Cassette tape-winding control

Claim 2

In a magnetic tape cassette assembly, the combination comprising: a. a case having spaced walls; b. a pair of tape roll supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel anD wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls; and c. a first thin sheet of material extending in said space with a portion bowed toward at least one of the rolls, said bowed portion being sufficiently resiliently urged toward said one roll as to engage the roll side and the edge of the tape extending from the roll for guiding tracking movement of the tape extending from the roll, relative to the roll.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said portion is also bowed toward the other roll and sufficiently resiliently urged toward said said other roll as to engage that roll side and the edge of the tape extending from that roll for guiding tracking movements of the tape extending from that roll, relative to that roll.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet includes a thin electrically conductive and low friction coating on said bowed portion and presented toward said roll.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein the sheet includes a polyester backer supporting said coating.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 including a second sheet in a space between the rolls and the other of said walls, said second sheet having a bowed portion like that of said first sheet for engagement with the opposite side of at leas one roll.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said reels are spaced apart longitudinally and said sheet bowed portion is longitudinally elongated, there being bow curvature in a lateral direction.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet overall thickness is less than about 0.003 inches.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 wherein there are shoulders on one of said walls and presented toward the cassette interior and said sheet has interfitting relation with said shoulders tending to maintain said sheet portion in bowed condition.

Claim 10

For combination in a magnetic tape cassette assembly that includes a case having spaced sections and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and a wall of at least one section, the improvement comprising a thin sheet of material sized to be peripherally confined in said space and having a permanently bowed portion located to project toward said rolls and to be resiliently urged sufficiently toward said rolls as to engage the roll sides and the edge of tape extending from the rolls for guiding tracking movement of the tape relative to said rolls.

Claim 11

For combination in a magnetic tape cassette assembly that includes a case having spaced sections and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and a wall of at least one section, the improvement comprising a thin sheet of material sized to be peripherally confined in said space and having a permanently bowed portion located to project toward said rolls and to be resiliently urged sufficiently toward said rolls as to engage the roll sides and the edge of tape extending from the rolls for guiding tracking movement of the tape relative to said rolls.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9 wherein the sheet comprises a layer of graphite on a backer, the sheet containing through openings to interfit shoulder structure on said wall.

Claim 13

In a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls, and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a first thin sheet of material extending in said space and having low friction, nonmetallic coating thereon and presented toward the rolls for engagement with the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining a window in alignment with a window in said one wall and with a case interior zone between the reels, the sheet window sized to permit viewing through the case wall window of the extent of tape winding on the reels.

Claim 14

In a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls, and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a first thin sheet of material extending in said space and having low friction, nonmetallic coating thereon and presented toward the rolls for engagement with the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining a window in alignment with a window in said one wall and with a case interior zone between the reels, the sheet window sized to permit viewing through the case wall window of the extent of tape winding on the reels.

Claim 15

The improvement of claim 11 wherein the sheet is perforated to receive shoulder means on the case to position the sheet in the case.

Claim 16

The improvement of claim 11 including a second sheet like the first-mentioned sheet and located in a space between the rolls and the other of said walls which has a window therein corresponding to said one wall window.

Claim 17

In a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwinD tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a first thin sheet of material extending in said space and having low action coating thereon and presented toward the rolls for engagement with the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining perforations proximate opposite edges thereof, said perforations extending into the sheet from said opposite edges thereof and tapering away from said edges to receive shoulder means on the case to position the sheet in the case interior.

Claim 18

In a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwinD tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a first thin sheet of material extending in said space and having low action coating thereon and presented toward the rolls for engagement with the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining perforations proximate opposite edges thereof, said perforations extending into the sheet from said opposite edges thereof and tapering away from said edges to receive shoulder means on the case to position the sheet in the case interior.

Claim 19

For combination in a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls, and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a this sheet of material sized for confinement in said space and having low friction, nonmetallic surfacing located for presentment toward the rolls to engage the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining a window located to align with a window in said one wall and with a case interior zone between the reels when the sheet is so confined, the sheet window sized to permit viewing through the case wall window of the extent of tape winding on the reels.

Claim 20

For combination in a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls, and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a this sheet of material sized for confinement in said space and having low friction, nonmetallic surfacing located for presentment toward the rolls to engage the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining a window located to align with a window in said one wall and with a case interior zone between the reels when the sheet is so confined, the sheet window sized to permit viewing through the case wall window of the extent of tape winding on the reels.

Claim 21

For combination in a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls, and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a thin sheet of material sized for confinement in said space and having low friction surfacing located for presentment toward the rolls to engage the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining perforations proximate opposite edges thereof said perforations extending into the sheet from said opposite edges thereof and tapering away from said edges to receive shoulder means on the case to position the sheet in the case interior.

Claim 22

For combination in a magnetic tape cassette assembly including a case having spaced walls, and a pair of tape roll-supporting reels rotatable within the case to unwind tape off a roll on one reel and wind tape onto a roll on the other reel, there being space between the rolls and at least one of the walls, the improvement comprising a thin sheet of material sized for confinement in said space and having low friction surfacing located for presentment toward the rolls to engage the roll sides and the edges of the tape extending from the rolls, the sheet defining perforations proximate opposite edges thereof said perforations extending into the sheet from said opposite edges thereof and tapering away from said edges to receive shoulder means on the case to position the sheet in the case interior.