Cassette tape recorder having impact absorbing mechanism for cover plate

The combination comprising, a housing having a compartment therein open at one side of the housing to receive an article therein, a cover plate pivotally supported by the housing between a first position in which said compartment is open to the atmosphere and a second position in which said compartment is closed thereby, means for urging the cover plate in a direction toward said first position, means for locking the cover plate in said second position, means for releasing the locking means, and a fluid pressure mechanism comprising:

• a pair of relatively movable telescoping members, one of said members being connected operatively to the cover plate and the other being operatively connected to the housing such that when the cover plate is in the second position said telescoping members are in an extended position, one of said members having a packing groove, and
• a resilient elastic composition packing ring of normally circular cross section positioned in said groove in a resilient, slidable contact with the other element,
• one of said members having a bore to receive the other member through an open end, one of said members having an air vent passage communicating the interior of said bore to the atmosphere,
• the inner periphery of said packing ring being slightly smaller in circumference than the circumference of the bottom of said groove and the exterior periphery of the packing ring being greater in circumference than the circumference of the cross section of said bore, whereby said packing ring in said groove is in compression when said telescoping members are in a retracted position,
• the cross-sectional dimension of said air vent passage being selected such that the pressure within the bore sharply increases when said telescoping members move toward each other upon said locking means being released to thereby absorb the initial force of the urging means.