Rca Inc.

Byron Kent Taylor

James Austin Allen

In a video disc player, a stylus arm, having a track-following stylus at one end thereof, has its other end secured to a pickup cartridge by means of a compliant member. A conductive flylead disposed in the cartridge provides an electrical connection between an electrode incorporated in the stylus and a terminal disposed in the cartridge. The pickup cartridge is removably received in an arm carriage which is translated along a path disposed radially of the disc record during playback. Reception of the cartridge on the carriage establishes an electrical contact between the cartridge terminal and signal pickup circuits in the player. The pickup circuits additionally serve to sense a stylus position representative capacitance formed between the flylead and a second electrode mounted on the cartridge adjacent thereto.

Video disc player having stylus position sensing apparatus

A system for playing back prerecorded signals from a spirally-grooved and rotatable record includes a carriage mounted for lateral motion relative to a motorboard of the system in correlation with lateral motion of a groove-riding stylus during playback. A stylus arm cartridge, enclosing a stylus arm supporting a stylus at one end thereof, is subject to reception in a compartment provided in the carriage. The second end of the stylus arm is pivoted in the cartridge. A first end of a leaf spring, provided for urging the stylus into the record groove during playback, is secured to the stylus. A second end of the leaf spring is secured to a ball which is friction loaded into a socket provided in the cartridge. Adjustment of angular orientation of the ball in the socket provides control of the stylus/record tracking pressure, and the lateral position of the stylus arm in the cartridge.

Stylus adjustment apparatus for a video disc player

In a system for playing back prerecorded signals from a spirally-grooved disc record by a groove-engaging signal pickup secured to a pickup arm when relative speed is established therebetween, a locked groove escape apparatus is provided. A transducer varies the position of the signal pickup in relation to the groove in a manner that opposes deviations of the relative speed from a predetermined speed. A carriage housing the pickup arm is mounted on the player base for movement between a playback mode and a standby mode. The carriage is driven radially inward in synchronization with rotation of the disc record during playback independent of radial motion of the signal pickup due to the spiral groove. A locked groove detector coupled to the transducer generates a locked groove recognition pulse when the signal pickup encounters a locked groove. A guide member is secured to the carriage contiguous to the free end of the pickup arm such that when the transducer drives the pickup arm in response to the locked groove recognition pulse against the guide member, a radially inward movement of the pickup arm is effected, whereby the signal pickup is relieved from the locked groove condition. In another embodiment of the present invention, a steering member is secured to the carriage adjacent the pickup arm such that the steering member and the disc record center are on the opposite sides of the pickup arm. When the signal pickup encounters a locked groove, the advancing steering member engages the pickup arm in order to effect radially inward movement thereof, thereby relieving the signal pickup from the locked groove condition.

Disc record locked groove escape apparatus

In a system for playing back prerecorded signals from a spirally grooved disc record by a groove-engaging signal pickup secured to a pickup arm when relative speed is established therebetween, a locked groove escape apparatus is provided. A transducer varies the position of the signal pickup in relation to the groove in a manner that opposes deviations of the relative speed from a predetermined speed. A carriage housing the pickup arm is mounted on the player base for movement between a playback mode and a standby mode. The carriage is driven radially inward in synchronization with rotation of the disc record during playback independent of radial motion of the signal pickup due to the spiral groove. A locked groove detector coupled to the transducer generates a locked groove recognition pulse when the signal pickup encounters a locked groove. A guide member is secured to the carriage contiguous to the free end of the pickup arm such that when the transducer drives the pickup arm in response to the locked groove recognition pulse against the guide member, a radially inward movement of the pickup arm is effected, whereby the signal pickup is relieved from the locked groove condition. In another embodiment of the present invention, a steering member is secured to the carriage adjacent the pickup arm such that the steering member and the disc record center are on the opposite sides of the pickup arm. When the signal pickup encounters a locked groove, the advancing steering member engages the pickup arm in order to effect radially inward movement thereof, thereby relieving the signal pickup from the locked groove condition.

A conductive pickup arm has a first portion and a further portion. One end of the pickup arm first portion is secured to a player supporting structure by a pickup arm support. During playback, (1) the pickup arm first portion is substantially parallel to the turntable surface of the player, and (2) an end of the further portion remote from the pickup arm supported end is disposed near the turntable surface relative to the first portion. A nonconductive signal pickup holder carrying a signal pickup is pivoted to the further portion remote end by a nonconductive signal pickup holder support in a manner that normally disposes the holder axis substantially parallel to the turntable surface. An electrode incorporated in the signal pickup is coupled via the conductive pickup arm to a signal processing circuitry of the player. During playback, the pickup arm further portion positions the signal pickup holder support as near a disc record (disposed on the turntable surface) as practicable in order to reduce the angle subtended between (a) a line joining the signal pickup tip and the signal pickup holder support, and (b) the disc record surface, while reducing the undesirable stray capacitance between the conductive pickup arm further portion and a conductive coating on the disc record.

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Byron Kent Taylor