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    18 views12 pages

    Us8576687b1 PDF

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    danis1

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    2) United States Patent (io Patent No: US. 8,576,687 BI ‘US008576687B1 chréder (45) Date of Patent: Nov. 5, 2013 (Si) COMPACT TANGENTIAL TRACKING 4208851 4 + 8198 Duvsea soos TONEARM MECHANISM Stl A” Sb Boe (71) Appian Frank Seer, Beta (DE) Agm28 Ae ase His sass (72) Inventor: Frank Seer, Betn (DF) SG fat Eig Satan aed PGs mas Eanes Sean so oo. r—™—*s—C—==?==s_=™" Bx patent is extended of adjusted under 35 eee POREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (21) Appl. Nos 137685,812 » sros7761 A * 3/1982 (22) Filed: Oet.8,2012 * citod by examiner Primary Examiner — Brian Miller (74) Awtornes, Agent, or Firm — Coben & Grigsby, BC. (60) Provisional application No. 61/$43.956, filed on Ost. (57) ABSTRACT 6.2011, provisional application No. 61/549,302, filed fon Oxt, 20, 2011 Related U.S. Application Data The invention relates to tonearm tracking mechanisms in shonograph players and mechanical devices constructed for en eee {he purpose of rprodicing oF paying back rvordod aio Gute 10 (2006.01) ‘material previous impressed nthe oem or grooves, ono eanuse surface ofa disk, which are commonly called phonograph a seoman;s6o72ss_layersortmtables, Such disk is commonly eae, among ‘thr similar words phonograph cord oa vinyl disk. The Co) a eee resent invention i tangential tracking tonearm mecha USPC 369/220, 244.1, 245,255,220 PS tngental tracking = nism, wherein the toneam bearing subassembly has (wo rotary bearings in the lateral plane and a coupling linkage built into a compact subassembly. The collective contribution Se application ile for complete search history. 669, References Cited of thse elements, when propery configured and apprope US. PATENT DOCUMENTS ately adjusted, make, during playback of audio material on a tisk, reduced playback distortion over radial tacking mecha- 3476304 A 1969 Bich nisms and closely mimics the conditions under which nearly 3sis100 A 81994 Mayer fll imesters are ede Ssesos A 7974 Bich 4153286 851979 Gah 14 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Nov. 5, 2013 Sheet 1 of 6 US 8,576,687 B1 15 21 8 31 FIG. 1 U.S. Patent Nov. 5, 2013 Sheet 2 of 6 US 8,576,687 B1 ky J x Nh US 8,576,687 BL Sheet 3 of 6 Nov. 5, 2013 U.S, Patent U.S, Patent Nov. 5, 2013, Sheet 4 of 6 US 8,576,687 B1 U.S. Patent Nov. 5, 2013 Sheet 5 of 6 US 8,576,687 B1 U.S. Patent Nov. 5, 2013 Sheet 6 of 6 US 8,576,687 B1 40 Fig. 6 30 US 8,576,687 BI 1 COMPACT TANGENTIAL TRACKING. ‘TONEARM MECHANISM. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ‘he present invention relates to tonearm tracking mecha nisms in phonograph players. More particularly the present invention relates 10 mechanical devices constrocted for the purposco repreducing or playing hack recorded dio mte- Fial previously impressed, in the form or grooves, onto & surfice of a disk, Such devices are eomtmonly called phono- ‘graph players or turntables, Such disk is commonly calle, nong othe similar words, a phonograph record or a Vinyl slsk. Even more particularly, the preseat invention describes ‘8 novel design of the tonearm mechanism, «component pat ‘ofa phonograph player which is capable of tracking a groove jn a phonographie disk in a congolled fishion, most espe- ily ina tangential manner. ‘Conventional toneaem mechanisms Fall generally into 16 ‘categories: 1) a radial tracking mechanism wherein the path ‘ofa stylus, Which is attached via several subcomponents t0 theendofoncend ofatoncarm, fllowsacurved pathover the surface of a grooved disk. The curved path is portion of @ rele centered about point near and outside te outer cir- ‘cumference of te disk; and 2) tangential tacking meh nism wherein the path of @ stylus, which is attached via several subcomponents tothe end of a tonearm, follows 3 Tinear path over the surface of a grooved disk. The linear path ‘over the surface corresponds 0 radial line fromthe center of the disk and the mechanism that is employed to achieve the linear path isa form of linear bearing, ‘Kaownin the artis athied category of toncarma mechanism, namely on that has tracking characteristic that achieves the proove-40-siylus relationship of a tangential racking mecha- nism but is constructed from rotational bearings similar 10 those found in a radial tracking: mechanism. In this third ‘category of tonearm mechanisms, the stylus need not follow ‘single radial line coming from the center of the phonograph disk, Tangential tracking mechanisms are considered 10 be ‘capable of more accurately rendering the reconied ‘ona disk because the motion of a playback stylus relat ‘8 groove of a disk more accurately mimies the manner in, ‘which the original audio material was eut into a surfece of 3 master disk. Tangential tracking mechanisms are not as com- ‘mon as racial racking mechanisms becaise tangential track= jing mechanisms tend to be more complicated, pysically Jager, and more costly to precuve than ral tracking mecha- nisms. The presen invention falls into this thid category of tonearm mechanisms. US. Pat, Nos. 3,476,394; 3,813,100: 3,826,505; 4,153,256; 4,344,168; 4,346,466; and 4,580,258 disclose various tonearms of this category. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Lathes used to ent masters of analog audio material on lacquer disks have (commonly) a cutting bead that moves slovily ina radial direetion, thos assuring that a groove ere sted by a euttng diamond! stylus is alvays oriented perpen- dicular to a radius of the disk, Positive (groves, versus molded inverse “hills”) copies or sueli masters may be played back using a phonograph player witha playback transducer having a stylus, a canridge with internal components that hold the stylus, headshell that supports the eartidge, the hheadshellatached to a tonearm which in tur is held by @ tonearm bearing subassembly. When, during playback, the ‘manner of playback closely matches the manner in which the ‘original or master disk was produced, particularly with regard 0 o 2 tothe relative angular orientation ofthe stylus and the groove, fone key source of systematic reproduction errors is essen. ‘ally eliminate. "The various components ofthe tonearm mechanism must work together tallow a faithful rendering of audio material recorded onadisk. To achieve this revit, the tonearm hearing subassembly must apply a foree on the styhis to hold the Stylus in the groove during tracking (ie. while the disk is rotating aboot its axis) without applying so much force that the stylus wears surfaces of the groove; and the headsbell cartidge and siyhos must rise and fall during tacking +0 ‘aecommodate changes in the Vertical height ofthe op surface ofthe disk e.g dveto a warped condition ofthe disk);and the ‘onearm bearing assembly should not allow the tonearm 10 rock about its own axis significantly; nd the tonearm bearing ‘assembly must allow the tonearm to track the graove in the disk as successive revolutions a the disk change the position ofthe stylus relative tothe center of the disk. ‘The tacking properties of @toneaem assembly govern the Aidelty of a signal erated by a playback transducer. A tan- gentialtrocking tonearm allows the cartridge to play back the fudio material ina way that very closely approximates the ‘way in which the original master was ereated, and leads to superior sound fidelity compared to an otherwise similat, radial tacking tonearm (in the reproduced), A radial tracking ‘tonearm plays back the audio material in a way that loosely approximates the way in which the original master was ere- fated, and leads to reduced sound fidelity, Terms commonly ‘used to desribe signal errors da to inaccurate rendering of the recorded material boeauso the tracking during playback ‘doesnot closely match the conditions under which the origi ‘al master Was ereated are “playhack distortion” and “track- ing distortion.” The present invention is a tangential tracking toneam ‘mechanism, wherein the lonearm bearing subassembly has ‘to roary bearings in the lateral plane anda coupling linkage built nto compact subassembly. The collective contribution of these elements, when properly configured and appropri- tly adjusted, make, during playback of audio material on & ‘isk, rexduced playback distortion over radial tacking mecha- isms and elosely mimics the conditions under which nearly all masters are made. tis an object of the present invention to rede tracking, sistoion by orienting the playback stylus in the disk’s fgroove during playback in a manner designed to closely :mimie the motion of the cutting stylus used during eration of the master isan object ofthe present invention to maintain tangency ‘of the stylus in the groove during playback. Itisan objec of the present invention to provide tonearm smechuanism that may be atached, or retrofited, tan existing tumtable I's. an object ofthe present invention to incorporate bear ‘ng technology that redices frictional losses in order to mi ‘mize wear onthe walls ofthe groove being played back and to ‘assist in maintaining accurate tangeney inthe orientation or the stylus with respect tothe groove throughout playback Tis. an objet ofthe present inveation to incomporate mag pel technology to reduce the degree of errr fom tangency tracking. is also an object ofthe present invention to incorporate specially shaped magnetic components inthe path of ink- ‘age magnetic field for setting the racking characterises ofa stylus ine tonesem mechanism, isan object ofthe present invention to incorporate, into a tonearm mechanism, linkage mechanisms comprising non- manet and non-magnetic components and (0 Verically= US 8,576,687 BI 3 ‘oriented rotary bearings to control the angular and transi tional disposition of a stylus during playback 10 achieve substantially tangential tracking tis an objct ofthe present invention to provide a linkage ‘means for tailoring the path a stylus follows, both in angular ‘orientation and in displacement, during playback Punter ebjects and advantages will be described in suc- ‘ceeding setions ofthis specification, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a top view of a phonograph player and shows here the tonearm subassembly resides relative to other cr ponents of « phonognph player FIG. 2is.a schematic diagram, side view, of the bearings and linkage ofthe toncarm mechanism, where the magnet is ‘tan inner end of the magnet guide; FIG. 3 isa schematic diagram, side view, ofthe bearings ‘and linkage ofthe tonearm mechanism, where the magnets fan outer end of the magnet guide: FIG. 4 isa schematic diagram, top view, of portion the toncarm mechanism showing the disposition of the vertical bearings when the magnet is at an inner end ofthe magnet uid: FIG. 8 isa schematic diapram, top view, ofa portionof the tonearm mechanism showing the disposition of the vertical bearings when the magnet is near the outer end ofthe magnet uide: FIG. 6 is schematic diagram, top view, of portion the toncarm mechanism showing the path followed by the mage net during playback ofa phonographic disk, DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 as a set of components of @ toneam mechanism 10 assembled stop a planar surface of » phono- graph turntable In FIG. 1, attachedabove turntable surface 11 fs tonearm bearing subassembly 12, which in tar supports tonearm 13, A component of tonearm bearing subassembly 12, showen in FIG. 3, i tonearm mounting collar 14 which is alixed, via base screw 15 to tumtable surface 11. Supported by tonearm mounting collar 14 is a vertically-oriented base bearing subassembly 16, Referring to FIG. 3, attached or ‘ncomporated within base bearing subassembly 16 are vertical bearing housing 17, base bearing 34, guide platform 18 and magnet guide 19, and base shaft 20 ‘Referring again to FIG. 3, attachod 1 the op of base shat 20 sive! platfonn 21 Inserted ina hole in swivel platform 21 and rigidly affixed is venically-oriented tonearm bearing- housing 22, containing upper swivel bearing 38 and lower swivel bearing 36, into which is placed tonearm shaft 23. The {opoftoncurm shaft 23 supports tonearm pivothousing 4, To the bottom of tonearm shaft 23s attached magnet platform 28 ‘upon which is affixed magnet 26, ‘Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, within tonearm pivot housing 24 are two point pivot bearings, left point pivot bearing 27 and right point pivot beating 28 which, together, support tonearm 13. Left point pivot bearing 27'and right point pivot earing 28 together define shorizontally-oriented bearingandserveto restrict, within tonearm pivot housing 24, tonearm 13 to rotation about tonearm pivot aki 48. To the rear ‘of tonearm 13 is attached counterweight 29, The counter- ‘weight 29 features an inner sleeve, made from a marginally ‘compliant material, such as an acetal resin, Delrin (a regis tered trademark of, and manufactured and sold by FI DuPont De Nemours and Company) ora oorinated hydro- 0 o 4 carbon polymer sueh as Teflon (a registered trademark of and ‘manufactured and sold by E. DuPont De Nemours and Company). grub sew, accesible from above, compresses the sleeve such thatthe effective eoupling intensity ean be adjusted by varying the screw torque, In other words, the counterweight canbe slid—against varying tition —to adjust the tracking force unless the grub serew is tightened silficienlly to secure the position To the font of tonearm 13 js attached headshell 30. Contained within or held below Ibeadshell 30 is a cartridge, not shown, containing compo- ‘ents, not shown, leading toa cantilever 37 to which a play- back Stylus 31 is attohed ‘In further detail, again refering to FIGS. 1 through 8, the combined effect of the various components isto produce & desired motion of playback stylus 31, during playback of recorded material embodied ina groove 32, impressed, in a spiral fashion, on phonograph disk 33. Tangential tracking is achieved by providing two paths for the force applied to playback stylus 31 to reach the vertcaly-oriented bearings. ‘One sul path i strictly mechanical and ean be regarded as setting the angular position of toneann shaft 23; another path incorporates Hinkage tat, in effect, sets the angular position fof base shall 20, which, inthe process of rotating, shits the position of tonearm pivot housing 24. The shape of magnet ude 19 provides a means for continuously controling the ‘degree of such shifing as the positon of playback stylus 31 changes during playback. The simplified drawing of FIG. 6 illustrates magnet path 44, shown as a dashed line, as fol lowed during playback of a phonograph disk ‘The two paths, generally described above, by which lateral (ein the plane ofthe top surface of phonograph disk 33) {ores acting upon stylus 31 are transmitted throghout the ‘earings and linkage, shall now he describ in greater det Aft path forthe foree applied to playback stylus 3 starts ‘with toncarm mounting cola 14, which is altached to turn- table surf 11 by base serew 18, Tonearm mounting colar 114 contains within it wertieally-oriented base bearing sub sembly 16 which allows the rigid connection of toncarm bearing subsssembly 12 to the turntable or its “tonearm Doan” via a single eecentrcally oriented sere. Is second function stoallow for sting the height ofthe tonearm 13, or ‘more correctly, vertical tacking angle ("VTA"). Tis ean be achieved by a grub screw in tonearm mounting collar 14 effectively clamping bearing subassembly 16 when in gular ‘operation, but, aller loosening the grub screw, allowing for the bearing subassembly 16 tobe slid up or down to account {or different turntable/platter and or cartridge dimensions, ‘one component of which is veical bearing housing 17 into Which base shat 20, fre to rotate about base vertical axis 38 is inserted. Atachod to base shaft 20 is swivel platform 21, which rotates ina horizontal plane as bese shalt 20 rotates. Swivel platform 21 suppors ands rigidly alixed to tonearm bearing subassembly 12. Tonearm bearing subassembly 12 contains a second bearing assembly, also having a vertical axis of rotation, herein referred tas vertical bearing housing. 22. Into this vertical tonearm bearing inserted tonesem shalt 23, which extends from below the bottom of tonearm bearing subassembly 12 to above the top of tonearm beating subas- sembly 12, Rigidly attached to tonearm shaft 23 ata poi above tonearm bearing subassembly 12 is tonearm pivot housing 24, which can be connected by a serew or manufse- tured such tht it i a one piece component. Tonearm pivot ‘housing 24 has horizonally-oriented tonearm clearance hole 39 through which tonearm 13 is placed. Tonearm clearance hole 39s larger in diameter than the diameter of tonearm 13 ‘which enables tonearm 13 when follwing vertical motion oF playback stylus M, to move within a vertical tracking plane US 8,576,687 BI 5 that contains a center axis of tonearm clearance hole 39. To ‘constrain tonearm 13 fo angular motion inthe vertical tck= ing plane, toneaem pivot hole 4, peependicuar to tonearm ‘clearance hole 39 and perpendictlar to the vertical trcking plane is constricted in toneamn pivot housing 24, Tonear Pivot howsing 24 intersects tonearm clearance hole 39, form- ‘ng two distintly separate sections o the toneam pivot hole ‘One of the two sections shall be called lft pivot hole 42, andthe other section shall becalled right pivot hole 43. The taxis of left pivot hole 42 andthe axis of ight pivot hole 43 are ‘collinear, Inve left pivot hole 42 is placed left point pivot bearings 27 and into right pivot hole 4 is placed right point pivot bearing 28, These two pivot point bearings serve in concert, once aligned with receptacle features, not shown in the figures, on tonearm 13 and fixed in place, to create @ tonearm pivot axis about which tonearm 13 i Fee to rote ‘Counterweight 29 is placed on one end of tonearm 13, the ‘exact position of counterweight 29 along toneanm 13 being ‘easily adjustable. On the other end of toneanm 13 is attached, hheadshell 30 or similar supporting assembly. To headsell 30 jis attached a trnscacer subassembly having various compo= nents, neof which i playback sylus 31 Playback stylis $1 supported by cantilever 47 is the one and only element that touches groove 32 in phonograph disk 39. The force with ‘which playback stylus 1 presses down and into groove 32s, set by an adjustment procedure that involves placing and fixing counterweight 29 ina position along toneae 13 such that a desired amount of force is applied. In tonearm assem- blies designed to track (tangentially) groove in a phono- raph disk, the stylus, tthe point where the stylus contacts a [groove is oriented to trck the groove sich thatthe stylus ‘orientation equals tht oF the cuting sil, i. runs parallel to, the vertical tracking plane is in, o at least runs parallel to the vertical racking plane, "A second path forthe force applied to playback stylus 31 starts with the tonearm mounting collar 14. separate com ponent, not deseribed previously, spar of vertical base bearing subassembly 16, This part shall be called guide platform 14: its attached tothe outside of vertical bearing housing 17. ‘The angular orientation of guide platform 18, about the axis of hase shat 20, is adjustable, Once adjusted and fixed place, guide platform 18s notpermited to move, unlike base shal 20, To the botlom of guide platform 18 is attached a magnetically aetive magnet guide 19. Magnet uide 19 contoured in sucha way tht tangential tacking is ‘achieved, Finally, to the bottom of tonearm shaft 23 is, attached! magnet platform 28, which ean be attached by screwed! connection, press fit, glued or riveted means. Magnet platform 28 moves in concert with any angular motion, in a horizontal plane, of tonearm 13. To the far end of magnet platform 25 is attached magnet 26, which is press fit or inter erence ft andl ean be glued or secured by a screw, or prefer ‘ably a small horizontal grub sorew, Te top of magnet 26 is

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