Cartridge locking mechanism

Claim 2

A tape player as claimed in claim 2 wherein the leading end portion of a side wall of said cartridge is inclined so that upon insertion of said cartridge into said tunnel, said resilient member initially engages and rides along said inclined portion until engaging a relatively flat side wall portion of the cartridge, to pivot said arm sufficiently to move said overcenter spring arrangeMent from said first to said second stable state, thereby to move the roller into the notch in said cartridge wall.

Claim 3

A tape player as claimed in claim 1 further including first and second spaced mounting posts extending from a side wall thereof adjacent said cartridge receiving tunnel, said cartridge retaining arm being mounted for pivotal movement on said first mounting post, and wherein said overcenter spring arrangement includes a tensioned spring member mounted between a first end of said cartridge retaining arm and said second mounting post, said spring securing said cartridge retaining arm in a mounted position on said side wall and providing the necessary force to actuate said arm between the first and second positions.

Claim 4

A tape player as claimed in claim 4 wherein said overcenter spring arrangement includes a coil spring and pin inserted at one end thereinto for movement axially with respect thereto, the other free end of said pin being pivotally coupled to said second mounting post and said coil spring being coupled pivotally to the free end of said cartridge retaining arm.

Claim 5

A cartridge locking mechanism for a tape player having a chassis defining a tunnel for receiving a tape cartridge, one of the side walls of said chassis having a pair of spaced mounting posts provided thereon and instrumentalities for driving and playing a recording tape in the cartridge upon insertion of the latter into said tunnel, said locking mechanism including in combination; an arm having cartridge retaining means, mounted for pivotal movement on a first one of said mounting posts, said arm being movable between a first position whereat said cartridge retaining means is positioned outside of said tunnel and a second position whereat said cartridge retaining means is positioned within said tunnel in engagement with a cartridge inserted thereinto, bistable spring means mounted between said other mounting post and said pivotal arm, said spring means being under tension to provide a predetermined force against said pivotal arm for retaining said arm in a mounted position on said first mounting post and for moving said arm between said first and second positions in response to the insertion of a tape cartridge into said tunnel, and actuator means coupled to said arm and extending into said cartridge receiving tunnel in the path of a cartridge received therein for engagement therewith, said actuator means including a resilient member coupled to said arm and being mounted for gradual deflection by the insertion of a cartridge into said tunnel to move said bistable spring means from said first to said second stable state, and to pivot said arm from said first to said second position with said cartridge retaining means in engagement with said cartridge to retain the latter in a fully inserted position in said tunnel.

Claim 6

A cartridge locking mechanism for a tape player having a chassis defining a tunnel for receiving a tape cartridge, one of the side walls of said chassis having a pair of spaced mounting posts provided thereon and instrumentalities for driving and playing a recording tape in the cartridge upon insertion of the latter into said tunnel, said locking mechanism including in combination; an arm having cartridge retaining means, mounted for pivotal movement on a first one of said mounting posts, said arm being movable between a first position whereat said cartridge retaining means is positioned outside of said tunnel and a second position whereat said cartridge retaining means is positioned within said tunnel in engagement with a cartridge inserted thereinto, bistable spring means mounted between said other mounting post and said pivotal arm, said spring means being under tension to provide a predetermined force against said pivotal arm for retaining said arm in a mounted position on said first mounting post and for moving said arm between said first and second positions in response to the insertion of a tape cartridge into said tunnel, and actuator means coupled to said arm and extending into said cartridge receiving tunnel in the path of a cartridge received therein for engagement therewith, said actuator means including a resilient member coupled to said arm and being mounted for gradual deflection by the insertion of a cartridge into said tunnel to move said bistable spring means from said first to said second stable state, and to pivot said arm from said first to said second position with said cartridge retaining means in engagement with said cartridge to retain the latter in a fully inserted position in said tunnel.

Claim 7

A cartridge locking mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein said cartridge retaining means include a roller mounted for rotation on a first end of said arm and wherein said bistable spring means include a coil spring member and a pin inserted into one end thereof for axial movement therein, said pin being coupled to said other mounting post for pivotal movement with respect thereto and the opposite end of said spring engaging the opposite end of said arm, whereby the force provided by said coil spring retains said assembly mounted between said mounting posts on said side wall.

Claim 8

A cartridge locking mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein said actuator means include a resilient arm coupled to said pivotal arm, said resilient arm being deflected by said cartridge in response to the insertion of the latter into said tunnel, said bistable spring means being actuated from said first to said second stable state upon said resilient arm being predeterminedly deflected by said cartridge.

Claim 9

A cartridge locking mechanism as claimed in claim 8 wherein said cartridge includes an inclined portion along a side wall near the leading end thereof, said resilient arm engaging and riDing along said inclined portion upon initially inserting said cartridge into said tunnel and gradually being bent as said cartridge continues to be inserted into said tunnel, whereby, upon bending said resilient arm sufficiently, said overcenter spring arrangement is moved from said first to said second stable state, and wherein said cartridge side wall includes a notch formed therein for receipt of said roller upon insertion of said cartridge fully into said tunnel.

Claim 10

A cartridge locking mechanism for a tape player having an open ended tunnel for receiving a tape cartridge and instrumentalities for driving and playing a recording tape in the cartridge upon insertion of the latter into the tunnel, said player also including a side wall having a pair of spaced mounting posts provided thereon, said cartridge locking mechanism including in combination; an arm member carrying a roller on a first end thereof, said arm member coupled to a first one of said mounting posts for pivotal movement between a first position whereat said roller is positioned outside of said cartridge receiving tunnel and a second position whereat said roller is moved into said tunnel for engagement with a cartridge received therein, bistable means including a coil spring and pin inserted thereinto for movement axially with respect thereto, said pin being pivotally engaged with respect to said other mounting post and the free end of said coil spring coupled pivotally to the other free end of said arm member, said spring being tensioned to maintain said arm and pin in mounted positions on said respective mounting posts as well as to maintain said bistable means in first and second stable states, respectively, and a leaf spring actuator attached to said roller arm and extending into said cartridge receiving tunnel in the path of a cartridge, said actuator arm being deflected by a cartridge inserted into said tunnel and moving said bistable means from said first to said second stable state whereby said arm is pivoted from said first to said second position to maintain said cartridge in a fully inserted position in said player.

Claim 11

A cartridge locking mechanism for a tape player having an open ended tunnel for receiving a tape cartridge and instrumentalities for driving and playing a recording tape in the cartridge upon insertion of the latter into the tunnel, said player also including a side wall having a pair of spaced mounting posts provided thereon, said cartridge locking mechanism including in combination; an arm member carrying a roller on a first end thereof, said arm member coupled to a first one of said mounting posts for pivotal movement between a first position whereat said roller is positioned outside of said cartridge receiving tunnel and a second position whereat said roller is moved into said tunnel for engagement with a cartridge received therein, bistable means including a coil spring and pin inserted thereinto for movement axially with respect thereto, said pin being pivotally engaged with respect to said other mounting post and the free end of said coil spring coupled pivotally to the other free end of said arm member, said spring being tensioned to maintain said arm and pin in mounted positions on said respective mounting posts as well as to maintain said bistable means in first and second stable states, respectively, and a leaf spring actuator attached to said roller arm and extending into said cartridge receiving tunnel in the path of a cartridge, said actuator arm being deflected by a cartridge inserted into said tunnel and moving said bistable means from said first to said second stable state whereby said arm is pivoted from said first to said second position to maintain said cartridge in a fully inserted position in said player.

Claim 12

A cartridge locking mechanism as claimed in claim 10 wherein said cartridge includes an inclined side wall portion near the leading end thereof for deflecting, gradually, said leaf spring actuator upon insertion of said cartridge into said tunnel, and a notch formed in said side wall for receipt of said roller upon insertion of said cartridge fully into said tunnel, said roller being forced from said notch upon withdrawal of said cartridge from said tunnel to move said bistable means from said second to said first stable state, whereby said arm is maintained outside of said tunnel.

Claim 13

A cartridge locking mechanism as claimed in claim 11 wherein said mounting posts each include a notch formed therein, wherein said arm member includes a pair of opposing projections formed thereon, said projections being received by the notch of the first one of said mounting posts, thereby to mount said arm pivotally on said mounting post, wherein the free end of said pin is shaped for mating engagement with said second mounting post in said notch and wherein said coil spring provides sufficient force against said pin and said arm to maintain each in pivotal engagement with a respective mounting post.

Claim 14

A cartridge locking mechanism as claimed in claim 12 wherein said leaf spring actuator includes an end portion having opposing walls spaced for snap-on engagement with said pivotal arm.