Tape reel and tape reel storing magazine

Claim 2

In a tape reel of the type comprising a hub with a pair of substantially circular, axially spaced apart flanges thereon between which a length of recording tape is adapted to be wound, wherein each of said flanges is provided with a peripheral, axially outwardly offset shoulder portion upon which marginal portions of a leader strip of greater width than said tape and attached to the outer end thereof may be wound, the improvement wherein at least one of said flanges is of sufficient thickness to be relatively inflexible and is provided with circumferentially spaced apart pairs of substantially radial slits, each pair of slits defining a radially outwardly extending finger interposed therebetween and provided at its outer end with an axially inwardly extending claw, each of said fingers being integral with said flange and of such reduced axial thickness in relation thereto throughout most of its length as to be relatively flexible, each of said fingers being offset axially outwardly with respect to the inner surface of said flange a distance exceeding the distance said claw extends axially inwardly.

Claim 3

A tape reel according to claim 1 wherein each of said fingers is offset axially inwardly with respect to the outer surface of said flange.

Claim 4

A tape reel according to claim 1, wherein each of said pairs of slits and the respective fingers interposed therebetween are formed in said flanges at substantially equal circumferential intervals, each of said intervals being greater than the width of said fingers, the fingers of each flange being staggerEd in relation to the fingers of the other flange so that each finger is disposed opposite the interval between adjacent fingers of the opposed flange.

Claim 5

A tape reel according to claim 1 in which each of said claws has an inner face projecting axially inwardly with respect to said reel in substantially aligned cooperating relation with and spaced radially outwardly from said axially outwardly offset shoulder portions of said flanges.

Claim 6

The combination of a tape reel according to claim 1 with a length of recording tape having a leader strip of greater width and stiffness than the recording tape attached thereto wherein the leader strip has an outer free end remote from said tape, said outer free end being progressively reduced in width.

Claim 7

The combination of a tape reel according to claim 1 with a length of recording tape having a leader strip of greater width and stiffness than the recording tape attached thereto wherein said leader strip has an inner end attached to said tape which inner end has an integral tongue-like projection of substantially the same width as the recording tape, tapering progressivly to a free end of reduced width, said tongue-like projection being bonded to an end of said tape.

Claim 8

A tape reel magazine adapted to store a tape reel of the type comprising a hub and substantially circular upper and lower flanges fixed to the opposite ends of said hub in substantially parallel and opposed relationship with each other, wherein said upper and lower flanges respectively have central portions surrounding said hub which define a space for receiving a tape-like recording medium, which said medium has a leader strip of greater width than said medium connected to one end thereof, said medium receiving space being wider than said medium but narrower than the width of said leader strip, said flanges having peripheral edge portions which define peripherally of said medium receiving space an annular leader strip receiving space at least substantially equal to the width of said leader strip, at least one of said flanges being formed with a plurality of pairs of spaced apart slits extending substantially radially inwardly from the peripheral edge thereof to form between each pair of slits and integrally with said flange a leader strip holding finger of reduced thickness in relation to other portions of the flange and provided at its outer free end with a claw projecting toward the opposite flange for holding the leader strip in said leader strip receiving space, said tape magazine being adapted to store such a tape reel in such a manner that the leader strip and the tape-like recording medium wound thereon may be unwound from or rewound upon said reel and characterized in that said tape magazine comprises a case defining therein a space for storing said tape reel, and having an opening for passing said leader strip and recording medium therethrough into and out of said case, and an opening through which said tape reel in said case may be connected with a drive source, means being provided in said case for disengaging the leader strip from said leader strip holding fingers and guiding it toward said tape passage opening when said tape reel rotates in a tape unwinding direction, leader strip pusher means being provided in said case for pressing said leader strip into said leader strip receiving space when said tape reel rotates in a winding direction, relievable brake means being provided in said case to prevent said tape reel from unnecessarily rotating in a tape unwinding direction; and means consisting of two cooperating members respectively provided between said tape reel and the inner wall of said case for regulating the position of the reel in said case by virtue of engagement of both members.

Claim 9

A tape reel magazine adapted to store a tape reel of the type comprising a hub and substantially circular upper and lower flanges fixed to the opposite ends of said hub in substantially parallel and opposed relationship with each other, wherein said upper and lower flanges respectively have central portions surrounding said hub which define a space for receiving a tape-like recording medium, which said medium has a leader strip of greater width than said medium connected to one end thereof, said medium receiving space being wider than said medium but narrower than the width of said leader strip, said flanges having peripheral edge portions which define peripherally of said medium receiving space an annular leader strip receiving space at least substantially equal to the width of said leader strip, at least one of said flanges being formed with a plurality of pairs of spaced apart slits extending substantially radially inwardly from the peripheral edge thereof to form between each pair of slits and integrally with said flange a leader strip holding finger of reduced thickness in relation to other portions of the flange and provided at its outer free end with a claw projecting toward the opposite flange for holding the leader strip in said leader strip receiving space, said tape magazine being adapted to store such a tape reel in such a manner that the leader strip and the tape-like recording medium wound thereon may be unwound from or rewound upon said reel and characterized in that said tape magazine comprises a case defining therein a space for storing said tape reel, and having an opening for passing said leader strip and recording medium therethrough into and out of said case, and an opening through which said tape reel in said case may be connected with a drive source, means being provided in said case for disengaging the leader strip from said leader strip holding fingers and guiding it toward said tape passage opening when said tape reel rotates in a tape unwinding direction, leader strip pusher means being provided in said case for pressing said leader strip into said leader strip receiving space when said tape reel rotates in a winding direction, relievable brake means being provided in said case to prevent said tape reel from unnecessarily rotating in a tape unwinding direction; and means consisting of two cooperating members respectively provided between said tape reel and the inner wall of said case for regulating the position of the reel in said case by virtue of engagement of both members.

Claim 10

A tape magazine according to claim 7, in which said brake means comprises a movable engaging member for braking the tape reel by engagement with the peripheral edge of at least one of the flanges of said reel, means for urging said engaging member in a direCtion to engage the peripheral edge of said flange, and a brake relieving member arranged in such a position that it will cause said engaging member to make a pivotal movement against said biasing force and shift the same to a position not engageable with the peripheral edge of said flange when it is pushed by a brake relieving pin inserted exteriorly into the magazine, and will be in contact with only the side surface of said brake relieving pin while said pin is being held in its fully inserted position.

Claim 11

A tape magazine according to claim 7, in which said brake means comprises a movable engaging member for braking the tape reel by engagement with the peripheral edge of at least one of the flanges of said reel, means for urging said engaging member in a direction to engage the peripheral edge of said flange, and a brake relieving member arranged in such a position that it will cause said engaging member to make a pivotal movement against said biasing force and shift the same to a position not engageable with the peripheral edge of said flange when it is pushed by a brake relieving pin inserted exteriorly into the magazine, said engaging member having a leader tape stopper lug for preventing the forward end of said leader tape from riding onto said engaging member.

Claim 12

A tape magazine according to claim 7, in which said case consists of upper and lower case members separated from each other at a plane parallel to the flanges of said tape reel stored therein, and is provided with said leader tape disengaging means, said leader tape pusher means and said brake means, all of which are fixed to only one of said upper and lower case members.

Claim 13

A tape magazine according to claim 7, in which the trailing end portion of said recording medium having said leader tape connected thereto is disengageably wound around the hub of said reel.

Claim 14

A tape magazine according to claim 7, in which said reel position regulating means has a depression formed centrally of the reel and an engaging projection formed on the inner surface of said case at a location corresponding to said depression, and the height of said engaging projection is made larger than the total clearance between the inner surface of the case and the outer surfaces of the reel flanges.