Patent Document

This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 10-2003-0004373 filed in Korea on Jan. 22, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a loading gear supporting apparatus of video cassette recorder and particularly, to a loading gear supporting apparatus of a video cassette recorder which can easily assemble a loading gear supporting member which supports a pole base loading gear, a first loading gear, and a second loading gear to a deck. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Generally, a video cassette recorder (VCR) includes a tape deck mechanism having a tape loading device, a cassette tape loading device, a tape driving device, a brake operating device, a brake device, a driving force shielding device, and a system control unit for controlling an operation of the tape deck mechanism. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show a driving mechanism of a general VCR, in which  FIG. 1  is a plan view showing unloading and  FIG. 2  is a plan view showing loading.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a loading gear supporting member in a loading gear supporting apparatus of a conventional VCR and  FIG. 4  is a longitudinal section view of  FIG. 1 . 
   As shown, a cam gear  3  rotated by a cam gear driving motor  2  is installed on a deck (or chassis) of the VCR. 
   A rotation force of the cam gear  3  is transmitted with a straight-line power on the deck  1 , so that a main plate (or a function plate)  4  rotates the pole base loading gear  5 . 
   The pole base loading gear  5  is engaged to a first loading gear so as to rotate it again, and the first loading gear  6  is engaged to a second loading gear  7  so as to rotate it. 
   A guide roller assembly  8  loads a tape to a head drum  10  along a guide slot(or chassis rail)  9  by the rotation of the first and second loading gears  6  and  7 . 
   Three engaging holes  11 ,  12 , and  13  are formed at a predetermined position of the deck  1 , and a bolt hole  14  is formed among the engaging holes  11 ,  12 , and  13 . 
   Three bosses  21 ,  22 , and  23  for fixing (or supporting) the pole base loading gear  5  and first loading gears  6  and second loading gears  7  are formed at a predetermined position of a lower surface of a base  20   a  corresponding to a body of the loading gear supporting member  20 , and the respective bosses  21 ,  22 , and  23  are fitted to the engaging holes  11 ,  12 , and  13 . 
   A guide  24  for guiding a cassette tape to be loaded at the time of loading the cassette tape is formed at a predetermined position of an upper surface of the base  20   a , and another bolt hole  25  corresponding to the bolt hole  14  is formed at a middle position of the base  20   a.    
   According to this, the loading gear supporting member  20  is fixed to the deck  1  by engaging the bolt  26  to said two bolt holes  14  and  25 . 
   In the conventional art, the loading gear supporting member was bolt-engaged to the deck, thereby having a difficult assembly process and long assembly time. 
   Also, in the conventional art, expensive loading gear supporting member made with glass fiber was used to enhance an engaging force with the deck, which caused increase of fabrication cost. 
   Also, in the conventional art, a thick boss was used to enhance an engaging force with the deck, which caused deformation of the boss. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a loading gear supporting apparatus of a video cassette recorder which can simply press-fit the loading gear supporting member to a deck by improving structures of the deck and the loading gear supporting member when the loading gear supporting member is engaged to the deck. 
   To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a loading gear supporting apparatus of a video cassette recorder comprising: a loading gear supporting member having a cassette tape guide at an upper surface of a base so as to be inserted to an engaging hole of a deck and having three boss at a lower surface of the base for fixing (or supporting) a pole base loading gear and first and second loading gears; and a loading gear supporting member assembly means for press-fitting said each boss of the loading gear supporting member to the deck by using elasticity force of the base of the loading gear supporting member. 
   The loading gear supporting member assembly means comprises: an insertion portion elongated at a lower surface of the deck adjacent to the engaging hole; a locking groove formed at a middle portion of the insertion portion; an elasticity portion downwardly curved from the base towards an inner side of the shaft so as to be assembled at a lower portion of the deck; an insertion hole formed between the elasticity portion and the inner wall of the shaft for inserting the insertion portion of the deck; and a locking protrusion formed at a middle portion of the elasticity portion so as to be engaged to the locking groove of the insertion portion. 
   The insertion portion is cut from a part of the deck and then curved integrally. 
   An incline plane is formed at an upper surface of the locking protrusion so that the elasticity portion is elastically deformed and the locking protrusion is engaged to the locking groove when the locking protrusion of the elasticity portion is engaged to the locking groove of the insertion portion, and a stopping portion is formed at a lower surface of the locking protrusion so as to prevent the locking protrusion engaged to the locking groove from being detached. 
   The locking protrusion and the locking groove are formed at end parts of the elasticity portion and the insertion portion. 
   A plurality of the locking protrusion and the locking groove are formed at the elasticity portion and the insertion portion. 
   The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a driving mechanism of a general VCR, in which  FIG. 1  is a plan view showing unloading and  FIG. 2  is a plan view showing loading; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a loading gear supporting member in a loading gear supporting apparatus of a conventional VCR; and 
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal section view of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a loading gear supporting apparatus of a VCR according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view showing the loading gear supporting member of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view showing the loading gear supporting member of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line A–A′ of  FIG. 6 ; and 
       FIG. 9  is a longitudinal section view showing an engagement of a deck and the loading gear supporting member in  FIG. 5 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a loading gear supporting apparatus of a VCR according to the present invention,  FIG. 6  is a plan view showing the loading gear supporting member of  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 7  is a bottom view showing the loading gear supporting member of  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line A–A′ of  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 9  is a longitudinal section view showing an engagement of a deck and the loading gear supporting member in  FIG. 5 . 
   As shown, the loading gear supporting apparatus of a VCR according to the present invention is constructed to press-fit a loading gear supporting member  100  to a deck  200  by using elasticity force of the loading gear supporting member (loading assembly)  100 . An insertion portion  210  having a locking groove  211  is formed at a predetermined position of the deck  200 , and each elasticity portion  150  having a stopping portion  151  is formed in bosses  110 ,  120 , and  130  of the loading gear supporting member  100 . 
   More specifically, a cassette tape guide  140  is formed at an upper surface of a base  100   a  corresponding to a body, and three bosses  110 ,  120 , and  130  which a inner is penetrated thereof formed with predetermined intervals so as to fix (supporting) the pole base loading gear  5  and first and second loading gears  6  and  7  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   An elasticity portion  150  is downwardly curved from the base  100   a  towards an inner side of the bosses  110 ,  120 , and  130 . An insertion hole  152  is formed between the elasticity portion and the inner wall of the bosses  110 ,  120 , and  130 . Also, a locking protrusion is formed at a middle portion of the elasticity portion so as to be engaged to the locking groove  211  of the insertion portion  210 . 
   The elasticity portion  150  has to be formed with elastic material so as to press-fit the loading gear supporting member to the deck  200 , and the locking protrusion  151  has to have a specific shape so that the locking protrusion  151  fitted to the locking groove  21  can not be detached. 
   That is, an incline plane  151   a  is formed at an upper surface of the locking protrusion  151  so that the locking protrusion  151  can be smoothly engaged to the locking groove, and a stopping portion  151   b  is formed at a lower surface of the locking protrusion  151  so as to prevent the locking protrusion  151  engaged to the locking groove  211  from being detached. 
   Accordingly, if the loading gear supporting member  100  is adhered closely to the lower surface of the deck  200 , the insertion portion  210  of the deck  200  is inserted to the insertion hole  152  of the loading gear supporting member  100 . At this time, an end part of the insertion portion  210  presses the inclined plane  151   a  of the locking protrusion  151  and elastically deforms the elastic portion  150 . Then, the locking protrusion  151  is engaged to the locking groove  211  at a predetermined position with clack sound. 
   After the locking protrusion  151  is engaged to the locking groove  211 , the locking protrusion  151  is constructed not to be detached from the locking groove  211  by the stopping portion  151   b.    
   An engaging hole  220  and three holes  230  for inserting the cassette tape guide  140  are formed on the upper surface of the deck  200 , the insertion portion  210  is extendedly formed at the lower surface of the deck  200  adjacent to the holes  230 , and the locking groove  211  is formed at a middle portion of the insertion portion  210 . 
   The insertion portion  210  is formed by cutting a part of the deck  200  and then curving the cut part downwardly. Also, said three holes  230  are formed at a position where the part of the deck  200  is cut so as to form the insertion portion  210 . 
   In the conventional art, the loading gear supporting member was assembled at the upper surface of the deck, the loading gear supporting member was loaded to the engaging holes  11 ,  12 , and  13  of  FIG. 4  and then the bosses  21 ,  22 , and  23  of  FIG. 4  were inserted. 
   However, in the present invention, the loading gear supporting member  100  is assemble at the lower surface of the deck  200 , the rest hole  230  except the engaging hole  220  for inserting the cassette tape guide  140  is not used to the assembly. 
   In forming the locking groove  211  formed at the insertion portion  210  of the deck  200  and the locking protrusion  151  of the elastic portion  150  curved-formed at the end part of the base  100   a  corresponding to a body of the loading gear supporting member  100 , one locking groove  211  and one locking protrusion  151  can be formed or the locking groove and the locking protrusion more than two can be formed so as to enhance an engaged force of the loading gear supporting member  100  to the deck. 
   Also, in a formed position, the locking groove  211  and the locking protrusion  151  can be formed either end parts of the insertion portion  210  and the elastic portion  150  or middle parts of the insertion portion and the elastic portion. 
   Hereinafter, effects of the loading gear supporting apparatus of a VCR will be explained with reference to the attached drawings. 
   If the loading gear supporting member  100  is pressed-fit to the lower surface of the deck  200 , the cassette tape guide  140  is inserted to the engaging hole  220  and at the same time, the insertion portion  210  of the deck  200  is inserted to the insertion portion  152  of the loading gear supporting member  100 . 
   At this time, if the loading gear supporting member  100  is adhered more closely to the lower surface of the deck  200 , the end part of the insertion  210  of the deck  200  presses the inclined plane  151   a  of the locking protrusion  151  and at the same time elastically deforms the elastic portion  150 . 
   Then, the locking protrusion  151  is engaged to the locking groove  211  at a predetermined position with clack sound and at the same time, the elastic portion  150  comes elastically back to the original position. 
   At this time, after the locking protrusion  151  is engaged to the locking groove  211 , the locking protrusion  151  is constructed not to be detached from the locking groove  211  by the stopping portion  151   b.    
   Under a state that the base  100   a  of the loading gear supporting member  100  is adhered closely to the lower surface of the deck  200 , the insertion portion  210  is fit-inserted to the insertion hole  152  and at the same time, the locking protrusion  151  is engaged to the locking groove  211 , so that the loading gear supporting member  100  is firmly engaged to the deck  200  without shaking. 
   As aforementioned, in the present invention, when the loading gear supporting member is engaged to the deck, the loading gear supporting member is press-fitted to the deck simply by improving the deck and the loading gear supporting member, thereby facilitating the assembly and greatly reducing fabricating time. 
   Also, according to the present invention, since the loading gear supporting member can be firmly fixed to the deck without forming the boss thickly, the boss is not deformed. 
   As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3