Position control of a magnetic head in a magnetic recording and

Abstract

A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus for reproducing information from a track recorded on a magnetic tape made to travel by being driven by a capstan. Even if a track has been recorded in a curved form, a magnetic head is displaced substantially perpendicularly to a rotational axis of a rotating drum in correspondence with the curve so as to trace the track. A signal read from the track by the magnetic head is subjected to envelope detection and is converted to a digital envelope signal. The capstan is driven and controlled such that the intensity of the digital envelope signal becomes substantially maximum. At the same time, a comparison is made between an ideal scanning pattern for the magnetic head stored in advance and the digital envelope signal, the ideal scanning pattern is corrected on the basis of the result of comparison, and the magnetic head is displaced in a substantially perpendicular direction to the rotational axis of the rotating drum so that the intensity of the envelope signal becomes substantially maximum. The magnetic head is affixed to a projecting portion of an annular spring with an air-core bobbin fitted in a central portion thereof and is displaced by magnetic interaction between an energizing coil wound around the bobbin and a permanent magnet disposed inside the air-core bobbin.