JPH0752497B2 - Magnetic recording / reproducing device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-track magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus using a magnetic tape as a recording medium, and particularly to a high-speed, high-density and large-capacity narrow track width. The present invention relates to a magnetic recording / reproducing device capable of performing recording / reproduction while maintaining highly accurate tracking control.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, in a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus used as an audio apparatus, the number of tracks and the number of recording heads or the number of reproducing heads paired with this recording head are usually excluded, except for those having a rotary head. It has the same structure. The above-mentioned number of tracks refers to the total number of data tracks formed in parallel with the tape running direction. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus as described above is provided with a means for regulating the relative position of the magnetic tape and the magnetic head. As its constitution, the upper and lower ends of the magnetic tape are guided with respect to the fixed magnetic head. Most commonly, a guide post or the like having a pair of flanges is provided in the tape running path to regulate vertical movement of the tape.

On the other hand, a multi-track magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus generally called a cassette streamer, which is a backup storage apparatus of an information processing system, employs a recording / reproducing method called a serpentine method. The conventional serpentine system is a set of a recording head and a reproducing head for recording and reproducing when the tape is run in one direction,
Another set of recording heads and reproducing heads that perform recording and reproduction when the tape is run in the other direction, respectively, are adapted to correspond to a plurality of tracks, and when recording information on a magnetic tape, Instead of simultaneously recording on a plurality of tracks, the magnetic tape is run in one direction and in multiple directions to record or reproduce one track at a time. During this operation, the two sets of the recording head and the reproducing head are moved in the width direction of the magnetic tape to switch the tracks, and the magnetic tape is positioned at a desired track position. As the head / tape relative position regulating means, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-183019, in addition to the regulation by the flanges described above, a head positioning technique by open loop control by a stepping motor is known. Has been.

Further, in recent years, with the development of thin-film magnetic heads, a combination head having a large number of heads has been developed, and the multi-track magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus can have a higher density. With such a device, recording with a narrow track width can be performed, and the allowable off-track amount is also small.
Therefore, in order to perform highly accurate tracking control, the tape / head relative position control means includes head drive means for moving the magnetic head in the tape width direction in addition to the regulation of the vertical movement of the magnetic tape by the flanges described above. Is used together, the configuration is adopted in which the magnetic head is controlled to follow the waving of the magnetic head.

An example of such a device is a fixed head digital audio tape recorder in which the number of recording heads or the number of reproducing heads paired with the recording heads is equal to the number of tracks. In the same device, for example,
As disclosed in EA81-64 and Sharp Technical Report 1984-28, servo-dedicated tracks recorded on a magnetic tape are traced by two reproducing heads arranged side by side in the tape width direction, and the reproduction output is obtained. And the follow-up control is performed to control the relative positions of the magnetic head and the magnetic tape.

Another example of the tape / head relative position regulating means is a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus having the same number of heads and tracks, which magnetically detects the relative position between the end of the magnetic tape and the magnetic head. No. 63-64811.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, in the tape head relative position regulating means by the guide post having the flange, the upper and lower ends of the magnetic tape are brought into contact with the flange of the guide post to prevent the vertical movement of the magnetic tape. Therefore, when a magnetic tape having a width wider than the distance between the upper and lower flanges travels, mechanical stress is applied to the upper and lower ends of the magnetic tape, which may damage the upper and lower ends. Therefore, in the above-mentioned regulation means, the regulation width of several tens of μm is the limit because the damage to the end of the magnetic tape must be avoided.
In the case of a high-density magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus having an allowable off-track amount of about ten to several tens of μm, it is not sufficient to restrict the fluctuation of the magnetic tape by the above flanges.

When the recording density is further increased, it is possible to narrow the track of the magnetic tape by narrowing the track width of the magnetic head, but there is a limit to the integration of the thin film head. It cannot be reduced. In addition, increasing the number of heads leads to an increase in the circuit scale, resulting in an increase in cost. Therefore, in a high density magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus having a track pitch of several tens of μm and a number of tracks of several tens to several hundreds, it is difficult to make the number of heads equal to the number of tracks.

Next, the cassette streamer adopting the conventional serpentine method in the multi-track magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus has a configuration in which the magnetic head is moved in the tape width direction to perform recording and reproduction on a large number of tracks, so the track pitch becomes small, Even if the number of tracks increases,
It is possible to deal with this by moving the magnetic head many times. Therefore, there is no obstacle to the integration of the thin film head.

However, for example, when the track pitch is tens of μm, the track width is naturally tens of μm, and the allowable off-track amount is also tens to several μm. In such a case, the tape head relative position regulating means based on the regulation by the flanges and the open loop control by the stepping motor cannot cope with the above allowable off-track amount.

Therefore, the relative position between the magnetic head and the magnetic tape is detected by a sensor, and the head drive means is hood-back controlled by the detection signal to perform tracking control of the magnetic head to address the above problem of the allowable off-track amount. Can be considered.

However, in order to realize the above-described tracking control of several μm, it is necessary to use a magnetic head support mechanism, a magnetic head thrust source, a thrust transmission mechanism for the magnetic head, and a relative position detection sensor for the magnetic tape and the magnetic head. Precision is required. However, the conventional head drive means provided with a thrust source using a rotary motor such as a stepping motor, a mechanical mechanism for converting the rotary motion of the rotary motor into a linear motion, a bearing support mechanism, etc. is only complicated in structure. The dead zone is large and the control system cannot be expected. Further, even if the conventional magnetic head supporting mechanism using parallel leaf springs is adopted, the magnetic head is fixed to the leaf spring on one side, or the rotational movement of the thrust source of the magnetic head as described above. Due to the fact that the support mechanism of the magnetic head is connected to the mechanical mechanism that transforms into linear motion, feedback control with high gain is difficult due to the effect of secondary resonance.

Further, in order to perform the tracking control by the servo track as used in the above-mentioned fixed head digital audio tape recorder by the serpentine method, a large number of servo tracks are required, and the recording accuracy on the servo track is increased. However, even with this method, higher density recording cannot be supported.

The present invention was conceived in view of the above circumstances, and in a serpentine type magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, highly accurate servo control can be realized for a head driving means, and further, a magnetic tape and a magnetic head High speed, while performing tracking control for positioning the combination head with high accuracy, without the need for flanges as relative position regulation means or servo tracks provided on the magnetic tape.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic recording / reproducing device capable of high-density and large-capacity recording / reproducing.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, a combination head having a smaller number of recording heads and reproducing heads than the number of tracks of the magnetic tape is moved in the width direction of the magnetic tape so that the whole head is moved. It is a basic structure for recording or reproducing on / from a track, and is a leaf spring having a base end fixed and a free end, and a combination head attached to the end via a supporting member. A parallel plate spring, a voice coil type linear motor that generates a thrust for moving the combination head in the width direction of the magnetic tape to switch the tracks, and a movable part composed of both the support member and the combination head. And a voice coil type linear motor movable element, And a connecting member for transmitting the thrust of the motor so as to pass the vicinity of the center of gravity of the movable portion, and the magnetic circuit of the stator of the voice coil type linear motor is closed without providing a gap. ing. Moreover, it has a sensor that optically detects the relative position between the combination head and the magnetic tape, and adjusts the thrust of the voice coil type linear motor based on the output signal of the sensor, and the relative position between the combination head and the magnetic tape. Closed loop control is performed to keep constant.

<Operation> Since the combination head is attached to the distal ends of the two parallel leaf springs with the proximal ends fixed and the free ends, the combination head is constituted by both the supporting member and the combination head. The secondary resonance frequency of the movable part becomes low. When moving the combination head, a voice coil type linear motor that can ignore the dead zone and frictional load was used, and the thrust of the voice coil type linear motor was configured to pass near the center of gravity of the moving part. The non-linear characteristic disappears and the phase delay becomes small. Since the magnetic circuit of the stator of the voice coil type linear motor has a closed circuit structure without providing a gap, the magnetic field generated by the voice coil type linear motor hardly leaks to the outside.

Example An example of the present invention will be described below.

In this embodiment, a combination head having a recording head and a reproducing head, each of which has a smaller number of tracks than the number of tracks of a magnetic tape, is provided once in the running direction of a magnetic tape in which a plurality of tracks are formed in parallel to the running direction of the tape. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus of a serpentine system which records or reproduces on / from a plurality of tracks at the same time by running and performs recording / reproducing on all tracks by a track switching operation of moving a combination head in a width direction of a magnetic tape by a head driving means. Is an example.

First, the outline of the serpentine system will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, the running direction of the magnetic tape 21 is X, and the width direction of the magnetic tape 21 is Y. A track group 22 is formed on the magnetic tape 21, and the track group 22 has 16 tracks T _{1 to} T ₁₆ at an equal pitch a in the Y direction. For the track group 22 described above, a combination head 23 including _four recording heads W _{1 to} W ₄ and reproducing heads R _{1 to} R ₄ that are integrated is arranged. The recording heads W _{1 to} W ₄ are juxtaposed in the Y direction at an equal pitch b (b = 4a), and the reproducing heads R _{1 to} R ₄ are corresponding recording heads.
Form a W ₁ to _W-4 and pairs are juxtaposed in the X direction or the -X direction. These paired recording heads W _{1 to} W ₄ and reproducing head R ₁
To R ₄ each other in a state in which interchanged for each arrangement position of the Y-direction,
They are arranged alternately.

At the time of recording or reproducing operation, the combination head 23 is first driven to the position shown in FIG. That is, at this position, the centers of the recording head W ₁ and the reproducing head R ₁ coincide with the center of the track T ₁ , and similarly, the centers of the recording head W ₂ and the reproducing head R ₂ are the centers of the track T ₅ . When,
The center of the recording head W ₃ and the reproducing head R _{3 is} the center of the track T ₉ , and the center of the recording head W ₄ and the reproducing head R ₄ is the track T _13.
Is consistent with the center of. Next, while recording the relative position between each head and each track, in the case of recording, the magnetic tape 21 is run in the X direction, and the recording heads W ₁ and W ₃ move the tracks T ₁ and T ₉ . When the recording up to the tape end for simultaneous recording is completed, the magnetic tape 21 is moved in the -X direction this time, and the tracks T ₅ and T ₁₃ are simultaneously recorded by the recording heads W ₂ and W ₄ . After completion of the recording to the tape end, the combination head 23 is moved in the -Y direction by a, the center of the recording head W ₁ and the reproducing head R ₁ is distribution to coincide with the center of the track T _2. While maintaining this relative position, the magnetic tape 21 is run again in the X direction, and the recording heads W ₁ and W ₃ move the tracks T ₂ and
Upon completion of the recording to T _10, it turns magnetic tape 2 in the -X direction
1 and drive track T with recording heads W ₂ and W ₄ .
Record at ₆ and T ₁₄ . In the same manner, recording is performed on all tracks T _{1 to} T ₁₆ . In the above example, since the number of reproducing heads and recording heads is 4 for 16 tracks, the relative position between the magnetic tape 21 and the combination head 23 is 4 positions.

Next, the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of this embodiment. FIG. 1 (a) shows a state without a magnetic tape mounted, and FIG. 1 (b) shows a state with a magnetic tape mounted.

The combination head 3 for recording / reproducing on / from the magnetic tape 1 is attached to a holder 4 which is a supporting member of the combination head 3. In the vicinity of the combination head 3, the light receiving element groups 5 and 6 for detecting the positions of the upper and lower ends of the magnetic tape 1 are also fixed to the holder 4. That is, the combination head 3, the light receiving element group 5,
6 and the holder 4 are integrated to form a movable portion 16. The holder 4 is fixed between the free ends of the other ends of the parallel plate springs 7a and 7b which are fixed in parallel at one end and are arranged in parallel. Is attached to. The fixed portion 8 is attached to a main frame (not shown) of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus. or,
As a head driving means for moving the combination head 3 in the width direction of the magnetic tape 1, a voice coil type linear motor 15 without friction load and dead zone is adopted. The voice coil type linear motor 15 includes a magnetic circuit 11 having a rectangular yoke structure fixed to the main frame, and a coil 10 for generating thrust, and the movable portion 16 is a coil.
The movable portion 16 and the coil 10 are interlocked with the movement of the movable portion 16 so that the thrust force generated in the coil 10 passes near the center of gravity of the movable portion 16.
It is connected to the coil 10 by a bobbin 9 which is a connecting member. With such a structure, highly accurate servo control can be realized in driving the combination head 3.

Note that 11a and 11b are magnets of the voice coil type linear motor 15, 11c is a central magnetic pole on which the coil 10 is inserted, and 11d is an outer magnetic pole. Reference numeral 11e is a common magnetic pole close to each end of an outer magnetic pole (not shown) facing the central magnetic pole 11c, the outer magnetic pole 11d, and the outer magnetic pole 11d, and the combination head 3 forms a closed circuit of the magnetic circuit 11 and the combination head 3 makes the magnetic circuit 11 It is designed so that it is not affected by the leakage magnetic flux of. Therefore, the influence of the leakage magnetic flux of the voice coil type linear motor 15 on the combination head 3 and the magnetic tape 1 can be reduced to ten and several 0e. Further, in the main frame, the light emitting element 12 located on the opposite side of the light receiving element groups 5 and 6 with the magnetic tape 1 sandwiched therebetween, and the combination head 4
Fixed guides 13 that are located on both sides of and guide the magnetic tape 1
a and 13b are attached.

FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of the tracking control of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the magnetic tape 1 has a track group 2 consisting of ₄₈ tracks T _{1 to} T ₄₈ formed at equal pitches in the Y direction. In this embodiment,
The width c of the magnetic tape 1 is 1/4 inch and the track pitch is 1
It is set to 20 μm. The combination head 3 is provided with ₁₆ recording heads W _{1 to} W ₁₆ and reproducing heads R _{1 to} R ₁₆ which are integral with each other. Each of the recording heads W ₁ ~W ₁₆ is
Playback heads R _{1 to} R arranged side by side in the Y direction with a pitch of 360 μm
_The pair of recording heads W _{1 to} W ₁₆ are arranged in parallel in the X direction or the −X direction. The pair of recording heads W _{1 to} W ₁₆ and the reproducing heads R _{1 to} R ₁₆ are alternately arranged in a state of being interchanged at each arrangement position in the Y direction.

In such a combination head 3, when the magnetic tape 1 is running in the X direction, recording is performed by the eight recording heads W _2n-1 (n = 1 to 8), and the magnetic tape 1 is recorded.
Is configured to perform recording with eight recording heads W _2n (n = 1 to 8) when traveling in the −X direction. Further, each time the magnetic tape 1 reciprocates, the combination head 3 is driven in the -Y direction, and the relative position with respect to the magnetic tape 1 is changed three times, so that a total of 48 tracks T ₁
~ Recording and reproduction for T ₄₈ can be performed. Further, the holder 4 is provided with a light receiving element group 5 on one end side composed of three light receiving elements D _{a1 to} D _a3 at a portion corresponding to the + Y direction end portion of the magnetic tape 1, and the −Y direction end portion. Similarly, a light receiving element group 6 on the other end side including three light receiving elements D _{b1 to} D _b3 is provided in a portion corresponding to. The fact that the number of light receiving elements of these light receiving element groups 5 and 6 is 3 means that the number of tracks T _{1 to} T _{3 in} the range in which the recording head W ₁ and the reproducing head R ₁ of the combination head 3 can move, for example. It corresponds to. The light receiving elements D _{a1 to} D _a3 and D _{b1 to} D _b3 have the same output level per unit light receiving area and are provided integrally with the combination head 3 by the holder 4, so that the combination head 3 can be moved in the ± Y direction. It is designed to move with the movement of. Light receiving element D _a1
~ D _a3 , D _b1 ~ D _b3 are arranged at the same pitch (120 μm) as the track pitch of the magnetic tape 1, and the light receiving elements D _a1 and D _b1 are the width (1/4 inch) of the magnetic tape 1 in the Y direction. When the combination head 3 is arranged at a position deviated from the position, and the recording head W ₁ and the reproducing head R _{1 of the} combination head 3 are at the position of the track T ₁ , the centers of the light receiving elements D _a1 and D _b1 are ±
It is arranged at a position corresponding to the end in the Y direction.

With the above configuration, for example, all the tracks T ₁ ...
When reproducing the T ₄₈ , first, when the magnetic tape 1 is running in the X direction, the head drive means is hood-back controlled to a high level so that the output difference between the light receiving elements D _a1 and D _b1 becomes zero. Eight tracks T with eight reproducing heads R _2n-1 (n = 1 to 8) while performing accurate tracking control
_When reproduction of _6n-5 (n = 1 to 8) is performed and reproduction up to the end of the magnetic tape 1 is completed, the magnetic tape 1 is moved in the -X direction this time, and the light receiving elements D _a1 and D _b1 While controlling the hood back so that the output difference becomes 0, the eight tracks T _{1 to} T are reproduced by the eight reproduction heads R _2n-1 (n = 1 to 8).
Play back _6n-3 (n = 1 to 8). In the same manner, the track switching operation and the track following operation are performed, and the reproduction of all the tracks T _{1 to} T ₄₈ is completed. The above operation is the same in the recording operation.

In this embodiment, the parallel leaf spring is used as the method of supporting the combination head 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to adopt a sliding type supporting method using a shaft and a bearing.

<Advantages of the Invention> As described above, in the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, since the secondary resonance frequency of the combination head or the like is low, it is possible to increase the loop gain in performing the positioning control of the combination head. Moreover, since the mechanism for moving the combination head has no non-linear characteristic and the phase delay is small, highly accurate and highly responsive positioning control is possible. Moreover, since the magnetic field generated by the voice coil type linear motor hardly leaks to the outside, the influence of this magnetic field does not reach the combination head or the magnetic tape, and there is no problem in magnetic recording and reproduction. Furthermore, if control is performed to keep the relative position of the combination head and the magnetic tape constant, then a guide post with a flange or a servo track provided on the magnetic tape becomes unnecessary, so high speed, high density and large capacity It is of great significance for the magnetic recording and reproduction of.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 3 are drawings for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a perspective view in a state where a magnetic tape is not mounted, and FIG. 1 (b) is FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a magnetic tape is mounted, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a configuration of tracking control, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view explaining recording and reproduction by a serpentine system. 1, 21 ...... Magnetic tape, 3, 23 ...... Combination head, 7a, 7b ...... Parallel leaf spring, 9 ...... Bobbin, 15 ...... Voice coil type linear motor, 16 ...... Moving part, R _{1 to} R ₁₆ …
… Playback head, T _{1 to} T ₄₈ …… Track, W _{1 to} W ₁₆ …… Recording head.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus for recording or reproducing on all tracks by moving a combination head having a smaller number of recording heads and reproducing heads than the number of tracks on the magnetic tape in the width direction of the magnetic tape.
A leaf spring whose base end is fixed and whose tip is free, and two parallel leaf springs to which a combination head is attached via a support member at the tip, and a combination head for switching the track are magnetic. A voice coil type linear motor that generates thrust for moving in the width direction of the tape, a movable part constituted by both the support member and the combination head, and a mover of the voice coil type linear motor are connected. And a connecting member for transmitting the thrust of the voice coil type linear motor to the vicinity of the center of gravity of the movable portion.
Also, a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus characterized in that a magnetic circuit of a stator of a voice coil type linear motor has a closed circuit configuration without providing a gap. 2. A combination head and a magnetic tape having a sensor for optically detecting a relative position between the combination head and the magnetic tape, and adjusting a thrust force of a voice coil type linear motor based on an output signal of the sensor. 2. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus performs a closed loop control for keeping a relative position with respect to.