JPH0644379B2 - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette, and more particularly, to fixing a reel when the cassette is taken out of a tape transporter and maintaining a desired tape tension which does not cause slack in the tape. Regarding means for doing.

[Prior Art] A tape cassette usually includes two reels, and a tape is wound between the reels so that the tape can freely run. The tape runs on one side of the cassette. The tape running side of the cassette is provided with a cover door that opens when the tape is exposed to the outside or when the cassette is inserted (loaded) in a tape transporter (for example, a magnetic tape recording, reproducing and rewinding device). Further, usually, a small opening for inserting a capstan, a recording / reproducing head, various guides, etc. from a tape transporter is provided on a side adjacent to and orthogonal to the tape running side of the cassette, for example, the lower surface of the cassette. Are provided and these inserts contact the inside of the tape. If the free running part of the tape is too loose, the tape will go inside the cassette and
The capstan and other inserted parts cannot pass behind the free tape running part, and the tape transporter cannot feed or record the tape. On the contrary, if the loosened portion of the tape is excessively protruded from the cassette when the tape is loaded, the tape is entangled with the internal mechanism of the transporting machine, which causes other troubles. Furthermore, if the reel becomes loose when it is transported and handled at a place other than the tape transporter, such as when transporting a cassette, the tape-wound portion becomes loose due to vibration or sudden shaking, and becomes loose in a conical shape.
This directly or as a result causes damage to the edge of the tape or failure of the guide mechanism of the tape transporter.

Traditionally, this problem has been sought by providing a spring-loaded friction brake or pawl-pinion arrangement within the cassette to fix the reel position when the cassette is removed from the tape transporter.

When the cassette is loaded, the pawls of the cassette are directly or indirectly engaged with corresponding portions of the tape transporter, whereby the pawls retract and release the reel. Such an arrangement is described in US Pat. No. 3,900,17.
No. 2, the cover door of the cassette is automatically opened by a mechanism in the tape transporter when the cassette is loaded, and then the cover door is configured to retract the pawl engaged with the pinion gear of the cassette reel. Has been done.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such a configuration, the tape running at the opening side of the cassette is restricted only by maintaining the tape tension or the tape loose state when the cassette is removed from the tape transporter. The parts may remain too loose and may not function properly the next time the cassette is inserted into the transport. Also, it does not act to positively tension the tape even when the tape is already under tension.

[Means for Solving the Problems] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to keep the tape in a tensioned state when the cassette is removed from the tape transporter.

This and other objects are achieved by a cassette having a spring-loaded mechanism that pushes the reels in the tape winding direction to tension the tape run between reels when the cassette is removed from the tape transporter. It

This tape cassette is a tape cassette having a housing containing at least one tape reel,
A carrier member in which an arm having a tooth portion and a claw member is attached by a pivot pin, a pinion tooth of a pinion gear attached on the same axis as the tape reel, and the arm is pivoted in a direction in which the tooth portion engages with the pinion tooth. A key pin having a sloping portion that is rotated around a pin and a spring that pushes the carrier member toward the center of the housing and is inserted into the housing when the tape cassette is loaded in the tape transporter. Element,
The arms are respectively driven so that the teeth are separated from the pinion teeth, and when the tape cassette is not loaded in the tape transporter, the arms engage the teeth with the pinion teeth to prevent rotation of the reel. Composed.

[Example] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a top surface 12, a bottom surface 13, a side surface 14,
Shown is a cassette 11 consisting of a generally rectangular housing having a back surface 15, a back surface 16 and an open front surface 17. The free tape running portion 18 is on the open front surface 17 side of the cassette via a guide 19. The tape is wound in a reverse direction on a pair of reels 21 and 22. In FIG. 2, each reel has a hole 24 in the center for loading a cassette into a tape transporter, and pinion teeth 23 of a pinion gear provided concentrically with the hole are formed on the lower side of each reel. is doing. This pinion gear is hatched in FIG.

Reel 2 if the cassette is not loaded in the carrier
Pins 1 and 22 are positioned in the cassette by pinion teeth 23 so that they can move a little. The pinion teeth extend downwards towards an opening 26 provided in the bottom surface 13 of the cassette.

The opening 26 has a diameter slightly larger than the hatched portion of the reel 21/22 in FIG. 2 and is opened in the cassette bottom surface 13. The convex rib 27 is formed integrally with the cassette bottom 13 in a convex and concentric manner with the circumferential portion of this opening facing the inside of the cassette, whereby the entire reel bottom surface becomes the cassette bottom 1.
3 does not come into contact with the reel 2 and only the protrusion of the convex rib 27
The reels are supported in contact with the first and the second reels. Therefore, the convex rib 27 has a small contact area with the reel and is effective in reducing friction loss when the reel rotates.

Each rib 27 is provided with an opening 28 into which a claw member 34 from a rack assembly including a carrier member 33 and a claw member 34 is inserted. The pawl member 34 is pivotally supported on the carrier member 33 by a pivot pin 36. The tooth portion 31 is actually formed on the claw member 34, and the claw member 34 is pressed by a spring 37 in a direction to engage with each pinion tooth 23 of the reel.

The carrier member 33 is mounted so as to slide along a central path between the two reels in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the two reel axes, and is further spring-loaded by a compression spring 38 so that the pawl member 34 is moved. It is configured to engage with the pinion teeth 23 and apply tension to each reel.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the tape cassette in which the key pins 43 and 44, the pinion teeth 23, the openings 26, and the convex ribs 27 of the tape cassette loaded on the tape transporter are cut as shown in particular.

FIG. 4 is an operation schematic diagram for understanding the operation relationship between the key pin 43 and the arm 41, and the key pin 44 and the carrier member 33.

Each claw member 34 has an opening 4 provided on the bottom surface 13 of the cassette.
It has an arm 41 reaching up to 2. A pair of keys 43 provided on the tape transporter are inserted into the opening 42. The key 43 has an inclined surface as shown in FIG. When the cassette is loaded in the tape transporter, the key 43 moves the arm 41 downward (downward in the drawing) by its inclined surface, and separates the tooth portion 31 from the pinion tooth 23 in the radial direction (see FIG. 4). reference). Note that the key 43 may be configured to move downward in the drawing, and thereby the arm 41 may be moved downward.

On the other hand, a pair of keys 44 provided on the tape transporter are inserted into the opening 46. This key 44 also has an inclined surface as shown in FIG. In addition to the operation of the key arm 41, the carrier member 33 moves upward (in the drawing and upward) by the key pin 44 inserted from the outside of the cassette. Note that the key 44 may also be configured to move upward in the drawing, and thereby the carrier member 33 may be moved upward.

When the cassette is loaded and the key pins 43 and 44 are inserted into the respective predetermined positions of the cassette and the carrier member 33 moves as described above, the pawl member 34 counteracts the load force of the spring 37 and rotates counterclockwise about the pivot pin 36. 4, the pin 44 pushes the carrier member 33 upward against the load force of the compression spring 38, thereby moving the pivot pin 36 upward, as shown in FIG. In this way, due to the synergistic effect of the key pins 43 and 44, the tooth portion 31 moves so as to be largely separated from the pinion tooth 23.

Further, strictly speaking, it is ideal that the arm 41 and the carrier 33 engaged with the key pins 43 and 44 move with a slight time lag. This time is actually keeper 4
Adjust by changing the inclination of 3, 44.

When the cassette is unloaded, the tooth structure 31 of the claw member 34 engages with the pinion teeth 23 due to a rack structure composed of the carrier member and the claw member by the reverse operation, and the reel 2
Block the rotation of 1, 22.

The carrier member 33 further has an opening 47 in the center, and the carrier member 33 slides in the space of the opening 47 with the pair of track bolts as a reference. Track bolt is holding plate 4
It also acts to hold 8. The holding plate 48 partially overlaps the carrier member 33 to guide the sliding movement of the carrier member 33, and also plays a role of holding one end of the compression spring 38.

[Advantages of the Invention] According to the present invention, the tape can freely run when the cassette is loaded into the tape transporter, and the tape can be held in a tension state when the cassette is removed from the tape transporter.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a tape cassette showing a free running portion of a tape between reels. FIG. 2 is a view of FIG. 1 when the top cover is removed.
It is a fragmentary sectional view showing a cross section along line 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the key pins 43 and 44, the pinion teeth 23, the openings 26, and the convex ribs 27 of the tape cassette provided on the tape transporter, which is cut away as shown in an exaggerated manner. FIG. 4 is an operation schematic diagram for understanding the operation relationship between the key pin 43 and the arm 41, and the key pin 44 and the carrier member 33. In the figure, 23 is a pinion tooth, 31 is a tooth portion, 33 is a carrier member, 34 is a claw member, 36 is a pivot pin, 37 is a spring, 38 is a compression spring, 41 is an arm, 42 is an opening, 4
Reference numerals 3 and 44 are key pins, and 46 is an opening.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tape cassette having a housing including at least one tape reel, a carrier member having an arm having a tooth portion and a claw member attached by a pivot pin, and a pinion gear attached on the same axis as the tape reel. A tape cassette including an upper pinion tooth, a spring for rotating the arm around a pivot pin in a direction in which the tooth portion engages with the pinion tooth, and a compression spring for pushing the carrier member toward the center of the housing, When the tape cassette is not loaded into the tape transporter, the two key pins inserted into the housing drive the carrier member and the arm so that the teeth are separated from the pinion teeth. , The arm engages the tooth part with the pinion tooth by the spring to prevent the reel from rotating. Tape cassette, characterized in that. "