Coined reel leaf spring for a video tape cassette
AssigneeShape Corp.
InventorsPaul J. Gelardi, Terry D. Lindberg, Connie M. Snyder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved coined reel leaf spring for a video tape cassette is provided having a central portion and arms emanating therefrom. The arms include at least one rib formed therein adding strength to the arms and allowing a one-half reduction in the conventional thickness of the coined reel leaf spring required to effect bending and biasing. The reduced thickness, of course, reduces material costs for the coined reel leaf spring and overall production costs for the tape cassette.
Claims24
A coined, metal reel leaf spring of a single, uniform thickness to bias against tape reel hubs of a tape cassette, comprising:
- (a) a central portion;
- and
- (b) a plurality of arms emanating from the central portion, each arm including a projecting portion for strengthening the arm and for minimizing the thickness of the metal required to create bias, and each arm and projecting portion being bent relative to the central portion.
A video tape cassette, comprising:
- (a) a base and a cover, the base being assembled with the cover to define a tape reel receiving area therebetween;
- (b) a pair of tape reels mounted in the tape reel receiving area of the base, each of the tape reels including a hub having video tape wound thereon;
- and
- (c) a coined, metal reel leaf spring of a single, uniform thickness to bias against the tape reel hubs, having
- (i) a central portion, and
- (ii) a plurality of arms emanating from the central portion, each arm including a projecting portion for strengthening the arm and for minimizing the thickness of the metal required to create bias, and each arm and projecting portion being bent relative to the central portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.