Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record medium – In container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-28
2001-01-30
Tupper, Robert S. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record medium
In container
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181516
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a tape cassette such as a digital video cassette, an 8 mm video cassette or the like in which a tape-like record medium such as a magnetic tape or the like is received, and more particularly to a tape cassette which is suitable for use for a recording/regenerating apparatus, in particular, a magnetic recording/regenerating apparatus such as, for example, a video tape recorder (VTR) and includes a lid structure for covering front, rear and upper surfaces of a tape-like record medium (hereinafter also referred to as “tape”).
A tape cassette of such a type which has been conventionally used in the art often includes a lid structure which includes an upper lid for covering an upper surface of portion of a tape traveling along a front opening of a cassette casing and front and rear lids for covering front and rear surfaces of the portion of the tape while interposing the portion of the tape therebetween, to thereby prevent adhesion of dust to the tape, pollution of the tape by the fingers and damage to the tape.
For example, one conventional tape cassette of this type is constructed in such a manner as shown in FIG.
1
. More particularly, the tape cassette includes a rear lid
26
provided with a pair of guide pins
26
a
which are loosely fitted in respective guide grooves
36
formed at a lower casing member
23
b
, to thereby permit the rear lid
26
to be guided while being slid when it is opened in association with a front lid
24
, resulting in a locus of movement of the rear lid
26
during opening of the lid being defined. Another conventional tape cassette is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3517/1995. The tape cassette disclosed includes a cassette casing formed by joining an upper casing member and a lower casing member to each other. The lower casing member is provided with a pair of rear lid guide grooves and correspondingly the upper casing member is provided with a pair of projections, so that the guide grooves are closed at an upper end thereof with the projections, respectively.
In the conventional tape cassette shown in
FIG. 1
, the rear lid
26
is formed at an intermediate portion thereof with a recessed portion
26
b
by bending the portion for the purpose of reinforcing the rear lid
26
. Unfortunately, when excessive force is undesirably applied to the rear lid
26
during opening of the rear lid, an upper end
24
a
of the front lid
24
is caused to bite into the recessed portion
26
b
of the rear lid
26
, leading to upward disengagement of the guide pins
26
a
from the guide grooves
36
. The tape cassette disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3517/1995 eliminates the above-described disadvantage encountered with the tape cassette shown in FIG.
1
. However, it requires that the front lid is formed on an inner surface thereof opposite to each of the projections with a relief. Unfortunately, this causes a die for molding the cassette casing to be complicated in structure and renders a combination of a support shaft or pin of each of the lids and/or a guide pin thereof with a pin support hole and/or a guide groove troublesome. Also, it is apt to cause detachment of the shaft or pin from the hole or groove due to shock applied to the casing when it is dropped.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which is capable of facilitating assembling thereof irrespective of the fact that a lid structure is constituted by lid members as many as three in number.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which is capable of preventing a failure in operation of a lid structure due to shock applied to the tape cassette when it is dropped.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which is capable of effectively preventing a lid structure from being detached from a casing during pivotal operation of the lid structure or due to application of shock applied to the tape cassette by dropping thereof.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which is capable of ensuring reinforcement of a lid structure and smooth operation thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which is capable of exhibiting increased safety and reliability.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette which is capable of reducing a manufacturing cost of the tape cassette while keeping a molding die for the tape cassette from being complicated and simplifying the manufacturing.
In accordance with the present invention, a tape cassette is provided. The tape cassette includes a casing formed by joining an upper casing member and a lower casing member to each other. The lower casing member is provided with a pair of guide grooves. The tape cassette also includes a pair of reel hubs rotatably received in the casing and having a tape wound thereon so as to extend therebetween while being stretched therebetween. The tape travels between the reel hubs while being guided along a front side of the casing, to thereby be delivered from either one of the reel hubs and taken up on the other reel hub. The tape cassette further includes a lid structure arranged on the casing in a manner to open and close so as to permit the tape to be selectively exposed. The lid structure includes a front lid for covering a front surface of a portion of the tape guided along the front side of the casing, an upper lid for covering an upper end of the portion of the tape and a rear lid for covering a rear surface of the portion of the tape. The rear lid is provided on opposite sides thereof with a pair of guide pins movably fitted in the guide grooves of the lower casing member, respectively. Also, the rear lid is constructed so as to upwardly open in association with movement of the front lid. Further, the rear lid is provided with at least one projection abutted against an end of an upper surface of the front lid when the rear lid upwardly opens.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rear lid is provided on an upper surface thereof with a recess, wherein the recess is formed on opposite sides thereof with ribs, respectively and the projection is comprised of the ribs.
As described above, the tape cassette of the present invention is so constructed that the rear lid is provided with at least one projection abutted against an end of an upper surface of the front lid when the rear lid upwardly opens. Such construction effectively prevents the guide pins from being upwardly disengaged or detached from the guide grooves of the rear lid due to shock undesirably applied to the tape cassette by dropping thereof or the like while keeping a molding die for the tape cassette from being complicated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4881696 (1989-11-01), Mizutani et al.
patent: 5596464 (1997-01-01), Sawada
patent: 6011675 (2000-01-01), Shima et al.
patent: 0 573 058 A2 A3 (1993-12-01), None
patent: 0 620 554 A2 A3 (1994-10-01), None
patent: 0 663 663 A1 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 2508223 (1982-12-01), None
patent: 7-3517 (1995-01-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 007, No. 150 (P-207), Jun. 30, 1983 & JP 58 060475 A (Sony KK), Apr. 9, 1983.
Ikebe Masaru
Shima Motohiko
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP
TDK Corporation
Tupper Robert S.
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