JPS606902Y2 - tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The invention is based on, for example, applying color to the vicinity of each spool of the leader tape fixed to each of the left and right spools,
The present invention relates to a tape cassette in which the traveling direction of the tape can be confirmed by color identification.

Generally, the tape contained in a tape cassette consists of a magnetic tape and a colorless transparent or colored leader tape connected to both ends of the magnetic tape. It is wrapped.

When all of the tape wound between the spools is wound onto one of the spools, the leader tape faces the entire front opening of the cassette.

When the tape reaches the tape end state where all the tape is wound on either the left or right spool, the front opening of the cassette is closed because conventional leader tapes are entirely transparent or colored in a single color. It is difficult to determine whether the leader tape is fixed to the left or right spool when viewed from the front of the cassette tape.

Therefore, it is impossible to determine in which direction the tape will be run next, as long as it is viewed from the front of the cassette.

Such a phenomenon is often seen in tape recorders in which the cassette is loaded at the tape running position with the opening of the cassette facing toward the front.

On the other hand, in view of the difficulty of such identification, it is possible to add arrows, letters, etc. on the leader tape to indicate the tape running direction, but cassette tapes are generally extremely small in width, about 1/8 inch. Moreover, since this tape is made by cutting a wide sheet into extremely narrow widths as shown above, arrows, symbols, characters, etc. may be misaligned due to the cutting as described above, and the display function may be affected. In addition, if small arrows, letters, symbols, etc. are applied to prevent the display from disappearing due to the cutting, it is difficult to identify, especially in a dimly lit place.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, makes it possible to easily and reliably identify the tape running direction visually, and also makes it possible to detect the end of the tape by a detection means using optical means such as a phototransistor. Thus, the present invention aims to provide a tape cassette in which a transparent portion and a colored portion are provided on a leader tape fixed to left and right spools connected to both ends of a magnetic tape.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the front opening side of a tape cassette showing an embodiment of the present invention. Like the conventional tape cassette, a pinch roller or an erasing head is inserted into the front side of the case 1. There are provided openings 2 and 6 for recording and reproducing heads, an opening 4 for inserting a recording/reproducing head, and an opening 3.5 through which tape end detection means and the like are exposed.

In addition, left and right spools (not shown) are disposed within the case 1, and a tape having a leader tape T connected to each end of the magnetic tape is wound between these spools.

That is, this tape is wound with each leader tape T connected to both ends of the magnetic tape fixed to the left and right spools, respectively, and the tape fed out from the left spool is wound through each opening provided at the front of the case 1. It travels along the parts 2 to 6 in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 1 and is wound onto the right spool.
The tape fed out from the right spool similarly runs along the openings 2 to 6 in the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 1 and is wound onto the left spool.

Then, when the above-mentioned tape is run in either the direction of the arrow X or Y in FIG. The leader tape T connected to each end of the tape has a length sufficient to extend across the front openings 2 to 6 of the case 1 when the tape reaches the end state where the tape has been wound onto the spool. There is.

In addition, the leader tape T has a transparent part A on the side where the magnetic tape is connected and a colored part B on the side fixed to the waist spool, and when the tape reaches the tape end state, the transparent part A and the colored part B
are both formed so as to face the front openings 2 to 6 of the case 1.

For example, if the tape wound on the right spool is run in the direction of the arrow Y in Figure 1 and wound onto the left spool to reach the tape end state, the tape will be wound up as shown in Figure 1. The leader tape T faces the front openings 2 to 6 with the transparent part A located on the left spool side and the colored part B located on the right spool side from which the tape has been fed out.

Since the tape contained in the tape cassette constructed according to the present invention is fixed to each spool with the colored part B side of the leader tape T, the front openings 2 to 6 are fixed as shown in FIG. When it is displayed that the colored part B is located on the right spool side, it is displayed that the tape has been wound around the left spool and has reached the tape end state.

Therefore, when the tape is run next time, it is instructed that the tape can be fed out from the left spool, wound onto the right spool, and run in the direction of the arrow X in FIG.

In other words, when the tape reaches the tape end state,
The running direction of the tape is determined by which colored part B of the leader tape T is located on the left or right spool side of the front openings 2 to 6 provided in parallel on the front surface of the case 1. .

Therefore, according to these instructions, the user should attach the tape recorder so that the tape runs in the direction of the front opening where the colored part B of the front openings 2 to 6 is located, or install the tape recorder so that the tape runs in the above direction. By changing the running mode of the tape, the tape can be run without any erroneous operation.

As mentioned above, the leader tape T fixed to the left and right spools is composed of the colored part B and the transparent part A from the spool side, so the colored part B and the transparent part A displayed on the front opening 2. The direction in which the tape should run can be determined at a glance based on the positional relationship between the colored parts B of the leader tape T fixed to the left and right spools
By making the colors different, the running direction of the tape can be displayed by determining the type of color as well as the positional relationship between the colored part B and the transparent part A.

By the way, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, when the tape end state is reached, the colored portion B of the leader tape T is the tape that is fed out into the plurality of openings 2 to 6 provided on the front surface of the case 1. The length is such that it extends from the side opening 6 to the vicinity of the center of the opening 4 into which a recording/reproducing head or the like positioned at the center is inserted.

However, when the tape end state is reached, the colored portion B of the leader tape T is located at least at the end of the plurality of openings 2 to 6 in the tape running direction on the front surface of the case 1, i.e. It may be positioned over the entire width of the opening close to the spool for rewinding the tape once fed out.

To explain this with reference to FIG. 1, when the tape is running in the direction of arrow X from the tape end state, the total width W1 of the opening 6 located at the rightmost end in the tape running direction is Colored part B of leader tape T across
When the tape is running in the direction of arrow Y so that
position.

In this way, when the tape end state is reached, if the colored part B of the leader tape T is located over the entire width of the opening 2 or 6 located at the end in the tape running direction, the other opening 3
, 4, 5, and 6 or 2, the transparent portion A and the colored portion B can be identified at each opening, and the tape running direction can be clearly identified.

Incidentally, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the colored portion B is formed by continuously arranging colored strips obliquely inclined with respect to the length direction of the tape, but the invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. It may be colored in a single color as shown in the figure.

Furthermore, the colored portion B extends over the entire width of at least one of the plurality of openings on the front surface of the cassette in the tape end state, which is located closest to one of the empty spools where the tape is wound. Therefore, a display section for displaying the manufacturer's name and the type of the cassette may be further provided on the empty spool side from the opening side.

As described above, the present invention provides a leader tape that is connected to both ends of the magnetic tape and fixed to the left and right spools, and has a transparent part and a colored part sequentially arranged from the magnetic tape side, and also The colored part is located along the entire width of the opening closest to at least one empty spool among the plurality of openings on the front surface of the cassette, and the transparent part is located along the entire width of at least one of the openings closest to the empty spool. A leader tape is built into the case and has a length that spans the entire width of the opening closest to the other spool in a wound state. Since the running direction of the magnetic tape that can be run across the spool is displayed, the tape running direction can be easily identified by the positional relationship between the transparent part and the colored part of the reader tape at the front opening of the cassette. Not only that, the running direction is clearly indicated by a colored part that appears over the entire width of the opening, rather than by arrows or letters as in the conventional tape recorder, making it extremely easy to distinguish the tape running direction. It also reliably prevents incorrect installation.

Furthermore, since the transparent part is located over the entire width of at least the opening closest to the other spool wrapped with tape, a detection means using an optical means such as a phototransistor can be used. This makes it possible to detect the end of the tape.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the front opening side of a tape cassette showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing another embodiment of the leader tape applied to the present invention. 1... Case, 2, 3, 4, 5.6...
・Opening on the front of the case, T...Leader tape, A...Transparent part of the leader tape, B...
・Colored part of leader tape.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A transparent part and a colored part are sequentially arranged from the magnetic tape side on the leader tape fixed to the left and right spools connected to both ends of the magnetic tape, and in the tape end state, the colored part is attached to a plurality of parts on the front of the cassette. at least one of the openings in the empty state is located over the entire width of the opening closest to the spool, and the transparent part is located at least in the other of the openings in which the tape is wound up. The leader tape having a length relationship extending over the entire width of the opening located on the side closest to the spool is built into the case, and the leader tape runs from the other spool to the one spool by the leader tape. A tape cassette that displays the possible running directions of the magnetic tape.