Tape reel

Claim 2

A tape reel for use in an endless tape cartridge comprising: a tape platform having a central upstanding hub; a cap on top of said hub and having an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the upper end of said hub; a plurality of pins secured to said cap and projecting downwardly therefrom through holes in said hub to preclude relative rotation of said cap and said platform; said hub having a hole formed centrally therein, said hole being defined by a resilient lip; and locking means secured to said cap and extending downwardly therefrom through said hole in said hub and into engagement with said lip to preclude axial separation of said cap and said platform.

Claim 3

A tape reel as defined in claim 1 further comprising: said cap having a bottom wall and a connector formed integrally with and projecting downwardly from said bottom wall through said central hole, said connector being adapted to support said tape reel for rotation about an axis passing therethrough, said pins and said locking means being formed integrally with said bottom wall of said cap.

Claim 4

A tape reel as defined in claim 2 wherein said cap is formed from a low-friction material and wherein said tape platform is formed from a dissimilar material.

Claim 5

A tape reel as defined in claim 2 wherein said pins are circumferentially spaced about said bottom wall and wherein said hub comprises: an annular ridge defining the top of said hub, said ridge being engageable with and puncturable by said pins.

Claim 6

A tape reel as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises: said bottom wall of said cap having integrally formed, downwardly extending finger means, said finger means terminating in an outwardly extending tip, said finger means passing through said central hole in said hub with said tip of said finger means being disposed below the lip in said hub defining said central hole.

Claim 7

A tape reel as defined in claim 5 wherein said finger means comprises: a plurality of separate, circumferentially spaced fingers engageable with said lip at different, circumferentially spaced locations about said hole.

Claim 8

A tape reel as defined in claim 6 wherein the upper end of said hub defines a ridge, said lip being formed integrally with said ridge and extending inwardly and downwardly from said ridge, said locking fingers and tips thereof extending downwardly from said bottom wall of said cap to an extent such that when said bottom wall of said cap rests on the ridge of said hub, said lip will bear resiliently and downwardly against said tip of each of said fingers.

Claim 9

A tape reel as defined in claim 6 further comprising: said bottom wall including a hole formed therein in association with each of said fingers, each of said holes being disposed radially outwardly of said fingers and above said tips of said fingers whereby the region of said lip engaged by said fingers is exposed through said hole.

Claim 10

A tape reel as defined in claim 2 further comprising: said pins being relatively sharp and being spaced circumferentially along the underside of said cap; the upper end of said hub defining an annular ridge registrable with said circumferentially spaced pins on said cap, said annular ridge being puncturable by said pins when said hub and cap are mated; said resilient lip being formed integrally with said ridge and extending downwardly and inwardly from said ridge; said locking means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers formed integrally with the bottom wall of said cap and extending downwardly therefrom, each of said fingers terminating in an outwardly extending tip, each of said fingers passing through the central hole defined by said lip with the tip of each of said fingers being disposed below and in engagement with said lip.

Claim 11

A tape reel as defined in claim 9 wherein said locking fingers and associated holes are in circumferential alignment with each other and are circumferentially staggered with respect to said pins.

Claim 12

A tape reel as defined in claim 2 wherein said connector comprises: a downwardly projecting boss formed integrally with said bottom wall of said cup and extending downwardly therefrom; and a sleeve formed integrally with and centrally within said boss, said sleeve being receptive to a spindle within said cartridge housing.

Claim 13

A tape reel as defined in claim 11 further comprising: said boss having an undersurface adapted to serve as a bearing for said tape reel, said cap and boss being formed from a low-friction material.

Claim 14

A tape reel as defined in claim 2 wherein the outer surface of said hub is of generally conical configuration; and wherein the cap includes a circumferential wall having a portion thereof extending downwardly below the bottom wall of said cap, the internal surface of said circumferential wall being of conical contour complementary to that of the hub whereby when said cap and hub are mated, said cap and hub will be aligned concentrically by reason of engagement of said conical surfaces of said cap and said hub.