JP2001266316A - Magnetic head device and magnetic recording/reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reliably perform cleaning without destroying a magneto-resistance effect magnetic head by static electricity. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a drum device composed of a cylindrical fixed drum and a rotary drum having a cylindrical shape roughly similar to the fixed drum and disposed so as to be freely rotated, at least one or more magnetic heads disposed to be protruded from the peripheral surface of the drum device and having magneto-resistance effect elements, and cleaning members disposed to be abutted on the magneto-resistance effect elements of the magnetic heads. The cleaning members are mainly made of materials closely resembling materials constituting the fixed and rotary drums and/or the charging rows of the members constituting the magneto-effect resistance elements.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic head device and a magnetic recording / reproducing device for recording and / or reproducing signals on, for example, a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a magnetic head device provided with a rotating drum having a magnetic head for performing recording and reproduction on a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. This magnetic head device is used for a recording / reproducing device of a so-called helical scan magnetic recording system. The magnetic head device is
For example, a cylindrical fixed drum that is not driven to rotate, a rotary drum rotatably disposed with respect to the fixed drum, a plurality of magnetic heads protruding from the peripheral surface of the rotary drum, and rotating the rotary drum And a motor. Also,
A lead guide portion is engraved on the peripheral surface of the fixed drum so that the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is obliquely engaged with the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium.

[0003] The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus has a running system for running a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium while attaching a magnetic head device. The traveling system draws the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium from a supply roll around which the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is wound, ties the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium to a magnetic head device, and a lead guide section engraved on a fixed drum. The tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is caused to travel along.

In the magnetic head device, the rotating drum rotates while the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium travels along the lead guide portion, so that the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium moves at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the traveling tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. The magnetic head is scanned while tilted. Thereby, the magnetic head device forms a recording track inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium.

On the other hand, in recent years, signals have been recorded at a high density on a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium to increase the capacity of magnetic recording. Under such circumstances, as a magnetic head device, a magnetoresistive head having a magnetoresistive element as a reproducing magnetic head has been adopted. According to the magneto-resistance effect type magnetic head, a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium recorded at a high density can be reliably reproduced.

[0006]

However, in such a magnetic head device, the magnetic head may become dirty as the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium runs. In such a case, the magnetic head is cleaned by rotating the rotary drum and by bringing the cleaning member attached to the recording / reproducing apparatus into contact with the magnetic head. Further, the cleaning of the magnetic head may be performed not only when the magnetic head becomes dirty but also at every so-called loading.

However, when such cleaning is performed, static electricity is generated between the magnetic head and the cleaning member, and the magnetic head may be damaged due to the static electricity. In particular, when a magnetoresistive head is employed as the magnetic head, once static electricity is generated, the magnetoresistive head is often destroyed.

As described above, the conventional magnetic head device and the magnetic recording / reproducing device have a disadvantage that the magnetic head device is damaged at the time of cleaning, and there is a problem that the reliability is inferior. In particular, since the magnetoresistive head is destroyed by static electricity, the conventional magnetic head device and magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus cannot be configured to have both the cleaning member and the magnetoresistive head. There was a problem.

In view of the above, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and it is possible to reliably perform cleaning without destroying a magnetoresistive magnetic head by static electricity. It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic head device and a magnetic recording / reproducing device which are excellent in performance.

[0010]

A magnetic head device according to the present invention which has achieved the above-mentioned object has a cylindrical fixed drum and a cylindrical shape substantially the same as the fixed drum, and is rotatably disposed. A drum device composed of a rotating drum, at least one or more magnetic heads having a magnetoresistive effect element disposed to protrude from the peripheral surface of the drum device, and a magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head; A cleaning member disposed so as to be in contact with the drum, wherein the cleaning member is mainly made of a material close to a charged row of a material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum and / or a material forming the magnetoresistive element. It is characterized by becoming.

In the magnetic head device according to the present invention configured as described above, the cleaning member is brought into contact with the magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head while rotating the rotary drum, so that the magnetoresistive element is formed by the cleaning member. Clean. At this time, the cleaning member
Since the main material is a material close to the charging line of the material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum and / or the material forming the magnetoresistive element, charging is prevented.

Further, a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
A cylindrical fixed drum, a drum device having a cylindrical shape substantially the same shape as the fixed drum, and a rotatable drum rotatably disposed, and disposed so as to protrude from a peripheral surface of the drum device; At least one having a magnetoresistive element
A magnetic head device having the above-described magnetic head; and a cleaning member disposed so as to be able to contact a magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head of the magnetic head device. It is characterized in that it is mainly composed of a material close to a charged row of a material forming the rotating drum and / or a material forming the magnetoresistive element.

In the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, the cleaning member is brought into contact with the magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head while rotating the rotary drum, so that the cleaning element can be used to generate the magnetoresistive element. To clean. At this time, the cleaning member is mainly made of a material close to a charged row of the material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum and / or the material forming the magnetoresistive element, so that charging is prevented. .

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of a magnetic head device and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a magnetic head device to which the present invention is applied is obliquely inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a magnetic tape 1). A magnetic head device 3 used in the recording / reproducing device 2 of a so-called helical scan magnetic recording / reproducing system for forming a recorded track will be described.

The recording / reproducing apparatus 2 is disposed at one end of a traveling path of the magnetic tape 1 and is provided at a supply reel 4 around which the magnetic tape 1 is wound, and is disposed at the other end of the traveling path, and travels on the traveling path. A take-up roll 5 for winding the magnetic tape 1, and a plurality of guide rollers 6 disposed in the middle of the running of the magnetic tape 1 for hanging the magnetic tape 1 on the magnetic head device 3.
And a capstan motor 7 and a capstan 8 for moving the magnetic tape 1 at a predetermined tension and speed. That is, as shown by an arrow a in FIG.
It is sent at a predetermined tension and speed by a capstan 8 rotated and driven by a capstan motor 7, sent from a supply reel 4 via a guide roller 6, and wound around the magnetic head device 3. Recording and reproduction are performed. The magnetic tape 1 recorded and reproduced by the magnetic head device 3 is sent to the take-up roll 5 through the guide roller 6, the capstan 8, and the guide roller 6 in order.

The magnetic head device 3 has a cleaning device 9 disposed so as to be able to contact and separate from the peripheral surface as shown by an arrow b in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the magnetic head device 3 comprises a cylindrical fixed drum 10, a cylindrical rotary drum 11, a motor 12 for driving the rotary drum 11, and a stationary drum. A cleaning device 9 mounted on the drum 10; a pair of inductive magnetic heads 13a and 13b mounted on the rotary drum 11;
1 provided with a pair of MR heads 14a and 14b.

The fixed drum 10 is a drum that is held without rotating. On the side surface of the fixed drum 10, a lead guide 1 is provided along the running direction of the magnetic tape 1.
5 are formed. As described above, the magnetic tape 1 travels along the lead guide 15 on the traveling path. The rotating drum 11 is disposed so that the center axis of the fixed drum 10 coincides with the center axis.

In the recording / reproducing apparatus 2, the rotating drum 11
Is rotationally driven by the motor 12 as shown by an arrow A in FIG. On the other hand, the magnetic tape 1
Along the zero lead guide portion 15, it is sent so as to slide obliquely with respect to the fixed drum 10 and the rotating drum 11. That is, the magnetic tape 1 is fed along the tape guide direction from the tape inlet side along the lead guide portion 15 so as to be in sliding contact with the fixed drum 10 and the rotating drum 11 as shown by an arrow B in FIG. Then, as shown by an arrow C in FIG.

The rotary drum 11 is a drum that is driven to rotate at a predetermined rotation speed by a motor 12 during recording and reproduction on the magnetic tape 1. The rotating drum 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape having substantially the same diameter as the fixed drum 10, and is arranged such that the center axis of the rotating drum 11 coincides with that of the fixed drum 10. Then, a pair of inductive magnetic heads 13a, 13
b and a pair of MR heads 14a and 14b are mounted on the side of the rotating drum 11 facing the fixed drum 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning device 9 includes a fixed drum 1 with a pair of screws 17 via a mounting plate 16.
It is fixed to 0. The cleaning device 9 includes a cleaning roller 1 rotatable about a shaft 18.
9, a shift lever 21 rotatably arranged with respect to the pivot 20 and rotatably supporting the cleaning roller 19 by the shaft 18, and a shift lever 21 arranged on the mounting plate 16 and rotating the shift lever 21. And a plunger 22 for generating an urging force.

In the cleaning device 9, at least the main surface of the cleaning roller 19 which is in contact with the magnetic head device 3 is made of a material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum, a material forming the inductive magnetic heads 13a and 13b, and an MR head. 14a and 14b are formed of a material that is close to the charged row of the material that constitutes 14a and 14b. In particular,
The material constituting the fixed drum and the rotating drum is Al
And the inductive magnetic heads 13a, 13a
b and the materials constituting the MR heads 14a and 14b can be exemplified by Zn.
Manila hemp, as a material whose charging sequence is close to those of Al and Zn,
Hemp, cotton and silk can be used.

Inductive magnetic heads 13a, 13
Reference numeral b denotes a recording magnetic head in which a pair of magnetic cores are joined via a magnetic gap and a coil is wound around the magnetic core, and is used when recording a signal on the magnetic tape 1. . The inductive magnetic heads 13a and 13b are respectively formed on the rotating drum 11 such that the angle formed therebetween with respect to the center of the rotating drum 11 is 180 °, and their magnetic gap portions protrude from the outer periphery of the rotating drum 11. It is installed. In addition,
These inductive magnetic heads 13a, 13b
Is to perform azimuth recording on the magnetic tape 1,
The azimuth angles are set to be opposite to each other.

On the other hand, the MR heads 14a and 14b are reproducing magnetic heads having an MR element as a magnetic sensing element for detecting a signal from the magnetic tape 1, and are used when reproducing a signal from the magnetic tape 1. . These MR heads 14a and 14b form an angle of 180 ° with the center of the rotating drum 11 so that the magnetic gap portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the rotating drum.
It is installed in. Note that these MR heads 14a,
14b is set so that the azimuth angles are opposite to each other so that signals recorded in azimuth on the magnetic tape 1 can be reproduced. Hereinafter, these MR heads 14
a and 14b are collectively referred to as an MR head 14.

The MR head 14 is a read-only magnetic head mounted on the rotating drum 11 and detecting a signal from the magnetic tape 1 by a helical scan method using a magnetoresistance effect. Generally, MR heads are more suitable for high-density recording because they have higher sensitivity and higher reproduction output than inductive magnetic heads that perform recording and reproduction using electromagnetic induction. Therefore, higher density recording can be achieved by using the MR head 14 as the reproducing magnetic head.

As shown in FIG. 4, the MR head 14 has a pair of magnetic shields 51 and 52 made of a soft magnetic material such as Ni—Zn polycrystalline ferrite, and a pair of magnetic shields 51 and 52 via an insulator 53. A substantially rectangular MR element portion 54 sandwiched between the magnetic shields 51 and 52 is provided. In addition, a pair of terminals are led out from both ends of the MR element unit 54, and a sense current can be supplied to the MR element unit 54 through these terminals.

The MR element section 54 includes an MR element having a magnetoresistance effect, a SAL (Soft Adjacent Layer) film,
An insulator film disposed between the R element and the SAL film is laminated. MR element has anisotropic magnetoresistance effect (AMR)
, The resistance value of which varies with the magnitude of the external magnetic field
It is made of a soft magnetic material such as i-Fe. SAL membrane is
This is for applying a bias magnetic field to the MR element by a so-called SAL bias method, and is made of a magnetic material having a low coercive force and a high magnetic permeability such as permalloy. The insulator film is used to insulate the MR element and the SAL film from each other and to prevent electrical shunt loss, and is made of an insulating material such as Ta.

The MR element portion 54 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and a pair of magnetic shields 51 and 52 form an insulator 5 so that one side surface is exposed to the magnetic tape sliding surface 55.
3. More specifically, the MR element 54 has a pair of magnetic shields such that the short axis direction is substantially perpendicular to the magnetic tape sliding surface 55 and the long axis direction is substantially perpendicular to the magnetic tape sliding direction. 51 and 52 sandwich the insulator 53 therebetween.

The magnetic tape sliding surface 5 of the MR head 14
5 is cylindrically polished along the sliding direction of the magnetic tape 1 so that one side of the MR element portion 54 is exposed on the sliding surface 55 of the magnetic tape. Cylindrically polished along the direction perpendicular to the direction.
Thus, the MR head 14 is configured such that the MR element portion 54 or a portion in the vicinity thereof protrudes most.
In this way, by making the MR element portion 54 or the vicinity thereof most protrude, the contact characteristics of the MR element portion 54 with respect to the magnetic tape 1 can be improved.

When reproducing a signal from the magnetic tape 1 using the MR head 14 as described above, the magnetic tape 1 is slid on the MR element 54 as shown in FIG. The arrows in FIG. 5 schematically show how the magnetic tape 1 is magnetized.

Then, with the magnetic tape 1 slid in the MR element section 54, the MR element section 5 is connected via the terminals 54a and 54b connected to both ends of the MR element section 54.
4 is supplied with a sense current, and a voltage change of the sense current is detected. Specifically, a predetermined voltage Vc is applied from a terminal 54a connected to one end of the MR element 54, and a terminal 54b connected to the other end of the MR element 54 is
Connected to the rotating drum 11.

When a sense current is supplied to the MR element section 54 while the magnetic tape 1 is slid, the M formed on the MR element section 54 responds to the magnetic field from the magnetic tape 1.
The resistance value of the R element changes, and as a result, a voltage change occurs in the sense current. Therefore, by detecting the voltage change of the sense current, the signal magnetic field from the magnetic tape 1 is detected, and the signal recorded on the magnetic tape 1 is reproduced.

In the MR head 14 used, M
The MR element formed in the R element section 54 may be any element that exhibits a magnetoresistance effect. For example, a so-called giant magnetoresistance in which a larger magnetoresistance effect is obtained by laminating a plurality of thin films. Effect element (GMR element)
Alternatively, a tunnel magnetoresistive element (TMR element) using the tunnel magnetoresistive effect can be used. Also, MR
The method of applying a bias magnetic field to the element may not be the SAL bias method, for example, a permanent magnet bias method,
Various methods such as a shunt current bias method, a self-bias method, an exchange bias method, a barber pole method, a split element method, and a servo bias method can be applied.

In the recording / reproducing device 2 configured as described above, the magnetic head device 3 is stained with recording / reproducing on the magnetic tape 1. In particular, if dust or dust adheres to the inductive magnetic heads 13a, 13b or the MR head 14, the recording / reproducing characteristics deteriorate. Therefore, the above-described magnetic head device 3
Then, by driving the cleaning device 9, it is possible to clean the peripheral surfaces where the inductive magnetic heads 13a and 13b and the MR head 14 are exposed.

The cleaning device 9 first drives the plunger 22 when it is determined that the inductive magnetic heads 13a and 13b and the MR head 14 need to be cleaned. By driving the plunger 22, the shift lever 21 is urged to bring the cleaning roller 19 into contact with the magnetic head device 3. By rotating the rotary drum 11 in this state, the cleaning roller 19 comes into sliding contact with the peripheral surface of the rotary drum 11, and the inductive magnetic heads 13 a and 13 b and the MR heads 14 a and 14 attached to the rotary drum 11.
b can be sequentially cleaned.

At this time, the cleaning roller 19 is made of a material constituting the rotating drum, such as manila hemp, hemp, cotton, silk, etc., a material constituting the inductive magnetic heads 13a, 13b, and a material constituting the MR heads 14a, 14b. Since it is made of a material close to the charged row, generation of static electricity due to sliding contact is prevented.

If the cleaning roller 19 is made of a material such as foamed polyurethane, the cleaning roller 19 is charged with the sliding contact. In this case, due to the charging of the cleaning roller 19, the MR head 14
a and 14b cause a high voltage current to flow through the MR head 14
The MR elements 54a and 14b are destroyed.

However, the above-described magnetic head device 3
In this case, since the charging of the cleaning roller 19 can be reliably prevented, it is possible to prevent the MR heads 14a and 14b from being broken. Therefore, the magnetic head device 3 including the above-described cleaning roller 19 can reliably clean the inductive magnetic heads 13a and 13b and the MR heads 14a and 14b and has excellent reliability.

In the above-described example, the magnetic head device 3 having the cleaning roller 19 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a magnetic head device 3, and the magnetic head device 3 and the cleaning roller 19 can be applied to a magnetic recording / reproducing device provided separately.

That is, although not shown, the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus to which the present invention is applied has a cleaning device which can be freely brought into contact with and separated from the peripheral surface of the magnetic head device. It may be one that comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the head device. Also in this case, the cleaning roller of the cleaning device is formed of a material forming a fixed drum, a material forming a rotating drum, a material forming an inductive magnetic head, and a material close to a charged row of a material forming an MR head. Thereby, charging of the cleaning roller can be reliably prevented.
Thereby, also in this magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, due to static electricity between the cleaning roller and the MR head,
Destruction of the MR head can be reliably prevented. Therefore, the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus can reliably clean the MR head and the like of the magnetic head device and have excellent reliability.

[0042]

As described above in detail, in the magnetic head device according to the present invention, the material of the cleaning member is changed to the material of the fixed drum and the rotating drum.
Alternatively, the material is close to the charged row of the material constituting the magnetoresistive element. Thereby, in the magnetic head device,
It is possible to prevent the magnetoresistive effect element from being destroyed by static electricity, and the device has excellent reliability.

Also, the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention
The material of the cleaning member is a material close to a charged row of the material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum and / or the material forming the magnetoresistive element. As a result, in the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, it is possible to prevent the magnetoresistive element from being destroyed by static electricity, and the reliability is excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a configuration example of a recording / reproducing device including a magnetic head device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a magnetic head device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a magnetic head device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of an MR reproducing head mounted on the rotary drum, with a part cut away.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing how a signal from a magnetic tape is reproduced using an MR reproducing head.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 magnetic tape, 2 recording / reproducing device, 3 magnetic head device, 9 cleaning device, 10 fixed drum, 11
Rotary drum, 12 motor, 19 cleaning roller

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A drum device comprising a cylindrical fixed drum, a cylindrical drum having substantially the same shape as the fixed drum, and a rotatable drum arranged rotatably, and protruding from a peripheral surface of the drum device. And at least one or more magnetic heads having a magnetoresistive element, and a cleaning member arranged to be able to contact the magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head, wherein the cleaning member is A magnetic head device mainly comprising a material that is close to a charged row of a material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum and / or a material forming the magnetoresistive element. 2. The magnetic head device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member is made of at least one material selected from Manila hemp, cotton, and silk. 3. The magnetic head device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetoresistive element is an anisotropic magnetoresistive element, a giant magnetoresistive element, or a tunnel magnetoresistive element. 4. A drum device comprising a cylindrical fixed drum, a cylindrical drum having substantially the same shape as the fixed drum, and a rotatable drum arranged so as to protrude from a peripheral surface of the drum device. A magnetic head device having at least one or more magnetic heads having a magnetoresistive element, and a cleaning member disposed so as to be in contact with the magnetoresistive element of the magnetic head of the magnetic head device. Wherein the cleaning member is mainly made of a material that is close to a charged row of a material forming the fixed drum and the rotating drum and / or a material forming the magnetoresistive element. Playback device. 5. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning member is made of at least one material selected from Manila hemp, cotton and silk. 6. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetoresistive element is an anisotropic magnetoresistive element, a giant magnetoresistive element, or a tunnel magnetoresistive element.