Abstract: A spring includes a central mounting portion mounted to an inner surface of a cassette housing and elongated pressure portions extending from the mounting portion to engage the cassette reels. Each pressure portion includes a central base and a pair of spring portions. The spring portions extend from the base at an angle to define a channel. Each spring portion has a free edge which engages the inner surface of the housing and forces the pressure portion into engagement with the reel. The spring portions can engage raised portions of the housing inner surface to divide the total spring force between two regions of the housing.

Abstract: A reel spring for use in a magnetic tape reel cassette, having a longer longitudinal axis and a shorter transverse axis is disclosed. The reel spring includes two arms joined at the central transverse axis which has the smallest transverse width of the reel spring. The arms extend longitudinally from the central transverse axis to respective ends, and increase uniformly in transverse width toward the ends to form a bow-tie shape. The reel spring also includes transverse crimps which define a central base portion and two end portions extending at an angle from the central base portion to provide a biasing force. Two openings are formed in the central base portion to mount the reel spring in the cassette. The openings are spaced from the transverse axis on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A tape guide having improved durability and excellent tape tracking characteristics. In one aspect, the present invention concerns a tape guide that comprises a durable, polymeric, resiliently expandable, substantially cylindrical sleeve. An outer tape guiding surface on said sleeve is concave for biasing a magnetic recording tape toward a centered position on the outer tape guiding surface. An inner surface on the sleeve defines a central bore that is smaller in size than the tape guide post. The central bore, though, is of a sufficient size such that the tape guide can be resiliently expanded to fit over a tape guide post with a resilient, gripping effect. A thickened wall portion is circumferentially positioned on the inner surface in a centered position between the top end and the bottom end of the sleeve. In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve has two opposing slot edges that define a slot along the axial direction of the sleeve. The slot edges are biased towards each other.

Abstract: An optical tape leader detection system includes a light source and a light detector. In a video cassette using opaque magnetic tape, the tape follows a defined tape path and has a transparent leader at each end thereof, with the free ends of the leader being mounted to first and second tape winding hubs. A light transmissive cassette cover supports the first and second hubs, and a source receiving aperture in the cassette cover is adapted to receive the light source. A window is provided in the cassette cover, allowing light emitted from the light source and passing through the transparent leader portion to reach the light detector along a defined light path. One or more light pipes are mounted in the cassette cover and aligned to define portions of that light path, thereby controlling the source and amount of light with respect to the light detector.

Abstract: A slack limiter for a tape cassette which is tubular in cross-section and mounted to engage and bias a tape against a support surface and prevent slack or looseness of the tape.

Abstract: When a supply tape guide of a VHS or Betamax videocassette is plastic rather than the usual stainless steel, equal or better performance is attained when the plastic is a blend of acetal copolymer and a small proportion of lubricant and anti-static agent. The same plastic may be used for either or both of the supply sleeve and the supply pin, and both can be molded of that plastic as a single piece.

Abstract: One-piece plastic roller guide having a tubular body and two sets of three leaf springs projecting symmetrically from the root of the tubular body in opposite axial directions. At the free end of each set of leaf springs, the inner diameter of the roller guide is slightly less than the diameter of the fixed cylindrical pin on which it is mounted. This slight interference between the springs and the pin assures continuous contact between the roller guide and pin without unduly inhibiting rotation.