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US3684209A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automatic return system for tape recorder

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1970-11-04
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Granted: 1972-08-15
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Expires: 1990-11-04
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Abstract

Abstract A cassette tape recorder is provided with a pair of capstans and an associated pair of pinch rollers disposed on opposite sides of a magnetic head for transferring a tape both toward the right side and toward the left side thereof. Selection between two combinations of the capstans and the pinch rollers is effected by a crank gear adapted to be rotated by applying a rotational force from a fly wheel coaxially arranged with each of the capstans, and a bifurcated lever switch arranged to hold a crank pin eccentrically provided on the crank gear therebetween. The crank gear also has toothed portions and notch portions on its periphery, the toothed portions being adapted to engage a pinion which rotates dependently on rotation of the capstan. Stoppers are positioned adjacent the periphery of the crank gear for engaging a latching member of an electromagnetic clutch. When a detecting pulse current is supplied from a tape end detecting circuit device to the electromagnetic clutch, the latching member of the clutch is caused to release the stopper and a pendulum swing of the lever switch is initiated. By such swing of the lever switch, one pinch roller which has been engaged with the corresponding capstan is moved away therefrom, and at the same time the other pinch roller which has been moved away from the corresponding capstan is engaged therewith, and further a tape take-up means is reversed to provide an opposite take-up force.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shoji Wada

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 22:31
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/02; G11B15/05; G11B15/06; G11B15/18; G11B15/44; G11B15/442

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 176 words
An automatically reversible tape recorder comprising: a pair of spaced capstans; a pair of pinch rollers respectively disposed adjacent said capstans and being movable into and out of engagement therewith; a pinion operatively connected to one of said capstans for rotation therewith; a crank gear havIng at least a pair of toothed portions and at least a pair of notch portions spaced therebetween on its peripheral surface, said toothed portions being engageable with said pinion for causing said crank gear to be rotated thereby and said notch portions being adapted to interrupt said engagement with said pinion; a crank pin eccentrically provided on said crank gear; an electromagnetic device responsive to a detecting signal from a tape end detecting device for controlling the rotation of said crank gear; and a lever switch operatively connected to said crank pin of said crank gear for alternately pressing said pinch rollers against the respective capstans, whereby the transfer of the tape can be reversed by alternately pressing the pinch rollers against the capstans in response to said detecting signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 176 words
An automatically reversible tape recorder comprising: a pair of spaced capstans; a pair of pinch rollers respectively disposed adjacent said capstans and being movable into and out of engagement therewith; a pinion operatively connected to one of said capstans for rotation therewith; a crank gear havIng at least a pair of toothed portions and at least a pair of notch portions spaced therebetween on its peripheral surface, said toothed portions being engageable with said pinion for causing said crank gear to be rotated thereby and said notch portions being adapted to interrupt said engagement with said pinion; a crank pin eccentrically provided on said crank gear; an electromagnetic device responsive to a detecting signal from a tape end detecting device for controlling the rotation of said crank gear; and a lever switch operatively connected to said crank pin of said crank gear for alternately pressing said pinch rollers against the respective capstans, whereby the transfer of the tape can be reversed by alternately pressing the pinch rollers against the capstans in response to said detecting signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
An automatically reversible tape recorder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said crank gear is provided on its periphery with two notches, said notches being spaced 180* apart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 51 words
An automatically reversible tape recorder as set forth in claim 2 wherein said electromagnetic device comprises a latching member; and said crank gear is provided with stoppers adjacent its peripheral edge, said stoppers being spaced substantially 90* from said notches and being engageable by the latching member of said electromagnetic device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 52 words
An automatically reversible tape recorder as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a take-up device for taking up the tape being transferred by cooperation of the respective pinch rollers and capstans; and means interlocked with said lever switch for changing the direction of the take-up force of said tape take-up means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 241 words
A tape recorder in which the direction of transfer of the tape can be automatically reversed when the tape end is reached, comprising: an electric motor; a pair of side-by-side fly wheels rotatable in opposite directions by said motor; a capstan coaxially mounted on each of said fly wheels for rotation therewith; a pair of pinch rollers adapted to be respectively engaged with said capstans; means for urging each of said pinch rollers into pressing engagement with said respective capstans; a lever switch for alternately interrupting the engagement of one and the other of said pinch rollers with the respective capstans thereof; a tape end detecting device; a pinion operatively connected to one of said capstans for rotation therewith; an electromagnetic device and a gear device for controlling the switching operation of said lever switch in response to a tape end detecting signal from said tape end detecting device, said gear device having stoppers arranged adjacent the periphery of the gear to be engaged by a latching member of said electromagnetic device and a crank pin being eccentrically provided on the gear to be receivably engaged by the lever switch, and being adapted to be periodically rotated by said pinion; a take-up device for taking up the tape transferred by cooperation of each of the pinch rollers with the respective capstans thereof; and means interlocked with said lever switch for changing the direction of the take-up force of said take-up device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 241 words
A tape recorder in which the direction of transfer of the tape can be automatically reversed when the tape end is reached, comprising: an electric motor; a pair of side-by-side fly wheels rotatable in opposite directions by said motor; a capstan coaxially mounted on each of said fly wheels for rotation therewith; a pair of pinch rollers adapted to be respectively engaged with said capstans; means for urging each of said pinch rollers into pressing engagement with said respective capstans; a lever switch for alternately interrupting the engagement of one and the other of said pinch rollers with the respective capstans thereof; a tape end detecting device; a pinion operatively connected to one of said capstans for rotation therewith; an electromagnetic device and a gear device for controlling the switching operation of said lever switch in response to a tape end detecting signal from said tape end detecting device, said gear device having stoppers arranged adjacent the periphery of the gear to be engaged by a latching member of said electromagnetic device and a crank pin being eccentrically provided on the gear to be receivably engaged by the lever switch, and being adapted to be periodically rotated by said pinion; a take-up device for taking up the tape transferred by cooperation of each of the pinch rollers with the respective capstans thereof; and means interlocked with said lever switch for changing the direction of the take-up force of said take-up device.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2941737A Cited
US3363853A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-08-15 1976-02-14 1976-08-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-08-15 1980-02-14 1980-08-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-08-15 1984-02-14 1984-08-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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