JP3348317B2 - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cartridge provided with a window for detecting a tape end and a front cover.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a tape cartridge of this kind,
For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, there is a tape cartridge for 8 mm video, which has means for optically automatically detecting the start and end of the tape 2 in the main body case 1 when the tape cartridge is loaded in a video deck. (For example, Shoko 63
-49910). That is, the light emitting device 6 on the deck side
Enters the main body case 1 and the light from the light emitter 6 is
The light passes through a transparent leader tape attached to the start end and the end of the main case 1, exits through a window hole 10 provided in the side wall 9 of the main body case 1, and is received by the light receiver 8 on the deck side. The window hole 10 for detecting the tape end is closed by the side plate 17 of the front cover 13 which closes the front side of the main body case 1 when not in use, and when loaded into the deck, the front cover 13 is pushed open by the operation member on the deck side. As a result, the window hole 18 provided in the side plate 17 coincides with the window hole 10, and the window hole 10 is opened.

A locking member 2 for locking the front lid 13 in a closed state near the rear of the window hole 10 between the opposing surfaces of the side plate 17 of the front lid 13 and the side wall 9 of the main body case 1.
3 are provided. The lock member 23 has a claw 24 at the tip, and is supported so as to be able to swing back and forth around an axis 25 so that
In the closed state of FIG. 3, the pawl 24 is engaged with an engaging projection 29 protruding from the inner surface of the rear end of the side plate 17 of the front lid 13, and this engaged state is a spring that constantly urges the lock member 23 to swing forward. It is held by the force of the member 27. When the release member 30 is loaded on the deck, the release member 30 on the deck side presses and contacts the lower end portion 23a of the lock member 23.
The claw 24 is disengaged from the engagement protrusion 29, and the front lid 13 can be opened.

[0004]

However, when the size of this type of tape cartridge is reduced as much as possible to reduce the size and thickness of the tape cartridge for the purpose of downsizing the system, the thickness of the front lid 13 becomes thinner. The rigidity tends to decrease,
In addition, the gap (clearance) between the side plate 17 and the engagement protrusion 29 of the front lid 13 and the side wall 9 forming the window 10 for detecting the tape end becomes extremely small. For this reason, when the window hole 10 for detecting the tape end and the engagement projection 29 for closing and locking are set to be close to each other as in the above-described tape cartridge, as shown by a two-dot chain line X in FIG. When the front cover 13 is opened by an external force, the front cover 13 may be slightly twisted and deformed. In this case, the edge of the tip of the engaging projection 29 of the front cover 13 and the window 1 for detecting the tape end are formed.
The 0 edge (opening edge) abuts and interferes with the opening of the lid, which makes it difficult to open the lid smoothly.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge in which the window hole 10 for detecting the tape end and the engagement projection 29 for locking the front lid are set in a close proximity to each other as described above. The opening operation of the front lid 10 is facilitated by modifying the shape of the window hole 10.

[0006]

As shown in the drawing, a tape cartridge as a premise of the present invention is provided with a window hole 10 through which a tape end detection light passes through a front end of a side wall 9 of a main body case 1 containing a tape 2 therein. And a front cover 13 for opening and closing the front side of the main body case 1, and a side plate 17 of the front cover 13 is closely opposed to an outside of a position near the window hole 10 of the side wall 9, and a support shaft 19 is provided.
It is pivotally mounted around it. And the window hole 1
Numeral 0 is formed so as to be closed by the side plate 17 when the front cover 13 is closed and to be opened when the front cover 13 is open. A lock member 23 is disposed behind the window hole 10 between opposing surfaces of the side wall 9 and the side plate 17, and the lock member 23 is disposed on the inner surface of the rear end of the side plate 17 with the front lid 13 closed. The front cover 1 is adapted to engage with the projecting engagement protrusion 29.
The movement trajectory of the engagement projection 29 at the time of opening / closing 3 passes near the rear side and the lower side of the window hole 10.
In addition, the present invention provides an inclined surface or a curved surface 10a on the rear side or below the outer opening edge of the window hole 10 of the side wall 9.
Is provided. It is preferable that an inclined surface or a round surface 29a is also provided at the tip of the engagement protrusion 29.

[0007]

In a case where the window hole 10 for detecting the tape end and the engagement projection 29 for closing and locking are set to be close to each other, the front cover 13 may be slightly twisted and deformed when the front cover 13 is opened by an external force. The front end of the engaging projection 29 of the front lid 13 passes through the inclined surface or the round surface 10a of the window hole 10, and the contact interference between both the front end of the engaging projection 29 and the outer opening edge of the window hole 10 occurs. Can be avoided and open smoothly.

[0008]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of a tape cartridge according to the present invention. This tape cartridge is for a video, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a main body case 1 is formed by abutting plastic upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and a pair of left and right reels around which a tape 2 is wound. 3 is rotatably provided. The tape 2 pulled out from one of the reels 3 is guided by tape guides 5.5 provided at the left and right tape outlets 4 in the front of the main body case 1 and wound on the other reel 3.

The reel 3 on the bottom wall of the main body case 1
3 and 4, a through hole 7 is provided in the front central portion between the three, and when loaded into the deck, a light emitting device for detecting the tape end on the deck side is inserted through the through hole 7 into the main body case 1. to go into. 1 and 2, a window hole 10 is provided at each front end of both right and left side walls 9 of the main body case 1 so that light from the light emitting device entering the main body case 1 passes through the tape outlet 4. 2 through the transparent leader tape at the end of the window hole 1
The light exits from 0 and is received by the light receiver on the deck side, whereby the end of the tape 2 is detected. The window hole 10 in this side wall 9
An inclined surface or a round surface 10a is formed on the rear side or the lower side of the outer opening edge. An eaves wall 11 is provided above the window hole 10 to prevent dust from entering the window hole 10 from above when the tape cartridge is not used.
Are provided in a protruding state.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, a tape loading pocket 12 is provided in the center of the front surface of the main body case 1, that is, between the left and right tape outlets 4. The pocket 12 has upper and lower surfaces and a front surface open. The tape 2 led out to the front side of the main body case 1 is used when the front cover 1 is not used.
3. Covered and protected by back cover 14 and top cover 15, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the front cover 13 is connected to a main surface plate 16 for closing the front openings of the pocket 12 and the tape outlet 4, and is integrally connected from the left and right ends of the main surface plate 16 to the rear of the case. The left and right side plates 17 are provided with support shafts 19 protruding from the respective inner surfaces thereof. The left and right side plates 17 are closely opposed to the outer surfaces of the respective front ends of the left and right side walls 9 of the main body case 1, and the support shafts 19 are rotatably fitted into shaft holes 20 provided in the respective side walls 9. . As a result, the front lid 13 is supported by the left and right supports at a position where the left and right tape outlets 4.4 and the front surface of the pocket 12 are closed as shown by a solid line in FIG. 4 and an upper open position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It is openable and closable about a shaft 19. In the closed state of the front lid 13, the window hole 10 is closed by the side plate 17, and in the opened state, the side plate 17 is moved forward from the position of the window hole 10 to open it, and the tape end can be detected. To In this case, similarly to the front lid 13 of the conventional example shown in FIG.
The window hole 10 may be opened by matching the window hole 10 when the front lid 13 is opened.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front cover 13 has a torsion coil spring 2 mounted on one of right and left support shafts 19.
1 is always urged to rotate in the closing direction. The torsion coil spring 21 passes the cylindrical portion 21 a through the support shaft 19, and engages the arm portion 21 b at one end of the cylindrical portion 21 a with a spring receiving projection 22 provided on the inner surface of the side plate 17 of the front lid 13, Shape 21
The arm 21c at the other end of a is engaged with the eaves wall 11 provided on the window hole 10 using the eaves wall 11.

1 and 6, a lock member 23 is provided to securely hold the front lid 13 in the closed state.
The lock member 23 is provided with a claw 2
Bearings 4 each having a shaft 25 at a base portion at an upper end thereof and the shaft 25 provided on an outer surface side of a side wall 9 of the main body case 1.
6 is supported horizontally so as to be able to swing back and forth. When not in use, the spring 24 is urged forward by a spring member 27 disposed on the rear side of the lock member 23, so that the pawls 24 move from the rear end inner surface of the side plate 17 of the front lid 13 to the rear of the window hole 10. The front projection 13 is engaged with the engagement projection 29 protruding so as to be located in the vicinity, and the closed state of the front cover 13 is maintained. When loaded on the deck, the release member 30 on the deck side comes into pressure contact with the lower end 23a of the lock member 23, and by this contact action, the lock member 23 swings rearward against the force of the spring member 27, and the pawl 24 Is disengaged from the engagement projection 29.

When the front lid 13 is loaded on the deck, the front lid 13 is pushed upward and opened by the operation member on the deck side. The movement trajectory of the engagement projection 29 when the front cover 13 is opened is set so as to pass through the rear side and the lower side of the tape end detection window hole 10. An inclined surface or a curved surface 1 on the rear side or below the outer opening edge of the hole 10.
Since 0a is formed, the clearance between the side wall 9 and the side plate 17 is set to a minimum, and the front cover 13 may be slightly twisted and deformed as shown by a two-dot chain line X in FIG. However, the tip of the engagement projection 29 does not abut and interfere with the opening edge of the window hole 10. Therefore, the front lid 13 opens and closes smoothly. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the tip of the engagement projection 29 is also provided with an inclined surface or a round surface 29a.
Is advantageous in that contact interference between the tip of the engaging projection 29 and the opening edge of the window hole 10 can be more reliably avoided.

An upper lid 15 for opening and closing the upper surface of the pocket 12 is pivotally connected to the front lid 13. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper lid 15 includes a main surface plate 31 that covers the upper surface of the pocket 12, and side plates 32 that are continuously provided downward from both left and right ends of the main surface plate 31. The slide shafts 33 are protruded from the sides. The upper lid 15 is used for the front lid 1
As shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, the pocket 12 can be opened and closed in a position where the upper surface of the pocket 12 is closed as shown by a solid line in FIG. For this purpose, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the upper lid 15 is attached to the front end 3 of the main face plate 31.
A pair of left and right forked arms 35, 35 having joint pins 34 are provided at both left and right ends of the front lid 1a.
3, the upper end 16a of an arcuate cross section formed at the upper end of the upper end 3 and the joint pins 34 are fitted into pin holes 36 provided on both right and left end surfaces of the upper end 16a so as to be rotatable around the joint pins 34. Splice. As shown in FIG. 4, the slide shaft 33 is provided with a guide groove 37 having a U-shape provided on each outer surface of the left and right side walls 9 of the main body case 1.
To slide freely.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, connecting pins 38 are provided on the left and right of the upper end of the back cover 14, and the connecting pins 38 are provided in pin holes 40 of a boss 39 provided on the inner surface of the upper cover 15.
And pivotally connected to it. Also, leg portions 41 are provided on the left and right of the lower rear surface of the back cover 14, and slide pins 42 provided on the left and right legs 41 are provided on the left and right side walls in the pocket 12, respectively, in the form of “S” -shaped guide grooves 43. To slide freely. Therefore, the back cover 14 is closed as shown by a solid line in FIG. 4 as the front cover 13 and the upper cover 15 are opened and closed, and a closed position as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It is openable and closable over an open position located on the lower side of the upper lid 15 in the open state behind the upper surface of 12.

[0017]

According to the present invention, the side wall 9 of the main body case 1 is provided.
An inclined surface or a round surface 10a is provided on the rear side or below the outer opening edge of the window end 10 for detecting the tape end provided in the above. Therefore, in order to reduce the size and thickness of the tape cartridge, the window hole 10 for detecting the tape end and the engagement projection 29 for closing and locking are set in a positional relationship close to each other. In the case where the clearance between the front cover 13 is set to a minimum value and the front cover 13 is thinned, the front cover 13 is slightly twisted when performing an opening operation by an external force.
The front end of the engaging projection 29 of the front lid 13 and the opening edge of the window hole 10 do not interfere with each other, and the lid can be opened smoothly. When the inclined surface or the round surface 29a is also provided at the tip of the engagement protrusion 29, the front cover 1 can be more smoothly.
3 can be opened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which a front lid is closed, with a part thereof being cut away.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the entire appearance.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the front cover, the upper cover, and the back cover in an exploded state.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state where a lock member of the front lid is disassembled.

FIG. 7 is an overall perspective view of a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional front lid.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example in which a front lid is open.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body case 2 Tape 9 Side wall 10 Window hole 10 Inclined surface or round surface of window hole 13 Front cover 17 Side plate 19 Support shaft 23 Lock member 29 Engagement protrusion 29a Inclined surface or round surface of engagement protrusion

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A window hole (10) through which a tape edge detection light passes is provided at a front end side of a side wall (9) of a main body case (1) containing a tape (2), and has a front lid (13) for opening and closing the front side of the main body case (1). A side plate 17 of the front cover 13 is pivotally mounted on the side wall 9 so as to be rotatable about a support shaft 19 so as to be close to the outside of a position near the window hole 10 on the side wall 9. Is formed so as to be closed by the side plate 17 in the closed state and to be opened in the open state of the front cover 13, and the window hole 10 between the opposing surfaces of the side wall 9 and the side plate 17.
A lock member 23 is disposed on the rear side of the front cover 13, and the lock member 23 engages with an engagement protrusion 29 protruding from a rear end inner surface of the side plate 17 when the front lid 13 is closed. The movement trajectory of the engagement projection 29 when opening and closing the lid 13 is
In the tape cartridge passing near the rear side and the lower side of the tape cartridge, an inclined surface or a round surface 10a is provided on the rear side or the lower side of the outer opening edge of the window hole 10 of the side wall 9. Characterized tape cartridge. 2. The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface or a round surface 29a is provided at a tip of the engagement protrusion 29.