US3604847A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multitrack magnetic recording system
Assignee: Meritor Inc
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Filing: 1968-02-14
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Granted: 1971-09-14
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Expires: 1988-02-14
Abstract
Abstract A magnetic recording head has at least two magnetic transducers constructed in a common head in spaced-apart relation sufficient for convenient assembly and proper shielding of the individual transducers. The transducers follow spaced parallel tracks on the magnetic tape, and are moved after following one set of tracks on the tape into a position for following additional spaced tracks. No two adjacent tracks on the tape contain the same type of recorded information, and all of the tracks are equally spaced apart over the entire range of movement of the head. In color television recording, one transducer records and/or plays back video information and the other transducer records and/or plays back color information and audio. The transducers in the head are spaced apart (on centers) a distance greater than the movement imparted to the head for following different tracks, the movement preferably being two thirds this transducer spacing. This produces alternate tracks on the tape with minimum guard band between any two adjacent tracks, and with each video track on opposite sides of a color-audio track. In longitudinal recording this permits use of a maximum amount of the tape surface, leaving only two possible track areas unused.
Inventors
- 👤 Kingston E Ganske
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:40
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/60; G11B15/61; G11B5/00; G11B5/48; G11B5/488; G11B5/4893; G11B5/52; G11B5/53; G11B5/531; G11B5/534; G11B5/54; G11B5/55; G11B5/5504; G11B5/58; G11B5/584
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
In a magnetic recording system adapted for multichannel recording and/or playback, means for guiding and moving magnetic recording tape of a predetermined width lengthwise along a predetermined path, a head mounted adjacent said path, said head including at least two magnetic transducers having predeterMined track widths spaced apart by a distance substantially less than the active surface of the tape for following spaced parallel tracks on the tape and independently operating with different types of information, means supporting said head for movement transversely of said path, control means operative on said supporting means to position said head in successive steps causing said transducers to follow different spaced parallel tracks longitudinally of the tape in each position of said head, the head movement provided for each step being an odd multiple of the spacing between said transducers and in excess of one track width whereby most of the tracks followed by one of said transducers always lie between tracks followed by the other of said transducers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a magnetic recording system adapted for multichannel recording and/or playback, means for guiding and moving magnetic recording tape of a predetermined width lengthwise along a predetermined path, a head mounted adjacent said path, said head including at least two magnetic transducers having predeterMined track widths spaced apart by a distance substantially less than the active surface of the tape for following spaced parallel tracks on the tape and independently operating with different types of information, means supporting said head for movement transversely of said path, control means operative on said supporting means to position said head in successive steps causing said transducers to follow different spaced parallel tracks longitudinally of the tape in each position of said head, the head movement provided for each step being an odd multiple of the spacing between said transducers and in excess of one track width whereby most of the tracks followed by one of said transducers always lie between tracks followed by the other of said transducers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control means includes detectors responsive to the movement of a length of tape fully to the opposite ends to said path, said detectors being operative on said tape guiding and moving means to reverse the direction of tape movement and to cause the control means to step the head to its next position for following different tracks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
186 words
In a magnetic recording system adapted for multichannel recording and/or playback of video and audio information, means for guiding and moving magnetic recording tape lengthwise along a predetermined path, a head mounted adjacent said path, said head including at least two magnetic transducers of predetermined gap width mounted in fixed spaced relation for following spaced parallel tracks on the tape and independently and concurrently operating one with video information and the other with audio information, means supporting said head for movement relative to the tape for alignment of said transducers with different tracks on the tape, control means operative on said supporting means to position said head successively through stepwise movements which are an odd multiple of the spacing between said transducers and in excess of one track width causing said transducers to follow different spaced parallel tracks on the tape in each position of the head, and the spacing between said transducers being correlated to the successive positions of said head provided by said control means such that with respect to any two adjacent tracks one contains video information and the other contains audio information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
186 words
In a magnetic recording system adapted for multichannel recording and/or playback of video and audio information, means for guiding and moving magnetic recording tape lengthwise along a predetermined path, a head mounted adjacent said path, said head including at least two magnetic transducers of predetermined gap width mounted in fixed spaced relation for following spaced parallel tracks on the tape and independently and concurrently operating one with video information and the other with audio information, means supporting said head for movement relative to the tape for alignment of said transducers with different tracks on the tape, control means operative on said supporting means to position said head successively through stepwise movements which are an odd multiple of the spacing between said transducers and in excess of one track width causing said transducers to follow different spaced parallel tracks on the tape in each position of the head, and the spacing between said transducers being correlated to the successive positions of said head provided by said control means such that with respect to any two adjacent tracks one contains video information and the other contains audio information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 3, for multichannel recording and/or playback of color video and audio information, wherein color information is handled through said other magnetic transducer and is recorded on those tracks containing audio information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a magnetic recording system adapted for multichannel recording and/or playback, means for guiding and moving magnetic recording tape lengthwise along a predetermined path, a head mounted adjacent said path, said head including at least two magnetic transducers in fixed spaced relation for following spaced parallel tracks on the tape and independently operating with different types of information, the space between said transducers being equal to two track widths, means supporting said head for movement relative to the tape through increments equal to two track widths for alignment of said transducers with different tracks on the tape whereby the second track followed by one of said transducers is immediately adjacent the previous track followed by the other transducer and on the side of such previous track closest to the previous track followed by said one transducer and all of the resultant tracks are equally spaced apart over essentially the entire range of movement of said head.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a magnetic recording system adapted for multichannel recording and/or playback, means for guiding and moving magnetic recording tape lengthwise along a predetermined path, a head mounted adjacent said path, said head including at least two magnetic transducers in fixed spaced relation for following spaced parallel tracks on the tape and independently operating with different types of information, the space between said transducers being equal to two track widths, means supporting said head for movement relative to the tape through increments equal to two track widths for alignment of said transducers with different tracks on the tape whereby the second track followed by one of said transducers is immediately adjacent the previous track followed by the other transducer and on the side of such previous track closest to the previous track followed by said one transducer and all of the resultant tracks are equally spaced apart over essentially the entire range of movement of said head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 5, said transducers having gaps extending along a common line. 12
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 5, wherein the means supporting said head includes a rotatable body carrying said head in cyclic fashion acroSs the tape in correlated relation to the rate of movement of the tape along said path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 5, wherein said supporting means holds said head with said transducers aligned to follow parallel tracks longitudinally of the tape, control means operative on said supporting means in successive equal steps causing said head to assume adjacent positions with said transducers following different tracks, and one of the tracks followed in any successive step lying intermediate the tracks followed in the immediately preceding step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 8, wherein said control means includes a cam having a plurality of steps corresponding to the steps of movement required of said supporting means, a follower on said supporting means arranged to engage any one of said steps on said cam, and means for moving said cam to engage different ones of said steps with said follower.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A magnetic recording system as defined in claim 9, including detectors responsive to movement of a length of tape fully to opposite ends of said path, and connections from said detectors to said means for moving said cam and to said means for moving the tape to cause reversal of the tape movement and stepping of said head to its next position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-13 | 1975-03-15 | 1975-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-13 | 1979-03-15 | 1979-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-13 | 1983-03-15 | 1983-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |