Magnetic tape recording head cleaning apparatus

摘要

The present invention provides an apparatus using dry cleaning techniques for cleaning a read/write head of the contact transducing type such as found on computer data backup tape drive systems. The apparatus includes a housing enclosing a supply reel holding a supply of cleaning tape, a takeup reel for holding used or soiled cleaning tape, and a gear train for transmitting rotary power at a reduced rotational speed from an external power source such as the tape drive capstan to the takeup reel. The gear train includes a plurality of gears that constitute a gear reduction system such that the cleaning tape can be driven past the head at an effective cleaning speed which is substantially less than the normal read/write speed of the tape drive. The apparatus further includes a movable shutter mechanism for blocking one of a pair of light paths between a light emitter and a light sensor forming part of the tape drive system, thereby providing a unique signal to the tape drive. The shutter mechanism is activated upon insertion into the tape drive by the tensioning of the cleaning tape against the shutter mechanism so as to move it into operational, light-path blocking position against the influence of a biasing spring, thereby alerting the tape drive that a cleaning apparatus has been inserted into the tape drive so that the cleaning cycle operates for a tape drive manufacturer preferred time period.