Record Player and Components

Abstract

A record player includes a base including a front surface, a platter rotationally secured to the base, and a tone arm secured to the front surface of the base. The platter is in a nearly vertical orientation. The tone arm is mounted to the base at a pivot point in a vertical orientation so that a first end of the tone arm is positioned above a second end of the tone arm.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A record player for playing a record, comprising:
 a base including a front surface;   a platter rotationally secured to the base, wherein the platter is in a nearly vertical orientation; and   a tone arm secured to the front surface of the base, wherein the tone arm is mounted to the base at a pivot point in a vertical orientation so that a first end of the tone arm is positioned above a second end of the tone arm.   
     
     
         2 . The record player of  claim 1 , wherein the platter is rotationally secured to a top surface of the base. 
     
     
         3 . The record player of  claim 1 , wherein the tone arm includes a counterweight between the pivot point and the second end. 
     
     
         4 . The record player of  claim 3 , wherein a foam sleeve is friction fit onto the tone arm and the counterweight is friction fit onto the foam sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . The record player of  claim 3 , wherein the tone arm includes a tone arm shaft rotationally mounted within a gimbal that is rotationally mounted to a bearing base. 
     
     
         6 . The record player of  claim 4 , wherein the tone arm includes a needle at the first end and a spring compressed between the gimbal and the tone arm shaft at the second end, wherein the needle applies a tracking force to the record, and wherein the spring is adjustable by a setscrew to control the tracking force. 
     
     
         7 . The record player of  claim 1 , further comprising a plinth having a front surface, wherein the plinth is mounted to a top surface of the base and connected to a motor housed within the base, and wherein the platter is rotationally mounted to the front surface of the plinth. 
     
     
         8 . The record player of  claim 7 , wherein the platter, the plinth, and the motor are movable as an assembly relative to the base. 
     
     
         9 . The record player of  claim 8 , wherein the assembly is moveable along a depth of the base. 
     
     
         10 . The record player of  claim 9 , wherein the plinth is secured to the base using one or more screws, wherein the top surface of the base includes one or more slots for receiving the one or more screws, and wherein each screw is moveable within each slot along the depth of the base. 
     
     
         11 . A record player for playing a record, comprising:
 a base including a front surface;   a platter rotationally secured to the base, wherein a diameter of the platter is nearly vertical above the base; and   a tone arm rotationally mounted to the base, wherein the tone arm includes a tone arm shaft rotationally mounted within a gimbal that is rotationally mounted to a bearing base.   
     
     
         12 . The record player of  claim 11 , wherein the tone arm is mounted to the base at a pivot point offset from a centerline of a front surface of the platter, and wherein the tone arm includes a first end positioned above a second end. 
     
     
         13 . The record player of  claim 11 , wherein the tone arm shaft is rotationally mounted on the gimbal to rotate about a first axis, and wherein the gimbal is rotationally mounted to a bearing base to rotate about a second axis different from the first axis. 
     
     
         14 . The record player of  claim 13 , wherein the first axis is parallel to the front surface of the base and the second axis is perpendicular to the front surface of the base. 
     
     
         15 . The record player of  claim 11 , wherein the bearing base includes an arm dock for receiving the tone arm. 
     
     
         16 . The record player of  claim 11 , further comprising a plinth having a front surface, wherein the plinth is mounted to a top surface of the base and connected to a motor housed within the base, and wherein the platter is rotationally mounted to the front surface of the plinth. 
     
     
         17 . The record player of  claim 11 , further comprising a motor pulley positioned on a front surface of the base and a belt wrapping around the platter and the motor pulley. 
     
     
         18 . The record player of  claim 11 , wherein the platter includes a threaded spindle that receives a threaded record clamp. 
     
     
         19 . The record player of  claim 11 , further comprising a motor cover within the base, wherein the motor cover compresses the motor upwardly the plinth. 
     
     
         20 . The record player of  claim 11 , wherein the tone arm is comprised of carbon fiber.