Cassette tape player having sealing means

• US 4,649,453 A
• Filed: 01/26/1984
• Issued: 03/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwasawa, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ehrhardt, Brenda J.
• Application Number:
  US06/574,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 206/387, 206/811, 220/378, 220/375, 220/306, 360/134, 360/96.6, 360/90, 360/137
• US Class Current: 360/137
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/10 Manually-operated control; Solenoid-operated control G11B15/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/063 using tape inside container
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1446 Reducing contamination, e.g. by dust, debris
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/811 Waterproof

Abstract

A cassette tape player has an exterior case comprising a first structural member containing a major part of an internal mechanism including a device for driving a cassette tape, a second structural member engaged with the first structural member so as to be able to have an opening and closing movement, an elastic seal member provided so as to be put between the first and second structural members to seal up the exterior case when the second structural member is closed to the first member, and additional elastic seal members for sealing up portions of control buttons, adjusting buttons, jacks and so forth provided on both or one of the first and second structural members. The elastic seal members act to make the exterior case waterproof and dustproof.

Claims

1. A cassette tape player having an exterior case which comprises a first structural member containing a major part of an internal mechanism including, a driving device for driving a cassette tape and having a first cut end at the peripheral edge thereof, a second structural member engageable with said first structural member and having an opening and closing movement therewith and having a second cut end at the peripheral edge thereof, said second cut end engaging said first cut end when said second structural member is closed to said first member, and an elastic seal member mounted in a groove which is provided in at least one of said first and second cut ends so as to be placed between said first and second structural members to seal the exterior case, and a limiting member provided between said elastic seal member and the inside of said groove and mounted so as to prevent said elastic seal member from being excessively deformed between said first and second structural members when said second member is closed with said first structural member.

2. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said elastic member has a thickness greater than the depth of said groove.

3. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said elastic seal member is provided with a cutout groove at the bottom portion which is in contact with the bottom of said groove.

4. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said elastic seal member is held in said groove formed in one of said first and second cut ends and the other of said first and second cut ends provided with a projecting portion which elongated along the whole length.

5. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said elastic seal member is made of silicone rubber.

6. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said exterior case is provided with a control panel portion comprising, a flat plane portion of one of said first and second structural members having therein at least one opening formed at a position corresponding to control means such as a button which is to be used for controlling thereby the internal mechanism from the outside of the exterior case, an elastic plate member having at least one control portion arranged to be placed at a position corresponding to said opening, and a flat portion extending and surrounding said control portion, said control portion and said flat portion being formed into a body, and a thermocompressible adhesive film provided between said flat plane portion and said elastic plate member for bonding said flat portion of the elastic plate member to said flat plane portion of one of said first and second structural members.

7. A cassette tape player according to claim 6, wherein said thermocompressible adhesive film is provided with a layer of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber adhesive agent on the side facing said flat plane portion of said one of said first and second structural members.

8. A cassette tape player according to claim 6, wherein said thermocompressible adhesive film is provided with a layer of styrene-butadiene rubber adhesvie agent on said side facing said flat portion of the elastic plate member.

9. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said exterior case further comprises an additional elastic seal member provided in a supporting portion formed on one of said first and second structural members and having an opening in which a portion of a rotary adjustment button is inserted so as to seal said opening, and mounted between the inner surface of said opening and said portion of the rotary adjustment button, and said inner surface of said opening is lubricated to ensure that a seal exists.

10. A cassette tape player according to claim 1, wherein said exterior case further comprises an additional elastic seal member for sealing up an opening provided at a position corresponding to a jack connected with the internal mechanism and into which a headphone plug or a power source plug from the outside of said exterior case is connected, and for adjusting the internal pressure in said exterior case.