Tape cassette loading and ejecting device in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus

Claim 1

A tape cassette loading and ejecting device comprising: a cassette holder for accommodating and holding a tape cassette which is inserted therein; support means for supporting said cassette holder, said cassette holder being movable relative to said support means between a cassette loading position and a cassette ejecting position; first stopper means provided on said support means for stopping said cassette holder in said cassette loading position when said cassette holder reaches said cassette loading position; second stopper means provided on said support means for stopping said cassette holder in said cassette ejecting position when said cassette holder reaches said cassette ejecting position; moving means provided on at least one of said cassette holder and said support means for moving said cassette holder between said cassette loading position and said cassette ejecting position; a motor for operating said moving means, said motor rotating in a forward direction during a tape cassette loading operation and rotating a reverse direction during a tape cassette ejecting operation; rotation transmitting means for transmitting the rotation of said motor to said moving means, said rotation transmitting means comprising an output gear for transmitting the rotation of said motor to said moving means, a first gear which is rotated by the rotation of said motor during the tape cassette loading operation, a second gear which is rotated by the rotation of said motor during the tape cassette ejecting operation, and spring means which is resiliently deformable and is disposed between said first and second gears so that rotary axes of said output gear, said first gear and said second gear are coaxially provided, said output gear rotating unitarily with said first gear during the tape cassette loading operation until said cassette holder is stopped by said first stopper means at said cassette loading position, said first gear continuously rotating but separately from said output gear after said cassette holder reaches said cassette loading position during the tape cassette loading operation so that said spring means is deformed to press said cassette holder to said first stopper means, said output gear rotating during the tape cassette ejecting operation unitarily with said second gear until said cassette holder is stopped by said second stopper means at said cassette ejecting position, said second gear continuously rotating but separately from said output gear after said cassette holder reaches said cassette ejecting position so that said spring means is deformed to press said cassette holder to said second stopper means; and a switch for stopping the rotation of said motor in an activated state thereof, said switch being activated by the separate rotation of said first gear from said output gear during the tape cassette loading operation and the separate rotation of said second gear from said output gear during the tape cassette ejecting operation.