JP3239393B2 - Tape cassette - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette in which a tape-shaped recording medium is wound and stored, and in particular, a head drum of a recording / reproducing apparatus is inserted from an opening on the front surface of the cassette housing for recording / reproducing. It relates to a tape cassette.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various digital audio recording / reproducing apparatuses for converting an audio signal into digital data and recording it on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape have been put to practical use, and at the same time, recording media corresponding to these digital audio recording / reproducing apparatuses. Various tape cassettes in which a magnetic tape is stored in a wound state have been developed.

As a recording method in a digital audio recording / reproducing apparatus, helical scan recording is performed by a rotary head drum. In this method, a magnetic tape is pulled out (loaded) from the front of a tape cassette and the magnetic tape is rotated by a rotating head. A recording / reproducing operation is known in which a recording / reproducing operation is performed by winding around a drum, and a recording / reproducing operation is performed by inserting a rotating head drum from the front of a tape cassette and pressing a head against a magnetic tape in the tape cassette. Have been.

In a tape cassette of a type in which a rotary head drum is inserted from the front of a housing to perform recording / reproduction,
An opening is formed to allow the head drum to be inserted into the front of the tape cassette housing and abut against the magnetic tape, and a tape guide surface facing the peripheral surface of the inserted head drum is defined in this opening. A tape guide member provided in an inclined state is arranged, and the tape guide member properly sandwiches the magnetic tape between the tape guide surface and the peripheral surface of the head drum so that the running position of the magnetic tape is properly adjusted. The magnetic tape is pressed against the head drum in a regulated state, so that recording / reproduction by the helical scanning operation of the head drum is performed well.

[0005]

By the way, the tape cassette housing is formed by fitting the upper half and the lower half and fixing them at several places with, for example, screws or the like. Buckling is likely to occur in the screw ribs and the screw bosses due to the screw tightening force, so that the inner dimensions when the upper and lower halves are fitted may deviate from the design values.

Normally, screw fastening of the upper and lower halves is performed at two or three places on the front side of the housing and about two places on the back side. In particular, buckling occurs on the front side of the housing, thereby causing the inner space between the upper and lower halves. If the size is reduced, it is very inconvenient if this effect extends to the front opening where the magnetic head is inserted. That is, a smooth head insertion operation is hindered, and a proper recording / reproducing operation cannot be performed.

[0007] When the inner dimension between the upper and lower halves is reduced, a portion of the inner surface of the upper and lower halves that comes into contact with the side surface (tape edge) of the magnetic tape also occurs. This also causes problems such as damage to the tape edge and poor tape running. In particular, these problems become remarkable in an ultra-small tape cassette having a narrow allowable range of dimensional error.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention is formed on a front surface of a cassette housing in which upper and lower half members are fitted and fixed at a plurality of fixing portions. When the head means of the recording / reproducing apparatus is inserted into the opening, the head means comes into contact with the tape-shaped recording medium accommodated in the cassette housing, and the front surface of the cassette housing is used in the tape cassette for recording and reproducing signals. as the upper half member and the lower half member abuts each other in the vicinity of the opening, from each of the inner surfaces and the lower half member of the upper half member, or Izure preceding one, are abutting portion is formed and the butting portion Is between the front opening and the fixing part
It is to provide a tape cassette which is located.

[0009]

The inner dimension between the upper and lower halves in the vicinity of the abutting portion is ensured by forming the abutting portion and abutting the upper and lower halves during fitting. Therefore, if the abutting portion is formed in the vicinity of the front opening, the inner dimensions of the front opening are always secured, and there is no hindrance to the insertion of the head.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the tape cassette according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Note that the tape cassette of this example is configured to be very small (the plane size of the housing is about 20 mm in length and about 30 mm in width). FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner surface of the upper half of the tape cassette, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inner surface of the lower half of the tape cassette, and FIG.
10 are explanatory diagrams of the structure and operation of each part of the tape cassette.

In FIGS. 2 to 10, reference numeral 1 denotes, for example, PCM.
A tape cassette accommodating a magnetic tape for recording / reproducing a signal is shown as a whole. In a casing of the tape cassette 1, an upper half 2 and a lower half 3 are opposed to each other and fastened by screws 4 to be combined. A lid 6 for opening and closing an opening 5 formed on the front side of the front 3 is rotatably supported by a shaft.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the inside of the housing of the tape cassette 1, that is, between the upper and lower halves 2 and 3,
Hub drive shaft insertion holes 2a, 2 in upper and lower halves 2, 3
b (and 3a, 3b), the magnetic tape T is housed in a state of being wound between a pair of both hubs 7, 8,
A part of the magnetic tape T is exposed to the opening 5 on the front side of the housing in a stretched state via pinch rollers 9 and 10 rotatably supported on both sides of the front side opening 5 and also serving as guide rollers. It has been made like that.

On the upper and lower sides of the housing of the tape cassette 1,
Erroneous erasure prevention mechanisms 12 and 13 communicating with the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 are disposed at both sides of the rear part (near the rear part), and are positioned at the rear part at the center front-rear direction and at both side parts at the rear lateral direction. Reference holes 15 and 16 and 17 are provided,
Further, a plurality of required detection holes 18 and 19 are formed in the lateral direction of the rear edge portion, and grip portions 20 and 2 are formed at rear portions of both side surfaces.
1 is formed.

As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, a rack gear 23 is provided along a lateral guide groove 22 in the lid 6 for opening and closing the opening 5 on the front side of the housing. In a state where the tape cassette 1 is stored in the cassette magazine, the cassette changer is used as an engaging means when the tape cassette is taken out from the cassette magazine. In addition, upper and lower halves 2, 3
Windows 2c, 3 made of transparent resin
c is provided so that the remaining amount of the magnetic tape T can be confirmed from outside the housing of the tape cassette 1.

The tape cassette 1 is mounted on a recording / reproducing apparatus.
Magnetic tape that is stored in the cassette housing when loaded
T is recorded / reproduced by a helical scan method using a rotating head.
Life is to be done. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotary head 41 is rotated at a required angle with respect to the head drum 42, and is rotated.
The head drum 42 is partially inserted into the front side opening 5 opened by rotating the lid 6 of the cassette housing 1 upward or downward, and the magnetic tape stretched across the opening 5. T is slid so as to wind around the insertion-side peripheral surface of the head drum 42, and when the rotary head 41 rotates, an inclined track crossing the magnetic tape T obliquely is formed.

At this time, a magnetic tape T
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which the upper half 2 has been removed, and the lid 6 has been removed in order to ensure that the upper half 2 slides in a helical shape .
As shown in FIG. 8, which is a front view of the cassette housing with the head removed, a pair of tape guides whose guide surfaces 24a and 25a are inclined in opposite directions are provided at the insertion portion of the head drum 42 in the opening 5 of the cassette housing. Members 24 and 25 are disposed at positions inside the pinch rollers 9 and 10. Accordingly, by inserting the head drum 42 into the opening 5 as shown in FIG.
a, 25a come into contact with the peripheral surface of the head drum 42, that is, the magnetic tape T is guided between the head drum 42 and the peripheral surface thereof.

The tape guide members 24 and 25 are disposed by loosely inserting pins 3h projecting from the lower half into the substantially elliptical holes 24b and 25b. , 25 are slightly swingable in the lateral direction.

Further, as can be seen from FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), which show the holes 24b, 25b in cross section,
Circular protruding portions 24c, 25c are formed at the vertical center position of the inner walls of b, 25b.
5c contacts pin 3h. The pin 3h has holes 24b, 2
Since the diameter of the protrusions 24c and 25c in FIG. 5b is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the projections 24c and 25c and is loosely inserted therethrough, the head drum is inserted and the tape guide members 24 and 25 are inserted through the magnetic tape T as described above. When pressed against each other, the guide surface side portions 24c ₁ , 2 of the projections 24c, 25c
5c ₁ and the pin 3h come into contact with each other.

Therefore, the tape guide members 24 and 25 are formed by the guide surface side portions 24c ₁ and 25c ₁ of the projections 24c and 25c.
9 (a) or 9 (b), it is possible to oscillate in the elevation direction, that is, the guide surfaces 24a, 25a are moved in accordance with the insertion angle error of the head drum 42. It is possible to accurately oppose the peripheral surface. For this reason, when the head drum 42 is inserted, the magnetic tape T stretched over the opening 5 on the front surface of the tape cassette, and the peripheral surface of the head drum 42 and the tape guide member 2
4 and 25, the tape guide surfaces 24a and 25a are uniformly sandwiched and run in the width direction of the magnetic tape.
A reproduction operation is performed.

A pedestal portion 3i is formed on the pin 3h which supports the tape guide members 24 and 25, as shown by a virtual line in FIGS. 3 and 9 which are plan views of the lower half. When the pedestal portion contacts the lower peripheral surfaces of the holes 24b and 25b of the tape guide members 24 and 25,
The mounting height position of the tape guide members 24, 25 with respect to the pin 3h is defined.

On both sides of the head drum 42, both wing guides 43, 44 inserted between the pinch rollers 9, 10 and the tape guide members 24, 25 on both sides of the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1. The wing guides 43, 44 have rollers 43a,
44a is mounted, and the magnetic tape T is
4 and 25. The two wing guides 43 and 44 are provided in the opening 5 of the cassette housing 1 to support the supporting pieces 26 and 27 from the inside thereof and to prevent the tape located between the supporting pieces 26 and 27 and the pinch rollers 9 and 10 from sticking out. It is inserted between the guide projections 28 and 29.

FIG. 6 shows the internal structure of the tape cassette 1 of the present embodiment. The hubs 7, 8 are respectively inner hubs 7a, 8a into which hub drive shafts are inserted and engaged, and the inner hubs 7a, 8a.
The outer hubs 7b and 8b are movable in the axial direction with respect to the outer hub 8a and are engaged in the circumferential direction. In particular, the inner hubs 7a and 8a are provided with gear-like locked portions 7 on the peripheral surface protruding from the outer hubs 7b and 8b at least toward the lower half 3 side.
a ₁ . 8a ₁ is formed.

The locked portions 7a ₁ . 8a ₁ and by engaging the recess brake member 11 for braking operation, as the hub 7, 8 at the time of non-use of the tape cassette 1 becomes unrotatable state is formed down one step in the lower half inner surface 3
e.

When the brake member 11 is in a normal state (when not in use), a brake spring 11c made of, for example, a stainless wire fixed to the spring fixing portions 11b ₁ and 11b ₂ presses against the press contact portion 3d in the cassette housing 1. 10 (a), that is, the locking claws 11a ₁ , 11a ₂ come into contact with the gear-shaped locked portions 7a ₁ , 8a _{1 of the} inner hubs 7a, 8a, respectively, by the biasing force obtained as a result. And the hubs 7 and 8 are in a locked state where they cannot rotate.

The spring fixing portion 11 of the brake member 11
In b _1, the spring fixing part 1 by insert molding or the like
1b are completely fixed to ₁ in the state in which the brake spring 11c is inserted, thereby falling off of the brake spring 11c is prevented. On the other hand, it is only held by two locking pieces projecting from the spring fixing portion 11b ₂ in a zigzag pattern.

When the tape cassette 1 is loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus, the positioning pins 99 provided on the recording / reproducing apparatus are moved to either the upper half 2 or the lower half 3 as shown in FIG. It is inserted from the reference hole 15 for positioning. This guides the loading position of the tape cassette 1 in the left-right direction in the recording / reproducing apparatus. At the same time, the positioning pin 99 functions as a brake release pin.

That is, the pressing member 11d having the cam surfaces 11d ₁ and 11d ₂ inclined in a substantially V-shaped cross section with respect to the thickness direction of the housing of the tape cassette 1 is provided on the brake member 11.
Is formed, the positioning pin 99 is connected to the cam surface 11d ₁ or 11d of the pressing operation portion 11d of the brake member 11.
₂ , the brake member 11 is brought into contact with the brake spring 11.
The guide pin 3f inserted into the guide portion 11f and the guide pin 3g inserted into the guide portion 11g are slid in the front direction of the tape cassette 1 against the urging force by c, as shown in FIG. 10B. So that the locking claw 11a
_1, 11a ₂ and the locked portion 7a _1, engagement of 8a ₁ is to be released. Therefore, the hubs 7 and 8 are made rotatable.

When the tape cassette 1 is ejected from the recording / reproducing apparatus and the positioning pin 99 escapes from the reference hole 15, the brake member 11 is moved from the state shown in FIG. 10 (b) to the state shown in FIG. a) The state returns to the state, and the rotation of the hubs 7 and 8 is locked. In the inner hub 8a (7a), as shown in FIG.
The locked portion 8a ₁ (7a ₁ ) is also formed on the peripheral surface protruding from the outer hub 8b (7b) toward the side. By doing so, when the hub is arranged in the hub assembling process. This eliminates the up and down direction, thereby simplifying the operation.

The brake member 11 is positioned so as to shield the inner surface of the window 3c formed in the lower half 3. Since the brake member 11 is formed of a transparent resin, the brake member 11 is There is no hindrance to checking the remaining amount of tape from the window 3c. The brake member 11
If the hole is formed so as not to cover the windows 2c and 3c even if the brake member 11 is in any sliding position, the tape remains from the window 3c. Quantity confirmation is not disturbed.

As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 6, the rail 3 is located in the recess 3e in which the brake member 11 is mounted.
j is formed. That is, the brake member 11 is
And is stored in a state of being loaded on the rail 3j, and when sliding as described above, only linear contact sliding with the rail is performed in the concave portion 3e. This does not mean that excessive friction occurs and the smoothness of the braking operation is impaired.

Although not shown in the drawings for the sake of explanation, the gaps between the hubs 7 and 8, that is, the gaps between the hubs 7 and 8 and the inner surface of the upper half 2, and the hubs 7 and 8 and the lower half 3
A transparent friction sheet is interposed in the gap with the (brake member 11) to improve the smoothness of the rotation of the hubs 7 and 8, prevent the magnetic tape from being disturbed, and prevent the occurrence of loss torque. I have.

In the tape cassette constructed as above, since the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 are fixed by the screws 4 as described above, the upper half 2 has screws on both sides on the rear side thereof as shown in FIG. insertion holes 2k ₁ is provided, also, bis ribs 2m to form a screw insertion hole 2k ₂ on each side portion of the front side near is provided. And in the lower half 3, in response to this screw screw hole 3k ₁ on each side portion of the back side as shown in FIG. 3 provided, also,
Bis bosses 3m to form a bis screw hole 3k ₂ on each side portion of the front side near is provided. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1 as a cross-sectional view in the AA direction, the housing front side can be fixed by the screw 4 in a state where the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 are fitted together. Fixed to

Here, the upper half 2 is formed with a rib 2n serving as a wall surface forming the front opening 5, and the lower half 3 is provided with the tape guide members 24 and 25 as described above.
A pin 3h is formed to support the rib 2n.
The size of the pin 3h is set in the height direction such that the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 just come into contact with each other when they are fitted as shown in FIG. As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the rib 2n and the pin 3h
Is located closer to the front opening 5 than the part fixed by the screw 4.

That is, in this embodiment, the upper and lower halves 2, 3
The minimum value of the inner dimension Si at the time of fitting and fixing is secured at least on the front side of the housing (front opening 5) by the contact between the rib 2n and the pin 3h. Alternatively, even if buckling occurs in the screw boss 3m, the effect does not appear as shrinkage of the inner dimension Si of the front opening 5. Since the inner dimensions are guaranteed on the front side of the housing, there is no problem in inserting and removing the head drum 42 and the wing guides 43 and 44, and the stability of tape running and the prevention of tape damage are realized. .

The method of fixing the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 is not based on screws, but is also the same when, for example, caulking or ultrasonic welding is performed. Since the abutting portions are formed in the half and the lower half, the inner dimensions of the opening 5 can be prevented from shrinking.

The rib 2n and the pin 3h
However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration using the aforesaid structure, and for example, abutting ribs may be provided exclusively for the inner size assurance function. Of course, abutting ribs may be formed on only one of the upper and lower halves to reach the inner surface of the other half. Further, the setting position of the abutting portion may be any position, but it is preferable to set at least a position closer to the front opening than the fixing portion such as a screw. The present invention is not limited to a micro tape cassette as in the embodiment, but can be applied to various tape cassettes.

[0037]

As described above, in the tape cassette according to the present invention, the inner surface of the upper half member and the inner surface of the lower half member are arranged so that the upper half member and the lower half member abut against each other near the front opening of the cassette housing. each or <br/> et al, or Izure preceding one, by the abutting portion is formed, for example, even if buckling occurs at the time of screwing, the inner dimension of the front opening is the minimum value thereof is secured. Therefore, there is an effect that a head insertion / removal operation failure or a tape running failure does not occur, and damage to the tape edge can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an abutting portion in an embodiment of a tape cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner surface side of the upper half of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an inner surface side of a lower half of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tape cassette of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the tape cassette and the head drum of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the lower half side of the tape cassette of the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state where a head drum is inserted into the tape cassette of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment with a lid removed.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a tape guide member of the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a hub brake operation according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 upper half 2k _1, 2k ₂ screw insertion hole 2m bis rib 2n rib 3 bottom half 3h pins 3k _1, 3k ₂ bis screw hole 3m bis boss 4 bis

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A head device of a recording / reproducing apparatus is inserted into an opening formed in a front surface portion of a cassette housing in which upper and lower half members are fitted and fixed at a plurality of fixing portions , so that the cassette housing can be inserted into the cassette housing. In a tape cassette in which the head means abuts on a stored tape-shaped recording medium and a signal is recorded and reproduced, the upper half member and the lower half member abut against each other near a front opening of the cassette housing. ,
An abutting portion is formed from each of the inner surface of the upper half member and the inner surface of the lower half member, or any one thereof, and the abutting portion is provided between the front opening and the fixing portion.
A tape cassette, characterized in that it is located at: