ROTARY DRUM ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus includes a rotatable drum (12) provided with rotary heads (14), and upper (16) and lower (18) stationary drums located coaxially with and above and below the rotatable drum (12). A tape (20) is transported wrapping helically around the outer peripheries of the three drums. The upper stationary drum (16) is provided with a generally V-shaped groove (36a) on its outer periphery for guiding the upper edge of the tape and, likewise, the lower stationary drum is provided on its outer periphery with a generally V-shaped groove (38d) for guiding the lower edge of the tape.

Description: ROTARY DRUM ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus and, more particularly, to a rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus which includes a rotatable drum provided with rotary heads and a pair of stationary drums located coaxially with and above and below the rotatable drum. In this kind of drum assembly, a magnetic tape is generally transported helically wrapping around the rotatable and stationary drums. Magnetic tape applicable to a rotary drum assembly of the kind described are usually produced by sputtering, vacuum deposition or like technology. The problem with such magnetic tapes is that they are inherently susceptive to curling in their widthwise direction and, thereby, often prevented from fully contacting the rotary heads, resulting in substantial losses in recording and reproducing data signals. Especially, where a layer of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) or any other vertically magnetizable material is deposited on the surface of a tape base as a magnetic layer, the tape is greater in stiffness than ordinary magnetic tapes and encounters much greater difficulty in remaining in contact with the rotary heads SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus which allows a magnetic tape to make intimate contact with rotary heads despite widthwise curling of the tape, thereby eliminating losses otherwise developing during recording and reproduction of data signals. It is another object of the present invention to provide a generally improved rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus. A rotary drum assembly for causing a rotary head to record or reproduce data signals into or out of a magnetic tape which is transported wrapping around the rotary drum assembly of the present invention comprises a cylindrical rotatable drum on which the rotary head is mounted, a cylindrical upper stationary drum positioned coaxially with and above the rotatable drum and provided on a periphery thereof with a tape upper end guide portion for guiding an upper edge of the tape, and a cylindrical lower stationary drum positioned coaxially with the rotatable drum and the upper stationary drum and below the rotatable drum and provided on a periphery thereof with a tape lower edge guide portion for guiding a lower edge of the tape. In accordance with the present invention, a rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus includes a rotatable drum provided with rotary heads, and upper and lower stationary drums located coaxially with and above and below the rotatable drum. A tape is transported wrapping helically around the outer peripheries of the three drums. The upper stationary drum is provided with a generally V-shaped groove on its outer periphery for guiding the upper edge of the tape and, likewise, the lower stationary drum is provided on its outer periphery with a generally V-shaped groove for guiding the lower edge of the tape. Other objects1 features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section of a prototype rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus; Fig. 2 is a view of a magnetic tape as shown in an exemplary curled condition; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of a rotary drum assembly embodying the present invention; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of a tape guide portion included in an upper stationary drum of the assembly shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a tape guide portion included in a lower stationary drum of the same assembly. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the rotary drum assembly of the present invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending upon the environment and requirements of use, a substantial number of the herein shown and described embodiments have been made, tested and used, and all have performed in an eminently satisfactory manner. To better understand the present invention, a brief reference will be made to a prototype rotary drum assembly, shown in Fig. 1. The rotary drum assembly, generally 10, is made up of a rotatable drum 12 provided with a rotary head 14 mounted on a head base 14a, an upper stationary drum 16 located coaxially with and above the rotatable drum 12, and a lower stationary drum 18 located coaxially with and below the rotatable drum 12. The lower drum 18 is provided with a tape guide shoulder portion 18a along its outer periphery. As shown, the shoulder portion 18a has a generally L-shaped section and serves to guide a magnetic tape 201 which wraps around the lower drum 18 as shown in the profile, making contact with the lower edge 20a of the tape 20. As shown in Fig. 1, - the tape 20 is transported wrapping helically around the intermediate drum 12, upper drum 16 and lower drum 18 and restricted in position due to the abutment of its lower edge 20a against the shoulder portion 18a. Meanwhile, the intermediate drum 12 carrying the rotary head 14 is driven to rotate at a predetermined speed so that the head 14 record or reproduce such data signals as video signals into or out of the tape 20. As earlier described, however, the tape 20 is apt to curl (bend) along its width as shown in Fig. 2 by way of example. In such a curved profile, the tape 20 fails to make contact with the rotary head 14 sufficient for recording or playback because its upper edge 20b (Fig. 1) and lower edge 20a respectively are spaced apart from the upper and lower drums 16 and 18, bringing about losses in recording and reproducing data signals. The tape 20 comprises a magnetic layer a and a base b. Referring to Fig. 3, a rotary drum assembly in accordance with the present invention is shown which is free from the drawback particular to the prototype construction as described above. The assembly of the present invention, generally 30, comprises a rotatable or intermediate drum 32 provided with a rotary head 34 mounted on a head base 34a, an upper stationary drum 36 coaxial with and overlying the intermediate drum 32, and a lower stationary drum 38 also coaxial with but underlying the intermediate drum 32. A tape upper edge guide portion 36a extends on and along the outer periphery of the upper stationary drum 36 in order to guide the upper edge 40a of a magnetic tape 40, which wraps around the drum 36. As shown, a gap having a width a is defined between the upper edge 40a of the tape 40 and the upper end of the tape upper edge guide portion 36a. The gap a is provided for allowing dimensional errors possibly developing when the various drum elements of the assembly are put together, thereby enhancing production efficiency of the rotary drum assemblies. Meanwhile, a tape lower edge guide portion 38a extends on and along the outer periphery of the lower stationary drum 38 so as to guide the tape 40 abutting against the lower edge 40b of the tape 40, the tape 40 wrapping around the drum 38 as well as on the drum 36. The tape upper edge guide portion 36a of the upper drum 36 is shown in an enlarged scale in Fig. 4, and the tape lower edge guide portion 38a of the lower drum 38 in Fig. 5. As shown, the upper drum 36 includes a surface portion 36b on which the tape 40 slides and the tape upper edge guide portion 36a with which the tape upper edge 40a makes contact. The guide portion 36a is configured in a recess or groove having a generally wedge- or Vshaped section. With this configuration, the guide portion 36a has a groove bottom 36c having a diameter which is smaller than that of the surface portion 36b by an amount complementary to the groove formed to provide the guide portion 36a, i. e. depth of the groove 36a. In Fig. 4, the depthwise dimension of the guide portion 36a to the groove bottom 36c is labeled A and the widthwise dimension of the same is labeled B. Likewise, the lower drum 38 comprises a surface portion 38b on which the tape 40 slides and the tape lower edge guide portion 38a with which the tape lower edge 40b makes contact. The guide portion 38a is made up of a shoulder 38c and a recess or groove 38d which, like the recess 36a, is cut to have a generally wedgeor V-shaped section. The groove 38d has a groove bottom 38e having a diameter which is smaller than that of the surface portion 38b by an amount complementary to the depth of the groove 38d. In Fig. 5, labeled C is the depthwise dimension of the groove 38d to the groove bottom 38e, while labeled D is the widthwise dimension of the groove 386. As shown in Fig. 3, the tape 40 has its upper edge 40a guided by the tape upper edge guide portion 36a of the upper drum 36 and its lower edge 40b guided by the shoulder 40b of the tape lower edge guide portion 38a of the lower drum 38 in abutment thereagainst. In this condition, the tape 40 is transported wrapping helically around the upper drum 36, intermediate drum 32, and lower drum 38, while being restricted vertically in position by the shoulder 38c. The intermediate drum 32 is driven to rotate at a predetermined speed so that the rotary head 34 supported thereby writes or read video signals or other data signals into or out of the tape 40. The rotary drum assembly of the present invention was brought to tests in order to determine the degree of tape-to-head contact. When the depth A of the tape upper edge guide portion 36a of the upper drum 36 and the depth C of the lower tape edge guide portion 38a of the lower drum 38 were about 0. 2 millimeter each and the width B of the guide portion 36a and that D of the guide portion 38a were about 1 millimeter each, the tape 40 was found remaining in stable and intimate contact with the head 34 when transported in the wrapping position regardless of tape size. In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides a rotary drum assembly for a magnetic recording and playback apparatus which insures a secure contact of a magnetic tape with a rotary head even if the tape curls along its width, thereby freeing recording and reproduction of data signals from losses. This advantage originates from the inherent configuration of the device wherein each of the upper and lower stationary drums is provided with a uniquely configured tape guide portion. Such will prove especially effective when applied to relatively stiff magnetic tapes which are coated with Co-Cr and other verticaly magnetizable layers. Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims: Patent Claims 1. A rotary drum assembly for causing rotary head means to record or reproduce data signals into or out of a magnetic tape which is transported wrapping around the rotary drum assembly, comprising: a cylindrical rotatable drum on which the rotary head means is mounted; a cylindrical upper stationary drum positioned coaxially with and above said rotatable drum and provided on a periphery thereof with a tape upper end guide portion for guiding an upper edge of the tape; and a cylindrical lower stationary drum positioned coaxially with the rotatable drum and said upper stationary drum and below the rotatable drum and provided on a periphery thereof with a tape lower edge guide portion for guiding a lower edge of the tape. 2. A rotary drum assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper stationary drum further comprises a surface portion around which the tape wraps, and the tape upper edge guide portion has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of said surface portion. 3. A rotary drum assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tape upper edge guide portion comprises a groove which is generally wedge- or V-shaped in a section. 4. A rotary drum assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said groove is 0. 2 millimeter deep and 1 millimeter wide. 5. A rotary drum assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower stationary drum further comprises a surface portion around which the tape wraps, and the tape lower edge guide portion has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of said surface portion. 6. A rotary drum assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tape lower edge guide portion comprises a shoulder for guiding the tape in contact with the lower edge of the tape, and a groove which is generally wedge- or V-shaped in a section. 7. A rotary drum assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said groove of the tape lower edge guide portion is 0. 2 millimeter deep and 1 millimeter wide.

Inventors: INOUE, OSAMU
Applicants: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LIMITED
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G11B15
IPC codes: G11B15, G11B5