US3873045A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tape cassette
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1973-07-19
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-07-19
Abstract
Abstract In a cassette for use in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a housing contains rotatable reels on which a resiliently flexible tape is wound and the housing has an access opening extending along a side thereof through which the tape can be withdrawn for the recording and reproducing of signals thereon, guide members within the housing adjacent the opposite ends of the opening direct the tape between the reels in a path including a run extending along the opening and path portions extending from adjacent the ends of such opening tangentially to the outer turns of said tape wound on the respective reels, and at least one tape shifting member acts against a face of said tape in a respective one of the path portions. Each tape shifting member is mounted for movement in a course spaced from the adjacent guide member and is resiliently urged to a normal position in which the tape shifting member produces a bend in the related path portion between the respective guide member and reel so that turning of that reel in the tape unwinding direction enlarges the tape bend due to the resilient flexibility of the tape and transmission of the resulting slack in the tape to the tape run across the access opening is avoided. The tape shifting member is deflected from its normal position by the tape in response to a substantial tension in the latter for removing the bend from the respective path portion.
Inventors
- 👤 Tsuneo Nemoto
- 👤 Kiyoshi Urayama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:34
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/04; G11B23/08; G11B23/087; G11B23/08707; G11B23/08757; G11B23/08735; G11B23/08742
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
299 words
A cassette for use in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, comprising a housing containing rotatable reels on which a resilient flexible tape is wound, said housing having an access opening extending along a side thereof and through which said tape can be withdrawn from said housing for the recording and reproducing of signals thereon, guide means within said housing adjacent the opposite ends of said opening for directing the tape between said reels in a path including a run extending along said opening and path portions extending from adjacent said ends of said opening tangentially to the outer turns of said tape wound on the respective reels, and at least one tape shifting means acting against a face of said tape in a region of a respective one of said path portions between the outer turn on the respective reel and the proximal side of said housing adjacent the access opening, said tape shifting means being mounted for movement in a course between the respective reel and the adjacent guide means and being resiliently urged generally tangentially of the outer turn thereon to a normal position in which said tape shifting means produces a bend in said one path portion between the respective guide means and reel, the concave surface of the bend facing generally toward the other reel so that turning of said respective reel in the direction for unwinding the tape therefrom enlarges said bend in a direction away from the other reel due to the resilient flexibility of said tape and transmission to said run of the resulting slack in the tape is avoided, said tape shifting means being deflected from said normal position by said tape in response to a substantial tension in the latter for removing said bend from the respective path portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
299 words
A cassette for use in a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, comprising a housing containing rotatable reels on which a resilient flexible tape is wound, said housing having an access opening extending along a side thereof and through which said tape can be withdrawn from said housing for the recording and reproducing of signals thereon, guide means within said housing adjacent the opposite ends of said opening for directing the tape between said reels in a path including a run extending along said opening and path portions extending from adjacent said ends of said opening tangentially to the outer turns of said tape wound on the respective reels, and at least one tape shifting means acting against a face of said tape in a region of a respective one of said path portions between the outer turn on the respective reel and the proximal side of said housing adjacent the access opening, said tape shifting means being mounted for movement in a course between the respective reel and the adjacent guide means and being resiliently urged generally tangentially of the outer turn thereon to a normal position in which said tape shifting means produces a bend in said one path portion between the respective guide means and reel, the concave surface of the bend facing generally toward the other reel so that turning of said respective reel in the direction for unwinding the tape therefrom enlarges said bend in a direction away from the other reel due to the resilient flexibility of said tape and transmission to said run of the resulting slack in the tape is avoided, said tape shifting means being deflected from said normal position by said tape in response to a substantial tension in the latter for removing said bend from the respective path portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A cassette according to claim 1; in which there is a tape shifting means, as aforesaid, associated with each of said path portions of the tape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
178 words
A cassette according to claim 1; in which said housing includes top and bottom walls between which said reels are rotatable about respective axes perpendicular to said walls, said tape shifting means includes a tape engaging portion extending substantially at right angles to the longitudinal median of the tape, and an elongated, resilient arm element lying in a plane parallel to said longitudinal median of the tape and having said tape engaging portion extending from one end of said elongated element; and in which means are provided for mounting the other end portion of said elongated resilient arm element in said housing so that said course of movement is the loci traced by said tape engaging portion duRing flexing of said elongated resilient arm element about said other end portion thereof, said elongated resilient arm element extending between said respective reel and one of said walls, and said other end portion being offset relative to the remainder of said elongated resilient arm element so as to lie substantially in the plane of said longitudinal median of the tape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
A cassette according to claim 3; in which said means for mounting said offset other end portion comprises a groove, said offset other end portion comprising a straight section extending longitudinally along the bottom of said groove, and means holding said straight section in said groove, said tape shifting means being turnable in said groove about the longitudinal axis of said straight section so that said tape engaging portion assumes an attitude for equalizing the tension in the tape across the width of the latter when said tape shifting means is deflected from said normal position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A cassette according to claim 3; in which said tape engaging portion and elongated arm element are integral parts of a length of resilient wire.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
A cassette according to claim 1; in which said housing includes a fixed internal portion disposed adjacent said respective guide means and against which the other face of said tape in said one path portion is contacted between said respective guide means and said tape shifting means when the latter produces said bend in said one path portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A cassette according to claim 1; in which an additional tape guiding member engages the tape in said one path portion between said respective guiding means and reel, said tape shifting means acts against the tape between said respective guiding means and said additional guiding member and, when in said normal position, said tape shifting means forms said bend in the tape about said adidtional tape guiding member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2159998A
Cited
US2568339A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |