Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Cartridge system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-17
2001-09-04
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Cartridge system
C360S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283395
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a cassette adapter for the S-cassette (first cassette) of professional digital video format, which cassette adapter being formed in a same shape as the M-cassette (second cassette) the size of which is different from the S-cassette, as well as a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus on which the cassette adapter is to be loaded.
BACKGROUND ART
There has been a VHS cassette adapter as shown in
FIG. 6
, where a C-cassette
25
is inserted in an adapter
26
which has a same size as that of a full-size VHS cassette playable on a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.
In the adapter, C-cassette
25
is mounted in adapter
26
from the top surface with a tape protection lid
27
of the C-cassette open, and a protection cover in the top surface of adapter
26
is closed for operation. A reel brake (not shown) of C-cassette
25
is released when a C-cassette is mounted in the adapter
26
by a lock releasing pin (not shown) provided on adaptor
26
.
After the protection cover of adapter
26
is closed, tape
28
is pulled out of C-cassette
25
by a pulling post
29
to be placed to a same position as that of the full-size cassette in preparation for loading in a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.
As the adapter
26
incorporating a C-cassette
25
assumes an exactly the same shape and function as a full-size VHS cassette, no extra switching gear needs to be provided in a magnetic recording/ reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing with the adapter.
In the professional digital video format, there are two cassette forms; an S-cassette (S signifies small; a first cassette in the present invention) and an M-cassette of different size (M signifies middle; a second cassette in the present invention). If the same structure as in the VHS format is introduced for the professional digital video version, problems arise. Namely, as the space between the reels is small in the S-cassette and the M-cassette, the coupling of reel movement will become very complicated when forming a cassette adapter (for adapting an S-cassette for the M-cassette shape) with the reel placed in the same position as that of the M-cassette. Furthermore, if reel brake is released when an S-cassette is mounted in an adapter the reel is left unlocked and tape becomes loose inviting a damage.
Difference in the level of top surface between S-cassette and M-cassette is Imm. Therefore it is difficult to provide a protection cover on the top surface of an adapter for covering S-cassette; which means that an S-cassette can not be mounted in from the top surface, and it becomes very difficult to couple the identification terminal and the anti-erasing gear of an S-cassette with the counterparts of the adapter which are disposed in the places corresponding to those of the M-cassette.
Furthermore, because both the cassette adapter and the M-cassette assume an identical shape it is impossible for a magnetic recording/ reproducing apparatus to judge whether the one being loaded is a cassette adapter or an M-cassette. Therefore, in a case when a cassette adapter is loaded in a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus which is incompatible with adapter, there will be a possiblity of broken equipment.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve the above described problems with a simple structure, and presents as a first objective an adapter for the S-cassette of professional digital video format, the shape of adapter being the same as the M-cassette, whose constitution is simple yet assures a reliable operation without a fear of damage on tape etc., and as a second objective, a magnetic recording/ reproducing apparatus which is capable of identifying a cassette adapter and an M-cassette by a simple mechanism.
For implementing the above described first objective, a cassette adapter according to the present invention comprises an adapter having a same shape as an M-cassette (second cassette), the size being different from an S-cassette (first cassette), for mounting the S-cassette in. Reels and a reel brake releasing member of the S-cassette are exposed while the S-cassette is mounted in the adapter. The adapter is provided with a rear door which comprises a contact for reading identification signal by touching an identification terminal of S-cassette, a wiring member for coupling the contact with an identification terminal disposed at the same location as that of M-cassette, and a lever to open/close an anti-erasing window in linkage with the anti-erasing gear of an S-cassette mounted in the adapter.
Under the above described constitution, as the reel and the reel brake releasing member of S-cassette mounted in the adapter remain in the same location as they were as an S-cassette, there is no need of providing mechanisms for coupling respectively the reel operation and the reel brake releasing member. Thus an adapter may be formed very simple. Furthermore, as the reading of identification signal from the S-cassette and the open/close work of anti-erasing window are performed solely by the rear door, a reliable operation is ensured from the simple structure.
In order to implement the second objective, a magnetic recording/ reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a shape identification means which can receive a cassette adapter of the same shape as the M-cassette incorporating an S-cassette, and at the same time identifies whether it is a cassette adapter or an M-cassette. Based on the detection by the shape identification means, the mechanical and electrical systems of the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus are modified accordingly to accept a cassette adapter.
Under the above described constitution, both the mechanical and electrical systems of an adapter-compatible magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus are easily modified to drive a cassette adapter.
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patent: 3610552 (1971-10-01), Shirakura et al.
patent: 4559574 (1985-12-01), Umeda
patent: 4622605 (1986-11-01), Tsuruoka et al.
patent: 5034832 (1991-07-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5173818 (1992-12-01), Chan
patent: 5365393 (1994-11-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5402954 (1995-04-01), Skavnak et al.
patent: 5934591 (1999-08-01), Ueda
patent: 0 367 454 (1990-05-01), None
patent: 0 533 181 (1993-03-01), None
patent: 60-40545 (1985-03-01), None
patent: 5-250840 (1993-09-01), None
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nguyen John Q.
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