Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record medium – In container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-22
2002-03-05
Tupper, Robert S. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record medium
In container
Reexamination Certificate
active
06353513
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cartridge for tapes such as a digital data storage (DDS) tape and a digital audio tape (DAT), and more particularly, to a tape cartridge including reels locked by a reel lock member when the tape cartridge is not in use.
Referring to
FIG. 9
, a known tape cartridge
101
comprises a pair of reels or hubs
103
,
104
having a magnetic tape or information recording medium
102
wound thereon, a shell
107
for rotatably housing the reels
103
,
104
and including upper and lower halves
105
,
106
, a lid or rotary flap
109
rotatably mounted to the shell
107
on the front end and for covering the tape
102
running in a loading opening or a pocket
108
arranged in a front portion of the shell
107
, a slide shutter
110
slidably mounted to a lower side of the shell
107
and for closing a lower portion of the pocket
108
, a reel lock member
111
for ensuring lock of the reels
103
,
104
and releasing lock thereof in connection with closing and opening operations of the lid
109
, and a spring member or a reel lock spring
112
for biasing the reel lock member
111
in the reel lock direction.
Referring to
FIG. 10
, each reel
103
,
104
has a reel seat
103
a
,
104
a
at the lower end, which is loosely engaged with a reel receiver or a reel-seat hole
106
a
,
106
b
of the lower half
106
for rotation therein. The reel lock member
111
has a pair of reel engagements or claws
111
a
,
111
b
, which is engaged with counter-engagements or claw engagements
103
a
,
104
b
of the reels
103
,
104
to prevent rotation thereof.
When assembling the tape cartridge
101
, first, the reels
103
,
104
, the reel lock member
111
, the reel lock spring
112
, etc. are mounted to the lower half
106
. Then, the upper half
105
is connected to the lower half
106
by fixtures such as screws
113
to form the shell
107
. Finally, the lid
109
and the slide shutter
110
are mounted to the shell
107
.
However, the known tape cartridge
101
has the following inconveniences:
1) Referring to
FIGS. 9-10
, when having mounted the reels
103
,
104
, the reel lock member
111
, and the reel lock spring
112
to the lower half
106
, the reel lock member
111
is urged to slide by force of the reel lock spring
112
so as to engage the reel engagements
111
a
,
111
b
with the counter-engagements
103
b
,
104
b
of the reels
103
,
104
, preventing rotation thereof. However, referring to
FIG. 11
, if the reel lock member
111
is urged to slide further by force of the reel lock spring
112
so as to push the reels
103
,
104
, the reel seats
103
a
,
104
a
are pressed on the inner peripheral surfaces of the reel receivers
106
a
,
106
b
of the lower half
106
.
This causes the reel lock member
111
and the reels
103
,
104
to form an L-shaped protrusion.
Referring to
FIG. 12
, in assembling of the shell
107
, a height checker block
201
serves to detect whether or not the reels
103
,
104
and the reel lock member
111
are normally set on the lower half
106
. If the reel lock member
111
and the reels
103
,
104
swell out like an L-shape as described above, the assemblage may be detected as defective due to the fact that a reel-lock-spring engagement
111
c
, arranged on the reel lock member
111
contacts the height checker block
201
.
2) While the reel lock member
111
and the reels
103
,
104
form an L-shaped protrusion, a lower edge
102
a
of an outer peripheral portion of the magnetic tape
102
wound on the reels
103
,
104
is pressed on the inner bottom or the inner side of the lower half
106
, which may be damaged to produce a disadvantage for recording and reproducing of the tape
102
.
3) If the reel lock member
111
pushes the reels
103
,
104
excessively strongly, there may occur deformation or damage of the reel engagements
111
a
,
111
b
of the reel lock member
111
or the counter-engagements
103
b
,
104
b
of the reels
103
,
104
.
4) The above inconveniences can be removed by a reduction in the biasing pressure of the reel lock spring
112
by changing, e.g. the diameter thereof. However, this method reduces a reel lock effect when the tape cartridge
101
is not in use.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a tape cartridge that is free of the above inconveniences, and enables sure reel lock without any damage of the device components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention lies in providing a cartridge, comprising:
reels having a tape wound thereon, said reels including seats at lower ends thereof;
a shell rotatably housing said reels, said shell including upper and lower halves, said lower half being formed with receivers with which said seats of said reels are loosely engaged, respectively, and an opening for loading said tape;
lid rotatably mounted to said shell, said lid closing said opening of said shell;
a lock member ensuring lock of said reels in connection with closing operation of said lid;
a spring biasing said lock member in a reel lock direction; and
means for restricting movement of said lock member when said lock member is urged to move to a reel lock position.
Another aspect of the present invention lies in providing a cartridge, comprising:
reels having a tape wound thereon, said reels including seats at lower ends thereof;
a shell rotatably housing said reels, said shell including upper and lower halves, said lower half being formed with receivers with which said seats of said reels are loosely engaged, respectively, and an opening for loading said tape;
a lid rotatably mounted to said shell, said lid closing said opening of said shell;
a lock member ensuring lock of said reels in connection with closing operation of said lid;
a spring biasing said lock member in a reel lock direction; and
a device arranged with said lower half, said device restricting movement of said lock member when said lock member is urged to move to a reel lock position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4742418 (1988-05-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 4884159 (1989-11-01), Satoh
patent: 5140488 (1992-08-01), Sugiyama et al.
patent: 5255144 (1993-10-01), Iwahashi et al.
patent: RE34927 (1995-05-01), Meguro et al.
Maioli Jay H.
Sony Corporation
Tupper Robert S.
LandOfFree
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