JPS6334151Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an adapter for a small tape cassette which is used when the small tape cassette is used in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus for standard tape cassettes.

Prior Art The present applicant has previously proposed an adapter for use in attaching a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette to a standard recording/reproducing apparatus. This adapter accommodates a small tape cassette and performs tape loading to form a tape path in the adapter that corresponds to the front tape path of a standard tape cassette. Similarly, it is attached to a recording/reproducing device.

Even when this small tape cassette adapter is attached to a recording/reproducing device, it is electrically completely independent of the device.

Problems that the invention aims to solve: For this reason, with conventional adapters, for example, it is not possible to provide information regarding the status of the adapter to the device, and in some cases tape loading within the adapter may not be completed. There is a problem in that if the adapter is attached even though it is not installed, a malfunction may occur and the adapter may be damaged.

Means for Solving the Problems Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an adapter for small tape cassettes that solves the above problems. In an adapter for a small tape cassette used in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing device for a standard tape cassette, the tape is drawn out from a small tape cassette to form a tape path substantially the same as that of the standard tape cassette. It has a structure in which an electric circuit is provided and the terminals of the electric circuit are exposed on the surface, and the terminals are in contact with the terminals of the electric circuit on the device side when the adapter is inserted into the device. It is composed of

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an example of a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus to which a small tape cassette adapter according to the present invention is attached. This magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus 1 has an insertion slot 3 for an adapter (standard tape cassette) in the front panel 2, and an insertion slot 5 for a small tape cassette in the top plate 4. A door 6 is provided in the insertion slot 5 with its back side being pivotally supported. The door 6 normally closes the insertion slot 5 (see FIG. 3), and is opened when a small tape cassette is loaded or unloaded.

Also, inside the device 1, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
Adapter (tape cassette) automatic attachment/detachment mechanism 10
is incorporated. This mechanism 10 roughly supports an adapter housing 11 with left and right vertical support plates 12 and 1.
This structure is movably provided between 3 and 3. The adapter housing 11 has left and right side plates 14 and 15.
and a lower bottom plate 1 that spans between the side plates 14 and 15.
6, the rack gears 15a on the L-shaped end surfaces of the side plates 14 and 15 (the rack gears on the side plates 14 are not shown) are driven by the pinion 18, and the guide grooves 19a and 19b of the vertical support plate 13 are driven by the pinion 18. ,1
9c and the corresponding guide grooves (not shown) of the vertical support plate 12, the adapter (cassette) insertion-ejection position A and the adapter (cassette) mounting position B are guided.
The small tape cassette storage and removal position C shown in FIG. Also,
The position C of the housing 11 is detected by the switch SW4, and the housing 11 is stopped at this position C as necessary.

Here, as shown in FIG. 9, at position c, the top cover 60 of the small tape cassette adapter 30 (FIG. 4) inserted into the housing 11 is connected to the small tape cassette insertion opening 5 of the top plate 4. It is located in a facing position. At this position C, the small tape cassette within the adapter is replaced, as will be described below.

Further, between the tops of the vertical support plates 12 and 13, a frame plate 20 with an opening on the inside is installed in a horizontal manner.

FIG. 4 shows an adapter 3 for a small tape cassette, which is an embodiment of the present invention, which is attached to the device 1 shown in FIG.
Indicates 0. This adapter 30 includes an adapter housing 3
1 and a front lid 32, it has substantially the same external dimensions as a standard tape cassette, and has a small tape cassette storage section 33 inside. FIG. 5 shows a small tape cassette 34 stored in the storage section 33. This small tape cassette 34 is a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette, and includes a cassette housing 35 that stores a magnetic tape, and is provided on the front side of the cassette housing 35 and is normally closed to protect the magnetic tape inside. It consists of a lid 36.

The adapter 30 described above is configured such that a tape loading operation within the adapter is performed by a built-in motor 37. That is, motor 3
7 rotates in the forward direction, the driving force of the motor 37 is transmitted to the gear 40 via the worm 38 and the gear train 39, and this is coupled to the arm 41 integrally formed therewith.
It rotates clockwise together with the switch switching cam 42 and the pole locking cam 43. As the arm 41 rotates, the special chain 44 is wound up, and the loading arm 45 rotates clockwise about the shaft 46 to the position shown by the two-dot chain line. This arm 4
5 is rotated by bell crank lever 47, link 4
8, the signal is transmitted to the loading arm 51 via the bell crank lever 49 and the link 50, which rotates counterclockwise about the shaft 52 to the position shown by the two-dot chain line.

The rotation of each loading arm 45, 51 causes the poles 53, 54 to pull out the magnetic tape 55 from the small tape cassette 34 stored in the storage section 33, tape loading is performed within the adapter, and a standard tape cassette is loaded. A tape path 56 corresponding to the front side tape path is formed. The pawl 53 is locked at the final position by a lock lever 57 rotated by the cam 43.

Furthermore, when the motor 37 is reversed, each of the above members operates in the opposite direction to that during tape loading, the loading arm 45 rotates counterclockwise, the loading arm 51 rotates clockwise, and the small tape cassette is rotated. A take-up reel 58 within 34 rotates in the tape winding direction. As a result, the tape 55 forming the tape path 56 is transferred to the small tape cassette 3.
The tape is unloaded after being wound and housed in the tape.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned adapter 30 has a structure in which a locking member 59 interlocking with the link 48 locks the top cover 60 covering the storage section 33, so that the top cover 60 is not opened unnecessarily when the tape is pulled out of the cassette. . Also, gear 61
incorporates a one-way clutch that transmits rotation to the tape take-up operator during tape unloading operations. Further, the adapter 30 is configured such that when the top cover 60 is open, the link 48 is locked by the lock lever 62, and displacement in the direction of arrow _X1 is restricted, so that no tape loading operation is performed.

Further, the adapter 30 includes the following switches and electric circuits related to the motor 37. These switches are connected as shown in FIG. Note that the switch provided within the adapter 30 is indicated by the symbol "A". SW
1A is a small tape cassette storage detection switch, which is pushed by a lever 63 and closed when the small tape cassette 34 is stored in the storage section 33. SW2A is a top cover closed detection switch, which is closed when the top cover 60 is closed. SW3A is a tape unloading start switch, and when the sliding knob 64 is slid in the direction of arrow _X1 to the locked position,
It is pushed and closed by a locking portion 64a integrated with the knob 64. The sliding knob 64 is a locking member (not shown).
The slide is locked in the operating position and the switch is
SW3A is also kept closed. SW4A is an auxiliary switch for switch SW3A, and is closed when loading arm 45 starts rotating counterclockwise from the tape pull-out position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Note that this auxiliary switch SW4A is connected in parallel with the above-mentioned switch SW3A, and as described later, even if it is closed after tape unloading starts and switch SW3A is opened just before tape unloading is completed, the motor drive circuit will not be activated. This is to keep the circuit closed. Specifically, it is normally closed, and when the loading arm 45 rotates to the tape drawing completion position, the arm 4
When the arm 45 is rotated counterclockwise, the locking by the arm 45 is released and the arm 45 is closed. SW5A is a tape loading/unloading completion detection switch,
The switch switching cam 42 switches as shown by the solid line in FIG. 6 when tape unloading is completed, and switches as shown by the broken line in the figure when tape loading is completed. SW6A is a tape loading completion detection switch, which is closed by the switch switching cam 42 when the tape loading operation is completed. SW7A is a power selector switch and is normally closed.
0 is inserted into the housing 11, and the protruding piece 66 (eighth) protruding from the left side wall 65 of the adapter case
) opens when pushed into the adapter housing 31 against the spring 67, disconnecting the battery 68 in the adapter 30 from the motor circuit.

Further, in the left side wall 65 and right side wall 69 of the adapter housing 31, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a plurality of terminals forming the main part of the present invention are embedded in a state exposed from the wall surface. The terminals are arranged side by side in the thickness (height) direction of the adapter housing 31, and as will be described later, when inserted into the housing 11, they come into contact with a corresponding group of contact pieces on the housing side. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the right side wall 69 is provided with a power input terminal 70, a tape unloading start input terminal 71, and a tape loading completion detection output terminal 72 in order from the top. Here, terminal 71
is for forming a circuit which is connected in parallel with the switch SW3A via the terminal 71 when the housing 11 returns to position C as will be described later (see FIG. 6). Terminal 72 is switch SW6A
When the switch SW6A is closed, a tape loading completion signal is output.

On the left side wall 65 of the adapter housing 31, there is a small tape cassette "present" signal that outputs a small tape cassette "present" signal when the interlocking switch SW1A is closed.
Signal output terminal 95 and interlocking switch SW2A
A top cover close signal output terminal 96 is provided which outputs a top cover close signal when the top cover is closed.

Further, a recess 76 for adapter identification is formed in the left side wall 65.

Further, the device 1 into which the above adapter 30 is inserted
On the inner surface of the left side plate 14 of the housing 11,
When the adapter 30 is inserted, the above terminal 9
A contact piece group 81 with which the contacts 5 and 96 come into contact is provided.
When the adapter 30 is inserted into the inner surface of the right side plate 15 of the housing 11, the above-mentioned terminal 7 is provided.
A contact piece group 82 with which the contacts 0, 71, and 72 come into contact is provided.

Next, the operation when using the above adapter 30 and the operation of the device 1 will be explained.

First, the power switch 80 of the device 1 is operated to turn on, and the empty adapter 30 containing no small tape cassette is inserted into the insertion slot 3. The adapter 30 is pushed in the direction of arrow _Y1 and inserted into the housing 11 to the position shown by the dashed line in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this state, the left and right terminals of the adapter 30 are connected to the left and right side plates 14 of the housing 11, respectively.
15, the electrical circuit in the adapter 30 and the electrical circuit in the device 1 are electrically connected, and as described below, the adapter 30 and the device 1 are mutually connected. operate in connection with.
Also, the tip of the adapter detection lever 83 on the left side plate 14 fits into the recess 76, and the detection lever 83 is inserted into the recess 76.
3 is in a position rotated counterclockwise by the torsion coil spring 84, the adapter detection switch SW1 is closed, and it is determined that the adapter 30 has been inserted into the housing 11. Furthermore, the front lid 32 of the adapter 30 pushes a pair of sliding plates 85 and 86 that are slidably provided on the left and right sides of the bottom plate 16, and this pushes against the arrows.
Y Slightly slides in _one direction, rotating arm (not shown)
rotates, and the adapter insertion detection switches SW2 and SW3 attached to the side plates 14 and 15 are closed.

When switches SW2 and SW3 are closed, the motor 87 starts and rotates forward, and this driving force is transferred to the worm 8.
8, is transmitted to the pinion 18 via the worm wheel 89, gears 90, 91, etc., and rotates clockwise. As a result, the housing 11 moves in the direction of arrow _Y1 together with the inserted adapter 30, and further moves diagonally upward, and the adapter 30 moves toward the device 1.
drawn inside. When the housing 11 reaches the position C shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the side plate 14 comes into contact with the position detection switch SW4 mounted obliquely on the support plate 12, and the switch SW4 is closed.
When the switch SW4 is closed, the rotation of the motor 87 is stopped and the housing 11 is stopped at the position C together with the adapter 30. The housing 11 remains stopped at position C until a predetermined operation is performed.

Thereafter, the operator opens the door 6 of the top plate 4 of the device 1 to the vertical position. This opens the insertion slot 5, and the top cover 60 of the adapter 30 is placed directly below it.
is located. Next, when a fingertip is inserted into the insertion opening 5 and the knob 64 of the adapter 30 is slid in the direction of the arrow _X1 , the top cover 60 is unlocked and rotated to a substantially vertical position by the torsion coil spring 77 and opened. In this state, the small tape cassette 34
is stored in the storage portion 33 of the adapter 30 through the insertion port 5.

After storing the small tape cassette 34, the top cover 60 is closed and the door 6 is closed. When the top cover 60 is closed, switch SW1A,
When SW2A is closed, the motor 37 is activated by applying power to the device 1 through the upper two contact pieces of the contact piece group 82 and the terminal 70, and the tape loading operation is performed within the adapter 30 as described above. A tape path 56 is formed. When the tape loading operation is completed, switch SW6
A is closed, and the switch SW5A is switched as shown by the broken line in FIG. When the switch SW5A is switched, the motor 37 is stopped.

Also, when switch SW6A is closed, terminal 72
Then, a tape loading completion signal is output, which is applied to the apparatus 1 side through the lower two contact pieces of the contact piece group 82, and the motor 87 is driven again. As a result, the housing 11 descends in the direction of arrow _Z2 and moves to position B, the adapter 30 is attached to the recording/reproducing apparatus 1 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the motor 87 is stopped.

When the playback button 92 is operated in this state, the magnetic tape 55 is pulled out from the adapter 30, loaded onto a predetermined tape path attached to the drum, and run for playback. When the play button 92 and the record button 93 are operated at the same time, recording is performed.

When replacing the small tape cassette 34 currently in use, the first eject button 94 is operated. By this operation, the motor 87 is reversed, and the housing 11 rises together with the adapter 30 in the direction of arrow _Z1 to reach position C, where switch SW4 is
is closed again and the motor 87 is stopped. Further, a circuit in parallel with the switch SW3A is formed via the circuit within the device 1, the two central contact pieces of the contact piece group 82, and the terminal 71, and the motor 37 is reversed.

Therefore, the adapter 30 stops at position C, and the tape unloading operation within the adapter 30 is automatically performed.

When the tape unloading operation reaches the final stage, the top cover 60 is unlocked, the top cover 60 is opened in a vertical position by the spring 77, and the door 6 is also pushed by the top cover 60 and opened automatically.

In this state, the operator inserts his hand into the insertion slot 5, takes out the small tape cassette 34 from the storage section 33, and inserts another small tape cassette into the storage section 3.
Store within 3. Next, when the top cover 60 is closed, the motor 87 rotates in the normal direction, the housing 11 moves to position B, and the adapter 30 is attached to the device 1, as in the previous case.

In this way, the small tape cassette 34 is removed from the adapter 30 and inserted into the adapter 30 through the insertion port 5 while the adapter 30 remains inside the device 1. This is extremely convenient since there is no need to take out the adapter 30 from the device 1 every time.
Furthermore, the time required from the end of recording and reproduction of the previous small-sized tape cassette until the start of recording and reproduction of the next small-sized tape cassette is shortened. That is, the interruption time of recording and reproduction can be shortened.

Further, when the small tape cassette 34 is taken out from the adapter 30 at position C, the adapter 30 is empty, and the top cover 60 is closed, a signal is output from the terminals 95 and 96, and this signal is output from the first contact piece group 81. is applied to the device 1 side through
It moves in the _Y2 direction and returns to position A, and the empty adapter 30 is automatically sent out of the device 1.

Note that when the second eject button 97 is operated, the housing 11 does not stop at position C, but moves from position B to position A, and the adapter 30 is delivered to the insertion port 3. When the housing 11 returns to position A, the motor 87 automatically stops.

When unloading the tape with the adapter 30 taken out of the apparatus 1, the sliding knob 64 is operated in the direction of arrow _X1 until it is locked. This operation will cause the switch to
When SW3A is closed, the motor 37 is started and reversed using the battery 68 as a power source, and a tape unloading operation is performed. At the final stage of tape unloading, the top cover 62 is unlocked and opened. This unlocking operation opens switch SW3A, but since switch SW4A is closed at this point, the motor 37 does not stop and the tape unloading operation continues until it is completed. When the process is completed, the switch SW5A is switched and the motor 37 is stopped.

Furthermore, in the adapter 30 described above, a small tape cassette 3 is placed inside the adapter 30 outside the device 1.
4 is attached and the top cover 60 is closed, the motor 37 is rotated by the battery 68 and tape loading is performed. In the adapter 30 in which the tape path 56 is formed, the switch SW6A is closed and a signal is output from the terminal 72. Therefore, when the adapter 30 on which the tape path 56 is formed is inserted from the insertion slot 3,
Unlike the case of the empty adapter described above, the housing 11 is not stopped at position C, but moves to position B, and the adapter 30 is attached to the device 1.

Furthermore, if the battery 68 is removed from the adapter 30, no tape loading operation will be performed even if the small tape cassette 34 is stored in the storage section 33. When the adapter 30 with only the small tape cassette 34 stored in the housing 33 is inserted into the housing 11 through the insertion opening 3, the motor 87 rotates forward and the housing 11
moves with the adapter 30 toward position C.
When the adapter 30 is inserted into the housing 11, power from the device 1 is applied to the adapter 30 through the upper two contact pieces of the second contact piece group 82 and the terminal 70, and the motor 37 is activated. A tape loading operation is then started within the adapter 30. That is, the adapter 30 moves in the direction of arrow _Y1 while the tape loading operation is performed internally.
The tape loading operation is completed by the time position C is reached, and the housing 11 moves to position B without stopping at position C, and the adapter 30 is attached to the device 1.

When a standard tape cassette is inserted, the detection lever 83 is pushed by the side surface of the tape cassette and rotates, opening the switch SW1. Therefore, unlike when the adapter 30 is inserted, the housing 11 does not stop at position C but moves to position B, and the standard tape cassette is installed in the apparatus 1. When the eject operation is performed, the housing 11 returns directly to position A and the standard tape cassette is ejected from the device.

Effects As described above, the small tape cassette adapter of the present invention has a terminal on its surface that comes into contact with the terminal of the electrical circuit of the device when it is inserted into the device. By simply inserting the adapter into the adapter, the electrical circuitry in the adapter is connected to and cooperates with the electrical circuitry on the device side, allowing for example tape loading and unloading operations from the device side. It is possible to obtain a power supply for the adapter, and it is also possible to provide information about the operating status inside the adapter to the device side, which allows the device to be configured to operate normally depending on the operating status of the adapter. It has characteristics.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a magnetic recording and/or reproducing device to which a small tape cassette adapter according to the present invention is installed, and FIGS. A plan view and a side view of the mechanism, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the small tape cassette adapter of the present invention used in the device shown in FIG. 1 with the top plate removed, and FIG.
A perspective view of an example of a small tape cassette housed in the adapter shown in the figure, FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the connection between the motor in the adapter of FIG. 4 and a plurality of detection switches, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively Perspective views of the adapter shown in Figure 4 from the right and left sides, Figures 9 and 10
The figures are a plan view and a side view of the automatic adapter attachment/detachment mechanism, respectively, showing the state when the adapter housing is in the small tape cassette storage/removal position. 1... Magnetic recording and/or reproducing device, 2... Front panel, 3... Insertion slot for adapter (standard tape cassette), 4... Top plate, 5... Insertion slot for small tape cassette, 6... Door, 10...Adapter (tape cassette) automatic attachment/detachment mechanism, 11...Adapter housing, 12, 13... Vertical support plate,
14, 15...Side plate, 15a...Rack gear, 1
6... Bottom plate, 18... Pinion, 19a, 19
b, 19c...Guidance structure, 20...Frame plate, 30...
Adapter for small tape cassette, 31...Adapter housing, 32...Front lid, 33...Small tape cassette storage section, 34...Small tape cassette, 3
5...Cassette housing, 36...Lid, 37, 87...
...Motor, 38,88...Worm, 39...Gear train, 40,61,90,91...Gear, 41...
...Arm, 42...Switch switching cam, 43...
Pole lock cam, 44...Special chain, 4
5, 51... Loading arm, 46, 52...
...Shaft, 47, 49...Bell crank lever, 4
8,50...Link, 53,54...Paul, 5
5...magnetic tape, 56...tape path, 57,
62... Lock lever, 58... Take-up reel, 5
9...Lock member, 60...Top cover, 63
... Lever, 64 ... Sliding knob, 64a ... Locking part, 65 ... Left side wall, 66 ... Projection piece, 67 ...
Spring, 68...Battery, 69...Right side wall, 70...
Power input terminal, 71... Tape unloading start input terminal, 72... Tape loading completion detection output terminal, 76... Recessed portion for adapter identification, 7
7, 84...Torsion coil spring, 80...Power switch, 81, 82...Contact piece group, 83...Adapter detection lever, 85, 86...Sliding plate, 92...
Playback button, 93...Record button, 94...First eject button, 95...Small tape cassette "present" signal output terminal, 96...Top cover close signal output terminal, 97...Second eject button, SW1A...
Small tape cassette storage detection switch, SW2A
...Top cover closed detection switch, SW3A...
...Tape unloading start switch, SW4
A... Auxiliary switch, SW5A... Tape loading/unloading completion detection switch,
SW6A...Tape loading completion detection switch, SW1...Adapter detection switch, SW2,
SW3...Adapter insertion detection switch, SW4...
...Position detection switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A tape cassette smaller than the standard tape cassette is stored, and the tape is pulled out from the stored small tape cassette to form a tape path that is substantially the same as that of the standard tape cassette to perform magnetic recording and/or playback for the standard tape cassette. An adapter for a small tape cassette used in a device has a structure in which an electric circuit is provided inside and the terminal of the electric circuit is exposed on the surface, and the terminal is exposed when the adapter is inserted into the device. An adapter for a small tape cassette, which is configured so that the tape cassette comes into contact with a terminal of an electric circuit on the device side.