JPH0917150A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To correctly attach a spring and improve the attaching efficiency of the spring, by forming an attaching part of a predetermined shape at the end part of the lock spring. CONSTITUTION: Oval attaching parts 57A, 57B are formed at both end parts of each lock spring 37A, 37B by a crushing work. In this case, minor axis of the oval is slightly smaller than the diameter of a base end part of a attaching part 56. The lock spring 37A, 37B is attached so that the outer circumferential part of the base end part of the spring-mounting part 56 is engaged with an inner circumferential part of either of the attaching parts 57A and 57B in the direction of the minor axis.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention accommodates a pair of tape reels, around which a tape-shaped recording medium is wound, rotatably inside a cartridge body, and a loading space formed on the front surface of the cartridge body. The present invention relates to a tape cartridge in which a slider that opens and closes to protect a tape-shaped recording medium is slidably provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A tape cartridge is generally constructed by combining upper and lower halves inside a cartridge body.
A pair of tape reels around which a magnetic tape is wound is rotatably housed. For example, in a tape cartridge for a digital audio tape recorder (DAT), a tape cartridge for recording data, a tape cartridge for a video tape recorder (VTR), etc., by loading the recording / reproducing apparatus, the recording / reproducing apparatus side The tape pull-out means performs the tape loading to pull out the magnetic tape to the recording / reproducing section.

In these tape cartridges, the front surface of the cartridge body is opened to form a loading space for the tape pull-out means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side to enter, and one half side is provided on both sides of this loading space. And a pair of tape guides are provided. The magnetic tape fed from the tape reel is extended along the loading space of the cartridge body by being hooked on these tape guides.

For example, the DAT tape cartridge is
It has a highly reliable structure that can withstand rough handling, is capable of recording and reproducing information signals for 2 hours or more, or has a tape path configured on the recording and reproducing device side as described above. The tape cartridge satisfies various specifications such as cost reduction, and has various structural characteristics.

That is, in this DAT tape cartridge, the cartridge main body is constructed by abutting and coupling an upper half and a lower half, which are formed in a horizontally long rectangular shallow dish shape, with each other. Further, in the tape cartridge, a member such as a lid, a reel lock member, or a slider is combined with the cartridge body to form a housing portion that rotatably accommodates a pair of tape reels.

The upper half has a rising peripheral wall formed integrally with the outer peripheral portion except the front portion. Further, the upper half is provided with a spring mounting portion protruding from the main surface portion, and the base end portion of the lock spring is assembled to the spring mounting portion.

A pair of tape guides are provided on the lower half on both sides of an opening formed on the front surface of the cartridge body. The magnetic tape is fed from one tape reel, hung between these tape guides, and wound on the other tape reel. Therefore,
The magnetic tape is folded back by the tape guide and extends to the open portion of the cartridge body, and is usually protected by a lid and a slider described later.

Further, the lower half is integrally provided on the main surface with a pair of substantially rectangular plate-shaped slider lock pieces which are parallel to each other. In these slider lock pieces, a base end portion is swingably supported on a main surface portion of a lower half, and an engaging convex portion is integrally formed at a tip end portion.

The tape reel has a so-called flangeless structure in which a magnetic tape is directly wound around the peripheral surface of a hub which is a core material. The hub is integrally formed with a boss portion projectingly formed on the upper surface in the axial direction, and a gear-shaped lock portion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the boss over the entire circumference. The tape reel is rotatably housed inside the cartridge body with the reel holes facing the reel shaft entrance openings provided in the lower half.

The lid is generally U-shaped, and its both side portions are rotatably supported by the both side portions of the upper half so as to open and close the opening formed in the front portion of the cartridge body. Are combined together. The lid normally closes the open portion of the cartridge body by the elastic force of the spring member provided at the fulcrum portion. When the tape cartridge is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus, the lid is released from the engagement state with the slider, and is rotated by the lid driving means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side to open the opening portion of the cartridge body.

The slider is formed in a rectangular plate shape whose main surface portion has a length in the front-rear direction slightly smaller than that of the main surface portion of the lower half, and guide walls are integrally formed on both sides of the main surface portion so as to stand upright. There is. This slider is movably combined in the front-rear direction with the lower half by engaging the engaging portions formed on the guide wall with the engaging portions formed on the rising peripheral walls on both sides of the lower half.

The slider is provided with a circular reel shaft advancing opening which is spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on the main surface portion thereof, and a shaft-shaped spring hooking portion is integrally formed on the front center portion of the slider. Has been done. The spring retaining portion faces the opening wall of the cartridge body and faces the guide wall on the lower half side when the slider is combined with the lower half.

A torsion spring, both ends of which are extended from the coil portion, is attached to the spring retaining portion. The torsion spring urges the slider forward with respect to the slider by contacting both ends with the guide wall.

Further, the slider is provided with a pair of substantially rectangular groove-shaped lock portions formed in parallel with each other and formed at the front edge of the main surface portion. A first lock hole and a second lock hole are provided at both ends of each of these lock portions.

In this slider, the engaging protrusions of the slider lock piece formed on the main surface of the lower half are engaged with the first lock hole of the lock portion by the elastic force of the torsion spring, respectively, so as to be engaged with each other. Held in position. At the first position of the slider, the main surface portion closes the reel half entrance opening of the lower half and the opening portion of the cartridge body.

Further, when the tape cartridge is loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus, the slider is moved to the second position on the back side against the elastic force of the torsion spring by the slider opening means. In this slider, the engaging protrusions of the slider lock pieces formed on the main surface of the lower half are relatively engaged with the second lock hole of the lock portion by the elastic force of the torsion spring and are held at the second position. To be done.

In the slider, in the second position, the opening for reel shaft entry corresponds to the opening for reel shaft entry of the lower half and opens it, and the opening portion of the cartridge body is also open. The slider is stably locked in the first position and the second position by the elastic force of the lock spring inserted between the slider and the upper half in a compressed state.

When the tape cartridge is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus, the slider is slid from the first position to the second position by the slider opening means and the lid is rotated by the lid driving means as described above. The cartridge body is dynamically operated to open the opening portion of the cartridge body. Further, in the tape cartridge, the locked state of the tape reel by the reel lock member is released as the lid rotates.

In this state of the tape cartridge, the tape loading means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side enters the open portion of the cartridge body, pulls out the magnetic tape from the cartridge body, and loads it onto the recording / reproducing portion. Thus, the open portion of the cartridge body is configured as a loading space into which the tape loading means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side enters.

[0020]

The conventional lock springs 79A and 79B are, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12,
Attachment bending portions 80A and 80B, which are folded back toward the inner peripheral side by bending, are integrally formed at both ends. The lock springs 79A and 79B are mounted on the spring mounting portion 77A by sandwiching the outer peripheral portion of the spring mounting portion 77A between the mounting bent portions 80A and 80B and the inner peripheral portion. That is,
The lock springs 79A and 79B are attached to the spring attaching portion 77A by the elastic force of the attaching bent portions 80A and 80B.

By the way, the lock springs 79A, 79
B has a problem that it is difficult to perform a bending process for forming the bending portions for attachment 80A and 80B at both ends thereof, which increases the manufacturing cost.

Further, the lock springs 79A, 79B
However, when the tape cartridge is handled in the manufacturing process, there is a problem that a plurality of end portions are entangled with each other and the assembling work becomes complicated.

Further, lock springs 79A, 79B
Has a step on the abutting end surface due to the formation of the mounting bent portions 80A and 80B.
The end abutted against is inclined. Therefore, the lock springs 79A and 79B attached to the spring attachment portion 77A have a problem that good verticality cannot be obtained with respect to the upper half 77.

That is, in the tape cartridge, the tip ends of the lock springs 79A and 79B may be displaced and pressed against the slider lock piece. For this reason, the lock springs 79A and 79B provided at the positions corresponding to the slider lock pieces may have their tip portions bent.

Therefore, in the tape cartridge, the verticality of the lock springs 79A and 79B is deviated, so that the elastic force of the lock springs 79A and 79B for pressing the slider lock piece cannot be sufficiently obtained.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge in which the lock spring can be accurately attached to the spring attachment portion and the assembling efficiency of the assembling process of the lock spring can be improved. And

[0027]

A tape cartridge according to the present invention which achieves this object has a structure in which upper and lower halves are combined to rotatably accommodate a pair of tape reels inside and the front face portion is opened to the recording / reproducing device side. And a cartridge main body having a loading space portion into which the tape loading means enters, and a tape guide provided on one half located on both sides of the loading space portion of the cartridge main body and extended from one tape reel. The tape-shaped recording medium that extends along the loading space and is wound around the other tape reel, and the loading space that is slidably supported on the bottom surface of the cartridge body so as to open and close the loading space. When the tape-shaped recording medium is protected when the A slider that is slid by the slider opening means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side to open the loading space, and a slider lock that has one end elastically displaceable on the bottom surface of the lower half to lock the sliding position of the slid slider. Slider slide position for opening and closing the loading space in the slider lock piece, with the base end portion attached to the spring attachment portion inside the upper half and the slider lock piece with the tip end abutting against the slider lock piece. And a coil-shaped lock spring that applies a biasing force to lock the. The lock spring has at least one end formed with an elliptical mounting portion having a short diameter dimension smaller than the diameter dimension of the base end portion of the spring mounting portion.

[0028]

According to the tape cartridge of the present invention configured as described above, the diameter of the base end portion of the spring mounting portion is made smaller by crushing at least one end portion of the lock spring. An elliptical attachment having a minor dimension is relatively easy to form. And
The lock spring is attached by engaging the spring attachment portion with the inner peripheral portion of the elliptical attachment portion in the minor axis direction.

[0029]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A DAT tape cartridge 1 shown as an embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 10 has a cartridge body 2 formed by abutting and coupling an upper half 3 and a lower half 8 formed in a horizontally long rectangular shallow dish shape. ing. Further, the tape cartridge 1 is configured by combining the cartridge main body 2 with members such as the lid 40, the reel lock member 25, and the slider 29, and is configured as a housing portion that rotatably accommodates the pair of tape reels 15A and 15B.

The upper half 3 has a rising peripheral wall 4 integrally formed on the outer peripheral portion other than the front portion 5 and a window 6 provided on the main surface. A transparent plate is fitted in the window 6 so that the states of the tape reels 15A and 15B housed inside the cartridge body 2 can be identified from the outside. The upper half 3 is located on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the open front part 5 and has a detection mechanism mounting part 7
A and 7B are integrally formed. A tape start end detection mechanism 36A and a tape end detection mechanism 36B are attached to these detection mechanism attachment portions 7A and 7B.

Further, on the upper half 3, a spring attachment portion 56 is provided at a position adjacent to the detection mechanism attachment portions 7A and 7B.
Are formed integrally with each other. The spring mounting portion 56 is formed in a substantially columnar shape, and coil-shaped lock springs 37A and 37B are mounted at the base end portion.

The lock spring 3 which is the main part of this embodiment
7A and 37B, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, elliptical mounting portions 57A and 57B having a predetermined short diameter dimension are formed by crushing both ends.
The shorter diameters of the lock springs 37A and 37B are slightly smaller than the diameter of the base end portion of the spring mounting portion 56. And the lock springs 37A and 37B are
The outer peripheral portion of the base end portion of the spring mounting portion 56 is engaged and attached to the inner peripheral portion of one of the mounting portions 57A and 57B in the minor axis direction.

The lower half 8 has a rising peripheral wall 10 integrally formed on the outer peripheral portion other than the front portion of the rectangular main surface portion 9 and is separated from the main surface portion 9 in the longitudinal direction by a reel shaft entrance 13A. , 13B are provided. A substantially convex notch 12 is formed in the front portion of the lower half 8.

The notch 12 and the open front part 5 of the upper half 3 constitute a loading space S into which the tape loading means of the recording / reproducing apparatus enters.
In the lower half 8, a guide wall 11 having a substantially V-shape is formed on the main surface portion 9 so as to face the cutout portion 12 and rise up.

The lower half 8 is provided with a shaft-shaped spring retaining portion 54 at a position adjacent to the central portion of the cutout portion 12.
Is protruding. The spring retaining portion 54 has
A torsion spring 53 is attached to the reel lock member 25 so as to provide a movement habit in a direction in which the tape reels 15A and 15B are locked.

Further, the lower half 8 has tape guides 14A and 14B on both sides forming the cutout portion 12, respectively.
Are integrally formed. These tape guides 14A,
14B is a cylindrical body having smooth outer peripheral surfaces 14a and 14b, respectively, and is formed integrally on both sides of the front portion of the lower half 8 so as to stand up. In the tape guides 14A and 14B, in a state in which the upper half 3 and the lower half 8 are combined, the fitting convex portion (not shown) provided upright on the upper half 3 side is fitted into the center hole, so that the axial accuracy is improved. Retained.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower half 8 is provided with a positioning hole 20 along which the positioning means is fitted when the tape cartridge 1 is loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus along the rear edge of the bottom surface. And a plurality of identification holes 21 for identifying the specifications of the tape cartridge 1 such as the type and thickness of the magnetic tape 17 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lower half 8 is integrally provided with a pair of slider lock pieces 55A and 55B, which are parallel to each other, on the main surface portion 9 in a substantially rectangular plate shape. These slider lock pieces 55A and 55B have their base end portions swingably supported on the main surface portion 9 of the lower half 8, and engaging projection portions 55C and 55D are integrally formed at the tip end portions so as to integrally project. .

Although not described in detail, the upper half 3 and the lower half 8 configured as described above are integrally formed with a plurality of shaft holes and bosses facing each other on the main surface portion.
The upper half 3 and the lower half 8 are integrally assembled by abutting the shaft hole and the boss with each other and screwing a set screw to form the cartridge body 2. Inside the cartridge body 2, there is a tape reel 1 inside.
5A and 15B are rotatably accommodated and a loading space S is formed in the front part.

The tape reels 15A and 15B have a so-called flangeless structure in which the whole is formed in a tubular shape, and the magnetic tape 17 is directly wound around the peripheral surface of the hub as a core material. Although not described in detail, the tape reels 15A and 15B are integrally formed with a boss portion projectingly formed in the axial direction on the upper surface portion thereof, and have a gear shape on the outer peripheral surface of the boss portion over the entire circumference. A lock part is provided. Further, the tape reels 15A and 15B have reel shaft holes 16A and 16B in which a plurality of engaging ribs are formed on the inner peripheral portion and the reel drive shafts of the recording / reproducing apparatus side engage with each other.

The tape reels 15A and 15B have reel shaft holes 16A and 16B, respectively, which are openings 13 for reel shaft entry.
The cartridge is faced to A and 13B and is rotatably housed in the cartridge body 2. The tape cartridge 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
5A is pulled out along the rising peripheral wall and is engaged with one tape guide 14A so as to face the loading space S in parallel with the front surface portion and guided, and is also engaged with the other tape guide 14B and the other along the rising peripheral wall. The tape running path leading to the tape reel 15B is formed inside the cartridge body 2.

As shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic tape 17 has transparent leader tapes 18 bonded to both ends thereof via sensing tapes 19, and the tip ends of the leader tapes 18 are formed on the outer peripheral portion. It is fixed to the tape reels 15A and 15B by being inserted into the mating portion. The leader tape 18 is detected by a tape start edge detection mechanism 36A and a tape end edge detection mechanism 36B as described later.

The magnetic tape 17 has a loading space S.
, A drawer portion 17A that is pulled out by the tape loading means when the tape cartridge 1 is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus is slidably moved to the lid 40 rotatably supported by the upper half 3 and the lower half 8. Protected by a freely supported slider 29.

The lid 40 is located on both sides of a main surface portion 41 having an outer shape sufficient to close the loading space S formed on the front surfaces of the upper half 3 and the lower half 8 and the inner surface 50 of the main surface portion 41. And a pair of side surface portions 42 and 43 formed integrally with each other so as to project in an arm shape, and is formed in a generally U-shape. Shaft-shaped fulcrum portions 44 and 45 are integrally formed on the opposite side surfaces 42 and 43 so as to have their axes aligned with each other on the inner surfaces facing each other. Therefore, as will be described later, the lid 40 is pivoted to the front portion of the cartridge body 2 by fitting the fulcrum portions 44 and 45 into the shaft holes formed in the inner surface of the rising peripheral wall 4 of the upper half 3 respectively. Freely supported.

In the lid 40, the torsion spring 23 attached to the fulcrum portion 44 on the one side surface portion 42 side applies a clockwise elastic force in FIG. 3 to the loading space portion S of the cartridge main body 2.
Is urged in the direction to close the. The lid 40 is shown in FIG.
Also, as shown in FIG. 2, in the state where the loading space S is closed, the main surface portion 41 is located in front of the drawer portion 17A of the magnetic tape 17 to protect the drawer portion 17A.

Engagement recesses 46 and 47 are provided on the outer side surface portions of the tip portions of the side surfaces 42 and 43 of the lid 40, respectively. In the state where the lid 40 is rotatably combined with the upper half 3 in these engaging recesses 46 and 47,
Engagement pieces 27A and 27B of a reel lock member 25 described later
The tips of the are extended in close proximity.

Further, the main surface portion 41 of the lid 40 is formed with notches 48 and 49 at its lower end edge, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. These notches 48 and 49 are respectively positioned corresponding to lock portions 30A and 30B formed by opening at the front edge of the main surface portion 30 of the slider 29, which will be described later. Then, when the tape cartridge 1 is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus, the slider opening means is provided with these cutout portions 48, 49.
And enters the lock portions 30A and 30B of the slider 29.

Further, in the lid 40, a horizontally long rectangular tape sticking prevention concave portion 51 is provided on the inner surface 50 side of the main surface portion 41 over the entire area corresponding to the loading space S. Both ends of the tape sticking prevention concave portion 51 are located on both sides of the cutout portion 12 forming the loading space S and are provided on the lower half 8 of the tape guides 14A, 1A.
4B, the inner surface 50 of the main surface portion 41 is provided with a recess. The tape sticking prevention concave portion 51 faces the drawer portion 17A of the magnetic tape 17 which is engaged with the tape guides 14A and 14B and faces the loading space S when the lid 40 closes the loading space S. There is.

As described above, the lid 40 has the main surface portion 4
By providing the tape sticking prevention concave portion 51 on the inner surface 50 of No. 1, the gap between the inner surface 50 and the pull-out portion 17A of the magnetic tape 17 is increased. Therefore, the lid 40 has a small contact area between the inner surface 50 and the magnetic tape 17 when the magnetic tape 17 is slackened in the loading space S due to vibration during transportation as described later. , Inside 50
It is possible to prevent the magnetic tape 17 from being stuck in a tightly attached state.

The reel lock member 25 has a standing piece bent downward at both ends of a plate-like base portion 26 having a length slightly smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the upper half 3 and is generally downwardly oriented. It is formed in a U shape and is combined with the inner surface of the upper half 3 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.

The reel lock member 25 is provided with a spring retaining portion 52 at the center of the plate-like base portion 26. One end of a torsion spring 53 assembled to the spring retaining portion 54 of the lower half 8 is attached to the spring retaining portion 52.

The reel lock member 25 has a pair of lock pieces 28A, 2A spaced apart in the width direction at the rear side edge portion.
8B is integrally formed. These lock pieces 28A,
28B, the tape reels 15A and 15B are driven by the elastic force of the torsion spring 53 when the lid 40 closes the loading space S, as shown in FIG.
And the tape reels 15A and 15B are locked by being engaged with the respective lock portions.

Further, on the reel lock member 25, engaging pieces 27A, 27B projecting forward from the side edge of the rising piece.
Are integrally formed. These engagement pieces 27A, 27B
Has an engaging portion formed at the tip thereof, and in the state where the reel lock member 25 is combined with the upper half 3, the engaging concave portion 46 formed in the side surface portions 42 and 43 of the lid 40 as described above, It is extended close to 47.

Therefore, when the tape cartridge 1 is loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus and the lid 40 is rotated by the lid drive means, the reel lock member 25 is operated as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
7B are engaged with each other and moved forward along the inner surface of the upper half 3. The reel lock member 25 releases the locked state of the tape reels 15A and 15B by the lock pieces 28A and 28B by this moving operation.

As shown in FIG. 5, the slider 29 is a rectangular plate whose main surface portion 30 has a length in the front-rear direction slightly smaller than that of the main surface portion 9 of the lower half 8. Guide walls 31A and 31B are integrally formed on both sides so as to rise. Details of the slider 29 are omitted,
The engaging portions formed on the upper edges of the guide walls 31A and 31B are
The lower half 8 is movably combined in the front-rear direction by engaging the engaging portions formed on the rising peripheral walls 10 on both sides of the lower half 8 with each other.

The slider 29 has a main surface portion 30.
A circular reel shaft entry opening 32 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction
A and 32B are provided, and a shaft-shaped spring retaining portion 33 is integrally provided at the center of the front side so as to project. The spring retaining portion 33 faces the loading space S and faces the guide wall 11 on the lower half 8 side when the slider 29 is combined with the lower half 8.

A torsion spring 34, both ends of which are extended from the coil portion, is attached to the spring retaining portion 33. The torsion spring 34 urges the slider 29 toward the front side by bringing the both ends into contact with the guide wall 11.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the slider 29 is provided with a pair of substantially rectangular groove-shaped lock portions 30A and 30B formed in parallel with each other and formed at the front edge of the main surface portion. Has been. These lock parts 30A, 30
B has first lock holes 38A and 38B and second lock holes 38C and 38D at both ends, respectively.

The slider 29 has lock portions 30A, 3
0B first lock holes 38A, 38B, the engaging protrusion 5 of the slider lock pieces 55A, 55B formed on the main surface portion 9 of the lower half 8 by the elastic force of the torsion spring 34.
5C and 55D are engaged with each other and held in the first position shown in FIG. At the first position of the slider 29, the main surface portion 30 closes the reel shaft entrance openings 13A and 13B of the lower half 8 and the loading space portion S.

The slider 29 is mounted on the recording / reproducing apparatus when the tape cartridge 1 is loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus.
As shown in, the slider opening means moves the slider spring to the second position on the back side against the elastic force of the torsion spring. The slider 29 has a lock portion 30.
The engaging protrusions 55C and 55D of the slider lock pieces 55A and 55B formed on the main surface portion 9 of the lower half 8 by the elastic force of the torsion spring 34 are engaged with the second lock holes 38C and 38D of A and 30B, respectively. Together, they are held in the second position shown in FIG.

At the second position of the slider 29, the reel shaft entrance openings 32A, 32B are positioned corresponding to the reel shaft entrance openings 13A, 13B of the lower half 8 so as to be in the open state, and the loading space portion is provided. S is also opened. The slider 29 is stably locked in the first position and the second position by the elastic force of the lock springs 36A and 36B inserted between the slider 29 and the upper half 3 in a compressed state.

Tape reel holding sheets 35A and 35B are respectively inserted in the upper half 3 and the lower half 8. These tape reel holding sheets 35A and 35B are formed of a synthetic resin material having lubricity and elasticity,
The tape reels 15A and 15B are smoothly rotated inside the cartridge main body 2, and the magnetic tape 17 is pressed and held in the vertical direction so that the magnetic tape 17 is wound around the tape reels 15A and 15B in an appropriate state.

Although not described in detail, the tape leading end detecting mechanism 36A and the tape end detecting mechanism 36B are constituted by prisms mounted on a mounting substrate. These tape start end detection mechanism 36A and tape end detection mechanism 36B
When the tape cartridge 1 is loaded in the recording / reproducing apparatus, the position corresponding to the optical detection section including the light emitting element and the light receiving element located on the front side of the cartridge body 2 is provided.

The tape leading edge detecting mechanism 36A and the tape trailing edge detecting mechanism 36B guide the detection light emitted from the light emitting element of the optical detecting portion from the inside of the cartridge body 2 to the surface of the magnetic tape 17 by the prism. The tape start edge detection mechanism 36A and the tape end edge detection mechanism 36B are used for the magnetic tape 1.
When 7 is driven to the start end or the end and the transparent leader tape 18 is in the corresponding position, the detection light emitted from the light emitting element passes through the leader tape 18 and is received by the light receiving element side, thereby detecting the tape leading edge. Alternatively, the end of the tape is detected.

When the tape cartridge 1 of the embodiment constructed as described above is loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus, the slider 29 is moved from the first position to the second position by the slider opening means as shown in FIGS. The lid 40 is rotated by the lid driving means and the loading space S of the cartridge body 2 is opened. The tape cartridge 1 includes a tape reel 1 that is driven by a reel lock member 25 as the lid 40 rotates.
The locked state of 5A and 15B is released.

The tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the reel shaft holes 16A and 16B of the tape reels 15A and 15B.
Reel shaft entry opening 1 of the lower half 8 positioned corresponding to each other
3A, 13B and reel shaft entry opening 32 of slider 29
The reel drive shafts on the recording / reproducing apparatus side entering from A and 32B are relatively engaged.

In the tape cartridge 1, the tape loading means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side enters into the loading space S, and the pull-out portion 17A of the magnetic tape 17 extending into the loading space S is pulled out to guide each tape guide. It is loaded onto the recording / playback unit while being multiplied by.

In the tape cartridge 1, the tape driving operation such as the reproducing operation or the recording operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus is performed, whereby the tape reel 15 is moved through the reel driving shaft.
A and 15B are rotationally driven. The magnetic tape 17 is, for example, unwound from one tape reel 15A and run along a predetermined tape running path to reproduce or record an information signal, and then is wound around the other tape reel 15B.

In the tape cartridge 1, when the reproducing operation or the recording operation is completed, the tape loading means recovers and the magnetic tape 17 that has been pulled out is unloaded. The tape cartridge 1 is ejected from the recording / reproducing apparatus when an eject operation is performed. The tape cartridge 1 is, as shown in FIG.
The lid 40 rotates and returns to the state of closing the loading space S by the elastic force of the torsion spring 23, and the reel lock member 25 locks the tape reels 15A and 15B.

Further, in this tape cartridge 1, the slider 29 is returned from the second position to the first position by the elastic force of the torsion spring 53, and as shown in FIG. 8, the reel shaft entrance openings 13A and 13B are closed, and the loading space S is closed.

As described above, according to the tape cartridge 1 of the embodiment, the elliptic mounting portions 57A and 57B having the short diameter dimension smaller than the diameter dimension of the base end portion of the spring mounting portion 56 are formed. Lock spring 37A,
By providing 37B, the lock spring 3
In the process of assembling 7A and 37B to the spring mounting portion 56, the end portions of the lock springs 37A and 37B are prevented from being entangled with other lock springs.

Further, according to the tape cartridge 1, the lock springs 37A, 3B are crushed by crushing both ends as compared with the conventional lock springs 79A, 79B having the mounting bent portions 80A, 80B.
Since it is relatively easy to form the mounting portions 57A and 57B on the 7B, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Further, according to this tape cartridge 1, since there is no step on the end surfaces of the lock springs 37A and 37B, the lock spring 3 is attached to the spring mounting portion 56.
7A and 37B can be accurately attached with good verticality, the defective rate in the process of assembling the lock springs 37A and 37B is reduced, and the assembling efficiency is improved.

Furthermore, this tape cartridge 1
Is attached to the spring attachment portion 56 with good verticality, so that the slider lock pieces 55A and 55B are attached.
The elastic force of the lock springs 37A and 37B is reliably applied to the. Therefore, this tape cartridge 1
It is possible to reliably lock the slide position of the slider 29 that has been slid. That is, the slider 29
It is possible to reliably open and close the loading space S.

[0075]

According to the tape cartridge of the present invention, at least one end of the lock spring for applying a biasing force to the slider lock piece that locks the slide position of the slider is smaller than the diameter of the spring mounting portion. By forming the elliptical mounting portion having the specified short diameter dimension, it becomes unnecessary to form a mounting bent portion at the end portion of the lock spring, and the end portions of the lock springs are prevented from being entangled with each other. It

Further, in this tape cartridge, since the mounting bent portion is not formed at the end portion of the lock spring, it is possible to mount the lock spring accurately on the spring mounting portion with good verticality. The defective rate in the assembling process is reduced, and the assembling efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a tape cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the bottom side showing the tape cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a lid is opened in the tape cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the bottom side showing a state in which the lid is opened in the tape cartridge.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the tape cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a plan view from the bottom side showing the lower half of the tape cartridge.

FIG. 7 is a plan view from the bottom side showing a slider that constitutes the same tape cartridge.

FIG. 8 is a partially transparent side view shown for explaining a lock spring attached to a spring attachment portion included in the tape cartridge.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an essential part for explaining a lock spring attached to a spring attachment portion included in the tape cartridge.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lock spring attached to a spring attachment portion included in the tape cartridge.

FIG. 11 is a partially transparent side view shown for explaining a lock spring attached to a spring attachment portion included in a conventional tape cartridge.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of relevant parts for explaining a lock spring attached to a spring attachment portion of a conventional tape cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 tape cartridge 2 cartridge body 3 upper half 8 lower half 14 tape guide 15 tape reel 17 magnetic tape (tape recording medium) 29 slider 37A, 37B lock spring 55A, 55B slider lock piece 56 spring mounting portion 57A, 57B mounting portion S Loading space

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cartridge body in which a pair of upper and lower halves are combined to rotatably accommodate a pair of tape reels therein, and a loading space portion into which a tape loading means of a recording / reproducing apparatus enters is formed by opening a front surface portion. And one of the tape reels is extended from one tape reel and is extended along the loading space by being interlocked between the tape guides provided on one half located on both sides of the loading space of the cartridge body, and the other The tape-shaped recording medium that is wound around the tape reel and the tape-shaped recording medium that is slidably supported on the bottom surface of the cartridge body so as to open and close the loading space and protects the tape-shaped recording medium when the loading space is closed. It is slid by the slider opening means on the recording / reproducing apparatus side. A slider that opens the loading space, a slider lock piece that has one end elastically displaceable on the bottom surface of the lower half and locks the slide position of the slider that has been slid, and a spring installed inside the upper half. A coil-like lock that is provided with a base end portion attached to the slider and the tip end abuts on the slider lock piece, and that applies a biasing force to the slider lock piece that locks the slider slide position that opens and closes the loading space. The lock spring has an elliptical mounting portion having a minor dimension smaller than the diameter dimension of the base end portion of the spring mounting portion, and is attached to the spring mounting portion at least on one end. A tape cartridge, wherein an inner peripheral portion of the portion in the minor axis direction is engaged.