Abstract: A tape cleaner for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of blades disposed so that their tip portions are simultaneously in contact with a magnetic tape in the transportation path of the magnetic tape to remove dust and magnetic powder attached to the magnetic tape, whereby dropout can be prevented and a highly demanding error rate can be satisfied.

Abstract: A tape cleaning apparatus for a tape recorder includes a cleaning member fixed on one side of the tape running path and a cleaning roller for pressing the tape toward the cleaning member. The tape recorder adopting such cleaning apparatus can remove foreign matter attached to the tape, so as to improve the running performance of the tape and prevent damage to the tape.

Abstract: A tape cassette for accommodating a reeled length of magnetic recording tape comprises a generally rectangular flattened box-like configuration. The cassette has top and bottom panels, front and rear wall and a pair of side walls. The front wall has a head access window and a pair of pinch roller access windows all defined therein. While a portion of the length of magnetic tape extends in the vicinity of and parallel to the front wall, tape cleaners are secured to front wall portions defined between the head access window and the pinch roller access windows so as to slidingly contact that portion of the length of magnetic recording tape as the latter is transported from one reel to the other reel. Each tape cleaner may be a fiber-intertwined cleaning member made of non-woven fabric or a fiber-tufted cleaning member made of crimped or curled fibers closely planted on a backing.

Abstract: A cleaning system for magnetic tape intended for high density magnetic data usage combines passing a high volume flow of negatively ionized air across a moving tape surface with simultaneous wiping of one surface of the tape with a soft, non-abrading material to remove dust and foreign particles from the tape. The air flow passes through a filter, which removes the particles. The air then passes through an ionizing grid and back across the tape in a continuous, closed loop operation. The cleaning material is housed in a removable cartridge along with the air filter. A brush moves in response to loading of the tape to pinch the tape and thus remove particles from the surface opposite the tape surface engaged by the soft material.

Abstract: A moderately flexible laminate sheet article 30, capable of simultaneously cleaning both inner surfaces of slots and cavities of credit card readers, fax machines and the like, and in particular the scanners, sensors and printers residing therein, having a three layer structure, comprising two outer layers 21 and 23, that provide outer surface cleaning means, and comprising natural or synthetic, woven or nonwoven fibers, spot bonded to a moderately flexible, resilient center layer 22, comprising natural or synthetic, woven or nonwoven fibers, film or foam, wherein said spotbonds comprise 2% to 99% of bondable area. The laminate sheet article 30 has sufficient stiffness and resilience to prevent its wrinkling, buckling, crumpling or kinking while in use, and has utility for cleaning surfaces in its dry, or when saturated with liquids, in its wet state.

Abstract: A multifunction threading apparatus for threading a tape, such as a magnetic tape, from a tape cartridge along a tape path is disclosed. This multifunction threading apparatus includes a single cam connected by a guide arm to a threader arm which is capable of engaging and withdrawing the tape from the tape cartridge. Rotation of the cam causes rotation of the threader arm, which in turn withdraws the tape and threads it along the tape path and in contact with cleaning stations comprised of a two-sided vacuum assisted fabric wiping station and a vacuum assisted scraping station eventually delivering the tape to a take-up wheel. This tape path also includes air bearings with ceramic capped springs. A displacement arm slideably connected to the cam allows for temporary displacement of one side of the fabric wiping station to facilitate threading.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette having a pair of spaced-apart reels rotatably mounted on a support wall. A length of tape has its opposite ends secured respectively to the two reels and its intermediate portion wound around the reels to form corresponding tape rolls whose diameters vary inversely as the tape is simultaneously unwound from one reel and wound onto the other. The two rolls have outer tape windings with recording surfaces thereon facing each other. Tape cleaning means is interposed between, and biased into contact with, the outer winding facing surfaces for continuously cleaning those surfaces as the tape is unwound from one reel and wound onto the other.

Abstract: In order to diminish the effects of debris on recording and playback in a cartridge loaded recorder, adhesive material is placed inside the enclosed magnetic tape cartridge. The adhesive is placed on appropriate interior walls and other available surfaces of the cartridge, and is covered by a protective screen having holes through which the debris may pass. The size of the holes is large relative to the debris size. The adhesive material is located clear of the magnetic tape path, magnetic heads and guides, and if an inadvertent tape loop occurs in the cartridge, the protective screen insures that the magnetic tape cannot come into contact with the adhesive proper. Any losse debris, however, incident on the holes of the protective screen is captured and immobilized by sticking to the adhesive material.

Abstract: A device which is mounted on a video cassette body, under the dust cover, for the purpose of cleaning the video tape.

Abstract: A video cassette rewind apparatus is set forth for the rewinding of conventional video cassettes wherein the apparatus includes a counter for the selective editing and positioning of tape therein and for use in conjuction with a selectively operative electro-magnet positioned adjacent the path of the tape to be rewound to selectively erase portions of tape. Further included in the apparatus is a tape cleaning head associated with a reservoir for the cleaning of the tape.

Abstract: A wiping device for a magnetic tape cassette is provided with an elastic main body having a securing element cooperable with a cassette housing so that the main body can be mounted to and removed from the housing from the outside of the cassette without dismantling the secured upper and lower cases. A wiping or cleaning/erasing element is supported by the main body and has a curved operation surface. When the main body is mounted to the housing, and the magnetic tape is loaded to an operation position by a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, the magnetizable surface of the magnetic tape contacts an effective area of the curved operation surface.

Abstract: A cassette cleaner for a video player/recorder, comprising a cassette housing having a cleaning device for a capstan and pinch roller. There are separate cleaning pads for the capstan and pinch roller, mounted on resilient arms, and a cleaning ribbon extends between the two cleaning pads in a manner to be able to be engaged by the capstan and pinch roller. A shut off mechanism is provided so as to be operated by the player/recorder so as to shut off the player/recorder after a predetermined number of revolutions of a drive spindle of the player/recorder.

Abstract: Contaminant magnetic dust particles and flakes generated during the thin film coating of a substrate 9 in a vacuum chamber 1 are gravitationally collected in catch pans or troughs 8 disposed below the deposition zones. Magnets 10 are provided under the bottoms of the pans to enhance the attraction and retention of the particles. The contaminants may alternatively or additionally be removed directly from an upper surface of the substrate web by sandwiching one or more of its horizontal conveyance runs between a pair of magnets 22, 23, with the pole face area of the lower magnet being larger than that of the upper one.

Abstract: A cassette of cleaning tape for cleaning the driving, play-back and recording components of a magnetic tape apparatus. The cleaning cassette has a tape and a roller rotatably supported in the cassette housing having a core of absorbent material adapted to be impregnated with cleaning liquid, and absorbent material exposed on a portion of the surface of the roller for applying liquid to wet a surface of the tape intermittently as the tape is moved in the cassette, the intermittent liquid application preventing the tape from sticking to components as the tape is driven through the magnetic tape apparatus being cleaned.

Abstract: An improvement in a magnetic tape cleaner apparatus that includes supply reel, take-up reel, wiper for wiping the tape, winder and rewinder for moving the tape between the respective reels, the improvement being characterized by a scraper blade for scrapingly engaging the tape for removing debris therefrom for improving subsequent tape-to-head contact and a holder and ultrasonic vibrator for ultrasonically transducing the scraper blade as it is scrapingly engaging the tape before efficiently removing the debris such that subsequent tape-to-head contact is improved.

Abstract: A mechanism for intermittently wetting a cleaning tape contained within a tape cassette housing is located within the housing at a position along the tape path prior to the tape exit in the direction of forward motion of the tape. The mechanism comprises a star wheel rotatably mounted adjacent the inside surface of the cleaning tape whose arms are driven by friction with the tape to rotate the star wheel, and a lever pivotted adjacent the same surface of the tape as the star wheel, the lever being intermittently deflected in a first direction of rotation by engagement with successive arms of the star wheel as the star wheel rotates during forward motion of the tape.

Abstract: Tape cleaning apparatus comprising a platform having an upstanding wall at one end is disclosed. Upper and lower means are provided in the wall for receiving pads to clean, lubricate, and impart anti-static treatment to tape in cassettes when positioned thereagainst. Members on the platform extend thereabove for mounting and positioning cassettes with exposed tape portions in cleaning positions adjacent the pad receiving means. A first set of members, including a clip member, is positioned to engage the rear of a dual reel cassette in the lower position adjacent the platform. A second set of members is spaced rearwardly of the position of the dual reel cassette and extends thereabove to support a continuous loop cassette in an elevated position above that of the dual reel cassette, the members of the first set having a height below the minimum height above the platform of the continuous loop cassette.