Sony Corporation

Yoshitaka Otonomiya

Motofumi Itawaki

Keiji Sato

Wataru Nonaka

Tetsuro Tsubota

Nobuo Uda

An automatic cassette changer wherein a plurality of types of cassettes having different recording formats can be used. The automatic cassette changer comprises a plurality of types of cassettes in which different types of record media having different recording formats are accommodated, a cassette storage rack having a plurality of bins for storing the cassettes therein, a plurality of recording and/or reproducing apparatus each provided for selectively recording and/or reproducing a format signal in accordance with a selected one of the recording formats of the plurality of types of cassettes, and a transport mechanism for selectively transporting the cassettes between the bins and the recording and/or reproducing apparatus.

Automatic cassette changer

An improved automatic cassette changer is disclosed, which comprises a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, an accommodating rack having a plurality of bins for individually accommodating therein a plurality of cassettes, and a transporting apparatus for selectively transporting one of the cassettes accommodated in the bins to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus or vice versa. The transporting apparatus includes holding means for holding a cassette thereon, and first feeding means for feeding the holding means in a first direction in which a cassette held by the holding means is inserted into or removed from any of the bins and the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The first feeding means includes a first slider movable in the first direction with respect to the transporting apparatus, a second slider having the holding means mounted thereon and movable in the first direction with respect to the first slider, and first driving means for driving the first and second sliders to move in the first direction.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Yoshitaka Otonomiya