FR2680038A1 - MONOBLOCK COMBINATION OF COIL SPRINGS AND A REMOVABLE DUST-PROOF DOOR. - Google Patents

Abstract

Two spaced coil springs (26, 28) are integrally molded on a cassette cover (14) and extend therefrom inward and downward at an angle. When the cassette cover (14) and cassette base (12) are assembled, the springs push the movable tape spools against the cassette base. A removable dust door (50) has an extension (62, 66, 68, 70) having two protrusions (80) formed integrally. When the removable dust door is disposed on the cassette, the projections extend into openings (42, 44) formed in the tape cassette around the spool springs. The protrusions abut the springs, hold the reels of tape against the base of the cassette, and remove the load that can be placed on the springs.

Description

One-piece combination of coil springs and a dust door

  This invention relates to tape cassettes and more particularly to a reel leaf spring of a video tape cassette cover for rotationally supporting the cores of the tape reels in the tape cassette and

  a removable dust door which cooperates with it.

  A conventional videotape cassette has a

  base and cover, each made of plastic.

  The assembled base and cover receive two reels of tape, each reel having a core for winding

  around him a magnetic recording tape.

  The cassette also usually includes a separate coil spring, that is, a spring stamped in a flat piece of metal or alloy so that arms are bent extending on both sides of a central flat portion of the spring, as described in US Patent No. 4,662,579 to the present applicant, entitled "Coined Reel Leaf Spring for a Video Tape Cassette" (the reel leaf spring calibrated for a videotape cassette) central plate of the coil leaf spring has holes for receiving projections formed on a central flat surface of the underside

  of the cover The free ends of the projections are pushed back

  subsequently formed or formed so as to extend around the holes and permanently maintain the spring at

blade relative to the cover.

  With the arrangement described above, when the cover containing the coil spring is assembled with the base, the two free ends of the spring arms come into contact with the cores of the respective band coils and push down the reels of tape, so that they are held in rotation in position with an appropriate pressure to make them cooperate with a tape player / recorder In other words, when the cassette is placed in the tape drive / recorder, pins of the tape player / recorder enters the cores and lifts the reels against the force of the spring When the cassette is not in the tape drive / recorder, the spring pushes the reels against the base and a reel locking device, well

  known in the art, prevents the coils from rotating.

  Alternatively, teeth on the base of the cassette can cooperate with teeth on the spool to block the spools, as described in the patent application

  US pending, serial number 07/471648 of this application-

  resse, titled "Static Tape Cassette Reel Lock"

  static lage of the reels of a tape cassette).

  The assembly of this spring requires a relatively large manpower The springs must be stamped and bent, the holes must be formed in a precise way, the corresponding projections must be molded on the cover of the cassette, the spring must be assembled so

  that the holes correctly receive the projections and

  These must be subsequently formed. All these operations naturally increase the cost of the cassette as a whole. In addition, after positioning the spring on the cover, but before permanent connection, it is possible that the spring is dislodged from the projections during progression on the chain.

mounting.

  In addition, with cassettes as with all consumer plastic items, it is necessary to find ways to recycle the products instead of just sending them to the landfill. Of course, the most difficult and expensive is to separate the different materials, such as metal and plastic, in this case the case cover spring

  sette, the least interesting to recycle.

  Pending US Patent Application Serial No. 458428

  of the present plaintiff, entitled "Reel Leaf Spring / Cas-

  sette Cover Combinaisons and Methods for Assembly "(combi-

  coil leaf spring and cassette cover spring and method of assembly) describes a coil leaf spring which is removably mounted by cam or press between protrusions or ramps formed on the cover of the cassette This structure facilitates assembly and recycling by making it easier to install the metal coil spring on the cassette cover and to remove it from the cover. In addition, a pending application from the applicant entitled "Wire Reel Leaf Spring / Cassette Cover Combination and Methods for Assembly "

  made of metal wire and the cassette cover and method of

  semblage) describes a wire leaf spring for

  coils which also share these characteristics.

  However, the coil leaf springs considered above are not yet the most interesting from the point of view

  cost and they don't lend themselves to manufacturing and recycling

clage very easy.

  A conventional cassette also has a door

  pivoting anti-dust device recalled by a spring which,

  that it is closed, protects the tape from dust,

  all contact, etc. An example of such a door

  This is described in US Patent No. 4,533,093 to the pre-

  sente plaintiff, entitled "Tape Cassette Dust Door Spring

  Assembly and Method for Assembling Same "

  comes out for tape cassette dust cover and

  assembly process) When the door is opened,

  automatically by a tape player / recorder when the cassette is placed there, the magnetic head

  of the player / recorder can access the tape.

  The incorporation of such a dust door in a cassette requires the molding of the door, the formation of a

  spring, installing the spring on the anti-push door

  loading the spring against the cassette, producing, installing and loading a dust door lock and associated spring and the elastic mounting of the dust door between the base and the cover when the base and cover are combined during assembly This number of operations is not very satisfactory from a cost point of view In addition, there is always the risk that parts, such as the spring of the dust-proof door are no longer aligned during manufacturing, shipping, handling or use

  and thus cannot function properly.

  Finally, none of the prior art dust doors cooperate in any way with the

  coil spring to improve its elastic life.

  US Patent Application Pending Serial No. 610585

  from the plaintiff, titled "Removable Dust Door Incorpo-

  rating Tape Reel Lock "(removable dustproof door

  with a tape reel lock) describes an anti-

  removable dust, but this does not cooperate with a

coil spring.

  Thus, the dust doors considered above are not yet the most advantageous from a cost point of view, nor are they suitable for the easiest manufacture and recycling and they are not combined

  in any way with the coil spring.

  Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coil spring and a dust door helping to reduce the total production costs of

the tape cassette.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a coil spring and a dust door which are

  more ecological than the corresponding elements

  by saving material and

energy.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette requiring fewer parts than the

  conventional tape cassettes.

  It is another object of the present invention to combine two separate elements already used in a cassette into a single molded element in one piece capable of accomplishing

  the functions of the two previous separate elements.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a dustproof door requiring no assembly of parts in a video cassette, nor any separate mounting

reminder.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a coil spring which does not require any assembly of parts.

in a videotape.

  It is another object of the present invention to combine

  the functions of a coil spring with an anti-

  dust. It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination of a coil spring and a removable dust cover for a videotape cassette which has no moving or working parts, except with respect to cooperation between the dust door

  and coil spring, to increase reliability.

  To achieve the aforementioned objects as well as others of the present invention and according to the objects of this, there is provided a pair of coil springs molded integrally with the cover of the cassette. The coil springs are molded inside by making an angle with the plane of the cover Once the cover associated with the base, with the reels of tape between them, the springs push the reels of tape against the base of the cassette, o other means prevent the rotation of the tape reels There is also provided a removable dust cover on which is formed an extension having two spaced projections. When the dust cover is placed on the cassette, the extension comes into abutment with the cover of the cassette and the projections extend through corresponding openings formed around the coil springs in order to abut with these springs and hold the tape coils against the base of the ca ssette Thus, the springs are not subjected to any fatigue until the door is removed. When the dust-proof door is manually removed from the cassette, the projections are released from the coil springs and the strip.

  is exposed for the reader / writer to access

  give in. The attached drawings which are incorporated here and form part of this specification illustrate achievements

  of the invention and, in conjunction with the description, serve

  to explain the principles of the invention In the drawings Figure 1 is a top view of a tape cassette according to the present invention, illustrating in particular

  the integral coil springs formed in the neck

  circular, but with a conventional dust door; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the coil springs formed in the cover; Figure 3 is a side sectional view of one of the coil springs formed integrally applied to the top of a tape coil core; Figure 4 is a top view of the cover of the tape cassette according to the present invention, particularly illustrating a removable dust cover combined with the coil springs in one piece;

  Figure 5 is a perspective view of the door

  dust, during removal of the cover or assembly on this cover; Figure 6 is a side sectional view of a spout formed on the extension of the dust cover engaged in an opening formed in the cover of the tape cassette; Figure 7 is a side view of the removable dust cover mounted on the cover;

  Figure 8 is a top view of the anti-push door.

  removable seat; Figure 9 is a front view of the removable dust door; and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a removable element used with the first embodiment described above. FIG. 1 illustrates a videotape cassette according to the present invention, the cassette being identified as a whole at 10 The cassette 10 comprises a housing element or base 12 and another housing element or cover

  14, each of these elements being made of a plastic resin.

  The base 12 and the cover 14 assembled receive two reels of tape 16, 18 in a known manner As seen in Figures 1 and 3, each tape reel 16, 18 has a core or hub 20, 22 respectively for

  allow a recording tape to be wrapped around them

  highly magnetic 23 Each reel of tape 16, 18 has two cheeks 21, fixed coaxially on the top and on the bottom of the cores 20, 22 to protect the edges, upper

and lower, from band 23.

  A flat area 24 is located in a central portion of the cassette cover 14; at this zone 24, spaced coil springs 26, 28 are formed from the same material as the cassette cover 14 in the same mold The springs 26, 28 are elongated springs molded integrally with the cover cassette 14,

in the preferred embodiment.

  Preferably, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, each spring 26, 28 has a base 30 connected to the central flat area 24 of the cover 14 Each spring 26, 28 is planar and extends at an angle d '' approximately -250 relative to the plane of the surface 24, moving away from the dust-proof door 13 located on the front of the

  cassette 10 and down towards the casing base-

  sette 12 This angle can be modified according to the resin chosen and the thickness of the springs 26, 28 Each spring 26, 28 has two converging sides 32, 34 ending in a straight straight end 36 Of course, instead of be convergent, the sides 32, 34 can be parallel Each spring 26, 28 is, at the sides 32, 34 and the end 36, spaced from the cover 14, as shown by the references 38, which allows the springs 26 , 28 to flex freely relative to the cassette cover 14 This gap also creates openings 42, 44, in which protrusions 72, 74 of the door extend

  removable dust cover 50, as will be explained below.

  As seen in Figure 3, when the cover 14 and the base 12 are associated, the springs 26, 28 abut against the tape reel cores 20, 22 and are pushed by them to bend upward towards of the zone 24, as indicated by the arrow A As a result, a portion 40 of the spring 26, 28 is applied against the top 41 of the cores 20, 22 and pushes the cores 20, 22 downwards, like the indicates arrow B. According to the present invention, if there is a defect in, for example, the base 12 after the base 12 and the cover 14 have been assembled, it suffices to disassemble the cassette and the cover 14 can be reused, containing the coil springs 26, 28: the base can be melted and

formed again, if necessary.

  An advantage of this invention, relating to coil springs, is that it is not necessary to stamp a spring in a flat sheet of stainless steel. The coil spring 26, 28 is made of the same material as the cover. cassette 14 Thus, the previous operations for manufacturing the stamped spring no longer exist, because the stamping operations of the spring, hole formation, mounting, etc., of the prior art can be eliminated. With the present invention, there is no need to modify the mold to form the cassette base 12, only the mold

  cover 14 should be changed.

  Furthermore, the production cost of a stamped leaf spring no longer exists, because no metal is used: a less expensive plastic material can be used to manufacture the coil springs. Furthermore, the plastic material previously occupying part of the cassette cover is simply transformed into the springs 26, 28 Furthermore, the risk of a spring being dislodged

  of course, these characteristics are eliminated

  Ticks help reduce the total cost of the cassette.

  In addition, if it is necessary to recycle the cover (for example if a regulation for the return of tape cassettes should be instituted in the future to save energy and materials, as is currently done with plastic bottles), it would be useless to separate a metal spring from the plastic cover This advantage

  reduces recycling costs, facilitates cost fusion

  cassette ring for plastic reuse

  and generally makes recycling more attractive.

  As seen in particular in Figures 4 to 9,

  the tape cassette 10, according to the present invention, comprises

  also carries a removable dust cover 50 A front portion 52 of the dust cover 50 has an elongated wall 54, a perpendicular wall 56, left and right corners 58, 60 and lower retaining elements 59, 61 La wall 54 serves practically to protect the strip 23 from debris, from any contact, etc., when the

  dust cover 50 is connected to cassette 10.

  The front wall 54 of the dust door 50 can also receive advertising, labeling, etc. A rear portion 62 of the dust cover 50 includes

  an extension 64 having two arms 66, 68, extending practically

  only perpendicularly from the wall 56 and these arms are connected to a third arm 70, parallel to the wall 56 The third arm 70 has a curved recess 71 which can receive the thumbnail of the user to facilitate the removal of the dust cover 50. The dust cover 50 also includes a pair of projections 72, 74 The projections 72, 74 are preferably formed integrally in the dust cover 50 during molding thereof. ci As can be seen in FIGS. 4 to 6 and 9, the projections 72, 74 have a flat base element 76 and a perpendicular elongated element 78 The element 78 has a spout 80 Each element 76, 78, 80 is formed at the intersections of the arms

66, 68 and 70.

  The openings 42, 44, formed in the cover 14 of the cassette, receive the respective projections 72, 74, when the dust door 50 is brought into the closed position on the tape cassette 10. In this way, debris is prevented, the dust, etc. from entering the openings 42, 44, when the cassette 10 is not

not used.

  More particularly, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the dust door 50, according to the present invention, and it is shown during disengagement

  of the cassette 10 or during connection to it.

  As regards the connection, the extension 64 of the dust-proof door 50 is moved in the direction of the cassette 10 while being slightly inclined upwards. The corners 58, 60 of the dust-proof door are generally configured to be housed in the recessed front corners. 90 of the cassette, the shapes of which are generally imposed by the conventional form of the dust-proof door The retaining elements 59, 61 are housed in the lower front edges of the cassette base 12 The extension 64 is pushed down against the cassette cover 14, so that the projections 72, 74 penetrate into the openings 42, 44 and the nozzles 80 snap under the outer edge

92 of the openings 42, 44.

  The protrusions 72, 74 are intended to abut against the molded springs 26, 28 and to push them in. This serves to maintain the elasticity of the plastic springs 26, 28 for the expected useful life of the cassette 10 For example, the projections 72, 74 guarantee that the springs 26, 28 are not subjected to stresses during storage or shipment (which may moreover include a

  warm environment) A plastic spring for

  may lose its elasticity over time when it is

  subject to stress and heat.

  As for the release, the reverse operations are carried out.That is to say, the extension 64 is lifted slightly upwards and slightly bent by placing the angle of the thumb in the curved recess 71, the projections 72, 74 out of the edges 92 of the openings 42, 44 and the dust cover 50 is removed, which exposes

  tape 23 to the tape player / recorder.

  It should be noted that the release and the connection can take place with the tape cassette base 12 above or below. In either position, cassette 10 can be held, for example in the left hand. , you can hold the dust door 50 in your right hand, and you can

  pull the door 50 to release it or push it for the

bet.

  The closed position of the dust door 50 is charac-

  téristique of the situations in which the tape cassette 10 is not actuated by the tape reader / recorder, i.e. during shipping, handling,

  storage, etc. In this position, the anti-push door

  siere 50 keeps the tape away from dust, contact, etc. The cassette with the dust door in position cannot be inserted into the tape player / recorder by mistake, because the thickness provided by the dust-proof door prevents

  to place the cassette in the tape player / recorder.

  User must remove the dust cover 50 from the closed position, as described above, before loading the cassette into the tape player / recorder The dust cover 50 is then set aside until the end using the tape cassette 10 in the drive /

tape recorder.

  In the first embodiment described above, a conventional dust door is used. In this first embodiment, it is also desirable to incorporate

  a separate element which has two functions: to close the openings

  tures 42, 44 and come into abutment with the springs 26, 28, exactly as does the extension described above 64 More particularly, as shown in the figure

  , the tape cassette 10 may include a loose element

  hollow 100 which is practically rectangular A front portion 102 has a curved recess 104 which can receive the thumbnail of the user to facilitate removal. The element 100 also includes two identical projections 106 and 108 (not shown) The projections 106, 108 are preferably formed integrally with the element 100 during the molding thereof and are the same as the projections 72, 74 described above, including the spouts 110. As regards the fixing of the element 100, this is moved in the direction of the cassette 10 and pushed down against the cassette cover 14 of so that the projections 106, 108 enter the openings 42, 44 and the hooks 110 snap under the outer edge of the openings 42, 44 In this way, debris, dust, etc., is prevented from entering the openings

  42, 44 when the cassette 10 is not in use.

  The projections 106, 108 also serve to abut against molded springs 26, 28 and to push them in. This also makes it possible to maintain the elasticity of the springs.

  plastics 26, 28 Indeed, the projections 106, 108 guarantee

  weave that the springs 26, 28 are not subjected to stresses during storage, shipping, etc. The user must remove the element 100 from its closed position described above before loading the cassette 10 into the tape player / recorder. The element 100 is then put aside until the end of the use of the 10 tape cassette in the player / recorder

bandaged.

  Thus, the present invention suitably fills a void created by the possibility of bending the springs, so that, during shipping and storage, the cores are kept pressed against the base, but the spring does not work. vacuum is filled by the removable dust cover 50 or by the removable element described above. In either case, the projections 72, 74 or 106, 108, respectively, come into abutment against the springs 26 , 28, thus pushing the tape reels against the base, a position in which their rotation is blocked, as described above by other means. The removable dust door 50 or the element 100 also covers the openings 42, 44 formed. around the springs 26, 28 to prevent debris from entering the cassette 10.

  As shown in the description above, an embodiment

  of the present invention combines in a single element the

  conventional, independent dust cover, mostly

  Several parts and subject to a spring and the lock of the dustproof door In addition, this single element can be manufactured with good efficiency as a single part, using a plastic molding, and the assembly is considerably facilitated. compared to conventional assembly The time lost on assembly stations, characteristic of assembly problems for

  conventional counterparts is also eliminated.

  This relatively simple realization allows automation

  mounting the removable dust cover on the cas-

  tape hoop during manufacture This embodiment also allows customers to easily remove the dust cover, place the tape cassette in a tape player / recorder for use, remove the tape after use and to put back

the dust door.

  There is also no need to significantly change the standards set for implementation or operation

  tape or tape player / recorder.

  In addition, since it is common to manufacture the cassette

  and to load the strip therein, the present invention allows a-

  add the dust-proof door after loading the tape and assembling the cassette This facilitates loading

Of the band.

  Furthermore, the overall assembly of the cassette is facilitated, because, in particular, the springs loading a dust-proof door and the lock of this door are eliminated. Furthermore, the previous practice of having to mount the dust-proof door between the base of the cassette and the cover during the assembly of these is eliminated Finally, the operation is more reliable, because there is no moving part in this combination of dust-proof door and

coil leaf springs.

  The above should only be considered as illustrating the principles of the invention Because many modifications and variations will readily appear to humans

  of art, we do not wish to limit the invention to the realization

  exact position and operation shown and described.

  For example, a tape cassette of the type intended for use in video tape players / recorders has been shown. However, the invention can also be applied to tape cassettes used in an audio player / recorder or any other device of this type. type In addition, although the coil spring is characterized as being formed on the cover, the spring can be formed on the base of the cassette, if desired Finally, several

  different forms of spring, for example curved, trian

  gular, etc, are possible, as long as a portion

  presses against a tape reel core.

  Furthermore, the spring must have an arcuate rectangular shape, connected at both ends to the cassette and

  it can be oriented parallel to the axis of the cassette.

  Consequently, all appropriate modifications and all their equivalents can be considered as falling

  within the scope of the invention and the claims

attached cations.

Claims (9)

Claims   1 tape cassette (10), comprising (a) a first cassette housing member (14); (b) a second cassette case member (12) connected to the first cassette case member; (c) at least one strip reel (16,18) disposed between the two housing elements and able to move between a first position and a second position, the reel in the first position being in abutment against the second housing element cassette (12) and, in the second position, being spaced from this second cassette housing member, characterized in that: (d) spring means (26, 28) are integrally molded with the first member cassette case (14) to recall the tape reel (s) (16,18) of the   second position to first position.   2 tape cassette according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises a removable dust cover (50) which abuts against the spring means (26,28), maintains the (the) reel (s) ) of tape (16,18) in the first position and eliminates the load that can   exercise on the spring means.   3 tape cassette according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring means comprise two spaced flat coil springs (26,28) connected to the first cassette housing element (14) and extending, each spring being applied under pressure against a tape reel (16.18).   4 tape cassette according to claim 3, characterized in that each spring comprises a first end (30), connected to the first cassette housing element (14), an opposite free end (36) and two opposite sides (32.34).   Tape cassette according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises: (d) a removable element (100) for covering the openings (42,44) formed at the level of the springs (26,28) in the first housing element cassette (14) and comprising means for abutting with the springs, maintaining the reels of tape in the first position and eliminating   the load exerted on the springs.   6 Tape cassette according to claim 5, characterized   in that it includes a dust cover (50).   7 tape cassette according to claim 5, characterized in that the removable element (100) has a portion which is a dustproof door.   8 tape cassette according to claim 5, characterized in that the abutment means comprise projections (106,108) formed on the removable element and ending in spouts (110), and in that these projections come into contact with the springs (26,28) and that the spouts (110) cooperate with   the openings in the first case housing element fillet (14).   A tape cassette (10), comprising (a) a first cassette case member (14); (b) a second cassette case member (12) connected to the first cassette case member; (c) two tape reels (16,18) arranged between the two housing elements and able to move between a first position and a second position, the reels in the first position being in abutment against the second cassette housing element ( 12) and, in the second position, being spaced from this second cassette casing element, characterized in that it comprises: (d) two spaced flat coil springs (26,28) molded in one piece in the first cassette housing member (14) and extending to urge the tape reels from the second position into the first position; (e) a removable dust cover (50); (f) protrusions (72,74) formed on the removable dust cover and terminating in spouts (80), in that the protrusions come into contact with the springs to maintain the reels of tape in the first position and eliminating the load exerted on the springs and in that the spouts cooperate with openings (42, 44) formed at the level of the springs in the first housing element cassette (14).   Method for recalling tape reels in a tape cassette, characterized in that it comprises the following stages: (a) forming a tape cassette comprising (1) a first housing element containing spring means molded from a in one piece, (2) a second housing element, and (3) two tape reels arranged on the second housing element and able to move between a first position and a second position, the coils in the first position being in abutment against the second housing element and, in the second position, being spaced from this second housing element, and (b) assembling the first and second housing elements so that the spring means come into abutment with the tape reels and push these into the second position.  11 The method according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises the following stage: assembling a removable dust-proof door with projections on the first housing element so that the projections come into engagement with the spring means, keep the tape reels in the second position and eliminate   the load can be exerted on the spring means.