MAGNETIC HEAD

PURPOSE:TO obtain good recording and reproducing characteristics in a short time and to prolong the life of a magnetic head by forming the front end of the magnetic tape-sliding surface of the magnetic head to an approximately hyperbolic shape. CONSTITUTION:The shape of the front end of the magnetic head in the head scanning direction of the magnetic tape-sliding surface of the magnetic head is formed to the hyperbolic shape having a radius R of curvature decreasing near a head gap and increasing the further from the head gap. A solid line 9 in Fig. shows the shape of the sliding surface of the magnetic head and a broken line 10 shows the sliding surface shape of the conventional magnetic head expressed by the single radius of curvature. Both surfaces intersect with each other at points A, A'. Then, the conventional magnetic head of the broken line 10 is larger in the cross sectional area by 1s, 1s' than the solid line 9 in the initial period of traveling of the tape and, therefore, the wear rate is slower with the conventional head. The solid line 9 is larger in the cross sectional area by 2s, 2s' than the broken line 10 when the tape travels up to points A, A' and, therefore, the magnetic head having the hyperbolic shape is slower in the wear rate. As a result, the stable head tape contact state is obtd. by short time of running-in traveling and the longer life is obtd.