Cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus

Claim 2

A cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus, comprising a base plate, a carriage having a head thereon and being movably mounted on said base plate for movement parallel to the latter between first and second positions at which said head is disposed at an inactive station and a recording and reproducing station, respectively, supporting means including a pair of support members fixed on said base plate and having shouldered portions facing away from said base plate for receiving and supporting a first edge portion of a tape cassette extending adjacent said recording and reproducing station at a predetermined level with respect to said head, a resilient member mounted on said base plate for engaging the edge portion of said cassette which is opposite said first edge portion and urging the cassette toward said recording and reproducing station and onto said shouldered portions, hold-down members mounted on said carriage and extending over said shouldered portions and over said first edge portion of the cassette supported thereon upon movement of the carriage to said second position for disposing said head at said recording and reproducing station, said holddown members being resiliently urged to bear upon said first edge portion when extending thereover, whereby to ensure the exact positioning of the cassette with respect to said head when the latter is moved to said recording and reproducing station, and the movement of said carriage to said first position for disposing said head at said inactive station being effective to withdraw said hold-down members from over said shouldered portions so that the latter are free to receive said first edge portion of the cassette.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising means for lifting said cassette from said supporting means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said lifting means comprises a lifting member mounted for movement between a first position in which said lifting member is below said shouldered portions and a second position in which at least part of said lifting member is above said shouldered portions whereby said cassette is adapted to be displaced by said lifting member from said shouldered portions for removal from said apparatus, and means for moving said lifting member between said first and second positions.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said means for moving said lifting member includes a resilient means selectively operative to hold said lifting member in each of said first and second positions.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising a cover movable to positions spaced from and corresponding to said first and second positions of said lifting member, and means for moving said cover in conjunction with said lifting member and for holding said cover in each of its respective positions.

Claim 7

In a tape recording and reproducing apparatus having a carriage supporting a head and movable between an inactive station and a recording and reproducing station; a support structure for a tape cassette which has at least one alignment aperture therein, said support structure comprising a plurality of support blocks positioned adjacent said recording and reproducing station and having shouldered portions adapted to receive and support an edge portion of said cassette at a predetermined level with respect to said head, individual arms associateD with said support blocks and being pivotally mounted on said carriage, means for biasing each of said arms into slidable engagement with its respective block when the carriage is at said inactive station so that said arms move along said blocks in response to movement of the carriage from said inactive station to said recording and reproducing station for extending over and engaging the top surface of said edge portion of the cassette at the last mentioned station to hold said cassette on said shouldered portions of said support blocks for maintaining said cassette at said predetermined level with respect to said head, and means urging said cassette into engagement with said shouldered portions and to a predetermined positional relationship to said head at said recording and reproducing station.

Claim 8

In a tape recording and reproducing apparatus having a carriage supporting a head and movable between an inactive station and a recording and reproducing station; a support structure for a tape cassette which has at least one alignment aperture therein, said support structure comprising a plurality of support blocks positioned adjacent said recording and reproducing station and having shouldered portions adapted to receive and support an edge portion of said cassette at a predetermined level with respect to said head, individual arms associateD with said support blocks and being pivotally mounted on said carriage, means for biasing each of said arms into slidable engagement with its respective block when the carriage is at said inactive station so that said arms move along said blocks in response to movement of the carriage from said inactive station to said recording and reproducing station for extending over and engaging the top surface of said edge portion of the cassette at the last mentioned station to hold said cassette on said shouldered portions of said support blocks for maintaining said cassette at said predetermined level with respect to said head, and means urging said cassette into engagement with said shouldered portions and to a predetermined positional relationship to said head at said recording and reproducing station.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 6, further including means engaging said cassette alignment aperture when said cassette is at said predetermined level and maintaining a predetermined alignment between said head and said cassette in the direction of said level.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said means engaging the cassette alignment opening comprises a stud member adapted to be friction fit in said alignment aperture.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said means urging the cassette comprises a resilient member having a cam surface adapted to engage the top of the edge portion of said cassette which is opposite to the first mentioned edge portion to urge said cassette against said shouldered portions and toward said head.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein each of said arms include a lower cam surface adapted to facilitate engagement of said arms with said cassette during movement of said carriage from said inactive station to said recording and reproducing station.

Claim 13

In a tape recording and reproducing apparatus having a carriage supporting a head and movable from an inactive station to a recording and reproducing station; a support and ejection device for a tape cassette which has at least one alignment aperture therein, said device comprising a plurality of support blocks positioned adjacent said recording and reproducing station and having shouldered portions adapted to receive and support an edge portion of said cassette at a predetermined level with respect to said head, individual arms associated with said support blocks and being pivotally mounted on said carriage, means for biasing each of said arms into slidable engagement with its respective block so that said arms move with said carriage and along said blocks in response to movement of the carriage from said inactive station to said recording and reproducing station for extending over and engaging the top surface of said edge portion of the cassette at said last mentioned station to hold said cassette on said shouldered portions of said support blocks and thereby maintain said cassette at said predetermined level with respect to said head, means for urging said cassette into engagement with said shouldered portions and to a predetermined positional relationship to said head at said recording and reproducing station, cassette lifting means mounted in said apparatus for movement from a first position below said shouldered portions to a second position at which at least part of said lifting means is elevated with respect to said recording and reproducing station, means for moving said lifting means from said first position towards said second position whereby said lifting means is adapted to engage a tape cassette on said support blocks and move said cassette to said second position, and means for holding said lifting means in each of said first and second positions.

Claim 14

In a tape recording and reproducing apparatus having a carriage supporting a head and movable from an inactive station to a recording and reproducing station; a support and ejection device for a tape cassette which has at least one alignment aperture therein, said device comprising a plurality of support blocks positioned adjacent said recording and reproducing station and having shouldered portions adapted to receive and support an edge portion of said cassette at a predetermined level with respect to said head, individual arms associated with said support blocks and being pivotally mounted on said carriage, means for biasing each of said arms into slidable engagement with its respective block so that said arms move with said carriage and along said blocks in response to movement of the carriage from said inactive station to said recording and reproducing station for extending over and engaging the top surface of said edge portion of the cassette at said last mentioned station to hold said cassette on said shouldered portions of said support blocks and thereby maintain said cassette at said predetermined level with respect to said head, means for urging said cassette into engagement with said shouldered portions and to a predetermined positional relationship to said head at said recording and reproducing station, cassette lifting means mounted in said apparatus for movement from a first position below said shouldered portions to a second position at which at least part of said lifting means is elevated with respect to said recording and reproducing station, means for moving said lifting means from said first position towards said second position whereby said lifting means is adapted to engage a tape cassette on said support blocks and move said cassette to said second position, and means for holding said lifting means in each of said first and second positions.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 11, including stud means mounted in said apparatus and adapted to be friction fit in said alignment aperture for maintaining a predetermined alignment between said head and said cassette in the direction of said level.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said lifting means comprises a pivotally mounted platfOrm and said holding means comprises a resilient member operably engaged with said platform and adapted to assist movement thereof to each of said first and second positions from a mid-position therebetween.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 13, wherein said means for moving said lifting means from said first position towards said second position comprises actuator means for pivoting said platform from said first position to at least said mid-position whereby said resilient member is adapted to complete movement of said platform towards said second position.