Data storage cassette and data recording and reproducing device

A data storage cassette including an upper cassette half and a lower cassette half and having an interior space containing therein a tape for storing data, said cassette having an outer shape of a predetermined dimension, said lower cassette including a reel release hole, comprising:

• a discrimination hole defined through said lower cassette half at a location substantially adjacent to said reel lock release hole for discriminating said cassette from another cassette having an outer shape of a dimension substantially identical with said predetermined dimension of the outer shape of said date storage cassette;
• and
• an inner wall coupled to said lower cassette half, said inner wall surrounding said reel lock release hole and substantially isolating said interior space from said cassette from an area surrounded by said inner wall, said discrimination hole defined within said area surrounded by said inner wall.

A data recording and reproducing device for recording and reproducing data on a data storage cassette, said data storage cassette comprising an upper cassette half and a lower cassette half and containing therein a tape for storing data, said cassette having an outer shape of a predetermined dimension, said lower cassette half including a reel lock release hole, a discrimination hole defined through said lower cassette half at a location substantially adjacent to said reel lock release hole, and an inner wall surrounding said reel lock release hole and said discrimination hole, comprising:

• discrimination means for identifying the presence of said discrimination hole surrounded by said inner wall so as to discriminate said cassette from another cassette having an outer shape of a dimension substantially identical with the outer shape of said predetermined dimension of said data storage cassette and to enable only said data storage cassette to be loaded and set in said device for recording and reproducing data;
• and
• reel lock release means, located substantially adjacent to said discrimination means, for inserting in said reel lock release hole.