JPH0534751B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a tape cassette applied to a recording/reproducing device such as a video tape recorder and various other information processing devices, and particularly to a tape cassette that is applied to a tape reel housed in a housing. This invention relates to a tape cassette equipped with a mechanism.

Conventional technology Conventionally, this type of tape cassette has been manufactured as shown in Figs.
The structure is as shown in Figure 0. Figures 7 to 10
In the figure, the lower flanges 3b of a pair of tape reels 3 _S and 3 _T on which the magnetic tape 4 is wound have constituent teeth 3.
c, 3d are provided. Both reels _3S ,
A brake structure is located in a substantially triangular space between _3T and the side walls 2a and 2d of the lower case 2. This brake structure has a lock release lever 6 on the rib 2e.
is rotatably attached, one end 6c closes a hole 9 provided on the bottom of the case 2, and a rib 6b provided on the lock release lever is attached to a support shaft 11 upright on the lower case 2 so that the reel lock lever is attached to the bottom of the case 2. They are rotatably fitted and face each other end 7b. The other end of the reel lock lever is
A rotation prevention biasing spring 8 is engaged with the teeth 3c and 3d.

When this tape cassette is installed in a recording and reproducing apparatus, the lock release lever 6 is rotated by the lock release pin 16 as shown in FIG. The other end 7a is rotated facing each other, and the other end 7a is
c and 3d, and the reels 3 _S and 3 _T become rotatable.

Although there are some design changes, this configuration is still compatible with VHS.
This method is widely used in video tape cassettes.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the configuration of such a conventional tape cassette, the reel lock lever 7 is disposed on the side far from the opening, and the other end 7f is connected to the teeth of the reel flange. Since the tape 4 is pressed against the front opening of the tape cassette and is stretched, the tape 4 may sag, and if shock or vibration is applied to the main body, the tape 4 may get caught in the inner wall 2f of the half, etc. This caused serious defects such as tape damage.

As a measure against this cause, it is known to provide a reel lock structure at the opening of the tape cassette as shown in FIG. The position of the lock release pin 16 is far apart,
As a brake structure, it is large and has problems in terms of strength, so miniaturization cannot be expected. In addition, the fitting hole of the rotation fulcrum shaft of the lock release member 6 is formed by combining the ribs 1a, 2d, 2e upright from the upper and lower cases 1 and 2, and the mold structure is complicated. There was a problem in that the brake component occupied a large portion of the cassette, making it impossible to downsize it. Furthermore, the insertion hole for a light source protruding from the recording device for detecting the end of the tape and the insertion hole for a lock pin for preventing rotation of the reel tape are separate, resulting in a complicated configuration from the recording device side.

The present invention solves these problems, and aims to provide a tape cassette which can have a compact brake structure and a simplified recording device even if it is a small cassette.

Means for Solving the Problem In order to solve this problem, the present invention shares the lock release pin of the recording device facing the lock release lever with the light source for detecting the end of the reel tape, and provides a hole for the insertion pin. is provided in a substantially triangular space near the opening of the tape cassette, and the reel lock lever is made of a transparent resin material in order to prevent interference between the light passing trajectory caused by the optical system and the reel lock brake. It is.

According to this configuration, the lock release means on the recording device side and the light source generation means for detecting the end of the tape can be configured with one pin, and the pin is provided on the reel lock lever at a predetermined position where the reel lock is released. As a result, the shape of each part of the cassette is simplified, and the shape of each part of the cassette is simplified.
This makes it possible to simplify and downsize the structural design on the recording device side.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The tape cassette of this embodiment has a brake mechanism in a substantially triangular space near the opening 2a'. Reference numeral 4 denotes a recording medium capable of recording, reproducing, and erasing sound or video information, document information, etc., and consists of upper and lower cases 1 and 2 with a front cover 17 and a rear cover 18 for the purpose of sandwiching and covering the recording medium and protecting it from disturbances. Rotatably held in a tape cassette.

The brake mechanism includes a pair of tape reels _3S ',
3 _T ', a reel lock lever 7, a lock release lever 6, and an elastic spring 8 for preventing rotation.

There is a small rib 2e' standing upright from the lower case near the hole 9' into which the light source pin 16 for lock release and tape end detection is inserted, and within the rib 2e' is the rotation fulcrum bearing part 2f of the lock release lever 6. ', and the lock release lever 6 is inserted and supported in this bearing part 2f'. As a measure to prevent the lock release lever from popping out, the rib 2 is inserted from the lower case almost on the same surface as the rib 2e'.
c′ is provided. This rib 2c' is disposed at a location covering the inner cylinder end face of the reel lock lever, and the rotation support shaft 11 of the reel lock lever is provided near the rib 2c'. Rib 1a protruding from upper case 1
A reel lock lever 7 and a rotation prevention biasing spring 8 are sandwiched between the rib 2c' and the rib 2c' from the lower case.
Further, when the tape end detection and lock release pin 16 is inserted from the recording device and reaches a certain position, the end 7b of the reel lock lever 7 that faces and contacts the other end 6b of the lock release lever 6 moves. come.
The other end 7a or the entire reel lock lever 7 is made of a transparent resin material to form a light trajectory for detecting the end of the tape.

In other words, the tape end light detection and
The lock release pin mechanism can be integrated, allowing for a rational design and at the same time simplifying and downsizing the brake structure of the tape cassette.

The brake mechanism of this embodiment is provided with a small rib 2e standing upright from the lower case 2 in the vicinity of the insertion hole 9, and the rotation support part 2 of the lock release lever 6 is attached to this rib 2e.
f, and further a reel lock lever rotation support shaft 11 is provided near the rotation support portion, and the reel lock lever 7 is inserted into this support shaft 11, and the displacement of the lock release member 6 is controlled by the cylindrical end surface (not shown). A rotation preventing biasing spring 8 is provided on the other end surface 7e of the presser foot and the reel lock lever, and the displacement of the spring and the reel lock lever is held down by the ribs 1a protruding from the upper case 1. . Therefore, as the lock release/tape end detection light source pin 16 is inserted, the other end 6b of the lock release lever pushes the opposing reel brake 7b to release the reel lock, and when the insertion amount reaches a certain position, Since the reel lock lever 7 facing the light trajectory generated from the light source for optical detection is made of a transparent resin material, the brake mechanism can be placed on the opening side without affecting optical tape end detection.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the brake mechanism can be configured even in a limited space, that is, in a small-sized tape cassette, and at the same time, the recording device can also function as an optical tape end detection means and a lock release means. It is an epoch-making device that can be used in other video/music/information collecting tape cassettes and their recording/playback devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a tape cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a brake mechanism in the tape cassette, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the brake mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tape cassette. External view of the cassette,
5 and 6 are a plan view and a sectional view for explaining the operation of the brake mechanism of the same tape cassette, and FIG.
The figure is a partially cutaway plan view showing the inside of a conventional tape cassette, Figures 8, 9, and 10 are enlarged perspective views and plan views of the brake mechanism of the tape cassette, and Figure 11 is a conventional tape cassette. FIG. 3 _S , 3 _T ...tape reel, 3c, 3d...teeth, 6...lock release lever, 7...reel lock lever, 8...biasing spring, 2f, 2e, 1a,
2c...Rib, 16...Tape end detection light source pin and lock release pin (recording device).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Acting on the outer periphery of a pair of freely rotatable tape reels to prevent them from rotating in the tape feeding direction, and at the same time to move the tape on the tape reels stretched toward the opening in the front of the cassette in the direction of stretching. A reel lock lever is rotatably supported on the reel lock lever, and a lock release lever is rotatably supported in conjunction with the reel lock lever so as to release the rotation blocking state, and the lock release lever includes:
A light source and lock release means for discriminating and detecting the end of the tape reel provided in the recording and reproducing apparatus pushes and rotates one end of the lock release lever, and the other end of the lock release lever locks the pair of reel lock levers. The tape cassette is characterized in that the reel lock lever is made entirely or partially of a transparent material to allow light from the light source for detecting the end of the tape reel to pass through the reel lock lever. .