FR2499286A1 - BOX FOR MAGNETOPHONE CASSETTE AND SHEET, ALBUM OR BINDER COMPRISING SEVERAL OF THESE BOXES - Google Patents

Abstract

CASE FOR VCR CASSETTE AND DEVICES CONTAINING SEVERAL OF THESE CASES. EACH ENCLOSURE OR COMPARTMENT INCLUDES A FLAT WALL 14, SIDE WALLS 18, A SINGLE EXTREME WALL AND A PREFORMED UPPER WALL 22 INCLUDING A CENTRAL PART 24 DISTANCE FROM THE BOTTOM 14 TO LET A CASSETTE 32 OF THE 26 AND MORE EXTENSIONS FREELY ENTER BOTTOM 14 FOR HOUSING THE PROJECTING FLANGES 34, 36 OF THE CASSETTE 32. AN ELLIPSOIDAL PART 28 OF 24 PROJECTS IN A HOLE 42 OF THE TOOTH WHEEL FOR WINDING OR UNWINDING THE TAPE OF THE CASSETTE 32 WHEN THIS IS INSERTED. APPLICATION: REALIZATION OF ALBUMS OR BINDINGS WITH MOVABLE SHEETS FOR CLASSIFICATION AND TRANSPORT OF CASSETTES.

Description

The present invention relates to a box for holding cassettes

  and more particularly, it relates to a preformed set of cases or cases each of which is intended to house a cassette which can be inserted so that its head or front part is directed towards

up or down.

  The field of electrical recording has become

  developed and we have moved from the use of

  plates or discs to that of the reels for recording

  tractors on reels; we are now using cassettes

  actually carrying a pre-formed reel for tape recorders, wrapped in a package held in or within range

from the hand.

  The advantages of using cassettes are

  evident from the fact that the winding of the ribbon is avoided.

  in the case of a ribbon for a tape recorder, and as a result the ribbon is never touched

  by human hands, but is always maintained in

  protected zone, which guarantees a long service life of this ribbon. In addition, the cassette becomes a convenient instrument for its user and so has acquired on the

  registration market a largely pre-positioned

  eminent for professionals as well as amateurs. In the recording industry, the cassette is usually designed to run at a rate of 4.76 cm per second and, depending on the size of the tape, it is possible to obtain a given length of tape.

  use for 15 to 45 minutes and even for 60 minutes.

  Due to the ease of use of a cassette,

  we can now obtain complete albums of courses

  history, languages and general subjects,

  at any desired level. To provide such recorded courses, the manufacturer usually offers,

  for a given subject, a complete course which can be

  shot in a number of ribbons, variable from 2 to 8 or

even more.

  The problem facing the industry is to offer a convenient cabinet to contain several

  cassettes and allowing the user to find the case

  if desired, remove it from the cabinet and be able to hand it

  be in a compartment of this box after using the ribbon. Unfortunately, the problem is complicated by the fact that the cassette is not symmetrical but that it comprises, on the contrary, a front part or head having on each side protruding flanges outwards while there is

  has no such protruding flanges on the other side of the case.

sette.

  In addition, the cassette contains a mechanism for

  and winding and enough ribbon to scroll past the head of the cassette to move from one gear to the next and then back to the first. The problem is that the gear wheels

  winding, namely winding wheels and winding wheels.

  of the ribbon, do not lie in the plane of symmetry perpendicular to the large faces of the cassette, but are rather offset with respect to this plane and are found in

  the part distant from the head or front presenting the flas-

projecting outwards.

  In reviewing the prior art, it will be seen that the most successful holster for holding a single cartridge or tape cassette is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,272. 325. This patent describes a device for housing a single nested cassette and then has a second lid completely surrounding the cassette so as to maintain it in an atmosphere free of dust and in a position for the protection of rigid elements. Unfortunately, the device of this earlier patent-can not be adapted in

  to contain more than one cassette, as is now the case

  necessary. The cited patent describes an extremely exemplary model intended to contain only one cassette and, when it is necessary to protect a single cassette, this case

  is probably the most successful.

  In the field of multi-cassette storage, the most successful technique of using storage cavities is that described in US Patent 3,620,367. most successful technique for storing multiple cassettes. The latter patent describes an open container in which the individual cassette is placed in a suitable compartment. The compartment includes

  protrusions intended to come into contact with the winding wheels

  and also, at its lower plate, protrusions acting as a fulcrum to allow

  remove the cassette by pressing on one end or the

  of it in order to rotate the cassette around a

  point of support and to allow the user to grasp the former

  raised end and thus remove the cassette from its recess

  tainer. This latter device is widely accepted in industry, but it has certain shortcomings which have delayed its progression in the practical field. For example,

  the cassette must be introduced in a preferred direction only

  and it can not be placed in this container in the manner desired by the user. Protrusions forced into the hollow parts of the toothed wheels

  winding and unwinding are shifted to corresponding

  laying on these gear wheels and

  therefore, to place the cassette in 'any position

  except the preferred position which corresponds to a meaning

given.

  In addition, the flat packaging used according to the last patent cited leaves the entire upper part of all the cassettes freely communicate with the atmosphere.

  and thus places each of the cassettes in a nonprofit atmosphere

  tected. The latter container has imprints or bosses

  internal management of different kinds intended to come into

  tact with rubbing with the cassette so as to prevent it

  to be removed from the container if it is not desired.

  The present invention describes a new box designed to hold several cassettes in a protected environment and which substantially protects the entire cassette

  by isolating it from the external atmosphere. The cabinet also allows

  the user to insert the cassette in any position or in any direction. There is therefore no predetermined or preformed position, which allows the cabinet to play its role better and the end user to use it more easily. The cabinet houses the cassette and has a single repoussed portion for engaging a portion of the winding or unwinding gear to hold the cassette in the insertion position, regardless of how the cassette has been inserted by the user. The present invention discloses a cassette holder, which can cooperate with a cassette having on each of its end walls an outwardly protruding flange and having two spaced apart and spaced winding wheels which are not located on the part of the casing. more central of the cassette. The cassette holder has a bottom wall or flat bottom without markers, identical side walls, a single end wall and a preformed top wall. The central portion of the upper wall is at a distance from the lower wall in order to accommodate the body of the cassette. The end portions of the top wall are each at a greater distance from the bottom wall than the central portion to accommodate the

  protruding outward flanges on the cassette.

  A repelled portion is formed on the center line of the top wall and is intended to protrude inwards and towards the bottom wall in order to come into contact with a portion of the hole provided on the cassette and

  allowing access to one of the internal gear wheels of

  rolling or unwinding of the tape. The pushed-back portion locks the cassette in the box whatever the direction of insertion of this cassette, that is to say that a projecting flange is on the lower part or on the upper part. The repulsed part has the general shape of a

  ellipse and the dimension of the elliptical part

  Inwardly and to the bottom wall is approximately half the size of the opening giving access to the winding or unwinding wheel. In this way, when the cassette is inserted so that its rim is at the bottom, the pushed-out part of the box will come into contact with the winding wheel whereas, if the cassette is inserted so that its flange is towards the

  the pushed part will fix a part of the wheel of

  rolling. Other objects and advantages of the present invention

  will appear better on examination of the detailed description

  following examples non-limiting, made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows an album containing several cassettes carrier compartments; Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

  Figure 3 shows the cassette housed, after inserting

  in a first direction, in a compartment or case; Figure 4 shows a cassette housed in a second position in the compartment or case; Figure 5 shows several cassette holders or compartments in a ring binder; Fig. 6 shows a new cassette holder for use with the ring binder of Fig. 5, and

  FIG. 7 is a side view of the new carrier

  cassette of Figure 6; Referring to Figure 1, we see an album 10

  having two opposite sides 12 and 14 forming the covers

front and back of the album.

  A plurality of identical compartments 16, each forming a case for an individual cassette, are disposed on the inner flat portion of the cover 14. Each of the compartments 16 utilizes the flat portion of the cover 14 as the bottom wall and further includes identical sidewalls. 18, only one end wall 20 and one

preformed top wall 22.

  The upper wall 22 has a central portion 24 located, relative to the flat wall 14, at a given distance sufficient to allow the insertion of a cassette between the walls 14 and 24. The upper wall 22 also has two end portions 26 more distant from the wall of the bottom 14 and leaving between them and this wall 14 sufficient space to allow the insertion of the projecting flanges outwardly and which are present of each

  side of the cassette. In other words, the individual cassette

  duel can be placed from the start with insertion of its protruding flanges in one or the other of the end parts 26, and the compartment or cabinet can still accommodate the

cassette thus inserted.

  A repelled portion 28 is located on a central or central line of the upper wall 22 at a distance from the end wall 20 equal to that existing between the winding or unwinding wheel of the cassette and the extreme position thereof. The repelled portion 28 has the shape of a

  ellipse projecting inwards and the inferior wall

  14 and is intended to fit into the hole in the cassette to provide access to the unwinding wheel or

  winding. In other words, once the cassette has been inserted

  in one or the other position in the case compartment, the pushed-out part 28 will hold the cassette in the insertion position until the user wishes to

remove the cassette from its case.

  Referring to FIG. 2, a section is shown

  along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

  In the preferred embodiment, the album or box is obtained by molding a single sheet of material

  plastics in order to form several compartments of

  identical guration. The assembler simply cuts out the number of compartments he wants for his album and then fixes them or soda on the side of the album, using one side of this album as the bottom wall of the compartments

  forming-case for cassettes. The section of Figure 2 -

  30. illustrates a continuous transition portion 30 connecting opposite walls 18 to show that the top wall 22 as well as the end walls 20 and the side walls 18

  are all contiguous on a single sheet of plastic material

  tick. FIG. 2 shows a cassette 32 housed in the central compartment. The cassette has flanges 34 and 36 protruding outwardly on a side near the head portion 38 of the cassette. This configuration is conventional for all cassettes. The opposite side 40

  of the cassette is flat and it contains the reels of

  and winding to contain the ribbon. The hole 42 gives access to a toothed wheel hole to allow unwinding or winding of the coils in the cassette 32. Note that the hole 42 is not located on the center line or the plane of symmetry of the cassette , but rather on one side, far from the part 38 of the head of this cassette. The pushed portion 28 is located on the center line of the upper wall 24 and this part penetrates

  therefore in a part of the hole 42, that the cassette be inserted

  as shown or inserted into position

  inverse as best seen in Figures 3 and 4.

  Figure 3 shows a top view of the cassette holder made according to the principles of the present invention, with insertion into the compartment 16 of a cassette whose flange 34 is protruding outwardly from the left side of the cassette. It should be noted that the pushed-out portion 28 situated on the top wall fills only a part, and in particular less than about half, of the hole made in the cassette to give access to the toothed hole of the spool.

  unwinding or winding. If cassette 32 was inver-

  and that the protruding flange 36 was located on the left-hand side

  of compartment 16, the repulsed part 28 of that compartment

  would fit into a part of hole 44 giving access

to the winding mechanism.

  FIG. 4 shows a cassette 32 inserted

  in the compartment 16 so that its flange 36,

  projecting outwards, is located to the right of the

  partment. In this position, the pushed-out portion 28 is located in the hole corresponding to the unwinding wheel 42, but this portion 28 is located further to the right of this hole whereas in FIG. 3, the portion 28 was situated further to the left.

from hole 42.

  It thus appears that by locating the repulsed part

  16 on the center line of the upper part or cover

  ture 24, closer to the single end wall 20, and giving this portion 28 the shape of an ellipse protruding into the hole 42 formed in a cassette 32 to access the unwinding mechanism or winding tape, it is possible to use the pushed-out portion 28 as the only means for locking the cassette 32 in position and preventing the unwinding or winding of the tape moving mechanism that the cassette 32 is inserted into the compartment 16 so that the head of the cassette is on the left

or right.

  It can be seen from Figures 3 and 4 that the length

  of the top wall 22 and the lower wall portion 14 is less than the length of a cassette 32, of. so that an end portion of the inclined cassette 32 is disengaged,

  this facilitates its removal from the compartment 16.

  Figure 5 shows another form of reali-

  To incorporate the compartments or cases 16 and to associate them with a binder or binder 50 for loose leaflets.

  Workbook 50 is of a classical model; he com

  carries metal rings 52 operable and fixed to the back 54 of the binding 50. Several cases or compartments 16 are on one side, 56, of the binding 50. The étuids 16 are identical in all respects to the case 16 described in About

  Figures 1 and 2, but each case has a recess

  curved 58 for facilitating the removal of the cassette.

  It has been found that the combination of a binding 50

  for loose-leaf and one or more cases or compartments

  16, with individual cassettes as well as writing materials and courses,

  serve in the field of taking and study of confe-

  and courses. The student may wear the cassettes in the same box or binding 50 as his classes, and he uses in all respects the three-ring binding in one

meaning and classic way.

  We see in Figures 6 and 7 what we can gener-

  usually call a page 60 of an insertable mobile slip that

  is actually a page that can contain and house several cases

  settes. The sheet 60 is made of cardboard or other rigid and elastic material having the shape and dimensions of a page that can be placed in a suitable binding such as the binding 50 of FIG. 5. One side of the page 60 has several holes 62 intended to correspond to the binding rings of a loose-leaf sorter with

  which page 60 is intended to cooperate.

  A plurality of case-shaped compartments 16, similar to that illustrated with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and having the curved shape of the recess 58 shown in FIG. 5 as a modification, are attached to each side of the case.

page 60.

  The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 has been chosen to adapt and conform to the

  dimensions of a three-ring binder such as the one illustrated

  FIG. 5 is a movable sheet 60 which can hold three cassettes on one side and three cassettes on the other side or on the other page. The complete sheet 60 is then inserted into a three-ring binder, as a supplement if additional tapes are to be added at a given course or if they are necessary for the series of

conferences in question.

  The cassette holder illustrated in Figure 6 and described in connection with it is not necessarily limited to a three ring binding sheet or even for any kind of binding, but is instead intended to illustrate how several cassettes can be kept on one page and mounted in combination with any other binding or other support device. For example, we can use a hook such

  that used by vendors and window dressers to pre-

  sents and socks, which allows the user to suspend the sheetlet or cassettes to a support from above as a means of storing his

excess cassettes.

  It goes without saying that there is no limit for the size of the 60 sheet and the number of compartments

  individually attached to each side of this sheet 60.

  A cassette can thus slide freely to enter a case or compartment or to leave it, and the pushed-out portion 28 of the case which protrudes into the opening 42 or 44 for access to the unrolling or winding wheel, constitutes the only body maintaining the

  cassette in the case or compartment.

  It goes without saying that, without departing from the scope of the invention,

  Many modifications can be made to the case, compartment, cassette case or

  binder described and represented. For example, the upper wall

  a box or case may have more than one pushed-out portion projecting towards the bottom wall, so as to be aligned with the holes for access to the toothed holes of the

ribbon moving wheels.

he

Claims (13)

  Box or case for holding a rectangular cassette (32) having two holes (42, 44) for accessing the toothed holes of the unwinding or winding wheels and offset from the center line of the longitudinal axis.   dinal of this cassette (32), the cabinet (16) being   characterized in that, for housing a cassette (32) introduced by an open end of this cabinet (16) so as to   maintain it on a flat wall (14) forming a bottom, this cof-   cargo has a substantially flat wall (14) forming a bottom without marks, identical side walls (18), a single end wall (20) and a preformed top wall (22) having a central portion (24) and two end portions (26). ) each of which is further from the bottom wall (14) than the central portion (24) and, substantially on the axis of symmetry line of the central portion (24) of the top wall (22), at least a portion of repulsion (28), in the general shape of an ellipse, protrudes towards the bottom wall (14) so as to be aligned with one of the holes (42,44)   access to the toothed holes of unwinding or winding wheels   the cassette (32) regardless of the position of   it (32) on the flat wall (14).   2. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the upper wall (22) and the   bottom wall (14) is less than the length of a cas-   sette (32), so that an end portion of the inclined cassette (32) is disengaged to facilitate the removal of this one (32) of the cabinet (16).   3. Case according to claim 1, characterized in that the pushed portion (26) is closer to the single end wall (20), so as to protrude into the hole   (42 or 44) of a cassette (32) for allowing   or the winding of the ribbon, in order to maintain the   sette (32) in the case (16) and to prevent the unfolding or winding the ribbon.   4. Box according to claim 3, characterized in that the pushed portion (28) is dimensioned so as to fill less than half of a hole (42 or 44) formed in the cassette (32) to give access to the toothed hole a 2! 499 286   unwinding or winding wheel.   5. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper wall (22) has a curved recess (58) for disengaging a portion of the cassette (32) located outside the cabinet (16) in order to form   an opening facilitating the removal of the cassette (32).   6. Workbook in the form of a book or an album (10.50)   comprising two flat-faced covers (12, 14) and   each box (16) in the form of a box or case for accommodating, retaining and covering each a rectangular cassette (32), which has two holes (42, 44) for accessing the toothed holes of the unrolling or winding wheels offset by   relative to the center line of the longitudinal axis of the case   Sette (32), the binder being characterized in that, for housing a cassette (32) introduced by an open end of the cabinet or case (16) so as to hold the cassette (32) on a flat wall (14), - each case or case (16) has identical side walls (18) and a single end wall (20) attached to a flat-faced cover (14,56) constituting the bottom wall and a preformed top wall (22) having a central portion (24) and two end portions (26) which are each (26) further from the bottom wall (14) than the central portion (24) and, on the central or axial line of the central portion (24); ) of the upper wall (22), at least one generally elliptical shaped recessed portion (28) projecting towards the bottom wall (14, 56) so that this portion (28) is aligned with one of the holes (42,44) providing access to the toothed holes of the unwinding or winding wheels of the tape of the cassette (32) which whatever the position of it   (32) on the bottom flat wall (14,56).   Binder according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises rings (52) for receiving additional pages of loose sheets; A transportable cassette holder for holding a plurality of rectangular cassettes (32) each having two holes (42,44), providing access to the toothed holes of the unwinding and winding wheels of the ribbon, and offset from the center line of the longitudinal axis of the cassette (32), the carrier cassette (60) substantially flat, reinforced and without marks, beingcharacterized in that it has on one side or one side several compartments in the form of case or cabinet comprising identical sidewalls (18) and a single end wall (20) attached to one side of the flat bottom wall carrier (60) and to a wall   preformed upper part (22) which has a central part   trale (24) and two end portions (26) each of which (26) is further from the bottom wall than the central portion (24) and, substantially on the center line of the portion   central portion (24) of the upper wall (22), a portion   a generally elliptical-shaped projection (28) projecting towards the bottom wall so that the portion (28) is aligned with one of the holes (42, 44) providing access to the toothed holes of the unwinding wheels or winding the tape of the cassette (32) regardless of the position thereof (32) on the flat bottom wall.   9. Transportable cassette holder according to the claim   8, characterized in that it has a plurality of holes (62)   located on one side of this flat and reinforced cassette holder.   10. Transportable cassette holder according to the   cation 8, characterized in that it comprises several   timers, in the form of a case or box, located on each side   this cassette carrier substantially flat and reinforced.   11. Box associated with a rectangular cassette (32) having substantially, at the lower part of each end wall, a flange (34,36) projecting outwards and two holes (42,44) spaced, giving access to the toothed holes of the unwinding and winding wheels of the ribbon and offset from the center line of the longitudinal axis of the cassette (32), the casing (16) being characterized in that, for housing a cassette (32) ) inserted by an open side of the box so that the cassette (32) is held on a flat wall forming the bottom of this box,   it (16) has a substantially flat wall (14)   a bottom without markers, identical side walls (18), a single end wall (20) and a preformed top wall (22) having a central portion (24) spaced a distance from the bottom wall (14) to housing the body of a cassette (32) and two end portions (26) each of which is further from the bottom wall (14) than the central portion (24) to accommodate the flanges (34,36) protruding from the cassette (32) in either position and, substantially on the center line of the part   central (24) of the upper wall (22), at least one   a generally elliptical shaped (28) protrusion, projecting inwardly and towards the bottom wall (24) to engage a portion of the toothed holes of the unwinding or winding wheels, so that this portion (28) is aligned with one of the holes (42,44) of the cassette (32) regardless of the position thereof   (32) on the flat wall (14) forming its bottom.   12. Box according to claim 11, characterized in that the cassette (32) can slide freely to enter the box (16) or out and in that the pushed portion (28) projecting into the hole (42 or 44). )   is the only means of holding the cassette (32).   13. Box according to claim 11, characterized in that the pushed portion (28) is dimensioned in a manner   filling less than half a hole (42 or 44) of the case sette (32).