Cassette player with cassette setting device

Abstract: A cassette setting device wherein first and second cassette housing sections (11, 12) in which tape cassettes (9) are housed flat are arranged in a tray (10), which is carried to a position to enable the tape cassette (9) in one of the first and second cassette housing sections (11, 12) to be set at a tape drive section (16) and which is then reversely carried to another position, while keeping the tape cassette (9) in the one cassette housing section set at the tape drive section (16), to enable the tape cassette (9) in the other to be picked up and exchanged with a new one.

Description: The present invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder (which will be hereinafter referred to as VTR) and, more particularly, to a device used to set a tape cassette at the tape drive section in the apparatus. Most of the programs have been television-broadcast for a long time these days and the number of these programs broadcast deep into the midnight has been increased particularly since the start of the satellite broadcasting. This asks for a VTR capable of recording these programs for a long time and with reliability even when the user is out of his home. In the case of the conventional VTRs, however, the time length during which the programs can be recorded has a limit because the length of the magnetic tape wound round a tape cassette is limited. when the programs television-broadcast for a long time are to be recorded from their start to end, therefore, the tape cassette must be sometimes exchanged with new ones, thereby causing some of the programs recorded on their corresponding tapes to be left unfinished. From GB-2 202 986 A there is known an automatic video tape recorder which can accommodate two tape cassettes, either of which can be selectively transported horizontally from front and rear standby positions to a central position located between the standby position. From the central position the tape cassette is movable with a holder in the vertical direction in order to load and unload the cassette to and from a record/playback position within the recorder. In this prior art recorder, however, a cassette located at the rear standby position cannot be removed from the recorder while another cassette is set at the record/playback position. Another automatic cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus for handling a plurality of cassettes is known from EP-0 389 199 A2. This apparatus is provided with a turntable housed in a magazine on which the cassettes can be placed in holders. Upon selection of a particular cassette the turntable is caused to revolve to an operating position. The cassette at the operating position is then set to a recording/playback section in that the magazine with the turntable holding the cassettes is lowered by swinging movement around a horizontal axis. In this apparatus in order to exchange any cassette it is required to lift off the cassette currently set at the recording/playback section and to remove the magazine with the turntable from the housing of the apparatus. It is the object of the present invention to provide a cassette setting device which is simple in structure and easier to be used for recording and reproducing cassettes and which is capable of exchanging cassettes in the device without the need to interrupt the recording or reproducing process. According to the invention there is provided a cassette player containing a cassette setting device, the cassette setting device having a tray for allowing a plurality of tape cassettes, each of which including a magnetic tape wound therein, to be substantially flatly loaded on the tray, the tray being freely movable between a first position where the tray is projected from a front side of a cabinet to allow said tape cassettes to be loaded on and removed from the tray, and a second position where the tray is located in the player to allow one of said cassettes loaded on the tray to be engaged with a tape drive section provided in the player; the cassette setting device comprising: a plurality of cassette receiving sections which are removably arranged side by side in the tray, for receiving said tape cassettes; and means for removing one of said cassette receiving sections in the second position, which receives one of the tape cassettes, from the tray, engaging said one of said tape cassettes, along with said one of said cassette receiving sections, with the tape drive section, and then transferring said tray to the first position, with said one of the tape cassettes kept engaged with the tape drive section, thereby to allow a tape cassette loaded on a cassette receiving section which is not engaged with the tape drive section to be removed from said cassette receiving section and to be replaced by another cassette. This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a main portion of the cassette setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 2, 3A and 3B are plan views showing a tray carrier mechanism in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing in detail a portion of a cassette lifter mechanism in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing in detail a part of that portion of the cassette lifter mechanism which is shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing in detail another part of that portion of the cassette lifter mechanism which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing how the cassette setting device in Fig. 1 is operated; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing how the cassette setting device in Fig. 1 is operated. An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a main portion of the cassette setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. First and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 are arranged side by side in cassette carrying directions in tray 10 which forms a cassette housing means. Tape cassettes 9 (see Figs. 2, 3A and 3B) are housed substantially flat in these cassette housing sections 11 and 12, respectively. The first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 can be lifted, independently of the other, from the tray 10 in directions A and B by a cassette lifter mechanism 20 which will be described later. As shown in Figs. 2, 3A and 3B, the tray 10 is carried in directions C and D by a tray carrier mechanism 13, to a first position where it is projected from the front side of cabinet 14 so as to enable the tape cassettes 9 to be set in and picked up from it (see Fig. 2) and to a second position where it is in the cabinet 14 so as to enable one of the tape cassettes 9 housed in the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 to be set at a tape drive section 16 (see Figs. 3A and 3B). The tape drive section 16 comprises well-known reel means, capstans and pinch rollers and serves to drive the tape in the tape cassette. When the tray 10 has been carried to the second position, either of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 is lowered by the cassette lifter mechanism 20 to set its tape cassette 9 at the tape drive section 16. The tape in the tape cassette 9 is then drawn and set round a round drum 161 by a tape loading mechanism (not shown), thereby becoming ready for recording reproducing. There will be described the cassette lifter mechanism 20 by which either of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 in the tray 10 is selectively lifted and lowered to set its tape cassette 9 in and out of the tape drive section 16. The tray 10 is supported between and by two side chassis 21 and 22, freely movable in the directions C and D, and pair of cam gears 23A, 23B and another pair of cam gears 24A, 24B are also freely rotatably supported by these side chassis 21 and 22, respectively, to drive either of the cassette housing sections 11 and 12 up and down. The cam gears 23A and 23B are connected to each other via a connector gear 25A while the cam gears 24A and 24B are connected to each other via a connector gear 25B. The connector gears 25A and 25B are connected to each other by a connector rod 26. The cam gears 23A, 23B and 24A, 24B can be thus rotated, associating with a drive motor (not shown). One pair of these cam gears 23A, 23B and 24A, 24B which form the cassette lifter mechanism 20 is arranged on one side chassis 21 while the other on the other side chassis 22. For the sake of making the description simpler, however, only the cam gears 23A and 23B on the side chassis 21 will be described. As shown in Fig. 6, each of the cam gears 23A and 23B is provided with a first thrust drive cam section 23A1 (or 23B1) and a second radial drive cam section 23A2 (or 23B2). One end of a releasing rod 27A (or 27B) is fitted into the first cam section 23A1 (or 23B1). As shown in Fig. 4, the releasing rod 27A (or 27B) is supported by the side chassis 21, freely movable in directions E and F, and usually urged in the direction E by a spring member 28A (or 28B). One end of-a holder lever 29A (or 29B) for the cassette housing section in the tray 10 is engaged with the other end of the releasing rod 27A (or 27B). The holder lever 29A (or 29B) is urged clockwise in Fig. 4 by a spring member 30A (or 30B) and provided with a holder 29A1 (or 29B1) at the other end thereof. This holder 29A1 (or 29B1) of the holder lever 29A (or 29B) is in opposite to its corresponding engaged part 111 (or 121), each of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 having the engaged parts 111 (or 121) at its four corners. When the releasing rods 27A and 27B are forced against the spring members 28A and 28B in the direction E by the first cam sections 23A1 and 23B1 of the cam gears 23A and 23B, therefore, the holder levers 29A and 29B are rotated anti-clockwise in Fig. 4 against the spring members 30A and 30B. The holders 29A1 and 29B1 of the holder levers 29A and 29B are thus released from the engaged parts 111 of the first cassette housing section 11 (or those 121 of the second cassette housing section 12), leaving the first cassette housing section 11 (or second one 12) releasable from the tray 10. When the releasing rods 27A and 27B are forced against the spring members 28A and 28B in the direction F by the first cam sections 23A1 and 23B1 of the cam gears 23A and 23B, the holder levers 29A and 29B are rotated clockwise in Fig. 4 by the spring members 30A and 30B. The holders 29A1 and 29B1 of the holder levers 29A and 29B are thus engaged with the engaged parts 111 of the first cassette housing section 11 (or those 121 of the second cassette housing section 12), thereby making the first cassette housing section 11 (or second one 12) seated integral in the tray 10. As shown in Fig. 5, a cassette pressing lever 31 is freely swingable arranged on each of both sides of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 in the tray 10, while being urged clockwise in Fig. 5 by a spring member 32. An engaging part 311 is formed at the front end of the cassette pressing lever 31, facing the tape cassette 9, and engaged parts 312 are formed at the base thereof. Drive cam sections 101 of the tray 10 are engaged with the engaged parts 312 of the cassette pressing lever 31. When the first cassette housing section 11 (or second one 12) is lowered as will be described later, therefore, the engaged parts 312 of the cassette pressing lever 31 are forced by the spring member 32 and the cam sections 101 to swing the cassette pressing lever 31 anti-clockwise in Fig. 4, thereby causing the engaging part 311 to hold the tape cassette 9 in the first cassette housing section 11 (or second one 12). When the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is lifted, the engaged parts 312 of the cassette pressing lever 31 are forced against the spring member 32 by the cam sections 101 to swing the cassette pressing lever 31 clockwise in Fig. 4, thereby causing the tape cassette 9 to be released from the engaging part 311 of the cassette pressing lever 31, that is, from the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12. Drive rods 33A1 and 33B1 of drive levers 33A and 33B are fitted into second cam sections 23A2 and 23B2 in the paired cam gears 23A and 23B, as shown in Fig. 6. The drive rods 33A1 and 33B1 of the drive levers 33A and 33B are loosely passed through the side chassis 21, by which their movement in the directions C and D is limited. The drive lever 33A has guides 33A2 and 33A3 between which the drive rod 33A1 is arranged (see Figs. 7 and 8). The drive lever 33B has guides 33B2 and 33B3 with the drive rod 33B1 interposed between them (see Figs. 7 and 8). The guides 33A2 and 33A3 are passed through guide slits 211 and 212 of the side chassis 21 and guided along them (guide slits for the guides 33B2 and 33B3 are not shown, for the sake of simplicity, in Fig. 5). When their drive rods 33A1 and 33B1 are driven by the second cam sections 23A2 and 23B2 of the cam gears 23A and 23B, therefore, the drive levers 33A and 33B are moved in the directions A and B with their guides 33A2, 33A3 and 33B2, 33B3 being guided along the guide slits 211 and 212 of the side chassis synchronizing with the movement of their drive rods 33A1 and 33B1. The drive levers 33A and 33B have engaging pins 33A4 and 33B4, which are arranged in opposite to lock members 34A and 34B freely swingably attached to the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12. The lock member 34A is urged clockwise by a spring member 35A and the lock member 34B anti-clockwise by a spring member 35B. One end of the lock members 34A and 34B is formed as lock releasing part 34A1 and 34B1 which are opposed to lock releasing members 36A and 36B (see Fig. 4). The lock releasing members 36A and 36B are arranged on each of both sides of the tray 10 and they are release from the lock members 34A and 34B when the drive levers 33A and 33B are moved in the direction B and the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is thus lowered as described above. Therefore, the lock releasing parts 34A1 and 34B1 of the lock members 34A and 34B are swung, as shown in Fig. 5, by the spring members 35A and 35B and engaged with the pins 33A4 and 33B4 of the drive levers 33A and 33B. The first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is thus released from the tray 10 and carried together with the drive lever 33A and 33B to the tape drive section 16. When the drive levers 33A and 33B are moved in the direction A and the first or second cassette housing sections 11 or 12 is thus raised, the lock releasing members 36A and 36B force the lock releasing parts 34A1 and 34B1 of the lock members 34A and 34B to swing against the spring members 35A and 35B, as shown in Fig. 4. The lock releasing parts 34A1 and 34B1 of the lock members 34A and 34B are thus released from the pins 33A4 and 33B4 of the drive levers 33A and 33B. The first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is released this time from the drive levers 33A and 33B. At the same time, it is seated in the tray 10 with its engaged parts 111 or 121 held by the holders 29A1 and 29B1 of the holder levers 29A and 29B. The drive levers 33C and 33D are arranged to the side chassis 22 in the same manner as in the case of the drive levers 33A and 33B. They are moved by the cam gears 24A and 24B, synchronizing with the drive levers 33A and 33B. The tray 10 is carried in the direction C by the tray carrier mechanism 13 and when it is projected from the front side of the cabinet 14 at the first position, the tape cassettes 9 are set into and picked up from the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12. It is also carried in the direction D by the tray carrier mechanism 13 and when it is at the second position, either of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 is opposed to the tape drive section 16. When it is at the second position, the tape cassette 9 in the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 can be opposed to the tape drive section 16 as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B. Using drive means of the tray carrier mechanism which includes a member for detecting the position of the tray 10, it can be selected by the user which of the tape cassettes 9 in the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 is opposed to the tape drive section 16. This may be automatically achieved. When the drive motor (not shown) is driven and the cam gears 23A, 23B (and 24A, 24B) are rotated, the releasing rods 27A and 27B are forced against the spring members 28A and 28B in the direction F by their first cam sections 23A1 and 23B1 and the holder levers 29A and 29B are thus swung against the spring members 30A and 30B to release their holders 29A1 and 29B1 from the engaged parts 111 or 121 of the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12. The cam gears 23A, 23B and 24A, 24B) urge the drive rods 33A1 and 33B1 of the drive levers 33A and 33B by their second cam sections 23A2 and 23B2 to carry the drive levers 33A and 33B in the direction B. The lock members 36A and 36B of the first cassette housing section 11 (or those of the second cassette housing section 12 are engaged this time with the pins 33A4 and 33B4 of the drive levers 33A and 33B. The first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is therefore released from the tray 10 and lowered, synchronizing with the movement of the drive levers 33A and 33B in the direction B. At the same time, the engaging part 311 of the cassette pressing lever 31 is guided by the drive cams 101 of the tray 10 and swung against the spring member 32 to hold the tape cassette 9 in the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 and set it at the tape drive section 16. When the tape cassette is thus set at the tape drive section 16, a new tape cassette 9 can be set into the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 in the tray 10. When the new tape cassette 9 is to be set, the tray carrier mechanism 13 is reversely driven to move the tray 10 to the first position where the tray 10 is projected from the front side of the cabinet 14, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The tape cassette 9 in the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 in the tray 10 is then exchanged with the new one and the tray carrier mechanism 13 is again driven to carry the tray 10 to the second position in the cabinet 14. When the tape cassette 9 which has been set at the tape drive section 16 is to be exchanged with the new one, that one of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 which has been set together with the tape cassette 9 at the tape drive section 16 is lifted and combined with the tray 10. The tray 10 is then carried by the tray carrier mechanism 13 so that the other one of them in which the new tape cassette 9 has been housed is opposed to the tape drive section 16. This cassette housing section is then released from the tray 10 and lowered by the cassette lifter mechanism 20 to set the new tape cassette 9 at the tape drive section 16. The tray enables new plural type cassettes to be successively set at the tape drive section 16 in this manner so that recording and reproducing can be continuously made for a longer time. When the tape cassette 9 which has been set at the tape drive section 16 is to be picked up from the tray 10, the drive motor (not shown) is reversely driven to rotate the cam gears 23A, 23B (and 24A, 24B) in the reverse direction, while keeping the tray 10 at the second position in the cabinet 14. The drive rods 33A1 and 33B1 of the drive levers 33A and 33B are thus raised in the direction A by the second cam sections 23A2 and 23B2 of the cam gears 23A and 23B and the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is moved in the same direction by the pins 33A4 and 33B4 of the drive levers 33A and 33B. When the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 is raised, the engaging parts 34A1 and 34B1 of the lock members 34A and 34B are struck against the lock releasing members 36A and 36B so that the lock members 34A and 34B are swung against the spring members 35A and 35B to release from the pins 33A4 and 33B4 of the drive levers 33A and 33B. The engaged parts 312 of the cassette pressing lever 31 are guided by the drive cams 101 of the tray 10 so that the lever 31 is reversely swung against the spring member 32 to release its engaging part 311 from the tape cassette 9. At the same time, the releasing rods 27A and 27B are released from their pressed state by the first cam sections 23A1 and 23B1 of the cam gears 23A and 23B and allowed to move in the direction F by a spring member 28A and 28B. As the result, the holder levers 29A and 29B are reversely swung to cause their holders 29A1 and 29B1 to be engaged with the engaged parts 111 or 121 of the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 so that the first or second cassette housing section 11 or 12 can be combined integral with the tray 10. The tray carrier mechanism 13 is then reversely driven to carry the tray 10 to the first position where the tray 10 is projected from the front-side of the cabinet 14. This enables the tape cassettes 9 to be set into and picked up from the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12. According to the above-described cassette setting device, the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 in which the tape cassettes 9 have been housed flat are freely releasably arranged in the tray 10, which is carried to a position where the tape cassette 9 housed in one of the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 can be set at the tape drive section 16. While keeping the tape cassette 9 set at the tape drive section 16, the tray 10 is reversely carried to another position where the tape cassette 9 remaining in the other of them can be picked up and exchanged with a new one. Therefore, two or more tape cassettes can be successively used to achieve a longer recording and reproducing work. In addition, the setting of the tape cassettes at the tape drive section can be made easier. Although the first and second cassette housing sections 11 and 12 in the tray 10 have been arranged side by side in the tray-carrying direction in the above-described case, they may be arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the tray-carrying direction. Although two cassette housing sections 11 and 12 have been provided in the tray 10 in the above-described case, three or more sections may be provided in it.

Claims: A cassette player containing a cassette setting device, the cassette setting device having a tray (10) for allowing a plurality of tape cassettes (9), each of which including a magnetic tape wound therein, to be substantially flatly loaded on the tray (10), the tray (10) being freely movable between a first position where the tray (10) is projected from a front side of the player (14) to allow said tape cassettes (9) to be loaded on and removed from the tray (10), and a second position where the tray (10) is located in the cabinet (14) to allow one of said cassettes (9) loaded on the tray (10) to be engaged with a tape drive section (16) provided in the player (14) ; the cassette setting device comprising: a plurality of cassette receiving sections (11,12) which are removably arranged side by side in the tray (10), for receiving said tape cassettes (9); and means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B, 27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 31, 32, 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D, 34A, 34B, 35A, 35B, 36A, 36B) for removing one of said cassette receiving sections (11, 12) in the second position, which receives one of the tape cassettes (9), from the tray (10), engaging said one of said tape cassettes (9), along with said one of said cassette receiving sections (11, 12), with the tape drive section (16), and then transferring said tray (10) to the first position, with said one of the tape cassettes (9) kept engaged with the tape drive section (16), thereby to allow a tape cassette (9) loaded on a cassette receiving section (11, 12) which is not engaged with the tape drive section to be removed from said cassette receiving section (11, 12) and to be replaced by another cassette. The player according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for transferring the tray (10) to the first position includes means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B, 27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 36A, 36B) for releasing one of the plural cassette receiving sections (11, 12) from the tray (10) when the tray (10) is transferred to the second position, and means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B, 31, 32, 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D, 34A, 34B, 35A, 35B) for lifting and lowering one of the receiving sections (11,12), which has been released from the tray (10) by the releasing means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B, 27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 36A, 36B), to set and release the tape cassette (9) in this one receiving section at the tape drive section (16). The player according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for transferring the tray (10) to the first position includes means (27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 36A, 36B) for releasing one of the plural cassette receiving sections (11,12) from the tray (10) when the tray (10) is transferred to the second position, means (31, 32 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D) for lifting and lowering one of the receiving sections (11,12) together with its tape cassette (9) to set and release this tape cassette (9) at and from the tape drive section (16), means (34A, 34B, 35A, 35B) for combining one of the receiving sections (11,12) which has been released from the tray (10) with the lifter means (31, 32, 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D), and means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B) for driving the releasing means (27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 36A, 36B), the combining means (34A, 34B, 35A, 35B), and the lifter means (31, 32, 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D) in time sequence. The player according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for transferring the tray (10) to the first position includes means (27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 36A, 36B) for freely detachably supporting the receiving sections (11, 12) in the tray (10), means (31, 32) for holding the tape cassettes (9) in the receiving sections (11, 12), means (33A, 33B, 33C, 33D) for lifting and lowering one of the receiving sections (11, 12) together with its tape cassette (9) to set and release this tape cassette (9) at and from the tape drive section (16), means (34A, 34B, 35A, 35B) for combining one of the receiving sections (11, 12) with the lifter means (33A, 33B, 33C, 33D), and means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B) including rotary cams to drive the support means (27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, 29B, 30A, 30B, 36A, 36B), the holder means (31, 32), the lifter means (33A, 33B, 33C, 33D) and the combining means (34A, 34B, 35A, 35B), said drive means serving to cause one of the receiving sections (11, 12) to be released from the tray (10), the tape cassette (9) to be held in the released one of the receiving sections (11,12), the released one of the receiving sections (11, 12) to be combined with the lifter means (33A, 33B, 33C, 33D) and the tape cassette (9) in the released receiving section to be set at the tape drive section (16) when the rotary cams are rotated in one direction, and also serving to cause the cassette tape (9) in the released receiving section to be released from the tape drive section (16), the released receiving section to be released from the lifter means (33A, 33B, 33C, 33D), the tape cassette (9) to be released from its being held in the released receiving section, and the released receiving section to be supported in the tray (10) when the rotary cams are rotated in the other direction. The player according to claim 3, characterized in that said drive means (23A, 23B, 24A, 24B) includes a rotary cam system (23A1, 23A2, 23B1, 23B2) driven by a single drive power source. The player according to one of the preceeding claims, characterized in that said plurality of receiving sections (11, 12) are arranged side by side in the direction in which the tray (10) is carried.

Inventors: EGUCHI NAOKI, EGUCHI, NAOKI, Eguchi, Naoki, c/o Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Applicants: TOSHIBA KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G11B15
IPC codes: G11B15