JPH0221476A - Adapter for video cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the inserting and removing operation of a small tape cassette by forming a recessed part to which the finger of an operator can be inserted being continued to a housing part and also being set lower than the upper plane of the small tape cassette. CONSTITUTION:A cavity part (housing part) 30 is provided on one plane of a housing 28 whose shape coincides with the outershape of a small video cassette 16, and the small video cassette can be held at the part by being slided in the housing part 30. To facilitate the insertion and removal of the cassette, the recessed parts 32A and 32B being located at a pair of confronting positions and with size equivalent to the finger in shallow depression, where a user can hold the small video cassette 16 and remove it from an adapter 26 by inserting the thumb and the forefinger, are provided. Thereby, it is possible to facilitate the mounting/dismounting of the small video cassette remarkably and to improve the way for use.

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.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Most video recorders/players on the market today use large standard video cassettes with a recording capacity of several hours (4-8 hours).

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/breyer equipment, and recordings made on these cassettes cannot be used with standard video recorder/breyer equipment.・The number must be recorded again on the tape in cassette h (standard tape cassette).

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, allowing the loading device to remove the tape from the cassette, and also to make it into the recording and playback member when the cassette is in the active position!
A tape bus extends adjacent one long edge of the video cassette to ensure that the tape is exposed over substantially the entire length of the video cassette for viewing.

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/blyer equipment.

Therefore, portable recorders using miniature video cassettes are not widely used because of the incompatibility of said miniature video cassettes with video equipment intended for use with standard video 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.

The present invention also provides: - a magnetic tape carried in a miniature video cassette so as to cause said magnetic tape to follow the same path in a standard video cassette when a wheel-type video cassette is correctly placed in said adapter; This is an adapter that can work together with the tape.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an adapter that allows an operator to insert and remove the aforementioned small-sized video cassette into and out of the adapter smoothly.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a tape cassette that is smaller than a standard tape cassette for recording/recording data of a standard type.
A video cassette adapter used for attachment to a playback device, which includes a storage section for storing the small tape cassettes 1 to 1, and facilitates insertion and removal of the small tape cassette into the storage section. In order to
A recess into which an operator's finger can be inserted is continuous with the storage portion,
The present invention also provides a video cassette adapter characterized in that the adapter is formed lower than the upper surface of the small tape cassette attached thereto.

Further, the features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment) In FIG. 1, a large tlA quasi-video cassette 10 is shown, and the path 1 of the magnetic tape 12 in the cassette 1-
4 is shown.

A compact video cassette 16 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A that accommodates M fewer tapes than a larger standard video cassette, eg, a half-hour recording video cassette. The miniature video cassette 16 is described in further detail in commonly assigned US patent applications. The miniature video cassette 16 has a housing 18 and a pair of spools 2OA holding tape 24 extending between the spools in a small loop 25.
, 20B, and the spool 20A.

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 such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. .

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 28 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. Certain shallow finger-sized recesses 32A and 32B are provided,
This makes loading and unloading the small video cassette i~ extremely easy, and also improves usability.

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

34B and 34C are attached to a bottom wall surface 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, 36G 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, 34C are asymmetrically arranged and sized, and apertures 36A, 368, 36G are similarly arranged and sized to receive the studs in only one orientation of the miniature video cassette.

Stationary small video cassette in working position
The cassette 16 is first placed in the storage section 30 by the user. In the practice of the invention, the adapter 26 has a drive spindle 38 that enters the opening in the spools 2OA, 20B.

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 (
This flexible claw 4 provided on shaft) 38△, 38B
0 (40A, 40B), magnetic chi 72
A notch 44 is provided in the central opening of the spools 2OA and 20B having the rim 42 (FIGS. 6 and 6A) and along the inner diameter thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 6, and 6A to 6C, four axial notches 44 are provided in the central opening of each spool of the small video cassette 1-16. Yes, adapter 1! ! Driving wheel 38A.

Three claws 40 are provided on 38B. When a small video cassette is placed in the storage section 30, the three claws 40 on each of the drive shafts are thus connected to the spools 20A, 20.
B locks onto the inner edge 42 of the spool to hold it in a fixed position. The small video cassette 16 is fitted with three studs 34A, 348.3 which act as reference positioning devices.
Pressed against 4G.

As soon as the spools 2OA, 20B are rotated by a video device in which an adapter holding a small cassette is placed, one of the three claws 40 in 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 24 from the small video cassette 16, thereby removing the recorded tape. The small loop 25 shown in FIG. 2 is operable to expand into a large loop 47, as shown in FIG. 5, equivalent to the tape bus of a standard tape cassette. Such devices may be operated manually (e.g., by pressing pushbutton 48 in FIG.
3 and 7 automatically (located at the bottom of the compartment 30 and actuated by the casing of the small video cassette 16 when placed in the compartment 30).
(by switch 50 in the figure).

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 mounted arms 52A, 52B, which arms and guide devices are connected to a motor 54. (5th
(see figure).

The motor 54 is connected to a manual switch 48 or an 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, it pivots plate 61 about axis 62 clockwise so that its end 64 releases stud 65 on cam 66. The plate portion 61 is guided by the poem 62 and the cutout portion 63 and is subjected to 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 move the cam 66 counterclockwise (see Figures 4 and 5).
(in the figure), and this rotational movement causes the arms 52A, 52B to rotate about their axes 74A, 74B, respectively, via the connecting rods 70, 72. 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-turn movement of cam 66 causes a change in the path of the tape, causing stud 65A to engage end 64 of plate 61, moving the plate longitudinally and turning switch 68 to provide power to motor 54. Rotating switch 68 to shut off ends one motor 54 cycle.

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. Video equipment shaft and small video cassette 1
6 spool 20A.

The driving relationship between 20B includes adapter hubs 80A and 80B (FIG. 3) into which the shaft of the video device is inserted, which hubs 80A and 80B engage the ring i! ! The intermediate gear further meshes with a gear 82 fixed to the drive shafts 38A, 38B of the small video cassette spools 20A, 20B. Thus, the rotational movement of hubs 80A, 80B rotates gears 76, 78 and 82, which rotates the drive shaft for the miniature video cassette spool. Similar gear trains are numbered 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 video device. 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 closes the 111t11 circuit 58 and connects power 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 completed by the plate 61 turning the other stud 6.
5 is stopped, and the contact of the switch 68 is opened.

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 52A, 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 are connected to the arm 52.
A, wheel-shaped video cassette 1 during inward movement of 52B
The spool 2 is connected to rotate the spools 2OA and 20B of 6, and is connected to rotate the spools 2OA and 20B of the arms 52A and 52B.
OA and 20B are separated so as not to rotate. The spools 2OA, 20B are rotated in opposite directions to allow the tape to be retracted into the miniature video cassette 16.

To this end, as shown in FIG. 4, an intermediate gear 90 is movable into a disengaged position into engagement with a sector gear 88 mounted on a lever 92 pivotable about the axis 94 of a small pinion 96 in engagement. An intermediate gear 90 is provided.

This pinion 96 is further frictionally connected to the tooth span 78, and this gear is connected to the spool 20 of the small cassette 16.
l! connected to A! It meshes with 1 city and 82. Sector mTJ1 and spool 20 associated with arm 52B
A similar gear train is provided between B and B.

This tooth 1190 and similar gears associated with other sectors are both urged into meshing or disengaging 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, 52F3 are moved outward and the h-muro 6 rotates another half turn, the large diameter portion 66B of the cam 66 is contacted by a roller 98 as shown in FIG. Pivot the follower link 100 clockwise to pivot the link 106 around its support 110 counterclockwise. This link 1
06, 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 the width 88.

Link 106 also exhibits a similar curvature at opposite end 104A, with arm 52A relative to spool 2OA.
It cooperates with a link similar to link 92 associated with the gear train connecting the .

The gear ratio through a gear train including gears 90, 96, 78 between sector gear 88 and gear 82 on spool 20A is
20B) in the opposite direction via a gear train driven from It is like rotating the tape enough to absorb all the tape in a large loop. Therefore, the tape can be reliably wound into the small video cassette 16 without leaving any slack in the tape, and when the small cassette is taken out from the adapter 26 after winding, the slack in the tape will cause the tape to move to the guide device a46A.

It is possible to prevent inconveniences such as damage to the tape caused by the tape being caught on the roller 46B.

It is imperative that the arms 52A, 52B of the safety device adapter 26 and the magnetic tape of the small video cassette 16 be placed in the large loop 47 of a conventional cassette (FIG. 1) when the adapter is inserted into a video device. 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 device, and fl! When in the Ill state - once the adapter 26 has been inserted into the video device, ensure that the manual switch 48 that starts the motor 54 for displacing the arm from one position to another is deactivated. It is especially necessary to

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

As with normal cassettes, the adapter 26
includes a device to facilitate insertion into and removal of the device. In the illustrated embodiment, the device includes springs 20 disposed on opposite sides of the adapter and supported by the housing 28.
Slidable block 20 subjected to the action of 1A and 201B
It consists of OA and 200B. 20 of these blocks
O.A.

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 backwards 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 52A, 52B are not aligned, 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 is
When this arm 52A reaches its extended position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 and in solid lines in FIG.
It has 3. In such a locking situation, the locking device 210 is pivoted out of the block 200B(7)f path against its return spring 212.

When the arm 52A moves inwardly, the housing of the video v device is removed by releasing a locking device 210, which is under the action of a return spring 212 and pivoted within the block 200B, thereby preventing backward movement of the block 200B. This prevents the adapter from being inserted into the device.

Block 2 resulting from cooperation with the elements of the video device
The backward motion of 00B is also used to disable the circuitry containing switch 48 when the adapter is inserted, thereby ensuring that motor 54 is inoperable when adapter 26 is attached to a video device. Guarantee. For this purpose, when the adapter 26 is inserted into the video device,
Block 200B opens switch 250 located in 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 located at the bottom of the compartment 30 and operates a switch 50 which is preferably actuated by the casing of the miniature video cassette 16 when the miniature video cassette 16 is fully loaded into the compartment and placed in its proper position. Contains. Switch 5 arranged in the power supply circuit of motor 54
0 (FIG. 7) causes motor 54 to be switched ON only when a miniature video cassette is properly placed within the adapter. This switch also causes the arms 52A, 52B to move cautiously and the large loop 4 in response to insertion actuation of the small cassette 16 into the adapter by starting the motor 54 and cam 66 for their operating cycles.
It has the advantage that it can also act as an automatic device for forming 7.

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 operation name is of said small tape cassette, the four parts into which fingers can be inserted are connected to and attached to the storage part.
Since it is formed lower than the surface, the adapter has the advantage of being easier to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 1A illustrate a large IIA single video camera configured for conventional video recorder/blyer equipment.
FIGS. 2 and 2A are views showing a small video cassette for the adapter of the present invention; FIGS.
The figure is a simplified top view showing the adapter of the present invention with a small video cassette housed within the adapter housing;
FIG. 4 is a partially detailed view of a portion of the adapter-like structure with the arm and guide in the bowed position, viewed from the opposite side of the adapter; FIG.
FIGS. 6, 6A, 6B and 6C are views showing the driving coupling relationship between the spool of the small video cassette and the hub of the adapter; 7 is a simple circuit diagram showing the control circuit of the adapter. 10... 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 tooth width, 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.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A video cassette adapter used for attaching a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette to a standard recording/playback device, which includes a storage section for storing the small tape cassette, and a storage section for storing the small tape cassette. In order to facilitate the operation of inserting and removing the small tape cassette, a recess into which an operator's finger can be inserted is formed to be continuous with the storage part and lower than the top surface of the small tape cassette attached. A video cassette adapter featuring: