MEANS FOR ATTACHING MAGNETIC HEADS

Abstract: This invention relates to a means for attaching magnetic heads to a tape recorder of the type containing a plurality of tape cassettes one on top of another within a cassette com­ partment section and a plurality of magnetic heads on a slidable plate corresponding individually to these tape cassettes. A plurality of supporting means are secured on the slidable plate sequentially away from the tape cassettes and the magnetic heads are secured individually on these supporting means at the different heights of and opposite to the tape cassettes such that azimuthal adjustments of the magnetic heads can be ef­ fected independently and easily.

Description: This invention relates to a means for attaching magnetic heads to a tape recorder of the type having a capstan and a reel axis disposed coaxially and a plurality of tape cassettes one on top of another such that the magnetic heads are in face-to-face relationships with the tape cassettes. Such a recorder is known from US-A-3921 216. There have been tape recorders with a capstan and a reel axis disposed coaxially so that a plurality of tape cassettes stacked one on top of another can be played consecutively or simultaneously for the purpose of long-time playing and/or dubbing. Reference being made to Fig. 5 which shows a conventional means for attaching magnetic heads in such a tape recorder, two magnetic heads 5 and 6 are secured through attachment plates 3 and 4, respectively, to a supporting shaft 2 on a slidable plate 1 such that these magnetic heads 5 and 6 can be positioned in face-to-face relationships with tape cassette inlets 8 and 9 of a cassette compartment section 7. With a conventional attachment device of this type, however, it is not possible to adjust the heads azimuthally. JP-A-58 177 521 decribes a holder for separate adjustment of two heads in contact with a single tape. It is therefore an object of the present invention in view of the above to provide a tape recorder comprising a means for attaching magnetic heads with which the azimuthal adjustments of the individual heads can be effected easily and independently. Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereunder. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples of this invention, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. The objects of the present invention are attained by the cassette tape recorder according to claim 1. In addition to a cassette compartment section in which tape cassettes are mounted one on top of another and a plurality of magnetic heads corresponding thereto, a plurality of supporting shafts are provided with heights corresponding to those of the cassettes to secure the magnetic heads thereon. These shafts are erected sequentially along a line directed away from the cassettes and the magnetic heads are secured in such manners that their azimuthal adjustments can be effected easily and independently. The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein; Figure 1 is a side view of a section of a means according to the present invention for attaching magnetic heads, Figure 2 is a plan view of the means of Figure 1, Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a plan view and a rear elevational view of one head only of the magnetic head mounting assembly of Figures 1 and 2, and illustrate azimuthal adjustment; and Figure 5 is a side view of a section of a conventional means for attaching magnetic heads. In Figures 1 and 2 which illustrate a means according to the present invention for attaching magnetic heads, numeral 10 indicates a cassette compartment section with two cassette inlets 10a and 10b disposed one on top of the other. Numeral 11 indicates a slidable plate on which are two supporting shafts 12 and 13 of different heights corresponding to the cassette inlets 10a and 10b, respectively, the shorter shaft 13 being further from the cassette compartment section 10. Numerals 14 and 15 indicate respective attachment plates. One of them (14) has an approximately rectangular external shape and a magnetic head 16a is secured at an approximately central position thereon. Two end sections of this attachment plate 14 are fastened respectively to the upper surface of the supporting shaft 12 and to a corresponding support shaft 12' by two screw means 17a and 17b. The other attachment plate 15 is generally T-shaped and has a rectangular base part 15a and a protruding part 15b extending horizontally from the base part 15a towards the cassette compartment section 10. Another magnetic head 16b (not shown in Figure 2) is secured to the upper surface of this protruding part 15b. The attachment plate 15 is secured with two screw means 17a' and 17b' at its two ends respectively to the upper surface of the supporting shaft 13, which is lower than the top surface of the other supporting shaft 12, and to a corresponding support shaft 13'. In summary, the two magnetic heads 16a and 16b are set on the attachment plates 14 and 15 at different heights corresponding to the cassette inlets 10a and 10b. The attachment plates 14 and 15 are each provided with a cut-out part 20 and 20' at one end thereof such that the screw means 17a and 17a' at these ends may be rotated to adjust the magnetic heads 16a or 16b azimuthally with the aid of a spring means (not shown in Figure 2). This azimuthal adjustment is better illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. Magnetic head 16b, its attachment plate 15 and the supporting shafts 13 and 13' are omitted from these figures for the sake of clarity. A compression spring 100 is disposed coaxially with the shaft of the adjustment screw 17a between the upper surface of the shaft 12' and the under surface of the attachment plate 14. Rotation of the screw 17a adjusts the inclination of the plate 14 and thus of the head 16a by adjusting the height of the plate end in the direction B. The cut-out 20 allows the escape movement of the plate and relative to the screw 17a in the direction A which will occur on such azimuthal adjustment. A similar arrangement is provided for azimuthal adjustment of the magnetic head 16b. Such azimuthal adjustment varies the inclination of the head relative to the direction of tracking of the tape by the head. The slidable plate 11 advances forward when a button is pressed so as to cause the magnetic heads 16a and 16b to come into contact with the tapes in the cassette compartment section 10. With the pressing of another button, it moves backwards and separates the magnetic heads 16a and 16b from the tapes in the cassette compartment section 10. With the means for attaching the magnetic heads structured as described above, azimuthal adjustments of the magnetic heads 16a and 16b disposed separately at different heights can be effected easily and independently by rotating the screw means 17a and 17a' with a screwdriver or the like. This, consequently, has the effect of improving the tape recorder containing this means as a whole regarding both serviceability at the time of a repair and workability of its assembly. The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. For example, not only can the azimuthal adjustments of the magnetic heads be effected but also the heights of the heads can be changed by rotating the screw means with which the heads are secured. Although an embodiment with two cassettes and two magnetic heads were shown for the description of the present invention, three or more cassettes and as many magnetic heads may be included. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto. The present invention may be applied to a data recorder, a microcassette recorder, a S-DAT, or the like.

Claims: A cassette tape recorder comprising: a cassette compartment section (10) adapted to accommodate a plurality of tape cassettes in a stack; a common base plate (11) which is slidably displaceable relative to said cassette compartment section (10); a corresponding plurality of magnetic heads (16a, 16b) mounted at different respective heights relative to said common base plate (11) corresponding to the heights of the respective tape cassettes, each magnetic head being engageable with the tape of the respective said tape cassette, characterised by; a corresponding plurality of separate support means (12/12', 13/13') of different heights for individually supporting said magnetic heads and secured to said common base plate (11) at respective positions which are differently spaced away from said cassette compartment section (10); and means (17a, 17a', 100) for independently effecting azimuthal adjustment of said plurality of magnetic heads, the shorter support means (13, 13') being disposed further than the taller support means (12, 12') from the cassette compartment section (10). A cassette tape recorder according to claim 1, further characterised in that each said magnetic head is mounted on the corresponding support means by means of a respective attaching means (14, 15), attached to the support means, and in that the attaching means (15) attached to said shorter support means (13, 13') includes a protruding portion (15b) which extends through said taller support means (12, 12') so as to place the magnetic head (16b) mounted on said shorter support means (13, 13') beneath the magnetic head (16a) mounted on said taller support means (12, 12'). A cassette tape recorder according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that each said support means comprises support shafts (12, 12', 13, 13') disposed upright relative to said base plate. A cassette tape recorder according to claim 3 characterised in that the lower mounted magnetic head (16b) is disposed between taller support shafts (12, 12') constituting said taller support means. A cassette tape recorder according to any preceding claim wherein said magnetic heads (16a, 16b) are secured to said respective support means by screw means (17a, 17a'). A cassette tape recorder according to claim 5 wherein said screw means serve to effect said azimuthal adjustment of said magnetic heads.

Inventors: KATAYAMA, YOSHIO, KOIZUMI, SATORU, TESHIMA, DAISUKE
Applicants: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G11B25
IPC codes: G11B25, G11B5