Magnetic recording-reproducing device

Details Magnetic recording-reproducing device Magnetic recording-reproducing device

1999-01-22

2001-02-13

Tupper, Robert S. (Department: 2652)

Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval

Record transport with head stationary during transducing

Tape record

Reexamination Certificate

active

06188541

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording-reproducing device, and more particularly, to a tape cartridge mounting mechanism for reliable mounting of a cartridge in which a magnetic tape is contained.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional magnetic recording-producing device will be explained with reference to
FIG. 16
giving a plan view of the device,
FIG. 17A
which is a sectional view taken along line A—A of
FIG. 16
, and
FIG. 17B
which is a side view showing a major portion of FIG.
17
A.
First, in a conventional magnetic recording-reproducing device
21
(hereinafter referred to as the device
21
), a pair of rail-like guide members
21
b
and
21
c
having a channel-shaped groove are mounted in opposite positions, upper and lower in the illustration, adjacently to the right side end shown in
FIG. 16
, on a base plate
21
a
disposed in the lower part.
Next, as shown in
FIG. 17A
, a pair of openings
21
d
are formed in a part of the base plate
21
a
in a portion in which the pair of guide members
21
b
and
21
c
are located.
In the right side end portion of the magnetic recording-reproducing device shown in
FIG. 17A
there is formed an insertion slot
21
e
for guiding a bottom plate
23
c
of a later-described cartridge
23
and inserting the cartridge
23
into the magnetic recording-reproducing device shown in FIG.
17
A.
On the back face provided with the guide members
21
b
and
21
c
of the base plate
21
a
, a pair of leaf springs
22
having a great elastic force are mounted with one end fastened with a screw and the other end left as a free end. On the forward end of the free end of the leaf spring
22
, a locking portion
22
a
is formed bent and a locking roller
22
b
is rotatably supported in the locking portion
22
a.
The locking roller
22
b
is positioned in the opening
21
d
of the base plate
21
a
and is vertically movable on the support point of the screwed portion on one end within the opening
21
d.
The cartridge
3
indicated by a two-dot chain line in the illustration is inserted at the insertion slot
21
e
into the device
21
while being guided by the guide members
21
a
and
21
b
. In the cartridge
23
is housed a magnetic tape
23
a
; and a pair of U-shaped guide grooves
23
b
are formed in both outer surfaces as seen in FIG.
17
B. The pair of guide grooves
23
b
are guided by the rail-like guide members
21
b
and
21
c
, thus guiding the cartridge
23
into the device
21
.
A cut away portion
23
d
is formed in a part of the bottom plate
23
c
which constitutes the guide groove
23
b
of the cartridge
23
. Also in the cartridge
23
a
rotatable pinch roller
23
f
is disposed to transport the magnetic tape
23
a
laterally by means of a tape feed belt
23
g.
Furthermore a magnetic head
24
and a tape transport roller
25
are disposed within the device
21
.
The loading operation for loading the cartridge
23
in the device
21
is done as follows: first the forward end of the cartridge
23
is manually inserted in the direction of the arrow D into the insertion slot
21
e
of the device
21
.
The forward end of the bottom plate
23
c
of the cartridge
23
hits against the locking roller
22
b
of the leaf spring
22
.
As the cartridge
23
is further pressed inwardly with a greater force from this position into the device
21
, the locking roller
22
b
is pushed downwardly by the bottom plate
12
c
of the cartridge
23
, deflecting the leaf spring
22
downwardly until the locking roller
22
b
comes into elastic contact with the underside of the bottom plate
23
c.
Then, as the cartridge
23
is pushed further into the device
21
, the roller
22
b
that has been pushed downwardly to the underside of the bottom plate
23
c
comes in the cut away portion
23
d
of the cartridge
23
, thus being moved upwardly into the cut away portion
23
d
with a great elastic force of the leaf spring
22
. Then, as shown in
FIG. 17A
, the locking roller
22
b
makes elastic contact with one end of the cut away portion
23
d
, and the one end of the cut away portion
23
d
is pressed obliquely upwardly of the direction of the arrow C by the locking roller
22
b
, moving the cartridge
23
into contact with a stopper (not illustrated) in the device
21
. The cartridge
23
is thus stopped to be loaded within the device
21
.
At this time, the pinch roller
23
f
of the cartridge
23
is pressed into contact with the tape transport roller
25
in the device
21
, so that the cartridge
23
will not further enter the device
21
.
The pinch roller
23
f
is pressed in contact with the tape transport roller
25
; in this state when the tape transport roller
25
is rotated, the pinch roller
23
f
also rotates, to thereby transport the magnetic tape
23
a
laterally via the tape feed belt
23
g
in the cartridge
23
.
With the cartridge loaded in the device
21
, the tape transport roller
25
is rotated by an instruction from an external computer not shown, thereby enabling recording a specific information in the magnetic tape
23
a
by means of the magnetic head
24
or reproducing the information from the magnetic tape
23
a.
To eject the cartridge
23
out from the device
21
, the rear end portion
23
e
of the cartridge
23
which protrudes out of the device
21
shown in
FIG. 16
is manually pulled in the direction of the arrow E, and the locking roller
22
b
goes away downwardly from the cut away portion
23
d
of the cartridge
23
, allowing the unloading of the cartridge
23
out of the device
21
.
In the above-described conventional device
21
, however, the loading and unloading of the cartridge are manually performed. Therefore, a considerable force (about 1.5 kgf to 3 kgf) is required for cartridge loading and unloading because of the presence of a great elastic force of the leaf spring
22
. It is, therefore, difficult for a physically weak person to load and remove the cartridge
23
.
If the cartridge
23
is forced recklessly into the device
21
, the front side of the cartridge hits against a stopper (not illustrated) in the device
21
, damaging both the cartridge and the stopper.
If the elastic force of the leaf spring
22
is reduced in an attempt to facilitate the loading and unloading of the cartridge
23
, the force of the leaf spring for holding the cartridge
23
when the cartridge
23
is inserted into the device
21
will decrease, resulting in slipping of the pinch roller
23
f
in pressure contact with the tape transport roller
25
, unstable feed of the magnetic tape
23
a
, and a failure of proper recording and reproducing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A magnetic recording-reproducing device, as a first means to solve the above-described problem, is comprised of a cartridge provided with an engagement portion and containing a magnetic tape therein, a first slide member having a locking portion for locking the engagement portion, a second slide member connected with the first slide member, for sliding the first slide member, and a housing for slidably holding the first and second slide members separately; the engagement portion of the cartridge being locked by the locking portion of the first slide member, and the cartridge being slid for loading and unloading by means of the first and second slide members.
As a second means for solving the above-described problem, the housing is provided with a bottom plate having a window, and the locking portion of the first slide member is slidably arranged on the window and on the bottom plate, so that when the locking portion is positioned at the window, the locking portion is moved up or down in the window during cartridge loading in, or unloading from, the first slide member to thereby engage or release the engagement portion of the cartridge by the locking portion.
As a third means for solving the above-described problem, the locking portion is placed in the engagement portion in the position of the window to lock the cartridge, and in this state the first slide member is slid to move t

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