US3756525A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endless tape cartridge
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-27
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Granted: 1973-09-04
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Expires: 1991-10-27
Abstract
Abstract An endless tape cartridge having a disc with a magnetic tape wound thereon, and a clamp device for clamping the disc when the cartridge is not used. The clamp device comprises an arm pivotally mounted on the cartridge at the opposite side from a reference line for inserting the cartridge in a tape player, a shoe attached to one end of the arm for engagement with the disc, a bias spring for biasing the arm to engage the shoe with the disc when the cartridge is not used, and a projection member formed on the arm for disengaging the shoe from the disc by a cartridge guide when the cartridge is used, the projection member being biased by the bias spring to project out from the cartridge when the cartridge is not used, the cartridge being pressed further to the reference line when the projection member of the arm is pushed into the cartridge.
Inventors
- 👤 T Aoki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:04
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H20/00; B65H20/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
296 words
An endless tape assembled cartridge, comprising in combination: a. a substantially rectangular cartridge casing defined by front and rear walls connected by opposed sidewalls (4) with a disc therein having wound thereon a magnetic tape, said disc axis being substantially on the centerline of said cartridge casing with respect to the direction of inserting said substantially rectangular cartridge casing into a tape player; b. a pinch roller (6) towards one corner of said casing (4) away from said centerline, said corner being one of the two corners first inserted into a tape player; c. a clamp means (30) for clamping the disc while the cartridge is not used towards the diagonally opposite corner of said casing (4) said clamp means (30) including an arm (30a) pivotally mounted in the housing; d. shoe means (18) provided at one end of said arm (30a) for engagement with the disc, bias means (20) Disposed in the casing (4) for causing the shoe means to engage the disc to clamp the disc while the cartridge is not used; and, e. a releasing projecting member (22) formed on the arm (30a) which projects out from the side wall of the casing furtherest from the pinch roller (4) when the cartridge is not inserted into a tape player said releasing projecting member (22) when pressed into said casing (4) causing said arm (30a) to pivot and act against said bias means (20) to disengage the shoe means (18) from the disc, said projecting member (22) being caused by the bias means (20) to project out from the casing when the cartridge is not used, the projecting member (22) being pushed into the casing (4) by guide means (2, 3) of the tape player, when the cartridge is inserted in the tape player.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
296 words
An endless tape assembled cartridge, comprising in combination: a. a substantially rectangular cartridge casing defined by front and rear walls connected by opposed sidewalls (4) with a disc therein having wound thereon a magnetic tape, said disc axis being substantially on the centerline of said cartridge casing with respect to the direction of inserting said substantially rectangular cartridge casing into a tape player; b. a pinch roller (6) towards one corner of said casing (4) away from said centerline, said corner being one of the two corners first inserted into a tape player; c. a clamp means (30) for clamping the disc while the cartridge is not used towards the diagonally opposite corner of said casing (4) said clamp means (30) including an arm (30a) pivotally mounted in the housing; d. shoe means (18) provided at one end of said arm (30a) for engagement with the disc, bias means (20) Disposed in the casing (4) for causing the shoe means to engage the disc to clamp the disc while the cartridge is not used; and, e. a releasing projecting member (22) formed on the arm (30a) which projects out from the side wall of the casing furtherest from the pinch roller (4) when the cartridge is not inserted into a tape player said releasing projecting member (22) when pressed into said casing (4) causing said arm (30a) to pivot and act against said bias means (20) to disengage the shoe means (18) from the disc, said projecting member (22) being caused by the bias means (20) to project out from the casing when the cartridge is not used, the projecting member (22) being pushed into the casing (4) by guide means (2, 3) of the tape player, when the cartridge is inserted in the tape player.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An endless tape cartridge as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a tape guide for preventing the tape wound on the disc from getting out therefrom, the tape guide being provided in the form of a ring on a top case member of the cartridge casing to conform to the periphery of the disc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
An endless tape cartridge as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tape guide has a tape pull-in and pull-out slits and the magnetic tape wound on the disc is drawn out from the innermost convolution of the tape coil and guided to pass through the tape pull-out slit of the tape guide, across magnetic heads of the tape player and through the pull-in slit and then rewound on the outermost convolution of the tape coil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
An endless tape cartridge as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tape pull-out slit and the tape pull-in slit are on opposite sides of the casing and the tape coiled on the disc crosses itself while extending from the innermost convolution of the tape coil to the outermost convolution thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
An endless tape cartridge as claimed in claim 4, wherein a tape support is provided at one side of the cartridge casing to support the tape drawn out through the tape pull-out slit of the tape guide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
An endless tape cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm of the clamp means has tape pad means engaged with the tape for preventing the magnetic tape wound on the disc from getting loose while the cartridge is not used, the tape pad means disengaging from the tape when the clamp means is released.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-03 | 1977-03-05 | 1977-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-03 | 1981-03-05 | 1981-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-03 | 1985-03-05 | 1985-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |