GB2259399A

GB2259399A - Tape recorder in which a rotary head and capstan are driven by a common motor

Info

Publication number: GB2259399A
Application number: GB9218756A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Min-Su
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1991-09-04
Filing date: 1992-09-04
Publication date: 1993-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-04
Also published as: JP2612136B2; KR940007817A; GB9218756D0; DE4229362A1; KR930006685A; JPH05198044A; GB2259399B

Abstract

In a tape recording/reproducing apparatus, a single motor 400 is employed to drive both a rotating head drum 410 and a tape drive mechanism 612, 620, 622. The motor 400 directly drives the head drum 410 but drives the tape drive mechanism via a speed reducing epicyclic gear train 414, 416, 420 and a system of pulleys and belts 422, 426, 602, 604. 606, 614. The use of the common motor 400 reduces the component count for the tape recording/reproducing apparatus. <IMAGE>

Description

- - - C T elt 1 TAPE RECORDING/REPRODUCING APPARATUS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a tape recording/reproducing apparatus such as, but not exclusively, a video cassette recorder (VCR). a digital audio tape recorder (DAT) or a CAMCORDER.

A video cassette recorder (VCR) is well-known as a typical magnetic data recording/reproducing apparatus by which audio and video signals are recorded on or reproduced from a magnetic tape by way of a helically scanning head or heads. The following description will be made with reference to a head drum and a tape driving device built into a VCR.

In general, a VCR requires two motors for rotating the head drum and running the magnetic tape respectively. More specifically, the VCR has a capstan motor for driving a tape along a tape path past the head drum and a head drum motor for rotating the head drum. Accordingly, the assembly of the VCR is complicated. Also, the number of parts is increased, with the result that production costs are increased.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotating drum head tape recording/ reproducing apparatus wherein the tape drive mechanism and the drum head are driven by a common motor.

Preferably, the tape drive mechanism is driven via rotational speed reducing means. More preferably.. the rotational speed reducing means comprises an epicyclic gear train.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a power transmission system for a tape recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention; is Figure 2 is a partially cut-away front view showing the construction of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of an example of the reduction means employed in the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of a power transmission system for a tape recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a partially cut-away front view showing the construction of the apparatus of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of an example of the reduction means employed in the apparatus of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1, atape recording/reproducing apparatus includes a drum motor 400 for driving a head drum 410, according to a control signal output from a system control means (not shown), and a power transmission means for transmitting the power of the motor 400 to run a magnetic tape 630. The system control means (not shown) is a conventional controller which controls the VCR according to a user selected operation mode, for example, PLAY, PAUSE, FF, REW, STILL, STOP and the like.

Referring also to Figure 3. the power transmission means includes a reduction means for reducing the rotational speed of the drum motor 400, a capstan is driving means driven by the drum motor 400 for driving a capstan 610, and a reel driving means driven by the drum motor 400 via the capstan driving means. The reduction means comprises a sun gear 414 fixedly secured on a shaft of the drum motor 400 and a plurality of planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c engaged with the sun gear 414 and prevented from being separated by a bracket 418. A rim gear 420 of a cylindrical shape has gear teeth formed therein to be engaged by the teeth of the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c. A first pulley 422 is formed in a lower portion of the rim gear 420.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the capstan driving means comprises second and third pulleys 602 and 604 for driving the capstan 610 by power from the drum motor 400 transferred thereto through a first belt 42. The reel driving means comprises a reel driving pulley 608, rotated by a second belt 606, driven by power from the drum motor 400 transferred thereto through the capstan driving means, a reel driving gear 614 co-operating with the reel driving pulley 60 and a pinch gear 616 rotated under an engaged relation with the reel driving gear 614 for selectively driving the reels 620 or 622, the pinch gear 616 being retained by means of a lever 618.

The tape running system comprises first and second guiderollers 632 and 634 and first and second slanted posts 636 and 638 for closely contacting the magnetic tape to the head drum 410; the capstan 610, driven by the capstan driving means in a close relation with the pinch roller 612, for running the magnetic tape; and the reels 620 and 622 for supplying and taking up the tape.

With the drum and tape driving device thus constructed, when an operation mode of the VCR is selected by a user, the drum motor 400 is rotated at a velocity controlled according to the selected VCR mode. Upon the rotation of the drum motor 400, the sun gear 414 secured on the shaft of the motor 400 is rotated and then the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c, which are engaged with the sun gear 414, are rotated to rotate the rim gear 420. Consequently, the first pulley 422, integrally formed with the rim gear 420, is also rotated. The rotating power of the first pulley 422 is transferred to the second pulley 602 through the first belt 426 to rotate the second and third pulleys 602 and 604. As a result, when the third pulley 604 is rotated, the capstan 610 is rotated and the pinch roller 612 contacting the capstan 610 is also rotated, so that the magnetic tape runs therethrough suitably. And,, by the rotation of the third pulley 604, rotation power of the drum motor 400 is transferred through the 7 - second belt 606 to the reel driving pulley 608 so as to rotate the reel driving gear 614 and the pinch gear 616. At this time, the pinch gear 616 is moved right or left by way of the lever 618, depending upon the rotation direction of the reel driving gear 614, to rotate the supply reel 620 or takeup reel 622. The tape 630 is closely contacted to the head drum 410 by the first and second guide rollers 632 and 634 and the first and second slanted posts 636 and 638, so that the tape 630 runs by the capstan 610, the pinch roller 612 and reels 620 and 622.

While the tape 630 runs as mentioned above, data is recorded onto or reproduced from the magnetic tape 630 by the head drum 410, being rotated by the drum motor 400.

In summary, according to the present invention, the head drum 410 and the magnetic tape 630 can be simultaneously driven by way of the drum motor 400.

Referring to Figure 2, the shaft of the drum motor 400 is shown extending downwardly and the reduction means is connected to the shaft of the drum motor 400. More specifically, the reduction means includes the sun gear 414, the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c, the bracket 418, the rim gear 420 and the first pulley 422. The sun gear 414 of the reduction means is connected to the shaft of the drum motor 400. The sun gear 414 is engaged with the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c which are supported by the brackets 418 and engage the rim gear 420. On the lower side of the rim gear 429, engaged to the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c, the first pulley 422, which is connected to the second pulley 602 by the first belt 426, is disposed.

The third pulley 604 is arranged on the upper side of the second pulley 602 and connected to the reel driving pulley 608 by the second belt 606.

The second and third pulleys 602 and 604 are fixedly secured to the capstan 610 so that it is rotated in accordance with the rotation of the second and third pulleys 602 and 604. The capstan 610 is supported by a 9 shaft 610a and is closely contacted to the pinch roller 612 in order to drive the magnetic tape 630.

The reel driving gear 614 is formed at the upper side of the reel driving pulley 608 and engages the pinch gear 616. This pinch gear 616 is connected to the reel driving gear 614 through the lever 618 so that the gear 616 can be moved right or left, depending upon the direction of rotation of the reel driving gear 614, to drive the supply reel 620 or the takeup reel 622 so as to run the magnetic tape 630. Therefore, when an operation mode of the VCR is selected by the user, the drum motor 400 is rotated on the basis of the operation mode under the control of the system control means.

The rotational power of the drum motor 400, which is secured to the chassis 412, is transferred to the head drum 410 and the sun gear 414 through the downwardly extended shaft thereof. The power transferred to the sun gear 414 is then transferred to the planet gears 416 supported by the bracket 418 to rotate the rim gear 420. The rim gear 420 is supported to the supporting shaft 424 fixed to the shaft 412.

- 10 By the rotation of the rim gear 420, the first pulley 422 integrally formed with the gear 420 is also rotated and the rotating power of the pulley is transferred to the second pulley 602 through the first belt 426.

Thus, the second pulley 602 is rotated by the rotational power transferred thereto through the first belt 426 and then the capstan 610, fixedly secured to the second pulley 602, is rotated to rotate the pinch roller 612. The rotating power of the second pulley 602 is transferred to the reel driving pulley 608 through the third and second pulleys 604 and 606 and the rotational power of the reel driving pulley 608 is then transferred to the reel driving gear 616 through is the pinch gear. At this time, the reel driving gear 616 is moved toward the supply or takeup reel 620 or 622 to drive the reel 620 or 622.

Referring to Figure 3, the sun gear 414 being rotated by the drum motor 400 shown in Figure 2 is engaged with the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c which are engaged with the cylindrical rim gear 420 having teeth formed therein.

The planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c, engaged to the rim gear 420, are supported about the longitudinal axis of the drum motor 410 by the bracket 418. The first pulley 402 is formed at the lower side of the rim gear 420. Thus, when the sun gear 414 is rotated by the rotation of the drum motor 400, the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c are also rotated without separating from the sun gear 414 due to the bracket 518. Upon the rotation of the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c, the rim gear 420 is rotated and the first pulley 422 is also rotated. In this case, the number of teeth on the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c is larger than that of the sun gear 414 and the number of teeth on the rim gear 420 is larger than that of the planet gears 416a, 416b and 416c. Therefore, the rotational speed of the first pulley 422 is lower than the rotational speed of the drum motor 400. Preferably, the reduction ratio can be arbitrarily selected according to the rotating of the head drum and the running velocity of the tape.

- 12 A second embodiment will now be described Referring to Figures 3 and 4, when the head drum 410 rotates clockwise, a sun gear 414 lying on the shaft of said head drum also rotates clockwise and planetary gears 416a, 416b, 416c rotate anticlockwise.

A rim gear 420 and a first pulley 422, coupled to rim gear 420, are caused to rotate anticlockwise due to anticlockwise rotation of said planetary gears 416a, 416b, 416c, and a second pulley 502, connected to the first pulley 422 by a first belt 426. and a first spur gear 502, coupled to the second pulley 502 also rotate anticlockwise.

The anticlockwise rotation of the first spur gear 502 causes to rotate second spur gear 802, coupled to the first spur gear, and accordingly the tape 630 proceeds to the right on the drawing.

Meanwhile, the clockwise driving power of said spur gear 802 rotates clockwise the third pulley 604, installed to operate jointly with the spur gear 802, - 13 and simultaneously the fourth pulley 808, connected to the third pulley 604 through a second belt 606, is caused to rotate clockwise.

At this point, the third spur gear 614, formed with said fourth pulley 808, also rotates clockwise, causing pinch gear 616, engaging the third spur gear 614, to rotate anticlockwise and also causing the reel driving gear 617, engaging the pinch gear 616, to rotate clockwise.

When the pinch gear 616, coupled to the chassis 412 by the shaft 701, rotates anticlockwise, lever 618 idles to the right around the shaft 701, resulting in the reel driving gear 617 and take-up reel 622 becoming engaged.

At this moment, because the clockwise driving force of said pinch gear 617 is transferred to the take-up reel 622, the reel 622 rotates anticlockwise for winding of a tape 630.

The fourth pulley 608 and said pinch gear 666 are coupled with the chassis 412 respectively by a shaft 702 and by a shaft 701.

In the above description the clockwise and anticlockwise rotations are as viewed in Figure 4.

In Figure 6, protrusions 418a, 418b, 418c are formed on bracket 418, and as these protrusions 418a, 418b, 418C are bent under the inserted condition into a groove formed in the chassis 412 (not shown), decelerating means illustrated in Figure 3 comes to be fastened to the chassis 412.

As described above, according to the drum and tape driving device of the present invention, the head drum and tape are simultaneously driven by one motor, so power consumption can be reduced and the cost of manufacturing the device can be decreased remarkably.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned construction of the drum and tape driving device, many modifications and changes will be - 15 made therein without departing the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A rotating drum head tape recording or reproducing apparatus wherein the tape drive mechanism and the drum head are driven by a common motor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tape drive mechanism is driven via rotational speed reducing means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe rotational speed reducing means comprises an epicyclic gear train.

4. A drum and tape driving device of a VCRfor recording or reproducing signals to or from a magnetic tape by way of a head drum device, comprising:

a drum motor for driving a head drum on the basis of a control signal outputted from a system controller and power transmission means for transferring the power of - 17 the motor to a tape running unit so as to run a magnetic tape.

is

5. A drum and tape driving device according to claim 4, wherein the power transmission means includes a reduction means for reducing the rotating velocity of the drum motor, a capstan driving means for receiving the power of the drum motor and driving a capstan, and a reel driving means for driving reels and by using the power of the drum motor transferred thereto through the capstan driving means.

6. A drum and tape driving device according to claim 5, wherein the reduction means comprises a sun gear fixedly secured on a rotation axis of the drum motor; a plurality of planet gears and engaged with the sun gear and prevented from being rotated to a circumference of the sun gear; a rim gear of a cylindrical shape having a gear formed therein for rotated in an engaged relation with the planet gears; and a first pulley formed at a lower side of the rim gear.

7. A d rum and tape driving device according to claim 5, wherein the capstan driving means comprises a second and third pulleys and for driving the capstan by using the reduced power of the drum motor transferred thereto through a first belt.

8. A drum and tape driving device according to claim 5, wherein the reel driving means comprises a reel driving pulley rotated by a second belt driven by way of the power of the drum motor transferred thereto through the capstan driving means, a reel driving gear for selectively driving the reel, the pinch gear being prevented from departing by way of a lever.

9. A drum and tape driving device according to claim 4, wherein the tape running system comrpises first and second guide rollers and first and second slanted posts for closely contacting the magnetic tape to the head drum, and capstan driven by the capstan driving means in a closed relation with the pinch roller for running the magnetic tape, and the reels for supplying or winding the tape.

19

10. A rotating drum head tape recording or reproducing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A rotating drum head tape recording or reproducing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.