JPH0664886B2 - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parallel two-reel type tape cassette for storing a tape such as a magnetic tape, and particularly when the recording / playback is used, the magnetic tape is pulled out to the outside of the tape cassette. The present invention relates to a tape cassette most suitable for use.

Conventional Configuration and Problems The rotary head system has been adopted as a home video tape recorder for a long time, but as is well known, a rotary head system video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) is a magnetic tape (hereinafter referred to as tape). The tape is pulled out from the tape cassette, and the tape is wound around the guide drum that has a built-in video head and rotates at high speed to guide the running.
This is a device that records and reproduces video signals.

For example, a tape cassette in the VHS, β system, etc. is composed of a flat housing in which two reels around which tapes are wound are arranged in parallel in the same plane, and an opening is provided on one side surface. The tape can be pulled out to the outside. When the tape is stored in the cassette, a rotation plate with a rotation fulcrum is opened at a predetermined position of the tape cassette case to prevent dust and the like from adhering to the surface of the tape and touching it with the hand. The tape is protected as a lid that covers the part.

By the way, the type of tape used for VHS, β system is γ-
Fe ₂ O ₃ is a tape using iron oxide as a main component,
It was a strong tape against rust against moisture. However, with the widespread use of VTRs, the development of tapes has been promoted along with the demand for smaller and higher-performance equipment. Recently, so-called metal tapes that apply pure iron powder, and so-called vapor deposition that deposits Ni-Co. Tapes are about to become the mainstream of next-generation tapes.

While VTRs that use metal tapes and vapor-deposited tapes offer smaller size and higher image quality, caution is also required in handling and protecting the tapes compared to conventional iron oxide tapes. In particular, attention should be paid to the protection of the tape when it is handled as a single tape cassette when it is not used, such as dust on the tape and contact with human hands.

As is well known, in the VHS, β system cassette, a single rotating plate is provided as a lid at the tape pull-out opening portion of the tape cassette to consider protection from the outside of the tape cassette. However, the VHS, β system cassette has an opening (notch) into which the tape pull-out member is inserted when it is set on the VTR on the bottom of the cassette, and it is possible to intentionally touch the tape from the opening. Met. Recently announced the standard,
In consideration of the conventional problems in the 8 mm video that uses metal tape and vapor deposition tape, the tape cassette has been devised. In particular, as a cover of the tape cassette opening, as shown in principle in FIGS. 1 (a) and (b), VHS,
As in the β system, a first rotating plate 2 that rotates around a fulcrum provided at a predetermined position of the tape cassette 1 is added to
The rotating plate 3 is provided. Then, the tape 4 at a portion easily touched by humans is attached to the first rotary plate 2 and the second rotary plate 3 from the time when the tape cassette shown in FIG. 1 (a) is used to the tape cassette shown in FIG. When the tape 4 is used, it is rotated in the direction of the arrow A and sandwiched between the two, thereby protecting the tape 4 from being touched by human hands.

Therefore, the tape 5 is blocked by the second rotating plate 3 from the opening 5 on the bottom surface of the tape cassette and cannot be directly touched by the human hand.

However, the drawbacks of this method are as follows. That is, when the first rotating plate 2 and the second rotating plate 3 are rotated so that the tape 4 is sandwiched between them for the purpose of protecting the tape, if the tape 4 has a predetermined tension, it is straightened. There is no problem if it is stretched in a shape, but if the tape 4 is slackened and curled in the longitudinal direction due to some accident, the tip of the two rotating plates 2 and 3 will crush the tape 4. However, it has a drawback that it may not be possible to insert it.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to make up for the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an advantageous tape cassette using a metal tape, a vapor deposition tape or the like.

The tape cassette of the present invention is a tape cassette including a pair of upper flat plate, lower flat plate, and at least two or more side plates, and a tape reel incorporated therein, and a cutout portion continuous with an opening formed on one side surface. A sliding lid that covers the opening, locking means that is movable in a plane substantially parallel to the sliding surface of the sliding lid, and that locks the sliding of the sliding lid, The sliding lid is biased toward the opening, and the locking means is also biased toward the locking direction of the sliding lid. When the tape is stored in the cassette, it does not get caught, so the rotating lid does not damage the tape, and when the rotating lid and the sliding lid are closed, dust is attached to the tape or it is touched by human hands. Secure tape protection without Also, the biasing of the sliding lid toward the cassette opening and the biasing of the locking means for locking the sliding of the sliding lid toward the locking direction may be 1
Since it is also used by the biasing means, the number of parts can be reduced and a low-priced tape cassette can be realized.

Description of Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a tape cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line XY of FIG. 2 showing the inside of the tape cassette in the closed state, and FIG. 5 is also the X of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Y, showing the inside of the open state of the tape cassette. FIG. 6 shows the inside of the tape cassette of the present embodiment, and is a plan view without the tape reel, showing the tape cassette when not in use. FIG. 7 also shows the inside of the tape cassette without the tape reel. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the state when the sliding lid is opened, and FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the tape cassette of this embodiment as seen from the lower surface.

As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, the tape cassette 6
Has a flat casing (cassette) in appearance, and the tape cassette 6 has a pair of tapes in which the start end or the end of the magnetic tape 7 is fixed and the tape is wound around it. Two reels 8 and 9 are housed side by side on the same plane. The pair of tape reels 8 and 9 around which the tape is wound are covered with an upper flat plate 10 and a lower flat plate 11 from above and below.

Further, three side surface portions 12, 13, 14 in the thickness direction of the flat tape cassette 6 are formed with wall surface portions to protect the tape 7 from the outside, but one side surface is an opening portion 15 without a wall surface. When the tape 7 is not pulled out from the opening 15, the opening 15 covers the opening 15 with the rotating lid 16 in order to protect the tape 7.

The tape cassette 6 according to the present embodiment is a so-called flangeless reel in which the pair of tape reels 8 and 9 (however, the tape reel 8 is not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) has no flange. is there. The tape reel 9 has bosses 17 and 18 at both ends in the axial direction. The bosses 17 and 18 are upper recesses 19 provided in the upper and lower flat portions of the cassette housing,
Since the lower recess 20 is loosely inserted and engaged, the position of the tape reel 8 in the plane direction inside the tape cassette 6 is gently regulated. Two rectangular sheets 21 and 22 such as rectangular fluororesin sheets are arranged on both end surfaces of the bosses 17 and 18, respectively, and are used when the tape 7 is wound on a tape reel. It plays a role as a control means when the winding is disturbed due to irregular winding or step drop.

By the way, when the cassette is not used, the tape 7 has a rotatable lid 16 which is pivotally supported at a position 23 at the rear of the opening 15.
The front surface of the tape 7 is covered with. In order to insert the tape pull-out member 24 for pulling the tape 7 to the outside of the cassette into the tape cassette 6,
The lower flat plate 11 is formed with a notch 25 continuous with the opening 15.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the lower flat plate 11 is the upper flat plate 10
A second surface parallel to the first surface 26 and a second surface parallel to the first surface 26 and close to the upper flat plate 10 and further provided with a notch hole portion 27
A third surface 29, 30 which has a cutout portion 25, is parallel to the first surface 26 in the vicinity of the opening and includes the cutout portion 25, and is closer to the upper flat plate 10 than the first surface 26; Fourth surfaces 31, 32 parallel to the first surface 26 and closer to the upper flat plate 10 than the second surface 28.
And have. Further, when the cassette is closed, the sliding lid 33 for covering the cutout portion 25 for protecting the tape from dust and human hands is provided in the plane sandwiched between the first surface 26 and the second surface 28. A second sliding portion 35 which covers the cutout portion 27 and which fits and slides in the cutout hole portion 27.
And a third sliding portion 36, 37 that slides in a plane sandwiched between the third surface 29, 30 and the fourth surface 31, 32. Therefore, the first surface 26 of the lower flat plate and the surface of the first sliding portion 34 of the sliding lid can be flush with each other.

By the way, in order to mount the sliding lid 33 on the cassette body, the sliding lid 33 should be placed on the stepped notch sliding surfaces 38, 39 provided in the notch hole portion 27 of the lower flat plate 11. 2 sliding part 3
The stepped sliding portions 40, 41 formed on 5 are placed, and the third sliding portions 36, 37 of the sliding lid 33 are placed on the third surfaces 29, 30 of the lower flat plate. When mounted, the sliding lid 33 is slightly slid rearward of the cassette until the first sliding portion 34 of the sliding lid overlaps a portion of the second surface 28. The end face of the convex portion 43 of the wall surface 42 behind the opening 15 formed on the upper flat plate 10
The upper lid 10 and the lower lid 11 are superposed on each other so that the second sliding portion 35 of the sliding lid is prevented from rising by 44, and the sliding lid 33 is mounted on the cassette.

Further, the lifting of the sliding lid 33 is restricted by the upper flat plate in addition to the end face of the convex portion 43 of the wall surface 42 behind the opening.
This is performed by the height restricting members 45 and 46 provided inside the cassette 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, a biasing means 47 for biasing the sliding lid 33 toward the opening 15 is provided inside the cassette, and a boss portion 48 formed on the inside of the cassette of the lower flat plate 11. It is arranged so as to be wound around the above, and the biasing to the sliding lid 33 is performed by the first biasing portion 49 of the biasing means 47.
In addition, in the portion of the sliding lid 33 with the biasing means 47, there is a recess in the abutting portion of the sliding lid 33 so that the biasing means 47 does not deviate from the bias of the sliding lid 33. A groove 50 is formed.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 6, a flat plate-like locking means 51 for locking the rotation of the rotary lid 16 and at the same time locking the sliding of the sliding lid 33 is provided with the lower flat plate 11. Inside the cassette, there are a first position (position in FIG. 6) for locking the sliding of the sliding lid 33 and a second position (position in FIG. 7) for releasing the sliding locking. It is arranged so as to be movable between them, and the biasing force of the locking means 51 in the locking direction is formed so as to follow the spring stopper pin 52 planted inside the cassette of the lower flat plate 11. This is performed by the second biasing portion 53 of the biasing means 47.

By the way, when the cassette is used, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the sliding lid 33 covering the notch 25 is moved to the rear side, and the rotating lid covering the front surface of the tape 7 is moved. In order to rotate 16 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4, the unlocking means 54 moves in the direction of arrow B, and passes through the notch 55 formed in the one end surface of the upper rotation lid 16 and the locking means.
It abuts against the cam end surface portion 56 of 51 to generate a component force in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding direction. In the locking means 51, the movement of the locking means 51 in the sliding direction is restricted by the wall surface 57 at the rear of the opening 15 and the position restriction pins 58, 59 implanted inside the cassette of the lower flat plate 11. Therefore, the urging means 47 is moved in the direction of arrow C.
Of the second urging portion 53 is moved against the urging force of the second urging portion 53, and first, the fitting between the recess 60 formed inside the rotating lid 16 and the cam end surface portion 56 of the locking means is released. Further, the engagement with the projection 61 formed on the second sliding portion 35 of the sliding lid is released, and the sliding lid 33 can be moved rearward, so that the sliding lid pressing means 62, 63 moves in the direction of arrow D, and the rotary lid 16
Through the notches 64 and 65 formed on one end surface of the sliding lid 3
When the sliding lid 33 is moved rearward against the biasing force of the first biasing portion 49 of the biasing means 47 while pressing one end surface of 3,
The state shown in FIG. 7 is obtained. Next, the tape pull-out member 24 for pulling out the tape 7 to the outside of the cassette is inserted into the space area 66 behind the tape 7, and the turning lid 16 is turned by an appropriate lid pushing means (not shown). This allows the tape 7 to be pulled out of the cassette.

On the contrary, when stopping the use of the cassette, the tape pull-out member 24 is taken out from the space area 66 to the outside of the cassette,
By lowering the lid pushing-up means (not shown), the rotary lid 16 is rotated so as to cover the front surface of the tape 7, and the sliding lid pushing means 62, 63 are moved to the arrow E of FIG.
By moving the lock releasing means 51 in the direction of arrow F, the state shown in FIG. 6 is obtained.

Therefore, when the cassette is not used, attach the tape 7 to the rotary lid.
Since it is surrounded by 16 and the sliding lid 33, human hands do not touch the tape and dust or the like does not adhere. Moreover, when the cassette is changed from the used state to the unused state, even if the tape 7 is slightly loose, the rotating lid 16 and the sliding lid 33 do not catch the tape and damage the tape.

In addition, a sliding lid 33 and a rotating lid 16 for protecting the tape
Is extremely safe because it cannot be opened carelessly.Furthermore, the sliding lid 33 has a size almost equal to the width of the notch of the cassette, resin molding is easy, and the sliding lid 33 can be easily attached to the cassette. Since it is easy to install, it also leads to cost reduction. In addition, the lower flat surface of the cassette, including the sliding lid, can be configured as a smooth surface with no protrusions, so that the holder shape for mounting the cassette in, for example, a recording / reproducing device can be simplified and smooth mounting becomes possible. , Further, the above sliding lid
Since one biasing means 47 serves both to bias 33 toward the cassette opening 15 and to bias the locking means 51 for locking the sliding of the sliding lid, the number of parts is reduced. The number of tape cassettes can be reduced, and the price of tape cassettes can be reduced.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The tape cassette of the present invention does not catch the tape when the tape is stored in the cassette from the pulled-out state, so that the rotating lid does not damage the tape.
Further, when the rotary lid is closed, dust is not attached to the tape and the sliding lid and the rotary lid cannot be inadvertently opened without touching a human hand, so that reliable tape protection is possible. Further, the sliding lid has a size substantially equal to the width of the cutout portion of the cassette and can be easily resin-molded, and can be easily attached to the cassette body, which is easy to assemble and leads to cost reduction.
Furthermore, since the biasing force of the sliding lid toward the cassette opening and the biasing force of the locking means for locking the sliding of the sliding lid toward the locking direction are combined by one biasing means, the number of parts is reduced. It is possible to reduce the cost and reduce the price of the tape cassette.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are schematic cross-sectional views of a main part of a conventional tape cassette in an open state and a closed state, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of a tape cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side view thereof, FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along the line XY in FIG. 2 in a closed state and an opened state, respectively, and FIG. 6 shows the inside of the tape cassette of this embodiment. Is a plan view showing a state where the tape cassette is not used, FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state when the sliding lid is opened, and FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the tape cassette according to the present embodiment as seen from the lower surface. 6 ... tape cassette, 7 ... tape, 8,9 ... tape reel, 10 ... upper plate, 11 ... lower plate, 15 ... opening,
16 ... Rotating lid, 26 ... First surface, 27 ... Notched hole portion, 28 ...
… Second surface, 29 …… Third surface, 31,32 …… Fourth surface, 33
...... Sliding lid, 34 ...... First sliding portion, 36,37 ...... Third sliding portion, 47 ...... Biasing means, 51 ...... Locking means.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Kaoru Matsuoka 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Kenji Matsuura, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A tape cassette comprising a pair of upper and lower flat plates and at least two or more side plates and containing a tape reel, wherein a notch portion continuous with an opening formed on one side surface and the opening. A sliding lid that covers the sliding lid, locking means that is movable in a plane substantially parallel to the sliding surface of the sliding lid, and that locks the sliding of the sliding lid, and the sliding lid. A tape cassette, comprising: a biasing unit that biases the locking unit in the opening direction and also biases the locking unit in the locking direction of the sliding lid. 2. The lower flat plate is parallel to the upper flat plate, is near the upper flat plate, and is parallel to the first face having a notch hole in a part thereof, and is parallel to the first flat face, and is further close to the upper flat plate. Has a second surface provided with a notch hole portion, and the sliding lid slides at least in a plane sandwiched between the first surface and the second surface, and the notch. The tape cassette according to claim 1, comprising a second sliding portion that covers the hole. 3. The locking means, in addition to locking the sliding lid, part of the locking means also serves as locking the rotary lid. The tape cassette according to item 2.