Patent EP0114115A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0114115A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tape recorder cleaner
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-01-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-01-16
Abstract
Abstract A cleaning device for a cassette-type tape recorder wherein a cassette shell (1) is provided with a longitudinally reciprocating bar (25) adjacent the edge of the shell normally aligned with the heads of the recorder in use, the reciprocating bar being provided with a number of cleaning pads (19) which contact and clean the heads and drive rollers in the tape recorder in a reciprocating manner. In the preferred form of the invention three cleaning pads (19) are provided to clean the erase head, the record/playback head, and the capstan and pinch roller respectively. The bar is reciprocated by a cam drive (14, 15, 16) from a hub member (3) rotated by a drive spindle in the tape recorder. In the preferred form of the invention two hub members (3, 8) are provided, one being engaged with the forward take-up spindle and the other with the reverse take-up spindle of the tape recorder so that the cleaning device can operate either way up or in conjunction with an auto-reverse tape recorder regardless of the playing direction engaged.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Robert Stanton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:36
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/41
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
Apparatus for cleaning a plurality of components in a cassette-type tape recorder which are contacted by magnetic tape in use of the recorder, said apparatus comprising a base element (1) adapted to be inserted into the recorder in the same manner as a tape cassette, at least one hub member (3) rotatably mounted on the base element (1) and arranged to engage and be rotated by a drive spindle in said recorder, and drive means (7. 13. 15) driven by said hub and arranged to reciprocate a cleaning pad (19) across at least one of the said components: characterised by the provision of a mounting structure (10) slidably mounted in guides (11) associated with the base element (1) and positioned for reciprocal motion substantially parallel to the path of magnetic tape across the heads of the recorder. and wherein the drive means is operable between the or each hub member (3) and the mounting structure (10), and arranged to reciprocate the mounting structure (10) in said reciprocal motion upon rotation of the hub member (3), and wherein a plurality of cleaning pads (19) are provided mounted on said mounting structure (10) and arranged so that each said pad reciprocates over the surface of at least one said component when said mounting structure (10) is reciprocated by said drive means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
Apparatus for cleaning a plurality of components in a cassette-type tape recorder which are contacted by magnetic tape in use of the recorder, said apparatus comprising a base element (1) adapted to be inserted into the recorder in the same manner as a tape cassette, at least one hub member (3) rotatably mounted on the base element (1) and arranged to engage and be rotated by a drive spindle in said recorder, and drive means (7. 13. 15) driven by said hub and arranged to reciprocate a cleaning pad (19) across at least one of the said components: characterised by the provision of a mounting structure (10) slidably mounted in guides (11) associated with the base element (1) and positioned for reciprocal motion substantially parallel to the path of magnetic tape across the heads of the recorder. and wherein the drive means is operable between the or each hub member (3) and the mounting structure (10), and arranged to reciprocate the mounting structure (10) in said reciprocal motion upon rotation of the hub member (3), and wherein a plurality of cleaning pads (19) are provided mounted on said mounting structure (10) and arranged so that each said pad reciprocates over the surface of at least one said component when said mounting structure (10) is reciprocated by said drive means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means comprise cam means (7) rotated by the hub member and a cam follower (15) mounted on or connected to the mounting structure and engaged with said cam means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cam means comprise a cam wheel (7) incorporating a cam track (16) engaged by the cam follower (15), and wherein the cam follower is positively engaged in or on the cam track, providing reciprocating motion of the cam follower without the provision of a biassing spring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said cam wheel (7) and the or each hub member (3. 8) are provided with teeth (5. 6. 9) on the peripheries thereof, the teeth on the or each hub member being meshed with the teeth on the cam wheel providing a geared drive for the cam wheel from the or each hub member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein two said hub members (3. 8) are provided. one said hub member (3) being arranged to be rotated by the forward take-up spindle in the tape recorder, and the other said hub member (8) being arranged to be rotated by the reverse take-up spindle in the tape recorder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting structure comprises a mounting bar (10) arranged to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction. and wherein said guides comprise pins or abutments (11) depending from the base element on either side of said bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said mounting bar is provided on one side thereof with a plurality of pairs of outwardly extending transverse arms (17. 18), defining between each said pair a plurality of U-shaped recesses adapted to hold said cleaning pads (19).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said mounting bar is resiliently flexible, providing a biassing force on each said cleaning pad toward the respective said component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein three said cleaning pads (19) are provided spaced along said bar. and wherein said resilient bar is discontinuous adjacent the central one of the three cleaning pads, the two sections of the bar so formed being connected by a bridge (22) extending from a point on the opposite side of the central pad from the discontinuity (21), to the other section of the bar, so that the central pad is supported on a cantilevered portion (23) of the bar.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein three said cleaning pads are provided spaced along said bar and wherein the outer two pads are located on cantilevered end portions of the bar beyond said pins or abutments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said base element is provided with inclined ramps (24) adjacent the ends (25) of the mounting bar, arranged so that the said ends contact the ramps toward the extremes of reciprocal motion of the mounting bar and are thereby biassed forwardly increasing the pressure of the adjacent cleaning pad on the corresponding component being cleaned.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
l2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cleaning pads are mounted on said mounting structure by way of biassing means providing a biassing force on each said cleaning pad toward the respective said component.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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