JP2007149168A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape cartridge that can easily perform drawn out operation without causing failure of a sensor or a peripheral device even when the tape cartridge is loaded into a loading frame in incorrect loading posture. <P>SOLUTION: A pocket 5 for loading provided on the front side of a main body case 1 is covered with a front lid 7 and a shutter 8 capable of performing slide opening/closing. A step falling surface 19 corresponding to the opening/closing stroke of the shutter 8 is formed at the front part with respect to the reference surface 18 provided to the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case 1. A guide surface 23 is formed between the reference surface 18 and the step falling surface 19. When a detection bar 42 of a thickness sensor 41 is circumscribed on the step falling surface 19 due to incorrect loading, the detection bar 42 is guided so as to ride on the guide surface 23 toward the reference surface 18 so that the detection bar 42 is prevented from being hooked at a step wall. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tape cartridge for a tape system that can share two types of tape cartridges having different case thicknesses for one tape drive.

  In a tape system that uses a tape cartridge as an external storage medium of a computer, a tape system in which a thin tape cartridge and a thick tape cartridge with different case thicknesses can be commonly applied to one tape drive is patented. It is known from document 1. The thick tape cartridge has a larger case thickness than the thin tape cartridge because the tape width is larger, but there is no difference in the basic structure such as the case structure.

JP 2005-228463 A (paragraph number 0061, FIG. 1)

  In the above tape system, the thickness dimension of the main body case loaded in the tape drive is detected by the thickness sensor, and the height of the holder that holds and holds the main body case is changed and adjusted. Each can be properly pressed and held. In the tape drive according to the present invention, the thickness sensor detects that the thick tape cartridge is loaded in the loading frame, and identifies the thick tape cartridge and the thin tape cartridge.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a horizontally long detection bar 42 that crosses the upper surface side of the main body case 1 in the width direction, a detection arm 43 that supports the detection bar 42, and the detection arm 43 swing upward by a predetermined amount. The thickness sensor 41 is constituted by a switch 44 that outputs an ON signal by moving. The sensor 41 does not react to the thin tape cartridge T1, and when the thick tape cartridge T2 is loaded into the loading frame, the detection bar 42 is pushed up by the main body case 1 and the switch 44 is turned on. .

  As long as the main body case 1 is loaded in an appropriate posture with the front lid 7 side as the loading start end as shown in FIG. 5, the thickness sensor 41 can take in and out the thick tape cartridge T2 without any problem. However, as shown in FIG. 10, a problem occurs when the main body case 1 is erroneously loaded in the front-rear reverse posture and in the upside down posture. If the main body case 1 is erroneously loaded, the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41 is pushed up on the surface of the case, and then is received by the stepped surface 19 formed in a recess corresponding to the slide area of the shutter 8. For this reason, even if the main body case 1 is pulled out by recognizing erroneous loading, the detection bar 42 is caught on the stepped wall at the rear end of the stepped surface 19 and the tape cartridge cannot be pulled out. If the tape cartridge is forcibly pulled out, the detection bar 42 and the detection arm 43 may be deformed.

  The object of the present invention is that even if the tape cartridge is loaded into the loading frame in the wrong loading posture as described above, the tape cartridge can be pulled out without causing a failure of the sensor or peripheral device, and therefore, it can be loaded erroneously. An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge that can wipe out the failure of the tape drive.

  In the tape cartridge of the present invention, a loading pocket 5 is provided on the front surface of a main body case 1 that accommodates a hub 3 around which a magnetic tape 2 is wound, and a front lid 7 that can swing open and close. And a shutter 8 that can be slidably opened and closed provided on the bottom surface of the main body case 1. A reference surface 18 is provided at the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case 1, and a stepped surface 19 corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter 8 is formed in front of the reference surface 18. Therefore, the guide surface 23 that guides the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41 provided on the tape drive side from the stepped surface 19 toward the reference surface 18 is provided between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19. It is characterized by being formed.

  The guide surface 23 includes an inclined surface that inclines upward from the stepped surface 19 toward the reference surface 18, a curved surface that connects the stepped surface 19 and the reference surface 18, and a reference surface from the stepped surface 19 side. It can be formed to include at least one of the staircase surfaces that continue in an upwardly inclined manner toward the top.

  A guide body 22 having a guide surface 23 is formed between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19 so as to protrude from the stepped surface 19, and a notch for receiving the guide body 22 is formed on the bottom wall of the shutter 8. 24 is formed, and the guide body 22 and the notch 24 may be formed at a position avoiding the hole covering range Z, assuming a hole covering range Z that covers the drive shaft insertion hole 10 in the bottom wall of the shutter 8. it can.

  Another tape cartridge of the present invention is provided with a tape loading pocket 5 on the front surface of a main body case 1 that houses a hub 3 around which a magnetic tape 2 is wound. Covered by a lid 7 and a shutter 8 that can be opened and closed slidably provided on the bottom surface of the main body case 1, a reference surface 18 is provided at the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case 1, and the shutter is forward of the reference surface 18. A stepped surface 19 corresponding to eight opening / closing strokes is formed. In addition, the step dimension E between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19 is set to be smaller than the radial dimension of the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41 provided on the tape drive side.

  In another tape cartridge according to the present invention, a loading pocket 5 is provided on the front surface of a main body case 1 that accommodates a hub 3 around which a magnetic tape 2 is wound. Covered by a lid 7 and a shutter 8 that can be opened and closed slidably provided on the bottom surface of the main body case 1. A reference surface 18 is provided at the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case 1. A sliding surface 48 corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter 8 is formed. In addition, the reference surface 18 and the sliding surface 48 are formed to be flush with each other.

  In the present invention, in the tape cartridge T <b> 2 in which the reference surface 18 is provided on the bottom surface of the main body case 1 and the stepped surface 19 corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter 8 is formed in front of the reference surface 18, Since the guide surface 23 is provided between the falling surface 19 and the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41 circumscribing the stepped surface 19 is guided on the guide surface 23 from the stepped surface 19 side toward the reference surface 18, Even if the tape cartridge T2 is loaded into the loading frame in an incorrect loading posture, the tape cartridge T2 can be extracted and operated without causing a failure in the sensor or peripheral device. Therefore, the failure of the tape drive due to the erroneous loading of the tape cartridge T2 can be eliminated.

  The guide surface 23 may be any one of an inclined surface that is inclined upward, a curved surface, and a stepped surface that is continuous in an upward inclined manner, or may be formed by combining these. If the guide surface 23 is formed as an inclined surface that is inclined upward, the extraction reaction force acting on the detection bar 42 is always made equal, and the detection bar 42 can be smoothly climbed onto the reference surface 18. Molding also becomes easy.

  Of the bottom wall of the shutter 8, when assuming a hole covering range Z that covers the drive shaft insertion hole 10, the guide body 22 formed between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19, and the bottom wall of the shutter 8 If the notches 24 to be formed are formed at positions avoiding the hole covering range Z, there is no need to significantly change the basic structure of the shutter 8, and the guide body 22 and the existing thick tape cartridge T2 are added to the existing thick tape cartridge T2. The notch 24 can be easily added. If the notch 24 is formed at a position including the hole covering range Z, the drive shaft insertion hole 10 is exposed by providing the notch 24. Therefore, the structure of the shutter 8 must be significantly changed. Because.

  When the step dimension E between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19 is set to be smaller than the radial dimension of the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41 provided on the tape drive side, the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41 is moved to the reference surface 18. In the state of being caught on the step wall between the stepped surface 19 and the stepped surface 19, the lower half peripheral surface of the detection bar 42 hits the front edge of the reference surface 18. Therefore, an upward component force acts on the detection bar 42 at the same time as the lateral pulling reaction force, and the step wall can be overcome without problems by this upward component force. Therefore, even if the tape cartridge T2 is erroneously loaded, the tape cartridge T2 can be reliably extracted without causing a failure of the sensor or peripheral device. In this case, it is not necessary to form the notch 24 in the shutter 8.

  If the sliding surface 48 corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter 8 is formed in front of the reference surface 18 and the reference surface 18 and the sliding surface 48 are formed to be flush with each other, the detection bar 42 may be caught. It is possible to prevent the stepped wall from being formed between the reference surface 18 and the sliding surface 48. Therefore, even if the tape cartridge T2 is erroneously loaded, the tape cartridge T2 can be reliably pulled out without causing a failure in the sensor or peripheral device.

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of a tape cartridge according to the present invention. In the tape system according to the present invention, both the thin tape cartridge T1 and the thick tape cartridge T2 shown in FIG. 3 are used as recording media, and both the tape cartridges T1 and T2 are commonly applied to one tape drive. Can do. The tape width of the thin tape cartridge T1 is nominally 4 mm, while the width of the thick tape cartridge T2 is nominally 8 mm.

  The vertical dimensions of the main body case 1, the hub 3 and the front lid 7 of the thin and thick tape cartridges T1 and T2 differ depending on the tape width, but the structure of each component, the longitudinal dimensions, Since there is no difference in the left and right dimensions and the like, the same members are described with the same reference numerals. The thin tape cartridge T1 has the same structure as a commercially-available digital DAT for recording digital audio signals, and the recording format and read / write speed of information signals with respect to the magnetic tape have a computer tape. The only difference is that it is unique as a system.

  2 and 3, the thick tape cartridge T2 has hubs 3 and 3 for winding the magnetic tape 2 on the left and right sides of the main body case 1 having a horizontally long rectangular box shape. The magnetic tape 2 fed out from the tape roll on the one hub 3 side is guided to move to the other hub 3 through a pair of left and right tape guides 4. By arranging both the tape guides 4 and 4 on the front left and right of the tape loading pocket 5 on the front surface of the case, the magnetic tape 2 when not in use is held in a state of crossing the front surface of the pocket 5 left and right. The main body case 1 is fixed by joining an upper case 1a and a lower case 1b, which are divided into upper and lower parts, in a cover-matching manner.

  In order to protect the magnetic tape 2 when not in use, the front surface and upper surface of the pocket 5 are covered with a front lid 7, and the lower surface of the pocket 5 is covered with a shutter 8. The front lid 7 is pivotally supported by the main body case 1 so as to open and swing, and can be opened and closed only when the shutter 8 is slid open. The front lid 7 in a normal state is closed and urged by a spring outside the figure.

  After the shutter 8 is slid open, the front lid 7 can be opened by relatively pushing up the front lid 7 with the release pin on the tape drive side, and the hub 3 is locked and held in conjunction with the opening operation of the front lid 7. The unlocked structure (not shown) can be unlocked. In this state, the magnetic tape 2 positioned at the front portion of the pocket 5 can be pulled out with a loading pin on the tape drive side.

  The shutter 8 is incorporated in the lower surface of the main body case 1 and is supported so as to be slidable back and forth. As shown in FIG. 4, the shutter 8 in a non-use state covers the lower surface side of the pocket 5 and at the same time covers the drive shaft insertion hole 10 opened in the lower surface of the main body case 1. The lock claw 11 provided in 1 is locked so as not to be slidable. Guide grooves 12 are provided on the left and right sides of the lower surface of the shutter 8, and lock holes 13 that engage with the lock claws 11 are opened at the rear ends of the guide grooves 12 and 12. Further, notches 14 are formed on the left and right of the front wall of the front lid 7 in correspondence with both the guide grooves 12.

  The lock claw 11 is unlocked with an unlocking piece 38 (see FIG. 6) provided on the tape drive side, and the shutter 8 is opened toward the rear of the case, thereby opening the lower surface of the pocket 5 and simultaneously driving. The shaft insertion hole 10 can be opened. In order to open the drive shaft insertion hole 10, shaft openings 15 slightly larger than the drive shaft insertion hole 10 are formed on the left and right sides of the bottom wall of the shutter 8.

  At the rear end of the bottom surface of the lower case 1 b constituting the main body case 1, a reference surface 18 having a small front-rear width is provided across the entire width of the case, and a step that slides and guides the shutter 8 ahead of the reference surface 18. The surface 19 is formed with a recess corresponding to the front / rear stroke of the shutter 8. By providing the stepped surface 19 in this manner, the outer surfaces of the bottom wall and the left and right side walls of the shutter 8 are substantially flush with the outline of the main body case 1. In other words, the thickness dimension of the bottom wall of the shutter 8 is set to be the same as or slightly smaller than the step size between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19.

  Near one side of the reference surface 18, four identification holes 20 for detecting the type information unique to the tape cartridge such as the type and length of the magnetic tape 2 and the type of the tape cartridge are arranged on the tape drive side. is there. The depth dimension of each identification hole 20 is set to be large or small according to the corresponding type information. On the tape drive side, detection pins for detecting the depths of these identification holes 20 are provided (not shown).

  5 and 6, the tape drive includes a loading mechanism, a driving mechanism, and signal reading and writing that are commonly applied to the inside of the rectangular box-shaped case 25 and to both the thin tape cartridge T1 and the thick tape cartridge T2. A mechanism, a control circuit for controlling each mechanism, a read / write signal processing circuit, and the like are provided. A loading port 26 for inserting and removing both tape cartridges T1 and T2 is opened on the front surface of the case 25, and switches such as an extraction switch 27, a selection switch 28, an input switch 29 and the like, and operation of the tape drive are provided below the loading port 26. A liquid crystal display 30 for displaying the situation is arranged. Reference numeral 31 denotes a power switch.

  Inside the loading port 26, a loading frame 34, a pressing holder 35, and the like constituting a loading mechanism are provided. The loading frame 34 is formed of a frame that integrally includes a bottom wall that receives the bottom surface of the main body case 1 and left and right side walls that are continuous with the bottom wall. On the left and right sides of the bottom wall, there are provided unlocking pieces 38 for unlocking the shutter claw 11 described above and simultaneously releasing the shutter 8 from the closed position.

  The pressing holder 35 is moved up and down by an operating mechanism (not shown), and is displaced to a height that matches the thickness dimension of the main body case 1 of each tape cartridge T1 and T2. On the lower surface side of the pressing holder 35, a leaf spring 39 is provided that holds and holds the upper surface of the main body case 1 in a state of elastic deformation. The main body case 1 can be fixed and held in a non-movable manner by the previous loading frame 34 and the pressing holder 35 cooperatively holding and holding the main body case 1. In this state, the loading frame 34 and the pressing holder 35 move downward to open the front lid 7, and the drive shaft engages with the hub holes of the hubs 3 and 3.

  A thickness sensor 41 for detecting the thickness of the main body case 1 loaded from the loading port 26 is disposed inside the case near the loading port 26. In FIG. 1, the thickness sensor 41 includes a horizontally long detection bar 42 that crosses the upper surface side of the main body case 1 in the width direction, a pair of left and right detection arms 43 that support both ends of the detection bar 42, and a predetermined amount of the detection arm 43. A switch 44 that outputs an ON signal by swinging upward, a tension spring 45 that swings and energizes the detection arm 43 toward a lower standby position, and the like. The detection arm 43 is supported so as to be able to swing only up and down, and a detection bar 42 made of a round bar is rotatably supported. As the switch 44, a micro switch, a proximity switch, an optical sensor, or the like can be applied.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the thick tape cartridge T2 is loaded into the loading frame 34, the detection bar 42 is pushed up to the upper surface side of the main body case 1, and the switch 44 is turned on. An ON signal is output to the operating mechanism that changes the height of the. Since the height of the detection bar 42 from the loading frame 34 in the standby state is larger than the vertical dimension of the main body case 1 of the thin tape cartridge T1, the thickness sensor 41 does not react to the thin tape cartridge T1.

  In the above tape system, in order to prevent the detection bar 42 from being caught on the step wall between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19 when the thick tape cartridge T2 is erroneously loaded, the width direction of the step wall portion Guide bodies 22 are provided at three locations, both ends and the central portion. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the guide body 22 is formed in a triangular shape protruding from the stepped surface 19 and fills the inner corner between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19. In addition, an inclined surface that is inclined upward from the stepped surface 19 toward the reference surface 18 is provided. This inclined surface becomes the guide surface 23 that rides on and guides the detection bar 42. In order to avoid contact interference when the shutter is opened, notches 24 for receiving the guide body 22 are formed at three locations on the rear edge of the bottom wall of the shutter 8.

  As described above, when the guide body 22 is provided between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19, the detection bar 42 is moved by the guide surface 23 when the misloaded main body case 1 is operated. 18 so that the detection bar 42 can be reliably prevented from being caught on the step wall between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19, and the thickness sensor 41 of the thick tape cartridge T2 is erroneously loaded. Damage and failure can be cleared.

  If the guide bodies 22 are provided at the three locations of the widthwise ends and the center portion of the stepped wall portion, the basic structure of the shutter 8 does not need to be significantly changed, and the guide body 22 and the notches 24 are added to the existing thick tape cartridge T2. Can be added. In the state where the shutter 8 is closed, the drive shaft insertion hole 10 is covered with the bottom wall of the hole covering range Z indicated by the hatched line in FIG. Therefore, for example, when the notch 24 is formed including the hole covering range Z, the drive shaft insertion hole 10 cannot be completely covered. In order to avoid such a problem, it is preferable that the guide body 22 and the notch 24 are formed so as to avoid the hole covering range Z.

  The guide surface 23 does not need to be formed as a flat inclined surface, and can be formed as a curved surface connecting the stepped surface 19 and the reference surface 18 as shown in FIG. The curved surface can be constituted by a salient arc shape or a concave arc shape partial arc surface, a plurality of smoothly arc surfaces, and the like. As shown in FIG. 7B, the guide surface 23 may be formed as a stepped surface that continues in an upwardly inclined manner from the stepped surface 19 side toward the reference surface 18. Of course, the guide surface 23 can be formed by combining a plurality of flat inclined surfaces, curved surfaces, and step surfaces. If necessary, as shown in FIG. 7C, the entire front edge of the reference surface 18 can be cut out to form the guide surface 23. Since others are the same as the previous embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The same applies to the following embodiments.

(Example 2) FIG. 8 shows Example 2 of the tape cartridge according to the present invention. In this case, the step size E between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19 is set smaller than the radial size of the detection bar 42 of the thickness sensor 41, and the step between the reference surface 18 and the stepped surface 19 is detected by the detection bar 42. Eliminated being caught on the wall. In this case, when the front edge of the reference surface 18 is rounded or the front edge of the reference surface 18 is obliquely chamfered, the detection bar 42 can be more reliably climbed to the reference surface 18 side. Can do.

(Example 3) FIG. 9 shows Example 3 of the tape cartridge according to the present invention. In this case, a sliding surface 48 corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter 8 is provided in front of the reference surface 18. In addition, the reference surface 18 and the sliding surface 48 are formed so as to be flush with each other, and the step wall that causes the detection bar 42 to be caught is formed between the reference surface 18 and the sliding surface 48. Prevented.

  In addition to the embodiment described above, the guide surface 23 may be formed in at least one place in the left-right width direction of the stepped surface 19. The guide body 22 can be formed by a rib integrated with the lower case 1b, and can be formed by arranging a plurality of protrusions in a stepped manner. In this case, the guide surface 23 may be a discontinuous surface. The guide body 22 can be formed integrally with the upper case 1a. In this case, the guide surface 23 provided at the lower end of the guide body 22 is exposed to the outer surface of the lower case 1b, and the detection bar 42 is moved to the reference surface 18. Get on the road and guide.

It is a side view which shows the extraction state of the main body case loaded incorrectly. It is the perspective view which looked at the thick tape cartridge from the upper surface and the lower surface. It is a side view of a thick and thin tape cartridge. It is a bottom view of a thick tape cartridge. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of a tape drive. It is a schematic front view of a tape drive. It is a side view of the principal part which shows the example of another embodiment of the main body case which concerns on Example 1. FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of a main body case according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a side view of a main part of a main body case according to Embodiment 3. FIG. It is sectional drawing explaining the failure condition accompanying incorrect loading.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body case 2 Magnetic tape 3 Hub 5 Pocket 7 Front cover 8 Shutter 10 Drive shaft insertion hole 18 Reference surface 19 Stepped surface 22 Guide body 23 Guide surface 24 Notch 26 Loading port 34 Loading frame 41 Thickness sensor 42 Detection bar T1 Thin type Tape cartridge T2 Thick tape cartridge

Claims (5)

A loading pocket is provided on the front surface of the main body case that accommodates the hub on which the magnetic tape is wound. It is covered with a shutter that can be opened and closed,
A tape cartridge in which a reference surface is provided at the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case, and a stepped surface corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter is formed in front of the reference surface,
A guide surface that guides the detection bar of the thickness sensor provided on the tape drive side from the stepped surface side toward the reference surface is formed between the reference surface and the stepped surface. Tape cartridge characterized by.   The guide surface is an inclined surface that is inclined upward from the stepped surface side toward the reference surface, a curved surface that connects the stepped surface and the reference surface, and the reference surface from the stepped surface side. The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the tape cartridge is formed to include at least one of a stepped surface that is continuous in an upward inclined direction toward the top. Between the reference surface and the stepped surface, a guide body provided with the guide surface is formed in a state protruding from the stepped surface,
A notch for receiving the guide body is formed in the bottom wall of the shutter,
3. The guide body and the notch are formed at positions avoiding the hole covering range, assuming a hole covering range that covers the drive shaft insertion hole in the bottom wall of the shutter. Tape cartridge. A tape loading pocket is provided on the front surface of the main body case that houses the hub on which the magnetic tape is wound, and the front and back of the main body case are provided with a front lid that can swing open and close. It is covered with a shutter that can be opened and closed,
In the tape cartridge, a reference surface is provided at the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case, and a stepped surface corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter is formed in front of the reference surface.
A tape cartridge, wherein a step size between the reference surface and the stepped surface is set smaller than a radius size of a detection bar of a thickness sensor provided on the tape drive side. A tape loading pocket is provided on the front surface of the main body case that houses the hub on which the magnetic tape is wound, and the front and back of the main body case are provided with a front lid that can swing open and close. It is covered with a shutter that can be opened and closed,
In the tape cartridge provided with a reference surface at the rear end of the bottom surface of the main body case, and provided with a sliding surface corresponding to the opening / closing stroke of the shutter in front of the reference surface,
The tape cartridge, wherein the reference surface and the sliding surface are formed to be flush with each other.

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