GB2041625A

GB2041625A - Tape transport mechanism in cassette recorder

Info

Publication number: GB2041625A
Application number: GB8001730A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Autovox SpA
Current assignee: Autovox SpA
Priority date: 1979-01-18
Filing date: 1980-01-18
Publication date: 1980-09-10
Also published as: ES487801A0; ES8100522A1; IT1162260B; DE3001802A1; BR8000306A; JPS55135353A; NL8000270A; DE3001802C2; GB2041625B; FR2447074B1; IT7947690A0; FR2447074A1; BE881218A; CH637236A5

Abstract

In a tape transport mechanism e.g. for a tape deck, such as a cassette tape deck, a motor 2 drives, via a first belt drive 1, two counter-rotating fly wheels 41 with integral capstans for driving the tape in either direction. The first belt drive 1 drives a second belt drive 6 via a clutch 4, and the second belt drive 6 selectively drives either of two tape reel hub-carrying discs 16, 17. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to tape transport mechanisms The invention relates to a tape transport mechanism, for instance for a cassette tape deck.

In patent application 7922126, Serial No 2023909 a device of the so called "REVERSE" type for transporting the tape in a cassette player, in which the tape may be read in both directions of movement, is described.

However such a device has the disadvantage that the motion of fly-wheel capstan groups is disturbed by the transmission of motion to hub carrying discs or carrying plates.

According to the invention, there is provided a tape transport mechanism for use in a tape deck of the type in which a motor drives, via a first belt drive, two counter rotating fly wheels, each having an integral capstan for driving the tape in a respective one of two directions, the mechanism comprising a clutch group with a driving element arranged to be driven by the first belt drive, the clutch group having a driven element arranged to drive, via a second belt drive, one of two hub carrying discs for engaging reels of tape.

It is thus possible to separate transmission of movement to the hub carrying discs from the transmission of movement to the fly-wheel-capstan during the phases in which the tape is read, in order not to disturb the capstan, since the tape transport movement is required to be as constant as possible.

The fast forward movement of the tape may be provided by transmission to the hub carrying discs from the fly-wheel in order to speed up the operation.

It is possible to use a single clutch group, for transporting the tape during play, the group being displaced with respect to the hub carrying discs, and for engaging these discs though a belt drive in combination with wheels placed on a slider which moves transversally, thereby engaging the proper hub carrying disc.

Fast movement of the tapes in both directions may be achieved as follows: - disengagement through movement of the slider of the play system; - engagement with a fly-wheel ring gear of a pulley in constant engagement with the hub carrying disc.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan bottom view of a tape transport mechanism constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of a detail.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, as the tape is read, a main belt drive 1 driven by a motor 2 activates a driving wheel 3 of a clutch group 4. A driven flange of the clutch group carries a pulley 5 which is integral with it, and in turn drives a belt 6. The belt 6 engages around an idler pulley 7, which has its axis of rotation fixed on the frame at 8, and around two further pulleys 9 and 10 disposed on a slider 11. The pulleys 9 and 10, through pins 12 and 13, cause respective sprocket wheels 14 and 15 to rotate. The sprocket wheels 14 and 15 are arranged to engage with, and thus transmit movement to, hub carrying discs 16 and 17.

The disc 17 is engaged directly by the gear 15 whereas the disc 16 is driven via an intermediate wheel 18 which has its axis of rotation fixed on the slider 11 at 19.

During fast forward and fast rewind movements of the tape in its two directions the following functions must be actuated by pressing the appropriate key: - moving the recording heads away from the tape; - disengagement of the kinematic reading mechanism from the hub carrying discs; - engagement of the system for fast tape movement.

Once the fast movement has ended, the reading device must be able to be reset automatically.

In the mechanism shown, movement of a key 20 actuates an arm 21 which is freely pivotable on a pin 22 in two directions. The arm 21 carries a cam profiled element 23 at its other end which in turn moves an elbow lever 24 the fulcrum of which is at 25 and which under the action of a spring 26 on head carrying arm 27 of the lever 24 keeps the key in its engaged position. Pivoting of the lever 24 causes a tape head to move away from the tape.

A sector 28 is further rigidly connected through the pin 22 to the arm 21 and is coupled at its end 29 to a slider 30 which is guided at its other end by the pivot 8 on the frame. A profile 31 is formed in the slider 30 with a substantially diamond shape (see Figure 3) and cooperates with the end section of the pin 12 in order to cause movement of the slider 11. The slider 11 is urged by a spring 32 through a rocking arm 33 into abutment on a pin 34 towards a disengaging position of the hub carrying discs.

The sector 28, has an appendix 35 which, upon pivoting of the sector 28, cooperates with an elastic tab 36 to pivot an arm 37 having a fulcrum at 38 so that a gear which was previously engaged with the hub carrying disc 16, engages a ring gear 40 of a fly-wheel 41. The arm 37 is normally kept in a disengaged position by a leaf spring appendix 42.

The other end 43 of the sector 28 provides fast movement control for the disc 17, through a connecting rod 44 and connected to a return lever 45 having a fulcrum at 46 on the frame. Parts on the right of Figure 1 which are symmetrical with parts on the left thereof are identified by the same reference numeral but with a prime.

An appendix 47 the lever 45 causes engagement of wheel 39' with ring gear on fly-wheel 40'.

Once fast movement of the tape is terminated either by manual control or automatically as tape has been spooled completely, the spring 42 or 42' removes the drive to the hub carrying discs from the fly-wheels and the spring 32 the slider 11 constituting a tape reading transporting device to be engaged.

At the end of the tape, automatic resetting of the fast movement control takes place as the spring 26 of the head carrying arm 27 cancels its action, the head carrying arm 27 being brought into its completely disengaged position.

In the absence of the actiOn of the spring 26 which through the lever 24 in cooperation with profile 23 of the arm 21 kept the arm itself in engagement, little force is required in order to reset the key 20. A spring, not shown in the drawings, is provided to this end.

Claims

1. A tape transport mechanism for use in a tape deck of the type in which a motor drives, via a first, belt drive, two counter rotating fly wheels, each having an integral capstan for driving the tape in a respective one of two directions, the mechanism comprising a clutch group with a driving element arranged to be driven be the first belt drive, the clutch group having a driven element arranged to drive, via a second belt drive, one of two hub carrying discs for engaging reels of tape.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second drive belt engaged two pulleys rotatably mounted at respective ends of a reciprocating slider, each of the two pulleys being integral with a sprocket and being positioned so that, at each ofthe two extreme positions of the slider, a respective one of the two sprockets engages a gear of a respective one of the hub carrying discs.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein an idler gear is arranged between one of the two sprockets and the corresponding gear.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein two symmetric transmission groups are arranged so that each connects a respective one of the two fly wheels to the respective hub carrying disc during a fast advancing operational mode in the corresponding direction of tape movement.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reciprocating slider is arrange to be positioned in its central position of disengagement from both hub carrying discs when one of the two symmetric transmission groups engages its associated disc.

6. A tape transport mechanism for use in a tape deck, substantially as hereinbefoe described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. Atape deck including a tape transport mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding claims.