Lock mechanism for tape protective closure for magnetic tape cassette

Claim 2

A magnetic tape cassette characterized by: (1) a cassette casing having a mouth through which (6) a magnetic tape is accessible, said mouth including a first openin in a front end face of said casing and a secondopening in a lower section of the casingadjacent said front end face; a pivotal lid) covering and exposing said first opening of said mouth; a sliding shutter member slidable with respect to the lower section)of said dcassette casing and adapted to cover and expose said second opening (3a) of said mouth, ing movable between a f said shutter member being movable between a first position in which it covers said second opening and a second position in which it exposes said second opening; and

Claim 3

(15) a resilient locking lever integrally formed (1) with said cassette casing and having a resiliently (15a) deformable lever section (15b) and a round head engagable with said shutter member, said locking lever normally holding said shutter member in said first position while said (9) cassette is not in use, and allowing said shutter member to move to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 4

(15) a resilient locking lever integrally formed (1) with said cassette casing and having a resiliently (15a) deformable lever section (15b) and a round head engagable with said shutter member, said locking lever normally holding said shutter member in said first position while said (9) cassette is not in use, and allowing said shutter member to move to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 5

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shutter member is provided with (9k, 9m) first and second means engagingly receiving said locking (15a) (15) head of said locking lever at said first and second (1) positions of said shutter.

Claim 6

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in (9) claim 2, wherein said shutter member is formed with a (15a) groove into which said locking head protrudes through one of said first and second locking head receiving means.

Claim 7

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first and second receiving means are vacancies defined in said shutter member for allowing said locking head to pass therethrough.

Claim 8

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first engaging means is a circular (9k) hole disposed so as to engage said locking head in said first position of said shutter member, and said second receiving means is a semi-circular hole disposed as to engage said locking head in said second position of said shutter member.

Claim 9

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first receiving means is a circular hole disposed so as to engage said locking head in said first position of said shutter member, and said second receiving means is a circular hole disposed so as to engage said locking head in said second position of said shutter member.

Claim 10

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 5, wherein said shutter member is formed with a groove into which said locking head protrudes through one of said first and second locking head receiving means.

Claim 11

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 6, wherein said shutter member is formed with a groove into which said locking head protrudes through one of said first and second locking head receiving means.

Claim 12

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 3, wherein the depth of said groove at least matches the corresponding dimension of said locking head protruding from said shutter member.

Claim 13

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 7, wherein the depth of said groove at least matches the corresponding dimension of said locking head protruding from said shutter member.

Claim 14

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 8, wherein the depth of said groove at least matches the corresponding dimension of said locking head protruding from said shutter member.

Claim 15

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 9, wherein said locking lever has a locking head engageable to said shutter member when said locking lever is in a first lever position and disengageable from said shutter member to allow sliding movement of said shutter member when said locking lever is in a second lever position.

Claim 16

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 12, wherein said locking lever is moved from said first lever position to said second lever position when the cassette is inserted into said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 17

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 13, wherein recording and reproducina apparatus includes hooking means including a hook (9e) releasably engaging said shutter and exerting a sliding force thereupon as said cassette is inserted into said recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 18

A magnetic tape cassette characterized by: . (1) a cassette casing having a mouth through which (6). a magnetic tape is accessible, said mouth including a first opening in a front end face of said casing and a (3a). (3) second opening in a lower section of the casing adjacent (9a, 9b) said front end face, and a pair of reel shaft aperturés through which drivina hubs of tape reels are accessible; a pivotal lid for covering and exposing said first opening of said mouth; a sliding shutter member freely slideable in the front-to-rear direction between first and second sliding positions, said reel shaft apertures and said (3a) second opening being exposed in said first sliding position and said reel shaft apertures and said second opening being covered by said shutter memb(er in said (9) second sliding position, said (8) sliding shutter member cooperating with said pivotal lid in said second slidinc d shutter memb(9) position in such a manner that said shutter member (8) prevents said pivotal lid from exposing said first opening; and ( 1 5) a resilient locking lever integrally fcrmed (15a) with said cassette casing and having a head engageable (9) with said shutter member at said first and second positions of the latter and a resiliently deformable (15b) lever section deformable between a first locking position and a second unlocking position of said head said lever section normally biasing said head toward said first locking position, and said locking lever normally holding said shutter member in said first position while said cassette is not in use, and allowing said shutter member to move to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 19

A magnetic tape cassette characterized by: . (1) a cassette casing having a mouth through which (6). a magnetic tape is accessible, said mouth including a first opening in a front end face of said casing and a (3a). (3) second opening in a lower section of the casing adjacent (9a, 9b) said front end face, and a pair of reel shaft aperturés through which drivina hubs of tape reels are accessible; a pivotal lid for covering and exposing said first opening of said mouth; a sliding shutter member freely slideable in the front-to-rear direction between first and second sliding positions, said reel shaft apertures and said (3a) second opening being exposed in said first sliding position and said reel shaft apertures and said second opening being covered by said shutter memb(er in said (9) second sliding position, said (8) sliding shutter member cooperating with said pivotal lid in said second slidinc d shutter memb(9) position in such a manner that said shutter member (8) prevents said pivotal lid from exposing said first opening; and ( 1 5) a resilient locking lever integrally fcrmed (15a) with said cassette casing and having a head engageable (9) with said shutter member at said first and second positions of the latter and a resiliently deformable (15b) lever section deformable between a first locking position and a second unlocking position of said head said lever section normally biasing said head toward said first locking position, and said locking lever normally holding said shutter member in said first position while said cassette is not in use, and allowing said shutter member to move to said second position when said cassette is inserted into an associated recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 20

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 15, wherein said shutter member is provided with (9k,9m) first and second means engagingly receiving said locking (15a) (15) head of said locking lever in said first and second positions of said shutter.

Claim 21

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 16, wherein said shutter member is formed with a groove into which said locking head protrudes through one of said first and second locking head receiving means.

Claim 22

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first and second receiving means are vacancies defined in said shutter member for allowing said locking head to pass therethrough.

Claim 23

The magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 18, which further comprises a guide means associated with said casing and said shutter member for guiding sliding movement of said shutter member between said first and second positions.

Claim 24

The magentic tape cassette as set forth in claim 19, wherein said guide means comprises a guide groove formed in one of said casing and said shutter member and a projection protruding from the other of said cassette casing and said shutter.