Magnetic record/playback apparatus

• US 6,452,744 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tamaru, Yoshio, Ochiai, Mutsuko, Endo, Junya, Kiko, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASTRO, ANGEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/427,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 360/270, 360/271, 360/271.5, 360/271.1, 360/130.22, 360/130.23, 360/130.24
• US Class Current: 360/130.24
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/4731 control of headwheel rotation disposition or construction of headwheel motor G11B5/53, G11B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/61 on drum, e.g. drum containing rotating heads G11B15/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/0086 using cyclically driven heads providing segmented tracks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00878 transducing different track configurations or formats on the same tape

Abstract

A magnetic record/playback apparatus for continuously recording at least two tracks of data conforming to a digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape having a first tape width onto one track formed on a second magnetic tape having a second tape width larger than the first tape width, and for reproducing the data from the second magnetic tape. This apparatus includes a fixed drum and a rotating drum adapted to be rotated relative to the fixed drum. The rotating drum has a record/playback head for recording and/or reproducing the data with respect to the second magnetic tape and an erase head for erasing the data recorded on the second magnetic tape. A plurality of grooves extending in a direction of rotation of the rotating drum are formed on the outer circumference of the rotating drum, and each of the grooves has a width of 0.21 mm±0.02 mm. Further, the head width of the erase head as measured in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the rotating drum is larger than that of the record/playback head.

Claims

1. A magnetic record/playback apparatus for continuously recording at least two tracks of data conforming to a digital recording format applied to a first magnetic tape having a first tape width onto one track formed on a second magnetic tape having a second tape width larger than said first tape width, and for reproducing said data from said second magnetic tape, comprising:

a fixed drum; and

a rotating drum adapted to be rotated relative to said fixed drum, said rotating drum having a magnetic head for recording said data onto said second magnetic tape and for reproducing said data from said second magnetic tape;

said rotating drum having an outer circumferential surface formed with three equally spaced grooves extending in a direction of rotation of said rotating drum, each of said grooves having a width of 0.21 mm±

0.02 mm, whereby a maximum output waveform of close to 100% is achieved when the rotating drum rotates at a speed of 1800 rpm and at a speed of 4500 rpm.

2. A magnetic record/playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic head projects from said outer circumferential surface of said rotating drum by an amount of 20 μ

m±

3 μ

m.

3. A magnetic record/playback apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said first tape width is 6.35 mm;

said second tape width is 8 mm;

said rotating drum is rotated at 4500 rpm in the case of recording said data conforming to said digital recording format onto said second magnetic tape; and

said rotating drum is rotated at 1800 rpm in the case of recording analog data on said second magnetic tape by using said magnetic head.

4. A magnetic record/playback apparatus comprising:

a fixed drum; and

a rotating drum adapted to be rotated relative to said fixed drum, said rotating drum having a magnetic record/playback head for recording and/or reproducing information in the form of digital signals with respect to a magnetic recording medium, and an erase head for erasing information recorded on said magnetic recording medium;

said erase head having a head width measured in a direction perpendicular to a direction of rotation of said rotating drum, said head width of said erase head being larger than that of said magnetic record/playback head; and

whereby said rotating drum has an outer circumferential surface formed with three equally spaced grooves extending in a direction of rotation of said rotating drum, each of said grooves having a width of 0.21 mm±

0.02 mm whereby a maximum output waveform of close to 100% is achieved when the rotating drum rotates at a speed of 1800 rpm and at a speed of 4500 rpm.

5. A magnetic record/playback apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said head width of said erase head is set to about 1.2 times larger than that of said magnetic record/playback head.

6. A magnetic record/playback apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said magnetic record/playback head projects from an outer circumferential surface of said rotating drum by an amount of 20 μ

m±

3 μ

m.