Two-way door assembly for a cassette tape player

Claim 2

A two-way door assembly for a cassette tape player having an opening dimensioned to receive a tape cassette, said door assembly including in combination: a support shaft, a door member mounted for rotation at a first end thereof on said support shaft, first spring means tensioned to provide a force against said door member only in a first rotatable direction for returning said door member to a closed condition over said cassette receiving opening subsequent to the receipt of a cassette through said opening into said player in a second, opposite rotatable direction, second spring means coupled to said rotatable support shaft for returning said door member to a closed condition over said cassette receiving opening subsequent to the ejection of a cassette from said player through said opening in said first rotatable direction and coupling means for coupling said rotatable shaft to said door member upon ejection of said cassette whereby said second spring means is tensioned, said second spring means rotating said support shaft and said door member only in said second rotatable direction to return the latter to a closed condition over said opening subsequent to the ejection of said cassette from said player.

Claim 3

A two-way door assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support shaft is rotatably mounted adjacent said opening, wherein said door member includes at a first end thereof a curved portion, said support shaft being received longitudinally therein to support said door member rotatably thereon, independent of the rotation of said shaft.

Claim 4

A two-way door assembly for a cassette tape player including a side wall having an opening therein for receiving tape cassettes, said door assembly including in combination: a support shaft mounted for rotation on a first surface of said side wall adjacent said opening, a door member having a curved end portion receiving said support shaft therethrough for mounting said door member rotatably on said shaft, independent of the rotation of said support shaft, first biasing spring means coupled to said door member and providing a biasing force thereagainst in a first rotatable direction to move said door member rotatably to a closed condition subsequent to the receipt of a tape cassette in said player through said opening, second biasing spring means coupled to said rotatable shaft and providing a biasing force there-against in a second rotatable direction opposite from said first direction and coupling means for coupling said rotatable shaft and said door member upon ejection of said cassette through said opening from said player whereby said second spring means is tensioned, said second spring means rotating said support shaft and said door member in said second rotatable direction to return the latter to a closed condition over said opening subsequent to the ejection of said cassette from said player.

Claim 5

A two-way door assembly for a cassette tape player including a side wall having an opening therein for receiving tape cassettes, said door assembly including in combination: a support shaft mounted for rotation on a first surface of said side wall adjacent said opening, a door member having a curved end portion receiving said support shaft therethrough for mounting said door member rotatably on said shaft, independent of the rotation of said support shaft, first biasing spring means coupled to said door member and providing a biasing force thereagainst in a first rotatable direction to move said door member rotatably to a closed condition subsequent to the receipt of a tape cassette in said player through said opening, second biasing spring means coupled to said rotatable shaft and providing a biasing force there-against in a second rotatable direction opposite from said first direction and coupling means for coupling said rotatable shaft and said door member upon ejection of said cassette through said opening from said player whereby said second spring means is tensioned, said second spring means rotating said support shaft and said door member in said second rotatable direction to return the latter to a closed condition over said opening subsequent to the ejection of said cassette from said player.

Claim 6

A two-way door assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said coupling means includes a member extending from said support shaft transverse the longitudinal axis thereof for engagement with the curved end portion of said door member.

Claim 7

In a cassette tape player having an outer housing including a side wall having an opening therein for receiving a tape cassette, a two-way door assembly provided to cover said opening upon insertion of a tape cassette into said player through said opening and subsequent to the ejection of a cassette from said player through said opening, said door assembly including in combination: a support shaft mounted for rotation on the interior surface of said side wall adjacent said opening, a door member including means at a first end thereof for mounting said door member on said support shaft for rotation thereabout independent of the rotation of said shaft, a first biasing spring mounted for engagement with said door member, providing a force thereagainst in a direction opposite from the direction of insertion of a cassette into said player through said opening, said first biasing spring being tensioned by the opening of said door member upon insertion of a cassette into said player and returning said door member to a closed condition upon full insertion of said cassette into said player, a second biasing spring coupled to said rotatable support shaft to provide a rotational force thereto in the direction of insertion of a cassette into said player and coupling means for coupling said door member and said rotatable support shaft upon ejection of a cassette from said player through said opening in a direction opposite from the direction of insertion of said cassette into said player, said cassette engaging said door member at the interior surface thereof to rotate the latter in said opposite direction, whereby said shaft is rotated to tension said second biasing spring, said second biasing spring returning said door member to a closed condition subsequent to the ejection of said cassette from said player past said door member.

Claim 8

In a cassette tape player having an outer housing including a side wall having an opening therein for receiving a tape cassette, a two-way door assembly provided to cover said opening upon insertion of a tape cassette into said player through said opening and subsequent to the ejection of a cassette from said player through said opening, said door assembly including in combination: a support shaft mounted for rotation on the interior surface of said side wall adjacent said opening, a door member including means at a first end thereof for mounting said door member on said support shaft for rotation thereabout independent of the rotation of said shaft, a first biasing spring mounted for engagement with said door member, providing a force thereagainst in a direction opposite from the direction of insertion of a cassette into said player through said opening, said first biasing spring being tensioned by the opening of said door member upon insertion of a cassette into said player and returning said door member to a closed condition upon full insertion of said cassette into said player, a second biasing spring coupled to said rotatable support shaft to provide a rotational force thereto in the direction of insertion of a cassette into said player and coupling means for coupling said door member and said rotatable support shaft upon ejection of a cassette from said player through said opening in a direction opposite from the direction of insertion of said cassette into said player, said cassette engaging said door member at the interior surface thereof to rotate the latter in said opposite direction, whereby said shaft is rotated to tension said second biasing spring, said second biasing spring returning said door member to a closed condition subsequent to the ejection of said cassette from said player past said door member.

Claim 9

A cassette tape player as claimed in claim 5 wherein said door member mounting means include a curved end portion formed along an edge of said door member and receiving said support shaft therethrough, and wherein said coupling means includes a pin member extending outwaRdly from said shaft substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof for engagement by a predetermined section of said curved edge portion upon rotation of said door member in said opposite direction during the ejection of said cassette from said player, said pin member engaging said predetermined section of said curved edge portion of said door member to return said door member to a closed condition subsequent to the ejection of said cassette from said player.

Claim 10

A cassette tape player as claimed in claim 6 wherein said rotatable support shaft is mounted adjacent the upper edge of said cassette receiving opening, wherein said curved edge portion of said door member is provided along the top edge thereof and wherein said first biasing spring is mounted on a first end of said rotatable support shaft with a first end of said spring engaging the interior surface of said side wall of said cassette housing and the second end of said spring being positioned for engagement with the interior surface of said door member upon insertion of a cassette into said player through said opening and wherein said second biasing spring is mounted at the opposite end of said rotatable shaft with a first end thereof inserted into an aperture provided in said rotatable shaft and the opposite end thereof engaging the interior surface of said side wall of said tape player housing.