JPH0612822A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely prevent the entering of dust from a driving shaft inserting hole during non-use by opening and closing the driving shaft inserting hole with a special shutter. CONSTITUTION:A shutter 33 for opening and closing a driving shaft inserting hole 7 is freely rockingly supported on the bottom wall outside surface of a main body case 1 and the shutter 33 is provided with an operation groove 34 constituted of a long groove. On the other hand, a pin 37 which is engaged with the operation groove 34 is provided on the inner surface of the bottom wall surface 15 of a slide frame 10 for opening and closing a pocket 6 for a tape loading. Therefore, when the slide frame 10 is stroked back and forth, the shutter 33 is interlockingly rocked and the driving shaft inserting hole 7 is switched over between opening and closing conditions. Thus, dust is surely prevented regardless of the structure of the slide frame 10, small and big opening and closing strokes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cartridge provided with a slide frame for opening and closing the opening surface of a tape loading pocket, and a front lid for opening and closing the front opening in association with the slide frame.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to prevent dust and protect the tape when not in use, it has been a recent practice to block or cover the opening of the main body case and the tape running path exposed on the outer surface of the case with a shutter or a cover. It has become common sense in the cartridge. For example, one example can be seen in a DAT tape cartridge. There, a lower surface and a front surface of a tape loading pocket (hereinafter, simply referred to as a pocket) are covered with a shutter that slides back and forth along a bottom wall of a case and a front lid that swings upward and swings around a point. Further, by utilizing the forward / backward sliding movement of the shutter, the drive shaft insertion hole opened on the bottom wall of the case is opened and closed at the same time to prevent dust from entering the case when not in use.

In addition to the above, it is known that the upper and lower surfaces of the pocket are opened and closed by a box-frame-shaped slide frame, and the outer surface of the tape is covered by a front lid that swings upward and swings in conjunction with the slide frame (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho-Kaisho). 63-234476). In this lid opening / closing structure, there is a problem in that the front lid protrudes like an eaves from the front end of the case when the lid is open.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention has previously proposed a tape cartridge in which the degree of protrusion of the front lid toward the upper side and the front side of the case when the lid is opened is reduced (Japanese Patent Application No. 4).
-78624). As shown in FIG. 4 (b), the front lid 11 is swung open upward in conjunction with the opening operation of the slide frame 10 and is pulled rearward of the case while maintaining this state.

[0005]

Under the present circumstances where the magnetic signals recorded on the tape are becoming high in density and digitized, a sufficient dustproof function is provided as seen in the DAT tape cartridge. That is one of the basic specifications of this type of tape cartridge.
Naturally, even in the tape cartridge having the above-described improved lid opening / closing structure, intrusion of dust from the drive shaft insertion hole poses a problem.

Similar to the DAT type tape cartridge, it suffices if the drive shaft insertion hole can be opened and closed by using the slide frame. The target tape cartridge and the DAT type tape cartridge have a structure of constituent members and an arrangement position thereof. Or, because there is a difference in the opening and closing stroke of the slide frame, it is impossible to adopt a similar hole blocking structure.
Specifically, when the slide frame closes the pocket, the trailing edge of the bottom wall of the slide frame crosses the opening surface of the drive shaft insertion hole.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape cartridge having a novel dustproof structure in which the drive shaft insertion hole is opened and closed by a dedicated shutter to prevent dust when not in use. Another object of the present invention is to obtain a tape cartridge which is capable of opening and closing the shutter in conjunction with the front and rear slides of a slide frame, and particularly in a compatible tape cartridge, which is advantageous in simplifying the internal structure of the tape deck. .

[0008]

A tape cartridge according to the present invention includes a slide frame 10 which is externally fitted to a main body case 1 so as to be slidable forward and backward, and which opens and closes a tape loading pocket 6 and a front opening of the pocket 6. The slide frame 10 is provided with a front lid 11 that opens and closes, and a shaft through hole 9 that opens the drive shaft insertion hole 7 of the main body case 1 is provided in the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10 when the slide frame 10 is opened. The drive shaft insertion hole 7 on the outer surface of the bottom wall of the body case 1.
The shutter 33 that opens and closes is swingably supported, and the shutter 33 is interlockingly connected to the slide frame 10 so that the shutter 33 switches between a closed state and an open state in conjunction with the forward and backward slide of the slide frame 10. Must be present. Specifically, as the interlocking structure of the shutter 33 and the slide frame 10, the operation groove 3 formed of a long groove is formed in the shutter 33.
4 is provided, and a pin 37 that engages with the operation groove 34 is provided on the inner surface of the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10.

[0009]

Operation: The slide frame 10 and the front lid 1 when the lid is closed
Reference numeral 1 respectively covers the upper and lower opening surfaces and the front opening surface of the pocket 6, and the shutter 33 covers the drive shaft insertion hole 7 from the outer surface of the case. When the slide frame 10 is operated to open from this state, the front lid 11 swings upward and swings, and at the same time, the shutter 33 swings and swings to open the drive shaft insertion hole 7.

In this way, if the drive shaft insertion hole 7 is opened and closed by the dedicated shutter 33, the slide frame 10 can be used to open and close the drive shaft insertion hole 7 due to restrictions such as the structure and size or the opening and closing stroke. Even if you cannot do it, you can surely prevent dust when not in use.

Since the shutter 33 is interlocked and opened only by opening the slide frame 10, it is not necessary to provide a member for operating the shutter 33 on the deck side. If such an operating member is required, the tape deck to which the compatible tape cartridge is applied must be provided with the above-mentioned operating members corresponding to tape cartridges having different case sizes. The structure becomes complicated accordingly.

[0012]

1 to 6 illustrate a video tape cartridge according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a body case 1 has a pair of hubs 2 on the left and right sides. The tape 3 pulled out from one hub 2 is a tape outlet 4 on the front left and right.
It is guided by the tape guide 5 provided on the other side and wound on the other hub 2. A tape loading pocket 6 is provided between the left and right tape outlets 4. This pocket 6
The upper and lower surfaces and the front surface are open as shown in FIG.

The main body case 1 is formed by joining upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, which are divided into upper and lower parts, into a lid-like shape, and the upper case 1a has a window for visually recognizing the remaining tape amount. The lower case 1b has a drive shaft insertion hole 7 corresponding to each hub 2. In order to protect the tape and prevent dust when not in use, a slide frame 10 is externally fitted to the outer surface of the front portion of the main body case 1 as shown in FIG. 4, and the front opening is closed by a front lid 11 so as to be openable and closable.
On the outer surface of the first half of the body case 1, a paragraph surface 12 for guiding the slide frame 10 is provided in a circular shape.

In FIG. 3, the slide frame 10 has left and right frame side walls 13, a top wall 14 and a bottom wall 15, and the paragraph surface 1
It is formed in the shape of a left-right laterally long rectangular box that fits over the outer wall of the box 2. Paragraph 1
The slide frame 10 fitted on the outside 2 can slide back and forth within the range of the paragraph surface 12. As the slide frame 10 slides back and forth, the upper wall 14 opens and closes the upper surface of the pocket 6, and the bottom wall 15 opens and closes the lower surface of the pocket 6. A shaft through hole 9 is opened in the bottom wall 15 corresponding to the drive shaft insertion hole 7 described above. In order to close and urge the entire slide frame 10, a torsion coil type spring 16 is arranged on one inner side of the pocket 6, one end of which is hooked on the inner wall of the pocket, and the other end of which is formed on the bottom wall 15. Hang it on the spring bridge 17.

The slide frame 10 is opened to the rear of the case by using the loading operation to the tape deck. By utilizing the sliding operation of the slide frame 10, the front lid 11 is operated from the lid closed state to the lid open state. The front lid 11 includes a main surface wall 20 that closes the front opening of the slide frame 10 from the outer surface, and a rectangular lid arm 21 that extends from the left and right ends of the main surface wall 20 toward the rear of the case. The lid arm 21 is installed in a state of being inserted between the outer side wall of the tape outlet 4 and the frame side wall 13,
A lid opening / closing mechanism that converts the forward / backward sliding operation of the slide frame 10 into the vertical opening / closing operation of the front lid 11 is provided between the adjacent surface walls 13 and 21.

In FIG. 4, the lid opening / closing mechanism includes a support shaft 22 provided in the upper half of the outer wall near the front of the case and a frame side wall 13.
It is composed of an operation pin 23 provided in the upper corner of the front part, a support hole 24 and a passive groove 25 provided in the lid arm 21. The support hole 24 on the lower rear side is formed as a V-shaped bent groove extending downward in the case, and the support shaft 22 engages with the upper end of the groove. The passive groove 25 on the front upper side is formed as a concave arc groove that is inclined downward toward the rear of the case, and the operation pin 23 engages with this.

FIG. 4B shows a state in which the front lid 11 is opened. The operation pin 23 moves linearly rearward along with the slide frame 10 and pushes up the passive groove 25 to swing the front lid 11 upward and swing around the support shaft 22. With the operation pin 23 passing above the support shaft 22, the front lid 11 opens and moves until the main surface wall 20 thereof is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the case, and thereafter, the lid arm 21 accompanies the operation pin 23 and moves to the case. Move backwards. For this rearward movement, the support hole 24 is formed in a long groove so that the cover arm 21 can be moved with respect to the support shaft 22.

In FIG. 2, lock claws 27 are provided on the left and right sides of the main body case 1 in order to prevent the tape from loosening when not in use. Are engaged with gear tooth-shaped lock teeth 29 provided at the bottom of each hub 2. The lock claw 27 can be horizontally swung about the shaft 30, and the release arm 31 thereof can be slid on the slide frame 10.
The lock release operation is performed in such a manner as to project in the backward movement region of (1) and to be interlocked with the sliding operation of the slide frame 10.

1, 5 and 6 to prevent dust from entering the case through the drive shaft insertion hole 7 when not in use.
As shown in FIG. 3, a shutter 33 is provided on the outer surface of the bottom wall of the main body case 1 so that the shutter 33 can be opened and closed by interlocking with the slide of the slide frame 10. The shutter 33 is formed in a petal shape, and an operation groove 34, which is a long groove, is provided along one side of the plate surface, and a swing shaft 35 is provided on the inner surface of the front end of the plate surface that is sharply tapered. . The shutter 33 is housed in a fan-shaped recess 36 formed in the bottom wall of the case, and the swing shaft 35 is pivotally supported by the bottom wall of the case as shown in FIG. It can swing back and forth, and switches between a state where the drive shaft insertion hole 7 is closed (a state shown in FIG. 5) and a state where it is opened (a state shown in FIG. 6).

As described above, the shutter 33 is the slide frame 1.
It opens and closes in conjunction with 0. For that purpose, a pin 37 is provided on the inner surface of the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10, and the pin 37 is engaged with the operation groove 34. In the assembled state, since the shutter 33 is housed in the recess 36, the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10 is
The shutter 33 does not interfere with each other. Further, since the bottom wall 15 covers the outer surface of the shutter 33, the shutter 33 does not fall off the case bottom wall. The recess 36 may be provided on the bottom wall 15 side. Figure 7
Shows another embodiment in which the form of the shutter 33 is changed. In this configuration, the left and right shutters 33 are arranged in a V shape, and a pin 37 provided on the periphery thereof is engaged with an operation groove 34 provided on the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10.

[0021]

According to the present invention, since the drive shaft insertion hole 7 is opened and closed by the shutter 33 dedicated to the drive shaft insertion hole 7, dust is prevented without being affected by the peripheral structure such as the structure of the slide frame 10 or the opening and closing stroke. Therefore, the intrusion of dust from the drive shaft insertion hole 7 when not in use can be reliably prevented, and the dustproof function of the tape cartridge can be enhanced. Further, since the shutter 33 can be opened and closed in conjunction with the forward and backward slide of the slide frame 10, a member for operating the large and small tape cartridges in a usable state in the tape deck to which the compatible tape cartridge is applied. Can be limited to only the member that opens and operates the slide frame 10. That is, since it is not necessary to provide a member for opening and closing the shutter 33 in correspondence with large and small tape cartridges, the structure inside the deck can be simplified accordingly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of essential parts showing an opening / closing structure of a drive shaft insertion hole.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view seen from the lower surface side.

4A and 4B are vertical side views showing an opening / closing structure of a front lid, FIG. 4A showing a lid closed state, and FIG. 4B showing a lid open state.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway bottom view with the lid closed.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway bottom view with the lid open.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway bottom view showing another embodiment in which the shutter is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Pocket 7 Drive Shaft Insertion Hole 9 Shaft Passage 10 Slide Frame 11 Front Lid 15 Bottom Wall 33 Shutter 34 Operation Groove 37 Pin

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Masashi Adachi Inventor Masashi Adachi 1-88, Tora, Ibaraki-shi, Osaka Within Hitachi Maxell Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Nobuyuki Kaku 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi Kanagawa Inside Hitachi Media Media Laboratory (72) Inventor Hidekazu Takeda 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Inside Hitachi Video Media Laboratory (72) Inventor Kenji Ojiji 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Bunch Co., Ltd. Hitachi Media Imaging Media Laboratory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A slide frame 10 which is externally fitted and mounted on a main body case 1 so as to be slidable back and forth, and which opens and closes a tape loading pocket 6, and a front lid 11 which opens and closes a front opening of the pocket 6. When the slide frame 10 is opened and operated, a shaft opening 9 for opening the drive shaft insertion hole 7 of the main body case 1 is provided in the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10. A shutter 33 that opens and closes the shaft insertion hole 7 is swingably supported, and the shutter 33 is interlocked with the front and rear slide of the slide frame 10.
Shutter 3 to switch between closed and open states.
A tape cartridge in which 3 is linked to a slide frame 10. 2. An operation groove 34 comprising a long groove on the shutter 33.
On the inner surface of the bottom wall 15 of the slide frame 10.
The tape cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a pin 37 that engages with the pin 4.