JP2590655B2 - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette which covers the front and rear surfaces of a tape exposed from a case with a front cover and a rear cover. 2. Description of the Related Art A compact tape cassette is used as a recording medium for an 8 mm VTR or the like. A pair of reels are rotatably housed in the case of the tape cassette. A tape running path is formed between the pair of reels, and the tape running path has a tape exposure section where the tape is exposed to the outside on the front surface of the case. The tape located in this tape exposure section is covered and exposed by the rotation of the lid. FIG. 7 shows a conventional configuration of such a lid. In FIG. 7, a cover 14 is a front cover 15 covering the front surface of the tape 4 and a rear cover 1 covering the rear surface of the tape 4 in the closed position.
6. The front cover 15 includes a tape covering portion 15a and side portions 15b provided on both sides thereof. This side 1
5b is provided with a pin portion 15f, and the pin portion 15f is rotatably supported in the hole 35 of the case 1. Front lid 1
Numeral 5 rotates between the closed position and the open position and is urged to the closed position by a spring (not shown). In addition, the tape covering portion 1
A cutout 15e is formed on the upper surface of 5a, and the cutout 15e is for enabling the rear cover 16 to move. The rear lid 16 includes a tape covering portion 16a and a flap 16b provided at an upper end thereof. The tape covering portion 16a is provided with a rotating pin 16c and a guide pin 16d. The rear lid 16 is rotated by a rotating pin 16c.
The guide pin 16d is inserted into the guide groove 19 of the case 1 to restrict its movement. When the flap 16b is closed, the front lid 1 is closed.
5 to close the notch 15e to prevent entry of dust and the like. In the process of mounting the tape cassette, FIG.
When the front cover 15 is pressed in the direction of the arrow, the front cover 15 rotates against the spring force. Following this front lid 15, the rear lid 16
Also, the guide pin 16d moves upward in the guide groove 19 while rotating about the rotation pin 16c, and the front cover 15 and the rear cover 16 move to the open position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Further, when the pressing force of the front cover 15 is gradually released in the process of pulling out the tape cassette, the front cover 15 rotates in the closing direction by the spring force, and the rear cover 16 follows the rotation of the front cover 15. 7 to the closed position shown by the solid line in FIG.
No. 168978). However, in the above-mentioned conventional tape cassette, the height of the flap 16b of the rear cover 16 and the height of the upper surface of the case 1 are the same. The rear lid 16 is supported on the front lid 15 by a rotating pin 16c, and a guide pin 16d is inserted into a guide groove 19 of the case 1. A gap between the rear lid 16 and the rear lid 16 is formed with a certain clearance for smooth movement. You.
In addition, when located at the lid closing position, the guide pin 16d can move within the guide groove 19 by a small distance around the rotation pin 16c. Therefore, the rear lid 16 has some backlash in the closed position, and as shown in FIG.
6b may protrude from the upper surface of the case 1. In such a state, it is difficult to insert the tape cassette into the cassette insertion slot of the drive unit. In the worst case, the lid 14 may be damaged. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette in which the above-mentioned disadvantages are prevented. [0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, a pair of reels are housed inside, and a tape running path is provided between the pair of reels. A case that forms a tape exposure section that exposes the tape to the front cover and a rear cover, and the front cover is rotatably supported by the case and rotates between a closed position and an open position. A notch is provided on the upper surface of the front lid, and the rear lid is rotatably supported by the front lid and is regulated by the guide path of the case, and follows the rotation of the front lid to open and close the lid. A lid provided with a flap that moves between the lid positions and closes the notch of the front lid at the closed lid position with the rear lid, wherein the height of the flap of the rear lid is One step lower than the top of the case, and this step Is an inclined surface. The rear lid flap is provided one step lower than the upper surface of the case even if the rear lid is backlashed by the clearance of the rotating pin or the guide pin, etc., so that the rear lid flap projects from the upper surface of the case due to the backlash. I will not do it. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3, a case 1 is an upper case 1a.
And a lower case 1b (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). A rear surface portion and a side surface portion 10 are erected on the periphery of the upper case 1a and the lower case 1b, respectively, and are joined with their end faces abutting each other. The upper case 1a and the lower case 1
On the front surface of b, only front portions 27 are slightly provided at both corners, and the other portions are open. The upper case 1
A cutout 28 is formed at the center of the front side of the cutout a, and portions located on both sides of the cutout 28 are lower step surfaces 29 which are one step lower than other portions. A recess 6 is formed in the center of the lower case 1b on the front side, and a wall 8 stands upright on the periphery of the recess 6. The wall 8 defines a left opening 9 a and a right opening 9 b on the front surface of the case 1. The wall 8
A guide groove 19 to be described below is formed at a position facing the right side of FIG.
7b is provided upright. Pins 7a and 7b are also provided upright at the same position on the upper case 1a, and the end faces of both pins 7a and 7b abut each other. A pair of reels 2 and 3 are provided inside the case 1.
Are rotatably supported, and a tape 4 is wound around the pair of reels 2 and 3, respectively. A tape running path 5 is formed between the pair of reels 2 and 3, and the tape 4 runs on the tape running path 5. The tape running path 5 is a route of one reel 2 → pin 7a → left opening 9a → right opening 9b → pin 7b → the other reel 3. A tape exposure section L where the tape 4 is exposed to the outside of the case 1 is provided between the left and right openings 9a and 9b. The tape 4 located in the tape exposure section L has a cover 10
Exposed and covered with Further, both the upper case 1a and the lower case 1b have a stepped portion 11 located on the front side of the side surface portion 10 inside the other side surface portion 10. A guide portion 13 is protruded below the step portion 11. The guide portion 13 has a tapered surface 13a on the front side, and is configured such that the unlocking member of the driving device can easily enter between the guide portion 13 and the side portion 15b of the front lid 15. The lid 14 comprises a front lid 15 and a rear lid 16, as shown in detail in FIGS. The front cover 15 includes a tape covering portion 15a and side portions 15b provided on both sides of the tape covering portion 15a. The tape covering portion 15a covers the front surface of the tape 4 at the closed position, and a pin receiving portion 15c is protruded inside the tape covering portion 15b, and the rear cover 16 is inserted into a pin groove 15d of the pin receiving portion 15c. Of the rotary pin 16c is inserted. The tape covering portion 15a has a notch 15e formed at the center of the upper surface 15i, and the upper surfaces 15i on both sides of the notch 15e are formed on the lower step surface 29 of the upper case 1a in the closed position. Abut The upper surface portion 15i is provided one step lower than the upper surface of the upper case 1a. A pin portion 15f is provided inside the side portions 15b on both sides, and the pin portion 15f is formed in the hole 1 of the step portion 11 of the upper case 1a.
7, the front lid 15 is rotatably supported by the upper case 1a. A spring receiving projection 15g and a locked part 15h are provided on the inner side of the side part 15b.
One end of a torsion coil spring 18 supported by the pin portion 15f is hung on the spring receiving projection 15g, and the front cover 15 is urged in the closing direction. The locked portion 15h is brought close to the locking portion 24a of the lock member 24 when the front lid 15 is at the closed position, and the locked portion 1 is rotated when the front lid 15 is rotated in the opening direction.
5h collides with the locking portion 24a and rotation in the cover opening direction is prevented. The rear lid 16 comprises a tape covering portion 16a and a flap 16b provided at a substantially right angle on the upper end of the tape covering portion 16a. The tape covering portion 16a covers the rear surface of the tape 4 at the closed position, and a rotating pin 16c and a guide pin 16d are provided at both ends of the tape covering portion 16a. The rotation pin 16c is inserted into a pin groove 15d of the front lid 15, and the guide pin 16d is inserted into a guide groove 19 which is a guide path of the wall 8. Front lid 1
5 rotates, the rotation pin 16c moves along the movement trajectory of the front cover 15, and the guide pin 16d moves in the guide groove 1
9, the tape 4 is coated and exposed on the rear surface. The flap 16b has a notch 15e of the front cover 15 and a notch 28 of the upper case 1a in the closed position.
To prevent dust from adhering to the tape 4. The height of the flap 16b is one step lower than the upper surface of the upper case 1a by d at the closed position. That is, in this embodiment, the flap 16 of the rear lid 16 is used.
Not only b, but also the upper surface portion 15i of the front lid 15 is provided one step lower as described above. The step between the rear lid 16 and the front lid 15 and the upper case 1a is formed as an inclined surface 30. The lid lock means 21 regulates the rotation of the lid 14, and an extended portion 22 is provided on the side portions 10 on both sides of the upper case 1a and the lower case 1b in parallel with the step portion 11. A pin groove 23 is formed in the step portion 11 and the extension portion 22 of the lower case 1b, and the pin groove 23 and the step portion 11 and the extension portion 22 of the upper case 1a form a lock member 24 in a hole configured.
Is provided. FIG. 5A and FIG.
As shown in detail in (a), the locking portion 24a and the spring receiving portion 24b are connected at a predetermined angle, and the above-mentioned pin portion 24c is provided at this connection point. The locking portion 24
a at the lower end thereof, a pressed portion 24d is provided.
4d are arranged at the juxtaposed positions of the guide portions 13. The lock member 24 is located at the center of rotation (the pin
The portion located on the c) side, that is, the locking portion 24a other than the pressed portion 24d and the spring receiving portion 24b are configured to have a thickness protruding toward the guide portion 13 side. This thickness increases the strength of the lock member 24. This lock member 2
4 is rotatably supported on the case 1 by a pin portion 24c, and the other end of the torsion coil spring 18 is pressed against a spring receiving surface 24e of the spring receiving portion 24b. The lock member 24 is urged in the lock direction by receiving the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18. The urging force in the locking direction is received by the rotation restricting portion 26, and the lock member 24 is prevented from rotating excessively beyond the lock position. The rotation restricting section 26 is configured such that the step 11 of the lower case 1 b is
It is arranged at a position where it contacts the opposite surface 24f of the spring receiving surface 24e of b. The operation of the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS. When the tape cassette is not mounted on the drive device, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the lid 14 is closed and the lid 14 is locked. This tape cassette is inserted into the cassette insertion slot of the drive unit with the lid 14 facing forward as shown by the arrow in FIG. Since the height of the lid 14 is lower than the height of the case 1 by d, insertion is easy. Then, during this insertion process, the unlocking member of the driving device presses the pressed portion 24d of the lock member 24 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. With this pressing force, the lock member 24 rotates to the lock release position against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18 as shown in FIG. Next, the cover opening member of the driving device is shown in FIG.
The front cover 15 is pressed in the direction of the arrow, and the front cover 15 rotates in the cover opening direction against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18. Following the rotation of the front cover 15, the rear cover 16 also moves, and both the front cover 15 and the rear cover 16 are opened as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, and the tape 4 is exposed. When the tape cassette at the mounting position is pulled out, the lid opening member gradually separates from the front lid 15 in the pulling process, and the front lid 15 is rotated in the closing direction by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18. The state shown in FIG. 2B is reached, and the tape 4 is covered. Further, during the pulling-out process, the lock releasing member gradually separates from the lock member 24, and the lock member 24 rotates in the locking direction by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18, and FIG.
And the lid 14 is locked. Even if the flap 16b of the rear lid 16 protrudes above a predetermined position due to the play of the rotating pin 16c or the guide pin 16d in the drawing process, the flap 16b protrudes from the upper surface of the upper case 1a because it is provided beforehand below the upper surface of the upper case 1a. I will not do it. Therefore, the tape cassette can be smoothly pulled out without the components of the drive device coming into contact with the rear end face of the flap 16b during the drawing process. As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the flap 16b of the rear lid 16 may be moved during the handling of the tape cassette in the normal state where the tape cassette is not mounted on the driving device. As a result, the lid 14 does not project from the upper surface of the upper case 1a, so that another member does not strike the rear end surface of the flap 16b and damage the lid 14. In this embodiment, the rear cover 16 is provided with the guide pin 16d, and the guide path of the case 1 is constituted by the guide groove 19. However, the guide groove is provided in the rear cover 16, and the case 1 is formed as a guide path. May be provided. As described above, according to the present invention, the case that forms the tape exposure section for exposing the tape, and the front and rear surfaces of the tape are covered with the front lid and the rear lid, respectively. A front lid is rotatably supported by the case; andthe rear lid is rotatably supported by the front lid and a lid regulated by a guide path of the case. Since the height of the flap located is one step lower than the upper surface of the case, and the step portion is an inclined surface, it is easy to insert the tape cassette into the driving device. Thus, it is possible to prevent the lid from being damaged due to the protrusion of the cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view (example) of a tape cassette. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front side of the tape cassette (example). FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the front side of the tape cassette (embodiment). FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of the tape cassette (Example). 5A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a position of a lock member when the lid is closed, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a position of the lid when the lid is closed (Example). FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view showing the position of a lock member when the lid is opened, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing the position of the lid when the lid is opened (Example). FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a tape cassette (conventional example). FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a tape cassette showing a state in which a lid is loosened (conventional example). [Description of Signs] 1 ... Case, 2,3 ... Reel, 4 ... Tape, 5 ... Tape running path, 14 ... Lid, 15 ... Front lid, 15e ... Notch, 16
.., Rear lid, 16b flap, 19 guide groove (guide path), 30 inclined surface, L tape exposed section.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (1) A case in which a pair of reels is housed inside, a tape running path is provided between the pair of reels, and a tape exposure section that exposes the tape to the tape running path is provided. A front lid and a rear lid, wherein the front lid is rotatably supported by the case and pivots between a closed position and an open position, and has a cutout on the upper surface of the front lid, The rear lid is rotatably supported by the front lid and is regulated by the guide path of the case to move between the closed position and the open position following the rotation of the front lid, and the rear lid has A lid provided with a flap for closing a cutout portion of the front lid at a closed position, wherein the height of the flap of the rear lid is one step lower than the upper surface of the case, and the stepped portion Tape cassette characterized by having an inclined surface.