JPS6349901Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] This invention stretches the tape by autoloading, and uses a rotating head to load the PCM of audio signals, for example.
This tape cassette is suitable for application to a small-sized tape cassette for recording or reproducing signals at high density, and is particularly designed to prevent the tape of the tape cassette from loosening with a simple configuration.

The inventor of the present invention has proposed a tape having a rectangular planar outline, which is used in recording and reproducing devices, and is made by stretching a tape by so-called autoloading, and recording and reproducing video signals on this tape using a rotating head. A tape cassette as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 has been proposed.

In FIG. 1, 1 shows the tape cassette as a whole, and 2 is a case for the tape cassette 1. The case 2 is composed of an upper half 3 and a lower half 4 made of, for example, synthetic resin. A pair of supply and take-up reel hubs 5a and 5b are provided in the longitudinal direction.
are arranged in parallel as shown in FIG. Also, the second
In the figure, T indicates a tape wound around the reel hubs 5a and 5b.
a to the inside of a front plate 8a of an opening/closing lid 8, which will be described later, via a guide pin 6 and a guide roller 7 on the side of the supply reel hub 5a, and further symmetrical guide rollers 9 and guide pins 10 on the side of the take-up reel hub 5b. The winding reel hub 5b is reached through the winding reel hub 5b. Further, T' indicates a portion of the tape T that is stretched between the guide rollers 7 and 9 on the inside of the front plate 8a. Further, the first opening/closing lid 8 made of resin and covering the front opening of the tape cassette is formed into a U-shaped horizontal section by integrally molding a front plate 8a, side plates 8b and 8c, as shown in FIG. and,
Projections 8d and 8e are provided at predetermined positions inside the side plates 8b and 8c, as shown in FIG.
Pivot holes 2a and 2b are provided on the front side of the side surface, and protrusions 8d and 8e are rotatably connected to the pivot holes 2a and 2b, respectively, and this pivot portion is connected to the fulcrum A as shown in FIG. The first opening/closing lid body 8 can be rotated as shown in FIG. For example, a helical spring (not shown) is provided to elastically bias the first opening/closing lid 8 to a position that completely covers the front surface of the casing 2. Front plate 8
The vertical cross-sectional shape of a is such that when the first opening/closing lid body 8 is in a position to completely cover the front surface of the housing 2, the upper end 8f is in contact with the upper surface plate of the housing 2, and the lower end 8g is in contact with the upper end 8f. Forms a protrusion 8h for engaging with the second opening/closing lid 9 forming a part of the bottom surface of the tape cassette 1.

The second opening/closing lid body 9 is a rectangular flat plate that covers a rectangular bottom opening 10, and is provided slightly toward the rear of the tape cassette from the bottom opening 10 of the casing 2, as shown in FIG. Protrusions 9a in holes 2c and 2d
and 9b are rotatably connected to each other so as to be able to rotate about these pivot points as a fulcrum B, and at a position forming a part of the bottom surface of the tape cassette 1, for example, by a helical spring (not shown). Make it biased. Further, 2e indicates a stopper portion which is an extension of the bottom surface of the case 2 to a portion corresponding to the side of the second opening/closing lid 9, and the vicinity of the fulcrum of the second opening/closing lid 9 is brought into contact with this stopper portion 2e. This prevents the second opening/closing lid body 9 from coming to rest in a rotated state outside a desired position constituting a part of the bottom surface of the tape cassette 1. Further, on the end surface of the second opening/closing lid body 9 opposite to the rotation fulcrum B, a first opening/closing point is provided when the first opening/closing lid body 8 rotates to cover the front opening. Protrusion 8 of lid body 8
A protrusion 9c that engages with h is provided. Note that the protrusions 8h and 9c are appropriately rounded around the protrusions so that they can be smoothly engaged and further disengaged. In this proposed example, the other parts are constructed in the same manner as the conventional tape cassette.

Let us explain the operation of the proposed example configured in this way. First, when the tape of the tape cassette 1 is not in use, the first opening/closing lid 8 and the second opening/closing lid 9 are engaged with each other via the engaging protrusions 8h and 9c, and the tape cassette 1 is inserted into the internal closed space of the tape cassette 1. Tape T is stored. Furthermore, when the tape cassette 1 is loaded into the cassette holder of a recording/reproducing apparatus employing an autoloading system, the pin 11 covers the front opening of the tape cassette 1 and engages with the second opening/closing lid 9, as shown in FIG. The first opening/closing lid 8 is pressed in the direction of arrow c in FIG.
The tape T' is gradually rotated about the fulcrum in the direction indicated by the arrow d, and the tape T' is exposed on the front surface of the tape cassette. Further, while the first opening/closing lid 8 is rotating, the second opening/closing lid 9 is also rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow e by the pin 12 provided to operate when the tape cassette 1 is loaded. The tape cassette 1 is pressed by the tape cassette 1, and gradually rotates in the direction shown by the arrow f using B as a fulcrum, and is folded inside the tape cassette 1.
A portion of the bottom is opened. Then, the tape is pulled out from the tape T' portion by the tape T pull-out mechanism and autoloaded, and a PCM signal, for example, is recorded at high density by the rotary head of the recording/reproducing device. Furthermore, after the tape cassette 1 is used, after the tape T is stored in the tape cassette, the second opening/closing lid 8 rotates and stops in contact with the stopper part 2e, so that a part of the bottom surface of the tape cassette 1 is removed. The first opening/closing lid body 8 rotates to engage the protrusion 8h and the protrusion 9c, and the tape T, especially the T' portion, is inserted into the closed space in the tape cassette. It can be stored inside.

According to this proposed example, a second opening/closing lid 9 is provided that covers the bottom opening of the tape cassette 1, and is engaged with the first opening/closing lid 8 to spread the tape T' into the internal closed space of the tape cassette 1. This has the advantage that even if the tape cassette 1 is carried as it is, for example, in a pocket, without putting it in a separately formed case, dust from outside the tape cassette will not adhere to the surface of the tape T', thereby protecting the tape. There is. By the way, in this proposed example as well, the tape T is stretched by autoloading, and a rotating head records PCM signals, such as audio signals, at high density.
Or, if there is even a slight loosening of the tape at the T' portion when trying to play it, the tape may not be pulled out as expected due to the pull-out pin of the recording/playback device (not shown), and the tape may become tangled. This has been a problem because the recording/reproducing operation may not proceed smoothly due to the recording/reproducing operation being interrupted.

In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a tape cassette that can particularly prevent the tape from loosening.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIGS. 4 and 5, corresponding parts in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 13 indicates a tape loosening prevention lever made of, for example, ABS resin, and the tape loosening prevention lever 13 is made of a thin plate material shaped into a substantially U-shape, and is provided with engaging portions 14 and 15 at a predetermined angle. protrusion 1
3a and 13b. Spring 13c
, the tape loosening prevention lever 13 is urged toward the rear surface 16 of the tape cassette 1, that is, in the direction indicated by the arrow 13e, and the engaging portions 14 and 15 are engaged at predetermined positions with the outer circumferences of the pair of tape winding reel hubs 5a and 5b. At the same time, the respective reel hubs 5a and 5b are pressed in the directions shown by arrows 17 and 18.

Further, a loosening prevention release arm 13d is integrally provided at the center of the tape loosening prevention lever 13 and projects rearward, and its end is projected from a recess 19 provided at the center of the rear surface 16 of the tape cassette. be. The extent to which the ends of the loosening prevention release arm 13d protrude is such that the protrusions 13a and 13b respectively extend from the reel hub 5.
When pressing a and 5b, they are made to protrude outside the tape cassette case 2 to such an extent that they do not protrude from the rear side surface of the tape cassette. Further, while the end of the loosening prevention release arm 13d is pushed a predetermined distance in the direction of the arrow 21 in FIG. They are separated from each other so that the tape loosening prevention is released. Note that the other parts are constructed in the same manner as the tape cassette of the proposed example.

In the present invention configured in this way, the tape loosening prevention lever 1 is biased by the spring 13c.
3 works, the engaging portions 14 and 15 of the protrusions 13a and 13b are brought into contact with the pair of reel hubs 5a and 5b, respectively, and the engaging portions of the protrusions 13a and 13b move the reel hubs 5a and 5b toward the arrows 17 and 18, respectively.
direction, and the tape stretched between the pair of reel hubs 5a and 5b is pulled. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, among the cylindrical side surfaces of the reel hubs 5a and 5b, side surfaces 5e and 5 facing the reel hub regulation hole side surfaces 5c and 5d
Predetermined portions 5g and 5h of f come into contact with and are pressed against the reel hub regulation holes 5c and 5d, and are braked by frictional force to prevent rotation of the reel hubs 5a and 5b. Further, when the tape in the tape cassette 1 is loaded into a recording/reproducing apparatus when used for recording/reproducing, the end of the loosening prevention release arm 13d of the tape loosening preventing lever 13 is released by the lever 20 of the recording/reproducing apparatus in synchronization with the loading of the tape cassette. is pressed in the direction of arrow 21 to release the tape loosening prevention, and the tape T is wound around the rotary head by autoloading, allowing smooth recording and reproducing operations. Moreover, before the tape cassette 1 is ejected, the pressure by the lever 20 is released, and the loosening prevention lever 13 is only biased by the spring 13c, and the protrusion 13a is attached to the pair of reel hubs 5a and 5b.
The engaging portions 14 and 15 of the protrusions 13a and 13b are brought into contact with each other, and the reel hubs 5a and 5b are moved as a whole in the directions of arrows 17 and 18, respectively, so that the pair of reel hubs 5
The tape stretched between reel hubs 5a and 5b is pulled, and the predetermined portions 5 of reel hubs 5a and 5b are
g and 5h are pressed into contact with the reel hub regulation holes 5c and 5d, and are braked by frictional force to prevent rotation of the reel hubs 5a and 5b.

As described above, according to the present invention, unlike the conventional tape cassette, a tape loosening prevention lever 13 is provided in a small tape cassette that stretches the tape by autoloading and records or reproduces PCM audio signals at high density using a rotating head. So, a pair of reel hubs 5
a and 5b can be moved in the directions of arrows 17 and 18, respectively, and the slight slack in the tape stretched between these reel hubs 5a and 5b can be easily removed, allowing a smooth transition to tape autoloading. It has the advantage of being able to perform recording and reproducing operations. In addition, since the pair of reel hubs 5a and 5b are pressed against the reel hub regulation holes 5c and 5d with a predetermined pressure, even if the tape cassette 1 is carried around, the reel hubs 5a and 5b are braked and do not wobble. tension tape even if it vibrates
There is also the benefit of not creating new slack in T′. Further, since the cassette is small and lightweight, the braking by the frictional force generated by pressing the tape loosening prevention lever 13 has great practical significance. and,
This tape loosening prevention lever 13 has a substantially U-shape, and both protrusions 13a and 13b are simultaneously engaged with the outer peripheries of the pair of reel hubs 5a and 5b, so that loosening of the tape is reliably prevented and the deflection of one spring 13c is Since force can be applied to both protrusions 13a and 13b, the structure is simplified, and the pair of reel hubs 5a and 5b are locked with equal force and held in a stable braking state.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and that various other configurations may be adopted without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a tape cassette, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the example in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line - - in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing an example of the present invention. FIG. 5a and 5b are a pair of tape winding reel hubs, 5c and 5d are reel hub regulation holes, 13 is a tape loosening prevention lever, 13a and 13b are projections thereof, 13c is a spring as a biasing means, 13d is a loosening prevention release arm, and arrow 17 and 18 are the moving directions of the reel hub.

Claims (1)

[Claim for Utility Model Registration] A pair of reel hubs rotatably fitted into a pair of holes provided in the center of the cassette, and one reel hub connected to the other reel hub via the tape drawer opening of the cassette. In a tape cassette equipped with a stretched tape, a substantially U-shaped tape loosening prevention lever having protrusions that respectively engage with the outer periphery of the pair of reel hubs at positions apart from each other; A tape cassette comprising a loosening prevention release arm provided integrally with the tape loosening prevention lever and having biasing means for biasing the tape in a direction opposite to the drawer opening.