Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- ~ -
AUDIO-VISUAL CARTRIDGE AND COM8INED
AUDIO PLAYEE~ AND VISUAL VIEWER
Technical Field:
The present invention relates to a cartridge
comprising visual and audio-information carrying
discs and to an apparatus for the simultaneous re-
production of the visual and audio information car-
ried on said information carrying discs.
Back~ nd Art:
Various cartridges generally of a rigid mater-
ial are known which contain an audio information
carrying element associated with a film transparency.
Nowever, there is a need for a cartridge con~aining
an audio information carrying disc associated with a
disc carrying a plurality of film transparencies to
permit each transparency or each pair of transparen-
cies to be viewed while the corresponding sound com-
ment is audibly reproduced.
Discl ure Of The Invention:
A first object of the invention is to provide a
flat, flexible cartridge which is easy to manufacture
and store and in which a disc having transparencies
-2~
mounted for visual viewing and a sound-recording disc
are housed in adjacent and coplanar relation.
Another object of this invention is to provide
an audio-visual cartridge which is easy to handle and
to position in a reproducing apparatus, in particular
by children who are especially expected to use it.
A further object is to provide a flexible car-
tridge which is not easily damaged or broken.
Yet another object of the invention is to pro-
vide a reproducing apparatus designed for the simul-
taneous viewing of pictures mounted on a picture disc
and reproduction of comments corresponding to the
pictures recorded on an audio disc.
A fuether object o the invention is to provide
a simple audio-visual reproducing apparatus allowing
the easy and reliable positioning of an audio-visual
cartridge according to this invention and, if desired,
the correct and proper positioning of a conventlonal
picture disc mounting multiple transparencies.
Brief_Des_ription Of The Drawin~s:
Figure 1 is a front view of an audio-visual
cartridge according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the cartridge
of Figure 1 in the plane of lines 2-2;
Figure ~A is a fragmentary sectional view in
the plane of lines 2A-2A;
Figure 3 is an end view of the cartridge of
Figure l;
Figure 4 is an exploded front view of an alter-
native cartridge construction;
Figure S is a sectional view of an exemplary
embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention
in operating condition;
_3_ ~ 2~
Figure 6 is a sectional view of an exemplary
embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention
in non-operating condition with a cartridge removed;
Figure 7 is a view along line VII-VII of Figure
5 into the back section of the housing with the front
section removed;
Figure 8 is a view along line VIII-VIII of
Figure 5 into the front section of the housing with
the back section removed;
Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 8
but with an audio-visual cartridge according to Fig-
ure 1 positioned in the apparatus;
Figure 10 is a diagram of the electronic cir-
cuit for operating the components of the apparatus;
and
Figures 11-13 are views of an alternative form
o device for synchronizing the rotation of the discs.
2~
Best Mode For Carrying Out The Inven~ion.
Referring to the drawings, two alternative
forms of cartridges constructed according to the
invention are shown in Figures 1-~ and 4, respective-
ly~ and a preferred apparatus for receiving the car~
tridges is shown in Figures 5-10~ In both forms of
cartridge, an audio disc and a visual disc are pro-
vided, while ~he apparatus is provided to receive the
cartridge and permits viewing of the pictures mounted
on the visual disc while simultaneously playing the
corresponding sound comments recorded on the audio
disc.
Turning first to Figures 1-3, an audio-visual
cartridge in accordance with this invention is illus-
trated as being compri~ed of a flat envelope 1 hous-
ing two planar discs 2 and 3. A visual disc 2 car-
ries picture transparencies mounted in a ring for
successive viewing and an audio disc 3 carries audio
information recorded in sound tracks on the face of
the disc. The visual disc is~ for example, a conven-
tional disc of the type adapted to be received in a
View-Master~ device, This disc has a plurality of
windows 4 distributed in a ring about its periphery
wi~h each window having a picture transparency mounted
therein and a number of driving slots 5 to permit the
disc to be rotated abou~ its center in a suitable
apparatus in order to successively place each trans-
parency or each pair of stereoscopic transparencies
in the angular position for being viewed. The audio
disc 3 is a thin disc of a flexible or semi-1exible
material, such as plastic, having sound recording
tracks, preferably grooves, formed on a face thereof.
The envelope 1 is preferably made of a flexible
3~ or semi-flexible material and is formed to provide
_5~ Z2
two flat compartments 11 and 17 having a circular or
semi-circular edge confoeming to the edges of the
discs ~or accomodating the discs 2 and 3 respective-
ly, which are freely rotatable within the compart-
men~s. The envelope is, for example, comprised oftwo thin sheets of formable plastic material provid-
ing spaced opposing walls with, preferably, one of
the sheets formed inwardly to define the curved edges
of the compartments and bonde~ to the other sheet,
which is flat. This construction provides an envel-
ope with the opposite longitudinal side edges bonded
togethe~.
The cartridge 10 in the form shown in Figures
1-3 houses two discs which are permanently sealed in
the envelope, and in that case the envelope 1 has its
opposite ends 6 and 7 bonded together as well as the
longitudinal side edges thereof, as illustrated in
Figure 2A. In an alternative embodiment ~see Figure
4), the cartridge houses two discs which are change-
able and, in this case, the envelope 1 is formed sothat the ends 6 and 7 are open to allow the insertion
of discs 2 and 3 into their respective compartments
11 and 17. Small inward protrusions 8 are formed on
the inside of the envelope in the compartments in
order to retain the discs in their compartments.
Preferably, the internal surface of the walls of the
envelope comprises a material having a low friction
coefficient in order not to interere with the rota-
tion of the discs, particularly the audio disc 3~
Said material can be advantageously chosen so as to
provide a suitable cleaning of the audio disc as it
rotates.
At the central portion of its two compartmen~s,
the walls of the envelope 1 have openings 12 and 18
for the passage of centering means for the discs
-6
aligned with the disc center holes; sueh centering
means may also include driving means for the audio
disc, which means are part of a reproducing apparatus
adapted to receive the cartridge. The envelope also
includes windows 13, 14 in both walls of the first
compartment housing the picture disc 2 aligned with
the ring of transparencies for viewing of stereo-
scopic pictures, an off-center arcuate opening lS
aligned with the disc drive slots for allowing the
driving means for the picture disc 2 access to the
slots S in the picture disc 2, as well as an opening
19 aligned with the sound tracks for access of audi~
reading means to the sound tracks on the audio disc
3.
Advantageously, eeferring to Figures 1 and 4,
the envelope 1 of the cartridge 10 has an element 9
formed as a protrusion thereon loca~ed off-set fro~n
the longitudinal and transverse axes of the cartridge
to provide a non-symmetrical outer surface and adap~ed
to coopera~e with means in the reproducing apparatus
to limit the introduction of the cartridge to one
orientation, thereby to prevent the introduction into
the appara~us either in a reversed position or upside
down.
Referring next to Figures 5-10, further in
keeping with the invention, an apparatus is provided
for reproducing individual audio recordings corres~
pondinq to particular transparencies while a user
views the corresponding transparencies~ The appara
tus is adapted to receive an audi~-visual cartridge
of either type shown in Figures 1-4.
As shown in Figures S and 6, the apparatus has
a housing 2~ with an elongated slot 21 in its upper
end wall for the insertion of a cartridge of the type
illustrated in Figures 1-4. Ths housing is shown as
-7- ~9~
formed of a back section 20-1 and a front section 20~
2 joined along a paeting line lying in a plane bisect~
ing the housing and forming the operating plane of
the cartridge. The apparatus within the housing 20
includes opkical means for the viewing of picture
transparencies carried by the disc 2 of a caetridge
received in the housing 20. The optical means com-
prise two windows 22 formed in the rear wall of the
housing to allow light in and tWQ eye-pieces 23
mounted in the front wall and fitted with lenses to
diffuse the light. Within the housing there is a
posi~ioning plate 24 for a cartridge to be introduced
through the entry slot 21 which positions the cartridge
in the operating plane.
The positioning plate 24 is pivotally mounted
on a pivot 2~ located approximately at the vertical
mid point of the plate and its lower portion is formed
with a cavity ~7 to accomodate the lower secti4n of
an audio~visual cartridge 10. The plate 24 is pivot-
able manually from its normal operating position
shown in Figure 5 against the force of the return
spring 28, holding the plate 24 in its normal posi-
tionl to the insertion position of Figure 6. Upon
insertion of a cartridge, the lower audio disc sec-
tion moves downward spaced from the face of the plate24 until it reaches the lower section of the plate.
To insert the cartridge, it must be forcibly pushed
through the entry slot 21 such that the ~orward edge
of the cartridge enters the cavity 27 in the plate
24 The cartridge, being flaxible, bends and fully
enters the cavity 27 in the plate 24 and, when the
cartridge is fully inserted, the plate pivots to the
position of ~igure 5. The plate 24 has a lug 25
arranged to enter an opening 50 provided in the car-
tridge as the plate pivots to its operating position
~8~
of Figure 6, thereby to assure the correct position-
ing thereo within the apparatus.
Mounted in the housing are centering means 29,
33 for both ~he visual disc and the audio disc which
S engage the discs as the plate 24 pivots to bring the
cartridge into its operating plane. The plate 24
carries centering means 29 for the picture disc 2
which enters the center hole of ~he disc through the
access opening 12 in the cartridge. The plate 24 has
two openings 31 in registry with the windows 22 when
it is in operating position (~igur~ 5) and also an
opening 32 for the passage of centering means 33 for
the audio disc 3~ The centering means 33 is secured
to the housing through the bearin~ mount 34 and en-
ters the center hole of the audio disc through theaccess opening 18 in the cartridge. The plate 24 i5
fixed in its cartridge insertion position by exter-
nally actuable pawl means 30. In order to introduce
an audio-visual cartridge 10 (Figure 1), the pawl 30
is pressed to pivot the plate 24 to the insertion
position of Figure 6 and the cartridge may then be
inserted into the opening 21.
In accordance with the invention, provision is
made for the apparatus to accept not only an audio-
visual cartridge 10 but also a simple disc with mount-
ed stereoscopic transparencies of the type presently
sold for viewing in a View-Master~ device. For this
purpose, the apparatus is provided with two movable
stop elements 35 pivotally mounted about shaft 36
secured to the housing 20, said stop elements being
loaded by springs 37 into a normal position to block
the disc from passage into the c~vi~y 27 in the lower
portion of the plate 24, The ends of the stop ele-
ments 35 engage into openings 59 IFigure 7~ provided
in the plate 24. ~he stop elements 35 are located
_9~
such that, when a disc is introduced ~hrough the
opening 21, it comes to rest onto the stop elements
35 so as to be centered on the axis 29. When a
cartridge 10 is introduced through opening 21, by
pressing down on the cartridge 10, it causes the stop
elements 35 to move away by pivoting the shaft 36 in
the anti-clockwise direction.
In its upper portion, the housing accomodates
driving means to place the picture disc 2 in succes-
sive angular positions in order to place the picturetransparencies successively in the field of view of
t~e optical means. The driving means include selec-
tor means 40 (visible in front view in Figure 8)
mounted about an axis 38 and actuable from the out-
side of the apparatus. The selector 40 has a lug 39which is engagable with the driving 510ts 5 in the
disc 2 on counterclockwise movement of the selector
means to advance the disc 2 from one ~et of tran3-
parencies to the next and is cammed out of the slots
5 on return of ~he discs by its restore spring 40-1.
In its lower portion, the housing has mounted
therein driving means for the audio disc 3 as well as
read and reproducing means for the audio information
carried on said disc 3. In keeping with this inven-
tion, the driving means for the disc 3 is herein
shown as an electric motor 41~ coupled by an endless
belt to a fly-wheel 4~ secured on the bearing element
3~ carrying the centering means 33 for the audio
disc.
In carrying out the invention, it is desired to
synchronize the reading of the sound track on the
audio disc with the operation of the picture disc so
that individual recordings on the audio disc are
played while corresponding transparsncies are being
viewed. One device for achieving this utilizes
-10'~
the circuit of Figure 10 to synchronize the start
of ro~ation of the discs and to prevent rotation
of the picture disc while an individual sound com-
ment or recording is being played. The read and re-
producing means for the audio information recorded onthe disc 3, referring to ~igures 7 and 9, preferably
utilize a ceramic pick-up head 43 mounted on a sup-
por~ 44 which is slidable along a guide shaft 45 and
positions a needle in the spiral groove forming the
recording track on the audio disc 3. The pick-up
head is caused to advance by the interaction between
the needle and the recording groove.
To insure that the pick-up head is in proper
position to start reading the recording tracks with
no cartridge in the apparatus, a lever 48 under the
a~tion of a return spring 51 through a rod 47 tra-
verses the pick up head support 44 to its start posi-
tion, shown in Figure 7.
The outer wall of the cavity 27 for the car-
tridge in the lower portion of the plate 24 has anopening 52 to permit the pick-up means 43 to ac ess
the in~ormation recorded on the audio disc 3 of a
cartridge 10 when it is positioned in the cavity and
in the operating plane. A leg 46 serured to one
section of the housing supports the guide shaft 45.
The lever 4~ is arranged in the housing so as to
actuate a switch 53 controlling the electronic audio
reproducing circuitry which is connected to the trans
ducer in the pick-up means 43 when a cartridge is
inserted into the apparatus. This audio circuitry is
diagrammatically represented in Figure 10 and includes
three further switches 54/ 55 and 56.
As an audio-video cartridge 10 is inserted and
moves to its operatin~ position in the apparatus
(Figure 9), the lever 48 is caused to pivnt under the
Z~
action of the lower edge of the cartridge and actu
ate the switch 53 to close. The rod 47 is also
shifted to the left so as to permit the pick-up head
support 44 to traverse the recording tracks on the
audio disc 3. When the picture selector 40 is actu-
ated) it causes the switch 54 to switch ON, thereby
to close the feed circuit of the drive motor 41 fQr
the audio disc 3. However, the supply volta~e +A is
not applied to the switch 54 until the SCR switch 56
is fired/ which is caused to occur when swi~ch 55 is
ON. Switch 55 ~Figures 5-7) is, for instance, a beep
switch located on the positioning plate 24 so a~ to
be switched to ON by index means (e.g., a hole 58, as
shown ? n Figure 4~ provided on the picture disc 2 ~o
indicate that the irst picture or the first pair of
pictures is placed in the field of view of the eye-
piece~ 23. The drive motor 41 is thereby caused to
rotate the audio disc 3 only when the first picture
or the first pair of pictures is in position to be
viewed, thus synchronizing the start of rotation of
the discs. With the switches 54 and 55 being con-
currently ON, a warning signal is generated , the
duration of which is defined by the capacitor 57 and
said signal is reproduced by the audio circuit 60,
including an amplifier 61 and a loudspeaker 62.
When the audio disc 3 is caused to rotate the
transducer of the pick-up means ~3, preferably a
ceramic phonograph pick-up, applies tha detected
signals to the input terminals of the audio circuitry
60.
Further, in carrying out the aspect of the
invention concerned with synchronizing the reading
of the sound track on the audio disc with the oper-
ation of the picture disc, the detected signals are
also applied to the input of a silence detecting
-12~ 2
circuit 63, having the function of detecting the
silences or non-recorded periods in the audio track
on the disc 3. When a silence period havingl e.g., a
duration exceeding three seconds, is detected, the
silence detecting ciecuit 63 produces a signal for
driving a transistor switch 64 to OFF, thereby to
cut-off the supply feed to the drive motor 41 and the
a~dio circuitry 60~ The motor 41 and the audio cir-
cuitry 60 are not fed again until the picture selec-
tor 40 is actuated again, to make sure that the nextsound comment is detected and reproduced by the audio
circuitry 60 only when the next picture or the next
pair of pictures is positioned to be ~iewed. This
mechanism repeats at every actuation of the picture
selector 40. The arrangement described above thereby
ensures the desired coordination between the movement
of the discs to synchronize the sound comments re-
corded on the audio disc and the pictures carried by
the picture disc.
In order to maintain the synchronization,
the device also includes means to prevent operation
of the picture selector 40 as long as a sound comment
i5 being reproduced by the audio circuitry 60. This
i5 a two state device~ In a preferred embodiment, a
switch 65 and an electromagnet coil 66 are connected
in the feed circult with the following purpose. As
long as the picture selector 40 i~ in rest position,
the switch 65 is O~F and the coil 6S is not fed,
thereby to save energy. When the picture selector 40
is actuated during the time a comment is reproduced,
that is, as long as the silence detecting circuit 63
ha~ not detected silence between ~wo succeeding com-
ments, the switch 65 is closed and thus the coil 6S
is fed and moves the adjacent latch ~Figure 8) lnto
a notch on the per iphery of the picture disc to
-13
prevent the picture selector 40 from further move-
ment. The picture selector 40 is urged into rest
position under the action of spring 40-1 without
having caused the picture disc to rotate. The syn-
S chronization between the pictures and the sound com-
ments is thereby maintained by using circuit means
which have no energy consumption except when the user
makes a wrong manuever.
Power to the apparatus is provided by a ~6 ~DC
power supply which may be battery furnished or recti-
fied AC.
As an alternative and preferred device for
synchronizing the rotation of the discs, a mechanical
device is provided. The sams means described above
to coordinate the start of rotation of the discs is
employed. Furthermore, the device provides operation
of the picture selector while a sound recording is
reproduced. Referring to Figures 11-13, the mechan-
ical device includes a lever 208 movably moun~ed on
the frame adjacent to where the picture disc is held
in operating position. This is a two state device.
Responsive to rotation of the audio disc~ torque i5
transmitted from the audio disc to pivot the lever 208
from a rest position "A" ~Figure 1) to a "B" stat~
2$ where the lever can mask the drive slot normally
entered by the picture selector 40 and block the
entry of the picture selector into driving relation
with the picture disc. Thus, when sound comments are
being played, the picture selector is prevented from
rotating ~he picture disc; when the audio disc stops
rotating, at the end o~ any recorded comment, the
lever 208 is allowed to be urged by the return spring
212 to the rest state "A" unmasking the drive slot.
Both the mechanical device of Figures 11-13 and the
electrical device of Figure 10 serve the same purpose
-14~
of linking the rota~ion of the picture disc to the
playin~ of the recordings on the audio disc to syn-
chronize the viewing of the transparencies with the
playing of the corresponding sound comments or pas-
sages from the audio disc.
To position the lever 208, the device includesa plate 201 rotated by axle 200 cooperating with the
periphery of the audio disc drive means through pres
sure of a spring 210. During ro~ation, both moving
semicircular parts 202, 203 tend to lock against the
periphery of the cup 204, which is thus rotated by
friction. Said cup includes a gear ?.05 meshing with
a geared sector 206 rotating around axis 207 and
driving the lever 208. When the audio disc drive
rotates (Figure 2), the lever 208 is in position "~"
and can either lock the picture disc driving means
(selector 40) or be positioned in between lug 39 and
off-center drive slots 5 of picture disc 2 so as to
disconnect them. When the audio disc drive means are
stopped (Figure 1), the return spring 212 moves lever
208 to rest position "A~ so ~s to either unlock selec-
tor 40 or reestablish cooperation of lug 39 with
5101:s 5.
