DE2324656A1 - HIGH SPEED TAPE REPLACEMENT DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

DIPL.-INQ. KLAUS NEUBECKER

Patent attorney
4 Düsseldorf 1 Schadowplatz 9

Düsseldorf, May 15, 1973

42.765A
7368

Westinghouse Electric Corp,
Pittsburgh, Pa., V. St. A.

High speed tape dubbing facility

The invention relates to audio tutor tape systems or - Facilities used to provide individualized instruction in educational institutions. In the simplest In conventional form, a system of this type has a number of recorded tapes which can be borrowed from the school library and played in carrels or at reception points provided in the library. These tapes are provided with a recording beforehand by the lecturer or teacher for the course and prepared as supplementary information for homework, lectures, new ones to consolidate technical methods and knowledge and the like. There is a particular advantage of the audio tutorial system in that it provides for frequent, independent and repetitive teaching of a student without the Requiring the presence of the teacher.

However, the simplest arrangement already known, outlined above, has severe limitations. Every time a tape is loaned out by a student, it stays that long

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Telephone (0211) 32O8 58

Telegrams Custopat

away as the student needs, what with all the time it takes to review different parts of it, much longer than its real-time playback of about thirty minutes. During this time the band in question is of course not available for other students · The provision of multiple copies or copies of each tape is a Way to solve the problem. However, this poses a very large inventory problem besides the problem of size plan ahead of the requirements for each individual belt.

One way to eliminate this problem, or to reduce it to an extremely small extent, is to give the student your own personal copy of the desired tape, for example in a small tape cassette, in hand, which he then use to the fullest can without hindering his fellow students. In this regard, the desired program can be recorded on the personal audio tape cassette of the student can be copied over at a high speed (i.e. provided with a new recording). The student can then either at will in his personal casette playback unit, or in one of the carrells that are in the school library Furthermore, a system of this kind enables the student to a whole set of Lehs. tapes for any one To select the course he is taking, which he can then play at any time can. The only time a program is a Is not accessible to students if it is used to record another student's cassette. Naturally It is of primary importance that the recording time is kept to a minimum. In this regard It is desirable to provide a system in which a 60 minute program is, for example, less than 1/2 minute to the Examples required. However, this requires tape speeds as high as 300 cm per second or higher.

The cassette used by the student for such a high speed recording system is preferably from the Miniature spool on spool, which has external dimensions of for example about 63 mm by 100 mm and a tape width

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of -approximately 5 «" ». The cassette has a housing, which consists of upper and lower matching halves consists, which a pair of tape reels, guide means for guiding the audio tape over a recording head, separate moves the tape from one reel at a time and includes a tape drive shaft assembly for the tape. Usually the take-up plate is made by means of a central shaft driven while the supply reel is being braked, also by a central shaft which is connected to a braking device. The speed of the tape will however go through the aforementioned tape drive shaft drive determined. The belt drive shaft, together with a rubber pressure roller, couples the tape to an external drive system and is usually small in diameter, typically about 1.5 m ». the low tape speed of less than 50 per second during normal playback does not require any Belt drive shaft with a larger diameter · However, higher belt speeds with a belt drive shaft bring with it Such a small diameter creates problems such as loud whine and high wow and flutter. Further the likelihood of slippage between the tape and the tape drive shaft drive increases as the tape speed increases

The cassette body of conventional miniature cassettes is with provided an opening which allows the introduction of the tape drive shaft on one side of the tape. A rubber pressure roller is used during a recording or playback sequence moved outside of the cassette into engagement with the tape directly opposite the drive shaft so that when the tape drive shaft is rotated, the tape is therebetween and the pinch roller is advanced. The diameter of a tape drive shaft such as that used in conventional arrangements could be increased, there is but an upper limiting dimension, which is determined by the dimensions of the miniature cassette *

In addition to the problems encountered in driving a miniature cassette tape at very high speeds

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occur, there is another unexpected problem. the constant friction between the belt with plastic backing (usually polyester, under the trademark MYLAR im Trade) and the plastic wall of the cassette (or the plastic insert, which is often used) causes an electrostatic charge to build up at high belt speeds. This structure becomes strong enough to cause sparks which can interfere with the recording or even that Damage or can damage the tape.

After all, with the high belt speeds that come into question, a serious problem when guiding the tape from the unwinding plate around the guide rollers and the like around the tape head and from there to the take-up plate. Miniature cassettes currently being manufactured use various means to feed the thin audio tape around the inside corners of the cassette · These means can consist of stationary posts in the two lower corners of the cassette, either of simple rod structure or in one more complicated training, for example fixed sleeves or loose spacer washers at both ends of the posts, around the Keep tape in place. In some cases rollers are used instead of fixed posts, also with or without pods or washers. While all of these trainings for a low belt speed of 48 mm, for example are suitable per second, they are not suitable for much higher belt speeds in the range of about 300 cm per Second, as required for high-speed tape recording.

Before that, high-speed recording systems such as the one shown in U.S. Patent 3,426,339, has been provided in which any one of a plurality of main belts on any one of a plurality Student carrells can be recorded. However, this system requires playback at real time speeds the receiving station or the carrell des Studierendenzi :. Consequently is the carrell during the entire recording sequence as well as during the period of time that is required for one or more playbacks occupied by the student.

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Other systems have been proposed in which one However, a large number of programs can be dubbed onto removable cassettes at one or more receiving stations} Such systems are controlled with the aid of computer equipment and are therefore relatively expensive.

The invention includes a method for high-speed tape dubbing which has the following method steps: 1.) provide a plurality of tape cartridges in the memory, each of which has a program recorded at a tape speed below a first predetermined speed, 2.) at least one of the tape cartridges after one convey a high-speed transfer unit, while a tape cassette is attached to the high-speed transfer unit is positioned, the relevant tapes in the cartridge and cassette to cause them to move at a speed over to move the said predetermined speed, while 5 «) electrically transfer recorded instructions and information from the cartridge tape to the cassette tape and 4.) then remove the cassette from the dubbing station and place it on a playback tape deck or chassis while the tape is in the cassette is caused to move at a speed which of said predetermined speed at which the program was recorded on the cartridge tape.

The invention also consists of a high-speed dubbing system which is a combination of a tape deck and a magnetic tape cassette adapted to be received thereby, said tape cassette having a housing which has upper and lower halves that fit together and a side wall, a pair of spaced-apart coil cores in the housing, a plurality of tape guides in the housing, a magnetic tape which extends from the one of said cores extending around said guides one after the other of said cores, the Path of the tape as it moves from one of the reel cores to the other along the side wall of the housing

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extends, openings in the side wall for receiving at least one conversion device over which the audio tape extends, and a tape drive shaft, which is attached to the tape deck outside of the housing, openings in the has matching halves, which have a pressure roller record, which is also attached to the tape deck, the combination being characterized in that, with the cassette on the tape deck, the pressure roller is behind the tape in the area of one of the named side wall openings is located, and that means are provided around the tape drive axis in contact through a side wall opening with the side of the tape opposite the pinch roller.

The improved miniature cassette system of the invention is useful in. a hosSttourigen dubbing system used to be, wherein the tape at speeds of 300 cm per second or higher must be transported "and in which d & r construction of electrostatic charges wlrde substantially eliminates the tape -

This becomes Aadwceh. BoifS2 * kst © lligt that the tape is driven by a tape drive which is located outside the cassette itself, the tape running between this tape drive shaft and a pressure roller made of rubber or the like, which through an opening in the cassette on the side the tape runs opposite the tape drive shaft · In this way, the diameter of the driving tape drive shaft is not limited by the physical dimensions of the cassette itself! a motor of lower rotational speed can be used to control the capstan drive, and since the rubber pressure roller detects the back of the tape, the risk of deposition of rubber ¹¹ is dust "reduced on the oxide surface of the belt with subsequent occurrence of dropouts considerably.

To build up static electricity on the high-speed tape to avoid inside the cassette they are lined with an electrically conductive lining,

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Cups can either be made of conductive plastic, metal foil or conductive paper. Such a lining with a large metallic hat, for example the base of the Casaett.endecks connected by strips, which extend through the wall of the cassette, make the electrostatic charge disappear and prevent sparks, which could otherwise occur at the high speeds that come into question} ·

The tape guides at the corners of the cassette according to the invention are advantageously of the hourglass type or concave type, so that when the belt is moved around these rollers it will automatically center itself and not have a tendency to move from the rollers in one direction or the other to slide off »

The invention will now be explained with reference to the description and drawing reproducing it by way of example

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the instantaneous miniature cassette of the invention showing the manner shows in which it is used in a recording or playback deck,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the cassette the invention, which reveals the way in which a driven capstan a roller of rubber material, or the like, which protrudes through an opening in the cassette,

Fig. 3 is a front view of the cassette of Fig. 2;

Fig * k a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2,

Figure 5 is an illustration of one type of electrically conductive liner used in the cassette of the invention can be used,

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Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the manner in which the liner of Fig. 3 is used in a cassette;

Figure 7 is an illustration of another type of electrically conductive liner used in the cassette of the invention can be used,

Fig. 8 illustrates the manner in which the liner of Fig. 7 is used in a cassette,

Fig. 9 is an illustration of the hourglass type of FIG Guide rollers used in the cassette of the invention while

Figure 10 illustrates a block diagram of the method; which uses the invention «

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIG. 1, a housing 10 is shown which has a recessed recording or reproducing deck 12 which is suitable for receiving a miniature cassette ik , explained in detail below. Located within the cassette Ik Winding and unwinding devices for magnetic tape, which have reel cores l6 which are suitable to fit over spline shafts l8 and 20 and to grip these, which protrude upwards from the deck 12. During a take-up operation, the shaft 18 is connected to a braking device, while the shaft 20 can be driven by a take-up motor in a manner which will be described below.

At the front edge of the tape deck 12, recording or playback and erasing heads 22 and 24 are provided accordingly. A rubber pressure roller 26 protrudes from the tape deck 12 the like upwards, which is capable of turning into an opening 28 or 30 to extend in when the cassette is on the play deck 12. As will be explained below, the roller 26, when it is in the opening 30, interacts, for example, with a motor-driven capstan 32,

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which is pivotally attached to an arm 34 to move the tape past the head 22. Pins 36, which protrude upward from the tape deck 12, get into openings 38 in of the cassette and serve to position the cassette in relation to the capstan or reel and the head.

Now to FIGS. Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the cassette 14 consists of upper and lower matching halves 40 and 42 which are connected along a seam 44 (Fig. 3). Two coil cores l6 are supported in the cassette, whereby one serves as a take-up reel device and the other serves as a supply reel device, although in most cases the spool cores will not have radially extending flanges as in conventional spools. In this regard the tape is wedged between the top and bottom walls of the cassette as it is wound or unwound from the spool core. The coil cores have central openings, which are provided with projections 46 for engaging connection with wedges on the shafts l8 and 20, as shown in FIG. When the spool cores l6 are rotated counterclockwise, one strand of the tape 47 winds from the tape, for example in Fig. 2, the bobbin core, the left bobbin, runs around the pressure roller 48 at one corner of the cassette, then passes the openings 50, 52 and 54 (Fig. 3) »which in the front wall of the cassette, and then moves around a second pinch roller 56 after the spool of the Tape which is formed on the right core l6

Before the cassette is inserted into the submerged tape deck 12 shown in FIG. 1, the arm 34 carrying the driven capstan 32 becomes that shown in FIG Position by means of a spring or the like, not shown, moved back. This enables the cassette to be played via the To position pins 36 and when it falls into place, the pressure roller 26, which is made of rubber or similar material, extends through the opening 30 and behind the tape 47. Thereafter, a solenoid 58 is actuated to bring the capstan 32 into contact with the side of the tape opposite to move the rubber pressure roller 30, and is with the help of the

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Motor 6k driven. Due to the relatively large diameter of the capstan 32, it can be driven at a speed to achieve tape speeds as high as 300 cm per second, or higher, during the tape recording process. The speed of the tape past the head is determined by the speed of the capstan The drive motor, not shown, which is connected to the shaft 20, simply exerts enough torque on the spool core 16 to wind the tape on it, while the braking means on the shaft 18 exerts enough torque on the spool core 16 to wind the tape on it Keeping tape taut when it passes head 22, this ensures close tape-to-head contact, which is desirable for proper recording or playback of short wavelength signals *

As explained above, already known miniature assettes usually driven by a small diameter capstan which controls the position of the rubber pressure roller 26, which is illustrated herein, occupies. However, in such cases the capstan is typically about 3 mm in diameter on, which means that it cannot be easily driven at speeds sufficient to to achieve a tape speed of 300 cm per second · However, by providing an external capstan or * tape drive shaft, which is pivoted in operative connection with the side of the tape opposite the rubber pressure roller, which extends through the opening 30, for example, much higher belt speeds can be achieved.

After the cassette Ik has been inserted into the recessed deck 12 and the capstan 32 has been moved into contact with the tape, the tape is caused to move past the head 22 at a speed of, for example, 300 cm per second. If this deck is used for recording, the recording head 22 is connected via a line 21 to a high-level play deck with cartridge 25. The tape in the cartridge of the arrangement 25, which has «in program, which was previously with the normal playing speed of about 96 mm

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per second on it * is now made to move at twice the speed of that in cassette 14. Consequently, the program is put on the tape in the The assembly 25 is rapidly transferred to the tape in the cartridge 14. After the express recording process, the cassette with the program transferred to its tape can then be switched off removed from deck 12 and carried to a play deck where the tape is made to contact the normal speed of about 4.75 cm per second, whereby the electrical message stored on the tape is converted or converted into recognizable acoustic tones will.

Alternatively, a high-speed cassette deck as described herein can also be used in a playback mode and used in a similar manner to the high-speed cartridge assembly 25, an original Recording of, for example, 48 mm per second at 300 cm per second for quick transfer to another cassette ' is played. In this case, the cassette is used as a trunk (i.e. as a program source) rather than as a daughter tape (i.e. Programmer) is used.

As in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown, the cassette 14 is provided with transparent windows 43 through which a Tape reel is visible · At the beginning of a high-speed recording process it is of course necessary that the tape is wound on the left bobbin l6 (as seen in Fig. 2) and not on the right bobbin. Corresponding suitable photocell means, not shown, can be made to look through the windows 43, when the cassette is in place to ensure that the tape is wound on the correct core, before the dubbing starts

As discussed above, there is constant friction between the polyester-backed tape 47 and the plastic wall electrostatic charge build-up on the cassette at high tape speeds. This build-up will be high

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enough to cause sparks, which can interfere with the recording or even damage the tape. The present invention overcomes this problem with the use of an electrically conductive outcropping, one embodiment of which is shown by way of example in FIGS. 5 and 6 is reproduced. It has upper and lower halves 66 and 68 which have cross-sectional areas which essentially correspond to those of the upper and lower halves kO and 42 of the cassette 14. These are arranged on the inner wall surfaces of the cassette, as shown schematically in FIG. 6, and are provided with strips 70 which extend through the seam kk between the upper and lower halves of the cassette 1A and are bent backwards against the side wall of the A cassette for engagement with a leaf spring 72 connected to a base of the tape deck. As a result, any static electricity that builds up is immediately dissipated through the conductive liners 66 and 68 and spring 72, thereby preventing sparks due to electrostatic build-up at the high belt speeds that are used. The conductivity of the lining does not have to be high, a conductivity on the order of a few kilo ohms per square is sufficient.

Instead of using separate upper and lower conductive linings, like those in FIGS. 5 and 6, a one-piece liner can be used, as in FIGS. 7 and 8 shown. It has two halves 7 ^ and 76 which are connected to one another via a strip 78. The strip 78 can be seen along the lines - dashed - 80 8 with the folded portion engaging the spring 72 which is grounded. The result is essentially the same, of course, with some electrostatic charge being dissipated to produce sparks to prevent.

As an alternative, the top and bottom halves could be the cassette made of a conductive material, for example

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Metal, in which case no extending grounding strip is needed for the conductive linings, since the electrostatic charge is consequently dissipated via the conductive linings, the conductive cassette halves and, for example, the pins 36 can go on.

Figure 9 shows an enlarged view of the guide rollers 48 and 56 at the corners of the cassette. As can be seen, they are of the hourglass or concave cross-section. The standard compact cassette does not use any special means to guide the thin tape around the inside corners of the cassette Many cassettes have stationary posts in the two lower corners of the cassette, either of the simple stick type or of a more complex design, such as fixed sleeves or loose washers at each end to hold the tape in place. However, all of these shapes are only suitable for slow tape speeds, and none are suitable for the extremely high tape speed of 300 cm per second required for high-speed dubbing. The concave or hourglass configuration shown in Fig. 9 enables the thin tape, which is under a controlled tension during a dubbing operation, to seek the path of least resistance, and therefore results in a smooth, even tape pack without the risk of steps develop in the package which could result in jamming and tape entangling, with subsequent jamming of the drive mechanism. Sleeves 78 and 80 can be provided on the opposite edges of the roller 48 shown in Figure 9 as an additional safety measure. The distance between these sleeves is slightly wider than the nominal belt width of about 3.75 mm to allow slight movement of the belt in its attempt to self-align. Preferably, the rollers are made of a low friction material such as that marketed under the trademark "Teflon".

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Referring now to FIG. 10 of the drawings, a master tape storage unit 110 is shown which, for example, may include a rack of a plurality of master tape cartridges; Any of these master tape cartridges can be conveyed from the storage unit 110 to any of a plurality of high-speed dubbing units 112, 114 or II6, it being understood that the number of high-speed dubbing units can be increased beyond the three shown by to meet the requirements. A fast-speed miniature audio handheld cassette 122 is also recorded on tape deck 118. Message on master cartridge 120 is transferred to audio tape in cassette 122 via audio and recording heads 124 and 126, respectively. The program on the tape of the cartridge 120 is recorded, for example, with a normal recording speed of about 48 mm per second. In each case, the tape in the cartridge 120 is driven in the fctoshtourigen transfer unit at a speed of, for example, 300 ei per second. Similarly, the band in άβτ Cassette 122 is driven at the same speed. Consequently eisa 30 may "minute program on the tape 'of the cartridge 120, for example, not more than 28 seconds are transferred to the B _a nd in the cassette 122 in. A plurality of tracks could be used on Q ± n.em tape" which If simultaneously transferred to the cassette, this would result in an even higher transfer rate © (e.g. a 60-minute program in no more than 28 seconds if two simultaneous tracks are used) * After the program has been transferred to the tape in this way In the cassette 122 has been dubbed, the tape in the cartridge 120 need not be rewound, but is simply returned ± n the master tape storage unit 110; the cassette 122 can then be sent to any of the units 112-116 after any of a plurality of playback units 128 , 130 or 132. The display unit is normally one of these

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of the portable type and can be located, for example, in a location remote from the high-speed dubbing unit so that the student or other user can play the program recorded on the cassette 122 at will, and as often as he likes he wishes it without interfering with the dubbing unit. Playback occurs, of course, at the same speed as that at which the program was recorded on the master cartridge 120, typically, about 48 mm per second. However, for a higher quality of reproduction, the master tape could have been recorded at 96 mm per second, for example, and played in the high-speed deck 18 at a speed of 600 cm per second. With a cassette daughter tape recording at 300 cm per second, a copy reproduction at kB mm per second would still result.

It can thus be seen that the method of the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive system for high speed dubbing while providing a high degree of flexibility. As mentioned above, the normal playback and recording speed for a program on a tape is about 48 or 96 mm per second, while high-volume dubbing is performed at a tape speed of 300 or 600 cm per second. In either case, the original recording and playback are performed at speeds below 63t5 cm per second, while the dubbing is performed at speeds above 63.5 cm per second. In the following claims, "belt speed at 63.5 cm per second," generally means normal recording and reproducing velocity, while "tape speed 63.5 cm per second means ¹¹ dubbing speed.

Instead of using a single master cartridge for a single daughter cassette, it is possible to use the program from a Master cartridge forth to record a plurality of cassettes at the same time.

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Furthermore, the main belt could, for example, with a speed of 38IO cm per second run to on a buffer cartridge to transfer, which then at 600 cm per second on a daughter Gassette with a speed of 3OO cm per second is dubbed at a playback speed of 48 mm per second.

Patent claims:

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Claims (12)

Pat entana claims; High speed tape replay device, characterized by a combination of a tape deck and a magnetic tape cassette which is received thereby, the tape cassette having a housing with upper and lower matching halves and a side wall, a pair of spaced apart spool cores in the housing, a plurality of tape guides in the housing, a magnetic tape which extends from one of the spool cores around the guides around the other of the spool cores, wherein the path of the tape as it moves from one of the cores to the other extending along the side wall of the housing, openings in the side wall for receiving at least one Transmitter, over which the tape runs, and a driving capstan, which is attached to the tape deck outside the housing, openings in the one on top of the other matching halves, which take up a pressure roller, which is also attached to the tape deck that, with the Cassette on the tape deck, the pressure roller behind the tape in the area of one of the side wall openings is located, and that means are provided to drive the capstan through the one side wall opening and in contact with the side of the tape opposite the pinch roller 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said tape drive shaft or capstan is attached to an arm which is pivotably supported on the tape deck, and that means are provided for reciprocating the arm to connect it through the one side wall opening in engagement with a tape and out of this move which is positioned in a cassette on the tape deck 309849/0831 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the diameter of the driving capstan is greater than the diameter of the mentioned pressure roller is " .4 · Device according to claim 3 »characterized in that said pressure roller has a peripheral surface from a having compliant material. 5 · Device according to claim 4, characterized by means for driving one of the said coil cores and for Decelerating the other of said coil cores and by means of driving the capstan. ' 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5 »characterized by an insert or lining made of electrically conductive Material on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower halftone of said housing above and below the called coil cores arranged, and by means, which said conductive lining, when using the Cassette, connect with Brdpotential in order to build up electrostatic To prevent charging » 7. Device according to Claim 6 _S, characterized in that the means which connect the lining to earth potential have strips on the lining which run through a side wall of the cassette, for effective operation with spring means which are connected to earth potential. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7 «characterized that the plurality of tape guides within the housing are generally cylindrical in shape and have concave peripheral surfaces so as to the magnetic tape hold back on the tape guide ο 9. Device according to claim 8 ₉ dadiarcii gokösinaeichnet that the tape guide © mTiait sleeves are provided at the ends of the same. 30-9849 / 0891 10. high-speed magnetic tape over-recording device, characterized in that dl · ·· is provided essentially as with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the drawing described »· ■ ' 11. A method for high-speed tape dubbing with the aid of a high-speed tape transfer device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the following process steps: a plurality of tape cartridges, ie a memory, each of which has a program recorded with a first prediction. Tape speed _{f convey} at least one of the tape cartridges to a high-speed dubbing unit while a tape cassette is positioned on the high-speed dubbing unit; recorded message is electrically transferred from the cartridge tape to the cassette tape, and convey the cassette from the dubbing station to a playback tape deck and drive the tape in the cassette so that it is with. moves at a speed corresponding to said predetermined speed at which the program was recorded on the cartridge tape to produce audio information. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized by the process step of dissipating electrostatic charges, which were created in the tape cassette by a Layer of conductive material is provided on the inner walls of the cassette 309849/0391 to Le ** ^ eite