GB2144028A

GB2144028A - Holder for a magnetic tape cassette

Info

Publication number: GB2144028A
Application number: GB08320264A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tin-Yauho
Original assignee: TIN YAUHO
Current assignee: TIN YAUHO
Priority date: 1983-07-27
Filing date: 1983-07-27
Publication date: 1985-02-27
Also published as: GB8320264D0

Abstract

A holder 10 for a magnetic- tape cassette consists of a casing 11 open at its front end and having a bottom wall 12 provided with slide rails 15 engaged by a slide member 17 on which the cassette is supported, said slide member being urged by a spring 26 towards its outermost position and held in its innermost position by a resilient catch 22,23. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Holder for a magnetic tape cassette This invention relates to a holder for a magnetic-tape cassette. Magnetic-tape cassettes are usually individually stored in a holder formed of plastics material, the holder having a hinged lid which has to be swung open in order to remove or insert a cassette. This operation usually requires the use of both hands and this can be hazardous when the cassette player is provided in a motor vehicle and when the driver attempts to change a cassette whilst driving the vehicle. Also when a number of holders are stacked one on top of another or side-by-side it is difficult to be able to grasp a holder and withdraw it from the stack.

The present invention relates to a holder for a magnetic-tape cassette in which the removal or insertion of a cassette can easily be accomplished by one hand and in which when a plurality of holders are stacked does not have to be removed from the stack in or to gain access to the interior of the holder.

According to the present invention there is provided a holder for a magnetic-tape cassette comprising a rectangular casing open at a front end thereof, a slide track provided within the casing on the bottom wall portion thereof and extending from the open end towards the rear of the casing, a slide member engaged with said track, said slide member forming a cassette receiving member slidable along the track between an outermost position in which the slide member extends forwardly from the front face of the casing and an innermost position in which it is wholly received in the casing, resilient means for urging the slide member towards the outermost position, and said slide member being provided with a stop means engageable with a part of the casing to limit the ourtward movement of the slide member and with a releasable catch means for retaining the slide member in its innermost position.

Preferably the slide track is formed by two parallel spaced apart slide rails provided on the bottom wall of the casing.

The slide member has a rear wall engaged by said resilient means and a front wall.

Preferably the releasable catch means comprises a resilient portion of the slide member, said resilient portion having on its underside a downwardly extending projection engageable in a hole provided in the bottom wall portion of the casing and on its upperside an upstanding portion which is aligned with the front wall of the slide member.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view in an open condition of a first embodiment.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the first embodiment, in the closed condition, Figure 3 is a perspective view in an open condition of a second embodiment, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the second embodiment, in the closed condition.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, the holder is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a rectangular casing 11 having a bottom wall 12, side walls 13 and a rear wall 14. The upper wall of the casing 11 is either formed by the bottom wall of another holder 10 or by a cover plate placed on top of the walls 13 and 14. The casing 11 is open at its front end. Provided on the upper side of the bottom wall 12 is a slide track consisting of two parallel spaced apart slide rails 5 which extend from the open front end towards the rear wall 14. Also provided in the bottom wall 12 are two parallel spaced apart slots 16.

Engaged with the slide rails 15 is a slide member 17 which forms a member for receiving a magnetic-tape cassette (not shown). The slide member 17 is provided on its upper side with two upstanding projections 18 on which the spools of the cassette are received. At its rear end the slide member 17 has an upstanding end wall 19 and at its front end an upstanding front wall 20. On the underside of the slide member 17 there are two downwardly extending stop members 21, each engaged in one of the slots 16. The slide member 17 is provided at one side with a resilient catch portion 22 on the front end of which is provided an upstanding portion 23.

The underside of the catch portion 22 is provided with a downwardly extending projection 24 which when the slide member 17 is in its innermost position engages in a rectangular hole 25 provided in the bottom wall 12.

The slide member 17 is urged towards its outermost postion by a coil spring 26 interposed between the rear wall 14 and the end wall 19.

The holder 10 shown in Figure 1 is illustrated in its open condition for receiving or for removing a magnetic-tape cassette and in this condition the stop members 21 are engaged with the front end of their respective slots 16.

In order to close the holder 10, the slide member 17 is pushed towards the rear wall 14 against the force of the spring 26 and slides along the rails 15 until the projection 24 of the catch portion 22 engages in the hole 25.

In order to open the holder 10, the projection 24 is disengaged from the hole 25 by pushing the portion 23 upwardly and the slide member 17 is urged to its outermost condition by the spring 26.

The portion 23 forms a continuation of the front wall 20 and together they close off the open end of the casing 11 when the slide member 17 is in its innermost condition. The front wall 20 may be transparent and may be provided on its inner side with means for holding a strip of paper or card on which the contents of the magnetic-tape cassette can be indicated and viewed through the front wall 20. When the bottom wall 12 is to form he upper wall of a holder 10 located beneath it, the underside of the bottom wall is provided with a pair of parallel spaced apart ribs 27 which form a guide for the spring 26 of the other holder 10.

The holder 10 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 and similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals as used to describe them with respect to Figs. 1 and 2. The main difference of the holder 10 of Figs. 3 and 4 compared with the holder 10 of Figs. 1 and 2 is that the resilient catch portion 22 is located in the centre of the slide member 17 instead of being at one side and it extends forwardly from the end wall 19 and the upstanding portion 23 is located in the centre of the front wall 20.

A plurality of holders 10 can be stacked one on top of another as indicated by the broken lines in Figs. 1 to 4.

Claims

1. A holder for a magnetic-tape cassette comprising a rectangular casing open at a front end thereof, a slide track provided within the casing on the bottom wall portion thereof and extending from the open end towards the rear of the casing, a slide member engaged with said track, said slide member forming a cassette receiving member slidable along the track between an outermost position in which the slide member extends forwardly from the front face of the casing and an innermost position in which it is wholly received in the casing, resilient means for urging the slide member towards the outermost position, and said slide member being provided with a stop means engageable with a part of the casing to limit the outward movement of the slide member and with a releasable catch means for retaining the slide member in its innermost position.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1, in which the slide track is formed by two parallel spaced apart slide rails provided on the bottom wall of the casing.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 In which the slide member has a rear wall engaged by said resilient means and a front wall.

4. A holder as claimed in claim 3, in which the releasable catch means comprises a resilient portion of the slide member, said resilient portion having on its underside a downwardly extending projection engageable in a hole provided in the bottom wall portion of the casing and on its upperside an upstanding portion which is aligned with the front wall of the slide member.

5. A holder as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the catch means is located at one side of the slide member.

6. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the catch means is located in the centre of the slide member.

7. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which said stop means comprises a pair of downwardly extending projections provided on the underside of the slide member, said projections being respectively received in one of a pair of spaced apart parallel slots provided in said bottom wall portion.

8. A holder as claimed in claim 3, in which said front wall is transparent and means are provided for holding a strip of paper or card on the rear side of said front wall.

9. A holder as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said resilient means comprises a coil spring.

10. A holder for a magnetic-tape cassette substantially as hereibefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A stack of holders for magnetic-tape cassettes, each holder comprising a holder as claimed in any preceding claim.