JPH06295554A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the rigidity of a main body case and to prevent warpage and deformation by ultrasonic welding. CONSTITUTION:The three peripheral side walls of upper and lower cases 1a and 1b constituting the main body case 1, that is, the back side walls 10a and 10b and the right and left side walls 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b are respectively ultrasonic-welded. However the front end areas 11a', 11b', 12a' and 12b' of the right and left side walls and the end faces of the right and left front side walls 9a and 9b of the upper and the lower cases 1a and 1b are not ultrasonic- welded. Then, the upper and the lower cases 1a and 1b are screwed by tapping screws 13 at corner parts on front right and left sides and center parts on front right and left sides. By screwing them, the change of the thrust clearance of a tape guide roller 4 is decreased and the positional deviation of a tape guide block 7 is prevented.

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 tape guide roller and a tape guide block in a front portion of a main body case, and is characterized by a butt joint means of upper and lower cases constituting the main body case. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The prior art will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-117786,
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the reels 2 around which the tapes 3 are wound are arranged on the left and right sides of the main body case 1 formed by abutting the plastic upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and the front and right corners inside the main body case 1 are arranged. A tape guide roller 4 for guiding the tape 3 is rotatably arranged around a vertical axis 5,
In some cases, a tape guide block 7 separate from the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b is arranged between the front tape guide rollers 4 and 4 in the main body case 1. If the tape guide block 7 is formed of a different material that is separate from the upper and lower cases 1a and 1 in this way, the abrasion resistance and vertical forming accuracy of the tape guide block 7 itself can be improved. It is suitable for running the tape at high speed.

In order to assemble the main body case 1 there, the reel 2, the tape guide roller 4, and the tape guide block 7 on which the tape 3 is wound are arranged at required locations inside the lower case 1b, and then the upper case 1a is lowered. Case 1
Butt against b and are integrally connected. Generally, the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b are screw-fastened at four corners of the lower case 1b and a total of six positions in the front and rear of the left and right center. FIG. 3 shows the fastening points of each screw, and each boss 14 on the lower case 1b side.
Fit the coupling protrusion 15 on the upper case 1a side into the hole 14a of
A tapping type screw 13 is inserted into the hole 14a from below the lower case 1b and is screwed into a prepared hole of the coupling projection 15.

In addition, the abutting end surfaces of the left and right front side walls 9a and 9b of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and the rear side wall 1
0a and 10b butted end faces, left side wall 11a and
11b butted end faces, and right side wall 12a.
There is a method in which the abutting end faces of 12b are entirely ultrasonically welded to each other. According to this ultrasonic welding method,
Compared with the screw fastening method, it is advantageous in increasing the rigidity of the main body case 1 and preventing warp deformation.

[0005]

The problem is in the case where the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b of the main body case 1 which houses the tape guide roller 4 and the separate tape guide block 7 are joined by ultrasonic welding. In ultrasonic welding, the inner size between the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b is likely to change depending on the degree of fusion at the welding location. Therefore, in the tape cartridge in which the clearance in the thrust direction of the tape guide roller 4 shown in FIG. 3 (hereinafter referred to as the thrust clearance) is determined by the inner dimensions of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, the thrust clearance changes due to ultrasonic welding. It's easy to do. In particular, in a tape cartridge for a computer, it is necessary to severely suppress the vertical movement of the tape guide roller 4 and thus the vertical movement of the tape 3, and it is impossible to give a sufficient margin to the thrust clearance. As a result, the thrust clearance may be insufficient to ensure the smooth rotation of the tape guide roller 4.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the tape guide block 7 includes a rear boss 14 provided at the center of the front inner surface of the lower case 1b and front projections 16 provided on the left and right sides thereof.
16 is dropped from above for positioning and mounting, but a slight clearance is required between the boss 14 and the projection 16 and the tape guide block 7 in order to facilitate drop mounting. On the other hand, ultrasonic welding mechanically vibrates the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b to generate heat. Therefore, when the ultrasonic welding is performed in the vicinity of the tape guide block 7, the upper and lower cases 1 at the time of the welding.
The tape guide block 7 is likely to be displaced by the amount of the clearance due to the vibrations of a and 1b, and the tape guide block 7 may be pinched and fixed between the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b while being displaced. Even if the molding precision is increased, there is a problem that the tape running is hindered.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge having the tape guide roller 4 and the tape guide block 7 as described above, by using ultrasonic welding and screw fastening together when the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b are butt-joined. The advantage of ultrasonic welding, that is, the rigidity of the main body case 1 and the prevention of warp deformation are ensured, the change in the thrust clearance of the tape guide roller 4 is reduced, and the displacement of the tape guide block 7 is prevented. To stabilize the high-speed running of the tape.

[0008]

That is, according to the present invention, as shown in the drawing, when butt-joining the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, the thrust clearance of the tape guide roller 4 and the positioning accuracy of the tape guide block 7 are likely to be adversely affected. Then, avoid ultrasonic welding and ultrasonically weld other parts. The joining of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b at a place where ultrasonic welding is not performed is to be secured by screwing.

Specifically, the abutting end faces of the rear side walls 10a and 10b of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and the left side wall 11 are joined together.
of the abutting end surfaces of a and 11b except for the front end regions 11a 'and 11b' corresponding to the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4, and the front end of the abutting end surfaces of the right side walls 12a and 12b corresponding to the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4. The portions other than the regions 12a 'and 12b' are ultrasonically welded to each other. The upper and lower cases 1a and 1b are characterized in that they are fastened with screws 13 at least at the front left and right corner portions and the front center portion.

[0010]

Since the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b are ultrasonically welded to the rear side wall and the left and right side walls on three sides, the rigidity and warp deformation prevention effect of the main body case 1 due to ultrasonic welding can be obtained. On the other hand, ultrasonic welding is avoided in the front left and right corner portions of the three-sided peripheral side walls of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, specifically, the front end regions of the left and right side walls and the left and right front side walls 9a and 9b. The change in the thrust clearance of the roller 4 can be suppressed, and the positional deviation of the tape guide block 7 can be prevented.

However, since the portions of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b where ultrasonic welding is avoided are joined by the fastening action of the screw 13, the screw 13 can firmly join the non-welded portion, and the tape guide roller The thrust clearance of No. 4 can be kept constant, and the tape guide block 7 can be reliably held without displacement.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a tape cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The basic configuration of this is substantially the same as the above-mentioned conventional example, and here, the points different from the conventional example will be mainly described. First, similarly to the conventional assembling procedure, the reel 2, the tape 3, the tape guide roller 4 and the tape guide block 7 are respectively arranged at required locations inside the lower case 1b, and then the upper case 1a is butted against the lower case 1b. .

After that, the abutting end faces of the rear side walls 10a and 10b of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and the left side wall 11 are joined together.
a and 11b butt end faces, and right side wall 12
Ultrasonic welding the abutting end faces of a and 12b together.
At this time, the front end regions 11a 'and 11b' of the left side walls 11a and 11b corresponding to the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4 and the front end regions 12a 'and 12b' of the right side walls 12a and 12b.
Avoid ultrasonic welding. In the figure, the stippled portion is the ultrasonic welding portion. Here, the front end region 11 not ultrasonically welded
It is preferable that the length X of each of a ', 11b', 12a ', and 12b' is set to about twice the diameter of the tape guide roller 4 so as to be sufficiently separated from the tape guide roller 4. Also, the left and right front side walls 9a and 9b of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b corresponding to the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4 and the tape guide block 7, respectively.
Also do not ultrasonically weld.

As described above, since ultrasonic welding is not performed in the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4 and the tape guide block 7 but at a position away from them, the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b in the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4 are welded. The inner dimensions rarely change. Therefore, the tape guide roller 4
It is possible to prevent the thrust clearance from changing. Also, the tape guide block 7 will not be affected by vibration due to ultrasonic welding and will not be displaced.

At the corners where the left and right side walls 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b of the upper and lower cases 1a, 1b intersect the front side walls 9a, 9b and the front center part, bosses 14 are provided on the lower case 1b side as shown in FIG. Each of them is provided with a coupling protrusion 15 on the upper case 1a side corresponding to each boss 14.
And each coupling protrusion 1
5, the screw 13 is inserted into each boss 14 from below, and is screwed into the prepared hole of each coupling projection 15, and this tightening force causes the left front end regions 11a 'and 11b' to come together and the right front end region 12a. ′ · 12b ′ and the left and right front side walls 9a and 9b are butt-joined to each other.

The fastening by the screw 13 does not cause the inner dimensions of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b to change as in the case of ultrasonic welding, and thus the thrust clearance of the tape guide roller 4 becomes excessive. In addition, the tape guide block 7 can be clamped and fixed at a predetermined position between the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b without being displaced. Alternatively, the screw 13 may be fastened to the coupling protrusions 15 fitted into the holes 14a in the left and right corner portions and the central portion on the rear side which are ultrasonically welded. The shaft 5 of the tape guide roller 4 may be integrally formed by projecting upward from the lower case 1b.

[0017]

According to the present invention, the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b are provided.
In the butt-joining of the peripheral side walls of the main body case 1, the portions other than the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4 and the tape guide block 7 are ultrasonically welded, and the portions not ultrasonically welded are fastened by the screws 13. It is possible to prevent changes in the thrust clearance of the tape guide roller 4 and displacement of the tape guide block 7 due to ultrasonic welding while ensuring rigidity and preventing warp deformation.
The tape can be stably run at high speed, and is particularly suitable for a tape cartridge for a computer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which upper and lower cases are separated.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inside.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a tape guide roller portion.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Upper case 1b Lower case 4 Tape guide roller 5 Shaft 7 Tape guide block 9a ・ 9b Front side wall 10a ・ 10b Rear side wall 11a ・ 11b Left side wall 12a ・ 12b Right side wall 13 Screw

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Left and right tape guide rollers 4, 4 are respectively rotatably arranged around a shaft 5 in front of the upper and lower plastic cases 1a, 1b which are butted against each other, and the left and right tape guides are provided. In a tape cartridge in which a tape guide block 7 separate from the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b is arranged between the rollers 4 and 4, the abutting end faces of the rear side walls 10a and 10b of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b, and the left side walls 11a and 11b. Of the butt end surfaces of the right side walls 12a and 12b except the front end regions 11a 'and 11b' corresponding to the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4, and the front end region 12a 'of the butt end surfaces of the right side walls 12a and 12b corresponding to the vicinity of the tape guide roller 4.・ The parts except 12b 'are ultrasonically welded to each other. · 1b is a tape cartridge, characterized in that it is fastened by screws 13 in a corner part of at least the front left and right and front central portion.