Cassette opening mechanism

Claim 2

A MECHANISM ADAPTED TO ROTATE THE COVER OF A CASSETTE BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING MEANS TO RECEIVE A CASSETTE, GUIDE MEANS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CASSETTE-RECEIVING MEANS FOR GUIDING THE CASSETTE INTO THE CASSETTE-RECEIVING MEANS, MEANS FOR HOLDING THE BASE MEMBER OF THE CASSETTE ALONG THE PLANE IN WHICH THE BASE MEMBER IS INSERTED INTO THE CASSETTE-RECEIVING MEANS, AND MEANS RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON EACH SIDE GUIDE MEANS FOR COOPERATING WITH AT LEAST ONE GROOVE IN EACH ADJACENT SIDE WALL

Claim 3

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said means rigidly mounted on each of said guide means comprises a cylindrical pin of sufficient length to extend into the groove or grooves in the side wall of the cover adjacent thereto.

Claim 4

The mechanism of calim 1 wherein said rigidly mounted means comprises a cylindrical pin adjacent each of the grooved side walls of the cover, said pins being so positioned as to enter that end of the rotation-causing groove most closely adjacent the front wall of the cover.

Claim 5

The mechanism of calim 1 wherein said rigidly mounted means comprises a cylindrical pin adjacent each of the grooved side walls of the cover, said pins being so positioned as to enter that end of the rotation-causing groove most closely adjacent the front wall of the cover.

Claim 6

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the base member holding means comprises an elongated bar adjacent each of said guide means said elongated bars cooperating with adjacent portions of the side walls of the base member for holding the base member along the plane in which the base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving means.

Claim 7

The mechanism of claim 1 further including means supported by said cassette-receiving means for latching an empty cassette in the fully inserted condition with the cover rotated to the fully opened position.

Claim 8

The mechanism of claim 5 further including spring means adjacent the leading edge of the base member of the cassette and means to deactuate said latch means, whereby the cassette will be partially ejected from the cassette-receiving means by said spring means upon deactuation of said latch means.

Claim 9

The mechanism of clAim 1 further including means external to the cassette for limiting the downward rotation of the cover when said mechanism and the cassette are utilized in the inverted condition such that, during opening, the cover is rotated downwardly.

Claim 10

The mechanism of claim 7 where said external means further functions to urge the cover toward the closed position as the cassette is withdrawn from the cassette-receiving means.

Claim 11

A cassette having a base member and a top cover hinged to said base member about the rear walls thereof for rotational movement between an open position and a closed position, said top cover having spaced side walls disposed parallel to the direction of cassette travel into and out of cassette-receiving station, each of said side walls having a cam surface comprising at least one groove adapted to coact with cam followers external to the cassette for rotating the top cover between the open and closed position; and, in combination with said cassette, cam followers mounted in the cassette- receiving station, said cam followers operatively associated with said grooves in the adjacent side walls of the top cover whereby the top cover is rotated between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving station as said cam followers coact with said cam surfaces, and means associated with the cassette-receiving station for holding said base member along the plane in which said base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving station.

Claim 12

A cassette having a base member and a top cover hinged to said base member about the rear walls thereof for rotational movement between an open position and a closed position, said top cover having spaced side walls disposed parallel to the direction of cassette travel into and out of cassette-receiving station, each of said side walls having a cam surface comprising at least one groove adapted to coact with cam followers external to the cassette for rotating the top cover between the open and closed position; and, in combination with said cassette, cam followers mounted in the cassette- receiving station, said cam followers operatively associated with said grooves in the adjacent side walls of the top cover whereby the top cover is rotated between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving station as said cam followers coact with said cam surfaces, and means associated with the cassette-receiving station for holding said base member along the plane in which said base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving station.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 9 wherein said cam followers each comprise a cylindrical pin adjacent to a corresponding grooved side wall of said top cover, said pins being of sufficient length to extend into the groove adjacent thereto.

Claim 14

A cassette having a base member and a top cover hinged to said base member about the rear walls thereof for rotational movement between an open position and a closed position, said top cover having spaced side walls disposed parallel to the direction of cassette travel into and out of a cassette-receiving station, each of said side walls having a downwardly depending groove adapted to cooperate with means external to the cassette for rotating the top cover between the open and closed positions; and, in combination with said cassette, means rigidly mounted in the cassette-receiving station, said rigidly mounted means adapted to cooperate with said grooves in the adjacent side walls of the top cover for rotating the top cover between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving station, and means associated with the cassette-receiving station for holding said base member along the plane in which said base member is inserted into the cassette receiving station.

Claim 15

A cassette having a base member and a top cover hinged to said base member about the rear walls thereof for rotational movement between an open position and a closed position, said top cover having spaced side walls disposed parallel to the direction of cassette travel into and out of a cassette-receiving station, each of said side walls having a downwardly depending groove adapted to cooperate with means external to the cassette for rotating the top cover between the open and closed positions; and, in combination with said cassette, means rigidly mounted in the cassette-receiving station, said rigidly mounted means adapted to cooperate with said grooves in the adjacent side walls of the top cover for rotating the top cover between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving station, and means associated with the cassette-receiving station for holding said base member along the plane in which said base member is inserted into the cassette receiving station.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 11 wherein said rigidly mounted means comprises a cylindrical pin adjacent each of said grooved side walls of said top cover, said pins being of sufficient length to extend into the downwardly depending groove adjacent thereto.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 11 wherein said rigidly mounted means comprises a cylindrical pin adjacent each of said grooved side walls of said top cover, each of said pins being so positioned with respect to said downwardly depending groove adjacent thereto that said pin first enters that end of said downwardly depending groove most closely adjacent the front wall of said top cover.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 11 further including a first substantially horizontal groove in each of said spaced side walls, each of said first horizontal grooves extending from the front wall of said top cover to that end of each downwardly depending groove most closely adjacent thereto.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 14 wherein each of said first substantially horizontal grooves terminates, adjacent the front wall of said top cover, in a flared opening adapted to guide the rigidly mounted meand adjacent thereto into said first substantially hoRizontal groove.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 14 further including a second substantially horizontal groove or partial groove in each of said spaced side walls, each of said second substantially horizontal grooves or partial grooves extending from that end of each downwardly depending groove most closely adjacent the rear wall of said cassette toward said rear wall and adapted to cooperate with said rigidly mounted means adjacent thereto to further rotate said top cover between the open and closed Positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of said cassette from the cassette-receiving station.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 16 further including a third substantially horizontal groove or partial groove in each of said spaced side walls, each of said third grooves or partial grooves extending from that end of the downwardly depending groove most closely adjacent the rear wall of said cassette to the front wall of said cassette, whereby there is defined by said first and third substantially horizontal grooves or partial grooves and said downwardly depending groove an island therebetween.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 11 further including a first substantially horizontal groove in each of said spaced side walls, each of said first horizontal grooves extending from the front wall of said top cover to that end of each downwardly depending groove most closely adjacent thereto, a second substantially horizontal groove in each of said spaced side walls, each of said second substantially horizontal grooves extending from that end of each downwardly depending groove most closely adjacent the rear wall of said cassette toward said rear wall and adapted to cooperate with said rigidly mounted means adjacent thereto to further rotate said top cover between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of said cassette from the cassette-receiving station, said grooves being of substantially U-shaped configuration such that those portions of said rigidly mounted means extending into said grooves limit the downward rotation of said top cover when said combination is utilized in the inverted condition where, during opening, said top cover is rotated downwardly.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 11 wherein said cassette further includes at least one movable latch means adapted to permit rotation of said top cover as said rigidly mounted means traverse said downwardly depending grooves upon insertion of said cassette into the cassette-receiving station and adapted to permit the locked closing of said top cover as said rigidly mounted means traverse said downwardly depending grooves upon withdrawal of said cassette from the cassette-receiving station.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 19 wherein each of said movable latch means comprises at least one movable latch member mounted on said base member having a substantially V-shaped finger at the end thereof most closely adjacent the inner surface of the front wall of said top cover, said inner surface having a substantially V-shaped notch therein, spring means normally urging said substantially V-shaped finger into said substantially V-shaped notch, said front wall further including a tongue at the lower inner edge thereof, said tongue adapted to seat in an adjacent groove in the upper surface of the front wall of said base member, said tongue further adapted during rotation of said top cover toward the closed position to contact one surface of said substantially V-shaped finger and thereby move said movable latch member toward the rear wall of said cassette against the action of said spring whereby, upon insertion of said cassette into the cassette-receiving station, said movable latch member is moved toward the rear wall of said cassette thereby freeing said top cover for rotational movement toward the open position and upon withdrawal of said cassette from the cassette-receiving station, said tongue moves said V-shaped finger toward the rear wall of said cassette and, after said toNgue seats into said adjacent groove in said base member, said substantially V-shaped finger re-engages said substantially V-shaped notch in the inner surface of said front wall of said top cover whereby said top cover is securely locked to said base member.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 20 wherein there are a pair of movable latch members.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 11 wherein said grooves in the side walls of said top cover are of substantially U-shaped configuration such that those portions of said rigidly mounted means extending into said grooves limit, at all times during the insertion and withdrawal operations, the rotation of said top cover between the open and closed positions.

Claim 27

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member is to be inserted into an initially closed cassette, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit insertion of said plate member therein comprising: means for receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and camming means for rotating a second portion of said cassette away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting insertion of said plate member into said cassette and for rotating said second cassette portion towards said first portion as the cassette is removed from said processing apparatus, said camming means comprising cam followers mounted to said cassette receiving means and a cam surface formed on adjacent sidewalls of said second cassette portion, said second portion rotating away and towards said first cassette portion as said cassette is received and withdrawn, respectively, from said cassette-receiving means as said cam followers coact with said cam surfaces.

Claim 28

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member is to be inserted into an initially closed cassette, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit insertion of said plate member therein comprising: means for receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and camming means for rotating a second portion of said cassette away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting insertion of said plate member into said cassette and for rotating said second cassette portion towards said first portion as the cassette is removed from said processing apparatus, said camming means comprising cam followers mounted to said cassette receiving means and a cam surface formed on adjacent sidewalls of said second cassette portion, said second portion rotating away and towards said first cassette portion as said cassette is received and withdrawn, respectively, from said cassette-receiving means as said cam followers coact with said cam surfaces.

Claim 29

The processing apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein each cam surface comprises at least one groove in each adjacent sidewall of said second cassette portion.

Claim 30

The processing apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said cam followers comprise a cylindrical pin of sufficient length to extend into the groove or grooves in the side wall of said second cassette portion adjacent thereto.

Claim 31

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member supported within a closed cassette is inserted into the processing apparatus for processing, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit withdrawl of said plate member therefrom comprising: means for receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means and engageable with grooves formed on adjacent side walls of a second portion of said cassette for rotating said second portion of the cassette to a first position away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting withdrawal of said plate member from said cassette, said rotating means being rigidly mounted in said cassette receiving means.

Claim 32

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member supported within a closed cassette is inserted into the processing apparatus for processing, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit withdrawl of said plate member therefrom comprising: means for receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means and engageable with grooves formed on adjacent side walls of a second portion of said cassette for rotating said second portion of the cassette to a first position away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting withdrawal of said plate member from said cassette, said rotating means being rigidly mounted in said cassette receiving means.

Claim 33

Apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein said rotating means is engageable with said grooves as the cassette is removed from said processing apparatus whereby said second portion of said cassette is rotated to a second position against said first portion of said cassette.

Claim 34

Apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein said plate member comprises a photoconductive insulator layer overlying a conductive substrate.

Claim 35

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member is to be inserted into an initially closed cassette, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit insertion of said plate member therein comprising: means fOr receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means and engageable with grooves formed on adjacent sidewalls of a second portion of said cassette for rotating said second portion of said cassette to a first position away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting insertion of said plate member into said cassette, said rotating means being rigidly mounted on said cassette receiving means.

Claim 36

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member is to be inserted into an initially closed cassette, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit insertion of said plate member therein comprising: means fOr receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means and engageable with grooves formed on adjacent sidewalls of a second portion of said cassette for rotating said second portion of said cassette to a first position away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting insertion of said plate member into said cassette, said rotating means being rigidly mounted on said cassette receiving means.

Claim 37

Apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein said rotating means is engageable with said grooves as the cassette is removed from said processing apparatus whereby said second portion of said cassette is rotated to a second position against said first portion of said cassette.

Claim 38

Apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein said plate member comprises a photoconductive insulator layer overlying a conductive substrate.

Claim 39

A mechanism adapted to rotate the cover of a cassette having spaced side walls between open and closed positions, said mechanism comprising means to receive a cassette, guide means disposed on opposite sides of the cassette-receiving means for guiding the cassette into the cassette-receiving means, means for holding the base member of the cassette along the plane in which the base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving means, and camming means for rotating the cover between the open and closed position upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving means, said camming means comprising a cam follower and cam surface operatively associated with said guide means and said cassette cover, said cassette cover rotating between the open and closed position upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively of the cassette from the cassette-receiving means as said cam follower and said cam surface coact.

Claim 40

A mechanism adapted to rotate the cover of a cassette having spaced side walls between open and closed positions, said mechanism comprising means to receive a cassette, guide means disposed on opposite sides of the cassette-receiving means for guiding the cassette into the cassette-receiving means, means for holding the base member of the cassette along the plane in which the base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving means, and camming means for rotating the cover between the open and closed position upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving means, said camming means comprising a cam follower and cam surface operatively associated with said guide means and said cassette cover, said cassette cover rotating between the open and closed position upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively of the cassette from the cassette-receiving means as said cam follower and said cam surface coact.

Claim 41

The mechanism of claim 32 wherein a cam follower is mounted on each of said guide means and said cam surface comprises at least one groove in each side wall of said cassette cover.

Claim 42

The mechanism of claim 33 wherein said cam followers each comprise a cylindrical pin of sufficient length to extend into the groove or grooves in the side wall of the cassette cover adjacent thereto.

Claim 43

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member supported within a closed cassette is inserted into the processing apparatus for processing, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit withdrawal of said plate member therefrom comprising: means for receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and camming means for rotating a second portion of said cassette away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting withdrawal of said plate member from said cassette and for rotating said second cassette portion towards said first portion as the cassette is removed from said processing apparatus, said camming means comprising cam followers mounted to said cassette receiving means and a cam surface formed on adjacent side walls of said second cassette portion, said second cassette portion rotating away and towards said first cassette portion as said cassette is received and withdrawn, respectively, from said cassette receiving means as said cam followers coact with said cam surfaces.

Claim 44

In a processing apparatus in which a plate member supported within a closed cassette is inserted into the processing apparatus for processing, apparatus for opening said cassette to permit withdrawal of said plate member therefrom comprising: means for receiving said cassette within said processing apparatus, means operatively associated with said cassette receiving means for supporting a first portion of said cassette in a substantially uniform planar orientation as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus, and camming means for rotating a second portion of said cassette away from said first cassette portion as the cassette is received into said processing apparatus thereby permitting withdrawal of said plate member from said cassette and for rotating said second cassette portion towards said first portion as the cassette is removed from said processing apparatus, said camming means comprising cam followers mounted to said cassette receiving means and a cam surface formed on adjacent side walls of said second cassette portion, said second cassette portion rotating away and towards said first cassette portion as said cassette is received and withdrawn, respectively, from said cassette receiving means as said cam followers coact with said cam surfaces.

Claim 45

The processing apparatus as defined in claim 35 wherein each cam surface comprises at least one groove in each adjacent side wall of said second cassette portion.

Claim 46

The processing apparaTus as defined in claim 36 wherein said cam followers comprise a cylindrical pin of sufficient length to extend into the groove or grooves in the side wall of said second cassette portion adjacent thereto.

Claim 47

A mechanism adapted to rotate the cover of a cassette between open and closed positions, said mechanism comprising means to receive a cassette, guide means disposed on opposite sides of the cassette-receiving means for guiding the cassette in the cassette-receiving means, means for holding the base member of the cassette along the plane in which the base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving means, said base member holding means comprising an elongated bar adjacent each of said guide means, said elongated bars cooperating with adjacent portions of the side walls of the base member for holding the base member along said plane, and means rigidly mounted on each of said guide means for cooperating with at least one groove in the adjacent side walls of the cover for rotating the cover between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving means, each of said rigidly mounted means comprising a cylindrical pin of sufficient length to extend into the groove or grooves in the side wall of the cover adjacent thereto.

Claim 48

A mechanism adapted to rotate the cover of a cassette between open and closed positions, said mechanism comprising means to receive a cassette, guide means disposed on opposite sides of the cassette-receiving means for guiding the cassette in the cassette-receiving means, means for holding the base member of the cassette along the plane in which the base member is inserted into the cassette-receiving means, said base member holding means comprising an elongated bar adjacent each of said guide means, said elongated bars cooperating with adjacent portions of the side walls of the base member for holding the base member along said plane, and means rigidly mounted on each of said guide means for cooperating with at least one groove in the adjacent side walls of the cover for rotating the cover between the open and closed positions upon insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of the cassette from the cassette-receiving means, each of said rigidly mounted means comprising a cylindrical pin of sufficient length to extend into the groove or grooves in the side wall of the cover adjacent thereto.

Claim 49

The mechanism of claim 38 further including means for advancing a xerographic plate into the cassette when the cover is in the open position.

Claim 50

The mechanism of claim 39 further including means supported by said cassette-receiving means for latching the empty cassette in the fully inserted condition with the cover rotated to the fully opened position, spring means adjacent the leading edge of the base member of the cassette and means to deactuate said latch means operable when a xerographic plate is inserted into the cassette, whereby the cassette will be partially ejected from the cassette-receiving means by said spring means upon deactuation of said latch means after a xerographic plate is inserted into the cassette.

Claim 51

The mechanism of claim 38 further including means for withdrawing a xerographic plate from the cassette after a xerographic plate holding cassette has been inserted into the cassette-receiving means and the cover has been rotated into the open position.