JPH06243643A - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence of drop-out on recording and reproducing. CONSTITUTION:This cassette is provided with a cassette casing 1 provided with cam grooves 9, 10, a cassette front cap 1-7 provided with guide grooves 21, 22 and a cassette rear cap 27 provided with first engaging pieces 28, 29 and second engaging pieces 30, 31 facing on the guide grooves 21, 22 and the cam grooves 9, 10. The first engaging pieces 28, 29 of the rear cap 27 are pressed to the groove walls 21c, 22c of the guide grooves 21, 22 by torsion springs 34, 35. Thus, since the cassette rear cap 27 is rocked so as to approach/ alienate for the cassette front cap 17 at the time of opening/closing the cap, and the cassette rear cap 27 is added to the rear side of the cassette front cap 17 at a present opening angle as it is, the protection performance of a tape T is enhanced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette suitable for use in a recording / reproducing device such as a video tape recorder and various other information processing devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of tape cassette has a cassette housing having a space for accommodating a reel for winding a tape and a tape take-in / out port facing a magnetic tape (hereinafter, simply referred to as "tape"). And a cassette lid body that is rotatably supported by the cassette housing and covers the front surface of the tape in the closed lid state.

In the tape cassette thus constructed, the tape is loaded by being mounted in the main body of the video tape recorder. That is, when a tape cassette is installed in the main body of the video tape recorder, the tape loading guide faces the inside of the tape inlet / outlet from below the cassette housing, and then moves out of the tape inlet / outlet to pull the tape out of the cassette housing. Tape loading can be done.

In this case, the opening lever presses the cassette lid body from the lower side to the upper side, whereby a turning force in the lid opening direction is applied to the cassette lid body.

By the way, in this kind of tape cassette in recent years, in order to enhance the protection performance of the tape, it has been proposed that the tape cassette is provided with not only a front lid for covering the front surface of the tape but also a rear lid for covering the rear surface of the tape. .

[0006]

However, in the conventional tape cassette (without the rear lid), the tape loading area can be secured even if the opening angle of the cassette lid is small, so that the cassette lid is The rotation angle is set to a comparatively small angle. Therefore, the other side of the cassette lid (rear) that covers the rear surface of the tape with the current open angle is on the back side of the cassette lid (front lid) that covers the front surface of the tape. It was not possible to add a lid). That is, if the rear lid is added while the opening angle of the front lid remains the same, the tape and the rear lid come into contact with each other in the tape take-out port when the lid is opened, and good tape loading cannot be performed. As a result, the protection performance of the tape cannot be improved, and there is a problem that dropout during recording / reproduction is likely to occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a tape cassette capable of improving the protection performance of a tape and thus preventing the occurrence of dropout during recording / reproduction. Is.

[0008]

A tape cassette according to the present invention has a cassette housing having a cam groove that opens in the cassette width direction and the same opening surface of the cam groove that is rotatably provided in the cassette housing. Cassette front lid for protecting the front surface of the tape, which has a guide groove extending in the plane of, and a first engaging element and a second engaging member that are swingably provided on the cassette front lid and the cassette housing and face the guide groove and the cam groove. A cassette rear lid for protecting the tape rear surface having an engaging element is provided, and the first engaging element of the cassette rear lid is pressed against the groove wall of the guide groove by a spring.

[0009]

In the present invention, when the cassette front lid is rotated in the opening direction, the cassette rear lid moves the first engaging element in the guide groove until the second engaging element moves from the starting end portion of the cam groove to the middle portion. Pivot in the direction away from the front lid of the cassette,
Next, the cassette rear lid swings around the second engaging element in the cam groove toward the cassette front lid until the first engaging element moves from the starting end portion to the terminating end portion of the guide groove, and then the second The cassette rear lid swings in the direction of approaching the cassette front lid about the first engaging element in the guide groove until the engaging element moves from the middle portion to the terminal portion of the cam groove.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an essential part of a tape cassette according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2A and 2B are sectional views showing an essential part of the tape cassette according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the entire tape cassette according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates a cassette housing having a tape take-in port 2 where a part of the tape T faces and a space (not shown) for accommodating a tape winding reel (not shown). And each of them is formed by a rectangular box composed of two upper and lower halves 3 and 4 which are fitted to each other.

The lower half 4 of the two halves 3 and 4 of the cassette housing 1 is a bottom plate 5 having a partition wall 5a interposed between the tape take-in port 2 and the space (not shown). A wall plate 6 that is substantially U-shaped in a plan view and has pin holes 6a and 6b that are integrally provided on the rear side edge and the left and right side edges of the bottom plate 5 and open to both sides, and the wall plate 6 and the bottom plate. 5, a side plate 7 having a U-shaped cross-section, which has inner walls 7a, 8a and outer walls 7b, 8b which are provided at the front end of 5 and are opposed to each other via the tape T on the winding side and the supply side (both sides of the partition wall 5a), 8 and.

Guide curved surfaces a and b for guiding the tape T are formed on the outer surfaces (the tape passage side) of the inner walls 7a and 8a of the side plates 7 and 8, respectively.

The inner walls 7a of the side plates 7 and 8 are
On the inner surface (tape take-out inlet side) of 8a, cam grooves 9 and 1 opening in the tape take-in inlet 2 (cassette width direction).
0 is provided. These cam grooves 9 and 10 are provided with start end portions 11a and 1 located substantially in the center of the inner walls 7a and 8a.
2a and wide first cam grooves 11 and 12 having groove walls 11b and 12b having a slope that rises from the respective starting end portions 11a and 12a toward the rear of the cassette, and the first cam grooves 11 and 12 are connected to each other. The end portions 13a and 14a located at the upper edges of the inner walls 7a and 8a and the end portions 1 of these
Narrow second cam grooves 13 and 14 having groove walls 13b and 14b each having a curved surface with an inclination toward 3a and 14a.
The second cam grooves 13 and 14 and the first cam grooves 11 and 12 are configured to be capable of changing the direction of a second engaging element, which will be described later, at intermediate portions R ₁ and R ₂ . .

On the other hand, the upper half 3 of the cassette housing 1
Is a ceiling plate 15 having a recess (not shown) for locking one end of the return torsion spring S, and is integrally provided on the rear side edge and the left and right side edges of the ceiling plate 15. It is configured by a wall plate 16 having a partition wall 16a that is in contact with the partition wall 5a and has a substantially U shape in a plan view. On the ceiling plate 15 of the upper half 3, a reel pressing spring (not shown) for pressing the tape winding reel (not shown) to the bottom plate 5 is attached.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a cassette front cover for covering the front surface of the tape T, which has recesses s for spring engagement opening on the back side of the cover on both sides thereof, and is substantially sectional view for opening and closing the front part of the tape inlet / outlet 2. Reverse L-shaped front plate 17a and this front plate 1
The side wall 7b is formed of two side wall plates 17b and 17c, which are continuously provided on both side edges of the cassette 7a and face each other. The side wall plates 17b and 17c are rotatably provided at both front end portions of the cassette housing 1.

On the rear side of the upper end of the front plate 17a of the cassette front lid 17, two holding pieces 18, which are opposed to each other,
19 is provided vertically, and a projection 20 extending in the cassette width direction and covering the lower end of the tape T is integrally provided on the back side of the lower end.

The holding pieces 18, 19 of the front plate 17a are provided with guide grooves 21, 22 formed of long holes extending in the same plane (projection surface) as the opening surfaces of the cam grooves 9, 10 and these. Support pins 23 and 24 are provided so as to project toward the one side opening of each of the guide grooves 21 and 22. Of these, the guide grooves 21 and 22 have start end portions 21a and 22a and end portions 21b and 22b located below the slot and above the slot in the closed state, and the groove walls 21c and 22c extend from the front of the cassette to the rear of the cassette. It is formed by an inclined groove having an ascending slope.

On the other hand, the side wall plate 17 of the cassette front lid 17
b and 17c have spring locking pieces (not shown) for locking the pivot pins 25 and 26 facing the pin holes 6a and 6b and the other ends of the torsion springs (not shown).
Are projected integrally.

The cassette front lid 17 is always biased in the closing direction by the torsion spring (not shown).

Reference numeral 27 denotes a cassette rear lid having a substantially V-shaped cross section which covers the rear surface of the tape T. The cassette rear lid 27 is swingably provided on the cassette front lid 17 and the cassette housing 1 and has a tip end in a closed state. The part is configured to be able to contact the protrusion 20. At the upper end portion of the cassette rear lid 27, the first engaging elements 28, 2 facing the respective guide grooves 21, 22 are provided.
9 are provided, and the cam grooves 9 and 9 are provided on the back side of the lower end portion.
Arms 32 and 33 for restricting rocking having second engaging elements 30 and 31 facing 10 are provided.

The first engaging member 28 of the cassette lid 27,
The reference numeral 29 is formed by an engaging member that is circular in cross section and that rotates and moves back and forth in the guide grooves 21 and 22.

On the other hand, the second engaging element 3 of each arm 32, 33
The groove walls 11b and 12b of the first cam grooves 11 and 12 are formed by cutting out a part of peripheral edges (two positions) of a pivot pin (not shown) along a surface including an axis line.
The first engaging surfaces 30a and 31a, which are arcuate surfaces corresponding to, and the flat surfaces that are connected to the first engaging surfaces 30a and 31a and that correspond to the groove walls 13b and 14b of the second cam grooves 13 and 14, respectively. It is formed by an engaging element having second engaging surfaces 30b and 31b on its peripheral surface.

Reference numerals 34 and 35 are torsion springs for pressing the first engaging elements 28, 29 into contact with the groove walls 21c, 22c of the guide grooves 21, 22. Winding portions are provided around the pivot pins 23, 24. It is mounted, and both ends are the recess s.
And is engaged with the first engaging elements 28, 29.

In the tape cassette thus constructed, the tape is loaded by being mounted in the video tape recorder main body (not shown). That is, when the tape cassette is mounted in the video tape recorder main body (not shown), the cassette front lid 17 and the cassette rear lid 27 are opened, and the tape loading guide (not shown) is placed inside the tape loading / unloading port 2 in the cassette housing. The tape T can be pulled out to the outside of the cassette housing 1 by facing the body 1 from below and moving to the outside of the tape inlet / outlet 2 for tape loading.

At this time, the opening lever (not shown) presses the cassette front lid 17 from the lower side to the upper side, so that the turning force and the swinging force are applied to the cassette front lid 17 and the cassette rear lid 27.

Next, the pivoting operation of the cassette front lid 17 and the swinging operation of the cassette rear lid 27 at the time of opening the lid in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

(1) Insert the tape cassette shown in FIG. 4 into the video tape recorder body (not shown). At this time, the cassette front lid 17 and the cassette rear lid 27 are positioned in a closed position with the tape T sealed. Further, the first engaging element 28 is positioned at the starting end portion 21a of the guide groove 21,
The second engagement element 30 is positioned near the starting end portion 11a of the first cam groove 11 with the first engagement surface 30a engaged with the groove wall 11b.

(2) When the tape cassette in the video tape recorder body (not shown) is moved to the cassette mounting position as shown in FIG. 5, the cassette front lid 17 causes the torsion spring ( A direction in which the cassette rear lid 27 is separated from the cassette front lid 17 in accordance with this pivoting operation while rotating about the pivot pin 25 in the opening direction against the elastic force of not shown). It swings (counterclockwise) around the first engaging element 28. At this time, the second engagement element 30 moves in the first cam groove 11 from the starting end portion 11a to the intermediate portion R ₁ while engaging the first engagement surface 30a with the groove wall 11b.

(3) When the opening lever (not shown) applies a turning force in the opening direction to the cassette front lid 17 from the state of (2) as shown in FIG. It swings around the second engaging element 30 in the direction of approaching the lid 17. At this time, since the linear movement of the second engaging element 30 is blocked at the intermediate portion R ₁ , the first engaging element 28 engages the peripheral surface with the groove wall 21c against the elastic force of the torsion spring 32. While moving in the guide groove 21 from the start end 21a to the end 21b.

(4) As shown in FIG. 7, the cassette front lid 17 is moved in the opening direction from the state of (3) by the opening lever (not shown) against the elastic force of the torsion spring (not shown). While pivoting about the pivot pin 25, following this pivoting movement, the cassette rear lid 27 swings around the first engaging element 28 in the direction (clockwise direction) in which the cassette rear lid 27 approaches the cassette front lid 17. To do. At this time, the second engaging element 30 moves in the second cam groove 13 from the intermediate portion R ₁ while avoiding the contact of the tip of the cassette rear lid 27 with the tape T.

(5) As shown in FIG. 8, the cassette front lid 17 is moved in the opening direction from the state of (4) by the opening lever (not shown) against the elastic force of the torsion spring (not shown). While pivoting about the pivot pin 25, following this pivoting movement, the cassette rear lid 27 swings around the first engaging element 28 in the direction (clockwise direction) in which the cassette rear lid 27 approaches the cassette front lid 17. To do. At this time, the second engaging element 30 is
While engaging the engaging surface 30b with the groove wall 13b, the intermediate portion R ₁
To move to the end portion 13a in the first cam groove 13.

(6) As shown in FIG. 9, the cassette front lid 17 moves in the opening direction from the state of (4) by the opening lever (not shown) against the elastic force of the torsion spring (not shown). While pivoting about the pivot pin 25, following this pivoting movement, the cassette rear lid 27 swings around the first engaging element 28 in the direction (clockwise direction) in which the cassette rear lid 27 approaches the cassette front lid 17. To do. At this time, the second engaging element 30 is
While engaging the engaging surface 30a with the groove wall 13b, the end portion 13
It moves in the first cam groove 13 to a.

In this way, a turning force can be applied to the cassette front lid 17 and a swinging force can be applied to the cassette rear lid 27.

Regarding the rotating operation of the cassette front lid 17 and the swinging operation of the cassette rear lid 27 when the lid is closed in this embodiment, the reverse operations of (1) to (6) are performed.

Therefore, in this embodiment, since the cassette rear lid can be added to the back side of the cassette front lid 17 with the current opening angle, the protection performance of the tape T can be improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, the fact that the cassette rear lid 27 can be added without changing the rotation angle of the cassette front lid 17 does not require any design change other than the addition of the cassette rear lid 27.

In this embodiment, the example applied to the tape cassette for the video tape recorder is shown.
The present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to other recording / reproducing devices and tape cassettes of various information processing devices as in the embodiment.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cassette housing having the cam groove, the cassette front lid rotatably provided in the cassette housing and having the guide groove, the cassette front lid, and The cassette housing is provided with a cassette rear cover for rocking the rear surface of the tape, which has a first engaging member and a second engaging member that are swingably provided and faces the guide groove and the cam groove.
Since the first engaging element of the cassette lid is pressed against the groove wall of the guide groove by the spring, when the cassette front lid is rotated in the opening direction, the second engaging element moves from the starting end portion of the cam groove to the middle portion. Until the cassette rear lid rotates around the first engaging element in the guide groove in the direction away from the cassette front lid, and then the cassette rear lid moves until the first engaging element moves from the start end portion to the end portion of the guide groove. After the lid swings in the direction approaching the cassette front lid about the second engagement element in the cam groove, the cassette rear lid is guided by the guide groove until the second engagement element moves from the middle portion of the cam groove to the end portion. It swings in the direction of approaching the cassette front lid around the first engaging element inside.

Therefore, since the cassette rear lid can be added to the back side of the cassette front lid with the current opening angle, the tape protection performance can be enhanced and the dropout during recording / reproduction can be prevented. can do.

Also, the fact that the cassette rear lid can be added without changing the rotation angle of the cassette front lid does not require any design change other than the addition of the cassette rear lid, and is compatible with various recording / reproducing devices and the like. There is also an advantage that the sex can be maintained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of a tape cassette according to the present invention.

2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing the main part of the tape cassette according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an entire tape cassette according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view shown for explaining the opening operation (1) of the tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view shown for explaining a lid opening operation (2) of the tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view shown for explaining a lid opening operation (3) of the tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view for explaining the opening operation (4) of the tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view for explaining the opening operation (5) of the tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view shown for explaining a lid opening operation (6) of the tape cassette of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cassette housing 17 ... Cassette front lid 9, 10 ... Cam groove 11, 12 ... 1st cam groove 13, 14 ... 2nd cam groove 21, 22 ... Guide groove 21c, 22c ... Groove wall 27 ... Cassette rear lid 28 , 29 ... First engaging element 30, 31 ... Second engaging element 33, 34 ... Torsion spring T ... Tape

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cassette housing having a cam groove opened in the cassette width direction, and a guide groove rotatably provided in the cassette housing and extending in the same plane as the opening surface of the cam groove. A cassette front lid for protecting the tape front surface, and a tape rear surface protection having a first engaging member and a second engaging member that are swingably provided on the cassette front lid and the cassette housing and face the guide groove and the cam groove, respectively. And a cassette rear cover for the cassette, wherein the first engagement element of the cassette rear cover is pressed against the groove wall of the guide groove by a spring. 2. The cam groove according to claim 1, wherein the cam groove is formed by two large and small cam grooves each having a different groove width, and an engaging surface corresponding to a groove wall of each of the cam grooves is formed on the second engaging element. A tape cassette characterized by being formed.