Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
9~
"Apparatus chassis".
~r The invention relates to an apparatus chassis
for mounting and mutually adding the constructional
elements of apparatus such as recording and/or play-
back apparatus. Such chassis are known for the con-
- 5 struction of equipment in various versions and for a
`~; multitude of applications; such chassis are also em-
ployed for recording and/or playback equipment, as
is for example described in the German Patent Ap-
; - plication 25 01 998, which has been laid open for
tO public inspection.
With such apparatus it frequently happens
that a series of different apparatus types must be
manufactured, the individual types differing only
~ slightly from each other. Consequently the chassis
;, 15 of these different apparatus types are of a similar~
sometimes only slightly different construction. To
date it is common practice to manufacture a sepa-
rate more or less complex chassis : especially
- for each individual apparatus type, which ob-
viously has an adverse effect on the manufactur-
ing costs of the apparatus, because these costs
`~ are directly related to the quantities to be ma-
nufactured.
` It is an object of the inveniion to pro-
.
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vide a simple an cheap solution for the aforemention-
ed problem. According to the invention a chassis:of
the type mentioned in the preamble is characterized
in that the chassis consists of a plurality of parts,
and comprises at least a common main part which can
be used for the chassis of a plurality of apparatus
types, to which additional parts can be connected
for the formation of the chassis for the different
apparatus types. Thus it is achieved that only a
single, more or less complex main part is required
for the chassis of a number of different apparatus
- types. As the chassis of different apparatus types
comprise a main part which is common to these dif-
ferent types, this can be manufactured in a large
quantity corresponding to the number of di~ferent
apparatus types and th~s in a cheap manner. The
additional parts which can be mounted on the main
part for the formation of the different chassis
for the different individual apparatus types be-
come simpler and can thus be manufactured compa-
ratively cheaply in spite of their wall quantities.
This yields an appreciable reduction of the overall
costs of the chassis for each apparatus type.
It is found to be advantageous when be-
tween the basic part and each additional part po-
sitively engaging positioning means are provided,
which unambiguously define the position of each
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additional part relative to the main part. Thus, it
is ensured by particularly simple means that each
additional part can only be mounted on the main part
in the correct position~
The additional parts can be secured to the
main part by separate ~ixing means. However, it is
found to be advantageous when the positioning
means are also adapted to connect each additional
part to the main part, because in this way separate
fixing means may be dispensed with, which is also
favourable in respect of the required space.
For positioning the additional parts on
- the main part the additional parts may have a spe-
cific shape adapted to the main part, or they may
comprise positioning ridges and the llke. A -rery
simple construction is obtained when the position-
ing means for each additional part comprise at
least one pin-hole connection. In this respect it
! iS furthermore fou~ to be advantageous when the pin
~` ~0 of the positioning means is shorter than the hole
of` said means and has an axial bore which terminates
in the-f`ree end of` the pin, in which bore a screw
can be fitted after the main part and the addi~
tional part have been assembled, the head o~
said screw having a larger diameter than the hole
of the positioning means. This pro~ides a particu-
larly stable connection, w~lich is also readily
~37~Z.
detachable, the positioning means also serving for
eonnecting the additional part to the main part.
Furthermore the invention relates to an
apparatus with a chassis in accordance with the in-
vention as described hereinbefore.
The invention will be described in more
dètail with referenee to the drawing which shows
some embodiments, to ~hieh the invention is not
limited.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a chassis for
reeording and/or playback apparatus, which chassis
eomprises a main part and additional parts which
are secured thereto.
" Fig. 2 is a cross-section on an enlarged
scale, taken on the line II - II in Fig. 1, o~ the
positioning means whieh take the form of a pin-
hole eonnection of rectangular cross-section for
a first additional part.
Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale shows a cross-
section, taken on the line III - III in Figo 1,
of positioning means constituted by a snap con-
neetion for a second additional part.
Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale shows a cross-
- seetion, taken on the line IV - IV in Fig. 1, of
the positioning means of a third additional part,
the positioning means taking the form of ~ pin-
hole eonnection of circular cross-section.
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,: . . . . . . . . . .
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Fig. 1 schematically shows an essentially
plate-shaped chassis for mounting and mutually ad-
ding constructional elements of a recording and/or
playback apparatus for a magnetizable record carrier
in the form of a tape. It is to be noted that in
practice such a chassis has a comparatively complex
shape with steps~ recesses, projections, reinforce-
ment ridges and the like. Of the constructional ele-
ments ~Yhich are constructed and mounted on the chas-
sis in the usual manner only a drive motor 1, two
reel discs 2 and 3 with reel spindles 4 and 5, a
drive spindle 6 and a pressure roller 7 for co-
operation with this drive spindle are shown for the
sake of simplicity. The pressure roller 7 is mount-
ed on a movable support 8, which furthermore ac-
commodates two magnetic heads 9 and 10. Furthermore,
four actuation buttons 11, 12, 13 and 14 are pro-
vided for switching certain apparatus functions.
It is obvious that further constructional elernents
are provided, but these are not shown because they
are not essential for the inventiGn.
Chassis of the type described hereinbefore,
as is common practice so far~ take different forms
for different apparatus types depending on the re-
quirements imposed thereon, whilst the constructional
differences may be great or less great. In accordance
with the invention a chassis consist of a plurality parts
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~37~52
and comprises at least one main part 15 which is com-
mon to chassis of different apparatus types, to
which main part additional parts 16, 17 and 18 can
be connected for the formation of the chassis for
the various different apparatus types. On the main
part ~5 all those constructional elements are mount-
ed which are common to all the individual apparatus
types~ whilst the additional parts serves for
mounting those constructional elements which are
different for the individual apparatus types. As
can be seen in Fig. 1, a printed circuit board 19,
to be used in one specific apparatus type, can be
secured to the main part 15 by means of the ad-
ditional part 16 in a reliable and stable manner
using screws 20. On the additional part 17 a~n ad-
ditional actuation button 21 can be mounted for an
other type of apparatus, and on the additional
part 18 a conventional counter 22 can be mounted
for a further apparatus type. It is obvious that
for a specific type of apparatus also two or more
additional parts can be mounted on the main part.
In this way different chassis can be assembled from
one main part and additional parts to be connected
thereto, ~hilst the main part whose construction is
more intricate can advantageously be manufactured
in very large quantities and thus cheaply, and the
; constructionally simple additional parts can there
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fore also be manufactured cheaply.
For example the chassis may consist of a
moulded or injection-moulded plastic. To obtain
this chassis only one comparatively complicated,
e~pensive mould is then required for manufacturing
the main part, whilst for manufacturing the addi-
tional parts only simple moulds are required. Thus,
the steps in accordance with the invention obviate
the necessity of using a separate intricate mould
for manufacturing each of the different chassis.
For assembling the chassis it is advanta-
` - geous if care has been taken that each additional
part can only be connected to the main partat its
appropriate location in a specific predetermined
position. For this purpose positively-engaging po-
sitioning means are used between the main part 15
and each additional part 16, 17 and 18 respec-
tively, which means unambiguously define the po-
sition of each additional part relative to the
` 20 main part.
As can be seen from Fig. 2 the position-
ing means between the additional part 16 and the
` main part 15 consists of two pin-hole connections
` 23 and 24 of different rectangular cross~section,
" 25 the pins 25 and 26 being formed on the additional
part 16 and the holes 27 and 28 in the main part.
Owing to the dlfferent cross-sections of the tWG
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3~5~
pin-hole connections the additional part 16 can be
mounted on the main part 15 in one specific relative
position only. The pins may then for example be
glued in the holes, so that in this case the po-
sitioning means at the same time serve for securing
the additional part 16 to the main part 15 without
separate fixing devices and in a space-saving man-
ner.
The positioning means for the additional
part 17 consist~-of two pin-hole connections 29 and
30 of equal circular cross-section, the holes 31
and 32 being formed in the additional part 17 and
the pins 33 and 34 being formed of the main part
15. The holes 31 and 32 are then asymmetrically
disposed in the additional part, so that owing to
this asymmetry the additional part can again be
mounted on the main part in one speci~ic position.
As is shown in Fig. 3, the pins 33 and
34 each have a widened portion 35, 36 whose dia-
meter is greater than that of the remaining portion
o~ the pin, the portions 35 and 36 being elastical-
ly deformable. For the fixation of the additional
part 17 to the main part 15 the additional part 17
with the holes 31 and 32 is placed onto the head
portion 35, 36 of the pins 33 and 34 respecti~e-
ly~ after which the add]tional part 17 is pressed
~; onto the main part, The pins then oenetrate into
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1i~i7~
the holes under elastic deformation of the head
portions, until the holes snap behind the head portions.
This snap-connection, which is constituted by the
positioning means, secures the additional part 17
to the main part 15. The advantage of such a snap
connection is that fixation of an additional part
to the main part can be effected by a simple and
quick operation.
The positioning means ~or the additional
part 18 also comprise two pin-hole connections 37
and 38, the additional part 18 moreo~er having such
a shape that it can only be mounted on the main
part in a specific desired position. Of the pin-
hole connections 37 and 38 the holes 39 are formed
in the additional part 18 and the pins 40 are pro-
vided on the main part 15. Each pin 40 is shorter
than the corresponding hole 39 and has an axial
~-~ bore 42 which terminates in the free end 41 of the
pin 40. After the assembly of the main part and the
additional part a screw 43 can be fitted in the
axial bore 42, whose head 44 has a greater dia-
~`~ meter than the hole 39, The heads 44 of the screws
; 43 which have been fitted in the axial bores 42
press the additional part 18 against the main part
: 25 15 and secure it thereto. The use of such posi
` tioning means, which again serve for securing the
additional part to the main part, has the advan-
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i: , ! ~ i 1' i' , , . ' ' .' ` ~' ; ` ' '
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tage that a particularly rigid and stable, yet simply
detachable connection is obtained between the addi-
tional part and the main part.
It is to be noted that it is also possible
to provide separate positioning means and fixing
means for mounting an additional part on the mai.n
part, in which case the positioning means may for
example simply consist of positively engaging sur-
faces between the main part and the relevant addi-
tional part and the fixing means consist of screw
connections.
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