Apparatus for detecting a tape splice

Claim 2

In combination with means for transporting a tape, said tape having portions which are thickened in relation to the remainder of said tape, and said transporting means comprising fixed, rotatable capstan means and pinch roller means movable from a retracted position to a position which engages said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller means, means for detecting passage of said thickened portions of said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller means, comprising: pinch roller means including an actuation shaft journaled for rotation with respect to said transporting means, one end of which includes a pinch roller and the other end of which includes drive means in operational association with a solenoid; means for applying, in combination, an impedence and a reference voltage to said solenoid in a detecting mode, wherein said reference voltage is capable of maintaining said solenoid in an activated position wherein said pinch roller means engages said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller, and so that movement of said drive means will cause a differential in voltage to be developed in said solenoid; means for sensing said differential in voltage, in operational association with said solenoid; and means for stopping transport of said tape in response to a detected differential in voltage, in operational association with said detecting means; so that in said detecting mode, passage of said thickened portions of said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller causes movement of said drive means, developing a differential in voltage in said solenoid which is detected by said detecting means, stopping said transporting means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said thickened portions of said tape are a marker tape joined to portions of said tape.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein said marker tape is a splicing material for joining portions of said tape end to end.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said reference voltage is regulated.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 wherein said impedence is a resistance.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said reference voltage and said impedence are in series combination.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 1 which further comprises means for applying an operating voltage to said solenoid, to activate said solenoid in operative modes other than said detecting mode.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 7 wherein said operating voltage is greater than said reference voltage.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 8 wherein said reference voltage is essentially removed from said solenoid unless said transporting means is operating in said detecting mode.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 9 which further comprises switching means for replacing said operating voltage with said reference voltage in said detecting mode.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 10 which further comprises current control means in operational association with said solenoid so that application of said operating voltage to said solenoid produces an essentially constant current through said solenoid, and so that application of said reference voltage to said solenoid disables said constant current producing means.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 1 wherein said differential in voltage is developed in accordance with relative differentials in respective positioning of the drive means and the solenoid which are independent of a fixed reference.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 12 wherein said solenoid incorporates an activating plunger, and wherein movement of said drive means responsive to movement of said pinch roller means causes corresponding movement of said plunger with respect to said solenoid.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 13 wherein said drive means is a drive chain, one end of which engages the plunger of said solenoid, and the other end of which engages sprocket means associated with the actuation shaft of said pinch roller means.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes means for rectifying said differential in voltage, and means for filtering said rectified differential in voltage.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 1 wherein said thickened portions have a length, and wherein said sensing means incorporates delay means for stopping transport of said tape at a predetermined time after said thickened portions pass said capstan means and said pinch roller.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 1 wherein said transporting means forms part of a recording/playback unit for use in connection with magnetic recording tapes.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 1 wherein said transporting means forms part of a discrete splice finding unit.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 1 wherein the only operational cooperation developed between the pinch roller means and the detecting means is at the solenoid.

Claim 21

In combination with means for transporting a tape, said tape having portions which are secured end to end by means of a splicing material, and said transporting means comprising fixed, rotatable capstan means and pinch roller means movable from a retracted position to a position which engages said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller means, means for detecting passage of said splicing material between said capstan means and said pinch roller means, comprising: pinch roller means including an actuation shaft journaled for rotation with respect to said transporting means, one end of which includes a pinch roller and the other end of which includes drive means in operational association with a solenoid; means for applying a first voltage to said solenoid, to activate said solenoid so that said drive means is retracted, thereby rotating said pinch roller so as to engage said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller; switching means for applying, in combination, an impedence and a second voltage different from said first voltage to said solenoid in a detecting mode, wherein said second voltage is capable of maintaining said solenoid in said actuated position, and so that movement of said drive means will cause a differential in voltage to be developed in said solenoid; means for sensing said differential in voltage, in operational association with said solenoid; and means for stopping transport of said tape in response to a detected differential in voltage, in operational association with said detecting means; so that in said detecting mode, passage of said thickened portions of said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller causes movement of said drive means, developing a differential in voltage in said solenoid which is detected by said detecting means, stopping said transporting means.

Claim 22

In combination with means for transporting a tape, said tape having portions which are secured end to end by means of a splicing material, and said transporting means comprising fixed, rotatable capstan means and pinch roller means movable from a retracted position to a position which engages said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller means, means for detecting passage of said splicing material between said capstan means and said pinch roller means, comprising: pinch roller means including an actuation shaft journaled for rotation with respect to said transporting means, one end of which includes a pinch roller and the other end of which includes drive means in operational association with a solenoid; means for applying a first voltage to said solenoid, to activate said solenoid so that said drive means is retracted, thereby rotating said pinch roller so as to engage said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller; switching means for applying, in combination, an impedence and a second voltage different from said first voltage to said solenoid in a detecting mode, wherein said second voltage is capable of maintaining said solenoid in said actuated position, and so that movement of said drive means will cause a differential in voltage to be developed in said solenoid; means for sensing said differential in voltage, in operational association with said solenoid; and means for stopping transport of said tape in response to a detected differential in voltage, in operational association with said detecting means; so that in said detecting mode, passage of said thickened portions of said tape between said capstan means and said pinch roller causes movement of said drive means, developing a differential in voltage in said solenoid which is detected by said detecting means, stopping said transporting means.