JPH04285778A - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always realize good recording and reproducing operation by a tape guide member for following with its tape guiding surface an inserting angle of a head drum to be inserted. CONSTITUTION:In a tape cassette to be recorded and reproduced with a signal by inserting a head drum of a recording and reproducing device into a front side opening part of a cassette case, a tape guide mechanism 24 provided for guiding a tape-like recording medium T under the pinching state with a circumferential surface of the head drum 42 to be inserted into the opening part 5 is supported to enable its tape guiding surfaces 24a and 24b to follow the opposite circumferential surface of the head drum and then to oscillatorily deflect at a prescribed angle of the elevation angle.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a tape cassette in which a tape-shaped recording medium is wound and stored, and in particular, a head drum of a recording and reproducing device is inserted through an opening in the front of the cassette housing to perform recording and reproducing. It concerns tape cassettes.

0002

[Background Art] In recent years, various so-called digital audio recording and reproducing devices that convert audio signals into digital data and record them on recording media such as magnetic tapes have been put into practical use, and at the same time, recording media that are compatible with these digital audio recording and reproducing devices have been put into practical use. Various types of tape cassettes wrapped with magnetic tape have been developed.

[0003] The recording method used in digital audio recording and reproducing devices is helical scan recording using a rotating head drum. For this purpose, a head drum is inserted into the front of the tape cassette and brought into contact with the magnetic tape. An opening is formed, and a tape guide mechanism having a tape guide surface facing the circumferential surface of the inserted head drum is provided within the opening. By sandwiching the magnetic tape between the circumferential surface, the magnetic tape is pressed against the head drum while the running position of the magnetic tape is properly regulated, and recording/reproduction is performed smoothly by the helical scanning motion of the head drum. That's what I do.

0004

By the way, in such a tape guide mechanism, the elevation angle of the tape guide surface is adjusted so that the tape guide surface can be brought into pressure contact with the entire circumferential surface of the head drum via the magnetic tape. The angle of the direction must always be set so as to accurately oppose the circumferential surface of the head drum. However, it is almost impossible to always maintain a constant insertion angle of the head drum relative to the opening of the tape cassette due to mechanical errors and errors in the insertion angle of each recording/playback device, and errors in the molding of the tape cassette itself. A tape guide mechanism in which the tape guide surface is fixed has a problem in that a good tape guide effect cannot be obtained.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. In a tape cassette, when the head drum is inserted, the head drum comes into contact with the tape-shaped recording medium stored in the cassette housing, and signals are recorded and reproduced. A tape guide mechanism provided within the opening for guiding the tape-shaped recording medium in a sandwiched state between the
The tape guide surface is supported so as to be able to oscillate by a predetermined angle in the upper half direction or the lower half direction (hereinafter referred to as the elevation direction) following the circumferential surface of the opposing head drum. It consists of

[0006]

[Operation] Since the tape guide surface side is supported so that it can be swung by a predetermined angle in the elevation direction,
When the head drum is inserted and its peripheral surface comes into pressure contact with the tape guiding surface, the tape guiding surface of the tape guide mechanism automatically adjusts its elevation position so that it completely faces the peripheral surface of the inserted head drum without any angular error. controlled.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Note that the tape cassette of this example is configured to be extremely small. In FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral 1 generally indicates the housing of a tape cassette that stores a magnetic tape for recording and reproducing PCM signals, for example. The two halves 2 and 3 are assembled together by being tightened, and a lid 6 that opens and closes an opening 5 formed on the front side of both halves 2 and 3 is rotatably supported.

Inside this cassette housing 1, that is, the upper and lower halves 2
, 3 have hub drive shaft insertion holes 2a, 2b and 3a,
A magnetic tape T is stored in a wound state between a pair of hubs 7 and 8 arranged corresponding to hubs 3b, and the magnetic tape T
A portion is exposed at the front opening 5 in a stretched state via pinch rollers 9 and 10, which also serve as guide rollers, which are rotatably supported on both sides of the front opening 5. .

Erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13 are provided on the upper and lower sides of the cassette housing 1, and are located on both sides of the rear part and communicate with both the upper and lower halves 2 and 3. Positioning reference holes 14, 1 on both sides of the direction
5, 16, and 17 are provided, and a plurality of required detection holes 18, 19 are formed in the lateral direction of the rear edge, and furthermore, grip portions 20, 21 are formed in the rear portions of both sides. Additionally, a lid 6 for opening and closing the front opening 5 of the cassette housing 1 is provided.
A changer engagement portion 23 is provided along the lateral guide groove 22 .

In the tape cassette constructed as described above, the magnetic tape T housed in the cassette housing 1 is recorded and reproduced using a helical scanning method using a rotating head. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotary head 41 is rotated at a predetermined angle with respect to the head drum 42, and the head drum 42 rotates the lid 6 of the cassette housing 1 upward or downward. The magnetic tape T is partially inserted into the front side opening 5 which is opened by moving the magnetic tape T, and is stretched across this opening 5. When the rotary 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, the head drum 42 of the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1 is
As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a tape guide member 24 whose tape guide surfaces 24a and 24b are inclined in opposite directions is disposed at the insertion portion of the tape guide member 24, which is indicated by a dashed line. When the head drum 42 is inserted into the opening 5, the tape guide surface 24a of the tape guide member 24,
24b comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the head drum 42, that is, guides the magnetic tape T while sandwiching it between the magnetic tape 24b and the peripheral surface of the head drum 42.

This tape guide member 24 is shown in FIG. 2(a).
The main body is formed as shown in the plan view, front view, and A-A sectional view of (b) and (c), that is, the opposing surface is curved into a substantially arched shape in correspondence with the inserted head drum. As described above, tape guide surfaces 24a and 24b are formed with opposite inclinations in the left and right direction, and on the rear side of the tape guide surfaces 24a and 24b, as shown in FIG. Holes 24c and 24d are provided into which the provided pins 3c and 3d are loosely inserted. And this hole 2
4c and 24d, as can be seen from FIGS. 2(a) and 24d, circular convex portions 24e, 24 are provided at the center positions of the inner walls in the vertical direction.
f is formed, and these convex parts 24e and 24f are connected to the pin 3.
It will come into contact with c and 3d.

That is, in this embodiment, the tape guide member 24 is supported by pins 3c and 3d inserted into the holes 24c and 24d, and the pins 3c and 3d are inserted into the holes 24c and 24d.
c, 24d and their convex portions 24e, 24f, whose diameters are slightly smaller than the inner diameters and inserted loosely, so that the head drum is inserted and the magnetic tape T is inserted into the tape guide member 24 as described above. When pressed through the
Front side portions 24e1 and 24f1 of convex portions 24e and 24f
Therefore, in this state, the tape guide member 24 rotates as shown in FIG.
As shown in a) and (b), it is possible to swing and deflect the tape guide surfaces 24a and 24b in the elevation direction.
can follow the circumferential surface of the head drum 42 according to the insertion angle error of the head drum 42 and accurately face the head drum 42 .

Therefore, when the head drum 42 is inserted, the magnetic tape T stretched across the opening 5 on the front surface of the tape cassette is connected to the peripheral surface of the head drum 42 and the tape guide surface 24a of the tape guide member 24. , 24b, the magnetic tape runs while being sandwiched uniformly in the width direction, resulting in good recording/recording.
A playback operation is performed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tape guide member 24
Since it is not integrally molded with the upper half 2 or the lower half 3 but is a separate part, it is not affected by the accuracy of the parts of the tape cassette housing 1. Further, the molding material of the tape guide member 24 can be freely changed depending on the tape cassette or recording/reproducing device to which it is applied, such as molding or die casting.

Note that the shape of the tape guide member in the present invention is not limited to that shown in FIG. Moreover, the shape of the main body and the support structure do not matter as long as the tape guide surface is supported so as to be swingable in the tilting direction with respect to the upper and lower halves so as to be able to follow the angular error of the inserted head drum. .

[0017]

As explained above, in the tape cassette of the present invention, the tape guide surface of the tape guide mechanism can be oscillated by a predetermined angle in the elevation direction to follow the circumferential surface of the opposing head drum. Because of this, it is possible to guide the tape-shaped recording medium so that it is always in proper pressure contact with the circumferential surface of the head drum regardless of the insertion angle error of the head drum, resulting in good recording and playback operations. effective. Further, since the tape guide mechanism is not integrally molded with the upper half or the lower half, it has the advantage that it is not affected by the precision of the parts of the tape cassette housing, and the molding material can also be changed freely.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a lower half portion and a front view of a tape cassette housing for explaining a tape guide member in a tape cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view, a front view, and a sectional view taken along the line AA of the tape guide member of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the swinging motion of the tape guide member in the tilting direction of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tape cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the tape cassette and head drum of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols] 2 Upper half 3 Lower half 3c, 3d pin 24 Tape guide member 24a, 24b Tape guide surface 24c, 24d Hole 24e, 24f Convex part

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: By inserting the head drum of a recording/reproducing device into an opening formed in the front face of a cassette housing formed by fitting the upper and lower half members, the tape-shaped recording stored in the cassette housing In a tape cassette in which the head drum contacts the medium and records and plays back signals, the tape-shaped recording medium is guided in a sandwiched state between the peripheral surface of the head drum inserted into the opening. 1. A tape cassette, wherein the tape guide mechanism provided in the opening is supported such that its tape guide surface can be swung and deflected by a predetermined angle in the elevation direction.