JPS6168786A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent deformation due to large bend when a front cover is pushed strongly by forming a contact face and receive face butted in the orthogonal state to the upper end of a front cover and the front end of a case upper wall. CONSTITUTION:Slopes 40, 42 tilted forward are formed to a rear end of an upper end 12a of a front cover 12 of a tape cartridge and a front end of an upper wall 7 of a case 1 opposed thereto. The receiving part 44 is formed to the case upper wall 7 of the slope lower position and the mating face 41 is formed to the front cover 12 and they are provided so as to be butted orthogonally. Thus, when the front cover 12 is pressed strongly from the front face, since it is butted with the faces 41, 44, and the deformation due to large bend is prevented. Thus, loss of a shaft of the front cover 12 of deformation of tape is prevented.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to a tape 2 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
The tape cartridge is made up of a main body case 1 which has a built-in main body case 1, and a front cover 2 which is rotatably supported so that the front cover 2 can be opened and closed between a closed position where the front side is closed and an upwardly opened position, and which is placed in the closed position when not in use. The present invention is characterized by means for preventing a certain front cover 12 from being forcedly deformed inward by being pushed from the front.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of tape cartridge, the 14th
As shown in the figure, the front end surface of the upper wall 7 of the main body case 1 and the rear end surface of the upper end portion 12a of the front cover 12 in the closed position are entirely formed into slopes 4o and 42 that slope downward toward the front (Reference unknown). The reason why the slopes 40 and 42 are formed is to allow the front cover 12 to be rotated to open upward without getting caught on the case upper wall 7 side with a minimum interval. Minimizing the gap not only improves the appearance, but also prevents dust from entering and adhering to the tape 2 led out between the front of the case and the front lid 12.

Moreover, this is significant in preventing the front lid 12 from rising significantly above the case in the top-opening position.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the conventional configuration having the slopes 40 and 42 described above, when the front cover 12 is strongly pushed from the front, the slope 40 on the front cover 12 side changes to the slope of the seven case upper walls, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 42, and the front cover 12 is allowed to thicken (flex and deform) toward the case side.This is because the slopes 40 and 42 do not touch each other.For this reason, the front cover 12 relative to the main body case 1 Problems were observed, such as the pivot part of the front cover coming off, stretching and deforming the tape 2 that was pushed by the front cover 12 and passed inside the front cover 12, and causing plastic deformation in various parts of the front cover 12.

In particular, as the tape cartridge has become smaller and the front cover 12 has become horizontally elongated, the above-mentioned problems are likely to occur when the wall thickness is as thin as, for example, 1 fi.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, in which a series of large pockets 10 for tape loading are recessed in the front central part of the main body case 1, the lower surface of the central part of the front lid 12 cannot be received by the main body case 1 side. , becomes even more prominent.

In addition, in FIG. 14, the reference numeral 18 is a shutter attached to the main body case 1 and slidable back and forth.

This is a member for closing the lower surface of the opening of the pocket 10 when not in use.In the conventional example, the front lid I2 rises as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. It cannot be effectively caught by the front edge. This is also a factor in increasing the bending deformation of the front lid 12.

The present invention focuses on this fact, and even if the front cover 12 is thin and easy to bend and deform, it is prevented from being pushed from the front and greatly bent and deformed, thereby solving the conventional drawbacks with a simple structure. The aim is to ensure that it is resolved.

[Means to resolve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention will be described with reference to a tape cartridge with a front lid 12, with the front lid 12 in a closed position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the upper end 12 of the front cover 12
Slanted slopes 40 and 42 are formed at the rear end of a and the front end of the upper wall 7 of the main body case 1 facing the rear end thereof, and which are inclined forward and downward, and which face each other in a substantially parallel state. In this respect, it is basically the same as the conventional example.

It is ensured that the presence of these slopes 40 and 42 does not hinder the opening operation of the front cover 12.

Thus, at a position below these slopes 40 and 42, a receiving part 44 is provided at the front end of the case upper wall 7, and a receiving part 44 is provided at a position below these slopes 40 and 42.
On the sides, abutment surfaces 41 that abut the receiving portions 44 in a substantially orthogonal state are formed in close opposition to each other.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the rear end surface of the upper end portion 12a of the front cover 12 has a slope 40 that slopes forward downward at the upper part, a vertical contact surface 41 at the lower part, and a front end surface of the case upper wall 7. The upper part thereof is formed as a slope 42 with a forward downward slope, and the lower end part thereof is formed as a receiving part 44 having a vertical receiving surface 43.

In addition, in the example shown in FIG.
After forming a slope 42 with a forward downward slope that closely opposes the side slope 40, a receiving part 44 whose front end surface becomes a vertical receiving surface 43 is extended forward from below the slope 42,
The inner surface of the upper end of the front cover 12, which closely opposes this receiving surface 43, is set as the contact surface 41.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention as described above, even if the left and right center portions of the front lid 12 in the closed position are strongly pushed from the front, the front lid 12
The abutment surface 41 in this example abuts against the receiving portion 44 on the side of the upper wall 7 of the case that is close to and opposite to this abutment surface 41 . Therefore, even if the front cover 12 is thin and easily bends and deforms, it can be reliably prevented from rising up unlike the conventional example and from being significantly deformed. Furthermore, since the case upper wall 7 and the front lid 12 are closely opposed to each other at the forward downwardly inclined slopes 40 and 42 as in the conventional example, there is no problem in the opening operation of the front lid 12.

〔Example〕

The drawing shows an example of an audio tape cartridge of a digital recording/playback type, and the overall configuration thereof will be explained.

In FIGS. 5 to 7, 1 is a main body case.

The main case 1 is made of plastic upper and lower cases la and 1b.
are combined into a lid-like shape.

A hub 3 with tape 2 wrapped around the left and right inside of the main body case l.
It has 3. These hubs 3, 3 are located above the left and right drive shaft insertion holes 5, 5 formed through the bottom wall 4 of the main body case 1, and are rotatable. The main body case 1 has tape guide members 6 on the front left and right sides. The tape 2 is led out from one hub 3 to the front of the case via these guide members 6, 6, and wound around the other hub 3.

The upper wall 7 of the main body case 1 has a transparent window 9 extending approximately between the left and right sides of the rear half. The amount of tape wrapped around each hub 3 can be visually confirmed through the transparent window 9.

A tape loading pocket 10 is recessed in a large front center portion of the main body case 1. The upper surface of this pocket 10 is closed by the case upper wall 7, but the front and lower surfaces are open.

A front cover 12 for protecting the tape is provided on the front of the main body case 1. This front lid 12 is a plastic molded product with a length that closes the front surface of the main body case 1 between the left and right sides, and connecting pieces 14, 14 are extended rearward from both left and right ends, and connecting pieces 14, 1
4, with pivot shafts 15, 15 protruding from the inner surface thereof in opposite directions. With the left and right connecting pieces 14 fitted onto the front ends of the left and right side walls 16, 16 of the main body case 1, the pivots 15, 15 are inserted into transparent pivot holes on the case side (more specifically, the upper case la), respectively. The front cover 12 is fitted and pivoted, and the front cover 12 rotates around the pivot 15 between a posture in which the front surface of the main body case l is closed and an upwardly opened posture, and is always biased to the closed posture by a spring member (not shown in FIG. 1). ing. If necessary, the pivot hole may be made into an elongated hole, into which the pivot shaft 15 is movably fitted, and the front cover 12 swings and rotates.

In FIG. 7, the main body case 1 has a shutter 18 that closes the bottom surface of the opening of the pocket 10 when not in use. This shaft 18 has a flat plate shape along the case bottom wall 4, and has through holes 19 on the left and right sides of the center portion corresponding to the aforementioned drive shaft insertion holes 5.
19, and side wall plates 20 and 20 that stand up and extend from the left and right ends.
20 are connected to the left and right side walls 16 of the case in a locking manner, and the front end 18a can be moved forward to close the bottom surface of the opening of the pocket 10, and the bottom surface of the pocket 10 can be completely opened to the rear. Withdrawal posture and over 1 &
[Freely mobile. A spring means is provided for slidingly biasing the shutter 18 forward. The spring means includes a member 22 on the inner side of the front part of the case bottom wall 4 and a shutter 18.
A spring member 25 is attached between the shutter 18 and a spring receiver 23 provided on the inner surface of the front end of the shutter 18, and the resilient force of the spring member 25 biases the shutter 18 to slide forward. Although the spring member 25 in the figure is a linear spring, the type and the way it is hooked can be changed as desired.

The main body case 1 is provided with means for preventing the left and right hubs 3 from rotating when not in use. As the hub rotation prevention means, first, each hub 3 has an engaging portion 26 having a smaller diameter above the main body portion 3a around which the tape 2 is wound. The circular outer circumferential surface of the engaging portion 26 is made into a frictional engaging surface in which, for example, vertical engaging grooves are formed over the entire circumference.

As shown in FIG. 8, a window 27 forming the transparent window 9 is provided in the upper wall 7 of the case. Plate 2 is attached to the inner surface of the case top wall 7.
Fix 9. The plate 29 is made of transparent plastic and has a window plate portion 29b at the rear of a main body plate portion 29a. The plate 29 is fixed to the case upper wall 7 with the transparent window plate part 29b fitting into the window 27, and a gap g is provided between the case upper wall 7 and the main body plate part 29a. A flat plate-like brake member 30 is positioned in the gap g in the p direction of both hubs 3, 3, and is inserted and attached so as to be slidable back and forth in a horizontal position. Legs 30a, 30a are provided vertically from the left and right ends of the brake member 30, and the lower end of each leg 30a is received and supported by the inner surface of the case bottom wall 4, and guided and abutted against the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls 16, 16 of the case. put.

A spring member 31 that slides and urges the brake member 30 to the rear brake position between the brake member 30 and the case upper wall 7
Attach. Elastically deformable brake pieces 32 are integrally extended from the left and right rear ends of the brake member 30. Each brake piece 32 projects below the plate 29 through an opening 33 provided in the plate 29, and the tip of each brake piece 32 can abut and engage with the upper end engaging portion 26 of each hub 3.

Front cover 12 for main body case 1. Shutter 18° plate 29. The specific assembly of the brake member 30 is structured as follows.
This is as shown in Figures 0 to 13.

Next, the overall movement of each part will be explained. When the tape cartridge is not in use, the front lid 12 is held in a closed position and covers the outside of the front surface of the tape 2. Shank 1
8 is slid to the front limit by a spring member 25, and the front end 18a of the shutter 18 is pushed into the pocket 1 as shown in FIG.
0 is closed, and the drive shaft insertion holes 5 provided in the bottom wall 4 of the case are also closed. The brake member 30 is slid backward by a spring member 31, and each brake piece 32
is engaged with the upper end engaging portion 26 of each hub 3 to prevent each hub 3 from rotating.

When a tape cartridge is inserted into the holder on the player side from the front side of the case in a horizontal position, for example, as shown in FIG. Now pocket 1
0 is in an open state, the through holes 19 provided in the shutter 18 are aligned with the drive shaft insertion holes 5, and each drive shaft insertion hole 5 is also in an open state. Next, the tape cartridge loaded in the holder is lowered to the loading position (and the player-side member comes into contact with a part of the front lid 12 and the front lid 12 is rotated to open upward.

In parallel with this, the tape loading pin on the player side enters the pocket 10, and the drive shaft enters each hub 3 from below. In conjunction with this upward rotation of the front cover 12, the brakes of each hub 3 are released.

That is, the guide 35 is extended forward from the lower end of each leg 30a of the brake member 30, and the front end 35a of the acid guide 35 is bent into an L shape to face the outside of the case, and before the front i12 is fully opened. As shown in FIG. 9, the connecting piece 14 rotates from above and comes into contact with each guide front end 35a, thereby sliding the brake member 30 toward the front side of the case against the spring member 31. Dynamically displacing each brake piece 32
is removed from the engaging portion 26 of each hub 3.

Note that the shutter 18 is slidable at a forward sliding position where the lower surface of the pocket 10 is closed and at a rear sliding position where the lower surface of the pocket 10 is opened. As the locking means, as shown in FIG. 7, locking holes 36 and 37 are formed in the left side of the shutter 18 in the front and back, and the locking holes 36 and 37 are selectively engaged in the case bottom wall 4 side. A locking piece 38 is integrally formed to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction. This unlocking is performed by bringing a member on the player side into contact with the locking piece 38.

Basically, in the tape cartridge having the above structure, the present invention is characterized by means for preventing bending and deformation of the front cover 12.

Next, an example regarding this point will be described.

[Embodiment 1] Figures 1(a) and 1(bl) show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the front lid 12 has an upper end 12a bent toward the case side (rearward) in an abbreviated shape. When the front cover 12 is in the closed position, under normal conditions, the front cover upper end 1
The upper surface of 2a and the upper surface of the case upper wall 7 are set to be substantially flush with each other.

The rear end surface of the front lid upper end portion 12a is formed into a slope 40 with a forward downward slope where the upper half portion is connected to the upper surface of the upper end portion 12a, and the lower half portion is a vertical contact surface that is connected to the lower surface of the upper end portion 12a. 41.

The front end surface of the case upper wall 7 is closely opposed to the rear end surface of the front lid upper end portion 12a, and is formed into a slope 42 that slopes downward in the front and is substantially parallel to the slope 40, and the lower end thereof is formed into a vertical receiving surface. It is formed in a receiving portion 44 having a surface 43. This slope 42 is connected to the upper surface of the case upper wall 7,
The receiving surface 43 is connected to the lower surface of the case upper wall 7.

The front lid 12 has a relatively large wall thickness at the upper end 12a, and the vertical length of the abutting surface 41 is large, so that in the standard state, the receiving surface 43, which has a small vertical width, is at the vertical center of the abutting surface 41, which has a large vertical width. Closely facing.

The position is set so that the contact surface 41 always faces the receiving surface 43 even if the front lid 12 moves up and down to the maximum due to play in the pivot portion.

Furthermore, in one illustrated example, a rib 46 whose front surface becomes a vertical receiving surface 45 is integrally raised and continuous from the front end of the shutter 18. This rib 46 has a unique structure adopted in the two embodiments, as is clear from the comparison with the conventional example shown in FIG.

In such a case, when the front lid 12 is not in use, the front lid 12 is strongly pushed from the front, especially the left and right center portions.The front lid 12 bends toward the case side (rearward) and receives deformation force, but The rear end surface hits the front end surface of the case upper wall 7 with a perpendicular abutment surface 41 and a receiving surface 43, respectively.In many cases, the abutment occurs before the slopes 40 and 42 of both sides come into contact with each other. The surface 41 and the receiving surface 43 are in front of each other.However, after the inclined surfaces 40 and 42 have come into contact with each other, the contact surface 41 as shown in FIG. and the receiving surface 43 may come into contact with each other. In any case, the front lid 12 is prevented from rising with the contact surface 41 being received by the receiving surface 43.

The inner surface 12b of the lower end of the front cover 12 is also supported by the surface 45, which receives the vertical light from the rib 46 of the shutter 18, which has a sliding opening formed by the locking means described above. Therefore, the front lid 1
2 can be received with the top and bottom in tension.

This causes the upper end 1 to bend and deform significantly backwards as in the conventional case.
2a no longer rests on top of the case upper wall 7.

When you load the tape cartridge into the player.

The front cover 12 opens and rotates around the pivot 15, but at that time, the presence of the slopes 40 and 42 prevents the front end of the case top wall 7 and the rear end of the front cover top end 12a from coming into contact with each other while being close to each other and facing each other. To smoothly rotate without interference and to prevent a front cover 12 from jumping out as much as possible above the case in a state where it is completely opened upward.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, it was assumed that the abutting surface 41 provided on the upper end 12a of the front lid 12 is formed continuously in the left and right longitudinal direction, but in the second embodiment, the abutting surface 41 is formed on the upper end 12a of the front lid 12. A protrusion 47 is partially provided on the inner surface of the upper end of the left and right center portions.
It was assumed that it was formed on the rear end surface of. In addition, case upper wall 7
The side receiving portion 44 may also be partially formed to correspond to the protrusion 47.

[Embodiment 3] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the upper end L2a of the upper end L2a is particularly strengthened in order to strengthen the upper rear edge of the upper end 12a of the 12 front lids. The intersection of the upper surface and the slope 40 is rounded off. In the figure, reference numeral 48 indicates the corner cut surface.

Also on the case upper wall 7 side, a corner cut surface 49 is formed at the intersection of the upper surface and the slope 42. These intersecting portions may be rounded instead of the rounded corners 48 and 49. As described above, in the present invention, the slopes 40 and 42 on the front lid 12 side and the case upper wall 7 side do not necessarily directly connect to the respective upper surfaces.

[Embodiment 4] FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which the rear end surface of the front lid upper end portion 12a is entirely formed with a slope 40 similar to the conventional example. on the other hand.

A slope 42 opposite to the slope 40 is formed at the front end of the case upper wall 7. A receiving portion 44 is integrally extended forward from the lower end of the slope 42, and the front end surface of the receiving portion 44 is formed into a vertical receiving portion. 43, and the receiving surface 43 is closely opposed to the inner surface 12b of the front lid 12.

The inner surface of the front lid 12 that faces each other in close proximity is set as a contact surface 4I. This also works in the same way as in the first embodiment. In addition, the receiving part 44 may be formed continuously in the left-right direction at the front end of the case upper wall 7, or may be partially formed at one place or several places in the left-right center part. .

The entire details of the illustrated embodiment are as described above.

The present invention is not limited to this. For example, the receiving portions 44 of the seven case upper walls have vertical receiving surfaces 43. In FIG. 1, the slope 42 may be directly connected to the lower surface of the case upper wall 7. . In any case, the abutting surface 41 and the receiving surface 43 may abut each other in a substantially direct shape.

It is not necessary that these be formed in perfect vertical planes. Furthermore, the shape of the pocket 10 and the configuration around the shutter 18 can be changed freely, and the presence of the shutter 18 itself is not a requirement. In other words, the present invention is a so-called VH
It is widely applicable and effective for video tape cartridges such as Type 3 and Beta.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
) is a vertical side view of the main part in a normal standard state, and FIG. 1 is a vertical side view of the main part in a state where the front lid is pushed from the front. , and is a perspective view of the front lid seen from the inner side. FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional side view of the main part showing a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a main part showing an example. FIGS. 5 to 13 illustrate a tape cartridge to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 5 is an external perspective view, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of an internal structure. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the bottom shape of the main body case and the shack attached to it, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the upper case and plate brake member that constitute the main case, and FIG. 9 10 is a perspective view showing the brake release means of the brake member. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 6, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 6. FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main parts in the conventional example. ■・・・Body case. 2...Tape. 3...Hub. 7... Upper wall of the main case. 10...Pocket. 12... Front lid. 12a... Upper end of the front lid. 18...Shutter. 40...Slope on the front lid side. 41...Abutment surface on the front lid side. 42...Slope on the upper wall side of the case. 43...Receiving surface on the upper wall side of the case. 44...Reception part on the upper wall side of the case. 45...Shutter side receiving surface. Inventor Sumi 1) Takashi
Thoughts Shigeo Sasaki Daido Ke Tori
Fuji 1) Kazuhiro, Commissioner of the Patent Office, Manabu Shiga, Patent Application No. 191103, filed in 1982, 2, name of the invention, tape cartridge 3, relationship with the case of the person making the amendment, name of patent applicant (581) Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. 4, agent
8530 ffi (06) 312-4738
Address: 3-21 Suehiro-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka (2) Submit the power of attorney as shown in the attached sheet. Attachment 2, Scope of Claims In a tape cartridge, a front cover 12 is rotatably supported on a main body case 1 containing a tape 2 so that the front cover 12 can be opened and closed in a closed position and an open position. The rear end of the upper end 12a of the lid 12 and the front end of the upper wall 7 of the main body case 1 opposite thereto are formed with slopes 40 and 42, which are inclined forward and downward, and which face each other in a substantially parallel state. A receiving part 44 is formed at the front end of the case upper wall 7 at a position below the slopes 40 and 42, and a contact surface 41 that abuts against the receiving part 44 almost skin-to-skin on the front lid 12 side is formed in close opposition to each other. A tape cartridge characterized by:

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a tape cartridge, a front cover 12 is rotatably supported on a main body case 1 containing a tape 2 so that the front cover 12 can be opened and closed between a closed position in which the front side is closed and an open position. Slanted slopes 40 and 42 are formed on the rear end of 12a and the front end of the upper wall 7 of the main body case 1 that faces the rear end of the main body case 1 in a substantially parallel state. In the lower position, a receiving part 44 is formed at the front end of the case upper wall 7, and a contact surface 41 that abuts the receiving part 44 in a substantially orthogonal state on the front lid 12 side is formed in close opposition to each other. Featured tape cartridge.