JP2007204086A - Cartridge storage case - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cartridge storage case having a high storage working efficiency while maintaining the impact resistance. <P>SOLUTION: The cartridge storage case 100 stores flat cartridges 25 with a magnetic tape winding reel 23 provided therein. A compartment 31 is formed, which holds a cartridge group 33 with a plurality of cartridges 25 being juxtaposed in the thickness direction in a block shape, and shock-absorbing ribs 39, 41 and 43 are formed surrounding the periphery of the compartment 31 in the cartridge storage case 100. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cartridge storage case for storing a flat cartridge in which a magnetic tape winding reel is installed, and more particularly, to an improved technique for improving impact resistance for the stored cartridge and increasing the storage efficiency of the cartridge. .

Conventionally, when one-reel type magnetic recording tape cartridges are stacked and packaged, as shown in FIG. 4, each cartridge 1 is stored in a case 3 in units of one roll, and each case 3 is packed in a cardboard box 5. The buffering property was maintained.
However, in the case of this integrated packaging, since the cartridge 1 is stored in the cardboard box 5, it is necessary to open the cardboard box 5 in order to confirm the presence / absence, type, etc. of the cartridge 1, and there is a problem in convenience. It was. Further, in the corrugated cardboard filling, there is a problem that the corrugated cardboard box 5 gets damaged when it is immersed in water.

For this reason, for example, a case 7 shown in FIG. 5 in which the cartridge 1 is integrated and packaged with transparent plastic that can be seen without damaging the case strength even when it gets wet is disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, and marketed. To be offered to.
UTO-Ultrium L-pack, [online], TDK Corporation, [searched on November 14, 2005], Internet <URL: http://www.tdk.com/professional/lto/ltopack.html> JP 2003-285424 A

  However, in the case 7 described in Non-Patent Document 1, when an object collides from the outside or when it is dropped, there is no means for absorbing the impact, and the case 7 is damaged. Or the cartridge 1 may be damaged.

Further, in the case 7, the storage space 9 for storing the individual cartridges 1 is partitioned into a plurality of partition projections 11, and the cartridges 1 are stored in the storage space 9 in units of one turn. That is, the cartridges 1 are distributed and stored. For this reason, in the actual storing operation, the cartridges 1 are stored one by one, and there is a problem that usability is deteriorated particularly when there are a large number of cartridges 1.
Further, in the case 7, since the storage spaces 9 are partitioned one by one, the entire storage area (that is, the upper surface opening area of the case 7) is equally divided by the individual storage spaces 9. For this reason, in the case parts 13 and 15 at the extreme ends, there is a problem that almost all the loads of the cartridge 1 are concentrated, the shock resistance is poor, and the shock absorbing ability at the time of dropping is lowered.

In general, the cartridge 1 is vulnerable to an impact applied in the reel axial direction. This is because there is a case where the tape pops out on the end surface of the wound tape, and when the tape hits the reel flange due to this tape jumping out, the magnetic tape can be smoothly wound and fed out. In the worst case, the problem is that reading and writing cannot be performed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object thereof is to obtain a cartridge storage case having high storage work efficiency while maintaining impact resistance.

The above-mentioned subject concerning the present invention is attained by the following composition.
(1) A cartridge storage case for storing a flat cartridge in which a magnetic tape winding reel is installed, and holds at least a group of cartridges in a block shape by juxtaposing a plurality of the cartridges in the thickness direction. A cartridge storage case comprising one compartment and a buffer rib formed at least on the outer surface of the compartment in the thickness direction of the cartridge.

  According to this cartridge storage case, the buffer rib protrudes at least on the outer surface in the cartridge thickness direction of the compartment, so that it becomes a cushioning material when an object collides from the outside or falls. Thus, the impact can be absorbed and damage to the cartridge storage case and damage to the cartridge can be prevented. In particular, the impact in the cartridge thickness direction can be absorbed and damage to the tape itself can be suppressed.

  (2) The cartridge storage case according to the above (1), wherein the buffer rib protrudes from the outer side surface of the compartment which is the outer surface of the storage case.

  According to this cartridge storage case, when there is one compartment, the buffer rib is provided over the entire circumference. In the case of a storage case having a plurality of compartments, buffer ribs are formed so as to protrude only on the side surfaces of the compartments that are the outer surfaces of the storage case. Thereby, regarding the side surface of the storage case, the impact can be reduced with respect to the impact from any direction.

  (3) The partition chamber is formed by overlapping the upper case and the lower case having the same structure having the convex portion and the concave portion that engage with each other and engaging the convex portion and the concave portion. The cartridge storage case according to item (1) or (2).

  According to this cartridge storage case, for example, by forming a concavo-convex portion that can be engaged with each other left and right symmetrically with the center line of the case, one of the two same cases is inverted and these are overlapped. By engaging the concaves and convexes, it becomes possible to configure one storage container. That is, in the configuration of the storage case, two cases having the same structure are used as the upper case and the lower case. One case will be used both as a lid and as a body. Accordingly, it is possible to configure a cartridge storage case in which a compartment that can be opened and closed by the concavo-convex portion is formed using one type of case formed by one mold.

  (4) The cartridge storage case according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein each of the upper case and the lower case is made of an integrally molded product of a plastic resin.

  According to this cartridge storage case, high-accuracy upper and lower cases can be mass-produced easily and inexpensively using materials that are relatively easily available.

(5) The cartridge storage case according to (4), wherein the buffer rib has a tapered shape that becomes narrower in the depth direction of the compartment.
According to this cartridge storage case, when removing the cartridge or before storing the cartridge, when the upper case of the empty storage case is turned upside down and the case is stacked, the buffer ribs cushion each other due to the tapered shape of the buffer ribs. Without stacking, empty storage cases can be stacked in a compact manner.

  (6) The cartridge storage case according to the above (4) or (5), wherein the plastic resin contains any of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene.

  According to this cartridge storage case, since the plastic resin is any one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene, the material can be easily obtained and easy and inexpensive vacuum molding can be performed.

  (7) The cartridge storage case according to any one of (4) to (6), wherein the plastic resin has translucency.

  According to this cartridge storage case, even when the upper case and the lower case are engaged and the compartment is in a sealed state, the cartridge stored in the compartment is visible from the outside, and the cartridge in the sealed compartment is The storage status can be easily grasped.

  (8) The cartridge storage case according to any one of (4) to (7), which is formed by stretching a sheet of the plastic resin having a thickness of 0.5 to 2.0 mm.

  According to this cartridge storage case, the minimum structural strength of the compartment for storing a plurality of cartridge groups is economically secured by forming a sheet of a plastic resin having a thickness of 0.5 to 2.0 mm by stretching. In addition, the weight of the entire case can be minimized while satisfying the minimum strength. Moreover, by forming with the above-mentioned thickness, it is possible to moderately deform when an external force is applied, and it is possible to optimally secure an impact absorbing action on the cartridge. That is, if it is thinner than this, the deformation becomes too easy and the impact absorbing effect is lowered. If it is thicker than this, it becomes difficult to deform, and the impact force is directly transmitted to the cartridge. In this configuration, by setting the sheet thickness of the plastic resin to the above-described thickness, it is possible to form an optimal impact absorbing portion (crushable zone).

  According to the cartridge storage case of the present invention, the shock absorbing rib absorbs the impact and prevents damage to the cartridge storage case and damage to the cartridge when the object collides from the outside or is dropped. By doing so, the quality of the cartridge can be ensured. In addition, since the buffer ribs have a tapered shape, the upper case of the empty storage case is turned upside down after the cartridge is taken out or before the cartridge is stored. The ribs do not cushion each other, and empty storage cases can be compactly stacked and stacked. In addition, unlike the conventional case, there is no need to individually store a plurality of cartridges, and therefore, a plurality of cartridges that are stacked and held in the thickness direction can be collectively stored in a compartment, which enables efficient storage in a short time. This makes it possible to greatly improve the storage work efficiency.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a cartridge storage case according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an upper case and a lower case separated from each other according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the lower case shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which the upper and lower cases of the cartridge storage case shown in FIG. 1 are assembled.
A cartridge storage case (hereinafter also simply referred to as “storage case”) 100 according to the present embodiment stores a flat cartridge 25 in which a magnetic tape winding reel 23 around which a magnetic tape 21 is wound is provided. In this case, it can be suitably used.

  In the cartridge 25, a magnetic tape winding reel 23 is provided in the direction in which the axis is in the thickness direction. In the present embodiment, a case where the cartridge 25 is a square flat body will be described as an example. However, the cartridge 25 may be a rectangular flat body.

  The storage case 100 can be opened and closed by overlapping the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 with the same structure from above and below. By engaging the upper case 27 and the lower case 29, a plurality of compartments 31 are formed therein. In the present embodiment, four compartments 31 are formed. In each compartment 31, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cartridges 25 are juxtaposed in the thickness direction to hold a cartridge group 33 in a block shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge 25 is arranged with the tape take-out port facing upward so that the weak tape take-out port is located at the center of the compartment 31. More preferably, the tape outlets may be arranged to face each other in each compartment 31. In that case, the tape outlet is directed toward the center of the storage case 100, and the tape outlet can be protected from an impact from the outside of the case.

  In the present embodiment, one compartment 31 forms substantially the same storage volume as the volume of the cartridge group 33 composed of five cartridges 25. Therefore, even if the cartridges 25 are randomly packed in each compartment 31, there is no partition wall for the individual cartridges 25, so that the compartments 31 can be easily inserted. For example, two to three of the cartridges 25 can be grasped and packed together, and the working efficiency of storage is remarkably improved from the conventional product that is grasped and inserted one by one.

  As described above, as the plurality of cartridges 25 are stored together in a block shape, a surplus area that does not contribute to storage can be ensured as compared to the case where the plurality of cartridges 25 are distributedly stored in the same storage area. In the storage case 100, this surplus area is used as an impact absorbing portion (so-called crushable zone).

  That is, flanges 35 and 35 that are shock absorbing portions are extended in the lateral direction on both ends in the axial direction of the magnetic tape winding reel 23 of the upper case 27 and the lower case 29. Each flange 35 is formed with a handle hole 37 having a central portion cut into a square hole shape. In other words, the storage case 100 in which the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 are engaged is carried with the hand (finger) in one of the handle holes 37 and the other flange 35 facing downward. Is possible and can be lifted. In contrast to this, the storage case 100 can be held horizontally and lifted vertically by grasping the handle holes 37 on both sides with both hands.

  As described above, when the storage case 100 is slid down from the hand when the storage case 100 is carried with one handle hole 37 held with one hand and the other flange 35 positioned downward, the storage case 100 is moved downward. The flange 35 collides with the floor surface. At this time, the flange 35 serving as an impact absorbing portion is deformed by the load of the storage case 100 and the cartridge group 33, and the impact energy is absorbed by the deformation, so that the impact on the stored cartridge 25 is moderated. Yes.

  Next, in general, the cartridge 25 is vulnerable to an impact applied in the reel axial direction. This is because there is a case where the tape pops out on the end surface of the wound tape, and when the tape hits the reel flange due to this tape jumping out, the magnetic tape can be smoothly wound and fed out. This is because it is obstructed, and in the worst case, reading and writing cannot be performed. In the present embodiment, by providing a flange 35 serving as an impact absorbing portion in the reel axial direction of the cartridge 25, the impact resistance in the reel axial direction that is vulnerable to impact is improved. .

  A first buffer rib 39 is formed on the outer wall surface of each compartment 31 constituting the side surface of the housing case 100 in the thickness direction of the cartridge 25 housed in the compartment 31. In the present embodiment, two first buffer ribs 39 are formed in a convex shape in the thickness direction of the cartridge 25 for each compartment 31. A second buffer rib 41 is formed on the side surface of the storage case 100 perpendicular to the thickness direction of the cartridge 25. Also in the second buffer rib 41, two convex ribs are formed for each compartment 31. These are formed at the same time when the storage case 100 is formed of a flexible resin.

  The first buffer rib 39 can absorb the impact by bending itself when an impact is applied in the thickness direction of the cartridge 25 when an object collides with the compartment 31 from the outside. Similarly, the second buffer rib 41 can absorb the impact by bending itself when an impact in the width direction of the cartridge 25 is applied when an object collides with the compartment 31 from the outside. . That is, the first buffer rib 39 and the second buffer rib 41 form a gap between the outer wall surface of the case and the cartridge 25, and the space serves as a cushioning material to improve impact resistance. ing.

  In addition, a third buffer rib 43 is formed at the corner portion of each compartment 31 so as to surround the ridge line portion of the cartridge 25. Since the third buffer ribs 43 are arranged at the ends of the first buffer ribs 39 and the second buffer ribs 41, respectively, when the storage case 100 is dropped in the state where the cartridge 25 is stored, Deformation of the cartridge ridge line portion can be effectively prevented.

  The storage case 100 includes an upper case 27 and a lower case 29 having the same structure provided with a convex portion (projection) 45 and a concave portion (concave groove) 47 that are engaged with each other. In the present embodiment, a ridge 45 and a groove 47 are formed in the upper and lower sides around the four compartments 31 so as to be symmetrical with respect to the case center line 49 of FIG. That is, the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 sandwich the case center line 49, and a U-shaped ridge 45 is continuously formed on one side, and a U-shaped groove 47 is continuously formed on the other side. ing.

  When the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 having the same structure are combined vertically, the ridge 45 enters the groove 47, and both engage. Thereby, the compartment 31 is sealed and water resistance can be obtained, and it is also possible to float on water. Also, the cartridge 25 can be protected against dust, moisture, splashed water, and other harmful substances. That is, one case is used both as a lid and as a body. From this, the storage case 100 in which the compartment 31 that can be opened and closed by the ridges 45 and the grooves 47 is formed using one type of case formed by one mold.

  A partition 51 is provided between the compartments 31. The partition portion 51 is formed with a shape and a thickness to be described later so that deformation with respect to an impact is easy. That is, the impact of the partition 51 is reduced when the partition 51 is deformed. The partition 51 is interposed in any direction so that the falling direction may be from the side where the flange 35 is present or the direction perpendicular thereto. In this embodiment, a cross-direction partition 51 is formed so as to partition the compartments 31 arranged in four directions into four.

  On the outermost periphery of the upper case 27 and the lower case 29, a step bending portion 53 is formed by slightly bending the peripheral edges into a curved shape. The step bending portion 53 is formed on either one of the case center lines 49 symmetrically, similar to the ridge 45 and the groove 47 described above. Thereby, when the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 are overlapped, the stepped bent portion 53 covers the other peripheral edge, so that the dustproof property and the waterproof property are improved.

  Furthermore, large and small square frame portions 55 and 57 that can be loosely fitted to each other are bulged on the outer bottom surface of each compartment 31. Accordingly, even when the storage case 100 is stacked in the vertical direction, the square frame portions 55 and 57 on the lower surface of the upper storage case 100 are fitted to the square frame portions 55 and 57 on the upper surface of the lower storage case 100, Relative lateral displacement is regulated to prevent collapse during stacking.

  Each of the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 is made of an integrally molded product of a plastic resin. For this reason, the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 having a robustness for reliably protecting the cartridge 25 and an appropriate shock absorption property can be easily and inexpensively mass-produced using a material that is relatively easy to handle. ing.

  This plastic resin can contain, for example, any of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene. The plastic resin is either polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, or polystyrene, making it easy to obtain materials, and can be recovered and reused after being discarded, enabling easy and inexpensive vacuum forming. Become.

  Moreover, it is preferable that a plastic resin is what has translucency. Thereby, even when the upper case 27 and the lower case 29 are engaged and the compartment 31 is in a sealed state, the cartridge 25 stored in the compartment 31 can be visually recognized from the outside, and the sealed compartment is sealed. The storage status of the cartridge 25 in the cartridge 31 can be easily grasped.

  Moreover, the minimum structural strength of the compartment 31 which accommodates the several cartridge group 33 is economically ensured by forming by a drawing process using the sheet | seat of a plastic resin with a thickness of 0.5-2.0 mm. In addition, the weight of the entire case can be minimized while satisfying the minimum strength. In addition, by forming with the above thickness, it is possible to appropriately deform when an external force is applied, and it is possible to optimally secure an impact absorbing action on the cartridge 25. That is, if it is thinner than this, the deformation becomes too easy and the impact absorbing effect is lowered. If it is thicker than this, it becomes difficult to deform, and the impact force is directly transmitted to the cartridge 25. In this configuration, by setting the sheet thickness of the plastic resin to the above-described thickness, it is possible to form an optimal impact absorbing portion (crushable zone).

  As shown in FIG. 3, by assembling the upper case 27 and the lower case 29, the storage case 100 in which the cartridge group 33 is stored has an impact in the X direction or anti-X direction that is the thickness direction of the cartridge 25 from the outside. When given to the compartment 31, the first buffer rib 39 of the upper case 27 and the first buffer rib 39 of the lower case 29 are bent to absorb the shock in that direction. Furthermore, when an impact in the Z direction or the anti-Z direction, which is the width direction of the cartridge 25, is applied to the compartment 31 from the outside, the second buffer rib 41 of the upper case 27 and the second buffer rib 41 of the lower case 29 are respectively By bending, the impact in that direction can be absorbed. At this time, when an impact on the partition chamber 31 is applied to the corner portion, the first buffer rib 39 in addition to the deflection of the third buffer rib 43 of the upper case 17 and the third buffer rib 43 of the lower case 29. Or the absorption of an impact can be promoted because the 2nd buffer rib 41 bends.

  Therefore, according to the cartridge storage case 100, the first buffer rib 39, the second buffer rib 41, and the third buffer rib 43 cause the object to collide with the compartment 31 from the outside or be dropped. In some cases, the quality of the cartridge 25 can be ensured by absorbing the impact and preventing the cartridge housing case 100 from being damaged and the cartridge 25 from being damaged. In addition, a plurality of cartridges 25 having the same storage area can be obtained by dividing the plurality of cartridges 25 into a block shape by a partition chamber 31 holding a cartridge group 33 in which the plurality of cartridges 25 are juxtaposed in the thickness direction. Compared to the case of distributed storage, a surplus area that does not contribute to storage can be secured. Then, by using this surplus area portion as an impact absorbing portion (so-called crushable zone), it is possible to absorb an impact when the case is dropped and to improve the impact resistance against the cartridge 25. Further, unlike the conventional case, since it is not necessary to individually store a plurality of cartridges, a plurality of cartridges 25 held in a stacked manner in the thickness direction can be collectively stored in the compartment, and efficient storage can be performed in a short time. And storage work efficiency can be greatly improved.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the upper case and the lower case separated from each other according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the lower case shown in FIG. 1A in plan view (a) and in side view (b). FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which an upper case and a lower case of the cartridge storage case shown in FIG. 1 are assembled. It is explanatory drawing showing the conventional cardboard box storage system. It is a perspective view showing the conventional storage case.

Explanation of symbols

23 Magnetic tape winding reel 25 Cartridge 27 Upper case 29 Lower case 31 Compartment chamber 33 Cartridge group 39 First buffer rib (buffer rib)
41 Second buffer rib (buffer rib)
43 Third buffer rib (buffer rib)
45 Convex (Convex)
47 Convex part (concave groove)
51 Partition 100 Cartridge storage case

Claims (8)

A cartridge storage case for storing a flat cartridge in which a magnetic tape winding reel is installed,
At least one compartment holding a group of cartridges in a block shape by juxtaposing a plurality of the cartridges in the thickness direction;
A cartridge storage case, comprising: a buffer rib protruding at least on an outer surface in the cartridge thickness direction of the compartment.   The cartridge storage case according to claim 1, wherein the buffer rib is formed so as to protrude outward from a side surface of the compartment which is an outer surface of the storage case.   The partition chamber is formed by overlapping the upper case and the lower case having the same structure having a convex part and a concave part that are engaged with each other and engaging the convex part and the concave part. The cartridge storage case according to any one of claims 1 and 2.   4. The cartridge storage case according to claim 1, wherein each of the upper case and the lower case is made of an integrally molded product of a plastic resin. 5.   The cartridge storage case according to claim 4, wherein the buffer rib has a tapered shape that becomes thinner in the depth direction of the compartment.   The cartridge storage case according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the plastic resin includes any one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene.   The cartridge storage case according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the plastic resin has translucency.   The cartridge storage case according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the cartridge is formed by stretching a sheet of the plastic resin having a thickness of 0.5 to 2.0 mm.

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