GB2150532A

GB2150532A - Postable slim cassette

Info

Publication number: GB2150532A
Application number: GB08422260A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toru Mihara
Original assignee: FUKUTAKE SHOTEN
Current assignee: FUKUTAKE SHOTEN
Priority date: 1983-11-28
Filing date: 1984-09-04
Publication date: 1985-07-03
Also published as: GB8422260D0; KR850004167A; JPS6089676U; JPS6338458Y2; KR920001270B1; HK53588A; GB2150532B

Abstract

A cassette has separate raised portions (21) disposable in opposed relationship with a magnetic recording head. When the cassette is posted the portions are removed from the cassette main body and when received are re-mounted. The main body is formed with holes (12) and the portions are formed with projections (22) adapted to be received and retained in the holes. The projections have enlarged heads, Fig. 2, and are split. The main body may consist only of a frame (Fig. 3, not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A cassette tape The present invention relates to a cassette tape which is especially adapted to be mailed.

Recently cassette tapes on which audio signals are recorded are mailed in large quantities.

When a cassette tape is to be mailed by a first class mail in Japan, it is not handled as a first class mail because the thickness of the cassette tape is in excess of one centimeter. As a result, as compared with first class mails, a high postage must be paid.

The outer sizes of cassette tapes are standardized so that they cannot be changed arbitrarily.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a cassette tape which is less than 1 cm in thickness so that it can be mailed as a first class mail in Japan.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cassette tape which is light in weight.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cassette tape which can be fabricated with a minimum quantity of material.

To the above and other ends, the present invention provides a cassette tape in which a raised portion which is disposed in opposed relationship with a magnetic head of a cassette tape recorder is fabricated independently of the main body of the cassette tape; the separate raised portion is formed with projections; the main body of the cassette tape is formed with holes for receiving said projections of said separate raised portion, whereby the separate raised portion can be securely fixed to the main body of the cassette tape.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a cassette tape in accordance with the present invention; Figures 2(a) and (b) show one example of the methods for joining a separate body portion with the main body of a cassette tape as shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, a first embodiment of a cassette tape in accordance with the present invention comprises a main body 10 and separate body portions 20. The main cassette body 10 is substantially similar to a conventional cassette tape from which raised portions are removed. The raised portions correspond to the separate body portions 20. The main body is formed with holes 12 for mounting the separate body portions 20. The holes 12 are positioned at the portions 11 which are in opposed relationship with the magnetic heads of a cassette tape recorder. The separate body portions 20 comprise a flat member 21 with projections 22 which are inserted into the hole 12 of the main body 10.

The cassette main body 10 is about 8.5 mm in thickness so that it may be accepted as a first class mail in Japan. Therefore, when a cassette tape is to be mailed, the separate body portions 20 are removed from the main body 10. When the cassette tape is received and mounted on a cassette tape recorder, the two separate body portions 20 must be mounted on the cassette main body 10. To this end, it only suffices to insert the projections 22 of the separate body portions 20 into the holes 12 of the cassette main body 10.

Figure 2(a) shows the projection 22 of the separate body portion 20 and Figure 2(b) shows the engagement of the projection 22 with the hole 12 of the cassette main body 10. The projection 22 of the separate body portion 20 comprises resilient member 22a and a frusto-conical member 22b integral with the top of the resilient member 22a. In the case of the projection 22 as shown in Figure 2, the resilient member 22a consists of two pieces while the frusto-conical member 22b is divided into two sections.

Each of the projections 22 must have at least one resilient member 22a and at least one frusto-conical member 22b, but it is to be understood that each projection 22 may not have a plurality of resilient members 22a and a plurality of frusto-conical members 22b. The numbers of the resilient members 22a and the frusto-conical members 22b are dependent upon the number of projections 22 extended from the separate body portion 20. If the number of the projections 22 is large, it is not needed that the engagement of one projection 22 with the corresponding hole 12 of the cassette main body 10 is strong so that each projection 22 may have a less number of resilient members 22a and frusto-conical members 22b formed integral therewith.The number of the resilient members 22a with their frustoconical members 22b must be so selected that the separate body portions 20 can be securely joined to the cassette main body 10.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a cassette tape in accordance with the present invention. The casing of the cassette main body 10 is simplified in construction so that the cassette main body becomes light in weight. More particularly, the casing consists only of a frame. The relationship between the cassette main body 10 and the separate body portions 20 is substantially similar to that of the first embodiment as shown in Figure 1.

In the first and second embodiments described above, in order to join the separate body portions 20 to the main body 10, the projections 22 are used, but it is to be understood that various modifications may be effected.

As described above, according to the present invention, the thickest portion or raised portion of the cassette tape consists of separate body portions which may be joined to the cassette main body when the cassette tape is recorded or reproduced. As a result, when the cassette tape is mailed, the thickness of the cassette tape main body is less than 10 mm so that the cassette tape can be mailed as a first class mail in Japan. In addition, the space for the storage of cassette tapes can be reduced to a minimum.

Claims

1. A cassette tape wherein a raised portion which is disposed in opposed relationship with a magnetic head of a cassette tape recorder is fabricated independently of the main body of the cassette tape; the separate raised portion is formed with projections; and the main body of the cassette tape is formed with the holes for receiving the projections of said separate raised portion, whereby the separate raised portion can be securely fixed to the main body of the cassette tape.

2. A cassette tape as set forth in claim 7 wherein said main body of the cassette tape comprises: means for transporting a tape; and a frame formed integral with said tape transporting means.

3. A cassette tape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holes of the main body of the cassette tape are through holes; and each of said projections of the separate raised portion has a resilient member with an expanded member extended from the top of said resilient member.

4. A cassette tape substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.