Automatic cassette loading apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic cassette loading apparatus in which a cassette holder for holding and transporting a tape cassette is moved between respective positions of a cassette delivery position, a cassette insertion position, and a cassette loaded position comprising: a loading motor; power transmission means coupled to said motor for transmitting drive power from said loading motor to said cassette holder to cause transporting of said cassette holder between predetermined ones of said respective positions; a cam means included in said power transmission means which is moved in response to the transmission of power by said power transmission means; first and second members which each have a first end, coupled to said cam means, and a second end; first and second switches which each have a high and a low state, the high and low states of the first switch being controlled by the second end of the first member and the high and low states of the second switch being controlled by the second end of the second member; an end of tape sensor including a photodetector arrangement for detecting both leading and trailing end of tape conditions of the tape cassette when the tape cassette is in a tape loaded position and reaches a leading or trailing end of its tape, wherein the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in a first predetermined state when the tape cassette is not in the cassette loaded position, wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a second predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and is not in either a leading or trailing end of tape condition, wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a third predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and in a leading end of tape condition, and wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a fourth predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and in a trailing end of tape condition; and control means, responsive to the states of said first and second switches and the first, second, third and fourth predetermined states of the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor for controlling the activation of said motor to move said cassette holder between predetermined ones of the cassette delivery position, the cassette insertion position and the cassette loaded position, in such a manner that the cassette delivery position is defined by a second mode of said first switch, a second mode of said second switch and the first predetermined state of said photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor, the cassette insertion position is defined by a first mode of said first switch, a first mode of said second switch and said first predetermined state of said photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor, and the cassette loaded position is defined by said second mode of said first switch, said first mode of said second switch and the second, third or fourth predetermined state of said photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor.

Claim 3

An automatic cassette loading apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cam means includes a rotary cam.

Claim 4

An automatic cassette loading apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said power transmission means includes a gear train.

Claim 5

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second switches are mounted adjacent to one another on a printed circuit board adjacent to said loading motor.

Claim 6

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said printed circuit board is mounted on said loading motor.

Claim 7

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photodetector arrangement includes a light-emitting diode arrangement to direct light toward the tape of said tape cassette when said tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position, and a pair of photodetectors on opposite sides of said tape cassette for sensing leading and trailing edges of said tape of said tape cassette, wherein one of said photodetectors will receive light from the light-emitting diode when the tape is at its leading end while the other photodetector does not receive light, wherein the other of said photodetectors will receive light from the light-emitting diode when the tape is at its trailing end while said one photodetector does not receive light, and further wherein the first state of said photodetector arrangement comprises both photodetectors receiving light from the light-emitting diode when said tape cassette is not in the cassette loaded position, and wherein the second state of said photodetector arrangement comprises both of said pair of photodetectors not receiving light from said light-emitting diode by virtue of the tape in the tape cassette blocking the light to said photodetectors when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position.

Claim 8

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a logic control means.

Claim 9

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said logic control means comprises a CPU.

Claim 10

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first mode of said first switch and said second switch is said high state and said second mode of said first switch and said second switch is said low state.

Claim 11

An automatic cassette loading apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first mode of said first switch and said second switch is said high state and said second mode of said first switch and said second switch is said low state.

Claim 12

An automatic cassette loading apparatus in which a cassette holder for holding and transporting a tape cassette is moved between respective positions of a cassette delivery position, a cassette insertion position, and a cassette loaded position comprising: a loading motor; power transmission means coupled to said motor for transmitting drive power from said loading motor to said cassette holder to cause transporting of said cassette holder between predetermined ones of said respective positions; a cam means included in said power transmission means which is moved in response to the transmission of power by said power transmission means; first and second members which each have a first end, coupled to said cam means, and a second end; first and second switches which each have a high and a low state, the high and low states of the first switch being controlled by the second end of the first member and the high and low states of the second switch being controlled by the second end of the second member; an end of tape sensor including a photodetector arrangement for detecting both leading and trailing end of tape conditions of the tape cassette when the tape cassette is in a tape loaded position and reaches a leading or trailing end of its tape, wherein the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in a first predetermined state when the tape cassette is not in the cassette loaded position, wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a second predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and is not in either a leading or trailing end of tape condition, wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a third predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and in a leading end of tape condition, and wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a fourth predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and in a trailing end of tape condition; and control means, responsive to the states of said first and second switches and the first, second, third and fourth predetermined states of the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor for controlling the activation of said motor to move said cassette holder between predetermined ones of the cassette delivery position, the cassette insertion position and the cassette loaded position, said control means including means for loading the tape cassette by: (a) detecting that the tape cassette has been pushed into the cassette insertion position by detecting that the first switch is in a first mode, the second switch is in a first mode and the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in the first predetermined state; (b) driving the load motor in a forward direction in response to detecting that the tape cassette has been pushed into the tape insertion position; (c) detecting that the tape cassette has reached the tape loaded position by detecting that the first switch is in a second mode, the second switch is in the first mode and the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in the second, third or fourth predetermined state; and (d) stopping the loading motor in response to the detection that the tape cassette has reached the tape loaded position, said control means further including means for unloading the tape cassette by: (e) detecting that an eject button has been pressed; (f) driving the loading motor in a reverse direction in response to detecting that the eject button has been pressed; (g) detecting that the tape cassette has reached the tape delivery position by detecting that the first switch is in the second mode, the second switch is in a second mode and the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in the first predetermined state; and (h) stopping the load motor when the tape delivery position is detected.

Claim 13

An automatic cassette loading apparatus in which a cassette holder for holding and transporting a tape cassette is moved between respective positions of a cassette delivery position, a cassette insertion position, and a cassette loaded position comprising: a loading motor; power transmission means coupled to said motor for transmitting drive power from said loading motor to said cassette holder to cause transporting of said cassette holder between predetermined ones of said respective positions; a cam means included in said power transmission means which is moved in response to the transmission of power by said power transmission means; first and second members which each have a first end, coupled to said cam means, and a second end; first and second switches which each have a high and a low state, the high and low states of the first switch being controlled by the second end of the first member and the high and low states of the second switch being controlled by the second end of the second member; an end of tape sensor including a photodetector arrangement for detecting both leading and trailing end of tape conditions of the tape cassette when the tape cassette is in a tape loaded position and reaches a leading or trailing end of its tape, wherein the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in a first predetermined state when the tape cassette is not in the cassette loaded position, wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a second predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and is not in either a leading or trailing end of tape condition, wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a third predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and in a leading end of tape condition, and wherein the photodetector arrangement is in a fourth predetermined state when the tape cassette is in the cassette loaded position and in a trailing end of tape condition; and control means, responsive to the states of said first and second switches and the first, second, third and fourth predetermined states of the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor for controlling the activation of said motor to move said cassette holder between predetermined ones of the cassette delivery position, the cassette insertion position and the cassette loaded position, said control means including means for loading the tape cassette by: (a) detecting that the tape cassette has been pushed into the cassette insertion position by detecting that the first switch is in a first mode, the second switch is in a first mode and the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in the first predetermined state; (b) driving the load motor in a forward direction in response to detecting that the tape cassette has been pushed into the tape insertion position; (c) detecting that the tape cassette has reached the tape loaded position by detecting that the first switch is in a second mode, the second switch is in the first mode and the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in the second, third or fourth predetermined state; and (d) stopping the loading motor in response to the detection that the tape cassette has reached the tape loaded position, said control means further including means for unloading the tape cassette by: (e) detecting that an eject button has been pressed; (f) driving the loading motor in a reverse direction in response to detecting that the eject button has been pressed; (g) detecting that the tape cassette has reached the tape delivery position by detecting that the first switch is in the second mode, the second switch is in a second mode and the photodetector arrangement of the end of tape sensor is in the first predetermined state; and (h) stopping the load motor when the tape delivery position is detected.