Reel position-detecting device
AssigneeAnritsu Corporation
InventorsNorio Nakayama, Kiyosi Kimura, Yoshikazu Komatsu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reel position-detecting device for use in a magnetic tape drive unit, designed to determine whether or not a supply reel has been positioned upside down in a retainer. When reel-detecting means detects that the supply reel has been set in the retainer, the retainer is rotated in the opposite direction to the tape-supply direction. If tape supply-detecting means detects the magnetic tape and then ceases to detect the tape within a predetermined period, processing means determines that the supply reel has been correctly positioned. Otherwise, the processing means determines that the supply reel has been positioned upside down.
Claims25
A reel position-detecting device for use in a magnetic tape drive unit wherein magnetic tape is automatically taken up from a supply reel set in a retainer to a takeup section, said device being designed for detecting that the supply reel has been mistakenly set upside down in a retainer, and comprising:
- reel-detecting means for detecting whether or not the supply reel has been set in the retainer, and for generating a reel-detection signal upon detecting that the supply reel has been set in the retainer;
- tape supply-detecting means provided near the retainer and in a tape path extending from the retainer to the takeup section, for detecting whether or not the magnetic tape is being supplied through the tape path, and for generating a tape-detection signal upon detecting that the magnetic tape is being supplied through the tape path;
- reel drive means for rotating the retainer, thereby rotating the supply reel set in the retainer;
- and
- processing means responsive to the reel-detection signal, for controlling the reel drive means, to rotate the retainer in such direction that the magnetic tape is taken up by the supply reel, and for determining that the supply reel has been positioned correctly, when the tape-detection signal disappears within a predetermined period as the retainer is rotated, and determining that the supply reel has been positioned upside down, when the tape detection signal persists beyond said period.
A magnetic tape drive unit comprising:
- a retainer for supporting a supply reel with magnetic tape wound about it;
- a takeup section for taking up the magnetic tape from the supply reel;
- a tape path provided between the retainer and the takeup section for supplying the magnetic tape;
- tape supply means for automatically supplying the magnetic tape from the supply reel to the takeup section via the tape path;
- reel-detecting means for detecting whether or not the supply reel has been set in the retainer, and for generating a reel-detection signal upon detecting that the supply reel haas been set in the retainer;
- tape supply detecting means provided near the retainer and in a tape path, for detecting whether or not the magnetic tape is being supplied through the tape path, and for generating a tape-detection signal upon detecting that the magnetic tape is being supplied through the tape path;
- reel drive means for rotating the retainer, thereby rotating the supply reel set in the retainer;
- first processing means responsive to the reel detection signal, for controlling the reel drive means, to rotate the retainer in such a direction that the magnetic tape is taken up by the supply reel, and for determining that the supply reel has been positioned correctly, when the tape-detection signal disappears within a predetermined period as the retainer is rotated, thereby generating a signal indicating that the supply reel has been positioned correctly, and for determining that the supply reel has been positioned upside down, when the tape-detection signal persists beyond said period, thereby generating a signal indicating that the supply reel has been positioned upside down;
- and
- second processing means for controlling, in response to the signal indicating that the supply reel has been positioned correctly, the reel drive means, to rotate the supply reel in such a direction that the magnetic tape is supplied to the takeup section, and for controlling, in response to the signal indicating that the supply reel has been positioned upside down, the reel drive means, to stop the supply reel.
A method of detecting that a supply reel has been mistakenly set upside down in a retainer in a magnetic tape drive unit wherein magnetic tape is automatically taken up from the supply reel set in the retainer to a takeup section, said method comprising the steps of:
- generating a reel-detection signal when the supply reel has been set in the retainer;
- generating a tape-detection signal when the magnetic tape is detected to be at a point near the retainer and in a tape path extending from the retainer to the takeup section;
- rotating the retainer in response to the tape-detection signal, thereby rotating the supply reel set in the retainer to take up the magnetic tape;
- and
- determining that the supply reel has been positioned correctly, when the tape-detection signal disappears within a predetermined period as the retainer is rotated, and determining that the supply reel has been positioned upside down, when the tape detection signal persists beyond said period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.