Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Tape record
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-17
2002-08-20
Ometz, David L. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Tape record
C242S332400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06437938
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for magnetic recording and reproduction, and particularly to a loading and threading mechanism of a magnetic tape apparatus using a single reel cartridge magnetic tape as a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A single reel cartridge magnetic tape is used as one of storage media for electronic computers. The magnetic tape is secured to one reel at one end portion thereof and wound around the reel. The other end portion of the magnetic tape is provided with a leader block, and the magnetic tape is accommodated in a cartridge while the end portion having the leader block is left at the outside.
When the cartridge is inserted into the magnetic tape apparatus, the cartridge is first fed to and mounted at a predetermined position of the magnetic tape apparatus (loading operation), and then the leader block of the tip portion of the cartridge is moved through a predetermined route, whereby the magnetic tape is fitted to a reel at the magnetic tape apparatus side (machine reel) while the magnetic tape is arranged in the predetermined running route (threading operation).
As disclosed in JP-8-17111(A) or JP-9-128855(A), for example, the loading operation and the threading operation in the single reel cartridge magnetic tape apparatus have been hitherto performed by using separate mechanisms. That is, a loading mechanism for mounting the cartridge in the magnetic tape apparatus and a tape threading mechanism for feeding the tip portion of the magnetic tape of the cartridge to the reel of the magnetic tape apparatus are driven by driving force generating sources which are independent on each other.
Therefore, in the loading and threading mechanisms of the conventional cartridge magnetic tape apparatus, the number of driving force generating sources is large and thus driving circuits for the respective driving force generating sources must be separately provided. In addition, in order to make proper the connection between the operation of the loading mechanism and the operation of the threading operation, a number of sensors for detecting the operating states of the loading mechanism and the threading mechanism must be equipped to the magnetic tape apparatus, and both the mechanisms are controlled on the basis of signals from these sensors. Therefore, the control circuit is complicated, and it obstructs to miniaturize the apparatus and reduce the cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of driving force generating sources and reduce the number of operating state detecting sensors required for driving control to thereby simplify a control circuit in a mechanism for loading and threading of a cartridge magnetic tape apparatus, thereby aiming to miniaturize the apparatus and reduce the cost.
In order to attain the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a loading/threading mechanism of a single reel cartridge magnetic tape apparatus, characterized by comprising: a loading mechanism for moving a cartridge tray for accomodating a cartridge between an eject position at which the cartridge is mountable/demountable into/from the cartridge tray and a mount position at which a reel of the cartridge is engaged with cartridge reel rotating means of the magnetic tape apparatus; and a threading mechanism for moving a leader block engageable with a leader pin affixed to the tip portion of a magnetic tape accommodated in the cartridge through a predetermined route between an unload position in the neighborhood of the cartridge tray located at the mount position and a load position in a notch of the core portion of the reel of the magnetic tape apparatus to which the leader block is fitted, wherein at the unload position, the leader block can be located at a retracted position at which the leader block is retracted from the cartridge accommodated on the cartridge tray located at the mount position, and a leader pin captured position at which the leader block is engaged with the leader pin affixed to the tip portion of the magnetic tape in the cartridge accommodated in the cartridge tray, the loading mechanism and the threading mechanism being driven by using a single driving force generating source.
In an aspect of the present invention, the loading mechanism has a loader drive rotator having a loader drive cam groove, and a loader drive member which is reciprocatively movable in one direction to translate the cartridge tray between the eject position and the mount position, the loader drive member has a loader drive engaging member which is engaged with the loader drive cam groove, the threading mechanism has a threader drive rotator having a threader drive cam groove and a threader drive member for driving the leader block to move between the unload position and the load position, the threader drive member has a threader drive engaging member which is engaged with the threader drive cam groove, the loader drive rotator and the threader drive rotator are connected to each other so that a rotational driving force is transmitted therebetween, and a driving force is transmitted from the driving force generating source to one of the loader drive rotator and the threader drive rotator.
In an aspect of the present invention, the loading mechanism has a loader drive cam groove formed in a driving rotator, and a loader drive member which is reciprocatively movable in one direction to translate the cartridge tray between the eject position and the mount position, the loader drive member has a loader drive engaging member which is engaged with the loader drive cam groove, the threading mechanism has a threader drive cam groove formed in the driving rotator and a threader drive member for driving the leader block to move between the unload position and the load position, the threader drive member has a threader drive engaging member which is engaged with the threader drive cam groove, and a driving force is transmitted from the driving force generating source to the driving rotator.
In an aspect of the present invention, the threading mechanism has a retractor for moving the loader drive member under the state that the cartridge tray is disposed at the mount position, thereby shifting the leader block from the retracted position to the leader pin captured position, and the retractor has a pin which is engageable with a retractor cam secured to the loader drive member, and a groove which is engageable with a pin secured to the leader block.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a loading/threading for a single reel cartridge magnetic tape apparatus, characterized in that: a loader drive cam groove and a threader drive cam groove are formed on a rotating member;
the loader drive cam groove comprises a first groove portion extending in the circumferential direction so as to be kept away from the rotational center of the rotating member at a fixed distance, and a second groove portion which is linked to one end portion of the first groove portion and extends so that the distance from the rotational center of the rotating member is varied, the loader drive cam groove being engaged with a loader drive engaging member affixed to a loader drive member;
the loader drive member is engaged with a cartridge tray on which a cartridge is accommodated, whereby in the state that the second groove portion is engaged with the loader drive engaging member, during the rotation of the rotating member the cartridge tray is moved between an eject position at which the mount/demount of the cartridge into/from the cartridge tray are enabled and a mount position at which a reel of the cartridge is engageable with cartridge reel rotating means of the magnetic tape apparatus;
the threader drive cam groove comprises a third groove portion extending in the circumferential direction so as to be kept away from the rotational center of the rotating member at a fixed distance and a fourth groove portion which is linked to one
NEC Corporation
Ometz David L.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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