Automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting cassette tape of video cassette recorder

• US 5,898,536 A
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Won, Jong-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolff, John H.
• Application Number:
  US08/998,610
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 360/96.5, 360/84.85, 360/95
• US Class Current: 360/96.51
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6751 with movement of the cassette parallel to its main side, i.e. front loading G11B15/67544 takes precedence

Abstract

An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a video cassette recorder (VCR) includes a door mounted at both sides on door brackets in front of a cassette deck opening for inserting/ejecting a cassette tape so as to be opened upwardly and an actuator lever fixed on one end of an actuator shaft rotatably mounted on main frame. The actuator lever has a door locking part formed on one end and a button pressing part formed on the other end. A further door locking part is fixed on the other end of the actuator shaft. A retention arm is fixed on the actuator shaft in the middle thereof. The retention arm has a stopper tiltably mounted on its top. The stopper is vertically positioned under the cassette deck opening so as to be engaged with front and rear lower edges of the cassette tape and to be tilted inwardly by being engaged with the rear lower edge of the cassette tape when inserting the same through the opening. The stopper is returned to its vertical position after complete insertion of the cassette tape.

Claims

1. An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a video cassette recorder (VCR) comprising:

a door mounted at both sides on door brackets in front of a cassette deck opening for inserting/ejecting a cassette tape so that said door opens upwardly, said brackets being rotatably mounted on both sides of a bracket hinge shaft and each of said brackets having a hook pin formed in the middle of an outer side thereof;

an actuator lever fixed on one end of an actuator shaft rotatably mounted on a main frame, said actuator lever having a first door locking part formed on one end apart from said actuator shaft and a button pressing part formed on the other end apart from said actuator shaft, whereby said first door locking part is caught and locked by said hook pin provided on one of said door brackets;

a second door locking part fixed on the other end of said actuator shaft, whereby said second door locking part is caught and locked by said hook pin provided on the other of said door brackets; and

a retention arm fixed on said actuator shaft in the middle thereof, said arm having a stopper tiltably mounted on the top thereof, wherein said stopper is vertically positioned under said cassette deck opening so as to be engaged with front and rear lower edges of said cassette tape and to be tilted inwardly by being engaged with said rear lower edge of said cassette tape when inserting said cassette tape through said opening, said stopper being returned to its vertical position after complete insertion of said cassette tape, and said cassette tape pushes said stopper outwardly when being ejected, so as to rotate said actuator shaft together with said actuator lever, thereby releasing said hook pins of said door brackets from hooks of said door locking parts, so that said door brackets are rotated upwardly and said door is automatically opened.

2. An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a VCR comprising:

a door mounted at both sides on door brackets in front of a cassette deck opening for inserting/ejecting a cassette tape so as to be opened upwardly, said brackets being rotatably mounted on both sides of a bracket hinge shaft and each of said brackets having a hook pin formed in the middle of an outer side thereof;

a torsion spring mounted on said bracket hinge shaft, whereby one end of said torsion spring is fixed on a main frame and the other end thereof is fixed on one of said door brackets;

an actuator lever fixed on one end of an actuator shaft rotatably mounted on said main frame, said actuator lever having a first door locking part formed on one end apart from said actuator shaft and a button pressing part formed on an other end apart from said actuator shaft, whereby said door locking part is caught and locked by said hook pin provided on one of said door brackets;

a second door locking part fixed on an other end of said actuator shaft, whereby said second door locking part is caught and locked by said hook pin provided on the other of said door brackets; and

a retention arm fixed on a middle portion of said actuator shaft, said retention arm having a stopper tiltably mounted on the top thereof, wherein said stopper is tilted inwardly by being engaged with a rear lower edge of said cassette tape when inserting said cassette tape through said opening, and when ejecting said cassette tape, said cassette tape pushes said stopper outwardly so as to rotate said actuator shaft together with said actuator lever, thereby releasing said hook pins of said door brackets from said hooks of said first and second door locking parts, so that said door brackets are rotated upwardly and said door is automatically opened.

3. An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a VCR as claimed in claim 2, wherein said actuator lever is shaped so that an upper end thereof forms said first door locking part having the hook and a lower end thereof forms said button pressing part having a bended tip.

4. An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a VCR as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stopper is provided with a torsion spring, so that said stopper is tilted inwardly when inserting said cassette tape and returned to an original vertical position by a restoring force of said torsion spring after complete insertion of said cassette tape.

5. An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a VCR as claimed in claim 2, wherein a stopper rib is provided at a lower part of said stopper to prevent said stopper from being tilted outwardly in reverse direction when said cassette pushes said stopper outwardly during ejection.

6. An automatic door opening mechanism for ejecting a video cassette tape of a VCR as claimed in claim 2, wherein said actuator shaft is provided with a torsion spring so that said actuator lever returns to an original position.