Apparatus and method for conditioning magnetic transducer system with both head cleaner and bulk demagnetizer

Claim 2

In a magnetic transducer system of the type comprising a transducer head for transducing electrical signals with respect to a record medium during a transducing mode of operation and being mounted for movement between an operative position wherein said transducer head is positioned for scanning cooperation with the record medium and a disengaged position wherein said said transducer head is disposed out of engagement with said record medium, the improvement comprising: conditioning means selectively operating on said transducer head to clean a surface thereof contacted by the record medium when said head is out of the operative position, and to demagnetize said head; and means preventing the activation of said conditioning means during the transducing mode of operation.

Claim 3

In a transducer system as defined in claim 1, said conditioning means comprising: means selectively subjecting said transducer head to a magnetic field having an initial amplitude exceeding the amplitude of any recording field amplitude to which the head is subjected during a transducing operation, and of a progressively decreasing amplitude and of an alternating polarity as a function of time, with the alterations being at a sufficiently low frequency to penetrate a core material of said transducer head, thereby to demagnetize said transducer head. 3. In a transducer system as defined in claim 1, said conditioning means comprising: an elongated, cylindrical brush element mounted adjacent said transducer head for rotation about an axis of said cylindrical brush; means for selectively rotating said cylindrical brush about the axis thereof; and means for relatively moving said transducer head into cleaning engagement to said brush element so that said brush contacts the surface of said head contacted by the record medium.

Claim 4

In a transducer system as defined in claim 3 wherein said transducer head is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis between the operative position and the disengaged position, said conditioning means further comprising: said cylindrical brush element being mounted with an axis thereof extending oblique to the pivot axis of said transducer head and being disposed to engage the surface of said transducer head contacted by the record medium whenever said transducer head is pivoted between the operative and the disengaged positions; and said means for rotating said brush operating whenever said head is pivoted between the operative and the disengaged positions, whereby as the head pivots between the operative position and the disengaged position, the surface thereof contacted by the record medium is cleaned by the rotating brush with the relative movement between the head and the brush being in two different directions to wipe the contacted surface.

Claim 5

In a transducer system as defined in claim 1, wherein the record medium is a tape, and further characterized by: tape transport means having a panel with supply and take-up spindles projecting therethrough to support supply and take-up reels at an outer side of said panel; an electromagnet disposed adjacent at least one of said spindles at an inner side of said panel; said panel having a magnetic field penetrable section adjacent said electromagnet for exposing a reel on said one Of said spindles to a magnetic field produced by said electromagnet; and means for selectively applying an alternating current of a gradually decreasing intensity to said electromagnet for producing a demagnetizing field, whereby the tape record medium disposed on a reel on said one of said spindles may be selectively erased in bulk.

Claim 6

In a transducer system as defined in claim 5, said means for selectively applying an alternating current to said electromagnet initially supplying a sufficient current to produce a magnetic field of an amplitude exceeding the amplitude of any recording field amplitude to which the tape is subjected during a recording operation, and including means progressively decreasing the current supplied to said electromagnet.

Claim 7

In a transducer system as defined in claim 6 and further characterized by: said means for decreasing the current supplied to said electromagnet comprising a variable resistance element having a movable contact, a bimetallic spring coupled to said movable contact for moving the same in a direction to decrease the current supplied through said variable resistance element as said bimetallic spring is subjected to elevated temperatures, and an electric heating element disposed adjacent said bimetallic spring and to which current is supplied during a bulk demagnetizing operation to subject said bimetallic spring to elevated temperatures for moving said movable contact to progressively decrease the current supplied to said electromagnet.

Claim 8

In a transducer system as defined in claim 6, said means for supplying a progressively decreasing current to said electromagnet comprising a variable resistance element having a movable contact, electric motor means coupled to said movable contact for moving the same in a direction to progressively decrease the current supplied through said variable resistance element, and circuit means controlling the operation of said electric motor in a manner to operate the same for moving said movable contact during a bulk demagnetizing operation.

Claim 9

A transducer apparatus comprising: a magnetic head having a surface for receiving a magnetic tape record medium moving in a longitudinal direction thereacross and having tape contacting pole faces separated by a gap transverse to the longitudinal direction; a head cleaner of cylindrical shape comprising a motor driven brush mounted for rotation on an axis oblique to the longitudinal direction and engageable with said pole faces of said head as the periphery of said cylindrically shaped brush moves obliquely relative to said gap during cleaning contact; and means for relatively translating the head and brush along a path generally parallel to said longitudinal direction across said gap during rotation of said brush and head cleaning contact of the brush with the pole faces of said head.

Claim 10

A transducer apparatus comprising: a magnetic head having a surface for receiving a magnetic tape record medium moving in a longitudinal direction thereacross and having tape contacting pole faces separated by a gap transverse to the longitudinal direction; a head cleaner of cylindrical shape comprising a motor driven brush mounted for rotation on an axis oblique to the longitudinal direction and engageable with said pole faces of said head as the periphery of said cylindrically shaped brush moves obliquely relative to said gap during cleaning contact; and means for relatively translating the head and brush along a path generally parallel to said longitudinal direction across said gap during rotation of said brush and head cleaning contact of the brush with the pole faces of said head.

Claim 11

A transducer apparatus according to claim 9 further including means providing for selective automatic head cleaning operation by said head cleaner.

Claim 12

In a magnetic transducer apparatus comprising: a tape transport mechanism having a panel with supply and take-up spindles projecting through the panel to support supply and take-up reels at an outer side of the panel and with spindle driving means located at an inner side of said panel and arranged for coupling with the spindle, the improvement characterized by a demagnetizing electromagnet comprising a U-shaped core with a coil mounted thereon disposed adjacent at least one of said spindles on said inner side of said panel; said panel having a magnetic field penetrable section adjacent said demagnetizing electromagnet for exposing a reel on said one of said spindles to a demagnetizing field produced by said electromagnet; means for selectively applying an alternating current of a progressively decreasing intensity to zero to said demagnetizing electromagnet for producing a demagnetizing field; said selective means cOmprising a potentiometer with a wiper contact engageable with a resistive element and said coil connected across said wiper contact and one end of said resistive element; a pair of power leads respectively connected to said one end and the other end of said resistive element; and motor means for moving said wiper contact relative to said resistive element to progressively decrease the intensity to zero to said demagnetizing electromagnet.

Claim 13

In a magnetic transducer apparatus comprising: a tape transport mechanism having a panel with supply and take-up spindles projecting through the panel to support supply and take-up reels at an outer side of the panel and with spindle driving means located at an inner side of said panel and arranged for coupling with the spindle, the improvement characterized by a demagnetizing electromagnet comprising a U-shaped core with a coil mounted thereon disposed adjacent at least one of said spindles on said inner side of said panel; said panel having a magnetic field penetrable section adjacent said demagnetizing electromagnet for exposing a reel on said one of said spindles to a demagnetizing field produced by said electromagnet; means for selectively applying an alternating current of a progressively decreasing intensity to zero to said demagnetizing electromagnet for producing a demagnetizing field; said selective means cOmprising a potentiometer with a wiper contact engageable with a resistive element and said coil connected across said wiper contact and one end of said resistive element; a pair of power leads respectively connected to said one end and the other end of said resistive element; and motor means for moving said wiper contact relative to said resistive element to progressively decrease the intensity to zero to said demagnetizing electromagnet.