Tape transport assembly for cassette tape players having fast forward and fast reverse modes

Claim 2

In a tape transport assembly for a cassette tape player having tape play and fast reverse modes of tape movement, the combination comprising: a chassis adapted to support a cassette tape cartridge at a play position, said cartridge being of the type containing a pair of hubs defining takeup and supply reels rotatable in a common plane and carrying a strip of tape for winding onto either of the reels in response to rotation of the reels in opposite directions; a capstan drive carried by said chassis, said capstan drive releasably engaging said tape when said cartridge is in said play position to condition said tape player for said tape play mode to effect movement of said tape from said supply reel to said takeup reel; a takeup spindle and a supply spindle aligned with the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, each of said spindles having an interior bore and being axially movable along said axis of rotation of a reel and through said common plane between a forward drive position and reverse drive position; a first spindle drive shaft and a second spindle drive shaft, each drive shaft being mounted at one end to said chassis for rotation about the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, and for an opposite direction of rotation relative to the other drive shaft, and each drive shaft being terminated at a free end directed toward the reels, said free ends of the first and second drive shafts slidably receiving said interior bores of said takeup and supply spindles, respectively, for movement between said forward and reverse drive positions; means responsive to said axial movement of said takeup spindle connecting said takeup spindle in a driving relationship between said takeup reel and said first drive shaft when said takeup spindle is in said forward drive position and disconnecting said last named driving relationship when said takeup spindle is in said reverse drive position; means responsive to said axial movement of said supply spindle connecting said supply spindle in a driving relationship between aid supply reel and said second drive shaft when said supply spindle is in said reverse drive position and disconnecting said last named driving relationship when said supply spindle is in said forward drive position; a swinging bracket member having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being pivotally connected to said chassis and said free end being movable between a first position and a second position about said fixed end, said free end including a pair of yoke parts connecting said takeup spindle and said supply spindle to said swinging bracket member and to each other so as to simultaneously position said spindles at said forward drive position and at said reverse drive position in response to said free end being positioned at said first and said second positions, respectively; a manually operable slide assembly carried by said chassis and movable between a released position and an actuated position; means connecting said slide assembly with said capstan drive so as to release said capstan drive from said tape when said slide assembly is in said actuated position, thereby removing said tape player from tape play condition; and means connecting said slide assembly to said swinging bracket member so that when in said released position said free end of said swinging bracket member is maintained in said first position and when in said actuated position said free end of said swinging bracket member is maintained at said second position, whereby movement of said slide assembly between said released and said actuated positions is effective to condition said tape player for said fast reverse mode.

Claim 3

In a tape transport assembly for a cassette tape player having tape play and fast reverse modes of tape movement, the combination comprising: a chassis adapted to support a cassette tape cartridge at a play position, said cartridgE being of the type containing a pair of hubs defining takeup and supply reels rotatable in a common plane and carrying a strip of tape for winding onto either of the reels in response to rotation of the reels in opposite directions; a capstan drive carried by said chassis, said capstan drive releasably engaging said tape when said cartridge is in said play position to condition said tape player for said tape play mode to effect movement of said tape from said supply reel to said takeup reel; a takeup spindle and a supply spindle aligned with the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, each of said spindles having an interior bore and being axially movable along said axis of rotation of a reel and through said common plane between a forward drive position and reverse drive position, said supply spindle having a reel driving end alternately engaging and disengaging said supply reel when moved between the forward and reverse drive positions; a first spindle drive shaft and a second spindle drive shaft, each drive shaft being mounted at one end to said chassis for rotation about the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, and for an opposite direction of rotation relative to the other drive shaft, and each drive shaft being terminated at a free end directed toward the reels, said free ends of the first and second drive shafts slidably receiving said interior bores of said takeup and supply spindles, respectively, for movement between said forward and reverse drive positions; means responsive to said axial movement of said takeup spindle connecting said takeup spindle in a driving relationship between said takeup reel and said first drive shaft when said takeup spindle is in said forward drive position and disconnecting said last named driving relationship when said takeup spindle is in said reverse drive position; means coupling said supply spindle in driving relationship with said second drive shaft so that when said supply spindle is in said reverse drive position for positioning said reel driving end into engagement with said supply reel said second drive shaft is connected in driving relationship with said supply reel and when said supply spindle is in said forward drive position for positioning said reel driving end for disengagement with said supply reel said second drive shaft is disconnected from said last named driving relationship; a swinging bracket member having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being pivotally connected to said chassis along an axis perpendicular to both axes of rotation of said takeup reel and supply reel, said free end being movable between a first position and a second position about the connecting axis of said fixed end, said free end including a pair of yoke parts connecting said takeup spindle and said supply spindle to said swinging bracket member and to each other so as to simultaneously position said spindles at said forward drive position and at said reverse drive position in response to said free end being positioned at said first and said second positions, respectively; a reverse drive source coupled to said second drive shaft, said reverse drive source having an activated condition for rotating said second drive shaft and a deactivated condition terminating rotation of said second drive shaft; a manually operable slide assembly carried by said chassis and movable between a released position and actuated position; means connecting said slide assembly with said capstan drive so as to release said capstan drive from said tape when said slide assembly is in said actuated position, thereby removing said tape player from tape play condition; means responsive to movement of said slide assembly from said released position to said actuated position to render said reverse drive source operable in said activated condition; and means connecting said slide assembly to said swinging bracket member so that when in said released position said free end of said swinging bracket mEmber is maintained in said first position and when in said actuated position said free end is maintained at said second position, whereby movement of said slide assembly between said released and said actuated positions is effective to condition said tape player for said fast reverse mode and said supply reel is driven to move said tape from said takeup reel to said supply reel.

Claim 4

In a tape transport assembly for a cassette tape player having tape play and fast reverse modes of tape movement, the combination comprising: a chassis adapted to support a cassette tape cartridge at a play position, said cartridgE being of the type containing a pair of hubs defining takeup and supply reels rotatable in a common plane and carrying a strip of tape for winding onto either of the reels in response to rotation of the reels in opposite directions; a capstan drive carried by said chassis, said capstan drive releasably engaging said tape when said cartridge is in said play position to condition said tape player for said tape play mode to effect movement of said tape from said supply reel to said takeup reel; a takeup spindle and a supply spindle aligned with the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, each of said spindles having an interior bore and being axially movable along said axis of rotation of a reel and through said common plane between a forward drive position and reverse drive position, said supply spindle having a reel driving end alternately engaging and disengaging said supply reel when moved between the forward and reverse drive positions; a first spindle drive shaft and a second spindle drive shaft, each drive shaft being mounted at one end to said chassis for rotation about the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, and for an opposite direction of rotation relative to the other drive shaft, and each drive shaft being terminated at a free end directed toward the reels, said free ends of the first and second drive shafts slidably receiving said interior bores of said takeup and supply spindles, respectively, for movement between said forward and reverse drive positions; means responsive to said axial movement of said takeup spindle connecting said takeup spindle in a driving relationship between said takeup reel and said first drive shaft when said takeup spindle is in said forward drive position and disconnecting said last named driving relationship when said takeup spindle is in said reverse drive position; means coupling said supply spindle in driving relationship with said second drive shaft so that when said supply spindle is in said reverse drive position for positioning said reel driving end into engagement with said supply reel said second drive shaft is connected in driving relationship with said supply reel and when said supply spindle is in said forward drive position for positioning said reel driving end for disengagement with said supply reel said second drive shaft is disconnected from said last named driving relationship; a swinging bracket member having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being pivotally connected to said chassis along an axis perpendicular to both axes of rotation of said takeup reel and supply reel, said free end being movable between a first position and a second position about the connecting axis of said fixed end, said free end including a pair of yoke parts connecting said takeup spindle and said supply spindle to said swinging bracket member and to each other so as to simultaneously position said spindles at said forward drive position and at said reverse drive position in response to said free end being positioned at said first and said second positions, respectively; a reverse drive source coupled to said second drive shaft, said reverse drive source having an activated condition for rotating said second drive shaft and a deactivated condition terminating rotation of said second drive shaft; a manually operable slide assembly carried by said chassis and movable between a released position and actuated position; means connecting said slide assembly with said capstan drive so as to release said capstan drive from said tape when said slide assembly is in said actuated position, thereby removing said tape player from tape play condition; means responsive to movement of said slide assembly from said released position to said actuated position to render said reverse drive source operable in said activated condition; and means connecting said slide assembly to said swinging bracket member so that when in said released position said free end of said swinging bracket mEmber is maintained in said first position and when in said actuated position said free end is maintained at said second position, whereby movement of said slide assembly between said released and said actuated positions is effective to condition said tape player for said fast reverse mode and said supply reel is driven to move said tape from said takeup reel to said supply reel.

Claim 5

In a tape transport assembly for a cassette tape player having tape play, fast forward and fast reverse modes of tape movement, the combination comprising: a chassis adapted to support a cassette tape cartridge at a play position, said cartridge being of the type containing a pair of hubs having internal splines and defining takeup and supply reels rotatable in a common plane for carrying a strip of tape for winding onto either of the reels in response to rotation of the reels in opposite directions; a capstan drive carried by said chassis, said capstan drive releasably engaging said tape when said cartridge is in said play position to condition said tape player for said tape play mode to effect movement of said tape from said supply reel to said takeup reel; a takeup spindle and a supply spindle axially movable along the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, between a forward drive position and a reverse drive position, each spindle having an interior bore and external splines complementary to said internal splines for driving engagement therewith, said external splines of said supply spindle being axially offset relative to said external splines of said takeup spindle to effect engagement between said takeup spindle and said takeup reel and disengagement between said supply spindle and said supply reel when in said forward drive position, and further to effect engagement between said supply spindle and said supply reel and disengagement between said takeup spindle and said takeup reel when in said reverse drive position; a first spindle drive shaft and a second spindle drive shaft, each drive shaft being mounted for rotation about the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, and being terminated at a free end directed toward the reels, said free ends of the first and second drive shafts slidably receiving in driving relationship said interior bores of said takeup and supply spindles, respectively, for movement between said forward and reverse drive positions, a torque limiting clutch including a driving member and a driven member, said driven member being connected to said first drive shaft; a forward drive source coupled to said driving member, said forward drive source being operable to rotate said driving member so that said torque limiting clutch limits the speed of said takeup spindle to below a predetermined speed when said clutch drive engages said tape during said tape play mode and develops a substantially higher speed than said predetermined speed at said takeup spindle when said clutch drive is released from said tape during said fast forward mode; a reverse drive source coupled to said second drive shaft, said drive source having an activated condition and a deactivated condition, said activated condition rotating said takeup spindle in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said takeup spindle when driven by said forward drive source; spring biasing means urging said takeup spindle and said supply spindle away from said forward drive position and toward said reverse drive position; a swinging bracket member having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being pivotally connected to said chassis and said free end being movable between a first position and a second position about said fixed end, said free end including a pair of yoke parts holding said takeup spindle and said supply spindle against said spring biasing means so as to simultaneously position said spindles at said forward drive position and at said reverse drive position in response to said free end being positioned at said first and Said second positions, respectively; a first manually operable slide assembly and a second manually operable slide assembly, each slide assembly being carried by said chassis and movable between a released position and an actuated position; means responsive to movement of said first slide assembly from said released position to said actuated position to release said capstan drive from said tape to effect said fast forward mode and terminate said tape play mode; means connecting said second slide assembly with said capstan drive so as to release said capstan drive from said tape when said second slide assembly is in said actuated position, thereby terminating said tape play mode; and a cam means connected to said second slide assembly and engaging said swinging bracket member, said released position of said second slide assembly causing said cam means to maintain said free end of said swinging bracket member in said first position during said tape play mode and said fast forward mode, and said actuated position of said second slide assembly causing said cam means to release said free end of said swinging bracket member to said second position due to the bias of said spring biasing means; and means responsive to movement of said second slide assembly from said released position to said actuated position to render said reverse drive source from said deactivated condition to said activated condition, whereby said supply reel is driven to receive said tape from said takeup reel and effect said fast forward mode.

Claim 6

In a tape transport assembly for a cassette tape player having tape play, fast forward and fast reverse modes of tape movement, the combination comprising: a chassis adapted to support a cassette tape cartridge at a play position, said cartridge being of the type containing a pair of hubs having internal splines and defining takeup and supply reels rotatable in a common plane for carrying a strip of tape for winding onto either of the reels in response to rotation of the reels in opposite directions; a capstan drive carried by said chassis, said capstan drive releasably engaging said tape when said cartridge is in said play position to condition said tape player for said tape play mode to effect movement of said tape from said supply reel to said takeup reel; a takeup spindle and a supply spindle axially movable along the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, between a forward drive position and a reverse drive position, each spindle having an interior bore and external splines complementary to said internal splines for driving engagement therewith, said external splines of said supply spindle being axially offset relative to said external splines of said takeup spindle to effect engagement between said takeup spindle and said takeup reel and disengagement between said supply spindle and said supply reel when in said forward drive position, and further to effect engagement between said supply spindle and said supply reel and disengagement between said takeup spindle and said takeup reel when in said reverse drive position; a first spindle drive shaft and a second spindle drive shaft, each drive shaft being mounted for rotation about the axis of rotation of said takeup reel and said supply reel, respectively, and being terminated at a free end directed toward the reels, said free ends of the first and second drive shafts slidably receiving in driving relationship said interior bores of said takeup and supply spindles, respectively, for movement between said forward and reverse drive positions, a torque limiting clutch including a driving member and a driven member, said driven member being connected to said first drive shaft; a forward drive source coupled to said driving member, said forward drive source being operable to rotate said driving member so that said torque limiting clutch limits the speed of said takeup spindle to below a predetermined speed when said clutch drive engages said tape during said tape play mode and develops a substantially higher speed than said predetermined speed at said takeup spindle when said clutch drive is released from said tape during said fast forward mode; a reverse drive source coupled to said second drive shaft, said drive source having an activated condition and a deactivated condition, said activated condition rotating said takeup spindle in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said takeup spindle when driven by said forward drive source; spring biasing means urging said takeup spindle and said supply spindle away from said forward drive position and toward said reverse drive position; a swinging bracket member having a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being pivotally connected to said chassis and said free end being movable between a first position and a second position about said fixed end, said free end including a pair of yoke parts holding said takeup spindle and said supply spindle against said spring biasing means so as to simultaneously position said spindles at said forward drive position and at said reverse drive position in response to said free end being positioned at said first and Said second positions, respectively; a first manually operable slide assembly and a second manually operable slide assembly, each slide assembly being carried by said chassis and movable between a released position and an actuated position; means responsive to movement of said first slide assembly from said released position to said actuated position to release said capstan drive from said tape to effect said fast forward mode and terminate said tape play mode; means connecting said second slide assembly with said capstan drive so as to release said capstan drive from said tape when said second slide assembly is in said actuated position, thereby terminating said tape play mode; and a cam means connected to said second slide assembly and engaging said swinging bracket member, said released position of said second slide assembly causing said cam means to maintain said free end of said swinging bracket member in said first position during said tape play mode and said fast forward mode, and said actuated position of said second slide assembly causing said cam means to release said free end of said swinging bracket member to said second position due to the bias of said spring biasing means; and means responsive to movement of said second slide assembly from said released position to said actuated position to render said reverse drive source from said deactivated condition to said activated condition, whereby said supply reel is driven to receive said tape from said takeup reel and effect said fast forward mode.