GB2114538A - Miniature video cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

The cassette 10 comprises a casing having two rotatable spools 12A, B for storing magnetic tape 13, guide rollers 20A, 21A, 20B, 21B mounted in the casing for guiding the tape 13 in different paths between the spools 12A, B and apertures 28, 30 in the end walls 24, 26 of the casing allowing the tape 13 to exit from and enter into the casing along different paths between the spools 12A, B. When the miniature cassette is in an adapter the tape is drawn out along a long path of travel having a straight front section 16 spaced from the front wall of the cassette and side sections which extend nearly perpendicularly to the end walls 24 and 26. In normal operation the tape extends along a short path of travel adjacent the front wall of the cassette and contacts both rollers of each pair 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Miniature video cassette The present invention relates to video cassettes of magnetic tape for recording and playing video programs.

The great majority of video recorder/player apparatus presently on the market use large standard video cassettes having recording capacities of several (4to 8) hours.

Some portable video cameras make video recording using a recorder which is integrated with the camera and which uses miniature video cassettes.

Miniature video cassettes cannot be played in most video recorder/player apparatus, however, and recordings made thereon must be re-recorded on tape of a standard video cassette in orderto be used in such apparatus.

The magnetic tape in standard video cassettes follows a well-defined path as it must cooperate with drive, reproduction and/or recording members. As a general rule, a portion of the path is straight and elongated and extends adjacent one longer edge of the video cassette to ensure that the tape is exposed over practicallythe entire length ofthe cassette so as to enable a loading device to remove the tape from the cassette and place it against the recording and playback members when the cassette is in the operative position.

Since, bytheirvery nature, miniaturevideocasset tesarevery much smallerthan standard video cassettes, the magnetic tape which they contain does not have the same path arrangement as in the standardvideo cassettes, as a resultofwhich they cannot be used in conventional video recorder/player apparatus.

Portable recorders using miniature video cassettes, accordingly, have not come into widespread use owing to the incompatibility of the miniature video cassettes with video apparatus intended for use with standard video cassettes.

Theprincipleobjectofthepresentinvention is to overcomethese disadvantages encountered in the use of miniature video cassettes by providing miniaturevideo cassettes especiallysuited for use in an adapterofthe same dimension and shape as a large video cassette and in which the miniature video cassettes can be inserted and then played using conventional video recorder/player apparatus. Another object is to provide an internal construction of such miniature video cassettes which permits the magnetic tape contained in the miniature cassettes to follow the same path as in large cassettes once a miniature cassette is correctly positioned in the adapter.

Furtherfeatures and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an end view of a miniature video cassette constructed according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional viewtaken substantially in the plane of lines 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the normal path ofthetape; and Figure 3 is a similarviewto Figure 2, the path of the tape including a large loop outside the miniature cassette with a straight portion and being similar to the path of tape in a standard cassette of large dimensions.

Referring to the Figures, a miniature video cassette 10 is illustrated having spools 1 2A, 1 2B for storing magnetictape 13 with hubs 14A, for receiving drive spindles adapted to be driven to transfer the tape from one spool to the other. It is preferred that the miniature video cassette 10 have a size such that a length of magnetictape may be wound on one spool providing a recording time for about one-half hour of video. Of course, the length oftape may vary, depending upon the specific spool size and thickness of tape.

In keeping with the invention, the miniature video cassette 10 has a construction in which the tape 13 can be recorded or played backwhen extending from the miniature cassette along either (1) a short path (Figure 2) or (2) a long path (Figure 3) of travel. Thus, in normal operation, when in the recording unit of a camera, the tape 13 has a normal path in which it extends from the cassette along a short path (Figure 2) oftravel and is adapted to cooperate with drive and recording elements of the video camera. When in the adapter, the tape 13 extends from the cassette along a long path of travel, having a straight section 16, as shown in Figure 3, extending substantially parallel to one edge 18 of the cassette. In this configuration, the tape 13 is adapted to cooperate with drive and recording or reproducing elements of video apparatus.

twill be clear that along eitherthe short or long path of movement, the tape 13 must freely exitfrom and enterthecassette 10 under all conditions, ranging from emptytofull spools of tape, which affects the exit or entry point because of the change in diameter on tape on the spools.

In carrying outthis invention, the miniature video cassette is provided with two pairs of roller 20A, 21 A, 20B, 21 B, each pair being associated with one of the spools 1 2A, 1 2B. The tape 13 extends from the spools and is trained from one pair of rollers to the other, each pair of rollers including an inward roller 20A, 20B that is contacted by the tape connected to the associated spool and an outward roller 21 A, 21 B. As shown in Figure 2, in keeping with the invention, the tape 13, when trained along the short path (Figure 2), contacts both rollers of each pair being trained over the inner side of the inward rollers 20A, 20B and the outer side of the outward rollers 21A, 21 B.

Further in carrying out the invention, the end walls 24,26 ofthe cassette 10 have apertures 28,30 providing clearance forthe tape 13 to assume a different angular position relative to the inward rollers 20A, 20B when exiting or entering the cassette.

As shown in Figure 3, along the long path of travel, the inward rollers 20A, 20B are used as guide rollers The drawing(s) originally filed were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

and the tape exits (or enters) through the end walls 24,26 of the cassette in a direction essentially perpendicularto the end walls. The apertures 28,30 in the end walls which permitthe tape to exit or enter in a substantially perpendicular direction extend from the front edge 33, 34 of the cassette to points 36,38 substantiallyoppositetheforwardmostpointofthe periphery of the inward rollers 20A, 20B so thatthe tape can exit or enter in a substantially perpendicular direction and form a large loop, as shown in Figure 3, or be retracted and trained around the outward roller.

While reference has been made herein to the use of rollers for guiding the tape, such roller. may be fixed in position, providing smooth guide surfaces over whichthetapetravels in the long path orshortpath of movement. Othervariations may be made without departing from the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. A miniature cassette comprising: a casing having opposite end walls, two spools rotatably mounted in said casing for storing a length of magnetic tape attached at both endsto and wound around said spools, and guide means mounted in said casing for guiding said tape in paths between said spools, said end walls having apertures for said tape to exit from and enter into said casing along different paths between said spools.

2. A miniature cassette according to claim 1, in which said tape may exit from and enter into said casing along a path substantially perpendicularto said end walls of said casing.

3. Aminiature cassette according to claim 1, in which a pair of guide roller is provided in said casing at each end of said cassette including an inward and an outward guide roller mounted adjacent each end of said casing, said tape contacting said inward roller and being trained around said outward roller in its normal short path of travel.

4. A miniature cassette according to claim 1, in which said guide means includes a pair of rollers adjacent each end of said cassette, each pair including an inward roller and an outward roller, and wherein said tape contacts both said inward roller and is guided to exitfrom or enter into said casing through apertures permitting said tape to travel along a path substantially perpendicularto the end walls of said casing.

5. A miniature cassette comprising a casing having two rotatable spools for storing magnetic tape, guide rollers mounted in the casing for guiding the tape in different paths between said spools, and apertures in the end walls of the casing allowing the tape to exit from and enter into the casing along different paths between the spools wherein one of the paths is substantially perpendicularto the end walls of the casing.

6. A miniature cassette substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.