Recording and/or reproducing apparatus having tape travel direction control arrangement which prevents tape slippage and slack generation

A system for regulating tension applied to a tape which selectively travels in one of first and second directions in a recording an/or reproducing apparatus which has:

• a first reel table which supports a first reel onto which the tape, when traveling in the first direction, is wound,
• a second reel table which supports a second reel onto which the tape, when traveling in the second direction, is wound, and
• driving means for causing the tape to selectively travel in one of the first and second directions, said system comprising:
• a tension control arm for applying tension to the tape when the tape is traveling in the second direction, and for releasing the application of tension to the tape when the tape is traveling in the first direction;
• biasing means for biasing said tension control arm in a first tension control direction so as to cause said tension control arm to apply tension to the tape when the tape is traveling in the second direction;
• braking means, responsive to the tension in the tape, for causing said tension control arm to move in a second tension control direction for regulating the tension applied to the tape when the tape is traveling in the second direction;
• and
• thrusting means for forcing the first reel table to rotate by a predetermined amount in a direction wherein the tape moves in the first direction and is wound onto the first reel and slack in the tape is taken up immediately before the driving means causes the tape to travel in the second direction, so as to prevent the tape from becoming loose when the traveling direction of the tape is switched from the first direction to the second direction.

A system for regulating tension applied to a tape in an apparatus wherein the tape is selectively driven in one of first and second directions by a tape drive means, comprising:

• tension applying means for applying tension to the tape when the tape travels in the second direction, and for releasing the application of tension to the tape when the tape travels in the first direction;
• control means for controlling said tension applying means to regulate the tension applied to the tape when the tape travels in the second direction, said control means including a cam wheel with first and second cam means,
• a spring biased pivotal tension control lever, which forms part of said tension applying means, operatively connected with the first cam means;
• and
• slack take-up means, operatively connected with the second cam means, for taking up slack in the tape before the drive means causes the tape to travel in the second direction, and for preventing the tape from becoming loose when the traveling direction of the tape is switched from the first direction to the second direction.