GB2251602A

GB2251602A - Magnetic tape winder

Info

Publication number: GB2251602A
Application number: GB9100466A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsun Wan Yeh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-01-09
Filing date: 1991-01-09
Publication date: 1992-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2011-01-09
Also published as: GB9100466D0; GB2251602B

Abstract

In a magnetic tape winder a sensing device (6) detects when the tape has been fully wound such that one of the transparent end portions thereof is exposed and actuates a hub brake (50). A cassette ejecting device (5) is actuated by the sensing device a pre-determined time after actuation of the brake. The winder includes a lower casing (1), a tape seat provided above the lower casing (1) and having a rear end hinged to the lower casing torsion springs (3) to bias the tape seat to move towards an ejecting position inclined relative to the lower casing (1), and a tape winding device (4) to wind magnetic tape provided inside a video cassette. The cassette ejecting device (5) has a fastening member to retain the tape seat in a normal position of use substantially parallel to the lower casing (1). The fastening member disengages with the tape seat to permit the torsion springs (3) to move the tape seat to the ejecting position only after the winding hubs have stopped rotating. <IMAGE>

Description

MAGNETIC TAPE WINDER The invention relates to magnetic tape winders, more particularly to a magnetic tape winder having a cassette ejecting device which ejects a video cassette only when hubs of the same have stopped rotating.

Magnetic tape winders which automatically eject a video cassette when it is fully wound are known in the art. One type of such a magnetic tape winder turns and opens the protective lid T1 of the video cassette T to expose a portion T3 of the magnetic tape (Refer to Figure 1). The magnetic tape winder includes a pair of phototransistors which are actuated by a light bu15.

Light radiated by the light bulb actuates one of the phototransistors when the magnetic tape has been fully wound such that one of its transparent end portions is exposed. When actuated, the phototransistor sends out a signal to stop motor rotation and a signal to eject the video cassette. Because both signals are sent out simultaneously, the hubs of the video cassette T are still rotating when the video cassette T is ejected.

Thus, the magnetic tape is not tightly wound when the video cassette T is ejected and the exposed portion T3 of the magnetic tape is slackened.

When the video cassette T is withdrawn from the magnetic tape winder, the protective lid T1 once more covers the slackened exposed portion T3 of the magnetic tape. The slackened exposed portion T3 is creased and wrinkled by the protective lid TI, thereby causing damage to the magnetic tape.

The object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tape winder having a cassette ejecting device which ejects a video cassette only when the hubs of the same have stopped rotating.

Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of a magnetic tape winder of the present invention comprises: a lower casing half; a tape seat provided above the lower casing half and having a rear end hinged to the lower casing half and a front end to slidably receive a video cassette having a hinged protective lid; means for biasing the tape seat to move towards an ejecting position inclined relative to the lower casing half; tape winding means including a first motor mounted on the lower casing half and a wheel mechanism rotatably actuated by the first motor to wind magnetic tape provided inside the video cassette, the magnetic tape having two transparent end portions attached to a pair of hubs of the video cassette; a cassette ejecting device including tape seat fastening means having a fastening member rotatably mounted on and biased against the lower casing half, the fastening member having a hook portion to retain the tape seat in a normal position of use substantially parallel to the lower casing half; and means for controlling the direction of rotation of the first motor. The tape seat includes means for turning and opening the protective lid of the video cassette to expose a portion of the magnetic tape.The wheel mechanism includes a first wheel member mounted on the lower casing half and rotatably actuated by the first motor, a second and a third wheel member similarly mounted on the lower casing half and disposed adjacent to opposite sides of and forming a triangular arrangement with the first wheel member, the second and third wheel members being rotatably actuated by the first wheel member, and a pair of winding rollers to engage the hubs of the video cassette. Each of the winding rollers is disposed on top of and concentric with one of the second and third wheel members.

The magnetic tape winder further comprises means for sensing when the magnetic tape has been fully wound such that one of the transparent end portions thereof is exposed. The cassette ejecting device further includes roller braking means actuated by the transparent end sensing means to prevent further rotation of the winding rollers when actuated. The tape seat fastening means includes means for moving the hook portion away from the tape seat at a predetermined time period after actuation of the roller winding means to permit the biasing means to move the tape seat to the effecting position only after the winding rollers have stopped rotating.

The roller braking means may comprise an electromagnet means mounted on the lower casing half and actuated by the transparent end sensing means. The electromagnet means may have a plunger member with a downwardly extending arm.

The plunger member moves downward when the electromagnet means is actuated. A pair of brake members may be movably mounted on the lower casing half near the winding rollers.

A force transmitting mechanism associated with the brake members and the plunger member may actuate the brake members to contact and brake the winding rollers to prevent further rotation of the same when the plunger member moves downward.

The hook portion moving means may include a second motor mounted on the lower casing half and actuated by the transparent end sensing means at a predetermined time period (such as 1 to 1.5 seconds) after the actuation of the roller braking means. A gear wheel assembly may be rotatably actuated by the second motor and may include a gear wheel provided with a radial plate projection.

Rotation of the gear wheel causes the radial plate projection to contact and push the fastening member to cause the fastening member to pivot and move the hook portion away from the tape seat, thereby permitting the tape seat biasing means to move the tape seat to the ejecting position.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional video cassette; Figures 2A and 2B are exploded views of a magnetic tape winder; Figures 3A and 3B illustrate the operation of a roller braking means of the magnetic tape winder of Figure 2A; Figures 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate the operation of a tape seat fastening means of the preferred embodiment; and Figure 5 is a schematic electrical circuit diagram illustrating the electrical connection of the circuit components of a magnetic tape winder.

Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, a magnetic tape winder according to the present invention is shown to comprise a lower casing half 1 and a tape seat 2 to receive a video cassette T having a protective lid T1 hinged to the cassette casing T2 (as shown in Figure 1). The protective lid TI covers the exposed portion T3 of the magnetic tape.

The tape seat 2 comprises a bottom wall 20, a rear wall 21 projecting upwardly from the rear peripheral edge of the bottom wall 20, and side walls 22 and 23 similarly projecting upwardly from the peripheral sides of the bottom wall 20 at opposite sides of the rear wall 21. The rear wall 21 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending rear legs 24 and 25 to hinge the tape seat 2 to the casing half 1. The side wall 23 has an inward projection 26 and a curved guide rail 27 disposed adjacent to the rear wall 21. When the video cassette T is slidably inserted into the tape seat 2, the inward projection 26 forces the lower edge Tll of the protective lid TI to move up the guide rail 27, thereby exposing the portion T3 of the magnetic tape.

Torsion spring members 3 are provided on the rear legs 24 and 25 to bias the tape seat 2 toward an ejecting position so as to eject a video cassette T received in the tape seat 2.

A tape winding means 4 is provided on a bottom wall 11 of the casing half 1. The tape winding means 4 includes a motor 40 which actuates a wheel mechanism 41. The wheel mechanism 41 includes a first wheel member 410; a first belt member 410' connecting the motor 40 and the first wheel member 410 to permit rotation of the latter with the motor 40; a second wheel member 411 and a third wheel member 412 disposed adjacent to and forming a triangular arrangement with the first wheel members 410; a second belt member 411' interconnecting the first, second and third wheel members 410, 411 and 412 to permit rotation of the second and third wheel members 411 and 412 with the first wheel member 410; and winding rollers 421 and 422 provided on top of and concentric with the second and third wheel members 411 and 412, respectively.

A cassette ejecting device 5 is similarly provided on the bottom wall 11 and includes a roller braking means 50 and tape seat fastening means 51. The magnetic tape winder further comprises a photosensitive switch 6 connected to a fast forward/rewind power supply switch 7, and a bellows-type buffer member 8 provided between the tape seat 2 and the casing half 1.

Referring once more to Figure 2A, the roller braking means 50 includes a pair of spaced upwardly extending plate projections 501 protruding from the bottom wall 11 and a slide plate 503 slidably disposed on the bottom wall 11 and having a pair of spaced elongated plate portions 5031 extending between the plate projections 501. A lever member 502 has a cylindrical rear portion 5023 pivoted between the plate projections 501 above the slide plate 503. The cylindrical portion 5023 is provided with a plate projection 5022 which abuts with the extreme ends of the elongated plate portions 5031. The front portion 5021 of the lever member 502 is elevated from the cylindrical portion 5023 and is connected to the same via an inclined plate member 5024. An electromagnet driven plunger member 90 has a downwardly extending arm 901 in contact with the front portion 5021 of the lever member 502.A pair of brake members 504 is rotatably mounted on the bottom wall 11. Each of the brake members has a first radial arm 5041 connected to the slide plate 503 and a second radial arm 5042 extending to the vicinity of the winding rollers 421 and 422. The first radial arms 5041 are pushed by the slide plate 503 to cause the second radial arms 5042 to come into contact with and brake the winding rollers 421 and 422 to prevent further rotation of the same. A torsion spring 505 biases the slide plate 503 towards the plate projections 501 and prevents any untimely contact of the brake members 504 with the winding rollers 421 and 422. The torsion spring 505 similarly biases the front portion 5021 of the lever member toward the downwardly extending arm 901.

The operation of the roller braking means 50 is shown in Figures 3A and 3B. The plunger member 90 moves downward when actuated. The arm 901 depresses the front portion 5021 of the lever member 502, thereby causing the cylindrical portion 5023 to rotate between the plate projections 501. Rotation of the cylindrical portion 5023 causes the plate projection 5022 to force the slide plate 503 away from the plate projections 501. Movement of the slide plate 503 in this direction causes the brake members 504 to rotate, thereby allowing the second radial arms 5042 to come into contact with and brake the winding rollers 421 and 422 to prevent further movement of the same. This illustrates the roller braking feature of the preferred embodiment.

Referring again to Figure 2A, the tape seat fastening means 51 includes a fastening member 510 having a lower cylindrical end 5104 similarly pivoted between the plate projections 501, a rear hook portion 5101 vertically aligned with the lower end 5104, and a horizontal plate portion 5102 horizontally aligned with and extending rearward from the rear hook portion 5101.

The rear hook portion 5101 retains the tape seat 2 in the normal position of use. The fastening member 510 further has a substantially L-shaped plate projection 5103 extending upward from the plate portion 5102. A compression spring 511 extends through an elongated opening 5025 on the inclined plate member 5024 of the lever member 502 and biases the plate portion 5102 of the fastening member 510 against the bottom wall 11.

The tape seat fastening means 51 further includes a gear wheel assembly having a gear wheel 91 rotatably actuated by a motor 92. The gear wheel 91 has a radial outward plate projection 910 to movably actuate the fastening member 910.

The operation of the tape seat fastening means 51 is illustrated in Figures 4A, 4B and 4C. The gear wheel 91 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction when the motor 92 is actuated. Continued movement of the gear wheel 91 in this direction causes the plate projection 910 to contact the L-shaped projection 5103 and move the rear hook portion 5101 away from the tape seat 2, thereby permitting the torsion springs 3 to place the tape seat 2 in the ejecting position. This illustrates the cassette tape ejecting feature of the preferred embodiment.

The relationship between the photosensitive switch 6, the fast forward/rewind power supply switch 7, the electromagnet driven plunger member 90 and the motor 92 is shown at the schematic circuit diagram of Figure 5.

The nodes B+ and B- are connected to the terminals of a power supply means. A push button switch 70 of the fast forward/rewind power supply switch 7 is operated to actuate the motor 40 of the tape winding means 4 to rotate in the desired direction. One of two light bulbs Al or A2 is similarly operated to serve as an indicator for clockwise (if A2 is in operation) or counterclockwise (if Al is in operation) rotation of the motor 40.

The photosensitive switch 6 includes a light bulb 60 actuated by the the fast forward/rewind power supply switch 7 and a pair of phototransistors 220 and 230 (Refer to Figure 2B) disposed on the side walls 22 and 23 of the tape seat 2, respectively. Whenever the magnetic tape has been wound to a point when one of its transparent end portions is exposed, the light radiated by the light bulb 60 penetrates the transparent end portion to thereby actuate one of the phototransistors 220 or 230 and trigger a transistor Q1 to conduct.

When the transistor Q1 is in a conducting state, a portion of its output is directed to a resistor RI and to the base of a transistor Q2, causing the latter to conduct. Conduction of the transistor Q2 causes the actuation of the electromagnet driven plunger member 90, thereby initiating the roller braking operation.

Another portion of the output of the transistor Q1 is directed to a charging network consisting of a resistor R2 and a capacitor Cl. One to 1.5 seconds later, after the capacitor C1 has been charged to a sufficient trigger voltage, transistors Q3 and Q4 are triggered into conduction to thus cause the operation of the motor 92 and initiate the tape seat ejection operation.

Thus the described ~ - embodiment allows ejection of the magnetic tape only when the winding rollers 421 and 422 have stopped rotating.

Damage to the magnetic tape due to slackened winding is therefore prevented.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment.

Claims

1. A magnetic tape winder comprising a lower casing half; a tape seat provided above said lower casing half and having a rear end hinged to said lower casing half and a front end to slidably receive a video cassette having a hinged protective lid; means for biasing said tape seat to move towards an ejecting position inclined relative to said lower casing half; tape winding means including a first motor mounted on said lower casing half and a wheel mechanism rotatably actuated by said first motor to wind magnetic tape provided inside the video cassette, the magnetic tape -having two transparent end portions attached to a pair of hubs of the video cassette; a cassette ejecting device including tape seat fastening means having a fastening member rotatably mounted on and biased against said lower casing half, said fastening member having a hook portion to retain said tape seat in a normal position of use substantially parallel to said lower casing half; means for controlling the direction of rotation of said first motor; wherein: said tape seat includes means for turning and opening the protective lid of the video cassette to expose a portion of the magnetic tape; said wheel mechanism including a first wheel member mounted on said lower casing half and rotatably actuated by said first motor, a second and a third wheel member similarly mounted on said lower casing half and disposed adjacent to opposite sides of and forming a triangular arrangement with said first wheel member, said second and said third wheel members being rotatably actuated by said first wheel member, and a pair of winding rollers to engage with the hubs of the video cassette, each of said winding rollers being disposed on top of and concentric with one of said second and said third wheel members;; said magnetic tape winder further comprising means for sensing when the magnetic tape has been fully wound so that one of the transparent end portions thereof is exposed; said cassette ejecting device further including roller braking means actuated by said transparent end sensing means to prevent further rotation of said winding rollers when actuated; said tape seat fastening means including means for moving said hook portion away from said tape seat at a predetermined time period after actuation of said roller winding means to permit said biasing means to move said tape seat to said ejecting position only after said winding rollers have stopped rotating.

2. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tape seat has a bottom wall, a rear wall projecting upwardly from a rear peripheral edge of said bottom wall, and a pair of side walls projecting upwardly from said bottom wall on opposite sides of said rear wall, said bottom wall having a pair of roller openings, said winding rollers projecting into said roller openings when said tape seat is in said normal position of use, said protective lid opening means comprising a curved guide rail projecting inwardly from one of said side walls adjacent said rear wall, said curved guide rail curving upward from said bottom wall to said rear wall, and an inward projection protruding from said one side wall and disposed adjacent said curved guide rail, said inward projection forcing a lower edge of the protective lid to move up said curved guide rail.

3. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bottom wall has a bulb opening disposed between said roller openings adjacent said rear wall, said transparent end sensing means comprising a light bulb projecting from said lower casing half and extending into said bulb opening when said tape seat is in said normal position of use, and a pair of phototransistors disposed on said side walls adjacent said rear wall, said light bulb being actuated by said first motor control means, light radiated by said light bulb actuating one of said phototransistors when one of the transparent end portions of the magnetic tape is exposed.

4. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller braking means comprises: an electromagnet means mounted on said lower casing half and actuated by said transparent end sensing means, said electromagnet means having a plunger member with a downwardly extending arm, said plunger member moving downward when said electromagnet means is actuated; a pair of brake members movably mounted on said lower casing half near said winding rollers; and a force transmitting mechanism associated with said brake members and said plunger member to actuate said brake members to contact and brake said winding rollers to prevent further rotation of the same when said plunger member moves downward.

5. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 4, wherein: each said brake member is rotatably mounted on said lower casing half about an axis perpendicular to said lower casing half, each said brake member having a first and a second spaced radial arm; said force transmitting mechanism including a slide plate slidably disposed on top of said lower casing half to simultaneously push said first radial arm of each said brake member toward a first direction to rotate said brake members to thereby cause said second radial arms to come into contact with and brake said winding rollers; a lever member having a first portion in contact with said downwardly extending arm of said plunger member and a second portion pivoted to said lower casing half and provided with a plate projection abutting said slide plate; and means for biasing said slide plate in a second direction opposite said first direction to pull said first radial arms to prevent untimely contact of said second radial arms with said winding rollers, and to bias said first portion of said lever member toward said downwardly extending arm; whereby, downward movement of said plunger member causes said downwardly extending arm to depress said first portion of said lever member and to thereby cause said second portion to pivot and permit said plate projection to push said slide plate to move toward said first direction, upward movement of said plunger member causing said slide plate biasing means to urge said slide plate in said second direction to permit said slide plate to correspondingly push said plate projection and cause said second portion to pivot to thereby bias said first portion toward said downwardly extending arm.

6. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening member has a first plate projection; said hook portion moving means including a second motor mounted on said lower casing half and actuated by said transparent end sensing means at a predetermined time period after the actuation of said roller braking means, and a gear wheel assembly rotatably actuated by said second motor, said gear wheel assembly including a gear wheel provided with a radial second plate projection, rotation of said gear wheel causing said radial second plate projection to contact and push said first plate projection to consequently cause said fastening member to pivot and move said hook portion away from said tape seat, thereby permitting said tape seat biasing means to move said tape seat to said ejecting position.

7. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 6, wherein said hook portion moving means further comprises a charging circuit actuating said second motor after being charged by said transparent end sensing means for a predetermined time period.

8. The magnetic tape winder as claimed in claim 7, wherein said predetermined time period is within the range of 1 to 1.5 seconds.

9. A magnetic tape winder substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to and as shown in Figures 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B and 4C of the drawings.