Stationary pinch pad

Claim 1

A tape cartridge containing a rotatable spool having a reel of magnetic tape in endless array, a casing mounting the spool, guide means in the casing over which a loop portion of the tape is guided for transportation past a reproducing head, drive means for the tape comprising an opening in the casing for insertion of a power-driven rotating wheel, a drive member mounted in the casing in alignment with said opening, said drive member including a holder element made from a tough plastic material having a recess therein facing said opening and a relatively hard resilient body located in said recess, said recess having a curved bottom surface with flat surfaces at the sides thereof extending outwardly therefrom, the surface on said body facing said opening being curved and being provided with a relatively thin sheet of plastic material, said last-mentioned surface having a generally circular configuration for abutment with the power-driven rotating wheel and with a tape section passing therebetween, said curved surface being slippery to facilitate the tape sliding thereover upon being driven by the power-driven rotating wheel, the side and inner surfaces of said body generally conforming to the shape of said recess with the surfaces on said body abutting the bottom and side surfaces of said recess, said holder element including a lip structure extending into the area of said recess engageable with the curved surface on said body to retain said body in a generally fixed position in said recess.