JPS6325559Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an adapter for small tape cassettes, and in particular, to an adapter for small tape cassettes that is configured to prevent erroneous operations such as attempts to insert the adapter into a device without a small tape cassette being stored. The purpose is to provide an adapter.

The present applicant has previously proposed a tape cassette that is smaller than the standard tape cassette, and an adapter for use in attaching this small tape cassette to a standard recording/reproducing device. This adapter should be attached to the device with the small tape cassette stored inside, but it is attached to the device even when the small tape cassette is not stored, and even if the adapter is attached, the cassette does not fit. Since there is no recording/reproducing operation, recording/reproducing cannot be performed, which causes various inconveniences.

The present invention solves the above problems, and one embodiment thereof will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a small tape cassette adapter 1 has substantially the same external dimensions as a standard tape cassette, and has a small cassette storage section 2 inside.
(See Figures 3A and B). This adapter 1
In this case, a small tape cassette 3 shown in FIG.
The adapter is stored in an open state, the top cover 5 with a transparent window in the center is closed to cover the small tape cassette 3, and the operation knob 6 is rotated to load the tape inside the adapter. A predetermined tape path is formed and the tape is inserted into the cassette housing of a standard recording/reproducing device and installed in the device.

The above-mentioned adapter 1 has a small tape cassette storage detection mechanism 10 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, which constitutes the essential part of the present invention, incorporated in the left side portion. This mechanism 10 includes a pin member 14 that is movably provided in a guide hole 13 of a left side wall 12 of an adapter housing 11 in the axial direction (directions of arrows A1 and A2), and a bracket 1.
It consists of an L-shaped lever 17 which is pivoted on a pin 16 on the top 5 and rotates in a vertical plane. This lever 17
is an upper arm 17a pin-coupled to the pin member 14;
and a lateral arm 17b that protrudes into the storage section 2 through a vertically long notch 18a in the circumferential wall 18 of the storage section 2. Further, the lever 17 is urged to rotate counterclockwise by a torsion spring 19.

When the small tape cassette 3 is not stored in the storage section 2, the L-shaped lever 17 is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. It protrudes into the storage section 2 through the cassette so that the cassette can be detected. The pin member 14 moves in the direction of arrow A1, and its tip portion protrudes outward from the left side wall 12. As a result, the adapter 1 is in a state where the pin member 14 protrudes from the left side wall 12, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. When the adapter is inserted halfway into the cassette housing in the direction of arrow B, the protruding pin member 14 collides with the cassette insertion opening of the cassette housing, and the adapter insertion operation is restricted at this position.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the adapter 1 from being inserted into a standard recording/reproducing device without a cassette stored therein, and various conventional inconveniences such as the adapter being attached but not being able to record and reproduce do not occur. .

Next, the cassette storage state in which the cassette 3 is stored in the cassette storage section 2 will be explained. First, insert the small tape cassette 3 into the storage part 2 of the adapter 1 and press it down.The cassette 3 will be stored in the storage part 2 while pushing down the arm 17b protruding into the storage part 2 with its lower surface. It is. Cassette 3
When the L-shaped lever 17 is completely stored in the storage portion 2, the L-shaped lever 17 rotates clockwise against the spring 19, and the pin member 14 moves in the direction of arrow A2 until the tip reaches the guide hole. Immerse yourself inside 13. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the pin member 14 of the adapter 1 enters into the adapter housing 11, and the left side surface becomes a flat surface without any protrusions. The adapter 1 in this state is normally inserted into the cassette housing and installed into the apparatus.

When the cassette 3 is removed from the adapter 1, the mechanism 10 returns to its original state as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B under the action of the spring 19.

FIG. 5 shows another example of a small tape cassette accommodation detection mechanism. This small tape cassette storage detection mechanism 20 consists of a rotating lever 22 that can rotate in a horizontal plane about a pin 21, and rods 23 and 24 that are connected to each end of the lever 22 with a pin. When the cassette is not stored, the lever 22 is rotated counterclockwise by the torsion spring 25.
The rod 23 projects outward from the adapter housing 11 through a guide hole 26 in the left side wall 12, and another rod 24 projects into the cassette storage section 2 through an opening 18a in the peripheral side wall 18. Cassette 3
When storing the rod 2 in the cassette storage section 2,
4 is pushed by the cassette pushed into the storage part 2 on the inclined surface 24a at the tip, moves in the direction of arrow A1 and is pushed out of the storage part 2, the lever 22 rotates clockwise and the rod 23 moves in the direction of arrow A2. and is drawn into the adapter housing 11.

In the adapter incorporating the mechanism 20 described above, as in the case of the adapter 1 described above, attachment without the cassette being housed is reliably prevented.

Further, in the above embodiment, the pin member 14 (rod 2
3) is configured to protrude from the left side wall of the adapter casing 11, but the surface from which the pin member 14 protrudes is not limited to the left side, and the pin member 14 may protrude from the right side, top surface, or bottom surface of the adapter casing. It is also possible to have a similar configuration, and the same effect can be achieved.

It is also possible to determine that the cassette 3 is not stored by looking at the fact that the pin member 14 and rod 23 protrude from the adapter housing 11. It also has a function to display the storage status.

As mentioned above, the small tape cassette adapter of the present invention is an adapter for small tape cassettes used when a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette is attached to a recording/playback device for standard tape cassettes. It is provided so that it can be moved in and out of the case, and when the small tape cassette is not stored, there are parts that protrude from the sides or top and bottom of the adapter case, and the small tape cassette is inside the small tape cassette storage part of the adapter case. Since the adapter is equipped with a mechanism that detects that the protruding member is stored in the adapter housing and pulls the protruding member into the adapter housing, the adapter can be used for recording and playback for standard tape cassettes while the small tape cassette is not stored. Even if you try to insert the adapter into the cassette housing of the device, the protruding member collides with the entrance of the cassette housing, restricting the installation of the adapter.This prevents incorrect operation of installing the adapter when the cassette is not stored, and also ensures that the adapter is installed properly. When the cassette was inserted into the cassette and the playback operation continued, the operator was told that no matter how long he waited, playback would not occur because there was no cassette.
Furthermore, it has the feature that it is possible to visually sense whether the protruding member is in the protruding state or in the retracted state to determine whether or not the cassette is stored.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a small tape cassette adapter according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a small tape cassette housed in the adapter of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3A, B, Figures 4A and 4B show the small tape cassette storage detection mechanism in the adapter shown in Figure 1 in a state where the cassette is not stored (before storage).
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the cassette storage/existence mechanism. 1...Small tape cassette adapter, 2...Small tape cassette storage area, 3...Small tape cassette, 4...Lid, 5...Top cover, 6...Operation knob, 10, 20...Small tape cassette storage? Detection mechanism, 11...Adapter housing, 12...
Left side wall, 13, 26... Guide hole, 14... Pin member, 15... Bracket, 16, 21... Pin, 17... L-shaped lever, 17a... Upper arm, 17b... Lateral arm, 18... Surrounding wall, 18
a... Vertical notch, 18b... Opening, 19, 25...
...Torsion spring, 22... Rotating lever, 23, 24...
... Rod, 24a... Inclined surface.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] This is a small tape cassette adapter used when a tape cassette smaller than a standard tape cassette is attached to a standard tape cassette recording/reproducing device, and is provided so that it can be moved in and out of the adapter housing. In the unstored state, a member protrudes from the side or upper and lower surfaces of the adapter housing, and when it is detected that the small tape cassette is stored in the small tape cassette storage section of the adapter housing, the protruding member protrudes from the side or top surface of the adapter housing. A small tape cassette adapter comprising a mechanism for pulling the member into the adapter housing.