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Athana Incorporated

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Rosso Corporation

Gerhard Rotter

William A Buchan

Donald L Burdorf

Harold E Arns

Rainer E An Der Heiden

Klaus D Schomann

Ontje Arpe

Roland H Roos

Alojzy Bakowski

A magnetic tape cartridge incorporating a drive belt characterized by a pattern of recesses in the belt surface in contact with the magnetic tape which are used to provide traps for tape contaminants. Different types of patterns are used to eliminate tension variations which would otherwise occur as a consequence of tape contaminants during the projected life of the cartridge.

Tape cartridge drive belt having a low ratio of static to dynamic

A magnetic tape cartridge incorporating a drive belt characterized by a smooth (e.g., average surface roughness less than 7 microinches, zero to peak, as measured by a Talysurf 10 surface analyzer set for a 0.003 cut off length) nontextured drive surface and a ratio of static to dynamic coefficients of friction between the drive surface and the magnetic tape surface, of less than 2. The drive belt is preferably integrally formed of a material which inherently yields the aforementioned drive surface characteristics without requiring that the naturally formed belt surface be specially treated.

An elastomer drive belt (100), for a bidirectional two reel tape cartridge (20), having a low static to dynamic coefficient of friction ratio with the magnetic tape (38) is provided. The drive belt minimizes slip point (96) movement between the belt and the magnetic tape on the take up reel. This results in a minimization of tape tension variations at the transducer head (42).

A bidirectional tape cartridge incorporating first and second tensioning elements respectively located adjacent first and second reels on opposite sides of a transducer head and configured to act unidirectionally so that only the upstream element provides a significant drag force on the tape. Each tensioning element having a surface defining a tape path and including a first portion located closer to the corresponding reel and a second portion located closer to a corresponding tape guide, the first portion having a smaller radius of curvature than the second portion.

Unidirectional tape tension element and method of use thereof

In a tape cartridge (20), a snap pin fastener (100) is provided for securing the cover (88) and base plate (90) while permitting therebetween differential expansion in a longitudinal direction (108) of the base plate. One dimension (112) of the snap pin is chosen small enough to flex under a force induced by differential thermal expansion of the cover and base plate. Thus the base plate remains flat, insuring registration between the tape and a transducer head. The second dimension (114) is chosen great enough to provide, with the first dimension, a cross section (115) sufficient to resist operational forces placed on the cover and base.

Fastener for magnetic tape cartridge and method of use thereof

A tape transport of the belt driven type, wherein an endless belt engages a drive pulley and peripheral portions of tape packs on a supply reel and a take-up reel. The transport is mounted on a support frame, which is in turn mounted for sliding movement in a housing. A drive belt roller is mechanically coupled to movement of the support frame, and withdrawal of the support frame from the housing results in movement of the drive belt roller and disengagement of the belt from the supply tape pack, to facilitate tape loading and unloading. Drive belt pick-off posts affixed to the housing retain a portion of the drive belt in the housing, to maintain belt tension during tape loading and unloading, and to ensure disengagement from the supply tape pack.

Tape drive mechanism

Method and apparatus for compensating for variations in the time base of a video signal reproduced in a longitudinal video tape recording system. The signal is passed through a charge-coupled device clocked by a variable rate clock signal to correct for the timing variations. Thereafter, a clamping circuit removes variable voltage offsets introduced by the charge-coupled device, to prevent objectionable horizontal streaking from occurring in the resulting video picture. A clipping circuit removes random noise from the time base pulses of the video signal prior to its passing through the charge-coupled device, whereby the clamping circuit is prevented from creating an objectionable flicker in the resulting video picture.

Method and apparatus for compensation of time base errors

An erase head for erasing single tracks on multi-track magnetic recording tapes by means of a constant magnetic field applied in a direction perpendicular to the direction of tape travel, to avoid any asymmetrical residual magnetization with respect to the direction of a magnetizing field used for recording. A configuration of two pole pieces and two corresponding shields, spaced out from the pole pieces and generally coplanar with the end faces thereof, ensures that the magnetic field strength is relatively uniform in a region between the shields, and falls to a relatively low value outside this region.

DC erase head

The invention comprises a circuit arrangement for a sound-reproducing apparatus, particularly a video tape recorder having an audio channel, wherein upon the occurence of a sound signal drop-out interval within a continuous audio signal, for example within the track-switching period in multi-track sound recordings, an audio frequency signal is inserted in the drop-out interval so that the interval is rendered unnoticeable to the listener. The apparatus can be advantageously employed for recorders in which sound signals are recorded on the tracks of a magnetic tape or disc, or on grooved tracks in a disc. In one preferred embodiment of the invention the arrangement comprises circuitry for attenuating the noise burst which occurs during the track-switching period of a multi-track recorder using a frequency modulated audio signal, the degree to which the noise is attenuated being correlated to the level of the immediately preceding audio signal. Further embodiments of the invention comprise circuitry for inserting audio frequency noise signals of a predetermined level during the drop-out interval.

Drop-out compensator for sound reproducing apparatus during tape reversal

A video recording technique for recording sequential scenes or segments of video information, such as from a video camera, in such a manner that the recorded scenes may be reproduced without loss of synchronization. In a video tape recorder of the longitudinal type, a recording tape is decelerated to a stop at the end of a scene, and is back-spaced for a preselected time or distance. When the camera is next activated, the tape is accelerated to recording speed, and the camera is quickly synchronized with synchronization signals obtained from the tape, before switching to recording mode to record the next scene.

Method and apparatus for tape recording time-spaced segments of video

A magnetic transducer device for maintaining improved recording tape to transducer head contact at reduced contact pressure. A pair of vertical outrigger bars are mounted on either side of the transducer head transverse to the path of the recording tape. The surfaces of the vertical bars facing the recording tape are located slightly below the plane of the outer surface of the transducer head thereby maintaining a constant, shallow wrap angle of the recording tape over the transducer head. Furthermore, a second pair of horizontal outrigger bars are mounted on either side of and adjacent to the transducer head along an axis transverse to the path of the recording tape. The surfaces of these horizontal bars facing the recording tape are located in substantially the same plane as the outer surface of the transducer head, thereby providing support for the recording tape when the transducer head is positioned near the edge of the tape and preventing the edge of the tape from lifting from the head due to its upward flex curvature.

Magnetic transducer device with outrigger bars

A servo arrangement for the drive motor of the recording tape of a color video recording and reproducing system, in which a phase detector is included in a tachometer loop for regulating the speed of the drive motor. Another phase detector and a voltage controlled oscillator are included in a tape lock loop for providing to the tachometer loop phase detector a reference derived from off-tape sync information. The voltage controlled oscillator is controlled by the error signal voltage of the tape lock phase detector, and the oscillator output is used as a reference for the tach loop. In one embodiment the oscillator is of the voltage controlled crystal type having a relatively high center frequency which is heterodyned down to a suitable frequency for controlling the tach loop phase detector. In this manner a servo reference of great stability is produced for the tach loop phase detector. Since the heterodyning frequency is derived from the signal carrier source present in the recorder no separate oscillator is required for generating the heterodyning frequency, and thus the costs for this highly stable servo arrangement are minimized. In all embodiments, the tape lock loop for providing the tach loop reference is independent of the feedback loop for the control of the variable delay line of the electronic time base error correction circuitry of the system, and the tape lock loop phase comparator sample pulse is disabled when a dropout is sensed so that the tach loop is substantially insensitive to signal dropouts.

Servo arrangement for the recording tape drive in broadband signal

A turnaround control arrangement for a color video recording and playback system, in which a color burst frequency at turnaround time is recorded during a certain vertical blanking interval in a distinct pattern; and in which, in playback the tape reversal operation is initiated at least partially under control of this distinct pattern. This 'turnaround flag' is also used to control the insertion of the sound signal carrier frequency of the system during turnaround, thereby to reduce the noise due to the loss of the recorded sound signal during turnaround in playback.

Turnaround system

In a tape transport system in which the take-up reel of a self-threading magnetic recording tape having a leader attached to its forward end is driven by surface engagement with a rotating capstan, a safety picker is provided at a point just beyond the area of engagement between the take-up hub and the capstan, for intercepting the leader if it fails to properly engage the hub. A contact cooperating with the safety picker causes the threading operation to be discontinued if the leader has thus been intercepted.

Safety picker for magnetic tape leader

A system for automatically loading and tensioning a supply reel of magnetic recording which is contained in a tape cassette. The system is designed to be utilized with a tape transport mechanism of the type wherein the supply reel is driven by surface engagement of the outermost layer of tape on the reel with a capstan. A motor driven leadscrew mechanically engages the tape transport apparatus and functions as a means for sequencing its operation in a manner so that upon loading, the normally-closed cassette is opened and the tape pack is advanced by the transport apparatus into an operative position in which it is in contact with the capstan. Following the threading of the tape about the take-up reel, the leadscrew causes the transport apparatus to withdraw the supply tape pack from close contact with the capstan in order to allow slack to be removed therefrom through the action of a brake upon the supply reel. The supply tape pack is then once again brought back into its operative position in contact with the capstan.

Growing community of inventors

Mission Viejo, CA, United States of America

Gerhard Rotter