Patents by Inventor Koichiro Hirabayashi

Koichiro Hirabayashi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7280310
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis on which a rotatable head cylinder is mounted; a sub chassis movable relative to the main chassis; a cassette holder for holding the cassette and mounting the cassette on the sub chassis; a cassette holder elevating section for moving the cassette holder up and down with respect to the sub chassis; a holder engaging section provided on the main chassis; and a main chassis engaging section provided on the cassette holder. The sub chassis is movable relative to the main chassis from a cassette mountable position at which the cassette is mountable on the sub chassis to a tape pull-out position at which the magnetic tape has been pulled out from the cassette and wound around the rotatable head cylinder. The holder engaging section and the main chassis engaging section are engaged with each other at the tape pull-out position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Hiroshi Kurumatani, Toshiaki Ueta
  • Patent number: 7248430
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes an arm section pivotable about a pivoting shaft; a tape guide section provided on the arm section for guiding a magnetic tape; a capstan section for driving the magnetic tape so as to run; and a maintaining section provided on the capstan section. The arm section is pivotable between a first location and a second location. The first location is a location at which the information recording to and/or information reproduction from the magnetic tape is possible. The second location is a location at which the information recording to and/or information reproduction from the magnetic tape is not possible. When the arm section pivots from the second location to the first location, the maintaining section maintains a relative position of the arm section, which is in the first location, to the capstan section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Konishi, Koichiro Hirabayashi, Hiroshi Kanchiku, Hitoshi Yasutomi, Takefumi Yanagihara
  • Patent number: 7246766
    Abstract: A torque limiter includes a first rotatable body rotatable around a rotation shaft as a center of rotation; and a second rotatable body rotatable around the rotation shaft as a center of rotation. The first rotatable body includes one of a magnet and a hysteresis plate. The second rotatable body includes the other of the magnet and the hysteresis plate. The magnet and the hysteresis plate face each other. The first rotatable body and the second rotatable body are in contact with each other. No wall is provided between the rotation shaft and a contact area at which the first rotatable body and the second rotatable body are in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shibukawa, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7221535
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis having a rotatable head cylinder provided thereon; and a sub chassis on which a tape cassette is mountable. The sub chassis is movable with respect to the main chassis between a tape cassette mountable position and a tape pull-out completion position, and the tape cassette mountable position is a position at which the tape cassette is mountable on the sub chassis and the tape pull-out completion position is a position at which information recording to and information reproduction from the tape, which has been pulled out from the tape cassette and has been wound around the rotatable head cylinder, can be performed. A portion of the main chassis along a forward end thereof is cut out toward the rotatable head cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Konishi, Koichiro Hirabayashi, Yoshiyuki Saito, Hiroshi Kurumatani
  • Patent number: 7209315
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a pivotable arm section; an arm pivoting center shaft for supporting the pivoting center of the arm section; a capstan section for driving a magnetic tape so as to run; a pinch roller provided on the arm section for pressing the magnetic tape to the capstan section; and an extendable and compressable section extendable so as to be wound around the arm pivoting center shaft in accordance with the pivoting of the arm section and compressable so as to retract from the arm pivoting center shaft in accordance with the pivoting of the arm section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electrics Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Hiroshi Kanchiku, Takefumi Yanagihara
  • Patent number: 7187516
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis; a sub chassis on which a cassette is mountable, the sub chassis being movable relative to the main chassis; and a first guide section for guiding the sub chassis to move relative to the main chassis. The first guide section includes a first guide groove; and a first projection engageable with the first guide groove and movable along the first guide groove. The first guide groove has two ends, the first projection is contactable with at least one of the two ends at two points and the at least one end is formed such that the movement of the first projection toward the at least one end is stopped by the contact with the two points, and the two points have a distance therebetween which is shorter than a width of the first guide groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kurumatani, Toshiaki Ueta, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7180698
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes a cylinder for recording information to and/or reproducing information from a magnetic tape; a chassis section having a first chassis surface having the cylinder provided thereon and a second chassis surface substantially perpendicular to the first chassis surface; a capstan section for driving the magnetic tape so as to run, the capstan section being provided on the first chassis surface; and a securing section for securing the capstan section to the chassis section, the securing section being provided on the second chassis surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Hiroshi Kanchiku, Hitoshi Yasutomi
  • Patent number: 7180697
    Abstract: A tape loading apparatus comprises a base, a tape guide post about which a tape is wrapped for tape loading, and a post end contact member provided on the base for fixing the height of the tape guide post by contacting and pressing an end surface of the tape guide post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Konishi, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7170710
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a cylinder; a first chassis section; a second chassis section; and at least first, second and third tape guide members. The second chassis section is movable between a first position and a second position. When the second chassis section is in the first position, a supply reel, the first tape guide member, the second tape guide member, the third tape guide member and the cylinder are arranged in this order, such that only the first, second and third tape guide members guide the magnetic tape between the supply reel and the cylinder. When the second chassis section is in the first position, the first tape guide member is in contact with a magnetic surface of the magnetic tape, and the second and third tape guide members are in contact with the non-magnetic surface of the magnetic tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Akio Konishi
  • Patent number: 7170711
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis having a cylinder provided thereon; a sub chassis on which a tape cassette is mountable; a plurality of tape pull-out members acting to pull out a tape from the tape cassette; and at least one arm for driving at least one tape pull-out member. The sub chassis is movable relative to the main chassis between a tape cassette mountable position and a tape pull-out completion positions. The main chassis includes at least one guide member for guiding the at least one tape pull-out member while the sub chassis moves between the above-mentioned two positions. The at least one arm is provided in the sub chassis, and drives the at least one tape pull-out member such that the member pulls out the tape while the sub chassis moves from the tape cassette mountable position to the tape pull-out completion position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Yoshiyuki Saito, Hiroshi Kurumatani
  • Patent number: 7167337
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a sub chassis unit on which a cassette is mountable and having first and second reel stands respectively engageable with first reel and second reels of the cassette; a main chassis unit combined with the sub chassis unit and including a rotatable head cylinder used for information recording to, and/or information reproduction from, a magnetic tape; and an idler mounted on the main chassis unit for driving the first and second reel stands. The sub chassis unit further includes a reel lock release member for unlocking a reel lock member of the cassette; a light emitting device for emitting light for detecting a leading end and a trailing end of the magnetic tape; and a section for allowing the idler to be mounted on the main chassis unit after the sub chassis unit is combined with the main chassis unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kurumatani, Kazuo Shibukawa, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7164553
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis having a rotatable head cylinder provided thereon; and a sub chassis on which a tape cassette is mountable. The sub chassis is movable relative to the main chassis. A pivotable body is provided on the main chassis. The pivotable body has a projection provided thereon. The projection is engaged with a cam groove in the sub chassis so as to pivot the pivotable body. Thus, the cam groove is restricted by the projection, so that the sub chassis moves with respect to the main chassis. The cam groove has a width substantially identical to the diameter of the projection. The cam groove includes first and second arc portions continuous with each other, and a straight portion continuous with the second arc portion. The first and second arc portions have identical radii, and are projected in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Saito, Koichiro Hirabayashi, Hiroshi Kurumatani
  • Patent number: 7163172
    Abstract: A reel driving device includes a reel stand for driving a reel to rotate; and a latch including at least one contact portion contactable with the reel. The reel stand includes a convexed and concaved portion. The latch includes a claw portion for, when contacting the convexed and concaved portion, stopping a rotation of the convexed and concaved portion. While the reel stand rotates in a first direction, the latch moves in such a direction that the claw portion contacts the convexed and concaved portion by a rotation of the reel stand being conveyed to the at least one contact portion. While the reel stand rotates in a second direction, the latch moves in such a direction that the claw portion is separated from the convexed and concaved portion by a rotation of the reel stand being conveyed to the at least one contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shibukawa, Koichiro Hirabayashi, Akio Konishi, Hiroshi Kurumatani
  • Patent number: 7161762
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis having a rotatable head cylinder provided thereon; a sub chassis on which a tape cassette is mountable; and a plurality of tape pull-out members acting so as to pull out a tape from the tape cassette. The sub chassis is movable with respect to the main chassis between a tape cassette mountable position and a tape pull-out completion position, and the tape cassette mountable position is the position at which the tape cassette is mountable on the sub chassis and the tape pull-out completion position is the position at which information recording to, and information reproduction from, the tape which has been pulled out from the tape cassette and wound around the rotatable head cylinder can be performed. All the plurality of tape pull-out members are mounted on the sub chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Yoshiyuki Saito, Hiroshi Kurumatani
  • Patent number: 6993993
    Abstract: A sheet metal outsert-molded gear, in which a molded resin gear is formed by outsert-molding along the outer perimeter of a disk-shaped sheet metal, characterized in that one or more notches, holes, or protrusions are provided in the outer perimeter of the disk-shaped sheet metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Konishi, Koichiro Hirabayashi, Kazuo Shibukawa
  • Patent number: 6967812
    Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing device of the present invention records information on or reproduces information from a tape provided in a cassette by winding the tape around a rotary head cylinder at a prescribed angle after the tape is drawn out from the cassette including a supply reel and a take-up reel by tape guide members. The device is characterized in that: a first tape guide member is located downstream in the tape running direction with respect to the supply reel; the first tape guide member is followed by a second tape guide member, a third tape guide member and the rotary head cylinder; and only the first tape guide member, the second tape guide member and the third tape guide member are provided between the supply reel and the rotary head cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Konishi, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 6882499
    Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing device of the present invention includes: a loading motor for driving a mechanism section; a holder section for maintaining the loading motor at a prescribed position; a worm gear rotatable along with a rotation shaft of the loading motor; and a worm gear bearing member integrally formed with the holder section, the worm gear bearing member being in contact with a tip of the worm gear, the worm gear bearing member includes a first deflection portion deflectable along a thrust direction along a rotation axis of the worm gear and a second deflection portion deflectable along a radial direction to the rotation axis of the worm gear, and force is generated at the tip of the worm gear along the thrust direction thereof by simultaneously deflecting the first and second deflection portions so as to define a position of the worm gear along the thrust direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kurumatani, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 6882498
    Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing device of the present invention includes: a chassis included in a mechanism section; a first protruded guide for maintaining a horizontal position of a board-like element attached to the chassis with respect to a horizontal plane of the chassis, the first protruded guide being provided on the chassis; and an arm rotatable with respect to the chassis, the arm is positioned so as to be out of contact with the board-like element when the board-like element is placed on the chassis before attachment thereto, and the arm is rotated about a rotation support axis center thereof so as to move to a position where the arm presses a top surface of the board-like element so that a vertical position of the board-like element with respect to a horizontal plane of the chassis is maintained for attachment of the board-like element to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kurumatani, Koichiro Hirabayashi
  • Publication number: 20040240103
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a rotatable head cylinder for recording information to, and/or reproducing information from, a magnetic tape; a tape pull-out member for pulling out the magnetic tape; and a guide member for guiding the tape pull-out member. The tape pull-out member is engaged with a groove formed in the guide member. The tape pull-out member is movable between a first position and a second position along the groove. The first position is a position at which information recording to, and information reproduction from, the magnetic tape is possible. The second position is a position at which information recording to, and information reproduction from, the magnetic tape is impossible. The rotatable head cylinder is provided on a cylinder holding member integrally formed with the guide member. A profile of the groove is continuous with no gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Akio Konishi, Koichiro Hirabayashi, Yoshiyuki Saito, Hiroshi Kurumatani
  • Publication number: 20040233571
    Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus includes a main chassis on which a rotatable head cylinder is mounted; a sub chassis movable relative to the main chassis; a cassette holder for holding the cassette and mounting the cassette on the sub chassis; a cassette holder elevating section for moving the cassette holder up and down with respect to the sub chassis; a holder engaging section provided on the main chassis; and a main chassis engaging section provided on the cassette holder. The sub chassis is movable relative to the main chassis from a cassette mountable position at which the cassette is mountable on the sub chassis to a tape pull-out position at which the magnetic tape has been pulled out from the cassette and wound around the rotatable head cylinder. The holder engaging section and the main chassis engaging section are engaged with each other at the tape pull-out position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Koichiro Hirabayashi, Hiroshi Kurumatani, Toshiaki Ueta