JPH11306721A - Magnetic tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a magnetic tape cartridge which allows the no. of components to be reduced makes possible to smoothly rotate a lid. SOLUTION: The magnetic tape cartridge comprises a lid 30 having a bearing 35 rotatably mounted on a support shaft 9, first protrusion integrated with the top end of the bearing 35 and second protrusion integrated with the top end of the bearing 35 and lid spring 15 composed of a compression spring for urging the lid 30 in the closing direction to a lower cartridge 2b. In closing the lid, the first and second protrusions couple with a first and second recesses, 13, 14, 11 having slopes at the inlets to lock the lid 30 open, and in opening the lid, an opening lever pushes the lid 30 to an upper cartridge 2a to release the first and second protrusions from the first and second recesses 13, 14, 11.

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 having a lid for opening and closing an opening for drawing out a magnetic tape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a magnetic tape cartridge used as a recording medium for a computer or the like, a magnetic tape is wound around one reel, and this reel is rotatable inside a cartridge case composed of an upper cartridge and a lower cartridge. There is a magnetic tape cartridge housed in the company.

In use, the magnetic tape cartridge is used such that the magnetic tape is pulled out from the opening of the cartridge case. When not in use, with the magnetic tape completely wound on the reel, a leader tape (an engaging means for a device such as a computer to introduce the magnetic tape into the tape path) attached to the end of the tape is used. Along with being locked to the end face portion of the cartridge case, the reel is locked by a locking means such as a reel lock so as to prevent unexpected rotation.
The opening is closed by a lid that can be freely opened and closed.

Next, a conventional lid and its locking structure will be described. Inside the aforementioned cartridge case,
The magnetic tape is wound around a reel appropriately mounted rotatably, and the leader tape at the tip is located at the opening,
A lid is provided to close this opening. The reel is composed of an upper reel and a lower reel having a gear portion formed on the outer periphery.

FIG. 4 shows a mounting structure of the lid. As shown in FIG. 4, the lid 60 is mounted on the support shaft 9 and is urged by a lid spring 65 in the closing direction (the direction of arrow C). The lid spring 65 has a coil portion 65c.
Is mounted on the support shaft 9, one leg 65b is supported by the frame 2d of the upper cartridge 2a, and the other leg 65a is supported by the concave portion 67 of the lid 60.

[0006] A lid lock member 70 for locking the opening of the lid is provided near the support shaft 9. The lid lock member 70 is mounted so as to be incorporated into the lid 60 so as to be slidable in the thickness direction of the cartridge. Then, the lid lock member 70
4, is urged upward (in the direction of arrow U) in FIG. 4 by a lid lock spring 16, and its upper end is engaged with the concave portion of the lower cartridge to lock the lid 60 so as not to open. .

The lid 60 and the cartridge case are made of a composite material of polycarbonate and glass fiber in order to realize accuracy and flame retardancy. In addition, the lid lock member 70 has a POM to reduce friction.
It is made of a material with excellent slipperiness. In addition, the support shaft 9 is provided with the upper cartridge 2a from the viewpoint of accuracy and cost.
The bearing 63 provided on the lid 60 and through which the support shaft 9 passes is also integrally formed with the lid 60 for the same reason.

[0008]

In recent years, competition has been intensifying in information devices such as computers, and it has been desired to reduce costs and improve performance. However, since the lid and the lid lock member and the like are made extremely compact, complicated work is required even when assembling manually or automatically, causing an increase in labor costs and equipment costs. .

Therefore, in order to provide a magnetic tape cartridge which is inexpensive and has good performance, it is necessary to reduce the number of parts and reduce the generation of dust and the like so as to cope with high density. However, as described above, in order to ensure accuracy and flame retardancy, the lid must use polycarbonate or the like reinforced with glass fiber, and the lid lock must ensure slidability. Materials must be used. Therefore, it has been difficult to reduce the number of parts.

Further, since the lid is made of a material such as polycarbonate, the slidability is not good, and poor opening and closing due to friction with the cartridge and friction powder are generated.
Serious errors such as dropouts sometimes occurred.

In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tape cartridge which can reduce the number of parts and can smoothly rotate a lid.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tape reel which is housed in upper and lower cartridges and has a magnetic tape wound thereon, and an opening provided for drawing out the magnetic tape. A bearing portion is rotatably mounted on the provided support shaft, a first projection is integrally provided at an upper end of the bearing portion, and a second projection is integrally provided near and at the upper end of the bearing portion. A lid spring attached to the support shaft of the upper cartridge and configured to bias the lid in the closing direction and toward the lower cartridge. The first and second lids are provided when the lid is closed. The protrusion locks the opening of the lid by engaging the first and second recesses each having an inclined portion at the entrance provided in the lower cartridge. When the lid is opened, the opening lever is used to release the lid. The magnetic tape cartridge is characterized in that the first and second protrusions and the first and second recesses are disengaged by pressing a pad toward the upper cartridge. Is done.

According to the present invention, when the lid is closed, the first projection provided on the bearing slides at a position close to the axis, so that the friction moment is greatly reduced. Since the component of the thrust load acts as a closing force by the inclined portion provided at the entrance, the closing operation is performed smoothly, and the first protrusion engages with the first recess. Similarly, when the lid is closed, the component of the thrust load by the second protrusion near the bearing of the lid and at the upper end of the lid is used as a closing force by the inclined portion provided at the entrance of the second concave portion of the lower cartridge. Since it works, the closing operation is performed smoothly. Thereafter, the second projections and the second recesses are engaged with each other, so that a lock function is exhibited together with the first projections, and the locked state is reliably ensured. On the other hand, when the lid is open,
Since the urging force in the direction opposite to the pressing force of the release lever acts from the lid spring, the friction between the lid and the upper cartridge is reduced. Therefore, the lid can be smoothly rotated without the lid being stopped in the middle of the rotation operation due to the rotational resistance, and the lid lock can be reliably ensured. Further, since the conventional lid lock member is provided integrally with the lid as a projection, the labor for assembling the lid lock member to the lid can be omitted, the number of parts can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The compression spring is similar in appearance to a general torsion coil spring, but is a spring whose coil portion has compressibility.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a magnetic tape cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The magnetic tape cartridge 1 shown in FIG.
A magnetic tape 20 is wound around one reel 3 formed by, for example, ultrasonic welding of an upper reel 4 and a lower reel 5, and the reel 3 is fastened to the upper cartridge 2 a and the lower cartridge 2 b by screws 19. It is configured to be rotatably stored in a case.

In the reel 3, the upper reel 4 has an upper flange 4a, and a concave portion is provided at the center thereof. A gear 4b is formed on the outer periphery of the upper flange 4a. A ring-shaped bearing 6 is press-fitted and fixed in a circular rib formed in the concave portion, and a spring plug 7 is press-fitted and fixed in a hole at the center of the bearing. A reel spring 8 is attached to the spring plug 7 to press the reel 3 downward and rotatably hold the reel 3.

When the cartridge is not used, the reel 3 is locked by the reel locks 50 and 51 appropriately urged by the reel lock spring 10 so as not to rotate unexpectedly. Further, the magnetic tape cartridge 1
When the magnetic tape 20 is not used, the leader tape 21 attached to the end of the magnetic tape (when a device such as a computer connects the magnetic tape 20 to the tape path) in a state where the magnetic tape 20 is completely wound around the reel 3. (Introduction means) is locked at the tip of a hook 18 incorporated near the side of the cartridge.

An opening 26 for drawing out the magnetic tape 20
Has a lid 30 that can be opened and closed in the cartridge plane direction.
Are attached by being urged appropriately by a lid spring 15 for urging the lid. Further, a leader tape 21 which engages with an engaging means for introducing the magnetic tape 20 into the tape path of the recording / reproducing apparatus is connected to the magnetic tape 20 by, for example, a splice.

FIG. 2 shows a lid mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
Is mounted on the support shaft 9 and urged in the closing direction (the direction of arrow C) by a lid spring 15 composed of a torsion coil spring. The lid spring 15 has its coil portion 15c
Is a compression spring composed of a gap winding, and the lid 30
In the U direction, that is, in the direction of the lower cartridge 2b. The lid spring 15 has a coil portion 15c.
Is mounted on the support shaft 9, one leg 15a is supported by the frame 2d of the cartridge case 2a, and the other leg 15b is supported by the concave portion 37 of the lid 30.

A second projection 31 is provided near the bearing 35 at the upper end of the lid 30. The second protrusion 31 can be engaged with the second recess 11 of the lower cartridge 2b indicated by an imaginary line. Here, FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the lower cartridge 2b. As shown in FIG. 3, the second concave portion 11 has an inclined portion 11a formed at an entrance thereof, and the second projecting portion 31 of the lid 30 is guided by the inclined portion 11a.

Further, as shown in FIG.
At the upper end of the bearing portion 35, two first protrusions 35a and 35b extending radially from the rotation axis of the lid 30 are provided. The first projections 35a and 35b can be engaged with the first recesses 13 and 14 provided in the cylindrical portion 12 of the lower cartridge 2b shown in FIG. This first
The recesses 13 and 14 are formed with slopes 13a and 14a having a gentle slope at the entrance and having a steep slope immediately before locking.
The first protrusions 35a and 35b of the lid 30 are guided by 14a. In addition, the first protrusion 35
a and 35b come into contact with the flat surface 12a of the cylindrical portion 12 when the lid is opened.

When the lid 30 is opened, a pressing force is applied in the direction of arrow D shown in FIG. 2, that is, in the direction of the upper cartridge 2a by an opening lever (not shown) of the drive, so that the second projection 31 and the It is necessary to open the lid 30 in the direction of the arrow O with the second recess 11 in a state where the first protrusions 35a and 35b and the first recesses 13a and 13b are disengaged, respectively. Here, a force is applied in the direction D by the release lever, but since the coil portion 15c of the lid spring 15 is formed of a compression spring, an urging force in the direction opposite to the direction D is applied to the coil portion 1.
5c itself can be obtained by compression. Therefore, the friction loss due to the contact between the lid 30 and the upper cartridge 2a can be reduced, and the opening operation of the lid can be performed smoothly.

When the lid is closed, the bearing 35
The first projections 35a, 35b of the lower cartridge 2
It is guided by the inclined portions 13a and 14a of the first concave portions 13 and 14 of FIG. Here, the first protrusions 35a and 35b are
Since the sliding is performed at a position close to the axis, the frictional moment is greatly reduced as compared with the conventional case, and the component of the thrust load by the inclined portions 35a and 35b acts as a closing force. 13, 14 can be engaged.

Similarly, when the lid is closed, the second projection 31 of the lid 30 is guided by the inclined portion 11a of the second recess 11 of the lower cartridge 2b. Here, the second
Since the projection 31 has a slight distance from the axis, the frictional moment is larger than that of the first projections 35a and 35b. The operation is performed. Then the second
Since the projection 31 and the second recess 11 are engaged with each other, the locking function is exhibited together with the first projections 35a and 35b, and the locked state is reliably ensured. Therefore, the lid does not stop in the middle of the rotation operation due to the rotation resistance, the problem of poor closing does not occur, the lid can be smoothly rotated, and the lid lock can be reliably ensured.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the lid is urged by the lid spring composed of a compression spring, and when the lid is closed, the first and second projections are respectively provided at the inlet provided in the lower cartridge. First and second having an inclined portion at
The opening of the lid is locked by engaging with the recess, and when the lid is opened, the lid is pressed toward the upper cartridge by an opening lever, so that the first cartridge is opened.
And the first and second concave portions are disengaged from each other, so that the lid can be smoothly rotated without being stopped in the middle of the rotation operation due to rotational resistance, and the lid can be locked. Can surely be guaranteed. Further, since the conventional lid lock member is provided integrally with the lid as a projection, the labor for assembling the lid lock member to the lid can be omitted, the number of parts can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a magnetic tape cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a mounting structure of a lid according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lower cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a conventional lid mounting structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Magnetic tape cartridge 2a Upper cartridge 2b Lower cartridge 2d Frame 3 Reel 9 Support shaft 11 Second concave part 11a Inclined part 12 Cylindrical part 12a Flat surface 13 First concave part 13a Inclined part 14 Concave part 14a Inclined part 15 Lid spring 15a, 15b Leg part 15c Coil part 26 Opening part 30 Lid 31 Second protruding part 35 Bearing part 35a, 35b First protruding part 40 Lid lock member

Claims (1)

[Claims] A magnetic tape reel wound in the upper and lower cartridges and having a magnetic tape wound thereon; an opening provided to draw out the magnetic tape; and a bearing pivoted on a spindle provided on the upper cartridge. Freely mounted, a first projection is integrally provided at an upper end of the bearing portion,
A lid integrally provided with a second protrusion near the bearing and at the upper end thereof; and a compression spring mounted on the support shaft of the upper cartridge and biasing the lid in the closing direction and toward the lower cartridge. When the lid is closed, the first and second projections engage with the first and second recesses, each having an inclined portion at an inlet provided in the lower cartridge, so that the lid is closed. When the lid is unlocked, and when the lid is opened, the lid is pressed toward the upper cartridge by an opening lever, so that the first and second protrusions and the first and second recesses are disengaged. Characterized magnetic tape cartridge.