PH26211A - Cleaning device for magnetic head - Google Patents

Description

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CLEANING DEVICE FOR MAGNETIC HEAD

This invention relates to a cleaning device for a magnetic head of a cassette recorder, particularly to a one-piece cleaning device provided with a replaceable cleaning fluid unit integrally disposed therein, which can efficiently dispense cleaning fluid to a cleaning tape of the cleaning device to allow the tape to clean the magnetic head.

Cleaning devices for magnetic heads of 1a conventional cassette recorders generally take the shape of cassettes with a special cleaning tape wound around feed and take-up reels of the cassette.

In use, the tape is soaked with cleaning fluid, the fluid being fed into the tape of the cassette from outside, and then the cassette is placed in the cassette recorder to have the cleaning tape wind past the magnetic heads, cleaning the tape as it passes.

This arrangement has the disadvantages that it is inconvenient to feed the fluid into the cassette to soak the tape, as both the cassette and the fluid container must be held manually: and it is also inefficient, because the amount of fluid fed can not be controlled precisely. Also, this arrangement requires two components, so is incovenient to carry and store.

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It iz therefore an object of this invention to provide a cleaning device for a magnetic head which is of one piece. zo is convenient to use and store.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cleaning device in which cleaning fluid can be refilled. It is a further object of this invention to provide a cleaning device which is of simple construction and which is operated easily.

To achieve these and other objects, a cleaning device is provided which includes a cassette body receivable in a conventional cassette tape recorder; a take up-reel and a feed reel provided inside the cassette body; a fluid-absorbent

LS cleaning tape wound around the reels similarly to a cassette tape, wherein a cleaning fluid containing unit, including a fluid container, an activating means, and a nozzle designed to dispense cleaning fluid to soak the tape on the feed reel, is provided 2a replaceably inside the cassette body, and is activated by an activating means to dispense cleaning fluid to the tape; whereby, the tape can be inserted into the recorder to clean the magnetic head. 29 In one aspect of the invention, the activating means is a press button integrally provided in the nozzle, extending outwardly of a

QLeplf “ot surface of the cassette body so as to he able to be pressed from the eusterior of the cassette body. nN preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a planar persnective view of a cleaning device as shown in Figure 1:

Figure 2 is a top plan illustrative view of a preferred embodiment of a cleaning device for a magnetic head sccording to this invention; and

Figure X is an alternative embodiment of a cleaning device for a magnetic head according to this invention.

The fallowing is a detailed description of a currently preferred embodiment of thiz invention.

This description is made for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawings. a preferred embodiment of a cleaning device for a magnetic head according to this invention includes a hnusing body 1; take-up and feed reels 21,22; a cleaning tape 3; and a cleaning fluid dispensing unit 95.

The housing body 1 is substantially in the shape of a cassette tape, and is made using

Lee ZA 26211 materials conventionally used in constructing a cassette tape body. It includes reinforcing ribs A for holding apart its top and bottom walls, and various indentations along its side walls for fitting into a conventional cassette player.

The take-up reel 21 and feed reel 22 are disposed inside the housing hody 1 left and right of the center thereof. The cleaning tape 3 is wound around the reels 21,22 in a conventional manner and passes around guide roller B, near an indentation of the housing body 1, so as to be exposed at the side wall of the housing which abuts the magnetic head } when the device is placed inside a cassette player.

The cleaning fluid dispensing unit 3 is 19 disposed in the housing body 1 between the reels 21,22. 1t comprises a fluid container 12 containing cleaning fluid 13; a pumping unit 14 attached to the fluid container 12, including a pump portion 142 and a fluid duct 141 extending from the pump portion 142 deep into the fluid container 12 for drawing fluid into the pump portions a dispensing duct 13 extending from the top portion with a nozzle 131 located directly adjacent to the cleaning tape 3 wound around the feed reel 22; and a push button 17 29 connected to said pump portion 142 in such a way that when pushed, cleaning fluid 13 is dispensed from the pump portion 142 through the dispensing

SrA 26211 duct 1% and the nozzle 151 to the cleaning tape 3, where it is absorbed by the capillary action of the cleaning tape 3. The fluid container 12 is prevented from moving laterally by retaining posts 11 disposed between the top and bottom walls of the housing 1. The disnensing duct 15 and nozzle 151 are prevented from moving laterally by {t =haped positioning member 16.

The push button is accessible to be pushed from outside the cassette body by being disposed in a discontinuous portion 19 of the side wall of the housing body opposite from the side with the indentations and roller B. An annular flange C extends inwardly from the wall defining the discontinuous portion 12. Mush button 17 is received in the flange C, and retained to be movable only axially with respect to the pumping portion 142 and fluid duct 141 thereby. Fuzh button 17 is retained from being released axially from the housing body by flanges 171 integrally formed therewith, which abut against the rim of flange C.

The tap cover at the top side of the housing body 1, as seen in Figure 2, is provided with viewing windows 41,42. Viewing window 41, 2% which is disposed adjacent to fluid duct 141, is veed for seeing the amount of fluid left in the : fluid container 12 (the cleaning device being held =)

Qe 2M 26211 button 17- side up to judge), while viewing window 42, which is disposed adjacent to the nozzle 151, is uaed to confirm that the nozzle 191 is dispensing a sufficient amount of cleaning fluid 13 in the right direction towards the tape =.

When the cleaning fluid 13 is used up, the entire cleaning fluid dispneisng unit 5 may be removed and replaced by taking the top cover off the housing body 1, and lifting the unit 95 out. (While the unit is restricted to move laterally, as has been described, it can be understood that it can be removed via the top of the housing.)

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of this invention. pescription of elements which are 13 jdentical to those of the first embodiment is omitted for clarity. In this embodiment, the cleaning fluid container 12° is cylindrical and is . disposed longitudinally adjacent to the side wall of the housing 1° npposite the side with indentations.

Container 12° is prevented from lateral movement by reinforcing ribs A’ disposed around reels 21° ,22°.

Push button 17° is dizpnaed al a corner ot housing 1°.

It can be understood that the cleaning 29 device of this invention is convenient to carry and store, as it is of one plecey that it i= simple to manufacture and operate; and that it is refillable.

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While this invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that variations and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art without 3 departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited as indicated in the appended.

Claims (2)

2 4240 26211 CLAIMS:

1. A cleaning device for a magnetic head, including a cassette body having a base housing portion and a cover portion, a take up-reel and a feed reel mounted in said base housing portion and a cleaning tape made of liquid-absorbent fabric wound around said reels similarly to a cassette tape, characterized by: a cleaning fluid containing unit which includes a fluid container adapted to be 1a placed in said cassette body, a liquid pumping unit attached to said fluid container and having a push button to be operated for dispensing cleaning liquid from said container, a duct connected to said pumping unit and a nozzle connected to said ducts a 18 space for accommodating said cleaning fluid containing unit provided in said base housing portion; retaining projections integrally formed in said base housing portion around said space for positioning and holding said fluid container against lateral movements; U-shaped positioning member integrally formed in said base housing for positioning said duct and said nozzle adjacent said tape; and a lateral portion of aaid base housing por tion which is provided with a discontinuous portion for exposing said push button and an inwardly projecting flange at said discontinuous portion for confining a recess that receives said push button.

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2. A cleaning device as described in claim 1 provided further with a top cover at the top side of the housing body with viewing windows which is disposed adjacent to the fluid for seeing the amount of fluid left in the fluid container and to conform that the nozzle is dispensing a sufficient amount of fluid in the right direction towards the tapes said top cover can be removed or replaced by lifting it out as soon as the entire cleaning fluid is used; as 19 well as the cylindrical cleaning fluid container disposed longitudinally adjacent to the side wall of the hosing opposite the side with indentations, the ‘ container being prevented from lateral movement by reinforcing the ribs disposed around the reels. YEH TSUN NAN Inventor