Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Tape record
Patent
1998-06-22
2000-09-19
Heinz, A. J.
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Tape record
G11B 5008
Patent
active
061221376
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information on/from an information carrier accommodated in a cartridge, which apparatus comprises a chassis, a cartridge room in which the cartridge can be brought and which is accessible via an opening in a wall of the apparatus, a loading mechanism by means of which the cartridge can be forced from a loading position into its operational position in the cartridge room, a drive mechanism including a drive member for driving the information carrier via a drivable device of the cartridge, said drive member being in an operational position in which the drive member and the drivable device are in contact with each other for driving the drivable device and in a stand-by position when the information carrier in the cartridge is in the state of rest, and a switch mechanism for bringing the drive member from the operational position into the stand-by position and vice versa.
Such an apparatus is known from EP-A-0633568. In this known apparatus both the loading mechanism and the switch mechanism are independent of each other and are driven by a separate motor. The loading mechanism and the information carrier are driven by one and the same motor.
A switch mechanism for bringing the drive member from an operational position into a stand-by or retracted position was already known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,355. In that document the background problem is described. If the drive member remains in contact with the drivable device when the information carrier is not transported, the drive member, being a motorically driven roller of elastomeric material, becomes deformed or out of round, thereby developing flat spots that interfere with the steady or uniform drive of the information carrier. In said US-document the switching mechanism is formed by a solenoid controlled spring mechanism by means of which pinch rollers can be urged against and retracted from a pair of capstans. From EP-A-0109154 it is known to urge the drive member against and to retract the drive member from the drivable device of the cartridge by means of a manually controlled blocking mechanism for the opening of the cartridge room. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,321 the drive mechanism for the information carrier is retracted from the drivable device by means of an actuator and urged against the drivable device by spring force.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide for an apparatus as described in the opening paragraph, in which loading a cartridge and bringing the drive mechanism in the operational position can be performed in an effective and reliable manner, independent of the drive of the information carrier.
According to the invention the apparatus is therefore characterized in that the switch mechanism and the loading mechanism are combined to form one single unit. This measure has the advantage that one motor can be used for driving the loading mechanism and the switch mechanism and that loading of the cartridge is directly coupled to bringing the drive mechanism from the stand-by position into the operational position.
In a specific embodiment said single unit comprises a displaceable gripper which can be brought into a first position, said first position being the loading position in which the cartridge is engaged, into a second position in which the cartridge and the drive member are in their respective operational positions, and into a third position in which the cartridge is in its operational position and the drive member in the stand-by position. By controlling one mechanical element, viz. the gripper, a cartridge being griped can be brought into its operational position, the drive member can be brought into contact with the drivable device of the cartridge and the latter contact can be broken by retracting the drive member after that the information carrier is not transported any longer.
In order to bring the gripper in the above mentioned positions, it is of advantage when coupling means are provided by means of which the gripper can hingeably engage the
REFERENCES:
patent: 5172285 (1992-12-01), Kox
patent: 5231553 (1993-07-01), Weber
patent: 5373406 (1994-12-01), Jansen
patent: 5379168 (1995-01-01), Kage
patent: 5440435 (1995-08-01), Busengdal
Heinz A. J.
OnStream Inc.
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