranged in offset fashion to the middle of the track, auxiliary servo position signals are provided symmetrically on each side of the middle of the track. These auxiliary servo position signals are offset along the track length relative to each other and are smaller than half the track width. In the determination of the position error signal, they serve to indicate the tilting of the magnetic head relative to the recording track in that they are unequal. If the magnetic head deviates greatly from the middle of the track, these auxiliary servo position signals can be added to the main servo position signals to obtain a stronger position error signal.

Abstract: A positionable element driving circuit for driving a positionable element compensates the supplied voltage-position characteristics of a bimorph type piezoelectric element which is used in a track following type video tape recorder/reproducer and which displaces the position of a video head. The supplied voltage to the bimorph type piezoelectric element is generated by an operational circuit which detects the track position of the video head. The circuit of the present invention compensates for the non-linearity and maintains the track following when the video tape recorder/reproducer is switched from one mode to another, e.g. from a still motion mode to a quick motion mode.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus reproduces a disc-shaped recording medium which is accommodated within a case. The case comprises a jacket which has a space for accommodating the disc-shaped recording medium and an opening for allowing the disc-shaped recording medium to go in and out of the jacket, and a lid member inserted through the opening of the jacket for closing the opening of the jacket.

Abstract: There is disclosed an automatic tape cassette inverting apparatus for a tape recorder/playback device. The automatic tape cassette inverting apparatus is capable of receiving a video tape cassette in a horizontal position in a magazine, holding it in the magazine, inverting the cassette by rotating the magazine and transferring the cassette between the holding position in the magazine and the operating position in the tape recorder/playback device. The magazine includes a stop mechanism for stopping and holding the video tape cassette in the holding position while the magazine is being rotated as well as a backup stop mechanism to be assured that during rotation, the tape cassette cannot accidentally be dislodged from the holding position in the magazine. There is also an arrest mechanism provided on the magazine to arrest any inertial movement of the tape as it is transferred between the tape recorder/playback device and the magazine.

Abstract: A device for intermittently driving a magnetic tape has a capstan for driving the magnetic tape, a motor directly connected to the capstan for driving the capstan, a tachometer for detecting the rotating speed of the motor and producing an output, and a speed control having a settable speed controller for setting a desired motor speed and into which the output from the tachometer is fed back for enabling the speed control to sense when the motor is rotating at the desired motor speed. An intermittent drive control is provided for supplying a triggering signal to trigger said settable speed controller to cause the settable speed controller to operate the speed control for accelerating the motor to the desired motor speed and driving it at that speed, the intermittent drive control supplying the triggering signal in response to a speed setting signal and a head switch signal.

Abstract: Magnetic head and method of producing a magnetic head which is formed by a core assembled from two pole pieces. At least one layer of a non-magnetizable material which forms the useful gap is provided between the pole pieces. One embodiment of the method includes the step of deposition on the pole pieces by means of a sputtering method a layer of a glass which comprises 12-20% by weight of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 40-48% by weight of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and a total of 35-45% by weight of one or more of the oxides BaO, CaO or SrO. Thereafter the pole pieces are pressed together, with the glass layers in contact, and bonded together by heating the glass to the softening point, followed by cooling.

Abstract: The amplitude of signals read by a head from a magnetic disc is controlled. The disc includes plural concentric tracks, each including data and reference zones. Each reference zone includes plural abutting tracks having a first axis. Each data zone includes a pair of abutting tracks having a second axis, with the first axis being displaced from the second axis by approximately one-half the radial width of a track. The head is desirably positioned so it is centered on a data zone and straddles a pair of reference zones. Each reference zone includes plural cells having magnetic flux transitions which cause the head to derive a pair of opposite polarity pulses as the cells move longitudinally relative to the head. The pulse amplitude is a function of (a) the distance separating the head from the disc, (b) the head radial position, and (c) the presence or absence of faults on the disc.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disc cartridge so called a floppy disc comprising a cover jacket member enclosing a magnetic recording disc with a cleaning sheet disposed between the inside face of the cover jacket member and the magnetic recording disc, including thermally bonding portions for bonding the sheet member and the cleaning sheet, in which the bonding portions are a plurality of dots formed around the peripheral portion of a central window along a plurality of lines radially extending from the peripheral edge of the central window for a predetermined distance.

Abstract: In a two-head helical scan video tape recorder, a pair of rotary erase heads are provided, and in order to avoid undesirable erasure by fringe flux, each rotary erase head integrally formed with one of two video recording heads and is positioned on a rotary member so that the scanning position thereof is always displaced from the scanning position of the associated video recording head by at least one video track interval in the scanning direction of the heads, in case of guardbandless azimuth recording.

Abstract: An operating mode switching mechanism for a tape recorder for effecting various operations in response to operation of manually operating keys comprises a single solenoid for causing a rotary wheel to start rotating so that various operations are selectively performed depending on the duration for which the solenoid is energized by moving a carrier plate carrying thereon an electromagnetic transducer head, between first and second positions. The rotational angle of the rotary wheel is detected by a photo sensing means, and the detected angle will be used in an electrical circuit in which three different pulses for energizing the solenoid are selectively produced in accordance with the selected operating key and the detected rotational angle of the rotary wheel. Energization interval of the solenoid is, thus synchronized with the rotation of the solenoid thereby providing accurate operating mode switching operations.

Abstract: A miniturized video magnetic tape cassette of the type in which a magnetic tape wound on a pair of hubs in the hollow interior of a cassette casing is guided to run across a front opening formed in the casing along a rotatable front cover and in which the tape can be pulled out of the front opening in the cassette. The tape cassette includes locking mechanism having a supporting shaft fixed to a bottom wall of the casing and a hub rotatably mounted on the supporting shaft. An L-shaped locking lever extends from the hub and a first stop extends from the hub in a direction opposite that of the locking lever. A coil spring has a coil portion disposed around an upper portion of a hub in which a slit is formed. A first end of the coil spring is inserted into the slit while the second end abuts against an inner surface of a side wall of the casing.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting magnetic tape heads in magnetic tape players, recorders, and other similar machines, comprises a mounting plate shaped for fixedly connecting a tape head therewith. A housing portion of the machine includes a base on which the mounting plate is pivotally supported for side-to-side, i.e., pivotal, movement, and housing sidewalls between which the side edges of the mounting plate are received. An adjustment mechanism is provided to selectively pivot the mounting plate into an aligned position, wherein the magnetic recording "gaps" of the tape head are in a substantially perpendicular relationship with the direction of motion of a magnetic tape sliding thereover. Channels are disposed along the mounting plate side edges and the adjacent housing sidewalls, and a solidifying plastic material is injected therein to form keys which positively retain the tape head in the aligned position.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive has an improved air exhaust valve positioned over the outlet for pressurized air from the enclosure for the head disk assembly. The valve includes an elliptical housing having one closed face with the other open face being positioned over the air outlet. Ports are positioned along the minor diameter of the elliptical housing. An elastic band, which otherwise seals the ports, is distended by air pressure.

Abstract: A video tape recorder performs tracking by moving its video heads vertically with respect to the scanning direction of the video tracks through the use of an electric-mechanical transducer. The video tape recorder measures the cycles of the synchronizing signals included in the reproduced video signals, so that the electric-mechanical transducer shifts the video heads to enable regular measuring, thereby allowing the video heads to scan on the regular video tracks.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for recording information on a tape record medium, and for playing back previously recorded information therefrom without interrupting the recording operation.

Abstract: A multichannel magnetic head has a Hall element which is disposed in a magnetic circuit which is traversed by a magnetic flux to be detected and which is used as magnetic/electric converting means. The Hall element comprises an amorphous magnetic thin film consisting of an alloy containing a rare earth element and a transition metal. To the amorphous magnetic thin film are connected a pair of current terminals and a plurality of Hall voltage terminals corresponding in number to the number of channels of the multichannel head, and the amorphous thin film is arranged in magnetic circuits of a plurality of channels.