Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Toyoo Nishiyama

Kenji Kimura

Ken Satoh

Toshikazu Kato

Sinichi Saitou

Seizo Watanabe

Tutomu Shibata

Misao Shimoda

Tatsuo Nagasaki

Shinichi Imade

Seiichi Wakamatsu

Eishi Ikuta

Koji Taguchi

Kazunori Shionoya

Misao Shimdda

An ultrasonic endoscope apparatus in which an ultrasonic vibrating element radiating an ultrasonic wave to obtain an image of an object to be inspected is rotatably housed in a distal end of an insertion section of the endoscope, and a rotation angle sensing mechanism is also housed in the distal end. The rotation angle sensing mechanism has a magnetic recording section having a magnetization pattern for forming a magnetic field, and a magnetic sensor having at least one magneto-resistive element for sensing the magnetic field. One of the magnetic recording section and the magnetic sensor is rotated integrally with the ultrasonic vibrating element so that a rotation angle of the ultrasonic vibrating element is sensed in a precise manner.

Ultrasonic endoscope apparatus

A magnetic head is made by forming a first half core having at least two substantially parallel plane surfaces and one lateral surface, the distance between the two plane surfaces being equal to or greater than a predetermined track width fixing one of the two plane surfaces of the first half core on part of one plane surface of a non-magnetic substrate so that the one lateral surface of the first half core meets with the one plane surface of the substrate, and depositing a magnetic insulator to a substantially uniform thickness on the other of the two plane surfaces and the one lateral surface of the first half core and the remaining part of the one plane surface of the substrate, thereby forming a gap spacer, depositing the same material for the first half core to a substantially uniform thickness on the gap spacer film, thereby forming a second half core having a thickness equal to or greater than the predetermined track width, and removing at least part of the gap spacer film lying on the other plane surface of the first half core and part of the second half core lying on said part of the gap spacer film to be removed from the other plane surface of the first half core, thereby forming a magnetic head.

Method for manufacturing a magnetic head

In a magnetic tape-automatic tracking method, at least one of the positions of the upper and lower edges of a magnetic tape is detected by an assembly of a tape edge position sensor and light-emitting diode. Any displacement of the running magnetic tape from its standard vertical position is determined from detected data. A generally vertical tape edge position-compensating post which applies a tensile force to the magnetic tape in contact therewith is rotated in a vertical plane by a reversible motor in accordance with the detected extent of the displacement of the running magnetic tape from its standard vertical position. The magnitude of a tensile force applied by the tape edge position-compensating post to the magnetic tape is varied, by the extent of the rotation of the reversible motor. As a result, the magnetic tape is vertically moved in the desired direction to regain its standard vertical position.

Method and apparatus for automatically tracking a magnetic tape

A magnetic cassette tape record and play apparatus wherein the magnetic head thereof is fixed, comprises a push member cooperating with an operation button and which is so disposed as to abut against a pad spring received in a tape cassette. When the tape cassette is loaded or ejected in the stop mode, the push member is pressed against the pad spring to deform it against its urging force, thereby locking the cassette tape in a position untouched by the magnetic head. When the operation button is depressed for the recording or reproduction mode, then the push member is removed from the pad spring, thereby causing the pressure pad to be pressed against the magnetic head with the cassette tape disposed between the pressure pad and the magnetic head.

Magnetic cassette tape record and play apparatus

A device for stably running a magnetic recording tape of a tape cassette comprises a reel shaft and a motor connected to the reel shaft. The reel shaft and the motor make a running of the magnetic recording tape providing back tension exerted on the magnetic recording tape. Within the housing of the tape cassette, a first lever having one end rotatably fixed to the housing is mounted. A guide roller for guiding the running direction of the tape is rotatably fixed to another end of the first lever. Therefore, the first lever may swing in response to a back tension exerted on the tape. An amount of the swing of the first lever is detected by a second lever which is rotably located out of the housing and selectably engaged with the first lever. The second lever is connected to the detection means which generates an electric signal in accordance with the amount of rotation of the second lever. The electric signal is sent to the electric controlling circuit means electrically connected to the motor. The electric controlling circuit means controls a value of the voltage supplied to the motor in accordance with the electric signal, and stabilize the value of the back tension exerted to the tape via the motor and the reel shaft.

Tape cassette drive assembly

A tape cassette comprises an impedance roller which is set on the opposite side of a magnetic tape to a magnetic head closely upstream thereof as viewed from the direction in which the magnetic tape runs. The impedance roller presses the magnetic tape toward the magnetic head, thereby preventing the magnetic tape from being shaken.

Tape cassette

Within a housing of a tape cassette is mounted a reel hub serving to wind a magnetic recording tape. The reel hub is moved between a first position where one side edge of the tape wound around the reel hub is spaced from a wall of the housing and a second position where the one side edge of the tape abuts against the wall, reel hub being rotated at the first position by a reel shaft of a magnetic recordig tape running apparatus inserted through an opening of the wall of the tape cassette for engagement with the reel hub. Within the housing is also mounted a abutment member. The abutment member is movable between a third position where the abutment member is spaced from the other side edge of the tape wound around the reel hub located in the first position and a fourth position where the abutment member abuts against the other side edge of the tape wound around the reel hub located in the second position by the reel shaft inserted through the opening of the tape cassette housing for engagement with the reel hub. The abutment member is usually urged to the fourth position by a compression coil spring housed in the tape cassette housing.

Growing community of inventors

Musashimurayama, Japan

Toyoo Nishiyama