A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tension control signal is generated by a tension control system which includes a state estimator that simulates the characteristic of the supply side tape actuator.

Claim 3

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the supply side tape actuator is controlled by a relatively high frequency component of the tension control signal that specifies the tension of the magnetic tape and the capstan motor for driving the capstan is controlled by a relatively low frequency component of the tension control signal.

Claim 4

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a supply reel control means to control the rotation of the supply reel is provided, the supply side tape actuator is controlled by the relatively high frequency component of the tension control signal that specifies the tension of the magnetic tape, and the supply reel control means is controlled by the relatively low frequency component of the control signal.

Claim 5

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a supply reel drive means for driving a supply reel on which a magnetic tape is wound; a magnetic tape supply means for driving the magnetic tape at a specified speed from the supply reel toward a head cylinder on which a rotary magnetic head is mounted; a supply side movable pin located in the magnetic tape path ranging from the supply reel to the head cylinder and adapted to change the length of the tape path between the supply reel and the head cylinder; a supply side tape actuator for driving the movable pin; a position detecting means for detecting the position of the movable pin; a tension detecting means for calculating the tension of the magnetic tape from an output signal from the position detecting means and the drive voltage or current for the supply side tape actuator; a tension control means for outputting a tension control signal to control the tension of the magnetic tape at a specified value by operating the supply reel drive means alone or in conjunction with the supply side tape actuator according to the output signal of the tension detecting means; a spacing detecting means for detecting a spacing error according to the envelope of a signal reproduced from the magnetic tape by the magnetic head; and a means for adding the spacing error signal produced by the spacing detecting means to the tension control signal.

Claim 6

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spacing detecting means outputs the spacing error signal through a limiter so that the spacing error signal will not exceed a specified level.

Claim 7

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, further including: a means for envelope-detecting a signal reproduced from the magnetic tape by the magnetic head; a means for producing, according to the signal reproduced from the magnetic tape by the magnetic head, a tracking error signal that represents a relative position difference or error between the magnetic head and the recording track on the magnetic tape; and a means for detecting the spacing according to a difference between the output of the envelope-detecting means and the tracking error signal.

Claim 8

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the spacing detecting means has a decision means to detect from the tracking error signal when the tracking error is small and, in that case, close a switching means to output the spacing error signal.

Claim 9

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the decision means checks the level of the tracking error signal by comparing the amplitude of the tracking error signal with a predetermined voltage.

Claim 10

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a supply reel drive means for driving a supply reel on which a magnetic tape is wound; a magnetic tape supply means for driving the magnetic tape at a specified speed from the supply reel toward a head cylinder on which a rotary magnetic head is mounted; a supply side movable pin located in the magnetic tape path ranging from the supply reel to the head cylinder and adapted to change the length of the tape path between the supply reel and the head cylinder; a supply side tape actuator for driving the movable pin; a position detecting means for detecting the position of the movable pin; a tension detecting means for calculating the tension of the magnetic tape from an output signal from the position detecting means and the drive voltage or current for the supply side tape actuator; a tension control means for outputting a tension control signal to control the tension of the magnetic tape at a specified value by operating the supply reel drive means alone or in conjunction with the supply side tape actuator according to the output signal of the tension detecting means; an acceleration detecting means for detecting the acceleration of the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus deck in the moving direction of the movable pin; and an adder/subtractor for adding or subtracting the acceleration signal detected by the acceleration detecting means to or from the tension control signal.

Claim 11

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a tape travel path ranging from a supply reel, a head cylinder having a rotary magnetic head, and a capstan driven by a capstan motor to a takeup reel; a pair of supply side stationary pins located close to the magnetic tape path ranging from the supply reel to the head cylinder; a supply side movable pin that can be moved in such a way as to change its distance to a line connecting the pair of supply side stationary pins; a supply side tape actuator that controls the distance between the line connecting the pair of supply side stationary pins and the supply side movable pin; a pair of takeup side stationary pins located close to a magnetic tape path ranging from the head cylinder to a takeup reel; a takeup side movable pin that can be moved in such a way as to change its distance to a line connecting the pair of takeup side stationary pins; and a takeup side tape actuator that controls the distance between the line connecting the pair of takeup side stationary pins and the takeup side movable pin; whereby when the magnetic tape is replayed at speed other than the recording speed, the supply side tape actuator and the takeup side tape actuator are operated differentially from each other to perform tracking.

Claim 12

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a tracking error detecting means to detect a tracking error is provided, the takeup side tape actuator is controlled by a relatively high frequency component of the tracking error signal, and the capstan motor or takeup real motor is controlled by a relatively low frequency component of the tracking error signal.

Claim 13

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein a signal to control the takeup side tape actuator is generated by a tracking control system which includes a state estimator that simulates the characteristic of the takeup side tape actuator.

Claim 14

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a magnetic head so arranged as to be able to be moved toward the recording surface of a recording medium; and a surface pressure estimator for estimating the surface pressure of the magnetic head from the displacement of the magnetic head; whereby the surface pressure of the magnetic head is controlled by a surface pressure control signal, which is produced according to a difference between an estimated surface pressure given by the surface pressure estimator and the reference signal.

Claim 15

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the control of the surface pressure of the magnetic head according to the surface pressure control signal is done by controlling the tension of the magnetic tape.

Claim 16

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a means for moving the magnetic head toward the recording surface of a recording medium; and a surface pressure estimator for estimating the surface pressure of the magnetic head from a displacement of the magnetic head; whereby the magnetic head moving means is controlled by a surface pressure control signal, which represents the difference between the estimated surface pressure given by the surface pressure estimator and the reference surface pressure, in order to control the surface pressure of the magnetic head.