JPH0221473A - Adapter for video cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve reliability for an adapter and to prevent a magnetic tape and a device from being damaged by performing no operation of a driving mechanism at the time of loading the adapter on the device by forming the same tape path as a standard one. CONSTITUTION:When the same tape path as that of a standard type tape cassette and the adapter is loaded on the device, the driving mechanism is not operated. In other words, a safety device to block the motion of arms 52A and 52B completely unless a small video cassette 16 is arranged appropriately in a housing part 30 provided at the adapter is provided. The safety device is arranged on the bottom part of the housing part 30, and includes a switch 50 whose operation is desired to be performed by the casing of the small video cassette 16 when it is loaded on the housing part completely and is located at the optimum position. The switch 50 arranged on the power source circuit of a motor 54 makes the motor 54 switch to an ON state only when the small video cassette is arranged appropriately on the adapter.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to video devices, and more particularly to magnetic tape video cassettes for recording and playing back video programs.

(Prior art and its problems) Most of the video recorders/blurrs on the market today are large 4! I am using an X-standard video cassette.

Some portable television cameras perform video recording using a recorder that is integral to the camera and uses a small video cassette. However, small video cassettes cannot be used in most video recorder/blyer equipment, and this cassette! Recordings made in - must be rerecorded onto tape in a standard video cassette (standard tape cassette) for use in such a video recorder/blyer device.

The magnetic tape in a standard video cassette follows a well-defined path because it must cooperate with the driving, playing and/or recording parts. in general,
This section of path is straight and long to allow the loading device to remove the tape from the cassette and to apply video force to the tape so as to bring it into close contact with the recording and playback member when the cassette is in the operative position. The tape path extends adjacent one long edge of the video cassette to ensure that approximately the length of the tape is exposed.

Because miniature video cassettes (small tape cassettes) are by their very nature much smaller than standard video cassettes, the magnetic tape they carry has the same path configuration as in standard video cassettes. As a result, these small cassettes cannot be used in most video recorder/player equipment.

Therefore, in a portable recorder using a small video cassette, the small video cassette is a! quasi-video
It is not widely used because of its incompatibility with video equipment intended for use with cassettes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide a small video cassette that has the same dimensions and shape as a large standard video cassette, and that, after being inserted inside it, a conventional video cassette - To overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages experienced in the use of small video cassettes by providing an adapter that can be played using a recorder/blayer device.

Another object of the present invention is to: - hold the magnetic tape in a miniature video cassette so that it follows the same path in a standard video cassette once the miniature video cassette is properly fixed in the adapter; An object of the present invention is to provide an adapter capable of cooperating with a magnetic tape that is used.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adapter which allows a magnetic tape to be drawn into a miniature video cassette before removing the miniature video cassette from the adapter.

Still another object of the present invention is to form a tape path identical to that of a large standard video cassette, and after the tape has been deposited in the apparatus, a drive is provided to drive the tape ejection mechanism and the tape storage mechanism. An object of the present invention is to provide an adapter that improves reliability by disabling the AM structure.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a video cassette adapter used for attaching a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette to a t=rP-type recording/playback device. a tape pull-out mechanism for drawing out a tape from the small-sized tape cassette housed in the tape cassette to form the same tape path as the standard tape cassette; and a tape pulling-out mechanism for storing the drawn-out tape in the small-sized tape cassette. storage mechanism;
The front FL! Standard - To provide an adapter for a video cassette, characterized in that the drive mechanism is inoperative when a tape cassette-tape path is formed and the adapter is installed in the device. It is.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

(Example) In Figure 1, a large standard video cassette 1
0, and the path 14 of the magnetic tape 12 in the cassette 1- is shown.

A miniature video cassette 16 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A that accommodates a tape less wide than a large standard video cassette, eg, a half-hour recording video cassette. The miniature video cassettes 1-16 are described in further detail in previously assigned US patent applications. The miniature video cassette 16 has a housing 18 and a pair of spools 2O holding tape 24 extending between the spools in a small loop 25.
A, 20B, and the spool 2OA.

20B has a conventionally known hub for being driven by a drive shaft.

In FIG. 3, an adapter 26 according to the present invention is shown including a housing 28 having external dimensions approximately the same as those of a standard large video cassette as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1Δ. .

A housing 28 is provided with a small video cassette 16 for storing a small video cassette 16 of the type shown in FIG.
A cavity 30 is provided on one side of the housing which matches the external shape of the housing 6, so that a small video cassette can be slid into this cavity 30 and thereby retained. To facilitate insertion and removal, the surface of the housing 2 has a pair of opposing positions into which a user can insert his or her thumb and forefinger to hold the miniature video cassette 16 and remove it from the adapter 26. Recesses 32A and 32B are provided, each having the size of a shallow inn.

Locating studs 34A for accurately positioning the miniature video cassette 16 within the housing 30.

348.34G is attached to the bottom wall 36 (FIG. 6) of the housing 28 that defines the bottom of the storage section 30.

The miniature video cassette 16 is provided with openings 36A, 36B, 36C for receiving positioning studs to secure the position of the miniature video cassette when it is inserted into the recess 30 of the adapter housing 28. It is being Locating stud 34A to ensure that a small video cassette can be inserted in only one direction.

34B and 34C are arranged asymmetrically and their dimensions? However, apertures 36A, 368, 36G are similarly arranged and sized to receive the stud in only one orientation of the miniature video cassette.

Ankle mini video to mini video cassette operating position
The cassette 16 is initially placed by the user in the storage compartment 30. In the practice of the invention, the adapter 26 includes a drive spindle 38A that enters the spool 2OA, 20B into the drawer opening.

38B is provided, the drive spindle 38A.

38B has a small video cassette 16 in the housing 28.
A claw 40A having flexibility for locking.

40B is provided. Adapter drive spindle (
These flexible claws 4 provided on shafts 38A and 38B
0 (40A, 40B), magnetic chi 12
A notch 44 is provided in the central opening of the spools 20A and 20B having a rim 42 (FIGS. 6 and 6A) and along the inner diameter thereof in the axial direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 6A to 6C, each spool of the small video cassette 16 is provided with four axial notches 44 in its central opening. Adapter drive shaft 38A.

Three claws 40 are provided on 38B. When a small video cassette is placed in the storage part 30, the three claws 40 of each of the drive shafts are thus connected to the spools 2OA, 20.
B locks onto the inner edge 42 of the spool to hold it in a fixed position. The small video cassette 16 is mounted on three wooden studs 34A, 34B, 3 which act as reference positioning devices.
Pressed against 4C.

As soon as the spools 2OA, 20B are rotated by the video device in which the adapter holding the small cassette is placed, one of the three claws 40 on each of the eight drive shafts 38A, 38B is attached to the spool 20A.

20B is moved to one position of the four notches 44.

A device responsive to the placement of the small video cassette 16 in the recess 30 of the adapter housing 28 moves the guiding devices 46A, 46B to pull the magnetic tape 2/I out of the small video cassette 16 so that the recorded The tape is operable to expand the small loop 25 shown in FIG. 2 into a large loop 47, which is equivalent to the tape path of a standard tape cassette, as shown in FIG. Such a device can be operated manually (for example, by pressing pushbutton 4 in FIG. 3).
8) or automatically (by switch 50 of FIGS. 3 and 7 located at the bottom of storage 130 and activated by the casing of video cassette 16 when placed in storage 30). It can also operate.

According to FIG. 4, in the present invention, guide devices 46A, 46B, shown in this example as cylindrical rollers, are supported by a pair of pivotally connected arms 52A, 52B, and the arms and the guide device are connected by a motor. 54 (5th
(see figure).

[-ta 54 is manual switch 48 or automatic switch 5
0 and a power supply (control circuit) 58 (FIG. 7). Operation of a switch by the user causes control circuit 58 to connect power to motor 54 . For example, when manual switch 48 is actuated, this causes root 61 to pivot about axis 62 so that its end 64 engages stud 65 on cam 66! Rotate in the 1st direction so that the The board part 61 has this poetic sentiment 62 and the notch part 6
3 and is guided by the action of the spring 67. At the end of its movement, plate 61 closes switch 68 of power supply circuit 58 of motor 54.

The motor rotates to drive the cam 66 in a counterclockwise direction (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), and this rotational movement moves the arms 52A and 52B, respectively, to their respective axes via the coupling Orad 70°72. Rotate around 74A and 74B. During this movement, the cylindrical rollers 46A, 46B unwind the magnetic tape 24 in the miniature video cassette 16 from the path it occupies relative to the large loop 47 that the tape must occupy in a normal cassette. The half-rotation movement of the cam 66 causes a change in the path of the tape, causing the stud 65△
is engaged with the end 64 of the plate 61, the plate is moved in the longitudinal direction, the switch 68 is turned on, and the operating cycle of the motor 54 is changed by rotating the switch 68 to cut off the power supply to the motor 54. Terminate it.

When the tape is in the large loop 47, the drive shaft of the video device in which the adapter is placed is now operable to drive the spools 2OA, 20B of the miniature video cassette 16. The driving relationship between the shaft of the video device and the spools 2OA and 20B of the small video cassette includes hubs 80A and 80B (Fig. 3) of the adapter into which the shaft of the video device is inserted. 80B holds a ring gear 76 meshing with an intermediate gear 78, said intermediate gear further connecting the spools 20Δ, 20B of small video cassettes.
It meshes with a gear 82 fixed to the drive shafts 38Δ, 38B. Thus, the rotational movement of the hubs 80A, 80B rotates the gears 76, 78 and 82, which rotates the drive shaft for the spool of the miniature cassette. A similar gear train is provided for both spools of the small cassette.

Removing the miniature video cassette from the adapter The miniature video cassette 16 is removed from the adapter 26 after the adapter 26 is removed from the bidet station 5A. To remove the miniature video cassette from the adapter, manual switch 48 is actuated which causes plate 61 to pivot out of stud 65 and is urged by spring 67 into engagement with contacts 68. . This action connects the control circuit 58 to a power source 111 to the motor 54. The actuation of the motor 54 causes the cam 66 to rotate half a revolution, and at the end of this movement its working cycle is terminated by the plate 61 turning the other stud 65.
The engagement action of the switch 68 causes the contacts of the switch 68 to open.

Since the retraction of the magnetic tape 24 into the interior of the miniature cassette 16 occurs during retraction inside the arms 52A, 52B, a device is provided that utilizes the inward movement of the arms 52Δ, 52B to retract the tape. For this purpose, one arm 52B is provided with a sector gear 88, and the other arm 58A is provided with a similar sector gear (not shown). These sector gears 88 (Y arm 5
2Δ, connected to rotate the spools 2OA, 20B of the wheel-shaped video cassette 16 during the inward movement of 52B, and not to rotate the spools 2'OA, 20B during the outward movement of the arms 52A, 52B! ! 11 has been removed. The spools 20Δ, 20B are rotated in opposite directions to allow the tape to be retracted into the miniature video cassette 16.

To this end, the intermediate gear 90 meshes with a sector tooth 11188 mounted on a lever 92 pivotable about the axis 94 of a small pinion 96, as shown in FIG. An intermediate gear 90 is provided which is movable to a disengaged position. This pinion 96 is further coupled in a frictional manner to the #fJ tun 78, which gear is connected to the small cassette 16.
The sub-J is meshed with the m-width 82 connected to the 2OA. A similar row is provided between arm 528 and its associated sector gear and spool 20B.

This gear 90 and similar tooth widths associated with other sectors are both urged into an engaged or disengaged relationship with respect to sector gear 88 by a spring (not shown). To release gear 90 from sector gear 88, large diameter portion 66A of cam 66 acts through cam follower 98 and link 100 to pivot lever 92 away from sector gear 88.

Lever 92 has a pin 102 that is engaged by a curved end 104 of link 106.

While the arms 52A, 52B are moved outward and the cam 66 makes another half turn, the large diameter portion 6 of the cam 66
6B is contacted by a roller 98 as shown in FIG.
Pivot counterclockwise around 10. This link 10
6, through its curved end 104, engages the pin 102 on the link 92, displacing the lever 92 to the left in FIG. The gear 90 is released from 88.

Link 106 also exhibits a similar curvature at opposite end 104A, with arm 52A relative to spool 2OA.
@ It works together with a link similar to the link 92 connected to the gear train 11Q.

The gear ratio via the tooth width train comprising gears 90.96.78 between sector gear 88 and gear 82 on spool 20Δ (and likewise on other arm 52
20 in the opposite direction through a 1fii width column driven from B
B) The small cassette 16 from which any slack is taken up and the tape extends in its original small loop 25
Such as to rotate enough to absorb all of the tape in a large loop with enough play to allow it to be completely retracted. Therefore, the tape can be reliably wound into the small video cassette 16 without leaving any tape slack, and when the small cassette is removed from the adapter 26 after winding, the tape is guided by the tape slack! i! i place 46A.

The tape may get caught on the 46B roller, causing damage to the tape (
It is possible to prevent inconveniences such as being forced to

The arms 52A, 52B of the safety device 26 and the magnetic tape of the small video cassette 16 must be placed in the large loop 47 of a regular cassette (FIG. 1) when the adapter is inserted into the video device. It is necessary. Otherwise, if the adapter 26 were to be placed in the working position of the device, the arms 52A, 52B (e.g.
(devices for loading or automatic stopping of the tape) would be located opposite the elements of the video equipment that would be damaged.

Therefore, the tape of the miniature video cassette 16 occupies a large loop path before the adapter can be inserted into the video am, and when in operation - once the adapter 26 has been inserted into the video equipment, It is particularly necessary to ensure that the manual switch 48 that starts the motor 54 for displacement from one position to another is deactivated.

To accomplish these two requirements, two safety devices are provided, as shown in FIG.

As with conventional cassettes, adapter 26 includes a device that facilitates insertion into and removal from a video device. In the illustrated embodiment, the device includes springs 20 disposed on opposite sides of the adapter and supported by the housing 28.
13 freely movable block 2 subjected to the action of 1A and 201B
It consists of 00△ and 200B. These blocks 2
00Δ.

200B has springs 201A, 20 so that the block can be inserted into a video device to allow insertion of the adapter.
It cooperates with a fixing element attached to the video device so that it can be moved rearwardly against the action of 1B.

These blocks 20OA and 200B also have springs 201
A, together with 201B, act to push the adapter 26 out of the housing of the video device during removal.

To ensure that the adapter 26 cannot be inserted into the video device if the arms 52Δ, 52B are not placed in their extended position, a locking device 210 is pivoted about the shaft 211 and spring-loaded. Under the action of 212,
This spring is connected to block 200B to prevent its displacement.
Try to place this in the path of Arm 52A has a protrusion 213 that engages a member 214 projecting from locking device 1ff 210 when arm 52A reaches its extended position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 and solid lines in FIG. In such an engaged state, locking device a210 is pivoted out of the path of block 200B against its return spring 212.

When arm 52A moves inwardly, it releases the lock 210, which is under the action of return spring 212 and is pivoted within block 200B, to prevent rearward movement of block 200B, thereby removing the housing of the video device. This prevents the adapter from being inserted into the device.

Block 2 generated by cooperation with various elements of this video arrangement
The backward movement of 00B is also used to disable the circuitry including switch 48 when the adapter is inserted, thereby ensuring that motor 54 is inoperable when adapter 26 is attached to a video device. This improves reliability by disabling the drive mechanism to avoid damage to the magnetic tape and device. To this end, when the adapter 26 is inserted into (the cassette housing of) the video device, the block 200B opens a switch 250 located in the control circuit 58 (FIG. 7).

Unless the small video cassette 16 is properly placed within the recess 30 provided in the adapter, the arms 52A, 5
A safety device is also provided to prevent any movement of 2B. This safety device is preferably a switch located at the bottom of the compartment 30 and actuated by the casing of the small video cassette 16 when the video cassette 16 is fully installed in the compartment and set in its proper position. Contains 50. A switch 50 (FIG. 7) located in the power supply circuit of motor 54 causes mositor 54 to be turned ON only when a miniature video cassette is properly placed in the adapter. This switch also responds to the insertion actuation of the small cassette 16 in the adapter by starting the motor 54 and cam 66 for its active cycle, causing the arms 52A, 52B to react and causing the large loop 47
It has the advantage that it can also act as an automatic device for forming.

A further safety device is included to ensure that the tape is not subject to excessive tension when arms 52A, 52B are retracted to take up slack in the tape. For this purpose, a pinion 96 is frictionally coupled to a gear 78 of a gear train which rotates the cassette spool to take up tape slack.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the video cassette adapter of the present invention, the tape pull-out mechanism and the tape storage mechanism are operated by the drive mechanism, forming the same tape path as the standard type, and
When the adapter is installed on a machine, the drive mechanism is disabled, which improves the reliability of the adapter and avoids damage to the magnetic tape and device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 1A show a large standard video cassette configured for a conventional video recorder/blayer device, and FIGS. 2 and 2A show a small video cassette for the adapter of the present invention. Figure 3 is a simplified top view of the adapter of the present invention with a small video cassette housed within the adapter housing; Figure 4 is a view of the arm and guide from the opposite side of the adapter; a partial detail view of a part of the adapter mechanism with the device in the retracted position;
5 is a partial detail view similar to FIG. 4 showing the arm and guide device in the extended position; FIGS. 6, 6Δ, 6B;
Figures and Figure 6c show small video and cassette spools.
and FIG. 7 is a simplified circuit diagram showing the control circuit of the adapter. 1o51. Video cassette, 12...magnetic tape,
16... Small video cassette, 18... Housing, 24... Magnetic tape, 25... Small loop, 26
...Adapter, 28...Housing, 30...Storage part, 36...Bottom wall surface, 40...Claw, 42...
Rim, 44... Notch, 47... Large loop, 48
...Manual switch, 50...Automatic switch, 54.
...Motor, 58...Circuit, 61...Plate part, 62.
...Shaft, 63...Notch, 65...Stud, 6
6...Cam, 67...Spring, 68...Switch,
70... Connecting rod, 76... Ring gear, 78.
90... Intermediate m weight, 82... Gear, 88... Sector gear, 92... Lever 96... Binion, 98
...Cam Follower, 100.106...Link,
102... Bin, 104... Curved end, 108...
- Instruction section, 110... Instruction section, 200... Block, 201... Spring. Patent applicant: Victor Japan Co., Ltd. Representative: Kunio Kakiki

Claims (1)

[Claims] This is a video cassette adapter used to attach a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette to a standard recording/playback device, and the adapter is used to pull out a tape from the small tape cassette housed in the adapter. a tape pull-out mechanism that forms the same tape path as a standard tape cassette; a tape storage mechanism that stores the pulled-out tape in the small tape cassette; and a drive mechanism that drives the tape pull-out mechanism and tape storage mechanism. and a tape path identical to that of the standard tape cassette is formed, and the drive mechanism is inoperative when the adapter is attached to the device. Cassette adapter.