US 5,084,792 A · Loading and ejecting mechanism for magnetic tape cassette apparatus with tape transport shifting mechanism

Abstract

A magnetic tape cassette apparatus of the type requiring no movement of a transducer for the establishment of data transfer contact with the tape cassette. Inserted lengthwise in the apparatus, the tape cassette has its apertured front side oriented toward the fixed transducer. A cassette shift mechanism subsequently transports the tape cassette in its own plane into data transfer contact with the transducer. Then the pair of drive spindles of a tape transport are moved axially into driving engagement with the tape cassette by a tape transport shift mechanism. For simplifying the construction of this tape transport shift mechanism, an electric drive motor is provided. The controlled rotation of the drive motor is translated into the linear movement of the drive spindles into or out of driving engagement with the tape cassette. Preferably, the drive spindles may be sprung into driving engagement with the tape cassette in order to preclude the danger of overloading the drive motor when a tape cassette of wrong size or type is inserted in the apparatus.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An apparatus for data transfer with a tape cassette of a type having a generally flat boxlike housing accommodating a length of tape for transportation between a pair of hubs mounted within the housing for rotation about respective axes disposed in parallel spaced relationship with each other with a principal plane perpendicular to the axes of the hubs and containing said hubs, and with the tape being exposed through an aperture in a predetermined front side of the housing extending parallel to a notional line right angularly intersecting the axes of the hubs, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a transducer juxtaposed to and spaced from the predetermined front side of the housing of the tape cassette;
(b) a casing containing the transducer and having defined therein an entrance opening through which the tape cassete is to be inserted in the casing in a direction parallel to the notional line, the tape cassette lying in a preassigned retracted position within the casing upon full insertion therein through the entrance opening;
(c) cassette shift means for reciprocally moving the tape cassette relative to the casing in the principal plane of the cassette and in a direction normal to the notional line between the retracted position and a preassigned working position, the tape cassette when in the working position having its tape in data transfer contact with the transducer through the apertured front side of the cassette housing;
(d) tape transport means comprising a pair of drive spindles extending perpendicular to the principal plane of the tape cassette for linear movement in a direction parallel to the axes of the hubs into and out of driving engagement with the respective hubs of the tape cassette when said tape cassette is in the working position;
(e) a drive motor for providing rotational movement;
(f) a drive cam coupled to and driven by the drive motor;
(g) a tape transport lever pivoted by the drive cam;
(h) a tape transport shift cam coupled to the tape transport lever and thereby reciprocated linearly in a plane parallel to the principal plane of the tape cassette loaded with the apparatus;
and
(i) a tape transport carriage carrying the drive spindles and operatively engaged with the tape transport shift cam thereby to be moved in a direction parallel to the axes of the hubs.

7 more elements

(a) a transducer juxtaposed to and spaced from the predetermined front side of the housing of the tape cassette;
(b) a casing containing the transducer and having defined therein an entrance opening through which the tape cassette is to be inserted in the casing in a direction parallel to the notional line, the tape cassette lying in a preassigned retracted position within the casing upon full insertion therein through the entrance opening;
(c) cassette shift means for reciprocally moving the tape cassette relative to the casing in the principal plane of the cassette and in a direction normal to the notional line between the retracted position and a preassigned working position, the tape cassette when in the working position having its tape in data transfer contact with the transducer through the apertured front side of the cassette housing;
(d) tape transport means comprising a pair of drive spindles extending perpendicular to the principal plane of the tape cassette for linear movement in a direction parallel to the axes of the hubs into and out of driving engagement with the respective hubs of the tape cassette when said tape cassette is in the working position;
(e) a drive motor for providing rotational movement;
(f) tape transport shift means including electric drive means for translating the rotational movement of the drive motor into at least either of the linear movement of the drive spindles into driving engagement with the cassette hubs or the linear movement of the drive spindles out of driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
(g) a cassette detector for detecting a fact that the tape cassette has been moved to the working position by the cassette shift means;
and
(h) a control circuit connected between the cassette detector and the electric drive means for causing the tape transport shift means to move the drive spindles into driving engagement with the cassette hubs when the tape cassette is moved to the working position.

6 more elements

(a) a transducer juxtaposed to and spaced from the predetermined front side of the housing of the tape cassette;
(b) a casing containing the transducer and having defined therein an entrance opening through which the tape cassette is to be inserted in the casing in a direction parallel to the notional line, the tape cassette lying in a preassigned retracted position within the casing upon full insertion therein through the entrance opening;
(c) cassette shift means for reciprocally moving the tape cassette relative to the casing in the principal plane of the cassette and in a direction normal to the notional line between the retracted position and a preassigned working position, the tape cassette when in the working position having its tape in data transfer contact with the transducer through the apertured front side of the cassette housing;
(d) tape transport means comprising a pair of drive spindles extending perpendicular to the principal plane of the tape cassette for linear movement into and out of driving engagement with the respective hubs of the tape cassette when said tape cassette is in the working position;
(e) a drive motor for providing rotational movement;
(f) tape transport shift means including electric drive means for translating the rotational movement of the drive motor into at least either of the linear movement of the drive spindles into driving engagement with the cassette hubs or the linear movement of the drive spindles out of driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
(g) means for commanding the linear movement of the drive spindles into driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
(h) means for detecting the linear movement of the drive spindles into driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
and
(i) a control circuit having inputs connected to the commanding means and the detecting means and an output connected to the electric drive means of the tape transport shift means, the control circuit causing the tape transport shift means to retract the drive spindles in event the drive spindles fail to make driving engagement with the cassette hubs after the commanding means has commanded the movement of the drive spindles into driving engagement with the cassette hubs.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Loading and ejecting mechanism for magnetic tape cassette apparatus with tape transport shifting mechanism

Life of this patent

Loading and ejecting mechanism for magnetic tape cassette apparatus with tape transport shifting mechanism

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6