Abstract: A head drum apparatus includes a cylindrical piezoelectric ceramic member formed of a polarized ceramic material and having inner and outer peripheral surfaces. A plurality of electrodes are formed on at least one of the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the piezoelectric ceramic member. The piezoelectric ceramic member vibrates in response to an AC voltage applied to the electrodes. A cylindrical stationary head drum having an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface around a portion of which a magnetic tape is wound is caused to vibrate in a bending mode under vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic member. The stationary head drum includes a cylindrical stationary portion, a cylindrical vibratory portion and a cylindrical thin wall portion provided between the stationary portion and the vibratory portion. The piezoelectric ceramic member is coupled to the vibratory portion so that the vibratory portion is caused to vibrate under vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic member.

Abstract: A tape drive mechanism for a video tape recorder and an audio tape recorder. The tape drive mechanism automatically corrects the position of tape in the width-wise direction thereof without mechanically restricting the edge of tape. Sensors (8) and (8) on a tape path detect a dislocation of the tape (7) from a reference running position that may develop in the width-wise direction of the tape (7), a tape guide post (1) for attracting the tape (7) is moved in the width-wise direction of the tape, or inclination of a tape guide post (41) is changed to move the tape (7) in such width-wise direction by means of actuators (2), (42) and (62) that give corresponding displacement based on the values detected by the sensors (8) and (8), or the reel plate (57) is moved in the direction of width of tape to move the tape (7) together with the reel (24). The tape (7) having a small thickness is prevented against vertical movement on the tape path and is permitted to run stably without damaging the edges of the tape.