Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-21
2003-02-18
Bryant, David P. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S464000, C029S467000, C029S559000, C029S784000, C029S799000, C029S806000, C269S309000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06519827
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for assembling a magnetic tape cartridge and, in particular, to method and apparatus for assembling a magnetic tape cartridge of a type that a single reel with magnetic tape wound therearound is rotatably stored in a cartridge case.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, as a magnetic tape cartridge which is employed as a recording medium for use in an external storage such as a computer or the like, there is known a magnetic tape cartridge of a type that magnetic tape is wound around a single reel. This type of magnetic tape cartridge is used for data retention in a computer or the like and, since important information is stored in-the magnetic tape cartridge, the magnetic tape cartridge is .structured in such a manner that occurrence of a trouble such as jammed tape or the like can be prevented and also the unexpected draw-out of the magnetic tape can be prevented.
Here,
FIG. 13
is an exploded perspective view of the above-mentioned magnetic tape cartridge which is known as DLT (digital linear tape).
Referring to the magnetic tape cartridge
1
shown in
FIG. 13
, magnetic tape
20
is wound around a single reel
3
consisting or a combination of an upper reel
4
and a lower reel
5
welded together by ultrasonic waves, and the single reel
3
is rotatably stored in a cartridge case
2
which comprises an upper case
2
a
and a lower case
2
b
fastened together by screws
19
or the like.
The upper reel
4
comprises a cylindrical-shaped bottomed reel hub
42
on the outer periphery of which the magnetic tape
20
can be wound, and a flange portion
93
which is projected in the radial direction of the upper reel from the outer periphery of the upper end of the reel hub
42
; and, the reel hub
42
and flange portion
43
are formed of synthetic resin as a united body. And, on the outer surface of the bottom portion of the reel hub
42
, there are cut and formed securing teeth serving as engaging mechanism which are used to drive and rotate the upper reel
4
; and, on the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion
43
, there are cut and formed restricting gears
43
a
with which a pair of front and rear reel brakes
50
and
51
can be meshingly engaged when restricting the rotation of the upper reel
4
while not in use. By the way, as shown in
FIG. 13
, the bottomed recessed portion of the reel hub
42
is opened upward.
On the other hand, the lower reel
5
is formed as a disk including in the central portion thereof an opening through which the outer surface of the bottom portion of the reel hub
42
can be inserted, and the lower reel
5
can be welded by ultrasonic waves to the upper reel
4
to thereby provide a united body.
Referring further to the reel
3
comprising the upper and lower reels
4
and
5
which are welded together in the above-mentioned manner, when assembling the reel
3
into the cartridge case
2
, a bearing
6
is pressure inserted into and fixed to the bottomed recesses portion of the reel hub
42
and a spring plug
7
is further pressure inserted into and fixed to a hole formed in the central portion of the bearing
6
. And, a reel spring
8
, which consists of a compression coil spring mounted on the spring plug
7
, energizes the reel
3
downward and holds the reel
3
in a freely rotatably manner.
Also, in order to prevent the reel
3
from rotating unexpectedly when the magnetic tape cartridge
1
is not in use, the reel
3
is secured by the front and rear reel brakes
50
and
51
which can be engaged with the restricting gears
43
a
by energizing forces given by brake springs
12
and
13
respectively consisting of torsion coil springs. Further, in the magnetic tape cartridge
1
, in a state where the magnetic tape
20
is completely wound around the reel
3
when the magnetic tape cartridge
1
is not in use, a leader tape (mechanism by which a recording and reproducing apparatus using the magnetic tape cartridge
1
introduces the magnetic tape
20
to a given tape travel passage provided within the recording and reproducing apparatus)
21
is secured to the leading end portion of a hook
18
which is incorporated into the portion of the magnetic tape cartridge
1
that is located near to the side surface thereof.
In the respective given side walls of the upper and lower cases
2
a
and
2
b
which cooperate together in forming the cartridge case
2
, there are formed cutaway portions
24
a
and
24
b
that cooperate together in forming a magnetic tape pull-out opening
24
of the cartridge case
2
through which the magnetic tape
20
can be pulled out. And, in the magnetic tape pull-out opening
24
, there is mounted a lid
30
which can be opened and closed in the direction of the plane of the magnetic tape cartridge
1
; in more particular, the lid
30
is journaled on a lid support shaft
14
in a freely openable and closable manner and can be energized in its closing direction by a lid spring
15
formed of a torsion coil spring; and, further, the, lid
30
is secured by a lid lock
40
properly energized by a lid spring
16
in order to be able to prevent the lid
30
from rotating when the magnetic tape cartridge
1
is not in use. Also, at the position on the opposite side of the cartridge case
2
that is opposed to the lid
30
, there is incorporated a light protect piece
17
.
And, if the above-mentioned magnetic tape cartridge
1
is set in its corresponding recording and reproducing apparatus such as an external storage or the like, then rotation drive mechanism provided on the apparatus side is engaged with the securing teeth of the reel
3
exposed to an opening
2
c
formed in the central portion of the lower case
2
b
against the energizing force of the reel spring
8
and, at the same time, the lid
30
is opened by a tape null-out mechanism provided on the apparatus side and the leader tape
21
is thus pulled in to a given position in the tape travel passage, thereby enabling data to be written into and read from the magnetic tape
20
.
By the way, when assembling the above-mentioned magnetic tape cartridge
1
comprising a large number of parts, in order to be able to assemble as many parts as possible in a unit time as well as reduce the cost thereof and avoid as much defective assembling as possible, it is necessary to use an automatic assembling apparatus.
As such automatic assembling apparatus, there is available an assembling line in which a plurality of assembling stations each including an assembling robot for receiving works sequentially fed by delivery mechanism such as a belt conveyor or the like and also for assembling various parts to the works are arranged in a straight line manner. That is, the present assembling line is a multipurpose automatic assembling apparatus in which, by changing properly jigs to be mounted on the manipulator leading end portions of the assembling robots in the respective assembling stations, parts different in shapes can be assembled sequentially.
When assembling the magnetic tape cartridge
1
using the above-mentioned automatic assembling apparatus, for example, at first, the upper case
2
a
to be handled as the work is set on a pallet placed on a belt conveyor while it is reversed or turned upside down; various Darts such the reel spring
8
, brake springs
12
and
13
, front and rear reel brakes
50
and
51
, lid spring
15
, lid
30
, hook
18
, light protect piece
17
and the like are previously assembled to the thus reversed upper case
2
a
at the respective assembling stations; next, the reel
3
is assembled onto the upper case
2
a
; and, after then, the lower case
2
b
is assembled onto the upper case
2
a.
However, the magnetic tape cartridge
1
comprises a large number of component parts which are previously assembled while they are elastically energized by the spring members such as the reel spring
8
, brake springs
12
and
13
, lid spring
15
and the like; and, therefore, when feeding the upper case
2
a
sequentially, the respective component parts are easy to drop off or f
Hayashi Yoichi
Mizuta Akira
Bryant David P.
Cozart Jermie E.
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
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