Tape cartridge player mechanism

Claim 2

In a tape cartridge player of the type having tape playing mechanisms including a movable transducer assembly adapted to be positioned to scan across different tracks of a cartridge tape, a structure comprising: a plurality of cartridge receptacles each adapted to receive a tape cartridge which is positionable in said receptacle in a first position out of engagement with portions of the tape playing mechanism of said player and in a second position in operative engagement with said portions of said tape playing mechanism; drive means providing a source of mechanical power; means mounting said drive means for movement between respective ones of said cartridge receptacles; first means for moving the tape cartridge between said first and said second positions; second means for moving said transducer assembly to position said transducer assembly to scan across the different tracks of the cartridge tape; and cycling means supported on said means mounting said drive means for movement between respective ones of said cartridge receptacles and coupLed to said drive means to provide controlled movement of said first and second means.

Claim 3

A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said cycling means includes a cycling gear coupled to said first and said second means in a manner such that said gear, when in a predetermined position, must rotate through a given angle before said first means is driven to move the tape cartridge and such that said second means is driven to position said transducer assembly only during rotation of said gear over said given angle.

Claim 4

A structure as defined in claim 1 including: a cycling gear having a first pin; a lever including an arcuate slot, said lever positioned to captivate said first pin in said arcuate slot and coupled to said first means for moving the tape cartridge; a slide member mounted for reciprocating motion along the length of said lever and biased to bear against said first pin, said slide member including detent notches which detent said first pin at the extremities of said arcuate slot in said lever.

Claim 5

A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said lever includes a detent notch which cooperates with a detent member to secure said lever in a predetermined position when said first pin is moved out of one of the detent positions toward the opposite extremity of said arcuate slot.

Claim 6

A structure as defined in claim 4 including a second pin coupled to said second means for moving said transducer assembly to position it to scan across the different tracks of the cartridge tape when said first pin is moved within the arcuate slot in said lever.

Claim 7

A structure as defined in claim 5 wherein movement of said first pin after reaching the other one of the detent positions causes a force to be exerted on said lever to pull said lever out of its detent position such that a force is transferred through said first pin and said lever to said first means for moving said tape cartridge.

Claim 8

A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said first pin extends from a first major surface of said cycling gear and said second pin extends from a second major surface of said cycling gear and including a track change lever positioned to interfere with said second pin over an acute angle of rotation of said cycling gear, said second pin causing said track changer lever to move to position said transducer assembly to scan across the different tracks of said cartridge tape.

Claim 9

A structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said first means comprises a lever means adapted to engage the tape cartridge to manipulate said cartridge by engaging a detent notch in said cartridge, said lever means coupled to said lever and guided to move along a linear path for a first portion of its movement and guided to move along a curved path for a second portion of its movement, said first portion of movement associated with moving said cartridge into and out of engagement with the tape playing mechanism of said player and said second portion of movement associated with engaging and disengaging said lever means with said cartridge notch.

Claim 10

A cartridge tape player assembly comprising: a cycling gear rotatable in one given direction; first lever means coupled to said cycling gear and adapted to engage a tape cartridge to manipulate said tape cartridge between a first and a second position during a first rotation of said gear in said given direction; a movable transducer assembly; second lever means coupled to said cycling gear and to said movable transducer assembly to move said transducer assembly between at least two different positions in response to a further rotation of said gear in said given direction; and the angular position of said cycling gear controlling the position of said tape cartridge and the position of said movable transducer assembly.

Claim 11

A cartridge tape player assembly comprising: a cycling gear rotatable in one given direction; first lever means coupled to said cycling gear and adapted to engage a tape cartridge to manipulate said tape cartridge between a first and a second position during a first rotation of said gear in said given direction; a movable transducer assembly; second lever means coupled to said cycling gear and to said movable transducer assembly to move said transducer assembly between at least two different positions in response to a further rotation of said gear in said given direction; and the angular position of said cycling gear controlling the position of said tape cartridge and the position of said movable transducer assembly.

Claim 12

A cartridge tape player assembly as defined in claim 9 including means mounted to said cycling gear and connected in an electrical circuit for controlling the movement of said cycling gear.

Claim 13

A cartridge player assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said cycling gear, over a first angle of rotation, drives said first lever means to manipulate said tape cartridge and over a second angle of rotation drives said second lever means to move said transducer assembly between said different positions.

Claim 14

A tape cartridge player assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said first angle of rotation is an obtuse angle and said second angle of rotation is an acute angle.

Claim 15

A cartridge player comprising: a cartridge receptacle adapted to receive a tape cartridge which is positionable within said cartridge receptacle in a first position out of operative engagement with portions of the player playing mechanism and a second position in operative engagement with said portions of the player; transducing assembly means shiftable to scan different tracks of the cartridge tape; a cycling gear; a motor coupled to drive said cycling gear to rotate; a motor control circuit operable to control the energization of said motor; first lever means coupled to said cycling gear for manipulating said tape cartridge between said first and said second positions; second lever means coupled to said cycling gear for shifting said transducer assembly between the tape tracks to be scanned; a conductive pattern mounted to a major surface of said cycling gear and connected in said motor control circuit; a first contact coacting with said conductive pattern for applying a voltage to said conductive pattern; and said motor control circuit operative to cause said motor to be energized and drive said cycling gear to rotate when said voltage is applied to said conductive pattern.

Claim 16

A cartridge player comprising: a cartridge receptacle adapted to receive a tape cartridge which is positionable within said cartridge receptacle in a first position out of operative engagement with portions of the player playing mechanism and a second position in operative engagement with said portions of the player; transducing assembly means shiftable to scan different tracks of the cartridge tape; a cycling gear; a motor coupled to drive said cycling gear to rotate; a motor control circuit operable to control the energization of said motor; first lever means coupled to said cycling gear for manipulating said tape cartridge between said first and said second positions; second lever means coupled to said cycling gear for shifting said transducer assembly between the tape tracks to be scanned; a conductive pattern mounted to a major surface of said cycling gear and connected in said motor control circuit; a first contact coacting with said conductive pattern for applying a voltage to said conductive pattern; and said motor control circuit operative to cause said motor to be energized and drive said cycling gear to rotate when said voltage is applied to said conductive pattern.

Claim 17

A cartridge player as defined in claim 13 wherein the conductive pattern is designed such that when said cycling gear is in a predetermined position said first contact is out of engagement with said conductive pattern and including means adapted, upon actuation when said gear is in said predetermined position, to cause said cycling gear to rotate a sufficient amount to place said first contact on said conductive pattern.

Claim 18

A cartridge player as defined in claim 14 wherein said conductive pattern includes an outer conductive ring broken at one point and a series of inner notched portions, said first contact positioned with respect to said conductive pattern such that as said gear rotates through an angle of 360*, said first contact travels along said conductive pattern passing through said one point and said series of inner notched portions, said one point associated with a positioning of said first lever means in a predetermined location and with said tape cartridge being in said first position in said cartridge receptacle, and each of said inner notched portions associated with a predetermined position of said second lever means such that said transducer assembly is adjusted to scan a predetermined tape track.

Claim 19

A cartridge tape player as defined in claim 15 including a contact associated with each inner notched portion, and wherein said conductive pattern further includes a conductive pad associated with each inner notched portion, said pads electrically connected and positioned to provide a conductive path between said outer conductive ring and an inner conductive ring, and said pads and contacts arranged such that when said first contact is located in a given inner notched portion the contact associated with said inner notched portion engages the conductive pad associated with said inner notched portion.

Claim 20

A cartridge player as defined in claim 16 wherein there is at least one conductive pad positioned to occupy an area which overlies a radial line extending from the center of said inner conductive ring through each notched portion.

Claim 21

A cartridge player as defined in claim 17 wherein said cartridge player is adapted to play a plurality of tape cartridges and includes a vertically movable platform which is driven by a second motor mEans which can be energized only when said first contact is at said one point so that said first lever means is in said predetermined location, and said predetermined location such that said first lever means is out of engagement with said tape cartridge.