Magnetics-on-film image area recording head and suspension system

Abstract

A photographic still camera for receiving an elongated filmstrip having a cross-film curvature and having a substantially transparent magnetic layer deposited on the film surface and for recording or reproducing information on or from the magnetic layer in relation to the exposure of image frames of the filmstrip. The filmstrip is transported from supply to takeup chambers between film rails and a backing plate past a camera image frame exposure aperture with the magnetic layer facing the backing plate and having a concave cross-film curvature across the image frame area. A magnetic recording multi-head array formed of a plurality of recording heads mounted on flexure elements of a flexure support is positioned to extend across and contact the magnetic layer in the image frame area at the side of the exposure aperture. Each flexure element includes an elongated, cantilever spring fixed at one end to the backing plate and terminating in a mounting platform having a gimbal mechanism for providing pitch and roll compliance with film motion and the cross-film concave curvature. Each magnetic recording head element is shaped with contoured profiles in the cross-film and film transport directions for ensuring compliance with the filmstrip magnetic layer during roll and pitch motions of the magnetic recording head without causing damage to the filmstrip.