JPS6331262Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a tape cartridge for storing magnetic tape, etc. wound on a reel.

[Conventional technology]

When a tape cartridge is attached to a recording device and used, the tape wound around the reel is pulled out from the front of the tape cartridge to perform recording, recording, playback, etc. For this reason, an opening is formed in the front of the tape cartridge, and when the tape cartridge is not in use, other objects may come into contact with the tape through this opening, or dust may enter, damaging the tape. There is a risk of To prevent this kind of situation, tape cartridges are usually equipped with an opening/closing lid that exposes the aforementioned opening when the tape cartridge is in use, and closes the opening when not in use to protect the tape. It's summery.
The tape cartridge equipped with this opening/closing lid will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tape cartridge.
In the figure, 1 is the case body of the tape cartridge, 1
a is the upper case of case body 1, 1b is the lower case,
2 is a tape housed in the case body 1, and 3 is a tape reel around which the tape 2 is wound. 4 and 5 are the side walls of the case body 1, and 4a and 5a are the side walls 4,
This is the concave stepped portion at the front end of No. 5. Reference numeral 6 denotes an opening/closing lid for protecting the tape 2, which is composed of a front plate 7 and connecting pieces 8 and 9 extending rearward from both ends of the front plate 7.
The connecting pieces 8, 9 are located outside the front end recessed steps 4a, 5a, and the pivots (not shown) formed in the connecting pieces 8, 9 are connected to pivot holes provided in the front end recessed steps 4a, 5a. (not shown), the opening/closing lid 6 is rotatably attached to the case body 1.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of the internal structure of a conventional tape cartridge, Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway sectional view taken along the line - in Fig. 2, and Figs. 2 and 3 are the same parts as Fig. 1. are given the same reference numerals. 10 is the pivot formed in the connecting piece 8, and 11 is the front end recessed step portion 4a.
The pivot hole 10 is inserted into the pivot hole 11, and the opening/closing lid 6 is rotatably attached to the front end concave stepped portion 4a. 12 is a return spring that biases the opening/closing lid to cover the front opening of the tape cartridge when the tape cartridge is not in use;
and end portions 12b and 12c. 13 is a groove provided in the front end recessed step portion 4a to receive one end 12b of the return spring 12, and 14 is a spring receiver provided in the connecting piece 8 to receive the other end 12c of the return spring 12. When the opening/closing lid 6 is opened upward in FIG. 3, the spring receiver 14 rotates clockwise around the pivot 10, and the return spring 12
is compressed and the force for closing the opening/closing lid 6 increases.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a locking device that locks the opening/closing lid 6 from opening when the tape cartridge is not in use. The structure of the locking mechanism using the locking tool 15 will be briefly described below. 16 is a protrusion provided on the connecting piece 8, 17 is a horizontal shaft provided on the side wall 4, 18 is a spring receiving wall formed in the front end concave step, and 19 is a leaf spring attached to the spring receiving wall 18. . The locking tool 15 has a connecting part 15a that is suspended from the horizontal shaft 17 and supports the locking tool 15 in a swingable manner, an engaging part 15b that engages with the protrusion 16, and a receiving part 15c that receives a lock release member to be described later. , the back surface of the receiving portion 15c is pressed by the leaf spring 19, and the engaging portion 15b engages with the protrusion 1.
It is engaged with 6. Reference numeral 20 denotes a lock release member provided on the recording apparatus side. When the tape cartridge is inserted into the recording apparatus, the lock release member 20 moves in the direction of arrow A relative to the tape cartridge, and locks the locking tool 15 in the first position. Rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 3 to disengage the engagement portion 15b and the protrusion 16, and prepare for the opening operation of the opening/closing lid 6.

[The problem that the idea attempts to solve]

By the way, in such a conventional tape cartridge, the return spring that urges the opening/closing lid 6 to cover the front opening of the tape cartridge is located in the narrow space between the connecting piece 8 and the front end recessed part 4a. Since it is installed between the two in a gap, the wire diameter, number of turns, material, etc. of the return spring are inevitably limited, and there is a great degree of freedom in designing considering the spring characteristics, strength, price, etc. The disadvantage was that it was limited to

Furthermore, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-885, a stepped pivot having a large diameter part and a small diameter part provided at the tip thereof is provided on the inner surface of the side wall of the opening/closing lid, and the small diameter part A locking hole is formed on the circumferential surface. On the other hand, a recess is provided on the outer surface of the side wall of the case body facing this pivot, and the proximal end of the spring member is inserted into the locking hole of the small diameter part, and the other end is locked in the locking part formed in the recess. A tape cartridge structure has been proposed.

However, with this structure, the spring member surrounds only the small diameter part and does not reach the water diameter part, so there is an extra space corresponding to the height of the large diameter part, so the space saving effect of providing the recessed part is not effective. I can't perform to my full potential.

In addition, since a locking hole is provided on the circumference of the small diameter part of the pivot and the hole is used as a support base for the spring member, the mechanical strength may be weakened due to repeated opening and closing of the opening/closing lid or external impact. Cracks occur in the small diameter portion, causing damage and making it impossible to support the spring member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge that can eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional tape cartridge and alleviate the restrictions on the degree of freedom in designing the return spring of the opening/closing lid.

[Means to solve the problem]

To achieve this objective, the present invention forms a recess in the side wall of the case body of the tape cartridge so as to surround the pivot hole and the outer opening of the pivot hole, and connects the pivot hole with the inner surface of the side wall of the opening/closing lid. A pivot whose tip end is inserted into the pivot hole is provided at an opposing position, a spring receiving part is provided at a position away from the pivot on the inner surface of the side wall of the opening/closing lid, and one end of the return spring is locked in the spring receiving part,
The intermediate winding portion of the return spring is loosely fitted up to the base of the pivot shaft, and the other end of the return spring is locked in a part of the recess.

[Example of idea]

The present invention will be explained below based on the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

4 is a sectional view of the return spring portion of the opening/closing lid of the tape cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a side view taken along the line - in FIG. 4. In the figure,
The same parts as in FIGS. 1 to 3 are given the same reference numerals. Reference numeral 21 denotes a groove formed in the front end concave stepped portion 4a of the side wall 4. The groove 21 has a shape and depth that allows a portion of the intermediate winding portion 12a and the end portion 12b of the return spring 12 on the side of the front end recessed step portion 4a to be fitted therein.

As described above, in this embodiment, a groove is provided in the front end recessed part of the side wall of the case body, and the return spring is fitted into this recessed groove, so that the connection between the front end recessed part and the connecting piece of the opening/closing lid is The gap between the spring mounting parts becomes larger, and the spring wire diameter, number of windings, material, etc. can be selected and designed more freely, and a return spring that is satisfactory in terms of characteristics, strength, price, etc. can be obtained. . Further, it is also possible to eliminate the need for a locking means for the spring end.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the groove is formed in the front end recessed step of the side wall, but instead of the front end recessed step, the recessed groove may be formed on the connecting piece side of the opening/closing lid. It is also possible to form a groove in both the front end groove and the connecting piece. If grooves are formed on both sides, the gap between the spring mounting portions becomes even larger.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, in the present invention, a concave groove is provided in either or both of the side wall of the case body and the opening/closing lid of the tape cartridge, and the return is loosely fitted from the base of the pivot, and the return is inserted into this concave groove. Since the spring is fitted, the wire diameter of the spring, the number of turns,
It is possible to reduce restrictions on the degree of freedom in design such as materials, and it is possible to obtain a spring that is satisfactory in terms of characteristics, strength, price, etc. In addition, the spring ends are supported by the recess and the spring receiving part of the opening/closing lid, respectively, and there is no locking hole formed on the circumferential surface of the pivot shaft or support of the spring member by the pivot shaft, as proposed in the past. There is no fear that the mechanical strength of the shaft will weaken and cause damage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tape cartridge, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a part of the internal structure of a conventional tape cartridge, Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway sectional view taken along the line - in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the return spring portion of the opening/closing lid of the tape cartridge according to the embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a side view taken along the line - in FIG. 4. 4a... Front end recessed step, 10... Pivot, 11...
Pivot hole, 12... Return spring, 12a... Intermediate winding portion, 12b, 12c... End portion, 14... Spring receiver, 21... Concave groove.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The case body includes a case body for storing the tape, an opening/closing lid for protecting the tape rotatably attached to the side wall of the case body, and a return spring mounted between the opening/closing lid and the side wall of the case body. In the tape cartridge, a recess is formed in the side wall of the case body so as to surround a pivot hole and an outer opening of the pivot hole, and a distal end portion is inserted into a position facing the pivot hole on the inner surface of the side wall of the opening/closing lid. A spring receiving portion is provided at a position away from the pivot on the inner surface of the side wall of the opening/closing lid, one end of a return spring is locked to the spring receiving portion, and an intermediate winding portion of the return spring is attached to the pivot. 1. A tape cartridge, characterized in that the tape cartridge is loosely fitted up to the base part and the other end of the return spring is locked in a part of the recessed part.