US3870835A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stylus control apparatus for a video disc record player
Assignee: RCA Corp
•
Filing: 1973-04-16
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1993-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A playback system has a rotatably driven turntable for controlling the operation of a playback stylus device with a video disc record disposed on the turntable. The video information, which is recorded in the form of geometric variations in a spiral groove of the record, is recovered by sensing the capacitance between the stylus playback device and the record surface. The stylus is supported in a housing which is movable in a manner to provide travel of the stylus radially over the record. A stylus control device provides movement of the stylus relative to the housing into and out of engagement with the record surface. Two drive arrangements are provided to be operable in alternative manner to drive the stylus housing over the record. A movable pointer is provided to indicate the position of the stylus along the record. Each of first and second drive means have motion coupling devices, which are controllably engageable in alternative manner to a driving shaft of the turntable. A movable drive change assembly is intercoupled with the respective drive arrangements and the stylus control apparatus, to selectively energize the drive and stylus control apparatuses. The system includes a manual selector arm for positioning a portion of control mechanism, which is instrumental in establishing drive control of the stylus housing and positioning of the stylus. The selector positions one of a pair of electrical contacts in a given initial spaced relation. The second electrical contact is positioned by a portion of the drive means to cause the contacts to engage at a desired position of the stylus over the record. An electrical circuit completed thereby is operative through electro-mechanical means to control the drive and positioning of the stylus with respect to the record. A manually actuatable lever arrangement is coupled to the drive and stylus control mechanism. This mechanism when actuated is operative to disengage drive of the stylus housing over the record and remove the stylus from the record, while maintaining the position of the stylus with respect to the center of the record.
Inventors
- 👤 Fredrick Roland Stave
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:15
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/10; G11B3/00; G11B3/02; G11B3/06; G11B3/08; G11B3/095; G11B3/0952; G11B3/10; G11B3/34; G11B3/36; G11B3/44; G11B3/46; G11B9/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
297 words
In a disc record playback system including a rotatably driven turntable, apparatus for controlling cooperation of a playback stylus with a turntable-supported disc record comprising, in combination: a stylus support housing; an arm carrying said stylus at one end thereof; a stylus arm pivot for coupling an end of said arm, remote from said one end, to said stylus support housing; said pivot permitting both lateral and vertical motions of said stylus relative to said stylus support housing; said stylus support housing being subject to translatory motion to provide a translation of said stylus arm pivot permitting travel of said stylus substantially radially of said record; stylus control means for providing vertical movement of said stylus relative to said housing between a first depressed position permitting stylus engagement with a turntablesupported record and a second elevated position precluding stylus engagement with a turntable-supported record; first drive means coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing between a standby position and a playback position; said stylus being in vertical registry with a region of said turntable when said stylus support housing is in a playback position, and out of vertical registry with said turntable when said stylus support housing is in said standby position; second drive means, independent of stylus-record engagement, coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing during playback of said record; and selective drive control means intercoupled with said first and second drive means and said stylus control means for selectively energizing said first drive means with said stylus disposed in said elevated position and for selectively energizing said second drive means while concomitantly disposing said stylus in said depressed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
297 words
In a disc record playback system including a rotatably driven turntable, apparatus for controlling cooperation of a playback stylus with a turntable-supported disc record comprising, in combination: a stylus support housing; an arm carrying said stylus at one end thereof; a stylus arm pivot for coupling an end of said arm, remote from said one end, to said stylus support housing; said pivot permitting both lateral and vertical motions of said stylus relative to said stylus support housing; said stylus support housing being subject to translatory motion to provide a translation of said stylus arm pivot permitting travel of said stylus substantially radially of said record; stylus control means for providing vertical movement of said stylus relative to said housing between a first depressed position permitting stylus engagement with a turntablesupported record and a second elevated position precluding stylus engagement with a turntable-supported record; first drive means coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing between a standby position and a playback position; said stylus being in vertical registry with a region of said turntable when said stylus support housing is in a playback position, and out of vertical registry with said turntable when said stylus support housing is in said standby position; second drive means, independent of stylus-record engagement, coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing during playback of said record; and selective drive control means intercoupled with said first and second drive means and said stylus control means for selectively energizing said first drive means with said stylus disposed in said elevated position and for selectively energizing said second drive means while concomitantly disposing said stylus in said depressed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
297 words
In a disc record playback system including a rotatably driven turntable, apparatus for controlling cooperation of a playback stylus with a turntable-supported disc record comprising, in combination: a stylus support housing; an arm carrying said stylus at one end thereof; a stylus arm pivot for coupling an end of said arm, remote from said one end, to said stylus support housing; said pivot permitting both lateral and vertical motions of said stylus relative to said stylus support housing; said stylus support housing being subject to translatory motion to provide a translation of said stylus arm pivot permitting travel of said stylus substantially radially of said record; stylus control means for providing vertical movement of said stylus relative to said housing between a first depressed position permitting stylus engagement with a turntable-supported record and a second elevated position precluding stylus engagement with a turntable-supported record; first drive means coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing between a standby position and a playback position; said stylus being in vertical registry with a region of said turntable when said stylus support housing is in a playback position, and out of vertical registry with said turntable when said stylus support housing is in said standby position; second drive means, independent of stylus-record engagement, coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing during playback of said record; and selective drive control means intercoupled with said first and second drive means and said stylus control means for selectively energizing said first drive means with said stylus disposed in said elevated position and for selectively energizing said second drive means while concomitantly disposing said stylus in said depressed position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
297 words
In a disc record playback system including a rotatably driven turntable, apparatus for controlling cooperation of a playback stylus with a turntable-supported disc record comprising, in combination: a stylus support housing; an arm carrying said stylus at one end thereof; a stylus arm pivot for coupling an end of said arm, remote from said one end, to said stylus support housing; said pivot permitting both lateral and vertical motions of said stylus relative to said stylus support housing; said stylus support housing being subject to translatory motion to provide a translation of said stylus arm pivot permitting travel of said stylus substantially radially of said record; stylus control means for providing vertical movement of said stylus relative to said housing between a first depressed position permitting stylus engagement with a turntable-supported record and a second elevated position precluding stylus engagement with a turntable-supported record; first drive means coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing between a standby position and a playback position; said stylus being in vertical registry with a region of said turntable when said stylus support housing is in a playback position, and out of vertical registry with said turntable when said stylus support housing is in said standby position; second drive means, independent of stylus-record engagement, coupled to said stylus support housing and selectively responsive to rotation of said turntable for moving said stylus support housing during playback of said record; and selective drive control means intercoupled with said first and second drive means and said stylus control means for selectively energizing said first drive means with said stylus disposed in said elevated position and for selectively energizing said second drive means while concomitantly disposing said stylus in said depressed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
The invention according to claim 1 including manually operable further control means; means, including lever means, intercoupling said further control means with said second drive means and said stylus control means; said further control means in one condition thereof being operative through said lever means to disable said second drive means and to dispose said stylus in said elevated position, thereby discontinuing record playback; said further control means during said first condition thereof being effective in holding the attained radial position of said stylus, and said stylus support housing, with respect to said turntable; and said further control means in a second condition thereof being operative to return said stylus to said depressed position and to enable said second drive means, thereby resuming record playback from a point of discontinuance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention according to claim 1, wherein said stylus control means includes a member mounted on said stylus support housing for movement with respect to said housing between a first position in engagement with said arm and a further position spaced from said arm, lever means coupled to said member for controlling its position, and means responsive to operation of said selective drive control means to control said lever means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
199 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first drive means includes an annular rotatable gear-like member, means coupling said Gear member to said stylus housing for movement thereof in response to rotation of said gear member, first motion coupling means movably mounted to provide in a first condition motion coupling from said turntable to said gear member, said second drive means including worm gear means rotatably coupled to said turntable, second motion coupling means secured to said stylus housing and movable to provide in a first condition motion coupling from said worm gear means to said housing, further means movably mounted to be disposed in first and second positions with respect to said first and second drive means, first means carried by said further means to dispose said first motion coupling means in said first condition when said further means is in said first position, additional means coupling said further means with said second motion coupling means to dispose said second motion coupling means in said first condition when said further means is in said second position, and means including a further motive source for positioning said further means to alternatively energize said first and second drive means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
The invention according to claim 1, wherein said first drive means includes a rotatable member including means for correlating the position of said rotatable member with said stylus support housing, said rotatable member having in a major surface thereof means providing a first electrical contact which is variably spaced, along a spiral, at different radial positions with respect to the center of rotation of said rotatable member, second electrical contact means, means mounting said second electrical contact means for cooperation with said rotatable member surface independent of the position of said stylus support housing, said means mounting said second electrical contact means effective to provide a predetermined initial spacing along said rotatable member surface between said first and second electrical contact means, and means including circuit means responsive to mutual engagement of said electrical contact means, in response to rotation of said rotatable member, to provide control of said selective drive control means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
The invention according to claim 1, wherein said second drive means including a threaded drive shaft rotatably driven from said turntable, a pair of aligned members disposed at opposite sides of said shaft, said members having threaded portions adapted to be translated when engaged with said shaft, means securing said members to said stylus support housing for slidable movement toward and away from said shaft, means biasing said members into engagement with said shaft, and means engageable with said members to dispose said threaded portions in spaced relation with said shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The invention according to claim 6, wherein said members include at least one slot therein having a constricted portion, a pin disposed in said slot, and means for moving said pin along said slot to thereby control engagement of said members with said shaft.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
188 words
A system for playing back information from a major surface of a disc record, comprising: a stylus support housing; a playback stylus within said stylus support housing and movable with respect to said stylus support housing toward and away from said record surface and in lateral directions parallel to said record surface; means mounting said stylus support housing for translatory movement only in directions substantially parallel to said record surface; drive means, independent of stylus-record engagement, for effecting said translatory movement of said stylus support housing; said drive means being effective in a first mode in moving said stylus support housing between a standby position and a playback position, and in a second mode in providing travel of said stylus radially across said record surface; said stylus being out of registry with said record surface when said stylus support housing is in said standby position; and said stylus being in registry with a portion of said recorD surface when said stylus support housing is in said playback position; and selective drive control means for selectively energizing said drive means to operate in a selected one of said modes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
188 words
A system for playing back information from a major surface of a disc record, comprising: a stylus support housing; a playback stylus within said stylus support housing and movable with respect to said stylus support housing toward and away from said record surface and in lateral directions parallel to said record surface; means mounting said stylus support housing for translatory movement only in directions substantially parallel to said record surface; drive means, independent of stylus-record engagement, for effecting said translatory movement of said stylus support housing; said drive means being effective in a first mode in moving said stylus support housing between a standby position and a playback position, and in a second mode in providing travel of said stylus radially across said record surface; said stylus being out of registry with said record surface when said stylus support housing is in said standby position; and said stylus being in registry with a portion of said recorD surface when said stylus support housing is in said playback position; and selective drive control means for selectively energizing said drive means to operate in a selected one of said modes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
85 words
The invention according to claim 8, including means within said housing mounted for movement between first and second positions, said means in said first position disposing said stylus in substantially co-planar relation to said record surface and in said second position disposing said stylus in spaced relation with the plane of said record surface, and means intercoupling said stylus positioning means and said drive means to control the position of said stylus in accordance with the position of said housing relative to said record surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
The invention according to claim 8, including a rotatably driven turntable, a threaded drive shaft coupled for rotation by said turntable, a pair of members having threaded portions encircling said shaft, means coupling said members to said housing for relative movement toward and away from each other and said shaft, means coupled to said drive means for controlling the engagement of said members with said shaft in accordance with the position of said stylus over said record.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
105 words
The invention according to claim 8, wherein said playback system includes a rotatably driven turntable having a driving shaft secured thereto, said drive means including first and second motion coupling means each movably mounted to provide in a first condition motion coupling from said turntable shaft to said stylus housing, said drive energizing means including further means having portions movable into engagement with said first and second motion coupling means to alternatively dispose said first and second coupling means in their first condition, and means coupled to said further means and responsive to a control signal for positioning the movable portions of said further means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |