Sony Corporation

Hideaki Noguchi

Nobuhiro Tsurumaki

Toru Yumine

Keiji Tadokoro

Junichi Saiki

Noriyuki Yamazaki

Takao Mokutani

Koichi Aikawa

Wataru Nonaka

Osamu Shimizu

Keiji Sato

Shunji Yamaguchi

Akira Iseki

A conveying blockfor conveying recording mediums between slotsand a drive blockis provided with a recording medium delivery blockfor delivering the recording mediums to and from the slotsor the drive blockan extendable and retractable rail portion for moving the recording medium delivery block to a desired slot, and a control blockfor controlling extension and retraction operation of the rail portionThe control blockdetermines whether the slotsare provided in an expansion area provided in an extending direction of the rail portionand when the slotsare provided in the expansion area, the rail portionis extended so that the recording medium delivery blockis moved to the desired slot in the expansion area. The recording mediums are efficiently stored for changer operation.

Recording medium changer and control method

A cable processing apparatus includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and a cable. The first pulley is configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The second pulley is configured to rotate about the rotational axis together with the first pulley. The cable includes a fixation region to be fixed to the first pulley and the second pulley. The first pulley is configured to rotate about the rotational axis, to thereby perform one of winding of the cable from the fixation region to one end portion and unwinding of the wound cable. The cable includes a predetermined-length portion from the fixation region to the other end portion, which is wound around the second pulley. The second pulley is configured to rotate about the rotational axis together with the first pulley, to thereby perform one of rewinding and tightening of the wound predetermined-length portion of the cable.

Cable processing apparatus and recording medium changer

A recording medium changer includes a storage block that is movable in a longitudinal direction, a drive block that processes data recorded on a recording medium, a conveying block that is movable in a vertical direction and conveys the recording medium for mounting onto the drive block or for storage into the storage block, and a power supply block that supplies drive power to individual sections. The rear position of the storage block is present above the drive block, the driving delivery position of the conveying block is present forward of the drive block, the conveying block is present in the driving delivery position at the time of movement of the storage block in the longitudinal direction, and the storage block is present in the forward position when storage and ejection of the recording medium into and from the storage block are performed via an opening.

Recording medium changer

A cassette auto changer system including a member for selectably providing a plurality of cassettes to be loaded into one or more tape signal readers. A cassette rack is provided including a plurality of cassette receiving compartments, a cassette port accessible from an outer side of the auto changer apparatus whereby cassettes may be inserted or removed from the auto changer apparatus, a tape transfer mechanism operable to selectably transport cassettes between the cassette rack and the tape signal reader, and the cassette port. A YES/NO sensor at the cassette port determines whether a cassette is present in the cassette port. In applicants' cassette auto changer system, when a YES indicator determined by the YES/NO sensor changes to a NO determination, a controller sets the cassette port an IN port empty condition. When in such IN port empty condition the YES/NO sensor changes to a YES condition to indicate the presence of a cassette in the cassette port, operation of the tape transfer mechanism to the cassette port is disabled and an IN port loaded condition is determined. When, in an IN port empty condition of the cassette port and operation of the tape transfer mechanism is detected by the YES/NO sensor, the controller determines an OUT port loaded condition of the cassette port. When in the OUT port loaded condition, a change from a YES indication to a NO indication is determined by the the YES/NO sensor, an IN port empty condition of the cassette port is determined by the controller.

Cassette auto changer system

A cassette auto changer system includes a cassette console mounting a rack for holding a plurality of tape cassettes, a drive console for mounting a tape playing or playing and recording device or a plurality of such devices. A base console mounts the cassette and drive consoles and the entire cassette auto changer system is housed in a housing console. According to a compact design a cassette shuttle portion of the transport mechanism is rotatable both vertically and horizontally and includes structure, such as a cassette hand portion, for effecting insertion and extraction of a cassette from one of a plurality of cassette compartments provided in the cassette rack. The cassette hand may also include a release lever engaging a lock lever at each cassette compartment. Further, grasping members include a centering device for achieving a predetermined support position for a cassette. In addition, paired position detection portions and corresponding sensors are provided. For compactness, driven components receive driving power from a power source via other, intervening driven compartments. The cassette transport is also operable to and from a cassette port whereby cassettes may be inserted into and removed from the housing console. Control portion is provided to allow a single cassette port to function as both an IN or an OUT port. Thus a compact, full featured cassette auto changer may be provided which is robust, reliable and compact.

A cassette auto changer system including a tape signal reading member and a selection member for selecting between a plurality of cassettes. The cassette auto changer includes a base console including a port for tape insertion or extraction operations and having a tape insert compartment. The base console has upper and lower guide rails. A drive console mounts the tape signal reading member and a cassette console mounts a plurality of compartments for storing the tape cassettes. A tape transfer member transports the tape cassettes selectively between the base console, the drive console and the cassette console. An electrically conductive rail is disposed proximate to the guide rails which is powered by enclosed electrical wiring circuitry. In addition, an unmagnetized cassette shuttle body of the tape transfer member is driven along the electrically conductive rail and is guided along the guide rails. Electrical current is input to the tape transfer member form the electrically conductive rail via the cassette shuttle body.

Cassette auto changer system including tape signal reading means and

A cassette autochanger comprising a cassette container for containing a plurality of cassettes placed in a vertical posture, a reproducing unit for reproducing the signal recorded on the medium of one the cassettes placed therein in a horizontal posture, and a cassette holder movable between vertical and horizontal postures for receiving a selected one of the cassettes thereinto from the cassette container or from the reproducing unit and for transferring the selected cassette therefrom into the cassette container or into the reproducing unit. A carrying device is provided for carrying the cassette holder between the cassette container and the reproducing unit. The carrying device changes the cassette holder from the horizontal posture into the vertical posture to permit the cassette holder to receive the selected cassette from the cassette container or transfer the selected cassette into the cassette container. The carrying device changes the cassette holder from the vertical posture into the horizontal posture to permit the cassette holder to receive the selected cassette from the reproducing unit or transfer the selected cassette into the reproducing unit.

Cassette autochanger

In a cassette housing shelf for accommodating various sized cassettes in cassette auto-changers or the like, a guiding block for guiding a small-sized cassette is provided near to a cassette inlet of a cassette housing portion formed upon the shelf. When a large-sized cassette is inserted into the cassette housing portion, the guiding block is automatically removed from the cassette housing portion, and when a small-sized cassette is inserted, the guiding block securely leads the cassette to a predetermined space within the cassette housing portion, so that it is easy to insert the small-sized cassette into the cassette housing portion.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Hideaki Noguchi