The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 25, 1997
Masaki Takase, Tokyo, JP;
Toshio Mamiya, Tokyo, JP;
Katsuji Akimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Akihiro Uetake, Kanagawa, JP;
Katsuaki Ikema, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuyoshi Suzuki, Tokyo, JP;
Katsunori Takahashi, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
To provide a recording and reproducing apparatus which permits to use tape cassettes different in not only size but also thickness. In order to make the apparatus cope with the tape cassettes different in size and thickness, there is provided a positioning guide mechanism including a pair of positioning guide members so that a small cassette can be guided at both the side faces on a cassette supporting surface of the cassette holder so as to be depressed and projected by a biasing means, and a pair of side plates at its both sides of a cassette holder so that a large cassette can be guided at its both side faces. If a user is not highly skilled in operating such recording and reproducing apparatus which permits to use tape cassettes different in size and thickness, the apparatus will suffer from risk that the cassettes are erroneously inserted or the user carries out malicious operation. In order to avoid a trouble due to such erroneous insertion, malicious operation or the like, the recording and reproducing apparatus further includes a cassette insertion detecting switch mechanism useful for detecting the insertion of the cassette and leading the cassette into the cassette holder and a holder stopper mechanism composed of a holder unlocking member and a lock member.