Tape guiding mechanism, magnetic tape apparatus, and method for manufacturing magnetic tape

A magnetic tape apparatus for reading and/or writing a magnetic tape, comprising:

• a magnetic tape transport system in which a take-up reel takes up the magnetic tape fed from a feed reel, to cause the magnetic tape to travel;
• a magnetic head for reading and/or writing the traveling magnetic tape;
• and
• a tape guiding mechanism for guiding the traveling magnetic tape, comprising a guide roller for guiding the traveling magnetic tape, and a regulator which rubs against at least one edge of the traveling tape in a width direction of the traveling magnetic tape,
• wherein the magnetic head comprises a sliding surface on which the traveling magnetic tape slides, and the sliding surface is sloped in such a way that another side of the sliding surface protrudes with respect to the one side in the width direction of the magnetic tape,
• wherein the guide roller comprises a circumferential surface with which the traveling tape is in contact, a spiral groove is formed on the circumferential surface around an axis of the guide roller, the spiral groove being adapted to cause the traveling magnetic tape to shift to one side in the width direction on the circumferential surface of the guide roller, and
• wherein the regulator is provided between the guide roller and the magnetic head.

A method for manufacturing a magnetic tape using a servo writer comprising:

• a magnetic tape transport system in which a take-up reel takes up the magnetic tape fed from a feed reel, to cause the magnetic tape to travel;
• a servo signal writing head for writing a servo signal for performing a tracking control of a magnetic head;
• and
• a tape guiding mechanism for guiding the traveling magnetic tape, comprising a guide roller for guiding the traveling magnetic tape, and a regulator which rubs against at least one edge of the traveling tape in a width direction of the traveling magnetic tape,
• wherein the servo signal writing head comprises a sliding surface on which the traveling magnetic tape slides, and the sliding surface is sloped in such a way that another side of the sliding surface protrudes with respect to the one side in the width direction of the magnetic tape,
• wherein the guide roller comprises a circumferential surface with which the traveling tape is in contact, a spiral groove is formed on the circumferential surface around an axis of the guide roller, the spiral groove being adapted to cause the traveling magnetic tape to shift to one side in the width direction on the circumferential surface of the guide roller, and
• wherein the regulator is provided between the guide roller and the servo signal writing head,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• making the magnetic tape travel from the feed reel to the take-up reel by the magnetic tape transport system;
• and
• writing a servo signal on a servo band of the magnetic tape by the servo signal writing head while guiding the traveling magnetic tape by the tape guiding mechanism.

A tape guiding mechanism for guiding a traveling tape, comprising:

• a guide roller for guiding the traveling tape;
• a magnetic head from reading and/or writing the traveling magnetic tape;
• and
• a regulator which rubs against at least one edge of the traveling tape in its width direction,
• wherein the magnetic head comprises a sliding surface on which the traveling magnetic tape slides, and the sliding surface is sloped in such a way that another side of the sliding surface protrudes with respect to the one side in the width direction of the magnetic tape, and
• wherein the guide roller comprises a circumferential surface with which the tape is in contact, and a plurality of air blow-off holes are formed on the circumferential surface around an axis of the guide roller.