Cassette loading and unloading device
AssigneesSanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Tottori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsMitsuo Iwata, Hajime Wada, Tomoyuki Iwasa, Kunio Tsuchino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cassette loading and unloading device has a guiding element for positioning a cassette either in an ejected position or in an inserted position, a spring for urging the guiding element towards the ejected position and a locking element for locking the guiding element in the inserted position. The locking element is held in a locked position by the energization of an electromagnet which is effected during the closure of a switch. The release of the guiding element from the locking element and the movement of the guiding element to the ejected position are established when the switch is turned off to de-energize the electromagnet.
Claims8
A cassette loading and unloading device adapted to be connected to an electric power source for loading and unloading a cassette comprising:
- (a) guiding means, movable between an initial position and an inserted position, adapted to receive the cassette and guide it to an unloaded condition when moved to the initial position and to guide the cassette to a loaded condition when moved to the inserted position;
- (b) first bias means for biasing the guiding means towards the initial position;
- (c) an intake mechanism means operatively associated with the guiding means, and including second bias means having a greater biasing force than the first bias means for biasing the guiding means towards the inserted position, said intake mechanism adapted to forcibly draw the guiding means, when manually pushed to an intermediate position between the initial and inserted positions, to the inserted position by the force of the second bias means;
- (d) locking means, movable between a lock position and an unlock position, being moved into the lock position for restraining the guiding means in the inserted position, and being moved into the unlock position for releasing the guiding means to allow the first bias means to return the guiding means from the inserted position back to the initial position;
- (e) a disabling means, operatively associated with the locking means, for disabling the intake mechanism means to disengage the second bias means from the guiding means when the locking means is moved to the lock position;
- (f) actuating means, operatively associated with the locking means, adapted for connection to the electric power source for energization thereby, said actuating means being adapted to restrain the locking means in the lock position only when both the actuating means is energized by the power source and when the locking means is shifted to the lock position, whereby if the power from the power source is cut off when the cassette is in the loaded condition, the actuating means will be de-energized and cease restraining the locking means in the lock position, allowing the locking means to move from the lock position to the unlock position, and permitting the first bias means to return the guiding means back to the initial position to guide the cassette to the unloaded position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.