Releasable connection arrangement of a loading and/or ejection mechanism in a tape player

A loading and ejection mechanism in a tape player includes a link mechanism which transmits a motor power to a tape pack transport mechanism to drive same for loading or ejection of a tape cassette. The link mechanism includes at least one resilient connection member which normally maintains a power transmitting relationship of the link mechanism and a connection releasable arrangement which releases the power transmitting relationship of the link mechanism against the energy of the resilient connection member when an excessive load is applied to and locks the mechanism.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a loading and ejection mechnism in a tape player 
using a motor power to effect loading and ejection of a cassette, and more 
particularly to a releasable connection arrangement provided in a loading 
and/or ejection assembly of the mechanism. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A loading and ejection mechanism in a tape player is configured to drive a 
gear assembly and a drive plate by a motor power and responsively activate 
a cassette transport arrangement to effect loading or ejection of a 
cassette. Such a mechanism is adapted to disconnect the tape transport 
arrangement from the motor-side members after completion of a desired 
operation, by rotating an idler gear or using an intermittent gear, in 
order to prevent unnecessary movements of different members which have 
reached predetermined respective positions. 
However, when some hitch occurs in such a prior art mechanism by accident 
before completion of a loading or ejecting operation, the entire mechanism 
often falls into an immovable or inoperative condition, sometimes forcibly 
locking the motor or sometimes causing a belt to slip in a motor pulley 
assembly. This undoubtedly invites destruction of the motor, cutting of 
the belt and other damages of the mechanism. 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a loading and 
ejection mechanism in a tape player including a unique releasable 
connection arrangement which can detach a drive source motor from a tape 
pack transport assembly when any hitch or blockage occurs in the tape pack 
transport. assembly before completion of ejection or loading of a 
cassette, so as to prevent an ejection or loading arrangement from being 
entirely locked in such an occasion. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the invention, there is provided a loading and ejection 
mechanism of a tape player wherein a motor power is transmitted to and 
drives a pack transport assembly via a link mechanism including a series 
of gears and other link members so that said pack transport assembly 
responsively effects loading or ejection of a tape cassette, said link 
mechanism comprising: at least one resilient means provided in said link 
mechanism and producing a resilient force within a normally required 
amount to establish the power transmitting linkage relationship of said 
link mechanism; and at least one connection releasable means associated 
with said resilient means to release the power transmitting linkage of 
said link mechanism against the energy of said resilient means when said 
link mechanism receives a large load which makes said loading and ejecting 
mechanism locked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The invention will be better understood from the description given below, 
referring to some preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings which 
simply show structures to an extent necessary for explanation of the 
invention but do not illustrate other related but known members or 
arrangements. 
Reffering to FIG. 1 which shows an ejection arrangement in a loading and 
ejection mechanism for a tape player embodying the invention, a swing gear 
1 is connected to a motor not shown via a gear in a loading mechanism as 
will be described later. The swing gear 1 is configured to swing in 
response to a reverse rotation of a motor into engagement with an eject 
gear 2 to rotate same in a reverse direction. The eject gear 2 has a 
non-toothed portion and engages an eject plate 3 and an eject rack plate 4 
laid thereover to move them back (upward in FIG. 1). 
Above the eject plate 4 is provided an eject arm plate 5. The eject plate 4 
has at a rear end thereof a rear bent member 4a which is engageable with 
the rear end of the eject arm plate 5 to push same forward (downward in 
FIG. 1). Both plates 4 and 5 are connected by an eject spring 6 and biased 
in a direction for relative engagement between the rear ends thereof. The 
biasing force, when valid, keeps a toothed rack on the eject rack plate 4 
engaging the eject gear 2. The eject arm plate 5 and eject rack plate 4 
are configured to act on a switch operating member not shown here so that 
the eject arm plate 5 in a predetermined advance position turns on a 
switch, the eject rack plate 4 fixed at an advance position retains the 
switch on, and the eject rack plate 4 at a withdrawal position turns off 
the switch. 
An eject arm 7 for reciprocal transport of a cassette is linked to the 
eject arm plate 5. The eject arm 7 has a proximal end formed with an 
engagement hole which slidably accepts an engagement pin 5a formed on the 
eject arm plate 5. The engagement hole includes a linear portion 7a not 
causing rotation of the eject arm 7 regardless of displacement of the 
engagement pin 5a therein and includes a pivotal engagement portin 7b 
causing rotation of the eject arm 7 by movement of the engagement pin 5a 
therein. The engagement pin 5a moves along and within the linear portion 
7a of the engagement hole before the eject rack plate 4 and eject arm 
plate 5 reach together a predetermined position where the engagement pin 
5a engages the pivotal engagement portion 7b. After the pin 5a enters the 
pivotal engagement portion 7b, further withdrawal movement of the eject 
arm plate 5 causes the eject arm 7 to rotate counterclockwise and push out 
a cassette. 
The arrangement of FIG. 1 operates as follows. For a normal cassette 
ejection, the motor is rotated reversely. The swing gear 1 driven by the 
motor rotates the eject gear 2 to withdraw the eject plate 3 and eject 
rack plate 4. Withdrawal of the eject plate 3 elevates the cassette to a 
height for ejection. Withdrawal of the eject rack plate 4 causes the eject 
arm plate 5 resiliently united thereto by the spring 6 to move back 
together. In this process, the engagement pin 5a of the eject arm plate 5 
moves in the engagement hole of the eject arm 7 within the extent of the 
linerar portion 7a, and does not yet rotate the eject arm 7. 
The eject plate 3, which has moved to a position to locate the cassette at 
a fully elevated position, disengages from the eject gear 2 and stops 
there. However, the eject rack plate 4 continues withdrawal, accompanied 
by the eject arm plate 5. Therefore, the engagement pin 5a enters the 
pivotal engagement portion 7b and rotates the eject arm 7 to push out the 
cassette. When the cassette is brought to a predetermined position, the 
eject arm 7 stops. The eject arm 4 slightly retreats, expanding the spring 
6, and the power source is shut off thereby. Due to this, the motor is 
topped, and the plate 4 is also stopped. 
In the event there occurs a distrubance of a streamlined ejecting operation 
which is often caused by a quick-tempered hand-touching to a cassette, for 
example, one or more members in the tape pack transport assembly such as 
eject arm 7, eject arm plate 5, etc. are often locked or in other words 
held against movement. According to the invention arrangement, however, 
since the eject rack plate 4 retreats by a distance allowed by expansion 
of the spring 6 regardless of a possible lock of the eject arm plate 5, 
the eject gear 2 is never locked. 
Normally, the power source is shut off when the eject rack plate 4 retreats 
up to a position to remove its pressure from the switch operating member, 
In the above-referred abnormal condition, however, since the eject arm 
plate 5 is locked halfway, the switch is kept on to continuously rotate 
the eject gear 2, so that the eject rack plate 4 further retreats until 
the terminal end of the rack thereof disengages from the eject gear 2, and 
stops there. However, the energy of the spring pulls back the eject rack 
plate 4 into reengagement with the gear 2. More specifically, since 
disconnection occurs between the eject rack plate 4 and eject gear 2, the 
eject gear 2 and other members linked thereto never fall in a locked 
condition. 
FIG. 2 shows a loading arrangement associated with the ejection assembly of 
FIG. 1. 
A loading gear plate 11 carrying thereon loading gears A through D is 
pivotable about a shaft 11a and biased by a spring 12 in a direction 
(counterclockwise in FIG. 2) to bring the gear A into engagement with a 
flywheel 13. The loading gear D engages the swing gear 1 of the ejection 
assembly of FIG. 1 to transmit a driving power from the loading assembly 
to the ejection assembly. The loading gear plate 11 has a distal end 
formed with a control pin 11b which is engageable with a tapered margin 
14a of a head plate 14. When the head plate 14 advances (upward in FIG. 
2), it engages and pushes the control pin 11b against the energy of the 
spring 12 and retains the plate 11 at an angular position for locating the 
loading gear A apart from the flywheel 13. 
The arrangement of FIG. 2 operates as follows. Also referring to FIG. 1, an 
inserted cassette pushes and rotates the eject arm 7 clockwise. 
Concurrently, the eject arm plate 5 moves ahead, energizing the power 
source by activating the switch operating member. Since the head plate 14 
still takes a withdrawal position (lower position in FIG. 2) at this time, 
the gear A on the plate 11 engages the flywheel 13 due to the energy of 
the spring 12. Therefore, the motor rotation commenced by the power supply 
is transmitted to the loading gears A through D so as to displace the 
swing gear 1 of the ejection assembly into engagement with the eject gear 
2. Thereby the eject gear 2 rotates forward and brings the eject rack 
plate 4 ahead. After the eject rack plate 4 reaches a position for the 
rear bent portion 4a thereof to engage the eject arm plate 5, both plates 
4 and 5 move forward together and further rotate the eject arm 7 to pull 
the cassette inward. 
When the cassette is fully inserted, the eject plate 3 engages the eject 
gear 2 and moves ahead together with the eject rack plate 4. Thereby the 
cassette is dropped to a play position by an arrangement not shown. 
Concurrently,t he swing gear 1 is opposed to the non-toothed portion of 
the eject gear 2 and disengages therefrom. The eject gear 2 stops after a 
slight rotation effected by a rotating means (not shown) provided below 
the gear 2, thus completing the loading operation. Subsequently, the head 
plate 14 moves ahead, and the control pin 11b is then pushed by the 
tapered margin 14a. Therefore, the loading gear plate 11 is rotated 
clockwise so that the loading gear A disengages from the flywheel 13. Thus 
the loading and ejection mechanism is retained in pause. 
In the event one or more of the eject plate 3, eject rack plate 4 and other 
members fall in a locked condition because of some part of the mechanism 
capturing the cassette before completion of the loading operation, the 
loading gear plate 11 receives an increased load which is opposite to and 
larger than the energy of the spring 12, and rotates clockwise to detach 
the series of the loading gears A through D from the flywheel 13. 
Therefore, the arrangement of FIG. 2 also reliably prevents motor-side 
members from being locked and reliably prevents damages of the mechanism. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a further embodiment of the invention. The eject arm 
plate 5 and eject rack plate 4 are configured to act on a switch operating 
link 27. The eject arm plate 5, when reading a predetermined position, 
acts on the switch line 27 to actuate a switch 28 and thus energize a 
motor. The eject rack plate 4 maintains the switch 28 on while it remains 
at an advance position, and turns off the switch 28 to stop the motor when 
it withdraws. 
Before the eject arm plate 5 retracting together with the eject rack plate 
4 reaches a predetermined position, the engagement pin 5a on the plate 5 
moves in the engagement hole of the eject arm 7 within the extent of the 
linear portion 7a. After the eject arm plate 5 reaches the predetermined 
position, the engagement pin 5a enters the pivotal engagement portion 7b 
and rotates the eject arm 7 counterclockwise (in the ejecting direction) 
to push out the cassette via a pack stopper 20. 
Upon completion of an ejecting operation, the eject rack plate 4 slightly 
retracts, expanding the spring 6, and acts on the switch operating link 27 
to shut off the power source. The expanded spring 6 produces a 
counterforce to pull back the eject arm plate 5. As the result, the eject 
arm 7 is compressed in the ejecting direction and brings the pack stopper 
20 to a position ready for the next insertion of a cassette. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 operates as follows. During a play mode 
before an ejecting operation is commenced, the eject plate 3, eject rack 
plate 4 and eject arm plate 5 take advance positions, whereas the eject 
arm 7 and pack stopper 20 are retained at withdrawal positions. The switch 
28 is maintained in the on-state via the switch operating line 27 because 
the eject arm plate 5 is located in the advance position. 
When an ejecting operation is commenced from the aforegoing condition, the 
motor rotation is inverted. Responsively, the swing gear 1 and eject gear 
2 are rotated, and the eject plate 3 and eject rack plate 4 retreat. 
The eject plate 3 in withdrawal elevates the cassette to the height for 
ejection. The eject arm plate 5 resiliently connected to the eject rack 
plate 4 by the spring 6 moves together with the plate 4. During this 
movement, the engagement pin 5a on the eject arm plate 5 moves back in the 
engagement hole of the eject arm 7 within the extent of the linear portion 
7a, and does not yet rotate the eject arm 7. 
Subsequently, the eject plate 3, when reaching a position to fully elevate 
the cassette, disengages from the eject gear 2 and stops there. However, 
the eject rack plate 4 continues retraction, bringing the eject arm plate 
5 with it, so that the engagement pin 5a enters the pivotal engagement 
portion 7b of the engagement hole of the eject arm 7. Therefore, the eject 
arm 7 is rotated, pushing the pack stopper 20 forward. When the pack 
stopper 20 reaches the position for cassette acceptance, it is fixed by a 
fixing means and cannot further move ahead. Therefore, the eject arm 7 and 
eject arm plate 5 stop there. The eject rack plate 4 still depresses the 
switch operating link 27 when the eject arm plate 5 is stopped, but 
continues withdrawal until removing the depression fromthe link 27. The 
link 27, when released from the eject rack plate 4, snaps back and turns 
off the switch 28 to stop the motor rotation. This slight retraction of 
the eject rack plate 4 after the pause of the eject arm plate 5 expands 
the spring 6 and makes it produce a counterforce. The eject arm plate 5 is 
pulled back by the counter force of the spring 6, and rotates the eject 
arm 7 to bring the pack stopper 20 to the standby position for cassette 
acceptance. 
This embodiment does not use a spring specifically used in the prior art 
mechanism for retaining the pack stopper, and contributes to a reduction 
of the parts. This enables cost reduction and mounting space saving. 
Further, since elimination of one spring reduces the load to the mechanism 
by a corresponding amount, the mechanism is elongated in life and improved 
in reliability. 
It should be noted that the invention is never limited to the embodiments 
described above. The disconnecting arrangement may be provided in both or 
one of the loading and ejection arrangements. 
As described, the invention mechanism includes one or more detachable means 
for temporarily disconnecting the streamlined power transmitting 
relationship. Therefore, if any member engaged in tape transport is locked 
before completion of a loading or ejecting operation, the mechanism is 
automatically disconnected for a moment, and reliably prevents any 
motor-side member from being locked. This arrangment significantly reduces 
damages or destruction of the mechanism.