Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Carrier speed or tension control
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-14
2002-06-18
Rivera, William A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Carrier speed or tension control
C242S421800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06405956
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape deck, and more particularly, it relates to a tape deck applied to a video cassette recorder or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a tape deck for a video cassette recorder or the like is known as an apparatus for magnetically recording and/or reproducing information in and/or from a tape. For example, Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3055109 discloses such a tape deck.
FIG. 8
schematically illustrates the structure of the conventional tape deck disclosed in the aforementioned gazette. The structure of the conventional tape deck is schematically described with reference to FIG.
8
.
The conventional tape deck comprises reel holders
1
a
and
1
b
, loading posts
2
, a head cylinder
3
, a full-width erase head
4
, a voice erase head
5
, a voice control head
6
, tape guide posts
7
, a tension post
8
, a capstan
9
, a pinch roller
10
, an arm
11
, a support shaft
12
for the arm
11
and a rotating cam
13
.
A supply reel C
1
and a take-up reel C
2
of a tape cassette C are set on the reel holders
1
a
and
1
b
respectively. The loading posts
2
are movably set for drawing out a tape T from the tape cassette C and winding the same on the head cylinder
3
. The tape guide posts
7
are fixedly set. The tension post
8
is movably set for supplying tension to the loaded tape T.
The aforementioned gazette also discloses means for preventing the tape T from slacking when loading the tape T on the conventional tape deck shown in FIG.
8
.
FIG. 9
is a plain view showing principal parts of the conventional tape deck shown in
FIG. 8
in a first stage of a tape loading mode,
FIG. 10
is a plain view showing the principal parts of the conventional tape deck shown in
FIG. 8
in a second stage of the tape loading mode, and
FIG. 11
is a plain view showing the principal parts of the conventional tape deck shown in
FIG. 8
in a third stage of the tape loading mode.
The means for preventing the tape T from slacking when loading the tape T on the conventional tape deck is now described with reference to
FIGS. 8
to
11
. Referring to
FIG. 9
, a brake band
19
is wound on the reel holder
1
a
. This brake band
19
is formed by a band body
21
of a resin sheet having proper extensibility and a flexible pad
22
held inside the band body
21
.
On the left side of the reel holder
1
a
, a first support shaft
24
provided on a chassis
20
swingably supports a braking torque adjusting member
23
. The braking torque adjusting member
23
has a braking torque adjusting screw
25
. On the left side of the reel holder
1
a
, further, a second support shaft
28
provided on the chassis
20
swingably supports a tension lever
27
. The braking torque adjusting member
23
holds an end
19
a
of the brake band
19
on an eccentric portion thereof. A connector
29
mounted on an eccentric portion of the tension lever
27
holds another end
19
b
of the brake band
19
.
A spring
30
urges the tension lever
27
anticlockwise. The aforementioned tension post
8
is provided on the forward end of the tension lever
27
.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, a cam member
15
is formed by a cam plate. The rotating cam
13
shown in
FIG. 8
controls X-directional movement of the cam member
15
. The cam member
15
includes a bottom portion
16
and first and second crest portions
17
and
18
provided on both sides of the bottom portion
16
respectively. A control lever
31
is provided in correspondence to the cam member
15
. A third support shaft
33
provided on the chassis
20
swingably supports the control lever
31
. The control lever
31
is provided on one end thereof with a projecting engaging portion
34
.
A spring
35
regularly urges the control lever
31
clockwise. Thus, the engaging portion
34
of the control lever
31
regularly engages with the cam surface of the cam member
15
due to the urging force of the spring
35
. A presser
36
of a plate spring is mounted on the control lever
31
in a cantilever manner. The presser
36
is opposed to the reel holder
1
a
through the brake band
19
.
When the tape cassette C is set in the aforementioned structure, the tension lever
27
is on the position shown in
FIG. 9
for swinging the tension post
8
to a retracted position. The cam member
15
is also on the position shown in
FIG. 9
, so that the engaging portion
34
is located on the first crest portion
17
of the cam member
15
. Thus, the presser
36
provided on the control lever
31
elastically presses an intermediate portion of the brake band
19
against the reel holder
1
a
. Consequently, the reel holder
1
a
is held in a braking state (second braking state). The second braking state, rather loose but not slacking the tape T drawn out from the tape cassette C when loading the tape T, is referred to as a soft braking state.
Operations in the first to third stages of the tape loading mode are now described. In the first stage of the tape loading mode, the cam member
15
remains on the regular position. In this first stage, the loading posts
2
move along prescribed paths for drawing out the tape T from the tape cassette C and winding the same on the head cylinder
3
. During this tape loading, the tension lever
27
swings along the support shaft
28
from the position shown in
FIG. 9
, as shown by arrow a shown in FIG.
10
. Thus, the tension post
8
moves to an intermediate position between the retracted position and an operating position, as shown in FIG.
10
.
Thereafter the tape deck makes transition to the second stage of the tape loading mode. In the second stage, the cam member
15
move from the position along arrow X
1
shown in FIG.
10
. Thus, the engaging portion
34
of the control lever
31
engages with the bottom portion
16
of the cam surface, so that the control lever
31
consequently rotates clockwise. As a result, the presser
36
is retracted to cancel the aforementioned second braking state (soft braking state).
Then, the tape deck makes transition to the third stage of the tape loading mode. In the third stage, the cam member
15
further moves along arrow X
1
shown in
FIG. 10
, for locating the engaging portion
34
of the control lever
31
on the second crest portion
18
of the cam surface as shown in FIG.
11
. The height of the second crest portion
18
is smaller than that of the first crest portion
17
. When the engaging portion
34
is located on the second crest portion
18
, therefore, the presser
36
does not press the brake band
19
against the reel holder
1
a
or presses the former against the latter with small force.
On the other hand, the tension lever
27
swings anticlockwise from the intermediate position shown in
FIG. 10
along arrow b shown in FIG.
11
. Thus, the tension post
8
moves to the operating position for terminating tape loading. In this state, the tape T is wound on the head cylinder
3
as shown in
FIG. 8
, and supplied with back tension by the tension post
8
.
When the tension lever
27
moves the tension post
8
to the operating position, the other end
19
b
of the brake band
19
held by the tension lever
27
through the connector
29
is pulled along arrow c shown in FIG.
11
. Thus, the brake band
19
comes into contact with the reel holder
1
a
for holding the reel holder
1
a
in a first braking state. In the first braking state, the tape T can be prevented from slacking in a reproduction mode subsequent to the tape loading mode with braking force stronger than that in the aforementioned second braking state (soft braking state).
The aforementioned conventional tape deck, comprising the brake band
19
and the tension lever
27
for holding the first braking state, separately requires the presser
36
in order to hold the second braking state. In the conventional tape deck, therefore, the number of components as well as the manufacturing cost are disadvantageously increased.
In the conventional tape deck, further, the pressing position and the pressing force m
Funai Electric Co. Ltd.
Lackenbach & Siegel LLP
Rivera William A.
LandOfFree
Tape deck having a braking member for producing different... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Tape deck having a braking member for producing different..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tape deck having a braking member for producing different... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2949276