Patent US4437178A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4437178A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Record player
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1981-09-21
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Granted: 1984-03-13
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Expires: 2001-09-21
Abstract
Abstract An improved phonographic record player in which a plurality of phonographic records mounted on a changer spindle are arranged to be positively held to be horizontal by a record presser movably mounted in a dust cover of the record player.
Inventors
- 👤 Seizo Miyoshi
- 👤 Bunitsu Yamaguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:45
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/02; G11B33/027; G11B17/00; G11B17/08; G11B17/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
A record player comprising: a main body; a turntable rotatably mounted on said main body for supporting a record to be played; a changer spindle extending upwardly from a central portion of said turntable for supporting a stack of records to be lowered one-by-one to said turntable; a dust cover pivotally mounted to said main body for selective movement between a closed position and an open position; and means for, when said dust cover is in said closed position thereof, maintaining records supported by said changer spindle in a horizontal alignment, said means comprising an opening formed in a central portion of said dust cover, a record presser member movably mounted in said opening and biased for movement with respect to said dust cover in a direction to press against the upper surface of an uppermost record supported by said changer spindle when said dust cover is in said closed position thereof, and means for enabling vertical movement and for preventing horizontal movement of said presser member with respect to said dust cover, said enabling and preventing means comprising recesses formed in one of said dust cover, said presser member or a member adjacent said dust cover and projections extending from another of said presser member, said dust cover or said member adjacent said dust cover, said projections fitting into said recesses, thereby guiding vertical movement of said presser member with respect to said dust cover and restraining relative horizontal movement therebetween.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
A record player comprising: a main body; a turntable rotatably mounted on said main body for supporting a record to be played; a changer spindle extending upwardly from a central portion of said turntable for supporting a stack of records to be lowered one-by-one to said turntable; a dust cover pivotally mounted to said main body for selective movement between a closed position and an open position; and means for, when said dust cover is in said closed position thereof, maintaining records supported by said changer spindle in a horizontal alignment, said means comprising an opening formed in a central portion of said dust cover, a record presser member movably mounted in said opening and biased for movement with respect to said dust cover in a direction to press against the upper surface of an uppermost record supported by said changer spindle when said dust cover is in said closed position thereof, and means for enabling vertical movement and for preventing horizontal movement of said presser member with respect to said dust cover, said enabling and preventing means comprising recesses formed in one of said dust cover, said presser member or a member adjacent said dust cover and projections extending from another of said presser member, said dust cover or said member adjacent said dust cover, said projections fitting into said recesses, thereby guiding vertical movement of said presser member with respect to said dust cover and restraining relative horizontal movement therebetween.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said presser member is resiliently biased in said direction by a coil spring member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said presser member is biased in said direction by its weight or by a weight added thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recesses are circumferentially spaced about the edge of said opening in said dust cover, and said projections are circumferentially spaced about said presser member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recesses are circumferentially spaced about said presser member, and said projections are circumferentially spaced about an annular member fixed to said dust cover about said opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recesses and said projections extend vertically when said dust cover is in said closed position thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recesses and projections are of spiral configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said presser member includes a central cylinder portion having at a lower end thereof a radially outwardly extending flange.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A record player as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a coil spring positioned between said flange and said dust cover for biasing said presser member in said direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A record player as claimed in claim 8, wherein said projections are circumferentially spaced about said cylindrical portion, and said recesses are formed at circumferentially spaced locations in the edge of said opening.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A record player as claimed in claim 10, wherein said recesses and projections extend in directions parallel to the axis of said cylindrical portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A record player as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an annular member fixed to said dust cover about said opening, and wherein said recesses are circumferentially spaced about said cylindrical portion, and said projections are circumferentially spaced about said annular member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A record player as claimed in claim 12, wherein said recesses and projections are of spiral configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dust cover is pivoted to said main body at an axis located above said turntable by a distance approximately equal to the distance above said turntable of records supported by said change spindle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A record player as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for applying a braking force to the pivotal movement of said dust cover between said open and closed positions thereof and for removing said braking force when said dust cover reaches a position whereat said presser member contacts a record mounted on said changer spindle.
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) | 1987-03-13 | 1987-09-12 | 1988-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-03-13 | 1991-09-12 | 1992-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-03-13 | 1995-09-12 | 1996-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |