`
`G. H. EASH
`ENDLESS TAPE CARTRIDGE
`
`Filed July 13, 1954
`
`2,778,636
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`ATTORNEY
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`SONY Exhibit 1017
`SONY Exhibit 1017
`SONY v. FUJI
`SONYv. FUJI
`
`
`
`United States Patent Office
`
`2,778,636
`ENDLESS TAPE CARTRIDGE
`
`George H. Eash, Toledo, Ghio, assignor to George H.
`Poulsen, Toledo, Ohio; The Toledo Trust Company
`and Charles ¥. Poulsen, executors of the estate of said
`George H.Poulsen, deceased
`.
`
`Application July 13, 1954, Serial No. 443,090
`2 Claims.
`(Cl. 271-—-2.18)
`
`15
`
`2,778,636
`Patented Jan. 22, 1957
`
`2
`as shown, has a circular flange plate 15 and a central
`upwardly extending hub 16, the latter flaring upwardly"
`and outwardly from the flange plate forming.an angle
`therewith of the order of 50°. Encircling the hub with
`the lower edge contiguous to the flange plate is a spiral
`coil 17 of endless magnetic tape. A portion of the tape
`extends from the coil and is trained about a guide roller
`48 mounted atthe front portion of the bottom wall 10
`with a portion projecting forwardly from the cartridge
`and also about a stationary guide cylinder 19, also mount-
`ed on the bottora wall 1@, and disposed adjacent the op-
`posite side of the cartridge. This arrangement provides a
`front length or run of tape 2 in position to engage the
`usual transducer head, a pair of felt padded spring arms 21
`urging this portion of the tape outwardly to effect the
`desired contact with the transducer head.
`In this in-
`stance, the spring arms 21 are integral and are mounted
`on a suitable bracket 22 on the bottom plate of the
`cartridge. The tape is led from the innermost con-
`volution of the coil 17 over a guide 23 in the form of a
`length of wire disposed close to and directly above the
`coil adjacentits inner periphery. The wire 23 is formed
`with downturned ends engaging sockets in bosses 24 and
`25 respectively.
`In this manner,
`the tape leaving the
`coil
`is spaced from the upper:edges thereof to afford
`free and unrestricted: travel thereof.
`It will be under-
`stood that the rotating driving capstan (not shown) snugly
`cooperates with the roller 48 to grip the tape therebe-
`tween and afford the desired tape movement,
`The lower edge cf the coil 17 rests upon relatively
`thin elongate pencil-like sticks of graphite 26 carried
`by the flange plate 15.
`In this instance, four graphite
`sticks are employed, arranged equi-distantly and positioned
`in radially disposed grooves 27 on the upper surface of
`the flange plate 15.
`When a sizable tape coil 17 containing several hundred
`feet of tape, for example, is employed, the relative move-
`ment between the several convolutions creates charges of
`static electricity sufficient to prevent the free movement
`of the tape. This is of such magnitude as not
`infre-
`quently to bind the tape to render practically impossible
`any tape movement, This difficulty is obviated to a large
`extent by the use of the rod-like strips 26 of graphite
`which serve to dissipate accumulated static charges and
`tending to equalize them throughout the coil. This re-
`sults in reducing the static charges so that they do not
`interfere with each other during the tape movement.
`To assist in obviating the difficulty caused by the static
`electricity charges and to somewhat lubricate the tape,
`a graphite piece 28 is mounted within the casing in such
`position that the tape wipes over it during its travel. As
`shown,
`the graphite piece 28 is disposed between the
`roller 18 and the reel so that the tape run 29 continuously
`wipes over the outer end of the graphite piece during its
`travel. Preferably the stick 28 should. be of relatively
`soft graphite. By so coating the tape as it travels,
`the
`static electricity charges from layer to layer tend to be
`equalized. As shown, the graphite stick 28 is suitably
`mounted in a bracket 30 in which it may be frictionally
`held. By positioning the graphite stick 28 in the manner
`illustrated,
`it also has the usefulness of preventing tape
`from engaging the edge of the reel plate 15 and causing
`a binding action. This is particularly important in the
`event some tape may be free within the case, and unless
`provision is. made comes into engagement and possible
`binding relation with the edge of the reel plate. Thus
`the graphite stick 28 cooperates with the radially dis-
`posed graphite sticks 26 in militating against
`the coil
`47 becoming so bound by various charges of static elec-
`tricity as to prevent
`free tape movement within the
`cartridge.
`
`This invention relates to magazines or cartridges which
`contain a length of magnetically treated tape for use with
`a recording or play back machine, thereby to record on
`or reproduce sounds on the tape.
`:
`Difficulty is experienced in producing cartridges con-
`taining endless lengths of tapes which can be operated
`over an extended period of time because of the charges
`of static electricity generated in the relative movement
`of the tape convolutions of the coil. These become so
`great as to bind the coil and prevent the free rotation
`necessary in such operation. Consequently in cartridges
`of this character, the playing or operating time has been
`substantially reduced,
`rendering their use greatly.
`re-
`stricted.
`It is a desideratum to overcome the above difficulty and
`an object is, therefore, to produce a simple and efficient
`magnetic tape cartridge in which the tape web is endless
`and in which greater lengths of tape are usable and which
`can operate freely without the binding action set up by
`static electricity charges.
`it is found that in the handling of tape cartridges of
`the above character,
`the tape not infrequently unwinds
`from the reel, either fouling within the cartridge or mak-
`ing difficult the return of the excess or unwound tape
`to the coil.. A further object is to obviate this objection,
`and provide the cartridge with new and improved means
`for restraining the movement of the ree] when the car-
`tridge is not in use but to render such restraining means in-
`effective when the cartridge is conditioned or ready for
`use,
`An embodiment of the invention is shown in the ac-
`companying drawings, by way of illustration but not of
`limitation, and in said drawings
`Figure 1 is a top plan view of a magazine or cartridge
`having an endless magnetic recording-reproducing tape
`mounted therein,
`the cover of the magazine being re-
`moved;
`Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially
`on the line: 2—2 of Figure 1;
`Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view
`on the line 3—3 of Figure 1; and
`.
`Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing
`the cartridge mounted on a recording-reproducing ma-
`chine, a portion of the cartridge being broken away to
`illustrate the device for rendering the reel restraining
`spring ineffective.
`The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises
`a cartridge having a flat bottom wall 19 and an integral
`upstanding side wall 11. Closing the open side is a
`cover 12 which may be snapped in place or secured by
`suitable fasteners.
`it will be observed that the front end
`13 of the cartridge is open to expose a portion of the
`magnetic tape to contact by the transducer and driving
`capstan, these latter not being shown, Mounted on the
`bottom wall 1@ substantially midway of the side walls and
`spaced inwardly from the open end thereof is an upright
`post 1¢, on which is rotatably mounted a reel which,
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`2,778,436
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`10
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`the cartridge is
`As particularly shown on Figure 4,
`adaptedfor use in a recording-reproducing instrument I
`which, as shown, has an exposed panel-like surface 31 on
`whichis a pair of laterally spaced.channel guides 32, which
`guide. and hold the cartridge in. such position that the
`transverse tape.run 2@ is operatively associated with the
`transducer head and driving capstan.
`In the rear end of
`the cartridge is.a leaf spring 33 disposed between. the side.
`wall Li and a pain. 34 so that one arm of the spring can
`frictionally engage the edge of thereel plate 15. The op-
`posite. end. of the spring is disposed. between a pin. 35 and
`an inward projection on theside wall. This arrangement
`is. such that normally the spring. frictionally engages. the
`reel and holds it against accidental rotation. Manifestly
`it is.important that when. the cartridge isapplied inposition
`of use,, the. brake caused by the spring 33 should be re-
`leased. and. as. shawn, between. the pins. 34 and 35 in the
`side andbottom: walls of the castridge is.a slot 36 into
`which may project an arm. 37,.a portion of which extends
`througha slot 28 in. the panel 32 of the instrument I, a
`pivet. 39 being, provided. for anintermediate portion of
`the arm. The.lower end of the armis suitably engaged by
`an off-set. spring 4@.. The arrangement is. such that when
`the cartridge is applied, the arm 37 will be flush with the
`surface 31 to permit passage thereof, but when. the endof
`the cartridge is reached, the arm.37 will be swung manually
`upwardly, whereuponthe spring 4@ will cause the arm 37
`to.enter the cartridge through the slot 36 andimpose suffi-
`cient. pressure. against. the. spring 33. to rock the opposite
`end porticn thereof away from thereel so that the latter
`canrotate freely. Manifestly, the spring tension created
`by the spring. 48 is also effective in. resiliently urging and
`holding the cartridge against the driving capstan. andthe
`transducer head. As seon as the cartridge is retracted and
`moved awaytrom the influence of the arm 37,the spring
`33 automatically applies friction against the reel to hold it
`against unwarranted rotating movements. Thus it will
`be evident that the reel can not rotate freely when it is
`not. in use but when it is applied in position of use, the
`braking pressure against the reel is automatically released.
`Alternatively, a closure cap may be employedfor the
`open front.end. of the cartridge and carried by such cap is
`a spriag.arm which, when the cap is applied, projects inside
`the cartridge and: bears against the rim of the flange plate
`of the reel. The endof such. spring arm may be equipped 4
`
`30
`
`40
`
`4
`with a felt pad for bearing resiliently against the reel rim.
`In this manner, whenever the cap is applied to the car-
`tridge, a brake will automatically be imposed on the reel
`holding it against
`turning movements until
`the cap is
`removed whenit is desired to put the cartridge into use.
`it is to be understood that numerous changes in details
`of construction, arrangement, operation and choice of
`materials may be effected without departing from the
`spirit of the invention especially as.defined in the appended
`claims,
`What I claim is:
`1. In an endless tape cartridge having a casing, a rotat-
`able reel within the casing, an endless coil of magnetic
`tape woundupon said reel, and guide elements over which
`a portion of the tape passes to the cutside of and from the
`center of the coil,
`the improvement which comprises a
`solid graphite block within the casing for automatically
`and continuously applying. a thin coating of graphite to
`the. tape. as. it travels thereby to lubricate same and assist
`in equalizing the charges of static electricity generated be-
`tween the tape convolutions onthe reel, andgraphite strips
`on the reel with which the edges of the tape convolutions
`engage for militating against the accumulation of charges
`of static electricity generated in the relative movement of
`the convolutions.
`2. The combination of a magnetic tape recorder or play
`back instrument, means on the instrument for receiving
`for operative use a tape containing cartridge having a ro-
`tatable reel for the tape, a leaf spring for restraining rota-
`tion of the reel, said spring: being fixedly mountedat one
`end, free at the cther endand engaged by a pivot interme-
`diate its ends, the free end normally engaging. the reel
`tangentially so that flexure of the portion. of the spring
`between thefixed end and the pivot results in the pivoting
`of the said free end away from the reel, and means on the
`instrument engageable with said leaf spring for flexing the
`same away from the reel when the cartridge is applied
`in position of use.
`
`References Cited in the file of this patent
`UNITED. STATES. PATENTS
`
`1,825,142
`2,206,032
`2,426,838:
`
`Bruno ~_-.---.----~-.--- Sept. 29, 1931
`Foster ---.--------------- July 2, 1940
`Miller ..-2.20-2.------.- Sept..2,. 1947
`
`