COMBINATION OF A MAGNETIC-TAPE-CASSETTE APPARATUS, COMPRISING A LOADING DEVICE AND A MAGNETIC-TAPE-CASSETTE, AND MAGNETIC-TAPE-CASETTE APPARATUS FOR SUCH A COMBINATION

Abstract: In a combination of a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus (13) and a magnetic-tape cassette a loading device (15) comprises a bottom section (16) which supports the magnetic-tape cassette and which is movable between a first outside the apparatus and a second position inside the apparatus. The magnetic-tape cassette is of the type comprising a housing (1) having a U-shaped slide (7) arranged on the outside of the housing (1) so as to be slidable along a bottom wall (2) of the housing with a main portion (7a) and along two facing side walls (4, 5) of the housing (1) with two side portions (7b, 7c). The side portions (7b, 7c) extend from the main portion (7a) to approximately half the height of the side walls (4, 5). In a closed position the rear edge of the slide (7), which edge faces a rear wall (9) of the housing (1), is spaced from the front edges of the raised portions (2a) of the bottom wall (2) and of the side walls (4, 5), so that in the closed position a slot (10) is formed in the housing (1) between the front edges of said raised portions (2a) and the rear edge of the slide (7), which slot extends over the entire width of the bottom and to substantially half the height of the side walls (4, 5). The slot (10) is situated at a shorter distance from the rear wall (9) than from a front wall (6) of the housing (1). The loading device (15) comprises two positioning elements (29), each situated near one side (16a, 16b) of the bottom section (16), which positioning elements at least in the first position of the loading device (15) project upwardly from the bottom section (16) to engage in the part of the slot (10) in the cassette housing (1) which is situated between a side portion (7b, 7c) of the slide (7) and the adjoining raised portions of the side walls (4, 5) of the housing.

Description: The invention relates to a combination of a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus comprising a loading device, and a magnetic-tape cassette, which loading device comprises a bottom section which is adapted to receive the cassette and which is movable between a first position substantially outside the apparatus housing and a second position substantially inside said apparatus housing, which cassette is of the type comprising a housing having a U-shaped slide arranged on the outside of the housing so as to be slidable along the bottom wall of the housing with a main portion and along two facing side walls of the housing with two side portions, which side portions extend from the main portion to substantially half the height of the adjacent side wall, the rear edge of the slide, which edge faces a rear wall of the housing, being spaced from the front edges of raised portions of the bottom wall and of the side walls in a closed position of the slide, so that in the closed position of the slide a slot is formed in the housing between the front edges of the raised portions and the rear edge of the slide, which slot in its longitudinal direction extends parallel to the rear wall over the entire width of the bottom and to substantially half the height of the side walls, and is situated at a shorter distance from the rear wall than from a front wall of the housing. A combination of this type is known from EP-A-204.585 and utilizes magnetic-tape cassettes intended for recording and/or reproducing digitally encoded signals, in particular audio signals, on/from a magnetic tape. In such a compact magnetic-tape cassette the U-shaped slide has an important function, specifically aimed at effectively closing the housing against the penetration of contaminants. Owing to its construction and other properties this magnetic-tape cassette with the magnetic tape contained therein is suitable for use as an information carrier for signals whose characteristics are comparable in quality to those recorded on optically readable audio discs of the Compact Disc type. The compact construction renders this magnetic-tape cassette suitable for use in magnetic-tape equipment in which the cassette can be placed conveniently and rapidly on the bottom section of the loading device of the apparatus, after which it is brought into an operating position inside the apparatus housing by means of the loading device. The compact construction and the fully closed housing make it difficult for the user of the known combination to ascertain in which position the cassette is to be placed on the bottom section of the loading device. When an incorrectly positioned cassette is brought into the apparatus housing, this may give rise to malfunctioning, defects and loss of time. This is likely to occur in particular under poor lighting conditions when an apparatus is to be loaded blindly, such as in cars, in the case of illegible or incorrectly labelled cassettes, and in the case of visually handicapped users. It is an object of the invention to make a provisions in such a combination of an apparatus having a loading device and a magnetic-tape cassette having a slide which facilitate the insertion of the cassette into the loading device in an unambiguously defined position. To this end the invention is characterized in that the loading device comprises two positioning elements, each arranged near one side of the bottom section of the loading device, which positioning elements at least in the first position of the loading device project upwardly from the bottom section to engage in that part of the slot in the cassette housing which is situated between a side portion of the slide and the adjoining raised portions of the side walls of the cassette housing and thereby unambiguously define the position of the cassette relative to the loading device. The presence of the positioning elements on the bottom section of the loading device ensures that after it has been placed on the bottom section the cassette is situated in the correct position only when said parts of the slot near the cassette side walls are engaged by the positioning elements, so that the cassette only lies flat on the bottom section in this position. Since the side walls of the magnetic-tape cassette of said type have no local interruption above the side portions of the slide, so that the upper wall of the cassette housing is uninterrupted near the side walls, the upper wall of the cassette will abut against the positioning elements when the cassette is inserted into the loading device with its upper wall facing the bottom section, so that the cassette will be situated obliquely on the bottom section, which is easy to observe. This enables the user to take the cassette "blindly" and insert it into the loading device without paying special attention. The unambiguous positioning inside the loading device ensures that in the correct position the upper side of the magnetic-tape cassette is always remote from the bottom section. In practice this upper side of the cassette is the only side which can be provided with a label describing the contents of the cassette. The unambiguous positioning thus ensures that the label always faces upwards in the loading device, so that the label can always be read in the open first position of the loading device. The arrangement of the positioning elements near the side walls of the cassette housing has the further advantage that the larger part of the surface area of the bottom section of the loading device can be adapted specifically to its loading function. It is to be noted that from the publication JP-A-61-182660 a combination of a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus and a cassette is known, which the apparatus is provided with a plurality of fixed positioning elements arranged on the bottom section of the loading device for correctly positioning the cassette, which elements comprise two ridges which extend in the width direction of the bottom section and a photo-detector situated near the rear of the bottom section. Such an arrangement of positioning elements means that an important part of the surface area of the bottom section of the loading device is provided with projections, which may impair the loading function of the loading device, the cassette being moved to a sensing device of the magnetic tape apparatus. The cassette used in this known combination is not provided with a slide and does not have slot parts adjacent the side walls; the positioning elements used therein are therefore not capable of effectively detecting the presence of a cassette of the specified type near the side walls. Also in this respect another embodiment of a combination in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the positioning elements comprise two projections situated near facing sides of the bottom section of the loading device, which sides extend parallel to the direction of movement of the loading device. Arranging the two projections near said sides of the bottom section has the advantage that during insertion into the loading device the cassette can readily move over the projections, allowing the loading device to move inwards immediately after this. A further preferred embodiment of a combination in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the loading device comprises detection means which in the first position of the loading device detect the presence of the cassette housing only if the projections engage in the slot of the cassette housing. Such detection means make it possible to ascertain whether the cassette has been inserted correctly and, for example, in the event of incorrect insertion may disable the drive of the loading device or may generate a signal to indicate incorrect insertion. In this respect another preferred embodiment is characterized in that the detection means comprise a switching element situated in the area between the projections and projecting from the bottom section to a level below the free ends of the projections. The use of such a switching element ensures that a part of the apparatus is rendered operative only when the cassette has been inserted correctly. This may be for example the drive of the loading device. Another preferred embodiment of a combination in accordance with the invention is characterized in that each projection is arranged to be movable relative to the bottom section, the projection being disengaged from the slot in the cassette housing during the movement of the loading device from its first position to its second position. Thus, the slot is cleared during the loading movement, allowing the slide to be opened without being obstructed by projections. In this respect a further preferred embodiment is characterized in that each projection is arranged on a movable carrier, which carrier is connected to the loading device and is moved for the displacement of the projection during the movement of the loading device, the loading device forming part of a loading mechanism of the apparatus, which mechanism does not move the slide towards the rear wall of the cassette housing into an open position until the projection has become disengaged from the slot. This has the advantage that the loading mechanism does not actuate the slide until disengagement of the projections. Preferably, the slide is opened during the loading movement once the slot is cleared after the side has been unlatched. The invention further relates to a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus which forms part of such a combination and which for this purpose comprises a loading device having a bottom section and having two positioning elements for the magnetic-tape cassette, which elements project upwardly over some distance from the bottom section at least in a first position of the loading device. An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective plan view of a magnetic-tape cassette forming part of the combination in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective underneath view of the magnetic-tape cassette shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combination in accordance with the invention, the magnetic-tape cassette being shown at a distance above the loading device for a better understanding of the invention. Fig. 4 shows the combination in a sectional view taken on the lines IV-IV in Fig. 3. The magnetic-tape cassette shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a housing 1 having a bottom wall 2 and an upper wall 3. Further it comprises two facing side walls 4 and 5, which for about one half form part of the same housing section to which the upper wall 3 belongs and for the remainder form part of the same cassette-housing section to which the bottom wall 2 belongs. The separation between these housing sections is situated at substantially half the distance between the bottom wall 2 and the upper wall 3. At the front the housing 1 is closed by a pivotable front cover 6, which shields a magnetic tape, not shown, inside the housing against the penetration of dirt and against touching. Near the side walls 4 and 5 the front cover 6 comprises side flanges 6a and 6b by means of which the cover is pivotally connected to the housing. The front cover 6 is latched in the closed position by means of a U-shaped slide 7, which outside the housing adjoins the bottom wall 2 with a main portion 7a and which is guided along the two facing side walls 4 and 5 with two side portions 7b and 7c respectively. The front cover 6 is latched in that the side flanges 6a and 6b engage against edges at the ends of the side portions 7b and 7c respectively. In its turn the slide 7 is latched by means of latching projections 8 arranged in the housing. For a further description of the operation of the latching projections 8 and other parts of the cassette reference is made to EP-A-0,162,487 (herewith incorporated by reference). The side portions 7b and 7c extend from the main portion 7a up to substantially half the distance between the bottom wall 2 and the upper wall 3. Thus, in the closed position of the slide, as is shown in Fig. 2, a slot 10 is formed between a raised portion 2a of the bottom wall 2 and the rear edge of the slide which faces the rear wall 9 of the housing, the longitudinal direction of said slot extending substantially parallel to the rear wall 9 and being situated at a substantially shorter distance from the rear wall 9 than from the front cover 6. The slot 10 extends across the full width of the bottom wall 2 and continues in the side walls 4 and 5 up to substantially half the height of the side walls. It is to be noted that the remaining parts of the side walls 4 and 5, as is shown in Fig. 1, are not interrupted at the side of the upper wall 3, so that the upper wall 3 has an uninterrupted shape at least at the rear part of the cassette housing. The slide 7 also serves for closing the winding-spindle openings 11 in the bottom wall 2. In the non-illustrated open position of the slide 7 openings 12 in the main portion 7a of the slide are in register with the openings 11 through which winding spindles 14 can be inserted into the cassette to drive the magnetic tape reels after the cassette has been loaded into a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus 13, shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In the closed position the slide 7 closes the winding-spindle openings 11 to prevent the penetration of contaminants. Further, in a manner not shown, the slide 7 indirectly exerts pressure on braking means which block the tape reels to prevent the tape from being unwound. Figs. 3 and 4 show the magnetic-tape cassette of Figs. 1 and 2 in combination with the magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus 13. This apparatus 13 comprises a loading device 15 which in the present embodiment is constructed as a drawer and comprises a bottom section 16 and a front section 17. The loading device 15 is guided to be slidable into the apparatus housing 19 through an opening 20a in a front panel 20 in a direction parallel to the double arrow 18, the device thus being moved from the first position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to a second position, not shown, inside the apparatus housing 19. This movement is controlled by drive means not shown, a control key 21 being arranged on the front panel 20 to start the inward and outward movements. In the closed position, not shown, the front section 17 is flush with the front panel 20. The loading device 15 forms part of a loading mechanism 22 of the apparatus 13, which mechanism also comprises a transfer means 23 situated inside the apparatus housing 19. After the insertion during the inward movement of the loading device 15 this transfer means produces a sliding movement of the cassette over the bottom section 16. During this movement, in a manner not shown, the cassette is moved over ridges on the bottom section 16, which ridges actuate the latching projections 8 to unlatch the slide 7. During the sliding movement of the cassette after unlatching the slide 7 is retained in a manner not shown, the slide being set to an open position and the front cover and said braking means being released. In a manner not shown the loading device 15 is constructed in such a way that the bottom section 16 becomes disengaged from the front section 17 during operation of the loading mechanism 22. This enables the bottom section 16 to move further inwards with the cassette. This movement is also performed under the influence of the movement of the transfer means 23, the transfer means 23 being guided over guide rods 24 arranged on a frame plate 37. After the transfer means has reached its rearmost position inside the apparatus housing 19 the bottom section 16 is moved downwards, in a manner not shown, in a direction parallel to a double arrow 25 towards a deck plate 26 which supports the tape deck of the apparatus, which tape deck comprises the winding spindles 14 and a drum-shaped scanning means 27. During the downward movement the winding spindles can pass through openings 16c in the bottom section 16 to be coupled to the tape reels inside the cassette. The deck plate 26 also carries centring pins 28, which centre the cassette, in a manner not shown, after the cassette has been lowered and which cooperate with openings, not shown, in the cassette housing 1. During the downward movement the front cover 6 is opened in a manner not shown, and after the cassette has been lowered the magnetic tape is withdrawn from the cassette over a part of its length and is wrapped around the scanning means 27. For a more comprehensive description of the operation of the loading mechanism 22 and other parts of the apparatus 13 reference is made to European Patent Application EP-A 204,585 (herewith incorporated by reference). In the bottom section 16 of the loading device 15 two positioning elements 29 are provided, which project over some distance from the upper side of the bottom section 16 in the first position of the loading device 15. The positioning elements are constructed as projections 29 and have such dimensions that once a cassette has been inserted, as is shown in Fig. 4, they engage in that part of the slot 10 which is situated between a side portion 7b and 7c respectively of the slide 7 and the adjoining raised portion of one of the side walls 4 and 5 of the cassette housing. The projections 29 extend substantially perpendicularly to the bottom section 16 and suitably fit at least substantially in the lateral portion of the slot 10. The projections 29 are each situated near one of the side 16a and 16b of the bottom section, which sides extend parallel to the double arrow 18. Each projection 29 is arranged on a carrier 30 which is movable relative to the bottom section 16 and for this purpose is connected to the bottom section so as to be pivotable about a spindle 34. Preferably, the carrier 30 is constructed as a plastics product and is integral with a spring 32 which tends to pivot the carrier 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow 33. In the first position of the loading device 15 this pivotal movement in inhibited in that a curved portion 30a of the carrier 30 engages against an edge of the opening 20a in the front panel 20. Thus, in the situation shown the carrier 30 is stabilised in the upper position, the projection 29 projecting upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom section 16. As the loading device 15 moves inwards, the portion 30a becomes disengaged from the edge of the opening 20a, allowing the spring 32 to pivot the carrier 30 and hence the projection 29 in the direction indicated by the arrow 33, so that the projection 29 is moved out of the slot 10. During the inward movement of the loading device 15 this results in the slot 10 being cleared automatically, enabling the sliding plate 7 to be slid freely towards the rear wall 9 after unlatching. During the outward movement the projection 29 again engages in the slot by abutment of the portion 30a against the edge of the opening 20a, so that the projection 29 is again in an operating position. The bottom section 16 further carries a switch 35 comprising a detection means for detecting the absence of the cassette, which means comprises a switching element 36. In the position shown in Fig. 4 the switching element 36 is pressed downwards by the weight of the cassette when the cassette is place on the bottom section 16. Therefore, the switch 35 is constructed as a microswitch, which requires only a small actuating pressure. It is important that in the absence of a cassette the switching element 16 projects from the upper surface of the bottom section 16 over a distance b which is smaller than the distance a over which the projection 29 projects from the bottom section 16 (Fig. 4). Thus, a cassette can actuate the switching element 36 only after the projections 29 have travelled a suitable distance in the slot 10. However, if a cassette is placed incorrectly on a bottom section 16, i.e. in a position in which the front cover 6 is not situated with the side flanges 6a and 6b and with its main portion situated in or adjacent the opening 20a as shown in Fig. 4, the projections 29 cannot engage in the slot 10 and the cassette remains in an oblique position in the loading device 15. This means that the switching element 36 is then not actuated. As a result of this, the switch 35 now supplies a command to the control circuit of the drive means for the loading device 15, so that actuation of the control key 21 cannot lead to an inward movement of the loading device. If desired, an indicator for mis-insertion of the cassette may be provided on the front panel 20. Thus, the positioning elements 29 ensure that the user can rapidly detect that the cassette has been inserted in an incorrect position, the detection means 36 inhibiting operation of the loading mechanism 22 in the case of an incorrectly inserted cassette. This ensures than an incorrectly inserted cassette cannot give rise to malfunctioning or defects. An incorrectly inserted cassette is situated obliquely on the bottom section 16, which is easy to observe. The cassette lies flat on the bottom section 16 only when inserted in the correct position, which is defined unambiguously by the positioning elements 29. Thus, the positioning elements 29 make it possible to ascertain "blindly" whether the cassette has been inserted correctly. It is to be noted that the construction in accordance with the invention, where the loading device 15 of the apparatus 13 cooperates with the cassette by means of the positioning elements 29 engaging in the slot 10, can also be used advantageously in a loading device which moves the cassette into the apparatus housing 19 in a manner other than shown. One alternative is to utilize a cassette receptacle with a vertically disposed bottom section 16, which receptacle can be pivoted out of a position parallel to the front panel 20 in order to insert the cassette. Another possibility is the use of a loading device 15 in which the cassette is inserted from the top of the apparatus housing 19 and the bottom section 16 performs a downward movement. Thus, the invention can be used advantageously in all cassette loading means comprising a bottom section 16 on which the cassette is placed and which is subsequently moved into the apparatus housing 19 for the purpose of loading. It is to be noted that it is possible to move the projections 29 out of the slot 10 in a manner other than shown during the inward movement of the bottom section 16. For example, the projections 29 may be moved towards the sides 16a and 16b of the bottom section 16 instead of downwards. Instead of the mechanical detection by means of the switching element 36 it is also possible to detect the presence of the cassette housing 1 photo-electrically. Alternatively, the drive means for the loading device 15 may be actuated directly by the switching element 36, so that immediately after the correct insertion of the cassette the loading device 15 is moved inwards without a control key being actuated.

Claims: A combination of a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus (13), comprising a loading device (15), and a magnetic-tape cassette, which loading device (15) comprises a bottom section (16) which is adapted to receive the cassette and which is movable between a first position substantially outside the apparatus housing (19) and a second position substantially inside said apparatus housing, which cassette is of the type comprising a housing (1) having a U-shaped slide (7) arranged on the outside of the housing (1) so as to be slidable along the bottom wall (2) of the housing with a main portion (7a) and along two facing side walls (4, 5) of the housing (1) with two side portions (7b, 7c), which side portions (7b, 7c) extend from the main portion (7a) to substantially half the height of the adjacent side wall (4, 5), the rear edge of the slide (7), which edge faces a rear wall (9) of the housing (1), being spaced from the front edges of raised portions (2a) of the bottom wall (2) and of the side walls (4, 5) in a closed position of the slide, so that in the closed position of the slide (7) a slot (10) is formed in the housing (1) between the front edges of the raised portions (2a) and the rear edge of the slide (7), which slot in its longitudinal direction extends parallel to the rear wall (9) over the entire width of the bottom (2) to substantially half the height of the side walls (4, 5), and is situated at a shorter distance from the rear wall (9) than from a front wall of the housing (1), characterized in that the loading device (15) comprises two positioning elements (29), each arranged near one side (16a, 16b) of the bottom section (16) of the loading device (15), which positioning elements (29) at least in the first position of the loading device (15) project upwardly from the bottom section (16) to engage in that part of the slot (10) in the cassette housing (1) which is situated between a side portion (7b, 7c) of the slide (7) and the adjoining raised portions of the side walls (4, 5) of the cassette housing (1) and thereby unambiguously define the position of the cassette relative to the loading device (15). A combination as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the positioning elements comprise two projections (29), situated near facing sides (16a, 16b) of the bottom section (16) of the loading device (15), which sides extend parallel to the direction of movement (18) of the loading device (15). A combination as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that the loading device (15) comprises a detection means (36) which in the first position of the loading device (15) detect the presence of the cassette housing (1) only if the projections (29) engage in the slot (10) of the cassette housing (1). A combination as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that the detection means comprise a switching element situated in the area between the projections (29) and projecting from the bottom section (16) to a level below the free ends of the projections (29). A combination as claimed in any one of the Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each projection (29) is arranged to be movable relative to the bottom section (16), the projection (29) being disengaged from the slot (10) in the cassette housing (1) during the movement of the loading device (15) from its first to its second position. A combination as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that each projection (29) is arranged on a movable carrier (30), which carrier (30) is connected to the loading device (15) and is moved for the displacement of the projection (29) during the movement of the loading device (15), the loading device (15) forming part of the loading mechanism (22) of the apparatus (13), which mechanism does not move the slide (7) towards the rear wall (9) of the cassette housing (1) into an open position until the projection (29) has become disengaged from the slot (10). A magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus which forms part of the combination as claimed in Claim 1 and which comprises a loading device (15) having a bottom section (16) and having two positioning elements (29) for the magnetic-tape cassette, which elements project upwardly over some distance from the bottom section (16) at least in a first position of the loading device (15).

Inventors: DUURLAND, JOZEF MARIA
Applicants: POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL HOLDING B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G11B15
IPC codes: G11B15, G11B33