DEVICE FOR EXCHANGING TAPE-REEL SPEED

Abstract: A device for exchanging tape-reel speed adapted to a tape recorder or player which includes a driving tape disc (1) for setting a tape reel thereon, a driven tape disc (2) for setting a tape feeding reel thereon, and means for alternately supplying a torque power from a drive motor to either one of the tape discs, the supplying means having two gears (4, 5) attached to the driven and driving tape discs, a selecting gear (6) alternately intermeshed to either one of the gears, a shift member (7) for engaging the selecting gear with either one of the gears, and a torque power transmission gear (8) generally intermeshing to the selecting gear, includes a torque flexible transmission device adapted to control the torque power between the torque power transmission gear and drive motor by means of a driven gear (9), a driving member (10) and a friction member (11) rotatably disposed between the driven and driving members, a direct-transmitting gear (14) disengageably intermeshed to both of the driven and driving members, means for shifting the direct-transmitting gear so as to be carried access or far to a position for intermeshing to the driven and driving members, and means for releasing the direct-transmitting member from the intermeshing position as the electro-magnetic solenoid device (15) is disenergized.

Description: DESCRIPTION 1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION Device for exchanging tape-reel speed 2. THE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for exchanging tape- reel speed adapted to a tape recorder such as a video tape recorder, a video tape player, Digital Audio Tape recorder and camera recorder for home or business use as well as a combination recorder with a television, and other visual or audio devices having a tape recorder or player. The prior recorder or player with a tape winding system had generally included means for controlling tape-speed in a prescribed constant line speed according to various amounts of a record tape wound to a tape reel and additionally included means for fast-forwarding and rewinding modes. For the purpose of such uses, a system driving the tape-reel had been provided with a torque flexible transmission device as mentioned hereinafter. The torque flexible transmission device had included a friction member disposed between the power transmission route from a drive motor to a tape setting disc for winding the record tape to the reel set thereon, so that the friction member could be slided to a driven member attached to the tape setting disc or to a driving member attached to the side of the drive motor under the constant line speed of the tape for recording or replaying mode, and means for directly intermeshing the driven and driving members in each other under the fast-forwarding or rewinding mode by a suitable gear train so as to remove the sliding between the tape setting disc and drive motor. Nevertheless, the intermeshing means had unavoidably included a complicated construction in order to connect or release the gear train with or from the driven and driving members, the means further including an exclusive motor or an electro-magnetic ■ solenoid device. 3. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention provides a device for exchanging tape-reel speed according to the operating mode selected in a tape recorder or player wherein the intermeshing means can be constituted in a simple construction and operated in a reliable condition. A second object of this invention provides a device for exchanging tape-reel speed including means for guiding a gear to be directly intermeshed to both a driven member for rotating a tape setting disc and a driving member adapted to the side of a drive motor, through the driving and driven members being slidably intermeshed in each other through a friction member. 4. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a device for exchanging tape-reel speed adapted to a tape recorder or player which includes a driving tape disc for setting a tape reel thereon, a driven tape disc for setting a tape feeding reel thereon, and means for alternately supplying a torque power from a drive motor to either one of the tape discs, the supplying means having two gears attached to the driven and driving tape discs, a shift gear alternately intermeshed to either one of the gears, a shift member for engaging the selecting gear with either one of the gears, and a torque power transmission gear generally intermeshing to the shift gear, characterized by comprising a gear adapted as a driven member coaxially connected to the torque power transmission gear, a gear adapted as a driving member coaxially rotated to the driven member, a friction member rotatably disposed between the driven and driving members, means for pressing the driving member through the friction member against the driven member, a direct-transmitting gear disengageably intermeshed to both of the driven and driving members, means with an electro¬ magnetic solenoid device for shifting the direct-transmitting gear so as to be carried access or far to a position for intermeshing to the driven and driving members, and means for releasing the direct-transmitting member from the intermeshing position as the electro-magnetic solenoid device is disenergized. Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings. 5. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.l is a vertical front side view of a device for exchanging tape-reel speed according to an embodiment of this invention; FIG.2 is a plan view of the exchanging device mentioned above; and FIGS.3 and 4 are plan views of the exchanging device in parts for explanation of the system operation. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A device of this invention is adapted for exchanging tape-reel speed according to one operating mode selected from recording, replaying, fast-forwarding and rewinding operations in a tape recorder or player as well as a combination thereof. The exchanging device includes a driving tape disc 1 for setting a tape reel Tl thereon, a driven tape disc 2 for setting a tape feeding reel T2 thereon, and means (as mentioned hereinafter) for alternately supplying a torque power from a drive motor (not shown in the drawings) to either one of the tape discs 1 and 2, the supplying means having two gears 4 and 5 coaxially attached to the driven and driving tape discs 1 and 2, a counter gear 5A intermeshed to the latter gear 5, a shift gear 6 alternately intermeshed to either one of the gears 4 and 5A, a shift member 7 for engaging the shift gear 6 with either one of the gears 4 and 5A, and a torque power transmission gear 8 generally intermeshing to the shift gear 6. In this embodiment, the shift member 7 is rotatably supported to a vertical shaft 7A fixedly disposed to a base frame ( not shown in the drawings ) so as to be positioned coaxial to the axis of the torque transmission gear 8, thereby to cause the shift gear 6 to be alternately intermeshed to either one of the gears 4 and 5A as the shift member 7 is swung around the shaft 7A by driving means (not shown in the drawings) to be shifted toward the left and right sides as shown in Fig.l. The exchanging device of this invention is particularly provided with a torque flexible transmission device comprising a driven gear 9 coaxially connected to the torque power transmission gear 8, a driving gear 10 coaxially rotatable to the driven gear 9, a friction member 11 rotatably disposed between the driven and driving gears 9 and 10, and means (not shown in the drawings) for pressing the driving gear 10 through the friction member 11 against the driven gear 9 for transmitting torque power applied from the drive motor to either one of the tape discs 1 and 2 via the gear train including the gears 4, 5, 5A, 6 and 8. In this embodiment, the torque flexible transmission device further includes a driven pulley 12 coaxially secured to the driving gear 10 and adapted to transmit the torque power from a driving pulley (not shown in the drawings) via an endless belt 13 with a V-shaped cross section, the driving pulley depending to the drive motor. In this embodiment, the power transmitting system under friction instead of the pressing means mentioned above, may be provided with an assembly in which the friction member 11 is previously biased between the driven and driving gears 9 and 10 so as to transmit a prescribed constant torque, thereby to maintain the constant line speed of the record tape. Furthermore, the exchanging device includes a direct- transmitting gear 14 which is disengageably intermeshed to both of the driven and driving gears 9 and 10, and means (as detailed hereinafter) with an electro-magnetic solenoid device 15 for shifting the direct-transmitting gear 14 so as to be carried access or far to a position for intermeshing to the driven and driving gears 9 and 10, and means (as detailed hereinafter) for releasing the direct-transmitting gear 14 from the intermeshing position as the electro-magnetic solenoid device 15 is disenergized. In this embodiment, the shifting means applied to the direct- transmission includes an L-shaped lever 16 having a pivot shaft 16A vertically disposed to the chassis (the base frame) so that the lever 16 can be turned around its shaft 16A, and a coiled tension spring member 17 which is provided with its one end attached to the lever 16 and its other end attached to the chassis, the lever having its one end rotatably supporting the gear 14 by means of a pivot shaft 16B and its other end to which is attached a ferrite piece 18 capable of being magnetically attached to an ar ateur 15A adapted to the solenoid device 15. The releasing means mentioned above in this embodiment includes a guide member 19 coaxially and rotatably supported with the shaft of the driven pulley 12 and having its free end with a V-shaped guide 19A adapted to receive the gear 14 with a radial bearing member journal 20, and the releasing means further includes a friction member 22 put between the pulley 12 and guide member 19 with it being pressed in a thrust direction. In this embodiment, reference number 21 is a stopper pin disposed to the chassis to limit the motion of the swinging lever 16. Accordingly, the solenoid device 15 is energized when the disc 1 is driven for fast-forwarding mode as shown in Fig.3 (or the disc 2 is driven for rewinding mode), whereby the lever 16 is turned in a clockwise direction on the drawing so as to bring the gear 14 access to the gears 9 and 10 along the V-shaped guide 19A with its intermeshing thereto against the spring bias of the tension spring member 17. Under this condition, the torque power supplied from the drive motor via the belt pulley means is directly transmitted to the tape disc 1 ( or the tape disc 2 ) without the line speed control for a record tape being regulated by the pressing means through the friction member 11. While the solenoid device 15 is disenergized when the disc 1 is driven for recording or playing mode as shown in Fig.4, whereby the lever 16 is returned in a counterclockwise direction on the drawing so as to push the gear 14 far to the gears 9 and 10 along the V-shaped guide 19A due to the torque applied to the guide member 19 via the friction member 22. In this case, the torque power to the guide member 19 should be sufficiently maintained to over the spring bias of the spring member 17, but also released when the solenoid device 15 is energized so as to absorb the ferrite piece 18 and to add the turning power applied to the lever 16 together with the spring bias. For maintaining such condition, the pressing means adapted to the friction member 22 should be controlled or adjusted under the sufficient consideration as well as an angle between the v-shape of the guide 19A.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed adapted to a tape recorder or player which includes a driving tape disc for setting a tape reel thereon, a driven tape disc for setting a tape feeding reel thereon, and means for alternately supplying a torque power from a drive motor to either one of the tape discs, the supplying means having two gears attached to the driven and driving tape discs and one counter gear, a selecting gear alternately intermeshed to either one of the gears, a shift member for engaging the shift gear with either one of the gears, and a torque power transmission gear generally intermeshing to the shift gear, characterized by comprising a gear adapted as a driven member coaxially connected to the torque power transmission gear, a gear adapted as a driving member coaxially rotatable with the driven member, a friction member rotatably disposed between the driven and driving gears, means for pressing the driving gear through the friction member against the driven gear, a direct-transmitting gear disengageably intermeshed to both of the driven and driving gears, means with an electro-magnetic solenoid device for shifting the direct-transmitting gear so as to be carried access or far to a position for intermeshing to the driven and driving gears, and means for releasing the direct-transmitting gear from the intermeshing position as the electro-magnetic solenoid device is disenergized. 2) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed claimed in claim 1 in which the shifting means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a lever having a pivot vertically disposed to the chassis so that the lever can be turned around its pivot, and a bias spring member which is provided with its one end attached to the lever and its other end attached to the chassis, the lever having its one end rotatably supporting the direct-transmitting gear and its other end associated to the armateur of the solenoid device. 3) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed claimed in claim 1 in which the releasing means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a guide member coaxially and rotatably supported to the axis of the driving gear and having its free end with a v-shaped guide adapted to receive a radial bearing member journal to the direct-transmitting gear, and means for applying the return bias through the guide member to the gear when the recorder or player is driven in the recording or playing mode. 4) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed claimed in claim 1 in which the shifting means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a lever having a pivot vertically disposed to the chassis so that the lever can be turned around its pivot, and a bias spring member which is provided with its one end attached to the lever and its other end attached to the chassis, the lever having its one end rotatably supporting the direct-transmitting gear and its Other end associated to the armateur of the solenoid device, and the releasing means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a guide member coaxially and rotatably supported to the axis of the driving member and having its free end with a V-shaped guide adapted to receive a radial bearing member journal to the direct- transmitting gear, and means for applying the return bias through the guide member to the gear when the recorder or player is driven in the recording or playing mode. 5) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed claimed in claim 1 in which a driven pulley is secured to the driving member so as to be adapted as the part of transmission device to transmit the torque power from the drive motor to the disc. 6) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed claimed in claim 1 in which the releasing means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a guide member coaxially and rotatably supported to the shaft of the driven pulley and having its free end with a V-shaped guide adapted to receive a radial bearing member journal to the direct-transmitting gear, and a friction member put between the pulley and guide member with it being pressed in a thrust direction so that the direct-transmitting gear is pushed far to the driven and driving gears with its radial bearing carried out along the V-shaped guide due to the torque applied to the guide member via the friction member when the recorder or player is driven in the recording or playing mode. 7) A device for exchanging tape-reel speed claimed in claim 1 in which the shifting means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a lever having a pivot vertically disposed to the chassis so that the lever can be turned around its pivot, and a bias spring member which is provided with its one end attached to the lever and its other end attached to the chassis, the lever having its one end rotatably supporting the direct-transmitting gear and its other end associated to the access of the solenoid device, and the releasing means for the direct-transmitting gear includes a guide member coaxially and rotatably supported to the shaft of the driven pulley and having its free end with a V-shaped guide adapted to receive a radial bearing member journal to the direct- transmitting gear, and a friction member put between the pulley and guide member with it being pressed in a thrust direction so that the direct-transmitting gear is pushed far to the driven and driving gears with its radial bearing member journal carried out along the V-shaped guide due to the torgue applied to the guide member via the friction member when the recorder or player is driven in the recording or playing mode.

Inventors: SAWAI KUNIO, SAWAI, KUNIO
Applicants: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO, FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G11B15
IPC codes: G11B15