Tape loading system for automatically withdrawing a tape from a cassette and engaging the tape with a recording and/or reproducing head

Claim 2

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising, a. at least one rotating magnetic head; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member for guiding a magnetic tape on its surface said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotary magnetic head scans, as said magnetic tape moves along said tape guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotatable loop means surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means in an eccentric relationship therewith; d. means for rotating said loop means; e. pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means disposed on a first supporting member rotatably carried by a second axis means on a second supporting member mounted on a third axis means mounted on said rotatable loop means whereby said pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions and said pinch roller means engages said tape in a cassette and withdraws said tape therefrom; f. a plurality of guide pin means each mounted on a supporting plate means mounted by a pillow block on said rotatable loop means and each moving independently with respect to said rotatable loop means; g. first guide frame means for guiding said guide pin means such that said pin means guides the magnetic tape along said cylindrical guide means crossing said gap upon rotation of said loop means; and h. second guide frame means for guiding said pinch roller means such that said pinch roller draws the magnetic tape out of the cassette and moves it along said cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop means.

Claim 3

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising, a. at least one rotating magnetic head; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member for guiding a magnetic tape on its surface said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotary magnetic head scans, as said magnetic tape moves along said tape guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotatable loop means surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means in an eccentric relationship therewith; d. means for rotating said loop means; e. pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means disposed on a first supporting member rotatably carried by a second axis means on a second supporting member mounted on a third axis means mounted on said rotatable loop means whereby said pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions and said pinch roller means engages said tape in a cassette and withdraws said tape therefrom; f. a plurality of guide pin means each mounted on a supporting plate means mounted by a pillow block on said rotatable loop means and each moving independently with respect to said rotatable loop means; g. first guide frame means for guiding said guide pin means such that said pin means guides the magnetic tape along said cylindrical guide means crossing said gap upon rotation of said loop means; and h. second guide frame means for guiding said pinch roller means such that said pinch roller draws the magnetic tape out of the cassette and moves it along said cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop means.

Claim 4

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising, a. at least one rotating magnetic head; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member for guiding a magnetic tape on its surface said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotary magnetic head scans, as said magnetic tape moves along said tape guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotatable loop means surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means in an eccentric relationship therewith; d. means for rotating said loop means; e. pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means disposed on a first supporting member rotatably carried by a second axis means on a second supporting member mounted on a third axis means mounted on said rotatable loop means whereby said pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions and said pinch roller means engages said tape in a cassette and withdraws said tape therefrom; f. a plurality of guide pin means each mounted on a supporting plate means mounted by a pillow block on said rotatable loop means and each moving independently with respect to said rotatable loop means; g. first guide frame means for guiding said guide pin means such that said pin means guides the magnetic tape along said cylindrical guide means crossing said gap upon rotation of said loop means; and h. second guide frame means for guiding said pinch roller means such that said pinch roller draws the magnetic tape out of the cassette and moves it along said cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop means.

Claim 5

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotatable loop means is supported by at least three rotary members of a resilient material.

Claim 6

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pinch roller means is disposed at the opposite side of the tape in relation to said cylindrical guide means at a starting position.

Claim 7

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a. rotating magnetic head means for scanning said magnetic tape; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member, said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotating magnetic head means scans wherein a magnetic tape moves along said tape guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotating loop member surrounding said cylinderical guide means; d. means for rotating said loop member; e. a pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means fixed on a first supporting member said supporting member including guide piece means for holding a second guide frame means, the first supporting member rotatably mounted on a second axis means fixed on a second supporting member mounted on a third axis means fixed on the rotatable loop members, whereby the pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions and engages a tape and draws it from a cassette; f. a plurality of guide pin members each individually fixed on a supporting plate and independently movable with respect to each other said supporting plate being movably mounted on the loop member; g. first guide frame means disposed along inner periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said guide pin means along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is guided along the cylindrical guide means without tangling upon rotation of said loop member; h. the second guide frame means being disposed along the outer periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said pinch roller means along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is drawn out of the cassette and along the cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop member.

Claim 8

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a. rotating magnetic head means for scanning said magnetic tape; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member, said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotating magnetic head means scans wherein a magnetic tape moves along said tape guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotating loop member surrounding said cylinderical guide means; d. means for rotating said loop member; e. a pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means fixed on a first supporting member said supporting member including guide piece means for holding a second guide frame means, the first supporting member rotatably mounted on a second axis means fixed on a second supporting member mounted on a third axis means fixed on the rotatable loop members, whereby the pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions and engages a tape and draws it from a cassette; f. a plurality of guide pin members each individually fixed on a supporting plate and independently movable with respect to each other said supporting plate being movably mounted on the loop member; g. first guide frame means disposed along inner periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said guide pin means along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is guided along the cylindrical guide means without tangling upon rotation of said loop member; h. the second guide frame means being disposed along the outer periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said pinch roller means along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is drawn out of the cassette and along the cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop member.

Claim 9

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising: a. at least one rotating magnetic head means; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member, wherein said rotating magnetic head means scan the magnetic tape along said cylindrical tape guide means; c. a rotating loop member surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means eccentrically related to the center of said cylindrical tape guide means; d. means for rotating said loop member; e. a pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means fixed on a first supporting member said first supporting member having a guide piece means holding second guide frame means, the first supporting member rotatably mounted on a second axis means fixed on a second supporting member said second supporting member mounted on a third axis means fixed on the rotatable loop member, whereby the pinch roller is movable in three dimensions; f. a plurality of guide pin members each individually fixed on a supporting plate and each independently movable with respect to each other said supporting plate being movably mounted on the loop member; g. first guide frame means disposed along the inner periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said guide pin means Along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is guided along the cylindrical guide means without tangling upon the rotation of said loop member; h. second guide frame means disposed along the outer periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said pinch roller along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is drawn out of the cassette and along the cylindrical guide means upon the rotation of said loop member; and i. means for automatically pressing the pinch roller to the capstan with the tape inbetween at the end of tape loading process.

Claim 10

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising: a. at least one rotating magnetic head means; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member, wherein said rotating magnetic head means scan the magnetic tape along said cylindrical tape guide means; c. a rotating loop member surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means eccentrically related to the center of said cylindrical tape guide means; d. means for rotating said loop member; e. a pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means fixed on a first supporting member said first supporting member having a guide piece means holding second guide frame means, the first supporting member rotatably mounted on a second axis means fixed on a second supporting member said second supporting member mounted on a third axis means fixed on the rotatable loop member, whereby the pinch roller is movable in three dimensions; f. a plurality of guide pin members each individually fixed on a supporting plate and each independently movable with respect to each other said supporting plate being movably mounted on the loop member; g. first guide frame means disposed along the inner periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said guide pin means Along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is guided along the cylindrical guide means without tangling upon the rotation of said loop member; h. second guide frame means disposed along the outer periphery of the rotatable loop means for guiding said pinch roller along its guiding curve whereby the magnetic tape is drawn out of the cassette and along the cylindrical guide means upon the rotation of said loop member; and i. means for automatically pressing the pinch roller to the capstan with the tape inbetween at the end of tape loading process.

Claim 11

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising: a. at least one rotating magnetic head means; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member, said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotating magnetic head means scans, wherein a magnetic tape moves along said guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotatable loop member surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means in an eccentric relation to the axis of said cylindrical tape guide means; d. means for rotating said loop means; e. pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means fixed on a first supporting member and movable around a second axis means on a second supporting member carried by a third axis means fixed on said rotatable loop member, whereby the pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions; f. a plurality of guide pin members fixed on supporting plate means each guide pin member being independently movable with respect to each other wherein said supporting plate means are movably mounted on said rotatable loop means; g. first guide frame means disposed along the inner periphery of said rotatable loop means for guiding said guide pin means such that said guide pin means guides said magnetic tape without tangling upon rotation of said loop means; and h. second guide frame means disposed along the outer periphery of said rotatable loop means for guiding said pinch roller means such that said pinch roller means draws said magnetic tape out of said cassette and along said cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop means.

Claim 12

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising: a. at least one rotating magnetic head means; b. cylindrical tape guide means mounted on a base member, said cylindrical tape guide means having a circumferential gap along which said at least one rotating magnetic head means scans, wherein a magnetic tape moves along said guide means crossing said gap; c. a rotatable loop member surrounding said cylindrical tape guide means in an eccentric relation to the axis of said cylindrical tape guide means; d. means for rotating said loop means; e. pinch roller means rotatably mounted on a first axis means fixed on a first supporting member and movable around a second axis means on a second supporting member carried by a third axis means fixed on said rotatable loop member, whereby the pinch roller means is movable in three dimensions; f. a plurality of guide pin members fixed on supporting plate means each guide pin member being independently movable with respect to each other wherein said supporting plate means are movably mounted on said rotatable loop means; g. first guide frame means disposed along the inner periphery of said rotatable loop means for guiding said guide pin means such that said guide pin means guides said magnetic tape without tangling upon rotation of said loop means; and h. second guide frame means disposed along the outer periphery of said rotatable loop means for guiding said pinch roller means such that said pinch roller means draws said magnetic tape out of said cassette and along said cylindrical guide means upon rotation of said loop means.

Claim 13

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said rotatable loop member is disposed in an eccentric relation to the axis of said cylindrical guide means wherein said rotatable loop member is supported by at least three rotary members made of resilient material.

Claim 14

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said pinch roller means is disposed at the opposite side of the tape in relation to said cylindrical guide means at a starting position.

Claim 15

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said first supporting member includes a pair of guide pieces and a spring biasing means for engaging said second guide frame means.

Claim 16

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said supporting plate means is movably coupled to said rotatable loop means.

Claim 17

An automatic magnetic tape loading system for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said plurality of guide pin members include three individual guide pin members each member fixed on a supporting plate movably mounted on an axis which is substantially parallel to the plane of the loop member.