Reel-locking mechanism for compact tape cassette

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism in synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and a second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion held in contact with a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed gear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said supply reel hub further has a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said second brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange by a clearance when said second locking pawl is in mesh with said second toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange when said second locking pawl is out of mesh with said second toothed gear to prevent said second locking pawl from moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said supply reel hub.

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism in synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and a second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion held in contact with a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed gear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said take-up reel hub further has a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said first brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange by a clearance when said first locking pawl is in mesh with said first toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange when said first locking pawl is out of mesh with said first toothed gear to prevent said first locking pawl from moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said take-up reel hub, said supply reel hub further having a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said second brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange of said supply reel hub by said clearance when said second locking pawl is in mesh with said second toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange of said supply reel hub when said second locking pawl is out of mesh with said second toothed gear to prevent said second locking pawl from moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said supply reel hub.

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing:
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism is synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and a second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion held in contact with a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed gear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said second brake mechanism further includes a cam means associated with said brake member and engageable with a portion of said supply reel hub to turn said brake member in said first direction for temporarily releasing said supply reel hub when said supply reel hub is lifted.

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism in synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said first and second brake mechanisms are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance when they are disposed in a braking position relative to said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, said first brake mechanism, as it performs its releasing operation, being engageable with said second brake mechanism to transmit its releasing motion to said second brake mechanism to cause aid releasing motion of said second brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and a second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion spaced from a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed gear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said take-up reel hub further has a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said first brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange by a clearance when said first locking pawl is in mesh with said first toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange when said first locking pawl is out of mesh with said first toothed gear to prevent said first locking pawl from moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said take-up reel hub.

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism in synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said first and second brake mechanisms are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance when they are disposed in a braking position relative to said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, said first brake mechanism, as it performs its releasing operation, being engageable with said second brake mechanism to transmit its releasing motion to said second brake mechanism to cause said releasing motion of said second brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion spaced from a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed gear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said supply reel hub further has a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said second brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange by a clearance when said second locking pawl is in mesh with said second toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange when said second locking pawl is out of mesh with said second toothed gear to prevent said second locking pawl from moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said supply reel hub.

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism in synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said first and second brake mechanisms are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance when they are disposed in a braking position relative to said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, said first brake mechanism, as it performs its releasing operation, being engageable with said second brake mechanism to transmit its releasing motion to said second brake mechanism to cause said releasing motion of said second brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and a second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion spaced from a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed gear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said take-up reel hub further has a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said first brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange by a clearance when said first locking pawl is in mesh with said first toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange when said first locking pawl is out of mesh with said first toothed gear to prevent said first locking pawl from moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said take-up reel hub, said supply reel hub further having a second annular flange spaced from the first-mentioned annular flange, said second brake mechanism further including an abutment spaced from a periphery of said second annular flange of said supply reel hub by said clearance when said second locking pawl is in mesh with said second toothed gear and engageable with said periphery of said second annular flange of said supply reel hub when said second locking pawl is out of mesh with said second toothed gear to prevent said second locking pawl form moving into a space between said second annular flange and said first-mentioned annular flange of said supply reel hub.

A compact size tape cassette comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a supply reel hub and a take-up reel hub rotatably mounted within the housing, with a magnetic tape wound around said reel hubs;
• and
• (c) first and second brake mechanisms associated with said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, respectively, for locking said reel hubs in position against rotation relative to said housing, said first and second brake mechanisms being interlocked such that a releasing motion of said first brake mechanism is transmitted to said second brake mechanism to cause a releasing motion of said second brake mechanism in synchronism with the releasing motion of said first brake mechanism,
• wherein said first and second brake mechanisms are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance when they are disposed in a braking position relative to said take-up reel hub and said supply reel hub, said first brake mechanism, as it performs its releasing operation, being engageable with said second brake mechanism to transmit its releasing motion to said second brake mechanism to cause said releasing motion of said second brake mechanism,
• wherein said supply reel hub has an annular flange, said take-up reel hub having an annular flange, said first brake mechanism including a first toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said take-up reel hub, a brake arm pivotally mounted within said housing, and a first spring for urging said brake arm to turn in a first direction, said brake arm having a first locking pawl normally held in mesh with said first toothed gear by the force of said first spring, a first engagement portion engageable with a brake-releasing element to turn said brake arm in a second direction opposite to said first direction for disengaging said locking pawl from said first toothed gear, and an arm for transmitting an angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction to said second brake mechanism, said second brake mechanism including a second toothed gear formed on a periphery of said annular flange of said supply reel hub, a brake member pivotally mounted within said housing, and a second spring for urging said brake member to turn in said second direction, said brake member having a second locking pawl normally held in mesh with said second toothed gear by the force of said second spring, and a second engagement portion spaced from a distal end of said transmitting arm, said brake member being rotatable in said first direction to disengage said second locking pawl from said second toothed fear when said angular motion of said brake arm in said second direction is transmitted to said second engagement portion via said transmitting arm, and
• wherein said second brake mechanism further includes a cam means associated with said brake member and engageable with a portion of said supply reel hub to turn said brake member in said first direction for temporarily releasing said supply reel hub when said supply reel hub is lifted.