US3977625A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Releasable tape cartridge mounting
Assignee: ABB Inc USA
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Filing: 1975-09-23
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Granted: 1976-08-31
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Expires: 1995-09-23
Abstract
Abstract Yieldable retainer assemblies are symmetrically positioned on a tape deck and include rounded contact surfaces for engaging the outer side of a tape cartridge and clamping it against a base plate. A pair of locating posts extend from the plate through locator holes in the bottom side of the cartridge to retain the cartridge in a predetermined playing position. A pair of driving hubs of a reel driver assembly have resiliently shiftable pins carried by the hubs for self-adjusting fitting into holes of driven hubs of the cartridge reels when slight misalignment occurs between the driving and reel hubs.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert H. Maxwell, Jr.
- 👤 Herman Q. Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:42
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/675; G11B15/6751
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
340 words
A tape deck including a releasable tape cartridge mounting for a cartridge including a housing having a pair of locator holes in a bottom side thereof, a pair of reels having driven hubs rotatable in the housing with the hubs having circumferentially spaced holes exposed at the bottom side, and a recording tape wound on the reels for movement therebetween, said cartridge mounting comprising: a base plate having a forward area carrying a tape transducer means, a cartridge support area for supporting said cartridge thereon in a tape playing position within a cartridge receiving space extending rearwardly from said forward area and immediately above said support area; first and second locating posts extending from a rear area of said base plate for positioning in said locator holes when said cartridge is in said cartridge receiving space a forward yieldable retainer means including arm means having one end movably supported on said forward area and a free end movable toward and away from said cartridge receiving space, two spaced protrusions each having rounded contact surfaces extending from said free end and toward said support area, and resilient means biasing said one end of said arm means toward said base plate such that said free end of the arm means is forced outward by engagement of the protrusions by an outer side of said cartridge housing upon insertion of said cartridge into the cartridge receiving space; first and second guide plates extending in parallel relationship immediately adjacent opposite sides of said cartridge receiving space; and a rear yieldable retainer means including first and second resiliently biased catch members each having rounded contact surfaces movably mounted in facing relationship at opposite rear portions of said first and second guide plates for movement into and away from the cartridge receiving space, said first and second catch members being forced outwardly by initial insertion of said cartridge along said first and second guide plates and being in engagement with the outer side of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said cartridge receiving space.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
340 words
A tape deck including a releasable tape cartridge mounting for a cartridge including a housing having a pair of locator holes in a bottom side thereof, a pair of reels having driven hubs rotatable in the housing with the hubs having circumferentially spaced holes exposed at the bottom side, and a recording tape wound on the reels for movement therebetween, said cartridge mounting comprising: a base plate having a forward area carrying a tape transducer means, a cartridge support area for supporting said cartridge thereon in a tape playing position within a cartridge receiving space extending rearwardly from said forward area and immediately above said support area; first and second locating posts extending from a rear area of said base plate for positioning in said locator holes when said cartridge is in said cartridge receiving space a forward yieldable retainer means including arm means having one end movably supported on said forward area and a free end movable toward and away from said cartridge receiving space, two spaced protrusions each having rounded contact surfaces extending from said free end and toward said support area, and resilient means biasing said one end of said arm means toward said base plate such that said free end of the arm means is forced outward by engagement of the protrusions by an outer side of said cartridge housing upon insertion of said cartridge into the cartridge receiving space; first and second guide plates extending in parallel relationship immediately adjacent opposite sides of said cartridge receiving space; and a rear yieldable retainer means including first and second resiliently biased catch members each having rounded contact surfaces movably mounted in facing relationship at opposite rear portions of said first and second guide plates for movement into and away from the cartridge receiving space, said first and second catch members being forced outwardly by initial insertion of said cartridge along said first and second guide plates and being in engagement with the outer side of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said cartridge receiving space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 1 wherein said forward yieldable retainer means includes first and second mounting posts and wherein said arm means includes first and second arm members each having one end supported by said first and second mounting posts, respectively, and further wherein said first and second protrusions extend from free ends of said first and second arm members, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second mounting posts include bores, said first and second arm members each include studs extending into said bores, and said resilient means includes first and second coil springs mounted in said bores and about said studs of said first and second arm members so as to bias said studs into said bores.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second guide plates each include a recess including a concave ring socket surrounding a hole opening therein receiving one of said first and second catch members so that an inner portion of each of said contact surfaces thereof extends through said hole opening for engaging the cartridge housing at opposite outer corners thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 4 wherein first and second spring members are mounted in the recess of said first and second guide plates, respectively, and engage said first and second catch members, respectively, for biasing the catch members through the associated hole opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first and second catch members are each formed by a ball rotatable in the associated recess.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 1 including a pair of driving hubs drivingly rotated below hole openings in said base plate with said hole openings being aligned with the driven reel hubs of said cartridge when positioned in said cartridge receiving space, each of said pair of driving hubs having plural bore openings having complementary spacing to a corresponding plural number of holes in the driven reel hubs, and a plurality of pin members each slidable and tiltable within one of said bore openings for self-aligning positioning in said holes of said driven reel hubs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A tape deck as claimed in claim 8 including plural coil springs each mounted in said bore openings of said pair of driving hubs and resiliently biasing said pin members outwardly toward said cartridge receiving space.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-31 | 1980-03-01 | 1980-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-31 | 1984-03-01 | 1984-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-31 | 1988-03-01 | 1988-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |