GB1578397A

GB1578397A - Cassette tape player

Info

Publication number: GB1578397A
Application number: GB2707577A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Nihon Technical KK
Current assignee: Nihon Technical KK
Priority date: 1976-07-02
Filing date: 1977-06-28
Publication date: 1980-11-05
Also published as: IT1085837B; DE2729835B2; DE2729835A1; FR2357032B1; FR2357032A1

Description

(54) CASSETTE TAPE PLAYER (71) We, NIHON TECHNICAL KABUSHIKI KAISHA, a body corporate organised under the laws of Japan, of No. 13-2, Takada 3-chome, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to cassette tape players, and more particularly but not necessarily exclusively to a cassette tape player suitable for use in the dash board of a motor vehicle.

Various kinds of cassette tape player are well known and convenient in use. However, prior art tape players have suffered from a disadvantage in that they require disassembly from the car and maintenance or repair when the magnetic tape of the cassette becomes stuck around the capstan or pinch roller. Moreover, a long period without use can result in deformation of resilient material provided around the outer circumference of a roller in the tape driving system arranged to contact a rotatable shaft of the motor. This causes a fluctuation in the rotation of the capstan and deterioration in performance of the tape player.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a cassette tape player, comprising: a fixed frame provided with a motor and a magnetic head; and a movable frame slidable with respect to the fixed frame in the manner of a drawer, and provided with a capstan, a pinch roller, reel shafts and a driving system for operating and connecting these members; the arrangement being such that, when a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame, the motor is enabled to drive the capstan and reel shafts via the driving system.

The attached drawings show preferred embodiments of the present invention, in which:- Figs. 1 to 6 show one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is a top sectional view showing an interior structure of a movable frame with the same being drawn out of the player; Fig. 2 is a top sectional view of the movable frame with the same being pushed in the player; Fig. 3 is a side sectional view showing a condition in which a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the player; Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the movable frame with the same being pushed into the player; Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the movable frame with the same pulled out of the player; Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of a cassette installed on the reel shafts in a condition shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a top sectional view of another embodiment showing an interior structure of the movable frame with the same being pushed into the player without the cassette being installed on the reel shafts; Fig. 8 is a top sectional view of the player of Fig. 7 in which a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the player; Fig. 9 is a side sectional view of the player of Fig. 7 in which a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the player; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of essential parts of a pivotable member and roller etc; Fig. 11 is a top sectional view of a further embodiment illustrating an interior structure in which the movable frame is drawn out of the player; Fig. 12 is a top sectional view of the player of Fig. 11 in which the movable frame is pushed into the player; and Fig. 13 is a side sectional view of the player of Fig. 11 in which a cassette is installed at the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the player.

An embodiment of a cassette tape player of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. For clarity of the drawings the pinch roller is omitted in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 indicates a fixed frame, which is comprised of a left hand side plate 11, a right hand side plate 12, an upper plate 13 and a lower plate 14. The front face of the fixed frame is formed with an opening 101. The upper plate 13 is provided with a motor 16 and a magnetic head 18; a shaft 15 of the motor 16 is supported by the lower plate 14.

Reference numeral 20 indicates a movable frame and the movable frame 20 is comprised of a left hand side plate 21 and a right hand side plate 22, which are in sliding contact with respectively the left hand side plate 11 and right hand side plate 12 of the fixed frame 10, a top plate 23 with a suitable clearance formed between the top plate 23 and the upper plate 13 of the fixed frame 10, and a bottom plate 24 in sliding contact with the lower plate 14 of a fixed frame 10. The front face of the movable frame is closed by a front plate 25. The movable frame 20 is stored in a clearance A formed by the fixed frame 10 and at the same time the frame is slidable through the opening 10' with respect to the fixed frame 10 in the manner of a drawer.

Within a clearance B formed between the top plate 23 of the movable frame 20 and the bottom plate 24 is installed a cassette tape driving system for operating the tape in a cassette 26 by transmitting a rotational force from the shaft 15 of the motor 16 or a rotatable shaft cooperating therewith. The driving system is comprised of a pulley 271 coaxial with a roller 27 having a resilient material around its circumference which may be brought into abutment against the shaft 15 of the motor 16 or a rotatable shaft cooperating therewith, a flywheel 29 cooperating with pulley 271 via belt 28, and a pulley 31 of a take-up reel shaft 33 cooperating with a rotatable shaft of the flywheel 29 via belt 30. Both a rotatable shaft of the pulley 27l coaxial with the roller 27 and a rotatable shaft of the flywheel 29 are supported between the top plate 23 and bottom plate 24 of the movable frame 20, and the take-up reel shaft 33 is supported by the top plate 23. It will be seen that the rotatable shaft of the flywheel 29 is projected from top plate 23 to terminate in a capstan 32, and the take-up reel shaft 33 is projected from the top plate 23 on which projection may be positioned the reel hub for taking-up the cassette 26. Reference numeral 34 indicates a reel shaft for positioning the reel hub for feeding or supplying the tape of cassette 26 which shaft is projected from top plate 23 in the same way as the reel shaft 33, and the pulley 35 of said reel shaft 34 is stored in the clearance B between the top plate 23 and the bottom plate 24. On the top plate 23 is arranged a pinch roller 36 for driving the tape with the same being held between the top plate and the capstan 32. One end of the supporting member for supporting the pinch roller 36 is pivoted to the movable frame 20 via a pivoting axis around which a coil spring is wound. Thus, when the movable frame 20 is drawn out from the clearance A of the fixed frame 10, as shown in Fig. 1, the supporting member of the pinch roller 36 is pivoted around the pivoting shaft in a clockwise direction by a resilient force of the coil spring and the pinch roller 36 is held apart from the capstan 32, whereby the installation of the cassette 26 onto the reel shafts 33 and 34 is not interfered with by the pinch roller 36. The other end of the supporting member for supporting the pinch roller 36 is connected to an operating rod 37. The operating rod 37 is slidably held for movement in a horizontal direction on a supporting piece provided on the movable frame 20. Reference numeral 38 indicates a stopper piece which can move to a certain extent in a horizontal direction, on the fixed frame 10, and as shown in Fig. 1, the stopper piece is provided with a tension spring. When the movable frame 20 positioned as shown in Fig. 1 is pushed into the clearance A of the fixed frame 10 as shown in Fig. 2, the operating rod 37 is moved along with the movable frame 20 and comes into abutment against the stopper piece 38, but since the movable frame 20 continues to move, the operating rod 37 is pushed back by the stopper piece 38. As a result the supporting member for pinch roller 36 is rotated around the pivot shaft in anticlockwise direction and the pinch roll 36 abuts against the capstan 32. In order to hold the movable frame 20 in the position shown in Fig. 2, the right hand side plate 22 of the movable frame 20 is provided with recess 40 for use in engaging the holding roller 39 attached to the right hand side plate 12 of the fixed frame 10. Reference numeral 42 indicates a longitudinal hole formed in the bottom plate 24 of the movable frame 20 and an axial pin 43 provided at the lower plate 14 of the fixed frame 10 is engaged with the longitudinal hole 32: the horizontal movement of the movable frame 20 is restricted by this means.

Reference numeral 44 indicates slits for guiding the shaft 15 so as to allow contact of the shaft 15 of the motor 16 with the roller 27 coaxial with the pulley 271 when the movable frame 20 is pushed into the clearance A of the fixed frame 10 and the slits are provided in the top plate 23 and the bottom plate 24 of the movable frame 20. Reference numeral 45 indicates a pair of tape guide pins projected at the top plate 23 of the movable frame 20, reference numeral 46 indicates a projection formed by proiecting a portion of the top plate 23 in order to hold the cassette 26 installed in the movable frame 20 (see Figs. 3 and 6) horizontally and reference numeral 47 indicates a grip formed at the front plate 25 of the movable frame 20 and used for pulling out the movable frame. The front plate 25 closes the opening 10' of the fixed frame 10 when the movable frame 20 is pushed into the fixed frame 10. Reference numeral 48 indicates a spring for providing a constant biasing force on the movable frame 20 towards the rear of a casing 50 and reference numeral 49 indicates a switch to be contacted by a portion of the cassette and operated thereby, thus completing an electric circuit for electric systems such as motor 16 when the cassette is installed and the movable frame 20 is pushed into the player. All of the fixed frame 10 described above is stored in the casing 50 which, as shown in Figs. 4 to 6, is provided with a knob 51 for adjusting the volume of sound and a knob 52 for operating a main switch.

Fig. 4 shows the player with the movable frame 20 pushed into it. As can be seen from Fig. 5 which shows the movable frame 20 drawn out from the player in order to install the cassette 26, both capstan 32 and and pinch roller 36 project from the fixed frame 10 near the opening 101. Fig. 6 shows the movable frame 20 withdrawn and with the cassette 26 on it. When the movable frame 20 is pushed into the player from this position, the movable frame attains the position shown in Fig. 4.

As can be appreciated from the above description, the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is made such that the fixed frame is provided with a motor and a magnetic head and further the movable frame is provided with a capstan and a pinch roller, so the capstan and pinch roller are pulled out to a place where they are readily accessible when the movable frame is pulled out from the player. Thus, even if the tape is stuck around the capstan and pinch roller, it may easily be removed from the player and so it may not be necessary to undertake a troublesome repair such as removing the tape player from the dash board and disassembling it.

In Figs. 7 to 10 another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. For the sake of illustration, the pinch roller is omitted in Fig. 9. In Figs. 7 to 10, the component members corresponding to those of the cassette tape player shown in Figs. 1 to 6 have reference numerals increased by 100. For example, the reference numeral 110 is a fixed frame, reference numeral 116 indicates a motor, reference numeral 120 indicates a movable frame and reference numeral 129 indicates a flywheel.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 7 to 9 is a cassette tape player in which the player is provided with a fixed frame 110 having a motor 116 and a magnetic head 118 attached thereto, and a movable frame 120 slidable with respect to the fixed frame 110 the manner of a drawer. The movable frame 120 is provided with a capstan 132 coaxial with a flywheel 129 and a roller 127 with a pulley 1271 in which a drive belt 128 is connected between the pulley and the flywheel 129 and a resilient material is arranged at the circumference of the roller, and the roller 127 is brought into abutment against a shaft 115 of the motor 116 or a rotatable shaft cooperating therewith by installing the cassette 126 in the movable frame 120 and pushing the movable frame into the fixed frame 110. Reference numeral 153 indicates a fixed vertical pivot shaft between the top plate 123 and bottom plate 124 of the movable frame 120 near slits 144 for guiding the shaft 115 of said motor 116. Reference numeral 154 indicates a pivotable piece which comprises an upper horizontal portion 155, lower horizontal portion 156 and a vertical portion 157 for connecting the end portions of the horizontal portions. By inserting the pivot shaft 153 into a hole provided at the proximal portions of the upper and lower horizontal portions 155 and 156, the pivotable piece 154 is pivotably supported on the pivot shaft 153. Reference numeral 158 indicates a coil spring wound around the pivot shaft 153. As is apparent from Fig. 7, when the cassette 126 is not installed on the reel shafts 133 and 134, the coil spring 158 biases the pivotable piece 154 and causes it to move around the pivot shaft 153 in anticlockwise direction. Reference numeral 159 indicates a vertical shaft provided at the distal ends of the upper and lower horizontal portions of the pivotable member 154 and the vertical shaft 159 is provided with the pulley 1271 and roller 127 to be rotatable therearound. Reference numeral 160 indicates an arcuate leaf spring which is pivotally mounted on the attachment part 161 provided at top plate 123 of the movable frame 120. One end of the leaf spring 160 is passed through an onening of the top plate 123 to contact with the upper horizontal portion 155 of the pivotable member 154 (see Fig. 10), and the other end of the leaf spring 160 is free. Thus, when the movable frame 120 is pulled out from the player and the cassette 126 is installed on the reel shafts 133 and 134, the free end of the leaf spring 160 is pressed by the cassette 126 and pivoted around the attachment 161 in a clockwise direction resulting in pivoting of the pivotable member 154 around the pivot shaft 153 in a clockwise direction against a biasing force of the coil spring 158. When the movable frame 120 is pushed into the player, as shown in Fig. 9, the roller 127 is made to be contacted with a rotating shaft 115 of motor 116 of a rotating shaft cooperating therewith by a resilient force of the leaf spring 160. The driving force obtained from the motor 116 is transmitted to the capstan 132 via the shaft 115 or roller 127 abutting against a rotatable shaft cooperating therewith, a pulley 1271 coaxial with said roller 127, a belt 128 and a flywheel 129, and at the same time to a reel shaft 133 via a rotatable shaft of flywheel 129, belt 130 and a pulley 131 to take-up reel shaft 133.

As can be understood from the foregoing description, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 7 to 10, even if the movable frame 120 is pushed into the fixed frame 110, the roller 127 for operating the cassette tape driving system by accepting a driving force from the shaft 115 of the motor 116 or a rotatable shaft cooperating therewith is displaced by a biasing force of the coil spring 158 as shown in Fig. 7 when the cassette 126 is not installed in the reel shafts 133 and 134, so that the roller 127 is not contacted with the rotating shaft 115 of the motor 116 or a rotating shaft cooperating therewith. As a result of this the resilient material arranged around the circumference of the roller 127 is not deformed when the cassette tape player is not in use and thus there is no deterioration in performance of the tape player caused by a fluctuation of rotation of the capstan due to such a deformation. Thus, it may be possible to maintain a long term stable condition of performance of the cassette tape player.

In Figs. 11 to 13 is shown a still further embodiment of the present invention. For the sake of clarity of the drawings, the pinch roller is omitted from Fig. 13. In Figs. 11 to 13 the component parts corresponding to those of the cassette tape player shown in Figs. 1 to 6 have reference numerals increased by 200; for example, reference numeral 210 indicates a fixed frame, reference numeral 216 indicates motor, reference numeral 220 indicates a movable frame, and reference numeral 229 indicates a flywheel. The embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 11 to 13 is a cassette tape player comprising a fixed frame 210 provided with motor 216 and magnetic head 218, and a movable frame 220 slidable with respect to the fixed frame 210 in the manner of a drawer and the movable frame 220 is provided with a flywhccl 229 having a capstan 232 coaxial therewith. Reference numeral 228 indicates a drive belt and the belt is arranged between the flywheel 229 and a rotating shaft 215 of the motor 216 or a rotating shaft cooperating therewith.

Reference numeral 262 indicates a tension pulley. Reference numeral 263 indicates a pivotable arm and the tension pulley 262 is rotatably mounted at its distal end via mounting shaft 264. Further, said mounting shaft 264 is projected downwardly from the lower surface of pivotable arm 263 to form a guide member 265. The proximal portion of the pivotable arm 263 is pivoted at the lower plate 224 of the movable frame 220 via pivot shaft 266. Reference numeral 267 indicates a curved guide slot for guiding the guide member 265, which slot is formed in a lower plate 214 of fixed frame 210.

Tn alternative arrangements the guide member 265 may be guided by a cam or groove.

Reference numeral 242 indicates a longitudinal hole formed in the lower plate 224 of the movable frame 220 and a pin 243 provided on the lower plate 214 of the fixed frame 210 is engaged with the longitudinal hole 242. Thus, when the movable frame 220 is pulled out of the player, the frame will be as shown in Fig. 11. When the movable frame 220 is pulled out of the plate, the pivot shaft 266 of pivotable arm 263 is moved along a line parallel with the longitudinal hole 242. and the mounting shaft 264 of tension pulley 262 and the guide piece 265 of its lower extension are moved along the curved guide slot 267. The slot 267 is made such that a constant tension is applied to the drive belt 228 by the tension pulley 262 irrespective of the position of the movable frame 220. Movement of the movable frame 920 is restricted by the longitudinal hole 242 and the pin 243.

When the cassette 226 is installed on the reel shafts 233 and 234 and the movable frame 220 is pushed into the fixed frame 210, as shown in Fig. 13, a switch 249 is turned on by the cassette 226, the motor 216 is started and the driving power of the motor 216 is transmitted to the capstan 232 via the rotating shaft 215 or a rotating shaft cooperating therewith, the driving belt 228 and the flywheel 229 and is at the same time transmitted to the reel shaft 233 via the rotating shaft of flywheel 229, belt 230 and a take-up shaft pulley 231.

As can be appreciated from the foregoing description, in the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figs. 11 to 13, there is no deterioration of performance of the tape player caused by a fluctuation of rotation of the capstan 232 coaxial with the flywheel 229, because a constant tension is applied to the drive belt 228 via tension pulley 262 and a constant torque is applied to the flywheel 229 by the drive belt 228 irrespective of the position of the movable frame 220. Therefore, it is possible to provide a long-term stable condition of performance of the cassette tape player.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A cassette tape player, comprising: a fixed frame provided with a motor and a magnetic head; and a movable frame slidable with respect to the fixed frame in the manner of a drawer, and provided with a capstan, a pinch roller, reel shafts and a driving system for operating and connecting these members; the arrangement being such that, at least when a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame, the motor is enabled to drive the capstan and reel shafts via the driving system.

2. A cassette tape player according to Claim 1, wherein an operating rod is connected to the pinch roller, and the fixed frame is provided with a stopper piece arranged so that, when a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame, the pinch roller is moved to a position in which it may cooperate with the capstan.

3. A cassette tape player according to Claim 1, wherein a cassette installed on the reel shafts is effective when the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame to pivot a biased pivotable piece mounted on or from the movable frame against its bias and in a direction to cause abutment between a roller of the driving system and a rotatable shaft coupled to the motor.

4. A cassette tape player according to Claim 1, wherein a drive belt is arranged about a rotatable shaft coupled to the motor, a flywheel coaxial with the capstan and a tension pulley displaceable upon sliding movement of the movable frame such that a constant tension is applied to the drive belt irrespective of the position of the movable frame.

5. A cassette tape player according to Claim 4, wherein the tension pulley is rotatably mounted on the distal end portion of a pivotable arm, which arm is pivoted on the movable frame and is provided with a guide member arranged to cooperate with a cam, slot or grooved formed in the fixed frame to pivot the arm relative to the movable frame as the movable frame slides relative to the fixed frame, the cam, slot or groove being so shaped that a constant tension is applied to the driving belt irrespective of the position of said movable frame.

6. A cassette tape player substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, Figs. 7 to 10 or Figs. 11 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

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Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

232 coaxial with the flywheel 229, because a constant tension is applied to the drive belt 228 via tension pulley 262 and a constant torque is applied to the flywheel 229 by the drive belt 228 irrespective of the position of the movable frame 220. Therefore, it is possible to provide a long-term stable condition of performance of the cassette tape player.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A cassette tape player, comprising: a fixed frame provided with a motor and a magnetic head; and a movable frame slidable with respect to the fixed frame in the manner of a drawer, and provided with a capstan, a pinch roller, reel shafts and a driving system for operating and connecting these members; the arrangement being such that, at least when a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame, the motor is enabled to drive the capstan and reel shafts via the driving system.
2. A cassette tape player according to Claim 1, wherein an operating rod is connected to the pinch roller, and the fixed frame is provided with a stopper piece arranged so that, when a cassette is installed on the reel shafts and the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame, the pinch roller is moved to a position in which it may cooperate with the capstan.
3. A cassette tape player according to Claim 1, wherein a cassette installed on the reel shafts is effective when the movable frame is pushed into the fixed frame to pivot a biased pivotable piece mounted on or from the movable frame against its bias and in a direction to cause abutment between a roller of the driving system and a rotatable shaft coupled to the motor.
4. A cassette tape player according to Claim 1, wherein a drive belt is arranged about a rotatable shaft coupled to the motor, a flywheel coaxial with the capstan and a tension pulley displaceable upon sliding movement of the movable frame such that a constant tension is applied to the drive belt irrespective of the position of the movable frame.
5. A cassette tape player according to Claim 4, wherein the tension pulley is rotatably mounted on the distal end portion of a pivotable arm, which arm is pivoted on the movable frame and is provided with a guide member arranged to cooperate with a cam, slot or grooved formed in the fixed frame to pivot the arm relative to the movable frame as the movable frame slides relative to the fixed frame, the cam, slot or groove being so shaped that a constant tension is applied to the driving belt irrespective of the position of said movable frame.
6. A cassette tape player substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, Figs. 7 to 10 or Figs. 11 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.