JP2001236760A - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape cassette which may be made shorter in manufacturing time and lower in a manufacturing cost than the conventional method, may be combined by easily and surely putting an upper case on a lower case having a light shielding plate and is formed by using the cases molded of a material having a high light transmittance. SOLUTION: This tape cassette is constituted by fitting and fixing a shading plate 30a between a projecting rib 23 of the lower case 20 having a light transparent hole 31a facing an aperture 25 disposed at the side wall of the lower case and the side wall and providing the segment of the upper part of this shading plate 30a facing the side wall of the upper case with a slope 32a toward the inner side of the case.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette for detecting an end of a tape with an optical sensor,
A tape cassette in which at least the upper case is formed of a material having a light transmittance that causes a malfunction when detecting an end portion of the tape, wherein a light transmitting hole is provided near a light transmitting opening provided in the case side wall. And a tape cassette provided with a light-shielding plate having the following.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a recording / reproducing apparatus using a magnetic tape cassette as a recording medium, for example, a tape cassette type audio tape recorder, a tape cassette type video tape recorder, a tape cassette type digital audio tape recorder, etc. To prevent damage,
In order to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the tape drive system, the magnetic tape has been fed from the tape reel to the end, that is, the tape end is detected and the apparatus is stopped, or the magnetic tape is stopped. Must be driven in the opposite direction.

For this purpose, a transparent tape is used as a leader tape connecting the end of the magnetic tape and the tape reel, an opening is formed in the side wall of the case of the tape cassette, and the tape cassette is mounted on a recording / reproducing apparatus. Then, the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit provided in the device are opposed to each other across the opening with the magnetic tape, and when the end of the tape is reached, the light emitted from the light emitting unit passes through the transparent leader tape. As a result, the tape end is detected by the light receiving section.

In a conventional tape cassette, extraneous light from the outside is shut off in order to reliably detect the end of the tape.
In addition, to prevent extra light from being reflected inside the tape cassette and incident on the light receiving section, most tape cassette cases are made of black or the like except for a transparent window for checking the remaining amount of tape. It was colored dark and had light blocking walls in place in the case. More recently, there has been a demand for a tape cassette that is more colorful than black in design. Of the portions, a portion near the light receiving portion is colored with a low light reflectance to prevent extra light from being incident on the light receiving portion, and the remaining portion of the colored portion of the case is colored with the colored color. There has been proposed a tape cassette which is rich in colorful colors and which has excellent decorativeness and is colored in different colors. Further, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-161487, in order to prevent extra light from being incident on the light receiving portion,
It is located between an opening formed on the side wall of the case that receives light from the light emitting unit located in the case of the tape cassette and a window for checking the remaining amount of tape provided on the upper surface of the case, at least. There has been proposed a case in which a light shielding wall whose upper or lower side is open is formed integrally with the case.

[0005]

In a tape cassette using a case composed of an upper case and a lower case, the tape cassette which is rich in colorful colors and has excellent decorativeness or a material having a high light transmittance, for example, transparent, Colored transparent,
In the case of a tape cassette using a case molded of translucent or colored translucent resin, a conventional single-color case body is manufactured because the vicinity of the light receiving section is colored by applying a different color paint from the other case body. However, there is a problem in that the number of manufacturing steps is longer than that in the case where the process is performed, and that the manufacturing cost is high. Further, in a tape cassette in which a light shielding wall is formed integrally with a lower case in a case near a light receiving section, at least the upper case is formed of a material having a high light transmittance,
Even if the shading wall is formed integrally with the opaque lower case,
There is no shading effect because the upper case side of the shading wall is open,
Further, if the light shielding wall is formed integrally with the upper case, there is a problem that even if the lower case is opaque, the light shielding wall does not transmit light and thus has no light shielding effect. When a light-shielding plate is provided, the light-shielding plate has a height from the lower surface to the upper surface in the case, so that a necessary light-shielding effect can be obtained, thereby preventing a malfunction when detecting the tape end. Therefore, when a light shielding plate of the height is mounted near the side wall of the lower case of a tape cassette using a case composed of an upper case and a lower case, the lower case of the light shielding plate is combined when the upper case is covered. The lower end of the upper case side wall may hit the upper end of the portion protruding from the upper case, and a problem may occur such that the upper case cannot be easily and reliably combined with the lower case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a material having a high light transmittance, for example, transparent, colored transparent, translucent, or colored semitransparent. In a tape cassette using a case molded of a transparent resin or a resin that is opaque but has a light transmittance of 0.5% or more, it is manufactured more than the conventional method of applying a different color paint to a part of the case. The time and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and a light-shielding plate for effectively shielding extra light when the light for detecting the end of the tape is received by the light-receiving part is provided near the opening on the side wall of the case. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which can be provided, and can be easily and surely covered with the upper and lower cases and combined.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a pair of tape reels each having a tape-shaped medium wound thereon are rotatably housed in a cassette body composed of upper and lower cases, and a tape end is detected on the side walls of the upper and lower cases. A tape cassette provided with a light-shielding plate near the opening, wherein a projecting rib is formed near an opening provided on a side wall of the lower case; A light-shielding plate having a light-transmitting hole facing the light-shielding plate is fitted and fixed between the lower case side wall and the protruding rib, and a slope facing the inside of the case is formed on a surface of the upper part of the light-shielding plate facing the upper case side wall. Things. Further, in a tape cassette using a case composed of the upper and lower cases, a projecting rib is formed near each side wall of the lower case and the upper case, and a light-shielding plate having a light transmitting concave portion facing the opening is attached to the upper and lower cases. The recess is opposed between the side wall and the protruding rib, and the height of the light shielding plate is substantially the same as the upper surfaces of the upper and lower case side walls and is fitted and fixed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention.
1 is an exploded perspective view of a VHS tape cassette showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the tape cassette, a pair of tape reels 3a and 3b around which a tape-shaped medium 8 is wound are rotatably arranged in a case including an upper case 10 and a lower case 20. Openings 21a and 21b are provided on the front surface of the lower case 20, and the tape 8 fed from the tape reel 3a goes out of the case through the opening 21a, returns to the inside of the case from the opening 21b, and returns to the tape reel. 3b. In some cases, the opposite is true. A front lid 7 is rotatably attached to the front surface of the upper case 10 to protect the tape-shaped medium 8 outside the case. Lower case 20
Inside the lock member 5 for locking the front lid 7 in the closed position.
When the cassette is not used, the tape reels 3a, 3a
A reel brake member 6 for preventing b from rotating unnecessarily is provided. Near the center of the inner surface of the upper case 10, the tape reels 3a and 3b are
A spring member 4 for pressing to the side is attached.

The upper case 10 and the lower case 20 are made of a material having a high light transmittance, for example, a transparent, colored transparent, translucent or translucent resin, or an opaque but erroneous operation when detecting the end of the tape. It is formed of a material having a light transmittance of, for example, a resin having a transmittance of 0.5% or more for light in a wavelength region detected by an optical sensor used in the light receiving unit. Light shielding plates 30a and 30b are mounted near the left and right side walls on the front side of the lower case 20. Light shields 30a, 30b
Is formed of a material that does not transmit light, for example, a plastic plate, a plastic sheet, paper, or the like.
Light transmission holes 31a and 31b are formed at positions a and 30b opposite to the openings provided in the case side wall.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tape cassette according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the front side of the tape cassette is partially cut away. The upper case 10 has two windows 1 for checking the remaining amount of tape.
1a and 11b are provided so that the inside can be seen through. At the center of the lower case 20, there is a tubular portion 22 having an open bottom surface. When the tape cassette 1 is mounted on a tape cassette type video tape recorder, a light-emitting portion (not shown) provided in the device has the cylindrical shape. Light that enters the unit 22 and exits the light emitting unit travels along the arrow r. Openings are provided on the left and right side walls on the front side of the case, and a light receiving unit (not shown) provided in the device is provided outside the openings. When the tape end of the magnetic tape wound around the tape cassette 1 mounted on the apparatus is reached, light emitted from the light emitting unit is provided on a transparent leader tape connected to the tape end and on the side wall of the case. The light passes through the opening and is detected by the light receiving section, thereby detecting the end of the tape.
The light-shielding plates 30a and 30b having the light transmission holes are disposed in the case near the side wall of the case, and block extra light for detecting the tape end such as light from other than the light-emitting part to the light-receiving part. In addition, a malfunction at the time of detecting the end of the tape is prevented.

FIG. 3 shows the vicinity of the light shielding plate in FIG.
(A) is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 2, (b) is a BB of (a)
It is a line sectional view. Light transmission hole 3 provided in light shielding plate 30a
The light-shielding plate 30a is fitted and fixed between the side wall 24 of the lower case 20 and the protruding rib 23 so that the center of 1a substantially coincides with the center of the opening 25 provided on the case side wall. At this time, a part of the surface facing the upper case side wall of the light shielding plate 30a is an inclined surface facing upward. Thus, the upper case can be easily and securely covered with the lower case 20 without associating the lower end of the upper case side wall with the upper end of the light-shielding plate 30a provided in the lower case 20. Also,
When the light shielding plate 30b is disposed so as to face the opening of the partition provided slightly inside the lower case from the side wall of the lower case, and when the upper case has a wall facing the partition of the lower case, Similarly to the light-shielding plate 30a, the surface of the light-shielding plate 30b facing the light-shielding plate mounting surface of the wall of the upper case is an inclined surface facing upward.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The light-shielding plate 30c has a substantially constant plate thickness, and is provided with a bent portion 32b in an upper part inward of the case. Thus, the upper case can be easily and securely covered with the lower case without associating the lower end of the upper case side wall with the upper end of the light-shielding plate 30c fitted and fixed to the lower case 20 and combined. In particular, the light-shielding plate having this structure is effective in the case of a plastic molded product or a sheet-like material.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The height of the light-shielding plate 40 is approximately の of the inner size of the case, and one end of the light-shielding plate 40 has a concave portion 50 for light transmission,
Overlapping portions 60 are formed as slopes at both end surfaces where the light transmission concave portions 50 are formed. Protruding ribs 13 and 23 are provided in the vicinity of the side walls of the upper case 10 and the lower case 20, and the front and rear surfaces of the light shielding plate 40 are changed in direction.
And the lower case 20. Thus, when the upper case is combined with the lower case, the end surfaces of the light shielding plates 40 of the upper and lower cases can be easily and reliably covered due to the slopes, and light from the outside can be mixed by overlapping the slopes. Can be prevented. Note that the overlapping portion 60 may be an uneven portion.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a material having a high light transmittance,
For example, in a tape cassette using a transparent, colored transparent, translucent or colored translucent resin, or a case formed of an opaque resin having a light transmittance of 0.5% or more, a light shielding plate is formed as a lower case side wall. Since it is only fitted and fixed between the protruding ribs, the manufacturing time can be shortened and the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional method of applying a different color paint to a part of the case, and furthermore, the vicinity of the opening on the side wall of the case. The light-shielding plate provided on the light-shielding portion effectively blocks excess light when the light for detecting the end of the tape is received by the light-receiving portion, and easily and securely covers the upper case on the lower case provided with the light-shielding plate. Can be combined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a VHS tape cassette showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tape cassette of FIG.

3A is an enlarged plan view of a portion A in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line BB of FIG. 2A in an assembled state of the tape cassette.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

5A and 5B show a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a light shielding plate, and FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tape cassette 3a, 3b Tape reel 4 Reel spring 5 Lid lock member 6 Reel brake member 7 Front lid 8 Tape-shaped medium 10 Upper case 11a, 11b Window 13, 23 Projecting rib 20 Lower case 21a, 21b Opening 22 Tubular Part 24 Side wall 25 Opening 30a, 30b, 30c Light shielding plate 31a, 31b Light transmission hole 32a, 32b Inclined part 40 Light shielding plate 50 Light transmission concave part 60 Overlapping part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cassette body comprising upper and lower cases,
A pair of tape reels around which a tape-shaped medium is wound are rotatably accommodated, and a light-transmitting opening used for detecting a tape end is provided on the upper and lower case side walls, and a light-shielding plate is provided near the opening. In the tape cassette provided, a protruding rib is formed near an opening provided on a side wall of the lower case, and a light-shielding plate having a light transmission hole facing the opening is provided between the lower case side wall and the protruding rib. A tape cassette, wherein the tape cassette is fitted and fixed, and a slope facing the inside of the case is formed on a surface of the upper part of the light shielding plate facing the upper case side wall. 2. A cassette body comprising upper and lower cases,
A pair of tape reels around which a tape-shaped medium is wound are rotatably accommodated, and a light-transmitting opening used for detecting a tape end is provided on the upper and lower case side walls, and a light-shielding plate is provided near the opening. In the tape cassette, a projecting rib is formed in the vicinity of each side wall of the lower case and the upper case, and a light shielding plate having a light transmitting recess facing the opening is provided between the side walls of the upper and lower cases and the projecting rib. Characterized in that the height of the light-shielding plate is substantially the same as the upper surface of the upper and lower case side walls and is fitted and fixed.