Magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of serpentine system capable of recording/reproducing a large amount of high density data at high speed with a tracking control for precisely positioning a combination head, said apparatus comprising: a combination head having a magnetic head corresponding to a magnetic tape formed by a plurality of tracks arranged in parallel to one another in a direction in which said magnetic tape runs; light emitting means disposed at a position confronting one side of said magnetic tape for emitting light in a widthwise direction of said magnetic tape; light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at a position confronting the other side of said magnetic tape for receiving said light emitted from said light emitting means such that said light receiving means are so disposed that outputs from said light receiving elements have a predetermined relation which governs said feedback control at a time when said magnetic head moved to a predetermined track position; and head operating means capable of moving said combination head in said widthwise direction of said magnetic tape.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said combination head includes said light receiving elements whose number is the same as the number of said plurality of said tracks at end portion and at the other end portion in said widthwise direction of said magnetic tape, said light receiving elements disposed at said end portion are arranged in parallel with light receiving elements disposed at said the other portion in a pair correspond to a predetermined track of said magnetic tape.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting means is disposed at a position which confronts said light receiving elements via two end portions of said magnetic tape.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light receiving means is formed integrally with said combination head and has a first light receiving element of a light receiving area Sa₁ and a second light receiving element of a light receiving area Sb₁ with a relation of Sb₁ ≧ n x Sa₁ where n represents a positive integer, and said predetermined relation is Eb₁ = m x Ea₁ where m represents a positive integer satisfying 1 ≦ m ≦ n and differs in accordance with each of relative positions between said magnetic head and said plurality of tracks in a movable range of said magnetic head.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light receiving means is formed integrally on said combination head and has n pieces of light receiving elements of Da₁ to Da n with the same width in a direction in which said magnetic tape runs, where n represents a positive integer satisfying the relation of n ≧ 3, a direction of said widthwise end portion of said magnetic tape is arranged to be - Y direction and a direction of the other end portion of said magnetic tape is arranged to be + Y direction, said light receiving elements Da₁ to Dan are disposed in said - Y direction as well as in a direction in which said magnetic tape runs, said - Y directional end portion of said light receiving element Da₁ is positioned in said - Y direction by the largest degree among said light receiving elements of Da₁ to Da n , a - Y directional end portion of said light receiving element Da n is disposed at the n-th order in said - Y direction when said light receiving element Da₁ is arranged as the first light receiving element, and assuming that i represents a positive integer satisfying the relationship 1 ≦ i ≦ n - 1, a pitch between a - Y directional end portion of the i-th light receiving device Da i and a - Y directional end portion of the i + 1-th light receiving device Da i+1 is di, and said light receiving devices Da₁ to Da n hold relative positions di = d when i ≦ 2 and di = (i - 2) x d when 3 ≦ i ≦ n - 1, and said light receiving elements Da₁ to Da n are disposed such that an output difference between two of said light receiving elements Da₁ to Da n due to light emitted from said light emitting means becomes an output from a light receiving element at a time when said magnetic tape moved to an optional track position with respect to said - Y directional end, and a relation among outputs from said three light receiving elements differs in accordance with each of relative positions between said magnetic tape and said combination head.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said light emitting means is disposed at a position confronting said light receiving devices Da₁ to Da n with said - Y directional end of said magnetic tape disposed therebetween, and said predetermined relaltion is formed among said three light receiving elements.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said combination head is supported between free ends of two parallel leaf springs, one end-portion of one of said parallel leaf springs being secured and the other one end-portion thereof formed said free end.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head operating means includes a voice coil type linear motor, and a magnetic circuit of said voice coil type linear motor is closed in a direction of said combination head and in a direction of said magnetic tape.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 8 further includes a movable portion connected to said coil and disposed between said free ends, said movable portion having said combination head and a supporting member for supporting said combination head and capable of synchronizing with a movement of said a coil of said voice coil type linear motor so as to make power of said voice coil type linear motor pass through a portion in the vicinity of the center of gravity of said movable portion.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1 further includes detection means for optically detecting the relative position between said combination head and either one or both of widthwise directional edges of said magnetic tape, and said detecting means outputs a signal which controls a switching operation of said tracks and the relative position between said magnetic tape and said combination head.

Claim 12

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of serpentine system capable of recording/reproducing a large amount of high density data at high speed with a tracking control for precisely positioning a combination head, said apparatus comprising: a combination head having a magnetic head corresponding to a magnetic tape formed by a plurality of tracks arranged in parallel to one another in a direction in which said magnetic tape runs; a slit formed integrally with said combination head and having openings whose number is the same as the number of a plurality of tracks confronting said magnetic head in said widthwise end portion and said the other end portion of said magnetic tape; light emitting means disposed in a position confronting one side of said magnetic tape and capable of emitting light through an end portion in a widthwise direction of said magnetic tape; light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at a position confronting the other side of said magnetic tape for receiving said light emitted from said light emitting means such that said light receiving means are so disposed that outputs from said light receiving elements have a predetermined relation which governs said feedback control at a time when said magnetic head moved to a predetermined track position; and head operating means capable of moving said combination head in said widthwise direction of said magnetic tape.

Claim 13

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of serpentine system capable of recording/reproducing a large amount of high density data at high speed with a tracking control for precisely positioning a combination head, said apparatus comprising: a combination head having a magnetic head corresponding to a magnetic tape formed by a plurality of tracks arranged in parallel to one another in a direction in which said magnetic tape runs; a slit formed integrally with said combination head and having openings whose number is the same as the number of a plurality of tracks confronting said magnetic head in said widthwise end portion and said the other end portion of said magnetic tape; light emitting means disposed in a position confronting one side of said magnetic tape and capable of emitting light through an end portion in a widthwise direction of said magnetic tape; light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at a position confronting the other side of said magnetic tape for receiving said light emitted from said light emitting means such that said light receiving means are so disposed that outputs from said light receiving elements have a predetermined relation which governs said feedback control at a time when said magnetic head moved to a predetermined track position; and head operating means capable of moving said combination head in said widthwise direction of said magnetic tape.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said light receiving means is formed independently from said combination head and said light receiving elements are disposed at a position which confronts said opening of said slit plate formed at said end portion, and said opening are placed in parallel with said opening at the other end portion in the widthwise direction of said magnetic tape to one another with said openings in a pair correspond to a predetermined track of said magnetic tape.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said slit plate has openings at said end portion and said openings at the other end portion so disposed that outputs from said light receiving elements due to light emitted from said light emitting means via a pair of opening corresponding to said track and to the two widthwise end portions of said magnetic tape establish said predetermined relationship.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said light emitting means is disposed at a position confronting said light receiving element via said two widthwise end portions of said magnetic tape and said slit plate.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said combination head is supported between free ends of two parallel leaf springs, one end-portion of one of said parallel leaf springs being secured and the other one end-portion thereof formed said free end.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said head operating means includes a voice coil type linear motor, and a magnetic circuit of said voice coil type linear motor is closed in a direction of said combination head and in a direction of said magnetic tape.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15 further includes a movable portion connected to said coil and disposed between said free ends, said movable portion having said combination head and a supporting member for supporting said combination head and capable of synchronizing with a movement of said a coil of said voice coil type linear motor so as to make power of said voice coil type linear motor pass through a portion in the vicinity of the center of gravity of said movable portion.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 11 further includes detection means for optically detecting the relative position between said combination head and either one or both of widthwise directional edges of said magnetic tape, and said detecting means outputs a signal which controls a switching operation of said tracks and the relative position between said magnetic tape and said combination head.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said combination head disposed at a position confronting said side of said magnetic tape and has a first opening of an opening Sa₂ and a second opening of an opening area Sb₂ which are integrally formed with said combination head.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said slit plate disposed said the other side in which said opening area Sa₂ and said opening Sb₂ holds the relationship Sb₂ ≧ n x Sa₂, where n represents a positive integer, and said light receiving means formed independently from said combination head is disposed at a position confronting said the other side of said magnetic tape and has a first light receiving element corresponding to said first opening and a second light receiving element corresponding to said second opening.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein, said first opening and said second opening are disposed to said widthwise end portion of said magnetic tape, and an output Ea₂ from said first light receiving element and an output Eb₂ from said second light receiving element holds the relationship Eb₂ = m x Ea₂ where m represents a positive integer satisfying the relation of 1 ≦ m ≦ n and differring in accordance with each of relative positions between said magnetic head and said plurality of tracks in a range in which said magnetic head can move.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, said light emitting means is disposed at a position confronting said first light receiving element and said second light receiving element with said slit plate and said widthwise end portion of said magnetic tape disposed therebetween, and a feedback control of said apparatus is controlled by said first and second openings having a relation of Eb₂ = m x Ea₂ in accordance with said output Ea₂ and said output Eb₂.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said slit plate has n pieces of opening A₁ to A n having the same width in a direction in which said magnetic tape runs on said the other side of said magnetic tape where n represents a positive integer satisfying the relation of n ≧ 3, and n pieces of light receiving elements Db₁ to Db n respectively corresponding to said openings A₁ to A n are independently formed with respect to said combination head on said one side of said magnetic tape, a direction of said widthwise end portion of said magnetic tape is arranged to be - Y direction and a direction of the other end portion of said magnetic tape is arranged to be + Y direction, said opening A₁ to A n are disposed in a - Y direction and in said direction in which said magnetic tape runs when a direction of said widthwise end portion of said magnetic tape is arranged to be - Y direction and a direction of the other end portion of said magnetic tape is arranged to be + Y direction, a - Y directional end portion of said opening A₁ is positioned in the - Y direction by the largest degree among said opening A₁ to A n , an - Y directional end portion of said openings A n is disposed at the n-th order in said - Y direction when said opening A₁ is selected as the first opening, assuming that i represents a positive integer satisfying the relation of 1 ≦ i ≦ n - 1, a pitch between a - Y directional end portion of the i-th opening A i and a - Y directional end portion of the - + 1-th opening A i + 1 is di, said openings A₁ to A n hold the relative positions di = d when i ≦ 2 and di = (i - 2) x d when 3 ≦ i ≦ n - 1, said openings A₁ to A n are disposed such that an output difference between two of said light receiving elements Db₁ to Db n due to light emitted from said light emitting means becomes an output from a light receiving element at a time when said magnetic tape moved to an optional track position with respect to said - Y directional end, and a relation among output from said three light receiving elements differs in according with each of relative positions between said magnetic tape and said combination head.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said light emitting means is disposed at a position confronting said light receiving devices Db₁ to Db n with said - Y directional end of said magnetic tape disposed therebetween, and saids predetemined relation is an output relation among said three light receiving elements due to light emitted from said light emitting means via said - Y directional end of said magnetic tape and said openings A₁ to A n .

Claim 27

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus in which the position of a composite recording head relative to a magnetic recording tape in a widthwise direction of the tape is variable for multiple-track operation, and in which a feedback tracking control means is provided for establishing and maintaining a required said relative position, said tracking control means being arranged to detect optically at least one edge of the tape.

Claim 28

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus in which the position of a composite recording head relative to a magnetic recording tape in a widthwise direction of the tape is variable for multiple-track operation, and in which a feedback tracking control means is provided for establishing and maintaining a required said relative position, said tracking control means being arranged to detect optically at least one edge of the tape.

Claim 29

A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said tracking control means includes a light source and a light detector means arranged on respective opposite sides of the tape so that light reception by the light detector means varies as said relative position varies.