Patent US3672683A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3672683A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tape player for playing plurality of magnetic tape cartridges
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-03-20
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Granted: 1972-06-27
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Expires: 1990-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges comprises a compartment adapted to vertically and horizontally receive a plurality of the magnetic tape cartridges, a deck provided with a reproduction means including a tape driving device for drivingly feeding the tape in the cartridge and at least one magnetic head adapted to transduce the tape, a horizontally movable mechanism for horizontally moving the deck, a laterally movable mechanism for laterally moving the deck, a lock for selectively locking the deck in the position where one cartridge is to be played, a shifting mechanism for moving the cartridge opposite to the deck retained by the lock means from the compartment toward the deck and for returnedly moving the cartridge from the playing position to the original position in the compartment, and an index mechanism for designating the cartridge to be played.
Inventors
- 👤 Itsuki Ban
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:15
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/675; G11B15/68; G11B15/682; G11B15/683
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
319 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges each having a tape therein comprising: compartment means for vertically and horizontally storing a plurality of tape cartridges in a plurality of stacks; a deck carrying tape driving means including a capstan for drivingly transporting a tape within a cartridge, and at least one magnetic head adapted to transduce the tape; deck shifting means for moving the deck to a position adjacent each of the cartridges in said compartment means, said deck shifting means having a horizontal shifting mechanism for horizontally moving the deck and a vertical shifting mechanism for vertically moving the deck; selecting means for indexing a cartridge to be played from out of the cartridges in said compartment means; control means for controlling the operation of said deck shifting means in cooperation with said selecting means so as to move said deck to a first position adjacent to the selected cartridge indexed by said selecting means; cartridge transfer means for moving the selected cartridge, after the deck has been moved to the first position adjacent to the selected cartridge, from an original position where said cartridge is in said stack to a playing position on the deck where said cartridge is played by the magnetic head and said tape driving means, said cartridge transfer means including a reciprocating lever with holding means for holding the leading edge of the cartridge, lever driving means for reciprocally driving said reciprocating lever between a first lever position wherein said reciprocating lever engages a cartridge in said original position and a second lever position wherein said selected cartridge while engaged by said holding means is in said playing position, and means for controlling the operation of said lever driving means, said cartridge transfer means being operable to return a cartridge in said playing position to said original position in response to another cartridge being indexed by said selecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
319 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges each having a tape therein comprising: compartment means for vertically and horizontally storing a plurality of tape cartridges in a plurality of stacks; a deck carrying tape driving means including a capstan for drivingly transporting a tape within a cartridge, and at least one magnetic head adapted to transduce the tape; deck shifting means for moving the deck to a position adjacent each of the cartridges in said compartment means, said deck shifting means having a horizontal shifting mechanism for horizontally moving the deck and a vertical shifting mechanism for vertically moving the deck; selecting means for indexing a cartridge to be played from out of the cartridges in said compartment means; control means for controlling the operation of said deck shifting means in cooperation with said selecting means so as to move said deck to a first position adjacent to the selected cartridge indexed by said selecting means; cartridge transfer means for moving the selected cartridge, after the deck has been moved to the first position adjacent to the selected cartridge, from an original position where said cartridge is in said stack to a playing position on the deck where said cartridge is played by the magnetic head and said tape driving means, said cartridge transfer means including a reciprocating lever with holding means for holding the leading edge of the cartridge, lever driving means for reciprocally driving said reciprocating lever between a first lever position wherein said reciprocating lever engages a cartridge in said original position and a second lever position wherein said selected cartridge while engaged by said holding means is in said playing position, and means for controlling the operation of said lever driving means, said cartridge transfer means being operable to return a cartridge in said playing position to said original position in response to another cartridge being indexed by said selecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
167 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in accordance with claim 1, wherein said lever driving means for driving said reciprocating lever comprises a spring member urging said reciprocating lever in one direction, a swingable lever on said deck, a rotatable frictional wheel carried by said swing lever, a rotary member rotatably mounted on said swing lever and operable to be rotated by said frictional wheel, and a link member connected at one end to a point on said rotary member spaced from the center of rotation thereof and at the other end to said reciprocating lever, said frictional wheel being biased by the bias of said spring member to a position where said frictional wheel abuts against said capstan, said frictional wheel being operable to be rotatably driven by the rotational force of said capstan, rotation of said frictional wheel being imparted to said rotary member to rotate the latter so that said reciprocating lever is reciprocally moved through said link member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
104 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of tape cartridges in accordance with claim 2, wherein said control means for said lever driving means in said cartridge transfer means comprises a latching lever for locking said reciprocating lever in the second lever position corresponding to said playing position, a solenoid having a plunger coupled to said latching lever and a power control circuit for energizing said solenoid in pulse fashion energizeable in response to the time when the selected cartridge to be played is indexed and when said deck is moved by said deck shifting means to the position corresponding to the selected cartridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
181 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in accordance with claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises a pair of holding levers swingably provided spaced away from each other on said reciprocating lever and having at their front ends a pawl portion and at their rear ends a bent portion, a spring member for biasing said holding levers in the direction in which said pawl portions are opened opposite to each other, a solenoid having a plunger coupled to each bent portion of said holding levers and mounted on said reciprocating lever for moving said holding levers against the bias of said spring member, and a powercontrol circuit for energizing said solenoid during one reciprocal movement of said reciprocating lever by which the cartridge in said playing position is returned to said original position, said pawl portions of said holding levers having an engagement relation with an opening formed in the leading edge of said cartridge when said solenoid is deenergized while said pawl portions having a free relation with said opening when said solenoid is energized.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
105 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in accordance with claim 1, including a carriage, a pair of vertical guide rods parallel to and vertically spaced away from each other and mounted on said carriage, said deck being slidably mounted on said pair of vertical guide rods, a pair of horizontal guide rods parallel to and laterally spaced away from each other, said carriage being slidably mounted on said horizontal guide rods, said horizontal shifting mechanism for said deck shifting means being coupled to said carriage while said vertical shifting mechanism for said deck shifting means being couPled to said deck.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in accordance with claim 5, wherein said vertical shifting mechanism includes a spring downwardly biasing said deck, a drum member on said deck and operable to be selectively rotatably driven by said tape driving means, and a string member having onE end secured with respect to one of the vertical guide rods above the deck and wound at the other end to said drum member, said deck being upwardly shifted by said string member being wound when said drum member is rotated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in accordance with claim 5, wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism includes bias means biasing said carriage in one direction, a drum member on said deck and operable to be selectively rotatably driven by said tape driving means, and a string connected at one end to said drum member and at the other end to a fixed portion of said player, said carriage being moved in the direction reversed to said one direction by said string member being wound to said drum member with rotation of said drum member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
246 words
A tape player for playing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in accordance with claim 5, wherein said control means includes a vertical bar member adjacent said deck, a plurality of slots in said vertical bar member corresponding in number to those of said cartridges vertically arranged, a first stop lever on said deck operable to selectively engage each of said slots in said vertical bar member, a first solenoid firmly mounted to said deck and having a plunger coupled to said first stop lever, a power control circuit for energizing said first solenoid for the period when said lever with said deck is moved to the position where said first stop lever engages a slot in said vertical bar member corresponding to the cartridge designated by said selecting means, a horizontal bar member immovably provided parallel and adjacent to said carriage, a plurality of slots in said horizontal bar member corresponding in number to those of said cartridges horizontally arranged, a second stop lever mounted on said carriage operable to selectively engage each of said slots in said horizontal bar, a second solenoid secured to said carriage and having a plunger coupled to said second stop lever, and a power control circuit for energizing said second solenoid for the period when said second stop lever is moved along with the carriage to the position where said second stop lever engages said slot in said horizontal bar corresponding to the cartridge designated by said selecting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-27 | 1975-12-27 | 1976-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-27 | 1979-12-27 | 1980-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-27 | 1983-12-27 | 1984-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |