Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head moving during transducing – Tape record
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-16
2004-07-13
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head moving during transducing
Tape record
C360S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06762904
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape loading apparatus used for a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a general tape loading mechanism used in a conventional magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus, a tape is pulled out from a tape cassette and wound around a rotational head cylinder. Transportation members are positioned as follows.
Transportation members having tape guide posts projecting therefrom are transferred and positioned by a plurality of links or arms, which are pivotally engaged with a pivoting shaft of each transportation member.
A tape loading mechanism of a conventional magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus will be described.
FIG. 12
is a plan view of a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus
1200
described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 11-273191. In
FIG. 12
, a tape
2
is not yet loaded.
An S (supply-side) boat
39
and a T (takeup-side) boat
40
each serve as a tape drawing member provided on a main chassis
8
. Pins
41
A and
41
B provided on the S boat
39
, and pins
41
C and
41
D provided on the T boat
40
, are in engagement with a long hole
43
of a rail
42
. The S boat
39
and the T boat
40
move along the long hole
43
. An S
2
post
44
and an S
1
post
45
are provided on the S bout
39
, and a T
1
post
46
and a T
2
post
47
are provided on the T boat
40
. As the S boat
39
and the T boat
40
move, the posts
44
,
45
,
46
and
47
act to wind the tape
2
around a rotational head cylinder
38
. Reference numeral
48
is a rail section provided on the main chassis
8
.
FIG. 13
is another plan view of the tape loading mechanism
1200
.
FIG. 13
shows a portion of the tape loading mechanism
1200
which is on the main chassis
8
.
FIG. 14
is an enlarged view of the S boat
39
and the T boat
40
. In
FIGS. 13 and 14
, a boat driving arm
73
is supported on the main chassis
8
by a shaft
74
. A driving pin
75
standing on a cam gear
66
contacts an inner cam
76
provided on the boat driving arm
73
. Thus, the boat driving arm
73
is driven by a pivoting movement of the cam gear
66
.
A gear
77
of the boat driving arm
73
is in engagement with a pinion
80
integrated with an S load gear
79
, which is supported on the main chassis
8
by a shaft
78
.
An S load arm
81
is coaxially supported with the S load gear
79
. An S load link
82
is attached to the S load arm
81
via a shaft
83
so that the S load link
52
is rotatable with respect to the S load arm
81
. The S load link
82
is also attached to the S boat
39
via a pin
41
A so that the S load link
82
is rotatable with respect to the S boat
39
.
A T load gear
84
is supported on the main chassis
8
by a shaft
85
and is engaged with the S load gear
79
. A T load arm
86
is coaxially supported with the T load gear
84
. A T load link
87
is attached to the T load arm
86
via a shaft
88
so that the T load link
87
is rotatable with respect to the T load arm
86
. The T load link
87
is also attached to the T boat
40
via a pin
41
C so that the T load link
87
is rotatable with respect to the T boat
40
.
The S load arm
81
and the S load gear
79
are usually integrated together with a twisted coil spring (not shown) and are pivoted about the shaft
78
. The S load gear
79
, when rotated clockwise while the S load arm
81
is stopped, is urged counterclockwise by the twisted coil spring. Likewise, the T load arm
86
and the T load gear
84
are usually integrated together with a twisted coil spring (not shown) and are pivoted about the shaft
85
. The T load gear
84
, when rotated counterclockwise while the T load arm
86
is stopped, is urged clockwise by the twisted coil spring.
The S load gear
79
and the T load gear
84
are driven by a pivoting movement of the boat driving arm
73
, and thus the S boat
39
and the T boat
40
move on the rail
42
(
FIG. 12
) via the S load link
82
and the T load link
87
.
FIG. 15
is a plan view of the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus
1200
when the tape
2
is loaded.
FIG. 16
shows the boat driving arm
73
when the tape
2
is loaded.
The boat driving arm
73
has been rotated at a maximum possible angle counterclockwise. The S boat
39
and the T boat
40
each have moved to a prescribed position on the main chassis
8
via the gear
77
, the S load gear
79
, and the T load gear
84
. A V-shaped edge
143
of the S boat
39
contacts a boat stopper
141
provided on the main chassis
8
, and a V-shaped edge
144
of the T boat
40
contacts a boat stopper
142
also provided on the main chassis
8
. Thus, the S boat
39
and the T boat
40
are positioned. The S load gear
79
and the S load arm
81
are integrally rotated while the S boat
39
is moving. The T load gear
84
and the T load arm
86
are integrally rotated while the T boat
40
is moving. The S link
82
and the S load arm
81
are structured so that the S boat
39
reaches a prescribed position in a certain mode, and the T link
87
and the T load arm
86
are structured so that the T boat
40
reaches a prescribed position in the mode. The boat driving arm
73
rotates the S load gear
79
clockwise and rotates the T load gear
84
counterclockwise, both beyond the prescribed positions. Therefore, a rotation phase difference is generated between the S load gear
79
and the S load arm
81
and between the T load gear
84
and the T load arm
86
. Therefore, the S boat
39
is put into pressure-contact with the boat stopper
141
by a reaction force of a twisted coil spring (not shown), and the T boat
40
is put into pressure-contact with the boat stopper
142
by a reaction force of a twisted coil spring (not shown).
The above-described conventional tape loading system
1200
has the following problems.
(1) Two arms and two shafts are required in order to convey the driving force from the S load gear
79
to the S boat
39
, and two arms and two shafts are required in order to convey the driving force from the T load gear
84
to the T boat
40
. Eight components in total are required, which prevents reduction in the number of components.
(2) The S load arm
81
and the T load arm
86
each pivot across a large area during the loading and unloading operations. This makes it difficult to reduce the size of the tape loading system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus for loading a tape from a first state, in which the tape is mounted on a chassis, to a second state, in which a tape running path is formed as a result of a tape guide element pulling out and winding the tape at a prescribed position, the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus is provided, magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a tape guide element guiding member for guiding the tape guide element; a bendable chain-like driving member having a first end and a second end, the chain-like driving member being connected to the tape guide element guiding member at the first end, and the second end of the chain-like driving member being pulled or pushed so as to produce a reciprocating movement of the tape guide element guiding member; and a chain guiding member for guiding the chain-like driving member. The chain-like driving member includes a plurality of flexures for facilitating a bending movement of the chain-like driving member. The chain-like driving member causes a reciprocating movement of the tape guide element while being bent during a loading operation for transferring from the first state into the second state and an unloading operation for transferring from the second state into the first state.
In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of flexures include flexures in a width direction and flexures in a thickness direction.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus further includes a motor rotatable forward and rearward; a rotational member connected to the motor; a chain engagem
Hirabayashi Koichiro
Konishi Akio
Saito Yoshiyuki
Klimowicz William
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Renner , Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
LandOfFree
Magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3238128