Cassette holder in recording and reproducing apparatus for magnetic tape cassette

Claim 2

A cassette holder (1) in a recording and reproducing apparatus for a magnetic tape cassette comprising a cassette casing (29) having a mouth through which a magnetic tape (32) is accessible, a pair of tape reels (33) around which said magnetic tape (32) is wound, and a pivotal lid (35) covering and exposing the mouth, characterised in that said mouth includes a first opening in a front end face of said casing and a second opening in a lower section (31) of the casing (29) adjacent said front end face, a sliding shutter member (36) is slidable with respect to the lower section (31) of the cassette casing (29) and to cover and expose said second opening in the lower section (31), the shutter member (36) is movable between a first position in which it covers the second opening and a second position in which it exposes said second opening, a locking means (51, 52, 53, 55) is provided for normally holding the shutter member (36) in either the first position or the second position and allowing the shutter member (36) to move from the first position to the second position when the cassette (28) is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from the second position to the first position when the cassette (28) is ejected, the cassette holder (1) comprises a holder body (2, 3) defining a cassette reception space and having a floor (4) on which the cassette (28) is mounted; and means (9, 57) is incorporated in the holder body and co-operatively associated with the locking (51, 52, 53, 55) means, for unlocking the locking means, the unlocking means (9, 57) having a first component (9b, 57c) active at the first position of the shutter member (36) to allow movement of the shutter member (36) from the first position to the second position when the magnetic tape cassette (28) is inserted into the cassette reception space, and a second component (9a, 57d) active for unlocking the locking means at the second position of the shutter member (36) for allowing movement of the shutter member from the second position to the first position when the magnetic tape cassette (28) is ejected from the recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 3

A cassette holder according to claim 1, wherein said unlocking means comprises a projection means (9) projecting from the floor (4) of the holder body (2, 3), the projection means (9) having a leading edge (9b) serving as said first component for actuating the locking means (51, 52, 53, 55) into an unlocking position to allow the shutter member (36) to move from the first position to the second position during insertion of the magnetic tape cassette (28) into the cassette reception space in the holder body (2, 3), and a trailing edge (9a) serving as said second component for actuating the locking means into an unlocking position to allow the shutter member to move from the second position to the first position during ejection of the magnetic tape cassette from the cassette reception space in the holder body.

Claim 4

A cassette holder according to claim 2, wherein the leading (9b) and trailing (9a) edges of the projection means (9) are slanted so that the functions of said locking means are smoothly accomplised.

Claim 5

A cassette holder according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the projection means (9) is formed integrally with the floor (4) of the holder body.

Claim 6

A cassette holder according to claim 4, wherein the floor (4) of the holder body (2, 3) is made of metal plate and the projection means (9) is formed by pressing.

Claim 7

A cassette holder according to claim 4, wherein the floor (4A) of the holder body (2, 3) is made of a synthetic resin and the projection (9A) is integrally formed with the floor (4A) by moulding.

Claim 8

A cassette holder according to claim 3, wherein the floor (4) of the holder body (2, 3) is made of metal plate and the projection means (9) is made of a synthetic resin material and bonded to the floor.

Claim 9

A cassette holder according to claim 3, wherein the floor of the holder body is made of a synthetic resin and the projection is made of a synthetic resin separately from the floor and bonded onto the floor.

Claim 10

A cassette holder according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking means comprises a projection means (57a, 57b) projecting from the floor (4) of the holder body (2, 3), the said projection means having a first projection (57b) forming the first component and having a leading edge (57c) for actuating the locking means into an unlocking position to allow the shutter member to move from the first position to the second position during insertion of the magnetic tape cassette into the cassette reception space in the holder body, and a second projection (57a) forming the second component and having a trailing edge (57d) for actuating the locking means into an unlocking position to allow the shutter member to move from the second position to the first position during ejection of the magnetic tape cassette from the cassette reception space in the holder body.

Claim 11

A cassette holder according to claim 9, wherein the leading (57c) and trailing (57d) edges of the projection means are slanted so that the functions of the locking means can be smoothly accomplished.

Claim 12

A cassette holder according to claim 10, wherein the projection means (57a, 57b) is formed integrally with the floor (4) of the holder body.

Claim 13

A cassette holder according to claim 11, wherein the floor (4) of the holder body is made of metal plate and the projection means is formed by pressing.

Claim 14

A cassette holder according to claim 11, wherein the floor of the holder body is made of a synthetic resin and the projection is integrally formed with the floor by moulding.

Claim 15

A cassette holder according to claim 10, wherein the floor of the holder body is made of metal plate and the projection means is made of a synthetic resin material and bonded to the floor.

Claim 16

A cassette holder according to claim 10, wherein the floor of the holder body is made of a synthetic resin and the projection is made of a synthetic resin separately from the floor and bonded onto the floor.

Claim 17

A cassette holder according to claim 2, which further comprises an actuation claw (8) associated with the shutter member (36) for actuating the shutter member (36) from the first position to the second position.

Claim 18

A cassette holder according to claim 16, wherein the actuation claw (8) can hold the shutter member at the second position after the magnetic tape cassette has been inserted into the cassette holder.

Claim 19

A cassette holder according to claim 16, wherein the pivotal lid (35) has a first cut-out (50) and a second cut-out (49) in its lower horizontal edge, and the projection means (9) passes through the first cut-out (50) and the actuation claw (8) passes through the second cut-out (49) when the magnetic tape cassette is inserted into the cassette reception space in a correct orientation.

Claim 20

A cassette holder according to claim 18, wherein the holder body has at least one opening through which the magnetic tape cassette is inserted, and the actuation claw (8) is longitudinally offset from the projection means (9) and located at a position remote from the opening with respect to the projection means (9).

Claim 21

A cassette holder according to claim 18, wherein the holder body has at least one opening through which the magnetic tape cassette is inserted, and the actuation claw (8) is transversely offset from the projection means (9) and located at a position remote from a central axis of the holder body with respect to the projection means.

Claim 22

A cassette holder according to claim 19, wherein the actuation claw (8) is also transversely offset from the projection means (9) and located at a position remote from a central axis of the holder body with respect to the projection means.

Claim 23

A cassette holder according to claim 1, which further comprises a lifter means, associated with said holder body, for moving the holder body relative to a mechanical chassis of the recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 24

A cassette holder according to claim 1, wherein the holder body also has a ceiling (10) defining an opened box-shaped space which is open at front and rear ends and serving as the cassette reception space, which ceiling (10) has means (12) for resiliently biasing the magnetic tape cassette downward against the floor (4).

Claim 25

A cassette holder according to claim 17, in which the magnetic tape cassette has a groove (48) in its lower surface, the groove (48) extending to a locking opening (52) to establish locking engagement with the locking means (55) at the first position of the shutter member (36) and transversely opposing said first cut-out (50) of the pivotal lid (35), and wherein the projection means (9) enters and passes through the groove (48) to actuate the locking means into the unlocking position.

Claim 26

A cassette holder according to claim 24, in which the locking means has a locking head (55) engageable to the locking opening (52) to establish the locking engagement, and the depth of the groove (48) at least matches the corresponding dimension of the locking head (55) protruding from the shutter member (36), and wherein the projection means (9) engaging the groove serves as a guide for insertion of the magnetic tape cassette into said cassette reception space.

Claim 27

A cassette holder according to claim 19, wherein the actuation claw (8) comprises a hook releasably engaging the shutter and exerting a sliding force thereupon as the cassette is inserted into the recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 28

A cassette holder according to claim 1, which can receive magnetic tape cassettes which further comprise a pair of reel hubs (33) housed in the cassette casing (29) which hold the tape reels within the cassette casing, and around which a magnetic tape (32) is wound and which are exposed from the lower surface of the cassette casing (28) through openings (47) formed in the lower section of the cassette casing, a pivotable front lid (35) mounted near the front of the cassette casing and covering an opening in the front part of the cassette casing, and the sliding shutter member (36) is formed with a pair of reel shaft insertion apertures (46) through which a pair of reel shafts can engage the reel hubs (33), the sliding shutter member (36) positioning the reel shaft insertion apertures (46) in a position offset from the openings (47) in the lower section of the cassette casing at its first position and in alignment with the reel shaft insertion openings (47) at its second position.

Claim 29

A recording and reproducing apparatus for a magnetic tape cassette which comprises a cassette casing having a mouth through which a magnetic tape is accessible, said mouth including a first opening in a front end face of said casing and a second opening in a lower section of the casing adjacent said front end face, a pair of tape reels around which said magnetic tape is wound, a pivotal lid covering and exposing said first opening of said mouth, a sliding shutter member slidable with respect to the lower section of said cassette casing and adapted to cover and expose said second opening in said lower section, said shutter member being movable between a first position in which it covers said second opening and a second position in which it exposes said second opening, and a locking means for normally holding said shutter member in both of said first and second positions and allowing said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from said second position to said first position when said cassette is ejected, said recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a mechanical chassis mounting thereon a tape loading system, a tape drive system and a magnetic head; and a cassette holder mounted on said mechanical chassis for receiving said magnetic tape cassette for recording and reproducing operations, said cassette holder comprising: a holder body defining a cassette reception space and having a floor on which said cassette can rest; and means, incorporated in said holder body and co-operatively associated with said locking means, for unlocking said locking means, said unlocking means having a first component active at said first position of said shutter member to allow movement of said shutter member from said first position to said second position when said magnetic tape cassette is inserted into said cassette reception sapce, and a second component active for unlocking said locking means at said second position of said shutter member for allowing movement of said shutter member from said second position to said first position when said magnetic tape cassette is ejected from said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 30

A recording and reproducing apparatus for a magnetic tape cassette which comprises a cassette casing having a mouth through which a magnetic tape is accessible, said mouth including a first opening in a front end face of said casing and a second opening in a lower section of the casing adjacent said front end face, a pair of tape reels around which said magnetic tape is wound, a pivotal lid covering and exposing said first opening of said mouth, a sliding shutter member slidable with respect to the lower section of said cassette casing and adapted to cover and expose said second opening in said lower section, said shutter member being movable between a first position in which it covers said second opening and a second position in which it exposes said second opening, and a locking means for normally holding said shutter member in both of said first and second positions and allowing said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from said second position to said first position when said cassette is ejected, said recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a mechanical chassis mounting thereon a tape loading system, a tape drive system and a magnetic head; and a cassette holder mounted on said mechanical chassis for receiving said magnetic tape cassette for recording and reproducing operations, said cassette holder comprising: a holder body defining a cassette reception space and having a floor on which said cassette can rest; and means, incorporated in said holder body and co-operatively associated with said locking means, for unlocking said locking means, said unlocking means having a first component active at said first position of said shutter member to allow movement of said shutter member from said first position to said second position when said magnetic tape cassette is inserted into said cassette reception sapce, and a second component active for unlocking said locking means at said second position of said shutter member for allowing movement of said shutter member from said second position to said first position when said magnetic tape cassette is ejected from said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 31

The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein said unlocking means comprises a projection means projecting from said floor of said holder body, said projection means having a leading edge serving as said first component for actuating said locking means into an unlocking position to allow said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position during insertion of said magnetic tape cassette into said cassette reception space in said holder body, and a trailing edge serving as said second component for actuating said locking means into an unlocking position to allow said shutter member to move from said second position to said first position during ejection of said magnetic tape cassette from said cassette reception space in said holder body.

Claim 32

The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, wherein said leading and trailing edges of said projection means are slanted so that said locking means is smoothly actuated.

Claim 33

The apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein said projection means is formed integrally with said floor of said holder body.

Claim 34

The apparatus as set forth in claim 31, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of metal plate and said projection means is formed by pressing.

Claim 35

The apparatus as set forth in claim 31, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of a synthetic resin and said projection is integrally formed with said floor by moulding.

Claim 36

The apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of metal plate and said projection means is made of a synthetic resin material and bonded to said floor.

Claim 37

The apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of a synthetic resin and said projection is made of a synthetic resin separately from said floor and bonde onto said floor.

Claim 38

The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein said unlocking means comprises a projection means projecting from said floor of said holder body, said projection means having a first projection forming said first component and having a leading edge for actuating said locking means into an unlocking position to allow said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position during insertion of said magnetic tape cassette into said cassette reception space in said holder body, and a second projection forming said second component and having a trailing edge for actuating said locking means into an unlocking position to allow said shutter member to move from said second position to said first position during ejection of said magnetic tape cassette from said cassette reception space in said holder body.

Claim 39

The apparatus as set forth in claim 36, wherein said leading and trailing edges of said projection means are slanted so that said locking means is smoothly actuated.

Claim 40

The apparatus as set forth in claim 37, wherein said projection means is formed integrally with said floor of said holder body.

Claim 41

The apparatus as set forther in claim 38, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of metal plate and said projection means is formed by pressing.

Claim 42

The apparatus as set forth in claim 38, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of a synthetic resin and said projection is integrally formed with said floor by moulding.

Claim 43

The apparatus as set forth in claim 37, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of metal plate and said projection means is made of a synthetic resin material and bonded to said floor.

Claim 44

The apparatus as set forth in claim 37, wherein said floor of said holder body is made of a synthetic resin and said projection is made of a synthetic resin separately from said floor and bonded onto said floor.

Claim 45

The apparatus as set forth in claim 29, which further comprises an actuation claw associated with said shutter member for actuating said shutter member from said first position to said second position.

Claim 46

The apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said actuation claw is adapted to hold said shutter member at said second position after said magnetic tape cassette has been inserted into said cassette holder.

Claim 47

The apparatus as set forth in claim 44, in which said pivotal lid has a first and a second cut-out in its lower horizontal edge, and said projection means passes through said first cut-out and said actuation claw passes through said second cut-out when said magnetic tape cassette is inserted into said cassette reception space in a correct orientation.

Claim 48

The apparatus as set forth in claim 44, wherein said holder body has at least one opening through which said magnetic tape cassette is inserted, and said actuation claw is longitudinally offset from said projection means and located at a position remote from said opening with respect to said projection means.

Claim 49

The apparatus as set forth in claim 45, wherein said holder body has at least one opening through which said magnetic tape cassette is inserted, and said actuation claw is transversely offset from said projection means and located at a position remote from the central axis of said holder body with respect to said projection means.

Claim 50

The apparatus as set forth in claim 47, wherein said actuation claw is also transversely offset from said projection means and located at a position remote from the central axis of said holder body with respect to said projection means.

Claim 51

The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, which further comprises a lifter means, associated with said holder body, for moving said holder body up and down relative to a mechanical chassis of said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 52

The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein said holder body also has a ceiling defining an opened box-shaped space open at front and rear ends and serving as said cassette reception space, which ceiling has means for resiliently biasing said magnetic tape cassette downward against said floor.

Claim 53

The apparatus as set forth in claim 50, wherein said holder body also has a ceiling defining box-shaped space open at front and rear and serving as said cassette reception space, which ceiling has means for resiliently biasing said magnetic tape cassette downward against said floor.

Claim 54

The apparatus as set forth in claim 51, in which said magnetic tape cassette is formed with a groove in its lower surface, said groove extending to a locking opening to establish locking engagement with said locking means at said first position of said shutter member and opposing to said first cut-out of said pivotal lid, and wherein said projection means enters into and passes through said groove to actuate said locking means into said unlocking position.

Claim 55

The apparatus as set forth in claim 52, in which said locking means has a locking head engageable to said locking opening to establish said locking engagement, and the depth of said groove at least matches the corresponding dimension of said locking head protruding from said shutter member, and wherein said projection means engaging said groove serves as a guide for insertion of said magnetic tape casette into said cassette reception space.

Claim 56

A cassette holder in a recording and reproducing apparatus for a magnetic tape cassette of the type which comprises a cassette casing, a sliding shutter member slidable with respect to a portion of said cassette casing and adapted to cover and expose an opening in said portion of said cassette casing wherein said shutter member is movable between a first position in which it covers the opening and a second position in which it exposes the opening, and a locking means for normally holding said shutter member respectively in each said first and second positions and structurally adapted to allow said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from said second position to said first position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from said second position to said first position when said cassette is ejected, said cassette holder comprising: means incorporated in said cassette holder and co-operatively associated with said locking means on said cassette during both insertion and ejection for unlocking said locking means, said unlocking means including an insertion unlocking portion active at said first position of said shutter member to allow movement of said shutter member from said first position to said second position when said magnetic tape cassette is inserted into said cassette holder and an ejection unlocking means active for unlocking said locking means at said second position of said shutter member for allowing movement of said shutter member from said second position to said first position when said magnetic tape cassette is ejected from said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 57

A cassette holder in a recording and reproducing apparatus for a magnetic tape cassette of the type which comprises a cassette casing, a sliding shutter member slidable with respect to a portion of said cassette casing and adapted to cover and expose an opening in said portion of said cassette casing wherein said shutter member is movable between a first position in which it covers the opening and a second position in which it exposes the opening, and a locking means for normally holding said shutter member respectively in each said first and second positions and structurally adapted to allow said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from said second position to said first position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus, and from said second position to said first position when said cassette is ejected, said cassette holder comprising: means incorporated in said cassette holder and co-operatively associated with said locking means on said cassette during both insertion and ejection for unlocking said locking means, said unlocking means including an insertion unlocking portion active at said first position of said shutter member to allow movement of said shutter member from said first position to said second position when said magnetic tape cassette is inserted into said cassette holder and an ejection unlocking means active for unlocking said locking means at said second position of said shutter member for allowing movement of said shutter member from said second position to said first position when said magnetic tape cassette is ejected from said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 58

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 54, wherein said unlocking means comprises a projection means projecting from a floor of said cassette holder, said projection means defining both said insertion unlocking means and said ejection unlocking means.

Claim 59

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 55, wherein said insertion unlocking means comprises an edge of said projection means for actuating said locking means into an unlocking position to allow said shutter member to move from said first position to said second position during insertion of said magnetic tape cassette into said cassette holder.

Claim 60

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 55, wherein said ejection unlocking means comprises another edge of said projection means for actuating said locking means into an unlocking position to allow said shutter member to move from said second position to said first position during ejection of said magnetic tape cassette from said cassette reception space in said holder body.

Claim 61

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 54, wherein said cassette holder defines a projection having a first tapered end and said cassette defines a cut-out which receives said projection upon insertion of said cassette into said cassette holder.

Claim 62

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 54, wherein the sliding shutter member of said cassette includes a groove and a locking lever defining a locking head, said cassette and said cassette holder co-operating upon insertion so that said locking head is urged upwardly and maintained in such position during insertion of said cassette by contact of said locking head with a surface of said projection.

Claim 63

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 59, wherein said cassette further includes a closure lid and said sliding shutter member further includes contact members on the front edge thereof, and wherein said cassette holder includes claw projections passing through cut-outs in an edge of said closure lid to bias said sliding shutter member rearwardly.

Claim 64

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 59, wherein said cassette includes a hole for receiving said locking head in a locking engagement, said hole having a tapered edge to release the locking engagement between the locking head to allow rearward movement of the sliding shutter member upon insertion of said cassette into said cassette holder.

Claim 65

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 59, wherein said cassette further includes a front end cut-out on said sliding shutter member so that when the cassette is fully inserted into said cassette holder and said sliding shutter member is in its predetermined rearwardmost position, said locking head engages said front end cut-out to lock said sliding shutter member in its rearwardmost position.

Claim 66

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 59, wherein said cassette holder includes pivotal arms which pivot to shift the cassette holder from an upward position to a downward position and further includes means for pivoting a pivotal lid of said casing upwardly and to an open position wherein upon ejection of said cassette from said cassette holder, said locking head of said locking lever contacts the tapered front end of said projection so that the sliding shutter member is shifted to its closed position.

Claim 67

The cassette holder as set forth in claim 63, wherein said sliding shutter member is co-operatively associated with a torsion spring for biasing said sliding shutter member in its closed position.

Claim 68

The cassette holder set forth in claim 54, wherein said projection means includes a pair of longitudinally aligned projections, one of said longitudinally aligned projections having a tapered front end, while the other longitudinally aligned projection has a tapered rear end.