Abstract: A magnetic head for recording and reproducing information on and from a flexible magnetic recording tape. The active face of tape supporting protrusions formed in the magnetic head is so configured that the contacting area between the supporting protrusion and the recording tape is smaller at both end portions of the protrusion than an intermediate portion thereof as viewed in the direction widthwise of the recording tape, whereby improved contacting state and floating state between the magnetic head and the recording tape can be assured over the whole width of the flexible recording tape.

Abstract: A rotary head deflection apparatus for allowing magnetic heads to properly scan signal tracks recorded on a magnetic tape, and used for a helical scan system video tape recorder, which is constituted of driving coils wound onto a stator and movable members carrying magnetic heads and magnets, so that the driving coils are energized to enable the magnetic heads to be displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotary member.

Abstract: A device for loading or unloading a magnetic disc pack applicable to a magnetic recorder or reproducer in an electronic camera system wherein a subject is electronically still-photographed and recorded in a rotating magnetic disc, and the reproducing of an image is carried out by a television system or a printer.A lid is openably supported by a main body of the magnetic recorder or reproducer. An inner bucket is pivotally supported on the main body or the lid, having a U-shaped configuration in which the magnetic disc pack incorporating a magnetic disc is received and is capable of being separated from the lid or the main body to form an opening, into which the magnetic disc pack is inserted, when the lid is opened. An engageable hole is formed in the end face of the inner bucket of the device for loading or unloading the magnetic disc pack. The engaging member is located at this engageable hole in a manner to be projectable into the engageable hole or retractable therefrom.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly comprises a recording-reproducing head and erasing heads placed at both sides of said recording-reproducing head and the magnetic field strength of the erasing gap of one of the erasing heads which move adjacent data produced by a recording-reproducing gap is made different from that of the erasing gap of the other erasing gap to control a data area to be erased.

Abstract: A disk pack assembly for use in a disk drive has disks which are alternately diametrically offset about a spindle axis of rotation. The disks are positioned as a function of their outer edges such that alternate opposite outer edges line up as though they were the outer edges of centered nominal diameter disks. This results in an increase in the number of axial nodal points for potential imbalance moments and reduces the amplitude of associated vibrations. Disk spacers are also alternately diametrically offset about the spindle axis so tht pairs of like components tend to balance each other to minimize potential vibrations.

Abstract: A tape cassette including a housing of two sections joined with a magnetic tape inside has in its front wall a center opening for magnetic head and two openings for capstan insertion, each housing section having a U-shaped guide joined to a partition behind one capstan opening. In each housing section the U-shaped guide has a pair of guide ribs formed on the opening side and having a height greater than the tape width, and a wall supporting the rear portions of the guide ribs and partitions formed at the rear of the center opening and the other opening are all formed to a height about half that of the guide ribs.

Abstract: A magnetic head utilizing the magnetoresistance effect comprising a magnetoresistance effect element and a conductor for applying a bias magnetic field to the element by being supplied with a bias current. The conductor is further supplied with a decaying alternating current superimposed on the bias current in advance of the playback operation, so that the hysteresis effect of the magnetic circuit is cancelled and the invariable output characteristics of the magnetic head are obtained.

Abstract: A head position adjusting device in a cassette tape recorder includes a movable head base supporting a head thereon, a pivotally movable play lever operatively coupled to the movable head base for moving the head toward and away from a cassette tape loaded in a prescribed position, a pin by which the head base and the play lever are interconnected with a clearance, and an adjustment screw for adjusting the relative position of the head base and the play lever. The head position adjusting device also includes a first connector plate mounted on the head base and a second connector plate mounted on the play lever and movable relatively to the first connector plate, the adjustment screw being threaded through the first connector plate and having an end held in abutment against the second connector plate.

Abstract: To overcome problems of precise permanent location of aluminum Winchester discs relative to their steel drive spindle during temperature variations, in one form of the invention a plastic washer is placed between the disc and the underlying flange of the spindle. The washer maintains contact by static friction without slippage but is compliant with shear forces occasioned by temperature changes and, by reason of its elasticity, returns the members to their initial position when the original temperature is restored. In a second form of the invention, the steel flange is grooved to form a thin ring and the ring is slotted to provide flexible fingers on which the disc rests. These fingers likewise maintain permanent contact with the disc and are likewise compliant with changes in relative position occasioned by temperature variations, restoring the disc to original position relative to the spindle.

Abstract: A tape player is disclosed, whereby mode plates of the fast forward side and of the reverse side, each having an exclusive driving system and a head plate coupled at least with one of the mode plates and making a forward movement are provided; two electromagnetic plungers are disposed, each of which locks each of the mode plates at a position corresponding to the advanced position of the head plate; a joint plate is disposed rotatably with respect to each of the mode plate; with this joint plate is linked a fast forward and reverse drive plate moving from the central play position toward the left and right fast forward and reverse positions depending on the direction of the rotation of the joint plate; and on said head plate is disposed an engaging part with which a part of the fast forward and reverse plate is engaged, when the fast forward and reverse plate is in the central play position and the head plate advances.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multitrack magnetic head, including positioning and securing sets of core parts on major portions of base plates, arranging the base plates such that sets of core parts face each other, placing a screening plate between and transverse to the major portions, pressing the major portions against the screening plate, and then securing the major portions directly to the screening plate while maintaining the major portions under pressure.

Abstract: A cleaning cartridge for a magnetic disk drive has a flexible cleaning pad on a wiper assembly which is rotatable in the base of the cartridge. A knob on the outside edge of the cartridge is moved back and forth to rotate the wiper assembly by a cable attached to the hub. As the assembly rotates, a cam surface forces the flexible pad into engagement with the head to clean it.

Abstract: An automatic micro-floppy disk loader allows a stack of micro-floppy computer disks to be fed into a disk drive, one at a time, and fed out of the drive into selector bins. The loader has self-aligning construction so that the mechanisms used to transport and control the motion of the micro-floppy disks are placed in correct alignment during manufacturing without requiring manual, individualized adjustment. The disk drive is mounted in a movable frame construction such that the disk drive can be positioned to receive micro-floppy disks, and can be further positioned to eject the micro-floppy disks onto a mechanism for transporting the ejected disks to one of the two horizontally separated bins. The improved loader construction also allows the automatic feeding of micro-floppy disks while minimizing the chances of jamming or damaging the disks, and further includes automatic means for detecting and clearing jams which occur.

Abstract: A disk cartridge file employs a cartridge which is a rigid enclosure containing a flexible information storage disk mounted on a drive hub. One wall of the cartridge comprises a central hub drive aperture and an arcuate radially extending access slot for a read/write transducer. In operation, the disk flies over the inner surface of the apertured wall on an air bearing. This surface is planar over a major portion including the access slot but has a smoothly contoured raised land bordering the slot on the downstream side thereof. When employed in combination with a transducer of the ring stabilized type which projects through the slot and penetrates into the normal path of the medium, the transducer is coupled with the medium in a stable closely spaced air bearing relationship. The raised land extends the range of penetration over which the transducer is coupled, particularly at the outer diameter of the disk.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive type thin film magnetic head is completely unaffected by external noise and produces only low interference with a recording medium. A magnetoresistive element which constitutes the thin film magnetic head has three terminals constituted by two end terminals and an intermediate terminal. Constant currents which flow in opposite directions are respectively supplied to the two end terminals. A magnetic field of a signal recorded on and reproduced from a single track of the recording medium is applied to the magnetoresistive element, and reproduction outputs of opposite phases appear at the two end terminals. These outputs are differentially amplified by a differential amplifier. Furthermore, the magnetoresistive element is biased by an induced magnetic anisotropy means in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A head drum construction for use in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus such as a VTR apparatus comprises a rotatable drum having first and second axially opposite surfaces, a recording magnetic transducer such as a recording magnetic head mounted on the rotatable drum for recording information signals on a magnetic tape, a playback monitoring magnetic transducer such as a reproducing magnetic head mounted on the rotatable drum for reproducing, with a time delay, the information signals recorded on the magnetic tape by the recording magnetic transducer, a first signal transmission path connected to the recording magnetic transducer and disposed on the first surface, and a second signal transmission path connected to the playback monitoring magnetic transducer and disposed on the second surface.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head which has a structure wherein a spiral conductor coil having a plurality of turns is disposed between first and second magnetic layers being substantially in parallel with each other, through upper and lower inorganic insulator layers, and in which a part of the outermost turn of the conductor coil is exposed on a face opposite a magnetic recording medium along with the upper and lower inorganic insulator layers, to form a magnetic gap. This head can be readily manufactured by a manufacturing method including the step of forming the outermost turn of the conductor coil on the side of the face opposite the magnetic recording medium so as to be wider than any other part of the conductor coil, and the step of thereafter machining the face opposite the magnetic recording medium so as to expose the outermost turn of the conductor coil on the face opposite the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A motor of a motor drive mechanism is driven by a logic control circuit and a motor driving circuit when an operating member for tape feed is operated. A shift control mechanism receiving a forward or reverse rotatory force from the motor controls a pinch roller included in a tape drive mechanism for a specified condition by means of a playback slider, and also controls a head to a predetermined position by means of a head slider. Thus, the motor drive mechanism can establish a forward or reverse tape feed mode in a tape recorder.

Abstract: A small, high performance magnetic tape transport system for use in recording and reproducing data is adapted to receive a cartridge in which a single supply reel for the magnetic tape medium and the magnetic tape are carried. The cartridge is capable of being easily loaded into the transport system for recording (writing) and reproducing (reading), and is also easily ejected from the system for storage or replacement. A driving mechanism for the reel in the cartridge and a permanent take-up reel or hub are carried by the transport. The separate cartridge driving mechanism and take-up hub are each driven by their own separate motor system. In the embodiment disclosed, means are taught for automatic threading of the tape using a semi-rigid leader having a coupling portion attached to the take-up hub, the to-be-threaded tape including a complimentary coupling portion.

Abstract: A magnetic tape reproducing apparatus includes two reel bases which can engage and drive reels of a cassette, and a detecting arrangement which can detect a stationary condition of a first of the reel bases resulting from the end of a tape having been reached. A mechanism is provided to initiate ejection of the cassette from the apparatus if an end of tape condition is detected during fast-forward or reproduction modes of operation, and to place the apparatus in reproduction mode if an end of tape condition is detected during rewind mode. Further, a mechanism is provided to brake the first reel base when the cassette is being inserted, and a mechanism is provided to override the detecting arrangement during cassette insertion.