Cassette loading and ejection control system for magnetic tape cassette apparatus

An apparatus for data transfer with a tape cassette of the type including a generally flat boxlike housing having a first and a second opposite main face and a front side right angularly joining the main faces, and a length of tape extending between a pair of hubs mounted within the housing for rotation about respective axes disposed in parallel spaced relationship with each other, the tape being exposed through an aperture in the front side of the cassette housing which extends parallel to a notional line right angularly intersecting the axes of rotation of the hubs, the tape cassette having a principal plane parallel to the main faces of the cassette housing, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a casing having defined therein an entrance opening through which the tape cassette is to be inserted in the casing in the direction of the notional line, with the front side of the cassette housing oriented in a first predetermined direction relative to the casing and with the first main face of the cassette housing oriented in a second predetermined direction at right angles with the first predetermined the tape cassette lying in a preassigned retracted position within the casing upon full insertion therein through the entrance opening;
• (b) a transducer so disposed within the casing as to confront with a spacing therebetween the front side of the housing of the tape cassette lying in the retracted position;
• (c) cassette shift means for reciprocably moving the tape cassette relative to the casing in the principal plane of the tape 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 aperture in the front side of the cassette housing;
• (d) tape transport means comprising a pair of drive spindles movable linearly into and out of driving engagement with the hubs of the tape cassette lying in the working position;
• (e) tape transport shift means operatively engaged with the tape transport means for causing the linear movement of the drive spindles into and out of driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
• (f) dual control cam means comprising a cassette shift control cam and a tape transport shift control cam which are rotatable jointly about a common axis, the cassette shift control cam being engaged with the cassette shift means for causing the tape cassette to travel between the retracted and the working position, the tape transport shift control cam being engaged with the tape transport shift means for causing the linear movement of the drive spindles into and out of driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
• (g) cam drive means coupled to the dual control cam means for causing the joint rotation of the cassette shift control cam and the tape transport shift control cam about the common axis;
• (h) eject means for ejecting the tape cassette out of the entrance opening in the casing when the tape cassette is moved from the working position back to the retracted position by the cassette shift means;
• (i) a cam position sensor for providing a digital output indicative of an eject position of the dual control cam means in which the tape cassette is in the retracted position and in which the drive spindles of the tape transport means are out of driving engagement with the cassette hubs, and a loading position of the dual control cam means in which the tape cassette is in the working position and in which the drive spindle of the tape transport means are in driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
• (j) a cassette loading sensor for providing a digital output indicative of whether the tape cassette is in the working position;
• (k) a tape transport sensor for providing a digital output indicative of whether the drive spindles of the tape transport means are in or out of driving engagement with the cassette hubs;
• (l) a cassette face sensor for providing a digital output indicative of whether the tape cassette is loaded in the apparatus with the first main face of the cassette housing oriented in the second predetermined direction;
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• (m) controller means having inputs connected to the cam position sensor and the cassette loading sensor and the tape transport sensor and the cassette face sensor and having an output connected to the cam drive means for controlling the joint rotation of the cassette shift control cam and the tape transport shift control cam, the controller means relying on the digital outputs from the cam position sensor and the cassette loading sensor and the tape transport sensor and the cassette face sensor for the determination of the loading of the tape cassette in the working position and the ejection of the tape cassette.

A tape cassette apparatus for interchangeable use with a tape cassette and a cleaning cassette, the tape cassette being of the type having a generally flat boxlike housing having a principal plane and 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 the tape exposed through an aperture in a predetermined front side of the housing extending parallel to a notional line right angularly intersecting the axes of rotation of the hubs, the cleaning cassette having a housing of substantially the same shape and size as the housing of the tape cassette, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a casing having defined therein an entrance opening through which the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette is to be inserted in the casing in the direction of the notional line and with the front side of the cassette housing oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the casing, the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette lying in a preassigned retracted position within the casing upon full insertion there in through the entrance opening;
• (b) a transducer so disposed within the casing as to confront with a spacing therebetween the front side of the housing of the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette lying in the retracted position;
• (c) cassette shift means for reciprocably moving the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette relative to the casing in the principal plane of the cassette housing 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 aperture in the front side of the cassette housing;
• (d) tape transport means comprising a pair of drive spindles movable linearly into and out of driving engagement with the hubs of the tape cassette lying in the working position;
• (e) tape transport shift means operatively engaged with the tape transport means for causing the linear movement of the drive spindles into and out of the tape driving engagement with the tape cassette, the drive spindles moving into abutment against the housing of the cleaning cassette when the cleaning cassette is in the working position;
• (f) dual control cam means comprising a cassette shift control cam and a tape transport shift control cam which are rotatable jointly about a common axis, the cassette shift control cam being engaged with the cassette shift means for causing the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette to travel between the retracted and the working position, the tape transport shift control cam being engaged with the tape transport shift means for causing the linear movement of the drive spindles into and out of driving engagement with the tape cassette or into and out of abutment against the cleaning cassette;
• (g) cam drive means coupled to the dual control cam means for causing the joint rotation of the cassette shift control cam and the tape transport shift control cam about the common axis;
• (h) eject means for ejecting the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette out of the entrance opening in the casing when the tape cassette or the cleaning cassette is moved from the working position back to the retracted position by the cassette shift means;
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• (i) control means for determining which of the tape cassette and the cleaning cassette is in the working position and for preventing the drive spindles from rotation in frictional engagement with the cleaning cassette when the cleaning cassette is in the working position.