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US3636273A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for driving tape in a cartridge

Assignee: REFAC INTERNATIONAL Ltd 100 E 42ND ST NY NY 10017 A CORP OF NY
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Filing: 1970-07-06
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1990-07-06
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Abstract

Abstract A tape cartridge and record player unit therefore are provided whereby the cartridge is releasably positioned on the player unit for transducing relative to the tape therein by automatically engaging the hub of a tape storage reel in the cartridge and driving same during the transducing operation to permit movement of the tape past a transducing means. In one form, tape-driving mechanism is normally retracted out of the way of the tape cartridge and projects to engage the hub of the reel mounted in the cartridge so as to effect driving coupling therewith while a cooperating drive mechanism simultaneously is projected from a retracted position against the tape in the cartridge to frictionally engage and drive the tape during the transducing operation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jerome H Lemelson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 13:17
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/04; G11B25/00; G11B25/06

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 355 words
Tape storage and transducing apparatus comprising in combination with a support for said apparatus, a tape cartridge having substantially parallel sidewalls, end walls and a top and bottom wall, a record tape stored within said cartridge, means for operatively locating said cartridge on said support, an opening in a wall of said cartridge, supply means for said tape contained within said cartridge, takeup means supported within said cartridge and including a reel onto which said tape may be wound as received from said supply means, input coupling means accessible from the exterior of said housing for rotating said reel, means for guiding a free length of said tape from said supply means past said opening in said wall of said cartridge and then onto said reel, first drive means for said tape including a capstan and a depressor wheel respectively rotatably supported on opposite sides of said free length of said tape when said cartridge is operatively located on said support, means for relatively moving said capstan and said depressor wheel together to engage therebetween opposite faces of a portion of the free length of said tape in said cartridge, means for power rotating said capstan, transducing means supported by said support for transducing information relative to the tape in a cartridge, second drive means for rotating the reel of a cartridge, said second drive means including a shaft reciprocally supported on said support, coupling means supported by said shaft, means for power rotating said shaft, means for projecting and retracting said shaft to cause said shaft-coupling means to operatively engage and disengage said input coupling means for the reel of a cartridge operatively located on said support, and means for simultaneously causing said tape drive means to engage a portion of the free length of the tape in a cartridge when the cartridge is operatively located on said support and the projection and movement of said shaft-coupling means into engagement with said cartridge reel and thereafter simultaneously operate said first and second drive means to cause the tape to be driven past said opening and said reel to be driven to takeup said tape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 355 words
Tape storage and transducing apparatus comprising in combination with a support for said apparatus, a tape cartridge having substantially parallel sidewalls, end walls and a top and bottom wall, a record tape stored within said cartridge, means for operatively locating said cartridge on said support, an opening in a wall of said cartridge, supply means for said tape contained within said cartridge, takeup means supported within said cartridge and including a reel onto which said tape may be wound as received from said supply means, input coupling means accessible from the exterior of said housing for rotating said reel, means for guiding a free length of said tape from said supply means past said opening in said wall of said cartridge and then onto said reel, first drive means for said tape including a capstan and a depressor wheel respectively rotatably supported on opposite sides of said free length of said tape when said cartridge is operatively located on said support, means for relatively moving said capstan and said depressor wheel together to engage therebetween opposite faces of a portion of the free length of said tape in said cartridge, means for power rotating said capstan, transducing means supported by said support for transducing information relative to the tape in a cartridge, second drive means for rotating the reel of a cartridge, said second drive means including a shaft reciprocally supported on said support, coupling means supported by said shaft, means for power rotating said shaft, means for projecting and retracting said shaft to cause said shaft-coupling means to operatively engage and disengage said input coupling means for the reel of a cartridge operatively located on said support, and means for simultaneously causing said tape drive means to engage a portion of the free length of the tape in a cartridge when the cartridge is operatively located on said support and the projection and movement of said shaft-coupling means into engagement with said cartridge reel and thereafter simultaneously operate said first and second drive means to cause the tape to be driven past said opening and said reel to be driven to takeup said tape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 62 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 1, including means for slidably guiding a tape cartridge into operative location with the sidewall of said housing so that the tape reel in the housing is predeterminately located whereby the projection of said shaft will cause said coupling means to be connected to the tape reel for properly driving the reel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 1, including control means for said means for projecting and retracting said shaft, means for activating said control means by the movement of said cartridge to the operative location on said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 91 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said means for projecting and retracting said shaft comprising an electromechanical actuation means, said tape cartridge having an end wall, an opening in said end wall operative to become aligned with said transducing means when said cartridge is properly aligned on said housing, means for guiding tape paid off said reel past said opening, and means for causing said transducing means to operatively transduce with respect to the tape paid off said reel as it is driven past said opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 55 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 4 including means for advancing said transducing means from a retracted position to a transducing position in engagement with the tape aligned with the opening in said housing after predeterminately locating said magazine on said housing to permit transducing operations with respect to the tape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 68 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 5 including wheel drive means supported by the housing and mans for simultaneously advancing said wheel drive means To engage the tape when the cartridge is predeterminately located on the housing, means for rotating the wheel of the drive means to drive the tape from said reel as the reel is driven to pay out the tape therefrom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 46 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 6 whereby said reel has a hub accessible to the exterior of said cartridge, the end of said shaft being coupleable to said hub for rotating said reel in said housing as the shaft is rotated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 47 words
A tape storage and transducing apparatus in accordance with claim 7, including switch control means operable after said cartridge is predeterminately located on said housing for energizing and operating said electromechanical actuation means to project said shaft to cause said coupling means to engage said reel hub.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 178 words
A tape transport apparatus comprising in combination with a cartridge containing record tape, a support, means for receiving and operatively locating a tape cartridge on said support, said cartridge having a reel for receiving said tape, means for defining a path along which the tape may be moved towards said reel, a hub supporting said reel in said cartridge, capstan means located relative to said cartridge support to be positioned on one side of said tape path, first means moveable when said magazine is predeterminately located on said support to place said tape and said capstan means in driving engagement with each other, second means supported by said support and moveable to engage said hub of said reel simultaneously as the tape and capstan means are brought into driving engagement with the tape, said second means including a shaft, means for rotating said shaft to rotate said reel in a tape winding direction, and transducing means positioned along said tape path to scan said tape and transduce signals relative thereto as the tape is driven onto said reel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 178 words
A tape transport apparatus comprising in combination with a cartridge containing record tape, a support, means for receiving and operatively locating a tape cartridge on said support, said cartridge having a reel for receiving said tape, means for defining a path along which the tape may be moved towards said reel, a hub supporting said reel in said cartridge, capstan means located relative to said cartridge support to be positioned on one side of said tape path, first means moveable when said magazine is predeterminately located on said support to place said tape and said capstan means in driving engagement with each other, second means supported by said support and moveable to engage said hub of said reel simultaneously as the tape and capstan means are brought into driving engagement with the tape, said second means including a shaft, means for rotating said shaft to rotate said reel in a tape winding direction, and transducing means positioned along said tape path to scan said tape and transduce signals relative thereto as the tape is driven onto said reel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-01-17 1975-07-19 1976-01-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-01-17 1979-07-19 1980-01-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-01-17 1983-07-19 1984-01-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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