US 5,308,014 AGranted

Tape cassette with front and inner tape covering lids

AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

InventorsHironori Honsho, Fuminari Saito

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Abstract

A tape cassette which protects the tape thereof from dust, and which can be accommodated in a small volume. This is achieved by providing both a front lid and an inner lid and by making a distance between a rotation axis of the cassette front lid and a cassette bottom surface greater than a distance between a surface of the tape stretched along the front of the cassette case and the rotation axis of the cassette front lid. In addition, a restriction plate is provided for restricting rearward movement of the tape stretched along the front of the cassette case.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A tape cassette comprising:

a cassette case having an opening formed at a front portion thereof;
a pair of tape reels mounted in said cassette case for winding a tape thereon and to which opposing ends of the tape are adapted to be attached, respectively;
means for stretching the tape along a front surface of said cassette case at a predetermined location forwardly of said opening formed at said front portion of said cassette case;
a front lid rotatably supported on side surfaces of said cassette case for rotation about a front lid rotation axis between a closed position in which said front lid is positioned forwardly of said predetermined location so as to cover a front surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case, and an open position in which said front lid is not positioned forwardly of said predetermined location so as to expose the front surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case;
an inner lid rotatably supported on said front lid for rotation about an inner lid rotation axis between a closed position in which said inner lid is positioned rearwardly of said predetermined location so as to cover a rear surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case, and an open position in which said inner lid is not positioned rearwardly of said predetermined location so as to expose the rear surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case;
a restriction plate extending from a bottom surface of said cassette case and located in said opening rearwardly of said predetermined location at which the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case is adapted to be disposed so as to prevent rearward movement of a portion of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case;
and
means, comprising a U-shaped cutout portion of said inner lid provided at a position facing said restriction plate when said inner lid is in its closed position, for engaging with said restriction plate in such a manner as to leave a space between said inner lid and said restriction plate when said inner lid is in its closed position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A tape cassette comprising:

a cassette case having an opening formed at a front portion thereof;
a pair of tape reels mounted in said cassette case for winding a tape thereon and to which opposing ends of the tape are adapted to be attached, respectively;
means for stretching the tape along a front surface of said cassette case at a predetermined location forwardly of said opening formed at said front portion of said cassette case;
a front lid rotatably supported on side surfaces of said cassette case for rotation about a front lid rotation axis between a closed position in which said front lid is positioned forwardly of said predetermined location so as to cover a front surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case, and an open position in which said front lid is not positioned forwardly of said predetermined location so as to expose the front surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case;
an inner lid rotatably supported on said front lid for rotation about an inner lid rotation axis between a closed position in which said inner lid is positioned rearwardly of said predetermined location so as to cover a rear surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case, and an open position in which said inner lid is not positioned rearwardly of said predetermined location so as to expose the rear surface of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case;
a restriction plate extending from a bottom surface of said cassette case and located in said opening rearwardly of said predetermined location at which the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case is adapted to be disposed so as to prevent rearward movement of a portion of the tape stretched along said front surface of said cassette case;
and
means, comprising a U-shaped cutout portion of said inner lid provided at a position facing said restriction plate when said inner lid is in its closed position, for engaging with said restriction plate in such a manner as to leave a space between said inner lid and said restriction plate when said inner lid is in its closed position.

5 more elements