US3603743A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-11-25
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1989-11-25
Abstract
Abstract A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for endless magnetic tape cartridge player, including a reciprocating lever member slidably supported on a deck in a player housing and biased by a tension spring in one direction, a stopper means retaining the reciprocating lever member at a first position, and a guide means guiding the cartridge. The stopper means is operated by the cartridge which is laterally inserted in the player housing to release retention of the reciprocating lever member whereby the latter is moved from the first position to a second position by the bias of the spring. When the reciprocating lever member is moved from the first position to the second position, a portion of the reciprocating lever urges the rear edge of the cartridge to allow the cartridge is thus guided by he guide means and moved to positioned at the playing position.
Inventors
- 👤 Itsuki Ban
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:36
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B25/00; G11B25/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
466 words
A tape cartridge positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player, said tape player having a housing in which there is provided a capstan for drivingly feed an endless magnetic tape in the cartridge and a tape playing circuit with a magnetic head, comprising: a deck mounted within said housing, said capstan and said magnetic head being located on said deck; an opening formed on said housing, said opening being of dimension to receive at least the laterally oriented cartridge, said cartridge laterally passing through said opening and being inserted in said housing, disposed on said deck; a reciprocating-lever member slidably mounted on said deck in the direction normal to the direction in which said cartridge is inserted, said lever member having a first arm in opposition to the front edge of said cartridge inserted in said housing and an arm in opposition to the rear edge of said cartridge, said lever member being biased by a heavy tension spring in one direction; a stopper means retaining said reciprocating-lever member in a first position where said cartridge is disposed between the first and second arms, said stopper means having a movable lever urged by the side edge of said cartridge inserted in said housing, said movable lever being biased by a spring so as to normally engage said reciprocating-lever member, in relation to depression of said movable lever by said cartridge against the bias of said spring said stopper means releasing retention of said reciprocating-lever member, in response to disengagement of said stopper means with said reciprocating-lever member said second arm of said reciprocating lever member urging the rear edge of said cartridge by the bias of said tension spring and thus being moved; cartridge guide means guiding said cartridge which is moved to the edge direction with movement of said reciprocating-lever member and bringing said cartridge to a playing position where said tape is drivingly fed by said capstan and abuts against said magnetic head, in relation to movement of said cartridge to said playing position said reciprocating-lever member being prevented from its movement to a second position, the rear edge of said cartridge being urged by said second arm of said reciprocating-lever member moved to said second position due to the bias of said tension spring thereby maintaining positioning of said cartridge in the playing position; means returning said reciprocating-lever member from said second position to said first position, said first arm urging the front edge of said cartridge to retract said cartridge from said playing position when said reciprocating-lever member is moved by said means to a first position, said movable lever being returned to its initial position by the bias of said spring to urge said cartridge outwardly of said housing when said reciprocating-lever member is returned to said first position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
466 words
A tape cartridge positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player, said tape player having a housing in which there is provided a capstan for drivingly feed an endless magnetic tape in the cartridge and a tape playing circuit with a magnetic head, comprising: a deck mounted within said housing, said capstan and said magnetic head being located on said deck; an opening formed on said housing, said opening being of dimension to receive at least the laterally oriented cartridge, said cartridge laterally passing through said opening and being inserted in said housing, disposed on said deck; a reciprocating-lever member slidably mounted on said deck in the direction normal to the direction in which said cartridge is inserted, said lever member having a first arm in opposition to the front edge of said cartridge inserted in said housing and an arm in opposition to the rear edge of said cartridge, said lever member being biased by a heavy tension spring in one direction; a stopper means retaining said reciprocating-lever member in a first position where said cartridge is disposed between the first and second arms, said stopper means having a movable lever urged by the side edge of said cartridge inserted in said housing, said movable lever being biased by a spring so as to normally engage said reciprocating-lever member, in relation to depression of said movable lever by said cartridge against the bias of said spring said stopper means releasing retention of said reciprocating-lever member, in response to disengagement of said stopper means with said reciprocating-lever member said second arm of said reciprocating lever member urging the rear edge of said cartridge by the bias of said tension spring and thus being moved; cartridge guide means guiding said cartridge which is moved to the edge direction with movement of said reciprocating-lever member and bringing said cartridge to a playing position where said tape is drivingly fed by said capstan and abuts against said magnetic head, in relation to movement of said cartridge to said playing position said reciprocating-lever member being prevented from its movement to a second position, the rear edge of said cartridge being urged by said second arm of said reciprocating-lever member moved to said second position due to the bias of said tension spring thereby maintaining positioning of said cartridge in the playing position; means returning said reciprocating-lever member from said second position to said first position, said first arm urging the front edge of said cartridge to retract said cartridge from said playing position when said reciprocating-lever member is moved by said means to a first position, said movable lever being returned to its initial position by the bias of said spring to urge said cartridge outwardly of said housing when said reciprocating-lever member is returned to said first position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for returning said reciprocating-lever member from said second position to said first position is swingably mounted on said deck, said means further including a manually operated return lever free end of which projects from said opening outwardly of said housing and a pin provided at the other free end of said return lever and engageable with said reciprocating-lever member at a portion thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player In accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for returning said reciprocating-lever member from said second position to said first position is slidably mounted on said deck, said means further having at one end thereof a pushing portion in opposition to said opening of said housing and at the other end thereof a return lever including a hook portion with a diagonal portion, a spring biasing said return lever forwardly of said housing, and a pin mounted on said reciprocating-lever member, said hook portion abutting against said pin upon finger depression of said pushing portion said reciprocating-lever member being moved from said second position to said first position affected by said diagonal portion upon abutment of said hook portion with said pin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for returning said reciprocating-lever member from said second position to said first position is a knob fixed to the one end of said second arm of said reciprocating-lever member, said reciprocating-lever member being moved by hand through said knob against the bias of said tension spring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 4 wherein said cartridge guide means having a guide portion abutting against the front edge of said cartridge at one corner thereof, said cartridge guide means being swingably mounted on said deck and normally biased by a spring to a position where said guide portion does not guide said cartridge, said cartridge guide means being rotated against the bias of said spring to project said guide portion at least forwardly of said deck and move the same to the position in relation to insertion of said cartridge in said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
181 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 4 wherein said stopper lever comprises a first lever of which one end is pivoted to said reciprocating-lever member and the other end is pivoted to a pin provided in said movable lever, a second lever of which one end is pivoted to said deck and the other end is pivoted to said pin, a spring providing oppositely rotational force for said first and second levers, and a stopper pin mounted on said deck for preventing rotation of said first and second levers by the bias of said spring, a relative angle between said first lever and said second lever being immovably maintained when they are prevented from their rotational force due to said spring by said stopper pin, said reciprocating-lever member being retained at a first position, the relative angle between said first lever and said second lever being varied when said movable lever is urged by said cartridge, said relative angle being further varied by said tension spring to release retention of said reciprocating-lever member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
294 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for returning said reciprocating-lever member from said second position to said first position comprises a swing lever rotatably mounted on said deck, a frictional wheel rotatably mounted on said swing lever, a cam rotatably provided on said swing lever, a speed-reducing device provided between said frictional wheel and said cam, a spring biasing said swing lever to a normal position, an electromagnetic plunger rotating said swing lever against the bias of said spring when said plunger is energized to a position where said frictional wheel abuts against said capstan, a control circuit for said electromagnetic plunger, a retainer member retaining said swing lever at a position where said frictional wheel abuts against said capstan, and a pin on said reciprocating-lever member to engage said cam, rotation of said capstan being transmitted to said cam through said frictional wheel, said speed-reducing device, with rotation of said cam said reciprocating-lever member being moved by said pin from said second position to said first position, said retainer member being actuated by said cam to release retention of said swing lever until the maximum deformed portion of said cam abutment of said cam with said pin being further maintained, by reaction derived from such abutment said frictional wheel keeps its abutment with said capstan, said reciprocating-lever member being returned to said first position before said maximum deformed portion of said cam is away from a position to abut against said pin, said swing lever being returned to the normal position by the bias of said spring when said maximum deformed portion of said cam has been away from last-mentioned position thereby releasing abutment of said frictional wheel with said capstan.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 7 wherein said control circuit includes an electrical source connected in series with said electromagnetic plunger and a manually operated pushbutton switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
A tape-cartridge-positioning apparatus for an endless magnetic tape cartridge player in accordance with claim 7 wherein said control circuit further includes an electrical source connected in series with said electromagnetic plunger, a switch incorporated in the variable resistor for adjusting volume in said playing circuit and closed when said variable resistor is adjusted to minimize volume, and an end-mark detector on said deck having two insulated contacts, said insulated contacts being shorted by a conductive foil mounted on said endless magnetic tape.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3080101A
Cited
US3429519A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |