A CLEANING CASSETTE FOR USE IN A CASSETTE TAPE RECORDER

Abstract: In a cleaning cassette for cassette tape recorders a reversible drive arrangement is provided for a cleaning member (6) intended to clean the recording/reproducing head of the tape recorder. A holder (7) for the cleaning member (6) is pivotally connected in one end with a spring-biased pivot arm (14) the opposite end of which engages a cam device (9) which in the operative position of the cassette is engaged by one coil shaft of the tape recorder, whereas in its opposite end the holder (7) engages a pivot arm (17) which is not connected with the holder (7) and is influenced in the operative position by a second cam device (10) engaged by the other coil shaft against the springbias acting on the former pivot arm (14). Independent of the orientation of the cassette when positioned in a tape recorder, a reliable cleaning function is obtained without establishing any drive connection from the driven to the non-driven coil shaft of the tape recorder.

Description: A Cleaning Cassette for use in a Cassette Tape Recorder. The present invention relates to a cleaning cassette for use in a cassette tape recorder for the cleaning of the recording/reproducing head thereof, comprising a cassette casing, in which a spring-biased pivot arm is pivotally journalled and is influenced in the operative position of the cassette in a tape recorder by a cam device engaging one coil drive shaft of the tape record¬ er, said pivot arm being connected with a holder for a cleaning member adapted to engage the recording/repro- ducing head in said operative position, said holder be¬ ing journalled for linear reciprocating movement in said cassette casing parallel to a longitudinal side thereof to cause said cleaning member to perform a cleaning movement relative to the recording/reproducing head by the pivotal movement of the pivot arm caused by rotation of said cam device. From DE-A-1,937,152 and US-A-3,955,214 and 4,149,206 cleaning cassettes of this kind are known, in which the drive means for the movable cleaning member, i.e. the pivot arm and the cam device, are brought into engage¬ ment with-one of the coil shafts of the tape recorder introduced into the cassette casing in the operative po¬ sition of the cassette. In non-reversing cassette tape recorders, in which only the shaft for the winding coil of a usual tape cassette is in drive connection with the motor of the tape recorder, the cleaning function with such cassettes can only be obtained by correct ori¬ entation of the cleaning cassette when in position in the cassette chamber of the tape recorder. For tape re- σorders having an automatic stop function erroneous po¬ sitioning will cause stopping of the tape recorder and/ or ejection of the cleaning cassette to the discomfort and irritation of the user. From DK-A-4683/81 a cleaning cassette is known, in which this operational disadvantage is remedied by a * * f OMPI ~ double drive arrangement for the cleaning member in the form of a gear drive with two gears journalled in the cassette to enter into drive connection with respective ones of the coil shafts of the tape recorder in the ope- rative position and an intermediate gear engaging both of said gears and being connected with an eccentric cam device acting on the pivot arm for the cleaning member. ' Thereby, the operation is facilitated so that a correct cleaning function is obtained independent of the orientation of the cleaning cassette, when it is posi¬ tioned in the tape recorder, this being obtained, how¬ ever, at the expense of a more complicated and expensive construction which, moreover, as a result of the drive connection established through the gear drive has the disadvantage that the motor of the tape recorder shall operate through the driven shaft for the winding coil not only the drive arrangement in the cleaning cassette but also the shaft of the tape recorder for the feed or unwinding coil and the transmission members connected " therewith. In case of excessive friction in the gear drive or the cleaning movement this may cause stopping of the tape recorder. It is the object of the invention to remedy the operational disadvantages of non-reversing cleaning cas- settes with a simpler and cheaper construction with which no drive connection from the driven to the non- driven coil shaft of the tape recorder is established in use of the cleaning cassette. . Xn order to achieve this a cleaning cassette accord- ing to the invention is characterized in that the holder for the cleaning member is pivotally connected with said pivot arm in one end, whereas in the other end it engages a further pivot arm which in said operative position is influencable by a second cam device engaging the other coil shaft of the tape recorder to perform a pivotal movement by rotation of said cam device, whereby the holder is caused to move against the spring-bias acting OMPI on the first pivot arm. The invention will be further explained by means of an embodiment of a cleaning cassette according to the invention shown on the drawing. The cleaning cassette has a cassette casing 1 of the same shape and proportions as a usual tape cassette. In one longitudinal side 2 of the casing 1, openings 3, 4 and 5 are provided in a usual manner through which the recording/reproducing head, the capstan and the pinch roller of the tape recorder is brought into engagement with cleaning members in the cassette. The cleaning member for the recording/reproducing head comprises a cleaning body 6, such as a felt body, arranged in a holder 7 which is journalled in the cas- sette casing 1 to be able to perform a reciprocating cleaning movement parallel to the longitudinal side 2. To this end, the holder 7 may have a front plate 8 with protruding longitudinal edges engaging guide tracks in the major side walls of the cassette casing. In usual manner the cassette casing 1 is provided with openings for introduction of each of the coil shafts of the tape recorder. In the embodiment shown, cam devi¬ ces 9 and 10, respectively, are arranged concentrically in a respective one of said openings, each of said cam devices having a circular cross section and three pro¬ truding cams 11. For engagement with the coil shafts, each cam device has an internal bore with ribs 12. One end' of the front plate 8 of the holder 7 is pivotally connected with one end of a pivot arm 14 jour- nailed pivotally on a pivot pin 13, the opposite end of said pivot arm 14 being biased towards engagement with the cam device 9 by a spring 15. The opposite end of the front plate 8 of the holder 7 forms an abutment for one end of a second pivot arm 17 journalled pivotally on a pivot pin 16. The opposite end of the pivot arm 17 engages the cam device 10. OMPI ^ The parts of pivot arms 14 and 17 engaging cam de¬ vices 9 and 10, respectively, are shaped and positioned in such a manner relative to the cam devices 9 and 10 that the spring-bias keeping pivot arm 14 into engagement with the cam device 9 will press the front plate 8 into engagement with the end of pivot arm 17 and will thereby in the position shown keep the latter into engagement with the cam device 10. If the cassette is positioned in operative position in the cassette chamber of a tape recorder with the cam device 9 engaging the driven shaft, the rotation of the cam device 9 in the direction shown by an arrow 18 will act on pivot arm 14 against the bias from spring 15 each time the pivot arm 14 is passed by one of the cams 11. Thereby, in the embodiment shown, in which the pivot arm 17 engages the front plate 8 without being connected therewith, the holder 7 will perform a linear movement to the right without being followed by the pivot arm 17, and after the passage of pivot arm 14 it will return to the illustrated rest position as a result of the spring bias. Even if the pivot arm 17 was connected with the front plate 8 and, thus, influenced to pivotal movement by the reciprocating movement of the holder 7, such a movement would not result in any rotary movement of the cam device 10. If the cassette is positioned inversely in the tape recorder with the cam device 10 into engagement with driven shaft of the tape recorder, the rotation of the cam device 10 in the direction shown by an arrow 19 will in a corresponding manner act on the pivot arm 17 at each passage of one of the cams 11 and, thereby, the pivot arm 17 will move the holder 7 to the right, where¬ by the pivot arm 14 is influenced against the spring bias. After passage of the cam 11 in question, the cam device 10 will be returned to the illustrated rest posi¬ tion as a result of the return movement caused by the spring bias through the pivot arm 14 and the holder 7. OMPI However, reciprocating movement of pivot arm will not result in any movement of the cam device or the shaft of the tape recorder in engagement therewith, which in this case is the non-driven shaft. Thus, independent of the orientation of the cassette a reliable cleaning function is obtained without any drive connection being established through the cassette from the driven to the non-driven coil shaft of the tape recorder. In the embodiment shown, pivot arms 14 and 17 engage separate, non-eccentric cam devices 9 and 10 positioned in the cassette and having protruding cams 11. However, eccentric cam devices of the kind known from the patent specifications mentioned hereinbefore may also be used. In some types of tape recorders, the coil shafts them¬ selves may even operate as cam devices, so that the se¬ parate cam devices 9 and 10 may be dispensed with. For the cleaning of the pinch roller and capstan of the tape recorder, the cleaning cassette may, in a manner known per se, have separate cleaning elements 20 which may have the form, for example, of a felt body bent into U-shape and inserted in a holder 21 which is retractable from the cassette to enable replacement of this cleaning element which under use is subjected to a rather heavy contamination.

Claims: P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. A cleaning cassette for use in a; cassette tape re¬ corder for the cleaning of the recording/reproducing head thereof, comprising a cassette casing (1) in which a spring-biased pivot arm (14) is pivotally journalled and is influenced in the operative position of the cas¬ sette in a tape recorder by a cam device (9) engaging one coil drive shaft of the tape recorder, said pivot arm (140 being connected with a holder (7) for a cleao- ing member (6) adapted to engage the recording/reproduc- ing head in said operative position, said holder (7) being journalled- for linear reciprocating movement in said cassette casing (1) parallel to a longitudinal side (2) thereof to cause said cleaning member (6) to perform a cleaning movement relative to the recording/reproduc- ing head by the pivotal movement of the pivot arm (14) caused by rotation of said cam device (9) , characterized in that the holder (7) for the cleaning member (6) is pivotally connected with said pivot arm (14) in one end, whereas in the other end it engages a further pivot arm (17) which in said operative position is influencable by a second cam device (10) engaging the other coil shaft of the tape recorder to perform a pivotal movement by rota¬ tion of said second cam device (10) , whereby the holder (7) is caused to move against the spring-bias acting on the first pivot arm (14) . 2. A cleaning cassette as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of said cam devices (9, 10) is of circular cross section and is concentric in said operative position with- a respective one of the coil drive shafts introduced in said cassette casing (l),each of said cam devices (9, 10) being provided with a number of cams (11) on the surface engaging the respective pivot arm (14, 17) . 3. A cleaning cassette as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said cam devices are constituted by the coil drive shafts introduced in the cassette casing (1) in said operative position.

Inventors: MOESGAARD ANDERS, MOESGAARD, ANDERS
Applicants: AM KEMI AS, AM KEMI A/S
Application year: 1984
Main classification: G11B5
IPC codes: G11B23