JP4312936B2 - Single reel type magnetic tape cartridge - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a single reel type magnetic tape cartridge in which a leading piece for pulling out a tape is provided at a tape feeding end. The leading piece is connected to the magnetic tape via a leader tape.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In this type of magnetic tape cartridge, a connecting tool for connecting a capturing body on the tape drive side is provided at the beginning of feeding out the tape. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-232826, a leading piece is fixed to an end portion of a leader tape. Specifically, the leading piece is formed of a linear shaft-shaped metal pin, and a leader tape wound around the shaft portion is held and fixed in a non-separable manner by a buffer body and a clip each formed in a C-shaped cross section. Engagement shafts with a larger diameter than the other shafts are provided at the upper and lower ends of the shaft, and these are engaged and held by a pair of bearings and springs formed in the upper and lower walls of the upper and lower cases. The lead piece when not in use is held on standby.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the connection structure in which the leader tape is firmly integrated with the metal pin using the buffer and the clip, the leader tape and the pin cannot be rotated relative to each other. When moving through a complicated transition path, the leader tape unnecessarily rubs against the tape guide, increasing the tape resistance until the leading piece is loaded onto the reel. Moreover, since it is necessary to prepare a buffer and a clip in order to fix the leader tape, the manufacturing cost increases accordingly. At the time of connection, after winding the leader tape in close contact with the shaft part of the metal pin, the buffer and the clip are sequentially fitted over the shaft part, so the tape remains inclined with respect to the leading piece. There is a risk of being connected. During use, the leader tape may come into contact with the incision edge of the clip and be damaged, and is not particularly suitable when a thin leader tape is used.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to improve a connecting structure between a leader tape and a pin of a leading piece, thereby reducing a tape resistance when the leading piece moves along a transition path in a tape drive together with a capturing body. It is to provide a tape cartridge. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a single reel type tape cartridge in which a leader tape and a leading piece can be always properly connected with a simpler structure and with less effort, and the manufacturing cost can be saved correspondingly. is there. The object of the present invention is to restrict the tape from shifting with respect to the pin even when the tape can be connected to the leading piece without being vertically displaced and an external force in the vertical direction is applied. Another object of the present invention is to provide a single reel type tape cartridge which can always properly draw out a tape by a capturing body on the tape drive side.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the single reel type magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention is provided with a leading piece 13 for connecting the capturing body H on the tape drive side to the tape feeding end. The leading piece 13 and the magnetic tape 3 are connected via a leader tape 9 and a plastic connecting piece 10. The connecting piece 10 includes a bearing portion 31 having a cross-section with an arc-like shape that is hooked and connected to the metal pin 14 of the leading piece 13, a joint portion 32 that extends continuously to one end of the bearing portion 31, and one surface of the joint portion 32. A caulking projection 33 is provided. The connecting hole 11 provided at one end of the leader tape 9 is engaged with the caulking projection 33 and the end of the caulking projection 33 is melted and deformed in a state where the end of the tape is joined to the joining portion 32. The piece 10 is connected inseparably. The bearing portion 31 is latched and connected to the pin 14 so as to be relatively rotatable.
[0006]
Specifically, a plurality of the connection holes 11 and the caulking protrusions 33 can be provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the joint portion 32 is provided with a paragraph surface 36 equal to the thickness dimension of the leader tape 9, and a caulking projection 33 can be projected from the paragraph surface 36. The leading piece 13 is formed in a U-shaped frame shape by a metal pin 14 and a pair of upper and lower retaining arms 15 that are fixed to both ends of the pin 14 and project laterally. A plurality of stepped portions 14 a that regulate the positional deviation of the bearing portion 31 in the vertical direction are formed in the middle portion of the pin 14 in the vertical direction.
[0007]
[Effects of the invention]
In the present invention, the connecting piece 10 is a plastic molded product, and the crimping protrusion 33 is melted and deformed in a state where the leader tape 9 is engaged with the caulking protrusion 33 provided at the joint portion 32. Were connected together. Further, the bearing portion 31 having a C-shaped cross section provided on the connecting piece 10 is hooked and connected to the pin 14 of the leading piece 13 so as to be relatively rotatable. In this way, when the leader tape 9 and the leading piece 13 are connected via the plastic connecting piece 10, compared to the conventional type in which the leader tape is fixed to the leading piece using the clip and the buffer. Since the connecting structure of the leader tape 9 can be simplified, the leader tape 9 and the leading piece 13 can be connected by a simple operation of simply hooking the bearing 31 on the pin 14 after the caulking protrusion 33 is caulked. Thus, the labor required for connecting the leader tape 9 can be reduced, and the assembling cost can be reduced accordingly, and the leader tape 9 can always be connected to the pin 14 in an appropriate posture. Further, when the connecting piece 10 is hooked and connected to the pin 14 in a relatively rotatable state, the leading piece 13 moves rapidly along the trapping body H along the transition path in the tape drive. Since the change can be absorbed by the relative rotation of the connecting piece 10 and the pin 14, the tape resistance until the leading piece 13 is loaded on the reel on the tape drive side can be reduced.
[0008]
According to the connecting structure in which a plurality of connecting holes 11 and caulking protrusions 33 are provided, the leader tape 9 can be fixed to the connecting piece 10 at a plurality of locations. Can be reliably prevented from changing the connecting posture of the connecting piece 10 and the leader tape 9 when the connecting piece 10 and the leader tape 9 are moved, so that the standby posture of the leading piece 13 when not in use is always kept constant. Further, the capture connection of the leading piece 13 by the capture body H on the tape drive side can be ensured.
[0009]
According to the connection structure in which the paragraph surface 36 is provided in the joint portion 32 of the connecting piece 10 and the leader tape 9 is joined thereto, the joint end of the leader tape 9 can be connected to the joint portion 32 in a flush manner. At the time of drawing out, it is possible to prevent the joining end of the leader tape 9 from being caught by another object and being turned upside down.
[0010]
According to the leading piece 13 formed in a U-shaped frame by the metal pin 14 and a pair of upper and lower hooking arms 15 fixed to both ends of the pin 14 and projecting sideways, By holding the latch arm 13 with the case body 1, the leading piece 13 can always be kept on standby in an appropriate posture. Further, when a plurality of step portions 14 a are provided in the middle portion of the pin 14 in the vertical direction, and the bearing portion 31 is restricted from being displaced in the vertical direction by these step portions 14 a, the leader tape 9 is moved with respect to the leading piece 13. Even in a case where the connection can be performed in a state where the upper and lower parts are positioned and an external force in the vertical direction is applied, the movement of the connection piece 10 relative to the pin 14 is restricted, and the entire capture unit H on the tape drive side is used. The tape can be pulled out properly at all times.
[0011]
【Example】
1 to 6 show an embodiment of a single reel type tape cartridge according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, the tape cartridge has a rectangular box-shaped case body 1 formed by joining upper and lower cases 1a and 1b in a lid-like manner, and a magnetic tape 3 is wound around one reel 2 arranged inside the case body. It is. A tape outlet 4 is opened on the front surface of the case body 1 and can be opened and closed by a door 5 that pivotally supports the tape outlet 4. The door 5 is closed and urged by a spring and is locked and held by a lock mechanism (not shown) at the closed position. Reel locks 6 and 7 that engage with gear teeth provided on the lower flange of the reel 2 to lock the reel 2 in a non-rotatable state when not in use are provided at two opposite inner corners of the case body 1. It is provided. A switching piece 8 for preventing erroneous erasure is provided on one side of the case back wall.
[0012]
In order to automatically capture and connect the magnetic tape 3 wound on the reel 2 by the capturing body H of the tape drive, a leading piece 13 is provided at the feeding end of the magnetic tape 3, and the leading piece 13 and the magnetic tape 3 are connected to the leader tape 9. And the connecting piece 10. In FIG. 1, the leading piece 13 is configured in a U-shaped frame shape with a stainless steel pin 14 to which the leader tape 9 is connected and a pair of latching arms 15 provided at both upper and lower ends of the pin 14.
[0013]
The pin 14 has a round shaft that is long in the vertical direction, and the vertical length is set to be larger than the vertical width dimension of the leader tape 9. On the top and bottom of the pin 14, a step portion 14a for restricting the vertical movement of the bearing portion 31 described later is provided, and the diameter of the shaft portion 14b between the both step portions 14a is made smaller than the others. The latching arm 15 is made of a horizontally molded plastic product, and the pin 14 is insert-fixed at the time of molding. The upper and lower latching arms 15 are bent in a projecting manner toward the outer surface of the case, and a latching groove 16 for latching and connecting the capturing body H is formed on the front side of the latching arm 15. Specifically, an introduction guide surface 17 for the capturing body H is formed on the front surface of each latching arm 15 so as to be inclined downward toward the rear of the case, and the latching groove 16 is continuously provided on the tip end side of the inclined surface. It is formed to extend to As a result, the latching grooves 16 of the upper and lower latching arms 15 are opened in a state of facing vertically, and the groove starting end 18 is opened toward the base of the latching arm 15 on the pin 14 side.
[0014]
The facing distance between the pair of upper and lower latch arms 15 is set to be sufficiently larger than the vertical width dimension of the magnetic tape 3. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the movement trajectory of the magnetic tape 3 from contacting and interfering with the arm receiving portion 21 described later. The upper wall or the lower wall of each latching groove 16 serves to position the vertical position of the latching pin 19 in a state where the capturing body H is connected to the latching groove 16. In FIG. 4, the catcher H is formed by fixing the latch pin 19 to the end of the leader tape on the tape drive side. By operating the latch pin 19 with a loading arm (not shown), The spherical shaft portion 19 a is hooked in the hooking groove 16.
[0015]
The leader tape 9 is formed of, for example, a hard elastic plastic sheet such as polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate, and is integrated with the pin 14 via a connecting piece 10 connected to one end thereof. For this purpose, three circular connecting holes 11 are provided in a penetrating manner near the end of the leader tape 9 as shown in FIG. These connecting holes 11 are arranged in a straight line in the vertical direction along the tape edge.
[0016]
1 and 6, the connecting piece 10 is made of a plastic molded product, and has a cross-section arc-shaped bearing portion 31 that is latched and connected to the pin 14, and a flat joint portion that extends continuously to one end of the bearing portion 31. 32 and three caulking projections 33 projecting from the outer surface of the joint portion 32. The diameter dimension of the inner surface of the bearing portion 31 is set to be the same as or slightly larger than the diameter dimension of the shaft portion 14 b of the pin 14. The free end of the circumferential surface of the arc in the bearing portion 31 faces the joint portion 32, and the interval between the two is set to about half the diameter of the shaft portion 14b.
[0017]
After engaging the connecting hole 11 with the caulking protrusion 33, the protruding end of the caulking protrusion 33 is heated and deformed, and the deformed portion protrudes from the peripheral wall of the connecting hole 11, so that the leader tape 9 and the connecting piece as shown in FIG. 10 can be connected inseparably. This deformed portion is indicated by reference numeral 34. Thereafter, the pin 14 of the leading piece 13 is press-fitted to the bearing portion 31, and the connecting piece 10 is connected to the leading piece 13. The connecting piece 10 in the connected state can freely rotate relative to the pin 14. Further, since the inner diameter of the bearing portion 31 is smaller than the outer diameter value of the step portion 14a, the connecting piece 10 is vertically positioned by the step portion 14a and the vertical movement is restricted.
[0018]
In order to hold and fix the leading piece 13 when not in use in a predetermined standby posture, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an arm receiving portion 21 and a lock piece 22 are provided so as to face the tape outlet 4. The arm receiving portion 21 is formed to be recessed on the inner surface of the case body 1. Specifically, low ribs are provided on the upper and lower walls of the case body 1 facing the tape outlet 4 so as to be opposed to each other in the vertical direction, and the ribs are curved in a bowl shape along the outline on the case inner surface side of the latch arm 15. Thus, the arm receiving portion 21 whose one end is recessed inward of the case is formed. In the state in which the leading piece 13 is drawn into the case together with the leader tape 9, the leading piece 13 is received in a state where the retaining arm 15 is in close contact with the upper and lower arm receiving portions 21 and is properly positioned and held (FIG. 3). reference).
[0019]
Even under conditions where tape slack has occurred, the pin 14 is locked and held by the lock piece 22 via the connecting piece 10 in order to withstand a drop impact and maintain the above positioning posture. 3 and 4, the lock piece 22 is formed of a plastic molded product integrally formed with a lock arm 24 and a lock release piece 25 that project laterally from the peripheral surface of the boss 23. The upper and lower ends of the boss 23 are pivotally supported by the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and the lock arm 22 is always oscillated and urged by a spring 26 assembled to the lower end of the boss 23. As shown in FIG. 3, the hook portion 27 provided at the tip of the lock arm 24 engages with the bearing portion 31 of the connecting piece 10 from the outer surface side of the case. At this time, the lock release piece 25 faces the release pin insertion opening opened in the front wall of the case body 1.
[0020]
As described above, when the leading piece 13 when not in use is held on standby in cooperation with the arm receiving portion 21 and the lock piece 22, the external impact acting on the leading piece 13 causes the lock piece 22 to resist the spring 26. Therefore, even if the magnetic tape 3 is slackened inside the case, it is possible to prevent the leading piece 13 from being displaced from the arm receiving portion 21 or jumping out. At the same time as the external impact force is eliminated, the lock piece 22 receives the urging force of the spring 26 and causes the leading piece 13 to return to the arm receiving portion 21 side so as to be brought into close contact with each other. Can be held in a standby position.
[0021]
The door 5 when not in use closes the tape outlet 4 and covers the outer surface of the leading piece 13. Therefore, the inner surface of the door 5 is provided with a pressing portion 28 that matches the contour line on the outer surface side of the leading piece 13 to prevent the leading piece 13, in particular, the front end side of the latching arm 15 from being lifted off from the arm receiving portion 21. I can do it.
[0022]
When the tape cartridge is loaded into the tape drive, the door 5 is opened and the tape outlet 4 is opened. At the same time, the pair of reel locks 6 and 7 that prevent the reel 2 from rotating are unlocked. As shown in FIG. 5, the lock piece 22 is unlocked in such a direction that the hook portion 27 is separated from the pin 14 via the unlock piece 25. The reel 2 engages with a reel drive shaft that enters the case from the case lower surface side. In this state, the catcher H on the tape drive side enters the tape outlet 4, and the latch pin 19 is latched and connected to the latch groove 16 of the upper and lower latch arms 15, as shown in FIG. The magnetic tape 3 is pulled out through the leading piece 13 and wound on a reel on the tape drive side. When the writing or reading of data with respect to the magnetic tape 3 is completed, the magnetic tape 3 is rewound onto the reel 2, and the leading piece 13 is positioned and held again in the standby state by the arm receiving portion 21 and the lock piece 22.
[0023]
FIG. 7 shows a first modification of the connecting piece 10. There, a paragraph surface 36 is provided at the joint portion 32 of the connecting piece 10, and a caulking projection 33 is provided on the paragraph surface 36. Moreover, the bearing part 31 was formed in teardrop shape, and the bearing hole 31a was provided in the free end. The teardrop-shaped bearing 31 is smoothly continuous with the joint 32 at the inner and outer centers. The step size of the previous paragraph surface 36 is set to be the same as or slightly larger than the thickness of the leader tape 9. If such a paragraph surface 36 is provided, the joining end of the leader tape 9 can be connected to the joining portion 32 in a flush manner, so that when the tape is pulled out, the joining end of the leader tape 9 is caught by another object, It can be prevented from being bent and deformed in an inverted manner.
[0024]
FIG. 8 shows a second modification of the connecting piece 10, in which the caulking protrusion 33 is formed by one oval protrusion, and the leader tape 9 and the connecting piece 10 are connected. As can be understood from this example, the shape and number of the caulking protrusions 33 can be freely changed.
[0025]
FIG. 9 shows a third modification of the connecting piece 10. In this case, a notch 37 is provided at the center of the upper and lower sides of the bearing portion 31, and stepped portions 14 a that restrict the vertical movement of the connecting piece 10 are formed above and below the large-diameter shaft portion provided at the center of the pin 14. In this case, the large-diameter shaft portion is engaged and captured by the hook portion 27.
[0026]
In addition to the above-described embodiment, the caulking protrusion 33 may be provided on the inner surface of the joint portion 32. The pin 14 can be formed with an angular axis or an ellipse axis. The structure of the leading piece 13 may be other than the structure described in the embodiment, and may be a round shaft-shaped leading piece as in the leading piece described in the conventional example.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a connection structure between a leader tape and a leading piece.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the tape cartridge.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the tape outlet.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal front view of a tape outlet.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the tape is pulled out of the case.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a partially broken plan view showing a first modification of the connecting piece.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a second modification of the connecting piece.
FIG. 9 is a front view showing a third modification of the connecting piece.
[Explanation of symbols]
3 Magnetic tape 9 Leader tape 10 Connecting piece 13 Leading piece 14 Pin 15 Holding arm 31 Bearing portion 32 Joining portion 33 Caulking projection

Claims (4)

A single reel is provided with a leading piece for connecting the tape drive side capturing body to the tape feeding end, and the leading piece and the magnetic tape are connected via a leader tape and a plastic connecting piece. Type magnetic tape cartridge,
The connecting piece protrudes from one side of the joint part, a bearing part having a cross-sectional arc-like shape that is latched and connected to the metal pin of the leading piece, a joint part continuously extending to one end of the bearing part, and With caulking protrusions,
Engaging the connecting hole provided at one end of the leader tape with the caulking projection, with the tape end joined to the joining portion, melt and deform the protruding end of the caulking projection,
The leader tape and the connecting piece are connected inseparably,
A single reel type magnetic tape cartridge in which the bearing portion is hooked and connected to the pin so as to be rotatable relative to the pin. 2. The single reel type magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the connection holes and the caulking protrusions are provided. A paragraph surface equal to the thickness dimension of the leader tape is provided at the joint,
The single reel type magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a caulking projection is provided on the paragraph surface. The leading piece is formed in a U-shaped frame shape with a metal pin and a pair of upper and lower engaging arms that are fixed to both ends of the pin and project laterally, and in the middle of the pin in the vertical direction, 4. A single reel type magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of step portions for restricting the vertical displacement of the bearing portion are formed.

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