Tape cartridge changer

Claim 2

A combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer comprising: a chassis, a tray for receiving a plurality of cartridges, each having a magnetic tape therein, said tray being movably mounted on the upper side of said chassis; a tape deck which includes tape moving means for moving said tape at a predetermined speed, and at least one magnetic head for recording and/or playback of said tape, tape deck mounting means on the lower side of said chassis in which said tape deck is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with a tape cartridge when the cartridge is in an operative position, said chasses having an insertion opening therein between said tray and said tape deck through which each of said cartridges can pass between said tray and said tape deck; guide means on said chassis on said insertion opening for guiding said cartridges up and down between said tray and said tape deck through said insertion opening; tray driving means engaged with said tray for driving said tray intermittently to convey said cartridges successively to a loading position corresponding to said insertion opening; and cartridge exchanging means operatively associated with said tape deck and guide means including an elevator which is movable between a raised position and a lowest position and which successively translates said cartridges from said loading position to a predetermined inoperative position in face to face relationship with said tape deck and which returns each of said cartridges from said inoperative position to said loading position under guidance of said guide means, cartridge shifting means for shifting said cartridges from said inoperative position to an operative position, and projecting means on said tape deck projecting into the path of movement of said cartridges from the inoperative to the operative position and engaged by said cartridges for moving said tape deck toward the operative position of said tape cartridge For engaging said tape moving means of said tape deck with the tape cartridges and the magnetic head with the magnetic tape in the cartridges.

Claim 3

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1 in which said tape deck further includes a movable deck which has said tape moving means thereon, and said cartridge shifting means moves each of said cartridges in a descending movement from said inoperative position in face to face spaced relationship with said tape deck to said operative position and further engages said projecting means on said tape deck, said tape deck mounting means includes guide for guiding said tape deck downwardly and toward said elevator, whereby the engagement of said cartridges with said projecting means gives to said movable tape deck a descending motion and a motion toward said cartridge during descending movement thereof so that said cartridge is engaged with said tape moving means on said movable deck.

Claim 4

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: a first motor mounted on said movable deck and driving said tape moving means, and a second motor coupled to said tray driving means and said cartridge exchanging means for driving said tray driving means and said cartridge exchanging means.

Claim 5

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1, in which said cartridge exchanging means further comprising spring means engaged by said cartridge in said operative position for urging each of said cartridges to move from said operative position to said inoperative position in response to detection of the end of the tape in the cartridge and to start said elevator moving from its lowest position to its raised position to return said cartridge to said tray; and clutch means coupled to said cartridge exchanging means for initiating operation thereof in response to said movement of said cartridge from said operative position to said inoperative position.

Claim 6

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 4 in which said cartridge exchanging means further includes an auto-gear for driving said elevator and said cartridge shifting means, a driving pinion capable of meshing with said auto-gear, and a motor coupled to said driving pinion for rotating said driving pinion, said clutch means cooperating with said auto-gear and pinion for bringing said auto-gear into meshing engagement with said pinion.

Claim 7

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1 in which said tape moving means of the tape deck is a first motor, and said cartridge exchanging means includes a second motor for supplying a rotational force thereto, and switch means coupled to said motors and actuable for selectively energizing said first motor and said second motor in response to the movement of said cartridge from said operating position to said inoperative position.

Claim 8

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: reject means engageable with said cartridge when it is in said operative position for manually moving the cartridge engaged with said tape deck from said operative position to said inoperative position so as to actuate said clutch means to initiate operation of said cartridge exchanging means.

Claim 9

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1 in which said tray driving means includes a claw wheel coupled to and intermittently driven by said auto-gear, and a tray pinion which is coupled to said claw wheel of said tray having a rack thereon with which said tray pinion is engaged, whereby said auto-gear drives said claw wheel to move said tray so as to convey said cartridges a distance equal to the pitch of adjacent cartridges in said tray with every full rotation of said autogear.

Claim 10

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 8 in which said tray driving means further includes a detent wheel coupled to and driven with said tray pinion for imparting a click motion to said tray pinion at a rotational angle corresponding to a distance between the adjacent cartridges in said tray.

Claim 11

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: first clutch means coupled to said cartridge exchanging means and responsive to termination of the ascending movement of said elevator for initiating operation of said cartridge exchanging means so as to cause said elevator to descend from its raised position when said elevator returns said cartridges to said loading position in said tray, and to stop said cartridge exchanging means when said elevator undergoes descending and ascending movement without the cartridge, and second clutch means coupled to said cartridge exchanging means and responsive to termination of tape movement of the cartridge, and also responsive to termination of descending movement of said elevator when said elevator descends without the cartridge, said second clutch means being for initiating operation of said cartridge exchanging means so as to raise said elevator from its lowest position, whereby said cartridge exchanging means stops its cartridge exchanging operation after said elevator has undergone said descending and ascending motion without the cartridge.

Claim 12

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: button means coupled to said first clutch means for manually actuating said first clutch means to initiate operation of said cartridge exchanging means so as to cause said elevator to descend from its raised position, said first button means including means for restoring said first button means to its inoperative position upon termination of the ascending movement of said elevator when said elevator undergoes descending and ascending movement without the cartridge.

Claim 13

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: a play button coupled to said first clutch means for manually actuating said first clutch means to initiate operation of said cartridge exchanging means so as to cause said elevator to descend from its raised position, a stop button coupled to said second clutch means for manually actuating said second clutch means to initiate operation of said cartridge exchanging means so as to cause said elevator to ascend from its lowest position, and a button releasing lever coacting with said stop button and said play button to restore said play button to its inoperative position upon termination of the ascending movement of said elevator.

Claim 14

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 1, in which said tape deck further includes fast-forward means coupled to said tape moving means for fast-forward drive of the tape, and rewind means coupled to said tape moving means for rewinding the tape, said fast-forward means and said rewind means including a fast-forward button and rewind button respectively for manually operating said fast forward means and said rewind means, and further including locking means for locking said buttons in their operative positions, and restoring means coupled between said buttons and said cartridge exchanging means for restoring said buttons to their inoperative positions in response to the actuation of said cartridge exchanging means at each cycle thereof.

Claim 15

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 13 further comprising means coupling said fast-forward button and said stop button for moving said fast-forward button to its operative position upon manual operation of said stop button for initiating operation of said cartridge exchanging means so as to cause said elevator to ascend from its lowest position after the tape in the cartridge has been fully wound on a take-up reel by said fast-forward means.

Claim 16

A combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer comprising: a chassis; a tray for receiving a plurality of cartridges, each having a magnetic tape therein, said tray being movably mounted on the upper side of said chassis and having a rack thereon; a tape deck which includes tape moving means for moving said tape at a predetermined speed, a first motor coupled to said tape moving means for driving said tape moving means, and at least one magnetic head for recording and/or playback of said tape, tape deck mounting means on the lower side of said chassis in which said tape deck is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with a tape cartridge when the cartridge is in an operative position, said chassis having an insertion opening therein between said tray and said tape deck through which each of said cartridges can pass between said tray and said tape deck; guide means on said chassis at said insertion opening for guiding said cartridges up and down between said tray and said tape deck through said insertion opening; tray driving means including a pinion meshed with said rack on the tray for intermittently driving said tray to convey said cartridges successively to a loading position corresponding to said insertion opening; and cartridge exchanging means operatively associated with said tape deck and guide means and including an elevator which is movable between a raised position and a lowest position and which successively transports each of said cartridges from said loading position to a predetermined inoperative position in face to face relationship with said tape deck and which returns each of said cartridges from said inoperative position to said loading position under guidance of said guide means, cartridge shifting means for shifting said cartridges from said inoperative position to an operative position, and projecting means on said tape deck projecting into the path of movement of said cartridges from the inoperative to the operative position and engaged by said cartridges for moving said tape deck toward the operative position of said tape cartridge for engaging said tape moving means of said tape deck with the tape cartridges and the magnetic head with the magnetic tape in the cartridges; and a second motor coupled to said tray driving means, said elevator and said cartridge shifting means for driving them.

Claim 17

A combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer comprising: a chassis; a tray for receiving a plurality of cartridges, each having a magnetic tape therein, said tray being movably mounted on the upper side of said chassis and having a rack thereon; a tape deck which includes tape moving means for moving said tape at a predetermined speed, a first motor coupled to said tape moving means for driving said tape moving means, and at least one magnetic head for recording and/or playback of said tape, tape deck mounting means on the lower side of said chassis in which said tape deck is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with a tape cartridge when the cartridge is in an operative position, said chassis having an insertion opening therein between said tray and said tape deck through which each of said cartridges can pass between said tray and said tape deck; guide means on said chassis at said insertion opening for guiding said cartridges up and down between said tray and said tape deck through said insertion opening; tray driving means including a pinion meshed with said rack on the tray for intermittently driving said tray to convey said cartridges successively to a loading position corresponding to said insertion opening; and cartridge exchanging means operatively associated with said tape deck and guide means and including an elevator which is movable between a raised position and a lowest position and which successively transports each of said cartridges from said loading position to a predetermined inoperative position in face to face relationship with said tape deck and which returns each of said cartridges from said inoperative position to said loading position under guidance of said guide means, cartridge shifting means for shifting said cartridges from said inoperative position to an operative position, and projecting means on said tape deck projecting into the path of movement of said cartridges from the inoperative to the operative position and engaged by said cartridges for moving said tape deck toward the operative position of said tape cartridge for engaging said tape moving means of said tape deck with the tape cartridges and the magnetic head with the magnetic tape in the cartridges; and a second motor coupled to said tray driving means, said elevator and said cartridge shifting means for driving them.

Claim 18

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 15 in which said tape deck includes a stationary main deck having said magnetic head mounted thereon and having said guide means fixed thereon, and a movable deck provided with said tape moving means and said first motor and said projecting means, said tape deck mounting means mounting said movable deck for moving said movable deck towards said main deck so as to engage with said cartridges when said cartridges are brought to said operative position by said cartridge shifting means, said cartridges engaging said projecting means on said movable deck to cause said movement thereof.

Claim 19

The combination tape deck and tape cartridge changer as claimed in claim 15 further comprising: detent means with which said pinion is connected, said detent means imparting a click motion to said pinion so as to regulate said tray for positioning each of said cartridges in the tray at the loading position corresponding to said insertion opening.