Abstract: A system includes a component inspection system having a radiation source configured to generate radiation and a radiation detector configured to detect the radiation after the radiation passes through components to be inspected. The system also includes a fixture configured to receive multiple reels that are each configured to receive a tape in or on which the components are located. The fixture includes a base configured to be secured to a support, a shaft, one or more motors mounted to the shaft and configured to rotate the reels, and one or more joints coupling the shaft and base. The one or more joints are configured to allow (i) rotation of the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft to change an orientation of the shaft with respect to the base and (ii) rotation of the shaft to change a direction at which the shaft extends away from the base.

Abstract: A composite cylinder block comprises an inner component defining one or more cylinder bores and main bearing supports of a crankshaft, and an outer component defining an upper crankcase, the inner component being inserted in the outer component, and being rigidly attached thereto. The arrangement provides a comparatively lightweight and rigid cylinder block.

Abstract: A recording tape cartridge of the present invention includes: a reel formed with an engagement portion on a bottom portion of a reel hub; a resin brake member moving toward and away from the bottom portion of the reel hub, and selectively adopting a rotation locked position and a rotation permitted position; a resin release member being capable of movement in a reel axial direction and rotating as a unit with the reel; and a projection portion that projects out in the reel axial direction from an axial center portion of either the brake member or the release member, that is formed with a housing portion housing a spherical member that contacts the other out of the brake member or the release member, and that is formed with a lip portion jutting out from an opening end portion of the housing portion toward a reel radial direction inner side.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus and a method for braking a reel assembly comprising a lower disc rotatably supported by a stationary shaft located on the deck and an upper disc arranged on the stationary shaft to rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the lower disc. Thus, the upper and lower discs are rotatably coupled to a tape reel of a tape cassette. A disc gear is positioned between the upper and lower discs to receive power from a capstan motor. A friction member is disposed between and in contact with the lower disc.

Abstract: A method of loading a film assembly comprising a first film container (13) which may be a conventional film cassette and an additional film container (15, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502) having a length of film wound in one of the containers and extending to the other, comprises the steps of: (a) providing a coiled length of film which may be a bulk roll (52) and attaching a free end to a film winding tool (34); (b) rotating the film winding tool (34) to wind the film into a coil about the tool (34); (c) before or after step (b), enclosing the coil in the additional film container (15, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502) so that the film extends through a film slot thereof, and removing the film winding tool (34). The invention also resides in a film container for use in the method, and in an assembly so formed.

Abstract: A system is provided for movably supporting an ink film in a printer. The system has cylindrical supply and take-up cores for supporting and taking up the film during printing operations. The cores may be made of molded plastic resin. The ends of the cores are sized to selectively fit within a frame in such a way as to provide stable operation, including where applicable, while a frame cover is closed. In a preferred embodiment, the diameters of the first and second ends of the supply and take-up cores are essentially the same, and the diameters of the second and first ends of the respective cores are essentially the same. A molded cylindrical brake portion frictionally contacts the teeth of a brake gear to provide the desired film tension with improved handling and with reduced likelihood of jamming.

Abstract: A system is provided for movably supporting an ink film in a printer. The system has cylindrical supply and take-up cores for supporting and taking up the film during printing operations. The cores may be made of molded plastic resin. The ends of the cores are sized to selectively fit within a frame in such a way as to provide stable operation, including where applicable, while a frame cover is closed. In a preferred embodiment, the diameters of the first and second ends of the supply and take-up cores are essentially the same, and the diameters of the second and first ends of the respective cores are essentially the same. A molded cylindrical brake portion frictionally contacts the teeth of a brake gear to provide the desired film tension with improved handling and with reduced likelihood of jamming.

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.

Abstract: A reel braking apparatus for a tape recorder selectively brakes a reel disk assembly, which includes a reel disk and a reel gear installed on a deck, according to an operational mode. The apparatus includes a clutch member supported by a rotation shaft installed on the deck, a gear member installed coaxially relative to the clutch member so as to rotate by being engaged with the reel gear, and a clutch spring installed between the gear member and the clutch member for restricting rotation of the gear member so that the gear member can rotate in one direction according to a rotational direction of the reel gear. The clutch member and the clutch spring are coupled to each other, and this allows the gear member installed for engagement with the reel gear of the reel disk assembly to rotate in one direction only.

Abstract: A reel braking apparatus for a tape recorder selectively brakes a reel disk assembly, which includes a reel disk and a reel gear installed on a deck, according to an operational mode. The apparatus includes a clutch member supported by a rotation shaft installed on the deck, a gear member installed coaxially relative to the clutch member so as to rotate by being engaged with the reel gear, and a clutch spring installed between the gear member and the clutch member for restricting rotation of the gear member so that the gear member can rotate in one direction according to a rotational direction of the reel gear. The clutch member and the clutch spring are coupled to each other, and this allows the gear member installed for engagement with the reel gear of the reel disk assembly to rotate in one direction only.

Abstract: A brake mechanism for a rotator has a brake arm rotatably supported, a brake pad, a spring exerting force to the brake arm in a direction in which the brake pad is brought into contact with the rotator, and a rotation restriction pin for restricting a range of the rotation of the brake arm. When the rotator rotates in a direction, in which force for causing the brake arm to be brought toward the pin is exerted to the brake arm, the automatic biting condition is satisfied at the rotation braking start point, subsequently the brake arm comes into contact with the pin, and the relieving condition is satisfied. On the other hand, when the rotator rotates in an opposite direction, in which force against the force exerted to the brake arm by the spring is exerted to the brake arm, the relieving condition is satisfied at the rotation braking start point, and then the relieving condition is satisfied also when the rotator stops rotating.

Abstract: A reel table braking device for use in a video cassette recorder having a deck and a reel table rotatably fixed on the deck through a shaft. The reel table braking device comprises a brake assembly mounted on the shaft of the reel table and movable along the shaft between the reel table and the deck, and a slide plate provided with a first and a second urging means having different height from each other. The brake assembly includes a main brake, a sub brake, and a compressive spring fitted on the periphery of the main brake. The main brake has at least one elastic hook and a bottom plate. The bottom plate protrudes from the periphery of the main brake and supports the spring. Furthermore, the sub brake has at least one hook seat corresponding to the elastic hook, is fitted on the main brake in such a way that the hook is inserted in the hook seat, and is biased upwardly by the spring.

Abstract: A cam gear is provided with a camming groove including an inside camming face and an outside camming face. The inside camming face is divided into a stop mode inner-section of a first constant radius, a play mode inner-section of a second constant radius, the second constant radius being larger than the first radius, and a first transition section formed in a manner that an end of the stop mode inner-section is smoothly joined to a beginning of the play mode inner-section.

Abstract: A brake mechanism of drum type magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus having a take-up reel, supply reel, each having a gear and reel body, and frictional force thus produced between said gear and real body during relative rotation. And a rocking gear mechanism selectively engages with the gear of said take-up reel or supply reel, and a brake plate mounted on said rocking gear mechanism, and including a first and second clutch teeth thereon, when said rocking gear mechanism engaged with said supply reel or take-up reel, said brake plate driven in rotation to enable said clutch teeth to engage with the gear of take-up reel to produce a brake force. With the aforesaid assembly, it may provide different back tension of tape under different modes of operation for said magnetic tape machine.

Abstract: A reel braking device for small-sized tape recorders capable of ensuring the braking operation and simplifying the structure, comprising a reel gear, disposed below a take-up reel, having a cylindrical guide surface and a geared portion in a stair type, and a rotating member having an elastic member for contacting resiliently with the guide surface of the reel gear and for changing the rotational direction of the rotating member in response to the rotation of the reel gear and a ratchet for restricting the rotation of the reel gear.