FR2634310A1 - Automatic extractor for minicassette tape - Google Patents

Abstract

Device allowing the automatic extraction of a Philips format minicassette magnetic tape from its case. It consists of two capstans A and A', and of two pressure rollers B and B' which cause the tape to form a loop C outside the cassette case. This loop is then "drawn out" by virtue of the pins K and K' which will previously have been placed in the loop by virtue of their pivoting support H which will be equipped with a pin G set in motion by way of the two spirals carved in the two rotary wheels D and D' driven by a motor. The tape will then be guided into its position of use by means of the two rotary arms P and P' to which the pins K and K' will be fixed. The device according to the invention will be intended for use in apparatuses requiring the utilisation of a magnetic tape outside of its Philips format case.

Description

- The present invention relates to equipment allowing the exploitation of magnetic tapes.

- In current equipment requiring the extraction of the strip from the housing in which it is located, it is necessary to manufacture a housing specially designed for, and in particular comprising a movable flap on the front thereof, such as for example the new systems digital employing the same bandwidth as a Philips type mni-cassette, but of a more complex manufacture and a higher cost price given the complexity of the case studied for each system.

- The device according to the invention avoids this problem. Said device being obviously installed in the apparatus which exploits the tape, it makes another insertion in this one of the model of mini-cassette standard format Philips.

- The device, object of the invention comprises two capstans A and A 'which are housed automatically as soon as the cassette is put in place, in its holes provided for this purpose. Then, v will be placed on A and A 'the two pressure rollers B and B (it is obvious that these will be placed by conventional means, encountered in most mini-cassette devices of the Philips type). The capstan A 'will turn in the direction of travel of the strip, while the capstan A will remain fixed to block the strip. It will follow in a fairly short period of time, the formation of a loop C by the tape, which can then exit only through the central window of the cassette case. When this loop has reached a size sufficient for the rest of the operation, the capstan A 'will stop and the pinch roller 3' will disengage.

The two wheels D and D '(dependent on each other via the axis E, one of which will be provided on its circumference, with teeth, to be driven by a motor, will start to rotate as indicated by the arrow (FL.

1/3).

The axis G crossing D and D 'thanks to the spirals cut in these, will follow the displacement that these spirals will impose on it by the rotation of the wheels D and D'.

The G axis arriving at the end of the spirals <these will be fitted at the end of the race, with a slight detachment to allow the G axis to take its place properly, this being the hinge axis of the assemblies H and I which may be provided with a return spring, to allow the axis G to settle correctly in the detachment of the spirals) the assemblies H and I will be placed as indicated in the figure PL. 2/3.

It should be noted that H is provided with a fixed axis J and that I is provided with two small guide rollers n and X ′ to avoid friction during the positioning operation.

The sets H and I having priced their respective places, the motor driving the wheels D and D ', will stop. At this time, the guide axes K and K ', as well as the guide rods L and L' will be placed inside the loop C formed by the strip, while the two guide rollers 5 and 0 'will be placed å outside and at the base of the loop C, protruding slightly inside the cassette case, enough to avoid the friction of the tape on the case, when the latter CPL runs. 2/3).

Then, the motor (fixed on the assembly H) driving the two arms P and P 'will start to rotate, causing F to describe a rotation to the left and å P', a rotation to the right, via the gear system W, described in detail A - PL. 1/3.

The axes K and K ', as well as the guide rods L and L', being integral with F and P '(by crimping, for example), the axes K and K', in the course of their displacement "will hang" in a way the band.

The two arms P and P ', thus èv # demmeft, as their respective guide axes, will come to the end of their travel, be placed in the stops R and R', and the motor driving them will stop.

In the case where the recording / playback system will be a rotary drum T, the strip will be guided by the two guide rods L and L 'as indicated PL. 3/3 the drum being symbolized by T.

The drive for the movement of the strip will be done by the capstan A with its pressure roller B and in another variant of the invention, the pressure roller B 'can return to its engaged position on its capstan A', thus forming a system double capstan tape drive thus improving the tension of the tape during its running.

In fast forward and fast reverse mode, the pressure rollers B and B 'must be disengaged from their respective capstans.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the two arms P and P 'can be replaced by two guides with linear movement placed in a V upside down, each provided with a rack and a motor allowing the displacement of the guide axes , from the tip of the V to its two two ends.

It should be noted that the stopping and starting of the motors constituting the smooth running of the invention described will be done by micro-contacts and / or by pre-programmed electronic circuits.

 The two pressure rollers B and B 'will be assisted in their movements by plunger cores (for example), themselves controlled by these same circuits.

The device which is the subject of the invention can be used in all cases where the use of magnetic tape contained in cassettes of the Philips mini-cassette type is necessary.

Interesting applications may be the use of the invention in digital magnetic tape exploitation devices and in cases where the extraction of tape from the case is obligatory or necessary, as well as in analog systems, thus allowing the 'use of several tape processing heads (limited to three in conventional systems).

It should be noted that for the reinsertion of the strip into its casing, the process described above will be re-executed in reverse.

Claims (8)

 PEV3NDICATIONS  1 - Device for automatically extracting the magnetic flap from a mini cassette, comprising two capstans A and A 'and two pressure rollers B and B', characterized in that it further comprises two toothed wheels D and D 'and two movable assemblies, one being H (provided with a fixed axis J! on which are fixed the two arms P and P 'accompanied by their respective guide axes K and K' and their guide rods L and L ', l 'other mobile assembly being I on which are fixed the guide rollers 0 and O'. 2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sets H and I are integral with one another via the axis G.  3 - Device according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the guide networks 0 and 0 'are fixed to the assembly I. 4 - Device according to claim 1 characterized e that the guide pins K and K 'and guide rods L and L' are fixed respectively on the movable arms P and P '.  5 - Device according to claims 4 and 'characterized in that the movable arms P and P' are integral with the assembly H, through the gear system W and its hollow axes fixed on F and P '. 6 - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises two toothed wheels D and D 'in which is cut a portion of spiral through which passes the axis G. 7 - Device according to claims 1 and 6 characterized in that it comprises a fixed rotary axis E making integral with one another the toothed wheels D and D '. 8 - Device according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that it comprises two axes and their rollers Y and X 'fixed on the assembly I.