JPH05101598A - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To widely set upper/lower planes of a slider and to improve operability of erroneous erasure preventing mechanism by providing a notched part on a clicking part in the sliding direction of slider. CONSTITUTION:In the erroneous erasure preventing mechanism wherein the slider 50 is inserted to an inserting hole 31 in the thickness direction of a tape cassette casing, the groove-shaped notched part 34 is formed on the central part of clicking part 32 of the inserting hole 31 in the thickness direction of the casing. Then, the upper plate 54 and lower plane 55 of the slider 50 are formed so as extending to the planar direction within the range not colliding with the clicking part 32 by passing through the notched part 34 at the sliding time. The area of upper/lower planes 54, 55 in the inserting hole 31 can be thereby set at most. Conseqently, the operating plane of slider can be made wide and the operability is increased.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette in which a tape-shaped recording medium is wound and accommodated, and in particular, a slider that slides in the thickness direction of a cassette housing is used to prevent erroneous erasure. The present invention relates to a tape cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a tape cassette is provided with an erroneous erasure prevention means so as to prevent the signals recorded on a magnetic tape housed in the tape cassette from being accidentally erased. As this erroneous erasure prevention means, there is a system in which an erroneous erasure prevention claw is provided integrally with the tape cassette so that the erroneous erasure can be prevented by folding the claw. However, in this method, the claw that has been once broken cannot be reattached, and if a new signal is desired to be recorded, the broken part must be closed by another member.

On the other hand, the cassette housing is provided with a slider that slides in the thickness direction, and the slider is slid to switch between the erasable position and the erroneous erasure prevention position. The applicant has previously proposed. That is, a slider and a fitting insertion hole into which the slider is slidably mounted are provided as an erroneous erasure prevention mechanism, and the detection mechanism of the recording / reproducing apparatus is based on the position of the slider in the fitting insertion hole. It is for determining whether the tape cassette is recordable or not recordable.

In this erroneous erasure prevention mechanism, the slider must be slidable in the fitting hole and held at each sliding position. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIGS.
As shown in a front view, a plan view, and a side view in (c), the slider 60 is formed into a substantially prismatic shape, and for example, a click projection 61 protruding in an arc shape is provided on a predetermined side surface, and the slide surface is provided on the predetermined side surface. A stopper projection 62 is provided for locking the mover so as not to project from the erroneous erasure prevention mechanism from the upper and lower half planes.

As the insertion hole 70 into which the slider 60 is loaded, as shown in the plan view of a part of the cassette housing of FIG. 10 and the sectional views of FIGS. 11A and 11B, the cassette housing is shown. The upper and lower halves 2 and 3 forming the slider 60, and the click protrusion 61 of the slider 60 is brought into contact with the inner wall surface corresponding to the surface of the slider 60 on which the click protrusion 61 is formed. For example, the click locking portion 71 protruding in an arc shape is held so that a click feeling can be obtained by holding the sliding position and the click protrusion 61 abutting and moving even when the slider 60 slides. The stopper 60 is provided on the inner wall surface of the slider 60 corresponding to the surface on which the stopper projection 62 is formed. And lower half 3 directions Stopper engaging portion 72a for limiting the sliding, 72b are formed.

Further, in order to obtain elasticity for the click protrusion 61 to get over the click locking portion 71 during sliding, the slider 60 has a click protrusion 61 and a stopper protrusion 62.
A long hole 63 is formed so as to pass through the two side surfaces where the holes are not formed.

According to the erroneous erasure prevention means constructed as described above, the slider 60 is slid so that the position of the slider 60 is switched between the state shown in FIG. 11A and the state shown in FIG. 11B. By doing so, it is possible to repeatedly set the erasable state and the erroneous erasure prevention state, and a click feeling can be obtained when switching.
Operability is also improved. The sliding operation of the slider 60 is
A needle-shaped object such as the tip of a mechanical pencil may be pressed against the upper plane 64 or the lower plane 65 of the slider 60 from the fitting hole 70.

[0008]

By the way, the slider 60
The upper plane 64 and the lower plane 65 are required to be set as wide as possible in the fitting insertion hole 70 to improve the operability of the slider 60.

However, since the click locking portion 71 is formed on one side surface of the fitting insertion hole 70, the upper flat surface 64 and the lower flat surface 65 of the slider 60 are slid on the click locking portion 71 at the time of sliding.
It is necessary to set it so that it does not hit. Therefore, FIG.
In the radial direction of the fitting insertion hole 70 shown in FIG. ₁ , only the length W ₁ of the upper flat surface 64 and the lower flat surface 65 of the slider 60 can be set with respect to the hole diameter W _{K of the} fitting insertion hole. That is, if W ₁ or more is set, the state shown in FIG. 11A cannot be obtained due to the relationship with the click locking portion 71. Therefore, the upper plane 64 and the lower plane 65 cannot be set wider.

Further, since the spacing S (S = W _K -W ₁ ) is relatively wide, the uprightness of the posture of the slider 60 in the fitting insertion hole 70 is likely to be impaired, leading to poor sliding. There is also the problem that there are cases.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it depends on a sliding position of a slider loaded in an insertion hole formed in a thickness direction of a cassette housing. In a tape cassette designed to prevent accidental erasure of signals recorded on a tape-shaped recording medium, the slider has a click protrusion on one side surface, and the click protrusion of the slider is inserted into the insertion hole. A click locking part is provided on the corresponding wall surface, and when the slider slides, the click protrusion and the click locking part slide so as to contact each other, and at the center of the click locking part. Is a groove-shaped notch formed in the thickness direction of the cassette housing, and the upper and lower ends of the slider are
It is formed so as to be stretched in the plane direction in a range where it does not collide with the click locking portion by passing through the groove-shaped notch portion.

[0012]

By providing the click engaging portion with a notch in the sliding direction of the slider, even if the upper and lower planes of the slider are extended in the notch, a slide forming an upper and lower plane, that is, an upper and lower plane. The upper and lower ends of the moving element do not collide with the click locking portion to prevent the sliding motion, and the click function is not impaired.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The tape cassette of this example is ultra-small (the plane size of the housing is 20 mm in the vertical direction,
The width is about 30 mm). 4 to 8
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a tape cassette as a whole that houses a magnetic tape for recording / reproducing a PCM signal, for example. The housing of this tape cassette 1 is assembled by fastening the upper half 2 and the lower half 3 with screws 4 and tightening them. The lid 6 for opening and closing the opening 5 formed on the front side of the halves 2 and 3 is pivotally supported.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the inside of the housing of the tape cassette 1, that is, between the upper and lower halves 2 and 3,
Hub drive shaft insertion holes 2a, 2 in the upper and lower halves 2, 3
b (and 3a, 3b) is accommodated in a state in which the magnetic tape T is wound between a pair of both hubs 7, 8 arranged corresponding to
A part of the magnetic tape T is exposed in the opening 5 on the front side of the housing in a stretched state via pinch rollers 9 and 10 which are rotatably supported on both sides of the front side opening 5 and also function as guide rollers. It is done like this.

On the upper and lower surfaces of the housing of the tape cassette 1,
Erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13 which are located on both sides of the rear part (near the rear face part) and communicate with the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 are arranged, and for positioning on the rear part in the center front-rear direction and on both side parts in the rear lateral direction. Of the reference holes 15, 16 and 17 of
Further, a plurality of required detection holes 18 and 19 are formed in the lateral direction of the rear edge portion, and further grip portions 20 and 2 are provided on the rear portions of both side surfaces.
1 is formed. The erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13 will be described later.

Further, as can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, a rack gear 23 is provided along the lateral guide groove 22 in the lid 6 which opens and closes the opening 5 on the front side of the housing. With the tape cassette 1 stored in the cassette magazine, the cassette changer is used as an engaging means when the tape cassette is taken out from the cassette magazine. Furthermore, upper and lower halves 2, 3
Windows 2c, 3 made of transparent resin in the center of the plane of the
c is provided so that the remaining amount of the magnetic tape T can be confirmed from the outside of the housing of the tape cassette 1.

In this tape cassette 1, when the magnetic tape T housed in the cassette housing is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus, recording / recording is performed by a rotary head in a helical scan system.
It is designed to be played back. That is, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the rotary head 41 is configured to rotate at a required 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 partially inserted into the open front side opening 5 and stretched across the opening 5 is slid so as to wind around the insertion side peripheral 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 in which guide members are inclined in opposite directions are provided in the insertion portion of the head drum 42 in the opening 5 of the cassette housing so that the tape guides are slidably contacted with each other. The members 24 and 25 are located inside the guide rollers 9 and 10 and are arranged so as to face each other and to be swingable and movable laterally. Therefore, by inserting the head drum 42 into the opening 5 as shown in FIG. 7, the tape guide members 24 and 25 come into contact with the peripheral surface of the head drum 42, that is, the peripheral surface of the head drum 42. The magnetic tape T is sandwiched between and guided.

Further, on both sides of the head drum 42, both wing guides 43, 44 inserted between the pinch rollers 9, 10 and the tape guide members 24, 25 on both sides of the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1 are provided. The wing guides 43, 44 are equipped with rollers 43a,
44a is mounted and the magnetic tape T is attached to the tape guide member 2
It presses against 4,25. The two wing guides 43 and 44 are used to prevent the protrusion of the tapes located between the support pieces 26 and 27 and the pinch rollers 9 and 10 from the inside in the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1. 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. The hubs 7 and 8 are inner hubs 7a and 8a into which the hub drive shafts are inserted and engaged, and the inner hubs 7a and 7a, respectively.
8a, the outer hubs 7b and 8b are movable in the axial direction and are engaged in the circumferential direction. In particular, the inner hubs 7a and 8a have gear-shaped locked portions 7a ₁ . 8a ₁ is formed. Then, the locked portions 7a ₁ . When the tape cassette 1 is not used, the hubs 7, 8 are engaged by engaging with 8a _1.
A brake member 11 for performing a braking operation so as to be in a non-rotatable state is disposed in a recess 3e formed by being lowered one step on the inner surface of the lower half.

In the normal condition (when not in use), the brake member 11 is fixed to the spring fixing portions 11b ₁ and 11b ₂ by a brake spring 11c made of, for example, a stainless wire, and is brought into pressure contact with the pressure contact portion 3d in the cassette housing 1. As shown in FIG. 8A, the locking claw 1 is provided by the urging force obtained by
1a ₁ and 11a ₂ are in contact with the gear-shaped locked portions 7a ₁ and 8a _{1 of the} inner hubs 7a and 8a, respectively.
Is in a non-rotatable state, that is, in a havelock state.

The spring fixing portion 11b ₁ is completely fixed by insert molding or the like with the brake spring 11c inserted in the spring fixing portion 11b ₁ .
This prevents the brake spring 11c from falling off.
On the other hand, the spring fixing portion 11b ₂ is only held by the two locking pieces protruding in a staggered manner.

When the tape cassette 1 is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 8B, the positioning pin 99 provided in the recording / reproducing apparatus is located on either the upper half 2 side or the lower half 3 side. It is inserted from the reference hole 15 for positioning. This guides the loading position of the tape cassette 1 in the recording / reproducing apparatus in the left-right direction, but at the same time, the positioning pin 99 acts as a brake release pin.

That is, the brake member 11 has a pressing operation portion 11d having cam surfaces 11d ₁ and 11d ₂ inclined in a V-shaped cross section with respect to the thickness direction of the housing of the tape cassette 1.
Since the positioning pin 99 is formed, the positioning pin 99 has the cam surface 11d ₁ or 11d of the pressing operation portion 11d of the brake member 11.
_When it comes into contact with ₂ , the brake member 11 will move to the brake spring 11
Against the biasing force of c, the guide pin 3f inserted into the guide portion 11f and the guide pin 3g inserted into the guide portion 11g slide and move in the front direction of the tape cassette 1 as shown in FIG. 8B. Locking claw 11a
The engagement between ₁ and 11a ₂ and the locked portions 7a ₁ and 8a ₁ is released, and the hubs 7 and 8 are made rotatable.

When the tape cassette 1 is ejected from the recording / reproducing apparatus and the positioning pin 99 escapes from the reference hole 15, the urging force obtained by the brake spring 11c changes the state of FIG. 8 (b) to the state of FIG. 8 (a). After returning, the rotation of the hubs 7 and 8 is locked. In addition, in the inner hub 8a (7a) as shown in FIG.
The outer hub 8b toward the upper half 2 side where no
Also on the peripheral surface protruding from (7b), the locked portion 8a ₁ (7a
₁ ) is formed, but by doing so, the vertical direction when arranging the hub is eliminated in the hub assembling process, and the work is simplified.

The brake member 11 is positioned so as to shield the inner surface of the window 3c formed in the lower half 3. However, since the brake member 11 is made of transparent resin, the brake member 11 is It does not hinder the confirmation of the remaining tape amount through the window 3c. The brake member 11
Even if the brake member 11 is not transparently formed, if a hole is provided which has a size that does not cover the windows 2c and 3c regardless of the sliding position of the brake member 11, the tape remaining from the window 3c can be removed. Checking the quantity is not hindered.

In the tape cassette constructed as described above, the erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13 arranged on the cassette housing 1 corresponding to the surfaces A and B will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. To do. Since both erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms are configured identically, only one mechanism 12 will be illustrated and described, and the other mechanism 13 will not be illustrated and described. In the erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13, the sliders 50 for erroneous erasure prevention detection are slid in fitting insertion holes 31 formed, for example, on both sides of the rear portion of the cassette housing 1 in the thickness direction of the cassette housing 1. It is configured so that it can be inserted and held as much as possible.

1 (a), (b), (c) and (d) are a front view, a plan view, a side view and a perspective view showing a slider 50 of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the slider 50 is formed of a synthetic resin material or the like into a substantially prismatic shape. A click projection 51 is provided on a predetermined side surface so as to gently project in an arc shape in the circumferential direction, and the predetermined side surface does not project from the upper and lower half planes when the slider slides in the fitting insertion hole 31. A stopper projection 52 is formed for locking the above.

On the other hand, a fitting insertion hole 31 into which the slider 50 is loaded
As shown in the plan view of a part of the lower half 3 of FIG. 2 (a) and the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 forming the cassette housing are The slider 50 is held in the sliding position by the abutment of the click protrusion 51 of the slider 50 on the inner wall surface corresponding to the surface of the slider 50 on which the click protrusion 51 is formed.
The click engaging portion 32 protruding in an arc shape is provided so that a click feeling can be obtained by the abutment and movement of the click projection 51 even when the slides.

Further, the stopper projection 5 is formed on the inner wall surface of the slider 50 corresponding to the surface on which the stopper projection 52 is formed.
Stopper locking portions 33a and 33b are formed to lock the slider 2 so as to restrict sliding of the slider 50 in the upper half 2 direction and in the lower half 3 direction. In addition, in order to obtain elasticity for the click protrusion 51 to get over the click locking portion 32 during sliding, the slider 50 has a length that allows the click protrusion 51 and the stopper protrusion 52 not to be formed on the two side surfaces. A hole 53 is formed.

In such an erroneous erasure prevention mechanism 12 (13), the tape 50 is recorded by holding the slider 50 at the position shown in FIG. 3 (a) or 3 (b). It is determined whether the state is the enable state or the erasure prevention state. In order to switch the position state, a needle-like object such as the tip of a mechanical pencil is inserted from the insertion hole 31 and the upper plane 54 or the lower plane 5 of the slider 50 is inserted.
It should be pressed against 5.

The erroneous erasure prevention mechanism 12 (1 of this embodiment is
In 3), since the position of the slider 50 can be freely switched between the state of FIG. 3A and the state of FIG. 3B, the erasable state and the erroneous erasure prevention state are repeatedly set. It is also possible to obtain a click feeling at the time of switching and improve operability.

Further, in the slider 50 of the present embodiment, the projections 5 projecting in a semicylindrical shape are formed at the upper and lower ends on the same side surface where the click projection 51 is formed.
6 is formed, so that the upper flat surface 54 and the lower flat surface 55 of the slider 50 are formed with extended portions 57 that are arcuately extended in the planar direction as can be seen from FIG. 1. Further, the click locking portion 32 protruding in an arc shape in the fitting insertion hole 31 can be seen from FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B showing the click locking portion 32 in the fitting insertion hole 31 in a perspective view. As described above, the notch 34 is formed in the thickness direction of the cassette housing.

The notch shape of the notch 34 in the plane direction of the cassette is the protrusion 56 of the slider 50, that is, the upper plane 5.
4 and the extended portion 57 of the lower plane 55 is the click locking portion 3.
The shape and size are set so as not to collide with 2, and therefore, in the present embodiment, the upper plane 54 and the lower plane 5 are set.
Although the slider 5 is designed to be wide only in the stretched portion 57, the slider 50 can assume the sliding position state shown in FIG. That is, the upper plane 54 and the lower plane 55
The protrusion 56 (the protrusion 56 on the lower flat surface 55 side in the present embodiment) generated due to the provision of the extended portion 57 in the slider has a sliding space corresponding to the cutout portion 34 of the click locking portion 32. No obstruction to the sliding action of 50 occurs.

By providing the extended portion 57 in this way, the upper flat surface 54 and the lower flat surface 55 are fitted into the fitting insertion hole 31.
Since it can be set as wide as possible within
The operability of the slider 50 by the user can be improved. In particular, in the ultra-small tape cassette as in the present embodiment, the slider 50 itself is a very small component, and therefore it is very effective to widen the operation plane as much as possible for improving operability. ..

Further, since it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of a relatively wide space with the fitting insertion hole 31 on only one side surface around the upper and lower end portions forming the upper flat surface 54 and the lower flat surface 55, the fitting insertion hole 3 is formed.
The uprightness of the posture of the slider 50 in 1 is also maintained satisfactorily.

The shapes of the extending portion 57 (protruding portion 56) and the cutout portion 34 may be set so that the click engaging portion 32 does not collide with the protruding portion 56 when the slider 50 slides. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0038]

As described above, in the tape cassette of the present invention, by providing the click engaging portion with the notch in the thickness direction of the housing, the area of the upper and lower planes of the slider in the fitting insertion hole can be reduced. It can be set to the maximum within the relation with the shape and size of the click locking portion, and therefore, the operation plane of the slider can be widened and the operability can be improved, and the slider in the fitting hole can be improved. The posture is effectively maintained and the slidability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a fitting hole of the erroneous erasure prevention mechanism of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an erroneous erasure prevention mechanism of this 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 the head drum of this embodiment.

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

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which a head drum is inserted in the tape cassette of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a hub brake operation of the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view, a plan view, and a side view of a slider according to the related art.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a fitting insertion hole of the erroneous erasure prevention mechanism in the prior art.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an erroneous erasure prevention mechanism in the prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Upper half 3 Lower half 12, 13 Wrong erasure prevention mechanism 31 Fitting hole 32 Click locking portion 34 Notch portion 50 Slider 51 Click protrusion 54 Upper flat surface 55 Lower flat surface 56 Projection portion 57 Extended portion

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A erroneous erasure of a signal recorded on a tape-shaped recording medium housed therein by using a slider which is fitted and slid in a fitting hole formed in a thickness direction of a cassette housing. In the tape cassette configured to prevent the above, the slider is provided with a click protrusion on one side surface, and a click locking portion is provided on a wall surface corresponding to the click protrusion in the fitting insertion hole, At the time of sliding of the slider, the click projection and the click engaging portion slide so as to come into contact with each other, and a groove-shaped notch is formed in the center of the click engaging portion in the cassette housing thickness direction. Portions are formed, and the upper and lower end portions of the slider are formed to extend in the plane direction in a range that does not collide with the click locking portion by passing through the cutout portion during sliding. Tape cassette, characterized by being.