JP2001291354A - Magnetic tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a magnetic tape cassette with which the scale for confirmation of quantity of wound magnetic tape can be clear and incorrect work in a manufacturing process can be reduce. SOLUTION: The magnetic tape cassette 10 stores a hub where a magnetic tape T is wound and a tape reel 10 which has a flange 11 connected to the hub in a cassette case. Prescribed information is displayed in the flange 11. The prescribed part of the cassette case 30a is lens-like and is transparent so that the information on the flange 11 can be seen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic tape cassette, and more particularly, to a magnetic tape cassette characterized by a cassette case for accommodating a tape reel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, magnetic tape cassettes are frequently used as recording media. There are various types of magnetic tape cassettes, such as audio, video, and computer. Among these forms, there are various types such as an analog type and a digital type. For example, the digital type includes a DAT (digital audio tape) cassette and a DVC (digital video cassette). The video magnetic tape cassette includes a VHS type and a β type. The basic configuration is almost the same, and a tape reel around which a magnetic tape is wound is housed in a cassette case.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a VHS magnetic tape cassette which is an example of a magnetic tape cassette. The magnetic tape cassette 40 has a configuration in which a peripheral wall is erected on a flat plate,
An upper cassette half 41 and a lower cassette half 42 are provided. The upper cassette half 41 includes a tape reel 50.
A window 46 is provided so that the amount of winding of the magnetic tape T wound around can be checked. The window 46 is configured by attaching a transparent window member so as to close a window opening provided in the upper cassette half 41. Lower cassette half 42
Inside are a pair of tape reels 5 on which a magnetic tape T is wound.
0 is rotatably supported. The tape reel 50 includes a hub 53 around which the magnetic tape T is wound around its outer peripheral surface,
3 has an upper flange 51 and a lower flange 52 attached to the hub 53 so as to hold the same. The tape reel 50 is rotatably mounted on the lower cassette half 42 such that the magnetic tape T is bridged between a pair of tape guides 44 provided at the front end of the lower cassette half 42.

[0004] A cassette case is formed by combining the lower cassette half 42 and the upper cassette half 41. A magnetic tape T is exposed at the front end of the cassette case, and a guard panel 43 as a lid member is rotatably attached to the cassette case so as to cover the front surface of the magnetic tape T.

[0005] As described above, there are various types of magnetic tape cassettes having different forms and methods, and there are various other magnetic tape cassettes having different types of magnetic tapes, recordable times, and the like. . For example, VHS magnetic tape cassettes include those having a recordable time of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes, and 160 minutes. The recordable time is determined by the amount of magnetic tape wound around the outer peripheral surface of the hub of the tape reel. The more the magnetic tape is wound, the longer the recordable time is,
The appearance of the tape reel itself is almost the same. Magnetic tape cassettes having different recordable times are manufactured, for example, by incorporating tape reels having different winding amounts of magnetic tape in the same cassette case.

As shown in FIG. 6, there is also a tape reel 60 provided with a scale 64 on the upper flange 61 for checking the winding amount (remaining amount) of the magnetic tape. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the magnetic tape cassette for VHS when assembly is completed. As shown in the figure, the magnetic tape cassette 40 has a label 55 indicating the recordable time, the type of the cassette, and the like attached to the center of the flat plate of the upper cassette half 41. Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, the recordable time and the like are printed on the side wall of the cassette case 40a.

[0007]

As shown in FIG. 7A,
When the tape reel provided with the scale 64 for checking the winding amount of the magnetic tape is stored in the cassette case 40a, the scale 64 is viewed from the outside through the window 46 of the cassette case 40a. There was a desire for improvement. Further, in the manufacturing process of the magnetic tape cassette having a different recordable time, the tape reel is moved to the cassette case 40.
In some cases, erroneous information was printed after being stored in a. That is, a predetermined recordable time (for example, T-
After the tape reel 120) is stored in the cassette case 40a, an erroneous recordable time (for example, T-160) may be printed on the cassette case 40a. As described above, such errors have occurred because even tape reels having different recordable times have almost the same appearance. The magnetic tape cassette with incorrect information printed on the cassette case is discarded,
This reduced productivity.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a magnetic tape capable of easily displaying a scale for confirming a winding amount of a magnetic tape and reducing erroneous operations in a manufacturing process. To provide a cassette.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tape having a hub around which a magnetic tape is wound, a flange connected to the hub, and a tape reel housed in a cassette case. In the cassette, predetermined information is displayed on the flange, and a predetermined portion of the cassette case has a lens shape and is transparent to the extent that the information on the flange is visible. it can.

For example, it is preferable that the window of the cassette case is formed in a lens shape. With this configuration, the information displayed on the flange of the tape reel can be clearly seen through a lens-shaped window or the like. For example, the scale provided on the flange for checking the winding amount of the magnetic tape becomes easy to see. Also, if magnetic tape information such as the recordable time is provided on the flange of the tape reel, the information can be viewed from outside through a lens-shaped window or the like. Is not printed, and an incorrect label is not attached when attaching a label to the cassette case.

Recently, mainly for the purpose of improving the design, housings of electronic devices and the like have been made transparent, that is, so-called skeletons. When the cassette case or the like of the magnetic tape cassette is made transparent, the flange of the tape reel housed in the cassette case can be seen from outside the cassette case. By combining the lens-shaped configuration with the transparent cassette case, information on the magnetic tape displayed on the flange of the tape reel from the outside of the cassette case can be more easily viewed. Note that “transparent” in the present specification means that the inside of the magnetic tape cassette is visible, and may be achromatic or chromatic.

As the predetermined information, in addition to the scale for checking the winding amount of the magnetic tape, the recordable and reproducible time of the magnetic tape,
Marks such as a type of magnetic tape, an inventory management code, a barcode, a logo, etc. can be exemplified. The predetermined information can be provided on the flange by stamping, molding with a mold, printing, pasting, transfer, or the like. The predetermined information can be provided on the front surface of the flange facing the cassette case, but may be provided on the back surface of the flange if the flange is transparent.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, members having the same configuration and operation as those already described are denoted by the same reference numerals or corresponding reference numerals in the drawings to simplify or omit the description.

FIG. 1 shows a tape reel 10 stored in a magnetic tape cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tape reel 10 includes a disk-shaped upper flange 11 and a lower flange 21. A hub 22 protrudes from the lower flange 21. The hub 22 includes a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 22a around which the magnetic tape is wound, and a substantially columnar core portion 22b disposed inside the peripheral wall portion 22a. A column-shaped pivot 26 protrudes from the center of the upper end surface of the core portion 22b. A plurality of welding bosses 25 are provided around the pivot 26.

The upper flange 11 has a pivot hole 16 at a position corresponding to the pivot 26 and the welding boss 25 of the hub 22.
And a boss hole 15 are provided. The upper flange 11 is provided with a scale 14 for checking the winding amount of the magnetic tape. Further, the letter “T-120” is printed on the upper flange 11. The display "T-120" indicates that the recordable time of the magnetic tape cassette storing the tape reel 10 is 120 minutes.

When the upper flange 11 is placed on the upper surface of the hub 22, corresponding pivots 26 and welding bosses 25 are fitted into the pivot holes 16 and the boss holes 15, respectively. Welding boss 2
When 5 is welded by a welding horn (not shown), the upper flange 11 is fixed to the hub 22 and the tape reel 10 is formed. The upper flange 11 is made of a transparent resin.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the magnetic tape cassette 30 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in which the tape reel 10 shown in FIG. 1 is housed in a cassette case 30a. The magnetic tape cassette 30 includes an upper cassette half 31, a lower cassette half 32, and a guard panel 33 made of a transparent resin.
Contains.

In the transparent lower cassette half 32, rollers 34 for guiding the magnetic tape T are arranged at predetermined positions. A pair of tape reels 1 on which a magnetic tape T is wound
Numeral 0 is rotatably mounted in the lower cassette half 32 so as to bridge the magnetic tape T over the rollers 34.

The transparent upper cassette half 31 has a biasing spring 35 on the inner surface. The urging spring 35 contacts the pivot 26 (see FIG. 1) of the tape reel 10 and urges the tape reel 10 toward the lower cassette half 32.

The upper cassette half 31 is not provided with a window opening or a separate window member. Instead, a lens portion 35 is provided at a position facing the upper flange 11 of the tape reel 10. In the present embodiment, since the upper cassette half 31 is made of a transparent resin, the information displayed on the tape reel 10 can be enlarged and displayed by the lens unit 35.

By combining the upper cassette half 31 and the lower cassette half 32, the cassette case 30a
Are formed. At the front end of the cassette case 30a,
The magnetic tape T is exposed, and the guard panel 33 is attached to the cassette case 30a so as to cover the front surface of the magnetic tape T.
Is mounted so as to be rotatable.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2, showing the lens portion 35 of the upper cassette half 31. FIG.
As shown in FIG.
The thickness of the flat portion of the tape reel 10 facing the upper flange 11 is increased toward the outside of the cassette case to form a convex lens. It can also be said that a convex lens-shaped lens portion 35 is integrally formed on the outer surface of the cassette case. When the information displayed on the upper flange 11 of the tape reel 10 through the lens portion 35 is viewed from outside the cassette case, the information (the scale 14 and the recordable time here) is enlarged as shown in FIG. It is displayed and can be read clearly.

The magnetic tape cassette 3 configured as described above
According to 0, information such as the scale 14 for checking the winding amount of the magnetic tape displayed on the flange of the tape reel 10 from the outside of the transparent cassette case 30a can be reliably read.

The user can access the window 46 as shown in FIG.
I am used to magnetic tape cassettes with Therefore, even in the case of a magnetic tape cassette which adopts a transparent cassette case and would not normally require a window, it is necessary to provide a region that can be recognized as a window in the cassette case, for example, by subjecting a mold to crimping. There is. However, according to the present embodiment, since the area that can be recognized as a window by the user is secured in the cassette case 30a by the convex lens-shaped lens portion 35, it is not necessary to give consideration to embossing the mold.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the upper cassette half 31a of the magnetic tape cassette according to the second embodiment. The upper cassette half 31a has a flat inner surface,
At a location facing the upper flange 11 of the tape reel 10,
A lens unit 35a is provided. This lens portion 35a
Is a Fresnel lens-shaped inner surface of the flat plate of the upper cassette half 31a. It can also be said that a Fresnel lens-shaped lens portion 35a is integrally formed on the inner surface of the cassette case. The distance (height) H2 between the front end of the lens portion 35a protruding from the inner surface of the upper cassette half 31a and the inner surface of the upper cassette half 31 is protruded from the outer surface of the upper cassette half 31 in the first embodiment. H1 between the cut end and the outer surface of the flat plate of the upper cassette half 31
(See FIG. 3).

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the lens portion 35a is formed by adopting the Fresnel lens-shaped lens portion 35a.
Is low, there is no fear that other members interfere with the lens portion 35a despite the provision of the lens portion 35a on the inner surface of the cassette case.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and appropriate modifications and improvements can be made. For example, a lens portion may be provided in a separate transparent window member, and the window member may close the window opening provided in the upper cassette half. In this case, the cassette case need not be transparent.

[0028]

As described above, according to the magnetic tape cassette of the present invention, the information displayed on the flange of the tape reel can be clearly seen through a lens-shaped window or the like. For example, the scale provided on the flange for checking the winding amount of the magnetic tape becomes easy to see.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a tape reel stored in a magnetic tape cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the magnetic tape cassette according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an upper cassette half in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an upper cassette half according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional magnetic tape cassette.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional tape reel.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional magnetic tape cassette.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Tape reel 11 Upper flange (flange) 21 Lower flange (flange) 22 Hub 30 Magnetic tape cassette 30a Cassette case 31 Upper cassette half 32 Lower cassette half 33 Guard panel 35 Lens part T Magnetic tape

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic tape cassette having a hub around which a magnetic tape is wound and a flange connected to the hub, and having a tape reel housed in a cassette case, wherein predetermined information is displayed on the flange. A magnetic tape cassette, wherein a predetermined portion of the cassette case has a lens shape and is transparent to the extent that information on the flange is visible.