US4076257A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for supporting phonographic tone arms
Assignee: Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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Filing: 1976-10-22
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Granted: 1978-02-28
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Expires: 1996-10-22
Abstract
Abstract On a phonographic disc player, a carriage for supporting a phonographic tone arm is movable along a pair of mutually parallel front and back guide rails and an elongated cover arranged between the guide rails while the position thereof normal to the moving direction being constrained in a precise manner through rolling meshing engagement of at least one of its bottom inside wheels with an associated guide rail, a bottom block extending downwardly from the carriage through the back rim horizontal slit in the cover back being operatively coupled to a servo-driving mechanism which is electrically connected to a given tone arm offset angle detecting circuit. Stabilized posture and movement of the carriage resulting from the above-described meshing engagement and relatively low positioned centers of gravity of the carriage and the tone arm and its related parts minimize undesirable tracking distortion and pressure on the stylus tip and minimum but necessary provision of the slit at a position invisible to the user minimizes possible entry of dust and other extraneous matter and enhances the external appearance of the record player.
Inventors
- 👤 Motoi Iyeta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:37
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B3/00; G11B3/02; G11B3/08; G11B3/085; G11B3/08535; G11B3/08564; G11B3/08587; G11B3/0859; G11B3/10; G11B3/34; G11B3/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
Improved apparatus for supporting phonograph tone arms in which said phonograph has a servo-motor; carriage driven by said servo-motor; said carriage supporting a tone arm and its related parts for movement along a linear path which is substantially normal to an imaginary radial line extending between the center of the phonograph turntable and said path comprising: a base member having an elongated opening; a pair of mutually parallel guide rails arranged on said base member while being spaced from each other along said base member opening and extending in the direction of movement of said carriage substantially over the entire moving ambit of the latter; an elongated cover arranged between said guide rails extending substantially over the entire moving ambit of the carriage, projecting above the top surfaces of said guide rails and defining an elongated horizontal slit extending along the back thereof; said carriage having a horizontal passageway by way of which said carriage spacedly and movably rides over said cover; front and back wheel assemblies each having wheels; mounting means for said assemblies in said carriage; said wheel assemblies being movable on and along said guide rails while supporting said carriage above said guide rails; one of said guide rails cooperating with its associated wheels to restrain movement of said carriage in a direction transverse to said linear path; a bottom block forming an integral part of said carriage and extending downwardly through the elongated opening formed in said base member and the horizontal slit of said cover, and a driving mechanism for said carriage disposed relative to said bottom block of said carriage operatively coupled to said servo-motor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
271 words
Improved apparatus for supporting phonograph tone arms in which said phonograph has a servo-motor; carriage driven by said servo-motor; said carriage supporting a tone arm and its related parts for movement along a linear path which is substantially normal to an imaginary radial line extending between the center of the phonograph turntable and said path comprising: a base member having an elongated opening; a pair of mutually parallel guide rails arranged on said base member while being spaced from each other along said base member opening and extending in the direction of movement of said carriage substantially over the entire moving ambit of the latter; an elongated cover arranged between said guide rails extending substantially over the entire moving ambit of the carriage, projecting above the top surfaces of said guide rails and defining an elongated horizontal slit extending along the back thereof; said carriage having a horizontal passageway by way of which said carriage spacedly and movably rides over said cover; front and back wheel assemblies each having wheels; mounting means for said assemblies in said carriage; said wheel assemblies being movable on and along said guide rails while supporting said carriage above said guide rails; one of said guide rails cooperating with its associated wheels to restrain movement of said carriage in a direction transverse to said linear path; a bottom block forming an integral part of said carriage and extending downwardly through the elongated opening formed in said base member and the horizontal slit of said cover, and a driving mechanism for said carriage disposed relative to said bottom block of said carriage operatively coupled to said servo-motor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which one of said guide rails is arranged on the front side of the elongated opening in said base member and the other of said guide rails is arranged on the back side of said vertical slit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the top surfaces of said guide rails are substantially flush with the top surface of said base member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said cover is snugly received at the bottom portion thereof within the vertical slit of said base member and secured to the side faces of said guide rails.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said carriage is provided with a passageway for lead wires connecting the phonographic pickup to a given outside electric circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said restraining means comprises at least one elongated projection formed on and along said top surface of one of said rails and placed in rolling meshing engagement with annular grooves formed on the peripheral curved surfaces of the wheels of one of said wheel assemblies.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said restraining means comprises at least one elongated groove formed on and along said top surface of one of said rails and placed in rolling meshing engagement with annular projections formed on the peripheral curved surfaces of the wheels of one of said wheel assemblies.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said projection is formed on and along said top surface of the front side guide rail and the wheels of said front wheel assembly are provided with said annular grooves engageable with said projection.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said constraining means comprises a pair of elongated projections formed on and along said top surfaces of both of said guide rails and placed in rolling meshing engagement with annular grooves formed on the curved peripheral surfaces of the wheels of both of said wheel assemblies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said restraining means comprises annular projections formed on the peripheral surfaces of the wheels of at least one of said wheel assemblies placed in rolling meshing engagement with an elongated groove formed in and along the top surface of one of said guide rails.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said annular projections are formed on the peripheral surfaces of the wheels of the back wheel assembly and said elongated groove is formed in and along the top surface of the back side of one of said pair of guide rails.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said annular projections are formed on the curved peripheral surfaces of the wheels of said front wheel assembly and said elongated groove is formed in and along the top surface of the front side of said pair of guide rails.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which said annular projections are formed on the curved peripheral surfaces of the wheels of said front and back wheel assemblies and in rolling meshing engagement with elongated grooves formed in and along the top surfaces of said pair of guide rails.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said driving mechanism comprises a pair of mutually spaced pulleys rotatably carried by said base member, one of said pulleys being operatively coupled to be driven by said servo-motor and a belt trained about said pulleys and connected to said bottom block of said carriage and running while winding around said pulleys.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
Improved apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in wich said pulleys are arranged below the bottom of said base member.
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) | 1981-02-27 | 1981-08-29 | 1982-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-27 | 1985-08-29 | 1986-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-27 | 1989-08-29 | 1990-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |