JP3952101B2 - Magnetic tape cartridge - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a magnetic tape cartridge, and more particularly to an improvement of a leader pin fixed to a free end of a magnetic tape wound on a single reel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a magnetic tape cartridge used as a recording medium used in an external storage device such as a computer is of a type in which a magnetic tape wound around a single reel is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case. Are known.
[0003]
When such a single reel type is set in the external storage device, the magnetic tape wound around the reel is pulled out from the case by the drive mechanism on the external storage device side, and the magnetic tape of the external storage device is The information is recorded in the recording unit, or the recorded information is read out in the reproducing unit, and after completing these purposes, the tape is rewound onto the reel and accommodated in the case again. Has been. The drive mechanism of the storage device smoothly pulls out the tape from the cartridge case and introduces the tape into the tape running path including the recording unit and the reproducing unit at the free end, which is the leading end of the magnetic tape on the drawing side. For this reason, the leader piece is fixed. The drive mechanism of the storage device grips the leader piece, draws the tape into the storage device, and sets it in a predetermined tape running path.
[0004]
In addition, this leader piece must be locked at a certain position in the case so that the drive mechanism can be easily gripped and the magnetic tape is not pulled out of the case. Is formed with a locked portion that is locked to a locking portion formed on the case side.
[0005]
Conventionally, such a leader piece has a block shape, and some of the leader pieces also serve as a lid for closing an opening from which the tape is drawn out.
[0006]
In recent years, a new type of magnetic tape cartridge has been proposed. This new type has the same basic structure as the conventional one, but various details have been made. For example, a cylindrical metal leader pin corresponding to the conventional leader piece is provided on the external storage device side. It is also configured to reduce the occupied space.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the cylindrical part of the leader pin used in the new type magnetic tape cartridge described above is locked to the locking portion of the case when the tape is wound in the case, while the memory is stored. During the operation in which the tape is loaded from the case and pulled out from the case, it is held by the drive mechanism of the storage device. For this reason, the leader pin has many opportunities to generate friction with these other mechanisms (case and drive mechanism), and the leader pin is easily damaged by this friction. Since the heat is generated by the heat generated by the element, the leader pin is easily corroded by these factors. When the pin is corroded, oxidized rust powder adheres to the tape, and there is a risk of hindering reading of data recorded on the tape.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a magnetic tape cartridge in which corrosion of a leader pin is suppressed.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention, the leader pin is formed of a corrosion resistant material to improve the corrosion resistance of the pin.
[0010]
That is, the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention is a magnetic tape cartridge in which a single reel formed by winding a magnetic tape is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case.
A metal leader pin that can be locked in the case and pulled out from the case is fixed to the free end of the magnetic tape, and the leader pin is made of a corrosion-resistant material. It is characterized by being.
[0011]
Here, the corrosion-resistant material is aliphatic polyamide such as nylon 6 or nylon 66, aromatic polyamide, PC (polycarbonate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), POM (polyoxymethylene) and other plastic materials, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide and other imide group plastic materials, and stainless steel materials such as SUS304, SUS306, SUS316, SUS410, etc. These materials are also preferable in that they have a magnetic property that they are hardly magnetized. That is, if the leader pin is magnetized, for example, when the leader pin is drawn around the external storage device, information magnetically recorded on the magnetic tape connected to the pin may be affected. In addition, what applied the said plastic material as a corrosion-resistant material has a low production cost, and is more desirable. When radar pins are formed from the above plastic material, each material (plastic material such as aliphatic polyamide such as nylon 6 or nylon 66, aromatic polyamide, PC, PBT, PPS, PMMA, POM, polyimide, etc. It is preferable to use a material in which a plastic material having an imide group such as polyamide imide or polyether imide) reinforced with glass fiber or carbon fiber is used.
[0012]
Further, the leader pin formed of the above corrosion-resistant material may be further subjected to a hard chrome plating process having a relatively high surface hardness.
[0013]
Various methods can be applied to the method of fixing the magnetic tape to the leader pin. For example, a groove extending in the axial direction is formed on the peripheral surface of the pin, and the leading end of the tape is placed along the inner surface of the groove. Alternatively, it is possible to apply a method such as fixing a tape by inserting a slightly small cylindrical clamp into a groove along the tape.
[0014]
The leader pin is preferably longer than the width of the magnetic tape and is formed so that both end portions thereof protrude from both side edges of the fixed tape. It is comprised as a to-be-latched part latched by this latching | locking part. The protruding portion also functions as a portion held by the drive mechanism on the storage device side.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
According to the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention, since the leader pin is formed of a corrosion-resistant material such as plastic or stainless steel, the corrosion resistance of the pin is improved, and the occurrence of trouble due to the corrosion of the pin can be avoided. it can.
[0016]
Further, since these materials have a characteristic that they are not easily magnetized, there is no influence on the magnetic recording information of the magnetic tape due to the magnetization of the leader pin, and the reliability as an information recording medium is high.
[0017]
Furthermore, in the case of a leader pin made of a plastic material, the production cost can be reduced while satisfying the rigidity required for the leader pin.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing details of a leader pin used in the magnetic tape cartridge shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows a cross section by the II line | wire of FIG. 1 which shows a mode that the leader pin is latched by the latching | locking part.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, in the magnetic tape cartridge 1 of this embodiment, a magnetic tape 20 is wound around a single reel 4 in which a lower reel 5 and an upper reel 6 are joined by ultrasonic welding, and an upper case 2 is wound. The reel 4 is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case 7 that is fastened to the lower case 3 with screws or the like.
[0021]
The lower reel 5 is formed by integrally molding a cylindrical reel hub 23 around which the magnetic tape 20 is wound and a flange portion 24 projecting radially from the outer periphery of the lower end of the reel hub 23 with a synthetic resin. On the outer surface, a reel plate 8 for attaching a magnet type rotational drive means (not shown) for rotationally driving the reel 4 is attached. Further, on the inner surface of the bottom portion of the reel hub 23, a stopping gear 23A that engages with a stopping gear 9A formed on the brake button 9 and restrains rotation when not in use is formed. Further, the reel hub 23 is formed with an opening 23B through which a drive release spindle provided in a recording / reproducing apparatus such as an external storage device using the magnetic tape cartridge 1 is inserted to move the brake button 9 upward. Yes.
[0022]
The brake button 9 is formed with the above-described stopping gear 9A on the side facing the reel hub 23, and a brake guide protrusion (not shown) formed on the upper case 2 is fitted on the opposite side to the brake gear 9A. A fitting groove 9B is formed.
[0023]
The brake button 9 is attached to the inside of the reel hub 23 while being urged downward in the figure by the coil spring 10, and the stop gear 9A of the brake button 9 and the stop gear 23A of the reel hub 23 are engaged with each other. Rotation when the reel 4 is not used is prevented.
[0024]
On the other hand, when the cartridge is used, when the drive release spindle of the recording / reproducing apparatus presses the brake button 9, the brake button 9 moves upward in the figure against the urging force of the coil spring 10, and thereby the stopping gears 9A, 23A. Is released, and the reel 4 is rotatable.
[0025]
An opening 26 for pulling out the magnetic tape 20 is formed on one side wall of the cartridge case 7. A sliding door 27 that can move in the direction of arrow A parallel to the side wall of the cartridge case 7 is attached to the opening 26. The slide door 27 is biased in a direction to close the opening 26 by a spring (not shown).
[0026]
Also, one end of the long magnetic tape 20 is fixed to the reel hub 23, and the drive mechanism of the recording / reproducing device is connected to the tape 20 at the free end which is the outer peripheral end wound around the reel hub 23. The leader pin 21 formed of carbon fiber reinforced PA (polyamide) is fixedly attached so that the tape 20 is smoothly drawn out from the cartridge case 7 and the tape 20 is introduced into the tape running path including the recording unit and the reproducing unit of the recording / reproducing apparatus. ing.
[0027]
As shown in detail in FIG. 1, the leader pin 21 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and protrudes from a body portion 21 </ b> A to which a free end portion (starting end portion) of the tape 20 is fixed and from both side edges of the tape 20. A hook engaging groove 21C to which a hook (indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 1) 100 is engaged, and the cartridge 1 is not used. In some cases, the tape 20 is wound around the reel 4 and includes a locked portion 21D that is locked to a locking portion P (see FIG. 3) formed in the vicinity of the opening 26 of the case 7.
[0028]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1 (2), a groove 21A of the pin 21 is formed with a semicircular cross section and extending in the axial direction, and the free end of the tape 20 extends along the wall surface of the groove. The clamp 21B, which is arranged and formed slightly smaller than the groove, is fitted into the groove so that the tape 20 is sandwiched between the wall surface of the groove, and the free end of the tape 20 is fixed to the body 21A of the leader pin 21 is doing. The trunk portion 21A, the hook engaging groove 21C, the locked portion 21D, and the clamp 21B are all formed of the above-described carbon fiber reinforced PA.
[0029]
When the magnetic tape cartridge 1 configured as described above is set in the recording / reproducing apparatus, the locking of the brake buttons 9 and the reel hub 23 between the brake gear 9A and the reel hub 23 is released and the reel 4 is rotatable as described above. At the same time, a magnet-type rotational driving means is joined to the reel plate 8 to rotate the reel 4. At the same time, the slide door 27 is opened, and the hook 100 of the drive mechanism is hung on the hook engaging groove 21C of the leader pin 21 locked to the locking portion P in the case 7 as shown by a one-dot chain line. The leader pin 21 and the tape 20 fixed to the leader pin 21 against the urging force in the direction of the arrow Y by the elastic member 50 (see FIG. 3) are moved to the outside of the case 7 from the opening 26 where the slide door 27 is opened. It is pulled out in the direction of the arrow X and is directly routed to the tape running path of the recording / reproducing apparatus, and the pin 21 is set at a predetermined position, so that data can be recorded on the magnetic tape 20 and data can be reproduced from the magnetic tape 20.
[0030]
In this way, the leader pin 21 is set at a predetermined position in the recording / reproducing apparatus, but the inside of the recording / reproducing apparatus is in a state higher than the external temperature due to the heat generated by the motor, electric element / electronic element, etc. . Accordingly, the temperature of the leader pin 21 set inside the apparatus is higher than that of the state in which the leader pin 21 is locked in the case 7, which is a more severe condition in terms of corrosion resistance. However, the leader pin 21 is made of a corrosion-resistant material. Since it is formed of a certain PA, rusting and corrosion of the leader pin 21 can be suppressed even in a medium / high temperature environment in the recording / reproducing apparatus.
[0031]
Further, since a frictional force is generated between the hook engaging groove 21C of the leader pin 21 and the hook 100 of the drive mechanism every time it is engaged, a fine scratch is generated on the surface of the hook engaging groove 21C. Since the leader pin 21 is reinforced by the carbon fiber, it is possible to suppress the wear due to the engaging action and the engaging action with the hook of the drive mechanism to an extremely low level. Moreover, since the leader pin 21 is made of PA, which is a corrosion-resistant material, rusting does not occur due to minute scratches generated on the surface, and corrosion can be suppressed.
[0032]
Furthermore, when the hooked portion 21D of the leader pin 21 is pulled by the hook 100, it receives a frictional force due to friction with the locking portion P (see FIG. 3) of the case 7. Since it is reinforced with carbon fiber in the same way as the engagement groove 21C, it is possible to suppress wear due to friction with the locking portion P of the case 7 to an extremely low level, and because it is formed of PA, it is generated on the surface. No rusting due to fine scratches.
[0033]
Since the PA of the above material has a characteristic that it is difficult to magnetize, the leader pin 21 is not magnetized. Therefore, the magnetic influence on the information recorded on the magnetic tape 20 by magnetizing the leader pin 21 is provided. The reliability as an information recording medium is high. Furthermore, the cost of the PA is low, and the manufacturing cost of the leader pin can be reduced.
[0034]
The magnetic tape cartridge of the above embodiment is an example in which a part of the peripheral surface of the leader pin 21 is formed as a locked portion 21D that is locked to the locking portion P of the case 7, as shown in FIG. However, the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention is not limited to this type. For example, an end face (or a part of this end face) 21E orthogonal to the axis of the leader pin 21 is locked to the case 7. Even in the magnetic tape cartridge of the embodiment employing such a configuration, the leader pin 21 is formed of PA, which is a corrosion-resistant material, so that the end surface 21E that generates a frictional force with the case 7 is generated. Can be suppressed to an extremely low level, and the corrosion resistance can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing details of a leader pin of the magnetic tape cartridge shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a section taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a magnetic tape cartridge. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a principal part showing a cross section taken along line II of FIG. 2, showing a state in which a leader pin is locked to the locking part of the cartridge case. [Explanation of symbols]
20 Magnetic tape
21A trunk
21B Clamp
21C Hook engagement part
21D Locked part
21E End face
21 Leader pin
100 Drive mechanism hook X Tape drawing direction

Claims (4)

In a magnetic tape cartridge in which a single reel formed by winding a magnetic tape is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case,
A leader pin that can be locked in the case and pulled out from the case is fixed to a free end portion of the magnetic tape, and the leader pin is an aliphatic polyamide, an aromatic polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polymethyl methacrylate, a plastic having an imide group, SUS304, SUS306, SUS316 magnetic tape cartridge, wherein Tei Rukoto formed by either. Wherein said leader pin is aliphatic polyamide, aromatic polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polymethyl methacrylate, that you have been formed by what any plastic having an imide group was strengthened by carbon fiber The magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 1. 2. The magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the leader pin is formed of any one of SUS304, SUS306, and SUS316. The leader pin is longer than the width of the magnetic tape, and both end portions thereof protrude from both side edges of the fixed magnetic tape, and the protruding both end portions are locked to the locking portions of the case. The magnetic tape cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the magnetic tape cartridge functions as a to-be-held portion and a to-be-held portion to be held by a drive mechanism on the storage device side.

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