Cassette loading device

A cassette loading device comprising:

• a cassette holder in which a cassette is inserted, said cassette holder being linearly movable without pivoting between a cassette inserting first position and a cassette loading position, the cassette holder being moveable in a first direction generally in a first plane;
• a frame for guiding said cassette holder;
• said frame including side wall pieces;
• an engaging member slidably mounted to said cassette holder, adapted to engage with a fitting part of said cassette;
• swinging arms, which are swingably mounted on said cassette holder, connected to said engaging member;
• such that when said cassette holder is at said cassette inserting position, said engaging member is temporarily engaged with said fitting part of said cassette, thus allowing the insertion and removal of said cassette;
• when said cassette is inserted into an intermediate position, between said cassette inserting and cassette loading position, portions of said swinging arms abut said side wall pieces of said frame causing said engaging member to be moved along a guide groove formed in said cassette holder by said swinging arms as said cassette holder is moved;
• said swinging arms prevent said engaging member from being disengaged from said cassette fitting part during the movement of said engaging member between said cassette inserting position and said intermediate position;
• and wherein said swing arms are pivotable about pivot axes toward and away from one another, the pivot axes being generally parallel and extending in a second direction, the first and second directions being generally perpendicular.

A method of loading a cassette with a device having a cassette holder adapted to accommodate said cassette therein and movable between a cassette inserting position and a cassette loading position, an engaging member slidably mounted on said cassette holder and adapted to engage with a fitting part of said cassette, a frame for guiding said cassette holder, said frame having side wall pieces, and swing arms swingably mounted to said cassette holder, said swing arms connected to said engaging member, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) inserting said cassette into said cassette holder positioned at said cassette inserting position to confront said cassette fitting part with said engaging member positioned at a first depth relative to said cassette holder;
• (b) moving said cassette holder linearly toward said cassette loading position without pivoting of said cassette holder;
• (c) simultaneously with said step (b), moving said engaging member engaged with said fitting part of said cassette relative to said cassette holder to be positioned at a second depth deeper in the cassette holder than said first depth, the step (c) of moving said engaging member by said swing arms having portions abutting said frame side wall pieces during movement of said cassette between the cassette insertion and loading positions;
• and
• (d) pivoting the swing arms toward one another about pivot axes, the pivot axes being generally parallel and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction in which the cassette holder is moved.

A method of loading a cassette with a device having a cassette holder adapted to accommodate said cassette therein between a cassette inserting position and a cassette loading position, an engaging member slidably mounted on said cassette holder and adapted to engage with a fitting part of said cassette, a frame for guiding said cassette holder, said frame having side wall pieces, and slide cam members which are slidably mounted on said cassette holder, said slide cam members connected to said engaging member, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) inserting said cassette into said cassette holder positioned at said cassette inserting position to confront said cassette fitting part with said engaging member positioned at a first depth relative to said cassette holder;
• (b) moving said cassette holder linearly toward said cassette loading position without pivoting of said cassette holder;
• (c) simultaneously with said step (b), moving said engaging member engaged with said fitting part of said cassette relative to said cassette holder to be positioned at a second depth deeper in the cassette holder than said first depth, the step (c) of moving said engaging member by said slide cam members having portions abutting said frame side wall pieces during movement of said cassette between the cassette insertion and loading positions,
• (d) sliding said slide cam members in a second direction generally in a second plane, the first and second directions being generally perpendicular and the first and second directions being generally parallel and noncoincident.