JPH04281281A - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a mechanism preventing from mis-erasing and to facilitate the loading work of a slider into an inserting hole. CONSTITUTION:In a tape cassette so as to prevent a signal from being mis- erased by using a slider sliding while being inserted into an inserting hole formed in the direction of the thickness of a cassette casing where the signal is recorded in a tape like recording medium housed in the casing, a circling like engaged parts 51a, 51b are provided at the prescribed position of a peripheral face in the slider 50 and simultaneously an elastic engaging part 32 is provided so as to be engageable with the engaged parts 51a, 51b and to be detachable from the engaged parts at the time of the sliding of the slider 50.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a tape cassette for storing a tape-shaped recording medium wound therein, and in particular to a tape cassette that prevents erroneous erasure by using a slider that slides in the thickness direction of the cassette housing. This relates to tape cassettes made in the United States.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, tape cassettes have been provided with means for preventing erroneous erasure in order to prevent the signals recorded on the magnetic tape stored in the tape cassette from being erroneously erased. As this means for preventing erroneous erasure, there is a method in which an erroneous erasure prevention claw is integrally provided on the tape cassette, and the erroneous erasure is prevented by breaking the claw. However, with this method, once the claw is broken off, it cannot be reattached, and if a new signal is to be recorded, the broken part must be covered with another member.

On the other hand, there is a system in which the cassette housing is provided with a slider that slides in the thickness direction, and the slider is slid to switch between the erasing enabled position and the accidental erasing prevention position. The present applicant has previously proposed. That is, a slider and a fitting hole into which the slider is slidably inserted are provided as a mechanism to prevent mistaken erasure, and the detection mechanism of the recording/reproducing device is activated based on the position of the slider in the fitting hole. This is to determine whether the tape cassette is in a recordable state or a recordable state.

[0004] In this erroneous erasure prevention mechanism, the slider must be able to slide within the insertion hole and be held at each sliding position. For this reason, for example, FIGS.
) as shown in the front view, side view, and top view.
0 is formed into a substantially prismatic shape, and is provided with, for example, a click protrusion 61 projecting in an arc on a predetermined side surface, and is further secured to the predetermined side surface so that the slider does not protrude beyond the upper and lower half planes from the accidental erasure prevention mechanism. Stopper protrusions 62a, 62 for
b. The insertion hole 70 into which this slider 60 is loaded is shown in FIGS. 9(a), (b), and (c).
As shown in the figure, the slider 60 is formed of upper and lower halves 2 and 3, and slides when the click protrusion 61 of the slider 60 comes into contact with the inner wall surface corresponding to the surface on which the click protrusion 61 of the slider 60 is formed. For example, a click lock protruding in an arc shape is used to hold the slider 60 in the sliding position and to provide a click feeling by moving the click protrusion 61 in contact with the slider 60 when the slider 60 slides. A portion 71 is provided, and stopper protrusions 62a and 62b of the slider 60 are provided.
The stopper protrusions 62a and 62b are engaged with the inner wall surface corresponding to the surface where the slider 60 is formed, thereby restricting the sliding movement of the slider 60 in the two directions of the upper half and the sliding movement of the slider 60 in the three directions of the lower half. Stopper locking portions 72a and 72b are formed.

[0005]

According to the accidental erasure prevention means configured as described above, the state shown in FIG. 9(b) and the state shown in FIG.
) By sliding the position of the slider 60 to switch between the states, it is possible to repeatedly set the erasing enabled state and the accidental erasing prevention state, and an engaging protrusion is provided at each switching position. The slider 60 is locked by the engagement of the engagement recess and the respective states can be reliably detected.
As described above, a click projection 61 and stopper projections 62a, 62b are formed on a predetermined surface of the slider 60, and a click locking portion 71 and a stopper locking portion 72a are formed in the fitting hole 70 corresponding to the slider 60. , 72b, and the click protrusion 61 engages with the click locking portion 7 during sliding.
1, it is necessary to form a long hole 63 in the slider 60, which complicates the structure of the accidental erasure prevention mechanism and weakens the strength of the slider 60. There is.

Furthermore, when manufacturing a tape cassette, the slider 60 must be inserted into the insertion hole 70, but at this time, it is necessary to accurately insert the surface of the slider 60 on which the click protrusion 61 is formed. The stopper locking portion 7 in the hole 70 is accurately inserted into the inner wall surface on which the click locking portion 71 is formed in the hole 70 and the surface on which the stopper protrusions 62a and 62b are formed.
The horizontal orientation of the slider to be loaded must be controlled so that it faces the inner wall surface on which the sliders 2a and 72b are formed, which poses a major problem in that the loading operation is not easy. Particularly in ultra-small tape cassettes, the sliders and insertion holes are designed to be minutely sized, so that the loading direction is regulated, which significantly reduces work efficiency.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. In a tape cassette designed to prevent erroneous erasure of signals recorded on a tape-shaped recording medium, the slider has two units of locked parts configured as, for example, circumferential grooves at predetermined positions on the circumferential surface. The insertion hole is provided so that the insertion hole can be engaged with the locked part of the slider and can be separated from the locked part that was engaged when the slider slides. An engaging portion having elasticity is provided in the diametrical direction.

[0008]

[Operation] By providing the slider with two circumferential locked parts, the slider can engage with the engaging part in the insertion hole over the entire circumference, so it cannot be slid into the insertion hole. When loading the mover, there is no need to consider the position of the engaging portion provided in the insertion hole.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. The tape cassette in this example is extremely small (the planar size of the casing is 20 mm long,
(width: about 30 mm). Figures 3 to 7
1, for example, indicates a tape cassette as a whole that stores a magnetic tape for recording and reproducing PCM signals, and the housing of this tape cassette 1 is made up of an upper half 2 and a lower half 3 facing each other and being joined together by tightening them with screws 4. It is constructed by rotatably supporting a lid 6 that opens and closes an opening 5 formed on the front side of both halves 2 and 3.

In the housing of the tape cassette 1, that is, between the upper and lower halves 2 and 3, as shown in FIGS. A guide roller is provided with a magnetic tape T wound therein between a pair of hubs 7 and 8, and a portion of the magnetic tape T is rotatably supported on both sides of the front opening 5. In a stretched state through pinch rollers 9 and 10 which also serve as
It is exposed through an opening 5 on the front side of the housing.

[0011] On the upper and lower sides of the housing of the tape cassette 1,
Erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13 are located on both sides of the rear (near the back) and communicate with both the upper and lower halves 2 and 3, and are positioned at the front and rear in the front-rear direction of the center and on both sides in the lateral direction of the rear. Reference holes 14, 15 and 16, 17 are provided, and a plurality of required detection holes 18 are provided laterally at the rear edge.
, 19 are formed, and grip portions 20, 21 are further formed at the rear of both sides. Accidental erasure prevention mechanism 12,1
3 will be described later.

Further, a changer engaging portion 23 is provided along a lateral guide groove 22 on the lid 6 for opening and closing the opening 5 on the front side of the housing. Furthermore, a window portion 2 molded from transparent resin is provided in the center of the plane of both the upper and lower halves 2 and 3.
c, 3c are provided so that the remaining amount of the magnetic tape T can be checked from outside the housing of the tape cassette 1.

In this tape cassette 1, when the magnetic tape T stored in the cassette housing is loaded into a recording/reproducing device, it is recorded and recorded in a helical scan method by a rotating head.
Regeneration is performed. That is, Figure 4
As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating head 41 is rotated at a predetermined angle with respect to the head drum 42, and the head drum 42 is rotated by rotating the lid 6 of the cassette housing 1 upward or downward. The magnetic tape T, which is partially inserted into the opened front opening 5 and stretched across the opening 5, is slid so as to wrap around the insertion side circumferential surface of the head drum 42, and is rotated. When the head 41 rotates, an inclined track that diagonally crosses the magnetic tape T is formed.

At this time, the magnetic tape T is attached to the head drum 42.
In this embodiment, a pair of tape guides whose guide members are inclined in opposite directions is provided at the insertion portion of the head drum 42 in the opening 5 of the cassette housing so that the tape guides are in helical sliding contact with each other. The members 24 and 25 are connected to the guide roller 9
, 10, and are arranged so as to be able to swing and move laterally, facing each other. Therefore, by inserting the head drum 42 into the opening 5 as shown in FIG. 5, the tape guide members 24 and 25 come into contact with the circumferential surface of the head drum 42. The magnetic tape T is guided with it sandwiched between them.

Further, on both sides of the head drum 42, wing guides 43 and 44 are inserted between the pinch rollers 9 and 10 and the tape guide members 24 and 25 on both sides of the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1. A roller 43a is provided at the front end of both wing guides 43, 44.
44a is attached, and the magnetic tape T is guided through the tape guide member 2.
4 and 25. These wing guides 43 and 44 have support pieces 26 and 27 from the inside of the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1, and support pieces 26 and 27 located between the support pieces 26 and 27 and the pinch rollers 9 and 10 to prevent the tape from running out. It is designed to be inserted between the guide protrusions 28 and 29.

The internal structure of the tape cassette 1 of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 6, and the hubs 7 and 8 have inner hubs 7a and 8a into which hub drive shafts are inserted and engaged, and inner hubs 7a and 8a, respectively.
It is constituted by outer hubs 7b and 8b which are movable in the axial direction with respect to the outer hub 8a and are engaged in the circumferential direction. In particular, the inner hubs 7a and 8a have outer hubs 7b facing toward the lower half 3 side.
, 8b, a gear-shaped locked portion 7a1.
8a1 is formed. The locked portions 7a1 . 8a1, when the tape cassette 1 is not in use, the hub 7,
A brake member 11 that performs a braking operation so that the rotor 8 becomes unrotatable is disposed in a recess 3e formed in the lower half.

In the normal state (when not in use) of the brake member 11, a brake spring 11c made of stainless steel wire, for example, is fixed to a spring fixing portion 11b made of locking pieces protruding in a staggered manner, and the brake spring 11c is fixed to the spring fixing portion 11b made of locking pieces protruding in a staggered manner. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the locking claws 11a1 and 11a2 engage the gear-shaped locked parts 7a1 and 8a1 of the inner hubs 7a and 8a, respectively, as shown in FIG. The hubs 7 and 8 are in a non-rotatable state, that is, in a hub locked state.

However, when the tape cassette 1 is loaded into the recording and reproducing apparatus, the positioning pin 99 provided in the recording and reproducing apparatus is inserted into the upper half 2 side or the lower half 3 side, as shown in FIG. 7(b). Reference hole 15 for positioning
inserted from. This guides the loading position of the tape cassette 1 in the horizontal direction within the recording/reproducing apparatus, and at the same time, the positioning pin 99 acts as a brake release pin.

That is, since the brake member 11 is formed with a pressing operation portion having cam surfaces 11d1 and 11d2 that are inclined in a V-shaped cross section with respect to the thickness direction of the housing of the tape cassette 1, the positioning pin 99 is pressed against the brake. Part 1
The cam surface 11d1 or 11d2 of the pressing operation part 11d of 1
When the brake member 11 comes into contact with the brake spring 11
The tape cassette 1 slides in the direction of the front side of the tape cassette 1 against the biasing force of the tape cassette 1 guided by the guide pin 3f inserted into the guide part 11f and the guide pin 3g inserted into the guide part 11g, and is shown in FIG. 7(b). As shown, the locking claw 11a
1 and 11a2 and the locked portions 7a1 and 8a1 are disengaged, and the hubs 7 and 8 are placed in a rotatable state.

Further, when the tape cassette 1 is ejected from the recording/reproducing apparatus and the positioning pin 99 escapes from the reference hole 15, the state shown in FIG. 7(b) changes to the state shown in FIG. 7(a) due to the biasing force obtained by the brake spring 11c. The rotation of the hubs 7 and 8 is then locked.

Note that a hole 11e is provided in the center of the brake member 11 in correspondence with the positions of the windows 2c and 3c formed in the upper and lower halves 2 and 3. The brake member 11 is sized so that it does not cover the windows 2c and 3c no matter which sliding position it is in, so that the brake member 11 does not interfere with checking the remaining amount of tape from the window 3c. .

In the tape cassette constructed as described above, the erroneous erasure prevention mechanism 12 provided in the cassette housing 1
, 13 will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Note that since both of the erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms have the same configuration, only one mechanism 12 will be illustrated and explained, and the illustration and explanation of the other mechanism 13 will be omitted. In the accidental erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13, sliders 50 for accidental erasure prevention detection slide into insertion holes 31 formed, for example, on both rear sides of the cassette housing 1 so as to penetrate through the cassette housing 1 in the thickness direction. First, the slider 50 will be explained.

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) show the slider 50 of this embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a side view and a perspective view. The slider 50 is formed of a synthetic resin material or the like into a substantially cylindrical shape. 51a,
Reference numeral 51b denotes a groove portion that circulates on the circumferential surface of the slider 50, and acts as a locked portion for the engaging portion 32 in the insertion hole 31, which will be described later. A portion sandwiched between the grooves 51a and 51b is a click protrusion 52 that gently projects in the circumferential direction. Further, a step is provided at the upper and lower ends of the slider 50, and this step portion forms the stopper portions 53a and 53.
3b, and serves to prevent the slider 50 from falling out of the insertion hole 31, as will be described later.

The structure and operation of the accidental erasure prevention mechanism 12 (13) formed by loading such a slider 50 into the insertion hole 31 of the cassette housing 1 are shown in FIGS.
c) This will be explained in (d). Note that FIG. 2(a) shows the upper half 2
FIG. 2(b) is a sectional view of the accidental erasure prevention mechanism 12 seen in the A-A direction, and FIG. 2(c) and ( d) is a sectional view of the accidental erasure prevention mechanism 12 as seen in the BB direction.

The insertion hole 31 into which the slider 50 is loaded is formed as a substantially cylindrical hole in which the halves 2 and 3 forming the cassette housing 1 are fitted, and its inner diameter is as shown in FIG. 2(b).
As shown, with the substantially cylindrical slider 50 fitted,
Although the inner diameter of the slider 50 is set to be such that the peripheral surface of the slider 50 can slide in slight contact with the wall surface of the insertion hole 31, as shown in FIG.
As can be seen from c), the substantially cylindrical inner wall surface that contacts the circumferential surface of the slider 50 is partially not provided, and instead an engaging portion protrudes from the upper half 2 toward the lower half 3. 32 are provided.

The protruding tip of this engaging portion 32 is inserted into the insertion hole 31.
It is a click locking surface 32a that protrudes in a curved shape so as to come into contact with the slider 50 loaded therein, and the engaging portion 32
is integrally molded so as to protrude from the upper half 2 in a columnar shape, thereby imparting elasticity to the click locking surface 32a in the direction of contacting and separating from the slider 50 in the insertion hole 31. Note that the engaging portion 32 may be formed to protrude from the lower half. This click locking surface 32a is configured such that the slider 50 is fitted into the grooves 51a, 51b, and the click locking surface 32a is fitted into either of the grooves 51a, 51b, that is, as shown in FIG. 2(c). The position of the slider 50 is held in either state (d).

Further, a step is formed at both upper and lower end portions of the insertion hole 31, and this step portion is connected to the stopper locking portions 33a, 3.
3b, and the stopper portions 53a and 53a of the slider 50, respectively.
53b. In other words, Figure 2
In the state of (c), the stopper portion 53a is attached to the stopper locking portion 3.
3a, the upper half 2 of the slider 50
The range in which it can slide in the direction is restricted, and the range in which it can slide in the
), the stopper portion 53b is in the stopper locking portion 33b.
By coming into contact with this, the slidable range of the slider 50 in the lower half 3 direction is restricted.

In such an accidental erasure prevention mechanism 12 (13), by holding the slider 50 in either the position shown in FIG. 2(b) or (c), the tape cassette is not recorded. It is determined whether the data is in the enabled state or the accidental erasure prevention state.

When switching from the recordable state to the accidental erasure prevention state or from the accidental erasure prevention state to the recordability state, for example, insert a small diameter rod-shaped object such as the tip of a mechanical pencil into the insertion hole 31. The upper plane 54a or the lower plane 54b of the slider 50 is pressed. Then, due to the sliding of the slider 50, the click locking surface 32a that had been fitted into the groove 51a or 51b of the slider 50 moves toward the click protrusion 51 from the groove 51a or 51b into which it had been fitted. I'm getting away. That is, the click protrusion 51 of the slider 50 slides in the direction in which it is pressed by a pen tip or the like while being in pressure contact with the click locking surface 32a. At this time, since the click locking surface 32a is given elasticity in the direction of contacting and separating from the slider 50, the click protrusion 52 climbs over the click engagement portion 32 while deflecting the engagement portion 32. , a click feeling is generated to change the state from the state shown in FIG. 2(c) to the state shown in FIG. 2(d) (
or the opposite direction).

Here, the engaging portion 32 is protruded from the upper half 2 in a columnar manner, and the click locking surface 32a, which is the tip thereof, is provided with sufficient elasticity, so that the slider 5
A sliding motion of 0 does not require an unnecessarily large pressing force, and the movement can be completed smoothly and with a good click feeling. Since the pressure force between the click protrusion 52 and the click locking surface 32a does not become excessive, the durability of the erroneous erasure prevention mechanism 12 is improved, and the operating force is less likely to change over time.

[0031] Moreover, in this embodiment, the click protrusion 52
Since both the click locking surface 32a and the click locking surface 32a have an arcuate protruding shape, even if the slider 50 is pressed halfway, it will not stop at the center, and it will almost always work as shown in FIG. 2(b) or It is possible to return to either of the states (c), so the slider is always in a proper position, and it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the recording is possible.

Particularly in this embodiment, the slider 50 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape, and the grooves 51a, 51b and the click protrusion 52 that come into contact with the click locking surface 32a are formed so as to go around the circumferential surface. Therefore, the slider 50 can be engaged with the engaging portion 32 on any circumferential surface, and therefore, when it is loaded into the insertion hole 31, the loading direction with respect to the circumferential surface of the slider does not matter. . Therefore, the slider loading operation is greatly simplified, and it is also extremely easy to automate this loading process. Further, since the insertion hole 31 is formed as a cylindrical hole, it is easier to improve the molding accuracy than when the hole is formed as a prismatic hole. Further, the slider 50 of this embodiment has a very simple shape as described above, and can be molded as a rotating body, so it is easy to mold and there is no problem in terms of strength.

The configuration of the accidental erasure prevention mechanism in the tape cassette of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various shapes of the slider and the locking portion provided in the insertion hole can be considered. In particular, as the engaged part of the slider that engages with the engaging part in the insertion hole, instead of forming a groove part as in the above example, for example, an arc-shaped click that goes around the circumferential surface of the slider is used. Only the protrusion is provided, and the upper and lower parts of the click protrusion are
, may be considered as the second engaged portion.

Note that even if the slider is made into a prismatic shape and the insertion hole is formed into a hole with a corresponding prismatic inner wall surface,
If two units of engaged parts that go around the entire circumference of the slider are provided, and a locking part that engages with these engaged parts is provided in the insertion hole, a cylindrical shape can be obtained as in the above embodiment. Although it is not completely non-directional, it can eliminate the restriction on directionality during assembly that requires a specific side surface of the slider to correspond to a specific inner wall of the insertion hole.

[0035]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the tape cassette of the present invention, the engaged part that is engaged with the engaging part in the insertion hole is formed so as to go around the circumferential surface of the slider. Therefore, when loading the slider into the insertion hole, the loading direction of the slider does not matter, and there is an effect that the slider loading operation is greatly simplified. Furthermore, since the shape of the slider itself is simplified, it becomes easier to mold the slider, and it also has the advantage of being superior in strength.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view and a perspective view of a slider according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the erroneous erasure prevention mechanism of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tape cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the tape cassette and head drum of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a state in which a head drum is inserted into the tape cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the lower half of the tape cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the hub brake operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front view, a side view, and a plan view of a slider in the prior art.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an accidental erasure prevention mechanism in the prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Upper half 3 Lower half 12, 13 Accidental erasure prevention mechanism 31 Fitting hole 32 Engagement part 32a Click locking surface 33a, 33b Stopper locking part 50 Slider 51a, 51b Groove 52 Click protrusion 53a, 53b Stopper part

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: Erroneous erasure of signals recorded on a tape-shaped recording medium housed inside using a slider that is inserted into a insertion hole formed in the thickness direction of a cassette housing and slid. In the tape cassette, the slider is provided with two units of circumferential engaged portions at predetermined positions on the circumferential surface, and the fitting hole is capable of engaging with the engaged portions. and an engaging part having elasticity is provided in the radial direction of the insertion hole so that it can be separated from the engaged part when the slider slides. .