JPH054151Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a tape cassette, and particularly to a tape cassette having a tape reel provided inside the casing, a display such as a pattern is moved in accordance with the rotation of the tape reel. An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette configured so that the tape transport status can be visually emphasized and recognized.

A conventional audio tape cassette has a structure in which a pair of reel hubs are rotatably arranged side by side within a cassette housing. When this tape cassette is attached to a tape recorder and recording/playback is being performed, the tape transport status can be checked visually by observing the rotation of the reel hub and the tape roll formed by winding it through a small window. Although it can be recognized visually, it is necessary to look carefully.
It is difficult to visually grasp the tape transport status at a glance.

Recently, audio tape cassettes have been proposed and commercially available which incorporate tape reels instead of hubs, similar to video tape cassettes.

The present invention is constructed so that the tape transport status can be visually emphasized and recognized by making clever use of the structure in which the tape reel is incorporated.One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. .

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the tape cassette of the present invention.

The tape cassette 1 has tape reels 5A and 5B mounted on bearing portions 6, respectively, in a cassette housing 4, which is constructed by overlapping an upper half 2 and a lower half 3.
It is configured such that they are rotatably supported and juxtaposed on a and 6b. The magnetic tape 7 is mounted along the front surface of the cassette housing 4 and wound around each tape reel 5A, 5B.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tape reels 5A, 5B are constructed by fixing upper flanges 9a, 9b and lower flanges 10a, 10b to hubs 8a, 8b. On the upper surface of the upper flange 9a of the tape reel 5A that fits into the supply reel shaft of the recorder when playing side A of the tape cassette 1, as shown in FIG. A pattern 11 is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, a spiral pattern 12 spiraling clockwise toward the center is formed on the upper surface of the upper flange 9b of the tape reel 5B that fits on the take-up reel shaft.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper half 2 is provided with a rectangular transparent window (see-through window) 13 corresponding to substantially the entire upper flanges 9a, 9b of the tape reels 5A, 5B. be.

Furthermore, in a state in which the transparent sheet 14 shown in FIG. 5 is restricted from freely moving in both directions by fitting its circular holes 15a and 15b into the bearings 6a and 6b, respectively,
It is inserted between the upper flanges 9a, 9b and the transparent window 13. The portions of the transparent sheet 14 facing the flanges 9a and 9b are printed with satin finish in the figure, and a plurality of elongated transparent windows 16 are printed.
a and 16b have radial slits 17a and 17b arranged radially around circular holes 15a and 15b, respectively. The radial slits 17a and 17b overlap the spiral patterns 11 and 12, respectively.

When looking at the A side of the tape cassette 1 constructed as described above, a pattern as shown in FIG. 1 can be seen through the transparent window 13. When looking at the tape reel 5A side, a part of the counterclockwise spiral pattern 11 can be seen through each of the radially arranged elongated transparent windows 16a, and when looking at the tape reel 5B side, a part of the counterclockwise spiral pattern 11 can be seen through each of the radially arranged elongated transparent windows 16b. Part of the spiral pattern 12 is visible.

When tape cassette 1 is loaded into a tape recorder with side A facing up and played back, magnetic tape 7
runs in the direction of arrow _X1 , the tape reel 5A rotates counterclockwise to feed out the magnetic tape, and the tape reel 5B similarly rotates counterclockwise to wind up the magnetic tape. Also, counterclockwise spiral pattern 1
1 and the clockwise spiral pattern 12 both rotate counterclockwise.

As a result, when viewed from the tape reel 5A side, the spiral pattern 11 visible through each of the elongated transparent windows 16a
A part of the tape reel 5A (spiral pattern 1)
1) As the tape reel rotates, it shifts from the inside to the outside, and as a whole, the pattern changes as the stripes expand from the center to the periphery. The sensation of the pattern changing in the expanding direction is similar to that of the tape reel 5A.
This coincides with the operation of feeding out the magnetic tape 7.

Also, when looking at the tape reel 5B side, a part (strip) of the spiral pattern 12 visible from each elongated transparent window 16b shifts from the outside to the inside according to the rotation of the tape reel 5B (the spiral pattern 12), and as a whole, A pattern can be seen in which the stripes become narrower toward the center than the outer periphery. The sensation perceived from the pattern changing in the direction of narrowing corresponds to the operation of the tape reel 5 winding up the magnetic tape 7.

Therefore, at first glance from the changing state of the pattern visually recognized through the transparent window 2a, it appears that the tape reel 5A is rotating in the tape feeding direction (tape supply direction), and the tape reel 5B is rotating in the tape winding direction. I can understand things.

For example, if the magnetic tape 7 is set to rewind mode,
is running in _{the two} directions of arrow X, tape reel 5A (swirl pattern 11) and tape reel 5
B (spiral pattern 12) both rotate clockwise.
In this case, the pattern on the tape reel 5A side changes so as to become narrower toward the center than the outer periphery, and the pattern on the tape reel 5B side changes so as to expand from the center toward the outer periphery. By looking at this changing pattern, it can be understood that the tape reel 5A is rotating in the tape winding direction and that the tape reel 5B is rotating in the tape supply direction.

Further, the lower flange 10a of the tape reel 5A has a spiral pattern 12 shown in FIG.
The lower flange 10b of B is formed with a spiral pattern 11 shown in FIG. is inserted. As a result, even when the tape is run with the tape cassette 1 installed with side B facing upward, the tape reel on the tape supply side shows a pattern that changes from the center to the outer circumference, and the tape is moved in the outer circumferential direction. On the tape reel on the side where the tape is wound, a pattern that changes from the outer periphery to the center can be seen, and the changing pattern indicates that the tape reel is rotating in the tape supply direction or that the tape is being wound. You can tell which direction it is rotating.

Further, the tape cassette of the present invention omits the transparent sheets 14 and 15 described above and has transparent windows 13 and 18.
It is also possible to have a configuration in which radial slits 17a and 17b are provided in the radial slits 17a and 17b.

As described above, according to the tape cassette of the present invention, when the tape is transferred, the change in the pattern that spreads from the center to the outer periphery of the reel or the change in the pattern that narrows from the outer periphery toward the center of the reel can be changed to a wide pattern that spans the entire surface of the flange. It is convenient because it can be displayed conspicuously in the area, and the running direction of the tape can be understood at a glance from the state of change in the pattern. In addition to enjoying the reproduced music aurally, the user can also visually enjoy the changes in the display. Furthermore, since it is easy to catch people's attention, it has the advantage that it can be attached to a tape recorder to be exhibited to increase the exhibition effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are a plan view and a front view, respectively, of an embodiment of the tape cassette according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the tape cassette in FIG. 1.
4A and 4B are plan views of the tape reels 5A and 5B, respectively, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the transparent sheet. 1... Tape cassette, 2... Upper half, 3...
...lower half, 4...cassette housing, 5A, 5B...
...Tape reel, 6a, 6b...Bearing section, 7...
Magnetic tape, 8a, 8b...Hub, 9a, 9b...
...Upper flange, 10a, 10b...Lower flange,
11...Counterclockwise spiral pattern, 12...Clockwise spiral pattern, 13, 18...Transparent window (see-through window), 1
4, 19...Transparent sheet, 15a, 15b...Circular hole, 16a, 16b...Elongated transparent window, 17a, 1
7b...Radial slit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A tape cassette comprising a tape reel rotatably supported inside a housing for winding tape, wherein the housing includes a see-through window facing the entire flange of the tape reel. and providing a spiral pattern on the outer surface of the flange of the tape reel, and radial slits facing the flange on the see-through window itself or on a transparent sheet placed between the flange and the see-through window. A tape cassette, wherein the spiral pattern rotates in opposition to the stationary radial slit when the tape is transferred.