Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Fujifilm Corporation

Nichias Corporation

Kazuo Kubota

Masaaki Sakaguchi

Youichi Hayashi

Sakaguchi Masaaki

Hiroshi Ozawa

Mitsunobu Usui

Hirokazu Komai

Shoji Iwamoto

Keisuke Wakatsuki

Fusao Ichikawa

Hideki Uchikura

Masaaki Kayama

Teiji Kishi

Yasumichi Mukaida

A method of and a system for generating a printing ID code representing product ID information to be printed on products based on an identification information of a specific one of the products which is stored in a memory accompanying the specific product. The printing ID generation is performed by converting the identification information read in by an information reading section into an alphanumeric ID code by a notation system of base N so as to have a number of digits less than an encode ID information, converting a part of a numeric code representing a production date of the product into an alphanumeric date code by the notation system of base N and combining the alphanumeric ID code and the alphanumeric date code as a printing identification code.

Method and system for generating identification code to be printed on products

A splicing method comprising the steps of: (a) holding a first tape on a first tape guiding portion and a second tape guiding portion which are positioned in alignment with each other; (b) cutting the first tape between the first tape guiding portion and the second tape guiding portion so as to allow a first end portion held on the first tape guiding portion and a second end portion held on the second tape guiding portion to be formed in the first tape; and (c) splicing one of the first end portion and the second end portion to a second tape, wherein a step (d) of detecting whether or not at least one of a portion of the first tape being held on the first tape guiding portion and a portion of the first tape being held on the second tape guiding portion is in a predetermined holding position is effected prior to step (c), and when the at least one is in the predetermined holding position, step (c) is effected. Accordingly, it is possible to dispense with inspection of an acceptable or unacceptable state of spliced portions of the first tape and the second tape.

Splicing device and splicing method

A magnetic tape cartridge in which, to provide a connection between a magnetic tape and a leader tape, any additional steps which lower the productivity, such as the step of using an adhesive, are avoided, the manufacturing process is almost the same as a conventional process, and a positive connection between the leader tape and the magnetic tape is ensured. A single reel having a magnetic tape wound thereon is housed in the cartridge, and a leader tape is connected to an end of the magnetic tape, wherein the leader tape can be drawn out from an opening of the cartridge by a tape-drawing device of a recording/reproducing unit to enable tape travel. The magnetic tape and the leader tape are connected together through a splicing tape, and the length of that portion of the splicing tape bonded to the leader tape is longer than the length of winding of the tape around a guide roller provided in the tape travel path in the recording/reproducing device which changes a direction of said tape travel path at a sharpest angle along said tape travel path.

Magnetic tape cartridge having retention of leader tape

A workable high-strength heat insulating material containing no asbestos is provided. The high-strength heat insulating material includes fibers of aromatic polyether amide dispersed in the form of filaments, 1-5% by weight, and fibrous wollastonite, 20-70% by weight. The material has a matrix made of a calcium silicate hydrate, and has a density between 1.3-1.9 g/cm.sup.3.

High-strength heat insulating material and method of producing such

When a light beam is applied to a surface of a back-coated magnetic recording medium such as a long magnetic tape, the light reflected by the recording medium surface is polarized. The angle of rotation of the plane of polarization of light reflected by the magnetic layer of the recording medium is different from the angle of rotation of the plane of polarization of light reflected by the back coating layer of the recording medium. The light reflected from the surface of the recording medium is applied to a polarizer which allows only linearly polarized light that vibrates in a predetermined direction to pass through itself. Then, the intensity level of the linearly polarized light is detected to determine whether the light was reflected from the magnetic layer or the back coating layer.

Surface identification for back-coated magnetic recording medium

A joint inspection apparatus comprises a light irradiating device for irradiating light to a tape joint at which two tape edge portions are joined together, and a light receiving device for receiving the light irradiated by the light irradiating device to the tape joint and passing through the tape joint or reflected by the tape joint. A judgment device is provided for judging the extent of a deviation of the two tape edge portions from each other in the tape width direction at the tape joint on the basis of information on the optical amount of the light received by the light receiving device on both sides of the tape joint.

Joint inspection apparatus

A magnetic tape cassette checking system is provided with a lock releasing mechanism (11), a cover opening mechanism (12) and a position detecting device (13), and checks whether a cassette cover can be correctly opened and closed. The lock releasing mechanism comprises a cylinder and a lock releasing pin which is moved back and forth by the cylinder and is adapted to push a lock member of the cassette to a releasing position. The cover opening mechanism comprises a cylinder, a cover opening plate which is moved up and down by the cylinder, a photoelectric switch disposed near the plate, and a damper spring connecting the plate with the cylinder, and is adapted to push the cover of the cassette to the opened position. The position detecting device comprises two pairs of photoelectric switches and detects whether the cover of the cassette is in the closed position.

System for checking the opening and closing function of cassette cover

A method of detecting tape defects according to a light amount signal obtained from the surface of a tape by scanning the width of the tape surface with a light beam is disclosed. The light beam is caused to scan beyond the tape edges. The light amount signal is differentiated to obtain a light amount differential signal. A tape defect in the vicinity of the tape edge is detected if the light amount differential signal has a level different from a predetermined reference level or if the point in time when a change in the level of the light amount differential signal is different from a predetermined point in time.

Method of detecting tape defects

A tape winding device in which magnetic tape is wound onto a reel. One or more magnets exert a magnetic force on the wound tape in a direction along the thickness of the tape, that is, along a diameter of the reel, in order to neatly wind the tape. The magnets may be movable radially to maximize the magnetic force or be moved axially to control the axial position of the tape independently of the reel flanges.

Method and device for winding magnetic tape using magnetic alignment

A videotape cassette is provided with a cassette cover which is mounted on a cassette casing to be movable between a closed position and an open position and is urged toward the closed position by a closing spring. Further, the cassette casing is provided with a lock mechanism which prevents the cover from being accidentally opened when the cassette is free. The lock mechanism comprises a lock member which is movable between a locking position in which it is engaged with the cassette cover in the closed position to lock the cassette cover to the closed position, and a lock releasing position in which it releases the cassette cover, and a locking spring which normally urges the lock member toward the locking position. In order to check whether the cover can be correctly opened and closed, the lock member is first urged toward the lock releasing position and then released. Then the cover is urged toward the open position and then released. Thereafter the position of the cover is detected. Thereafter, the lock member is moved to the lock releasing position, and with the lock member held in the lock releasing position, the cover is brought to the open position and then released. Then the position of the cover is detected.

Method of checking magnetic tape cassette lid opening operation

A joint inspection apparatus comprises a light irradiating device for irradiating light to a tape joint at which two tape edge portions are joined together, and a light receiving device for receiving the light irradiated by the light irradiating device to the tape joint and passing through the tape joint or reflected by the tape joint. A judgment device is provided for judging the presence or absence of an overlap of the two tape edge portions one upon the other at the tape joint on the basis of information on the optical amount of the light received by the light receiving device in the vicinity of the tape joint.

Apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of overlap at tape joints

A method for inspecting a tape splice for defects in which the splice region between two sheets is irradiated with a light beam, the tapes are longitudinally conveyed relative to the light beam, a one-dimensional light detector means receives the portion of the light beam transmitted or reflected by a linear region of the sheets inclined at a prescribed angle to the transverse direction of the sheets, and the presence/absence of a splice defect is discriminated from change or lack of change in the quantity of light received by the light detector means; and an apparatus for carrying out this method.

Splice inspection method and apparatus using light inclined at a

A joint inspection apparatus comprises a light irradiating device for irradiating light to a tape joint at which two tape edge portions are joined together, and a light receiving device for receiving the light irradiated by the light irradiating device to the tape joint and passing through the tape joint or reflected by the tape joint. A judgment device is provided for judging the size of a gap between the two tape edge portions at the tape joint on the basis of information on the optical amount of the light received by the light receiving device in the vicinity of the tape joint.

Joint inspection apparatus for determining the size of a gap

A tape winding method and apparatus in which a magnetic tape is wound on a reel having only one flange. During winding a magnetic field is applied across the width of the magnetic tape and a pressure disk biases the tape against the flange. Both mechanisms true the edge of the tape to the flange.

A method and apparatus for loading a magnetic tape into a cassette in which the tape winding appearance is controlled and improved. Friction sheets are disposed around the hub onto which the tape is to be wound, preferably on both sides of the tape winding area. Compressed air is blown into the cassette to press the friction sheets against the edges of the tape as the tape is wound.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Kazuo Kubota