# US 5,335,128 A · Cleaning roller for head cylinder of magnetic tape unit

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 5,335,128 A
- Document ID: US5335128A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/876,172
- Filed: 1992-04-30
- Granted: 1994-08-02
- Earliest claimed: 1991-12-10
- Assignees: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kouji Morinaka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5335128A

## CPC

- G11B 5/41: Cleaning of heads {(of record carriers G11B23/50)}
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)

## Abstract

A cleaning roller for a head cylinder, particularly for video heads, of a magnetic tape unit, is characterized in that an insert hole, receiving a support shaft for a cleaning roller cylinder, includes two wide portions and one narrow portion. This enables the cleaning roller to always contact closely and evenly with the head cylinder, since vibrations caused by the support shaft are absorbed by the insert hole.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cleaning roller for a head cylinder of a magnetic tape unit comprising:
a substantially cylindrical cleaning pad having a bore formed therein;
a cylinder received within said bore and having an insert hole passing therethrough, said insert hole including a small diameter center portion and a pair of larger diameter end portions, said center portion being disposed between said end portions and having an inner diameter which is substantially smaller than inner diameters of said end portions;
a support shaft extending through said insert hole and having an outer diameter which is approximately the same size as the inner diameter of said center portion and substantially smaller than inner diameters of said end portions so that said cylinder is supported on said shaft by said small diameter center portion of said insert hole;
said cleaning pad and cylinder being rotatable around said support shaft and pivotable around said center portion of said insert hole, relative to said support shaft, so that said pad is always kept in close and even contact with a surface of said head cylinder;
said cylinder being formed with a groove in an outer circumferential surface thereof in which an inner portion of said cleaning pad is embedded so that said cylinder and said cleaning pad move together as a unit; and
a stopper plate mounted on said support shaft and engaging one end of said cylinder to secure said cleaning roller to said support shaft;
said one end of said cylinder being formed by a flange overlying part of one end of said cleaning pad.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A cleaning roller as defined by claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of one of said end portions is larger than the inner diameter of the other of said end portions.

### Claim 3

A cleaning roller for a head cylinder of a magnetic tape unit comprising:
a substantially cylindrical cleaning pad having a bore formed therein;
a cylinder received within said bore and having an insert hole passing therethrough, said insert hole including a small diameter center portion and a pair of larger diameter end portions, said center portion being disposed between said end portions and having an inner diameter which is substantially smaller than inner diameters of said end portions;
a support shaft extending through said insert hole and having an outer diameter which is approximately the same size as the inner diameter of said center portion and substantially smaller than inner diameters of said end portions so that said cylinder is supported on said shaft by said small diameter center portion of said insert hole;
said cleaning pad and cylinder being rotatable around said support shaft and pivotable around said center portion of said insert hole, relative to said support shaft, so that said pad is always kept in close and even contact with a surface of said head cylinder;
said cylinder being formed with a groove in an outer circumferential surface thereof in which an inner portion of said cleaning pad is embedded so that said cylinder and said cleaning pad move together as a unit;
a stopper plate mounted on said support shaft and engaging one end of said cylinder to secure said cleaning roller to said support shaft;
and a cover plate covering another end of said cylinder opposite to said one end of said cylinder and moveable along a longitudinal axis of said support shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A cleaning roller as defined by claim 3, wherein the inner diameter of one of said end portions is larger than the inner diameter of the other of said end portions.