US 4,544,965 AGranted

Automatic preferred direction selection for a bidirectional tape transport

AssigneeBlaupunkt-Werke GmbH

InventorsTilo Diepholz, Walter Hapke, Wilhelm Wohl, H.-Joachim Schindler

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Abstract

To insure that a tape which is newly inserted into a reversing-type cassette tape transport mechanism will always operate in a first predetermined or priority direction, a direction priority switch (S3) is coupled to the tape cassette receiver (32, 34) to sense introduction of a tape into the receiver. The priority switch is coupled to a logic network which controls change-over of operation of a tape transport system (20, M) if the tape transport system, upon introduction of a tape, was operating counter the priority direction, but leaving unaffected the operation of the tape transport system if it was already in the priority direction. A suitable logic network comprises an AND-gate with a dynamic input, or one with a static input and a buffer memory which is reset upon termination of tape operation. If the tape is merely moved between a transducing position and a park or pause position, no change in direction of tape transport will result.

Claims8

Dependent claims

Bidirectional tape transport apparatus having

a tape drive means (M, 20) including a motor direction control means (20) controlling the direction of operation of tape being transported in the apparatus;
a tape direction signalling means (12, S1) coupled to the tape drive means and providing a tape direction output signal (14) representative of the direction of transport of the tape in the apparatus;
cassette receiving means (32, 34) to receive a tape cassette (30) and, selectively, position said tape cassette in
(a) a transducing position, in which the cassette is entirely retained in the receiving means;
and
(b) a park position in which the cassette is moved away from the transducing position, but retained with the receiving means;
and
the cassette receiving means permitting
(c) placing the cassette in a removed position in which the cassette is removed from the receiving means,
said apparatus comprising, in accordance with the invention,
a direction priority switch (S3) operatively associated with the cassette receiving means (32, 34) and sensing the location of the cassette in the respective positions (a), (b), or (c);
and
logic means (22;
50, 22') including an AND-gate (22, 22') coupled to the direction priority switch (S3) and the tape direction signalling means (S1), connected to and providing a direction control signal to the motor direction control means (20) and controlling reversal of direction of operation of said tape drive means under the logic conditions;
(1) the cassette receiving means is empty, so that the cassette is in position (c);
(2) the motor drive control means was in a position in which the direction of tape operation was counter the priority direction;
and
(3) a cassette is being introduced into the cassette receiving means by being moved from position (c) to at least position (b).

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.