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US 4,727,445 AGranted
Device for opening/closing a protective cover on a magnetic tape cassette and protecting the cassette interior from contamination
AssigneeTDK Corporation
InventorsTakateru Satoh, Haruo Shiba, Kimio Tanaka, Yoshiya Sakata
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A resiliently-mounted protective cover mounted on a magnetic tape cassette is controllably moved between exposed and protected positions along substantially the same path of movement during each use of the cassette. Blocking walls are provided in the interior of the cassette for preventing contaminants from reaching and contacting the magnetic tape therein.
Claims13
A magnetic tape cassette comprising:
- (a) a housing having wall portions bounding an interior and an open front side;
- (b) means for mounting magnetic tape in the interior of the housing for travel in a taut state past the front side of the housing during each use of the cassette;
- (c) a protective cover mounted on the housing for movement during each use between an exposed position in which the cover is remote from the front side of the housing to expose the tape thereat, and a protected position in which the cover overlies the front side of the housing to protect the tape thereat;
- and
- (d) biasing means in resilient engagement with the cover, and operative for constantly urging the cover toward the exposed and protected positions, and for resiliently yielding during movement between the exposed and protected positions;
- wherein the housing wall portions include side wall portions having bearing holes extending therethrough;
- wherein the cover includes a pair of stub shafts colinearly arranged along a pivot axis and mounted with clearance in the bearing holes for movement circumferentially about the pivot axis and also in a transverse direction toward and away from the front side of the housing;
- wherein the biasing means resiliently engage the stub shafts, and constantly urge the latter along the transverse direction away from the front side of the housing toward the exposed and protected positions, and yield when the stub shafts are moved along the transverse direction toward the front side of the housing during movement between the exposed and protected positions;
- wherein the biasing means includes a biasing spring for each stub shaft, each spring having a base in supported engagement with the housing and two free arms in resilient engagement with the respective stub shaft,
- whereby the cover is controllably moved along substantially the same path of movement during each use of the cassette.
7 more elements
A magnetic tape cassette comprising:
- (a) a housing having wall portions bounding an interior and an open front side;
- (b) means for mounting magnetic tape in the interior of the housing for travel in a taut state past the front side of the housing during each use of the cassette;
- (c) a protective cover mounted on the housing for movement during each use between an exposed position in which the cover is remote from the front side of the housing to expose the tape thereat, and a protected position in which the cover overlies the front side of the housing to protect the tape thereat;
- and
- (d) biasing means in resilient engagement with the cover, and operative for constantly urging the cover toward the exposed and protected positions, and for resiliently yielding during movement between the exposed and protected positions;
- wherein the housing wall portions include side wall portions having bearing holes extending therethrough;
- wherein the cover includes a pair of stub shafts colinearly arranged along a pivot axis and mounted with clearance in the bearing holes for movement circumferentially about the pivot axis and also in a transverse direction toward and away from the front side of the housing;
- wherein the biasing means resiliently engage the stub shafts, and constantly urge the latter along the transverse direction away from the front side of the housing toward the exposed and protected positions, and yield when the stub shafts are moved along the transverse direction toward the front side of the housing during movement between the exposed and protected positions;
- and
- further comprising blocking means in the interior of the housing for preventing contaminants from entering through the bearing holes into the housing interior and coming into contact with the magnetic tape,
- whereby the cover is controllably moved along substantially the same path of movement during each use of the cassette.
8 more elements
A magnetic tape cassette, comprising:
- (a) a housing having wall portions bounding an interior, and an elongated open front side;
- (b) means for mounting magnetic tape in the interior of the housing for travel in a taut state past the front side of the housing during each use of the cassette;
- (c) a protective cover having stub shafts colinearly arranged along a pivot axis, and being mounted on the housing for pivoting movement about the pivot axis, and also for translatory movement in a generally radial direction toward and away from the front side of the housing, between an exposed position in which the cover is remote from the front side of the housing to expose the tape thereat, and a protected position in which the cover overlies the front side of the housing to protect the tape thereat;
- and
- (d) a pair of biasing springs in resilient engagement with the stud shafts, and operative for constantly urging the stub shafts in the radial direction away from the front side of the housing toward the exposed and protected positions, and for resiliently yielding during movement between the exposed and protected positions;
- wherein each spring comprises a base in supported engagement with the housing and two free arms in resilient engagement with the respective stub shaft.
3 more elements
A magnetic tape cassette comprising:
- (a) a housing having wall portions bounding an interior, and an elongated open front side;
- (b) means for mounting magnetic tape in the interior of the housing for travel in a taut state passed the front side of the housing during each use of the cassette;
- (c) a protective cover having stub shafts colinearly arranged along a pivot access, and being mounted on the housing for pivoting movement about the pivot axis, and also for translatory movement in a generally radial direction toward and away from the front side of the housing, between an exposed position in which the cover is remote from the front side of the housing to expose the tape thereat, and a protected position in which the cover overlies the front side of the housing to protect the tape thereat;
- and
- (d) a pair of biasing springs and resilient engagement with the stub shafts, and operative for constantly urging the stub shafts in the radial direction away from the front side of the housing toward the exposed and protected positions, and for resiliently yielding during movement between the exposed and protected positions;
- and
- further comprising blocking means in the interior of the housing for preventing contaminants from contacting the magnetic tape mounted in the interior of the housing, said blocking means being operative for subdividing the interior of the housing into a tape-receiving compartment in which the tape is received, and a contaminant-receiving compartment in which comtaminants are received, said blocking means preventing communication between the tape-receiving compartment and the contaminant-receiving compartment.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.