JPH11213613A - Magnetic tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent entry of dust into a cartridge and assure easier assembling of cartridge case in a magnetic tape cartridge wherein single reef winding the magnetic tape is accommodated to rotate within a cartridge case consisting of upper shell and a lower shell. SOLUTION: In this cartridge, a cartridge case 1 is provided with a slide door 3 to open or close a tape leading aperture 2 to lead one end of the magnetic tape and a spring member for energizing this slide door 3 to the closing position and holding the door 3 to the closed position is formed with an elastic body 3 integrated with the slide door 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic tape cartridge in which a single reel on which a magnetic tape is wound is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case, and more particularly to a tape for pulling out one end of the magnetic tape. The present invention relates to a magnetic tape cartridge having a slide door for opening and closing a drawer opening. These magnetic tape cartridges are mainly used as a backup for computer memory, and have a storage capacity of about 10 GB to 100 GB.
B and even more are being studied for practical use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a magnetic tape cartridge used as a recording medium used in an external storage device such as a computer has a single reel on which a magnetic tape is wound, which is substantially composed of an upper shell and a lower shell. Some are rotatably housed in a flat cartridge case having a square planar shape. This magnetic tape cartridge is used for storing data in a computer or the like.

[0003] There are two types of conventional magnetic tape cartridges, for example, one of which is a type in which the magnetic tape is completely wound on a reel when not in use.
Leader tape attached to the end of a magnetic tape (means for a recording / reproducing apparatus using a magnetic tape cartridge to introduce a magnetic tape into a predetermined tape running path in the apparatus)
Of the cartridge case is locked by a leader block accommodated so as to cover a tape pull-out opening formed at one corner of the cartridge case.

In another type, a lid which can be opened and closed in a cartridge plane direction is spring-biased toward a closed position in a tape drawing opening formed in one side wall of a cartridge case. In order to prevent the cartridge from rotating when the cartridge is not used, the cartridge is mounted in a closed position by a lid lock spring-biased to the lock position. The leading end of the leader tape is locked.

When a magnetic tape cartridge having such a structure is set in a recording / reproducing device of a corresponding external storage device, the drive teeth of the device are driven by the engaging teeth of the reel exposed at the center of the lower shell. In the former case, the leader block is pulled out together with the leader tape by the tape pull-out mechanism in the former case, and in the latter case, the leader block is pulled out earlier by the tape pull-out mechanism in the device side. After the hook is opened, the hook is pulled out together with the leader tape, whereby the leader tape is pulled into a predetermined position on the tape running path, and writing / reading of data to / from the magnetic tape becomes possible.

[0006]

By the way, the above-mentioned 2
Of the magnetic tape cartridges, those using the former leader block have the advantage of simplifying the tape withdrawal mechanism on the device side because the leader block only needs to be gripped and pulled out when the tape is pulled out. There is a drawback that dust easily enters the cartridge through the gap between the drawer opening and the leader block.

[0007] On the other hand, the latter type of the openable lid type has solved the problem that dust easily enters the cartridge, but when pulling out the tape, the lid lock must first be released and then the lid must be opened. Therefore, there has been a problem that the tape pull-out mechanism on the device side becomes complicated and a rotating space for the rotating lid is required. Also, on the cartridge side, there is a problem in that the assembly of the torsion spring for urging the lid and the coil spring for urging the lid lock requires a man-hour when assembling the cartridge.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tape cartridge that can overcome all of the above problems.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a magnetic tape cartridge in which a single reel on which a magnetic tape is wound is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case, and one end of the magnetic tape is drawn into the cartridge case. Door for opening and closing a tape pull-out opening for opening the tape door, and a spring member for urging the slide door toward the closed position and holding the spring door in the closed position is formed integrally with the slide door. Characterized by being formed of an elastic body extending rearward from the rear end.

In this case, the cartridge case is constituted by an upper shell and a lower shell, and a rear end of the elastic body is formed by a rib extending from the upper shell and the lower shell behind a moving path of the slide door. Preferably, it is in contact with the end wall.

[0011]

According to the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention, since the slide door for opening and closing the tape drawing opening is provided, there is no possibility that dust enters the cartridge from the tape drawing opening when the cartridge is not used. In addition, there is no problem that a space for rotating the lid such as a rotary lid is required on the device side.

When the cartridge is not used, the slide door is held at the closed position by the spring member.
When pulling out the tape, there is no need to release the lid lock as in a conventional magnetic tape cartridge having a pivotable lid that opens and closes the tape pullout opening.
There is an advantage that the tape withdrawing mechanism on the device side is simplified.

Further, in the present invention, the spring member for urging the slide door toward the closed position and holding the slide door at the closed position is formed of an elastic body integrally formed with the slide door.
Since it is not necessary to incorporate a separate spring member, there are advantages that the number of parts can be reduced and that the assembly of the magnetic tape cartridge is facilitated.

[0014]

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

1 and 2 are perspective views of a magnetic tape cartridge according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a closed state of the slide door, and FIG. 2 shows an open state of the slide door.

The magnetic tape cartridge has an upper shell 1
A single reel on which a magnetic tape is wound is rotatably accommodated in a cartridge case 1 composed of a and a lower shell 1b. On one side wall of the cartridge case 1, there is provided a tape pull-out opening 2 for pulling out one end of a magnetic tape.
Is formed straddling the upper shell 1a and the lower shell 1b and close to the corner, and a slide door 3 for opening and closing the tape drawing-out opening 2 is slidably provided. . The sliding door 3 is, as described later,
A spring interposed between the cartridge case 1 and the rear end surface of the slide door 3 inside the cartridge case 1 urges the cartridge case 1 toward the closed position and holds the cartridge at the closed position.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, a leader pin 4 which clamps a leading end of a leader tape connected to one end of the magnetic tape is accommodated inside the tape pull-out opening 2, and this magnetic tape is accommodated therein. When the cartridge is set in a corresponding recording / reproducing device such as an external storage device, the rotation driving means on the device engages with the engaging teeth of the reel (not shown) exposed at the opening at the center of the lower shell 1b. When the front end face 3a of the slide door 3 is pushed by the tape pull-out mechanism on the device side, the slide door 3 is opened, and the leader pin 4 is pulled into the device side together with the leader tape, whereby the magnetic tape is set on the device side. Thus, data can be written / read to / from the magnetic tape.

On one side of the cartridge case 1,
A rotary operation knob 5 for preventing erasure and double writing of the magnetic tape is exposed.

3 to 5 show one embodiment of a magnetic tape cartridge according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part, and FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are longitudinal cross-sections of the main part. FIG. 5 and FIG. 5 are longitudinal sectional views taken along the line VV of FIG. In addition,
FIG. 4A shows a closed state of the slide door, and FIG. 4B shows an open state of the slide door.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper shell 1a and the lower shell 1b of the cartridge case 1 are respectively engaged with the upper edge and the lower edge of the slide door 3 so as to guide the slide door 3. 1c and 1d are formed.

An elastic body 6 extending rearward from the rear end face 3b of the slide door 3 is formed integrally with the slide door 3 at the rear end of the slide door 3 made of plastic. Acts as a spring member for urging the door 3 toward the closed position and holding the door 3 in the closed position.

An end wall is formed behind the moving path of the slide door 3 of the cartridge case 1 by a rib 7 extending downward from the upper shell 1a and a rib 8 extending upward from the lower shell 1b. The rear end of 6 is in contact with the end wall 9.

FIGS. 6A to 6C show various shapes of the elastic body 6 formed integrally with the slide door 3 and extending rearward from the rear end face 3b of the slide door 3, similarly to FIG. is there.

As described above, the magnetic tape cartridge according to the present embodiment is provided with the slide door 3 for opening and closing the tape drawing-out opening 2, so that the cartridge can be inserted into the cartridge from the tape drawing-out opening 2 when the cartridge is not used. There is no danger of intrusion of dust, and there is no problem that a space for rotating the lid such as a pivotable lid is required on the device side.

When the cartridge is not used, the sliding door 3 is held in the closed position by the elastic body 6 formed integrally therewith. Therefore, when the tape is pulled out, the rotary type lid for opening and closing the tape drawing-out opening 2 is opened. Therefore, there is no need to release the lid lock as in the conventional magnetic tape cartridge having the above-mentioned structure, and therefore, there is an advantage that the tape withdrawing mechanism on the apparatus side is simplified.

Further, in the present invention, the spring member for urging the slide door 3 toward the closed position and holding the slide door 3 in the closed position is formed by the elastic body 6 integrally formed with the slide door 3, and a separate spring is provided. Since there is no need to incorporate components,
The number of parts can be reduced, and the magnetic tape cartridge can be easily assembled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a magnetic tape cartridge according to the present invention with a sliding door closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the magnetic tape cartridge of FIG. 1 with a sliding door opened.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a spring biasing structure of a slide door of the magnetic tape cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main part.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line VV in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view showing various shapes of an elastic body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cartridge case 1a Upper shell 1b Lower shell 2 Tape pull-out opening 3 Slide door 4 Leader pin 6 Elastic body 7, 8 Rib

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic tape cartridge in which a single reel on which a magnetic tape is wound is rotatably housed in a cartridge case, wherein a tape draw-out opening for drawing one end of the magnetic tape into the cartridge case. And a spring member for urging the slide door toward the closed position and holding the slide door in the closed position is formed integrally with the slide door and rearward from the rear end of the slide door. A magnetic tape cartridge comprising an elastic body extending.