Abstract: A low cost video cassette has a base formed of a generally flat wall portion, with sloped converging front walls spaced inward from a front edge and with flat tape guiding walls extending upward from medial, generally rectangular projections of the base. Tape guide roller support pins are mounted on forward projections near lateral portions of the base. Tape reel guides are molded in the base. Integrally formed tape reel locks have operators extending into a groove formed in the plane of the base for receiving an actuator which extends into, but not beyond, the plane of the base. The rear wall has an upward-extending recess and a frangible anti-record tab extending downward within the recess. Rectangular openings are formed medially in the cover. Flaps are hinged to the openings. Cantilevered leaf springs connected along outer edges of the openings or to the flaps extend toward the base wall when the flaps close the openings to urge tape reels downward. A dust cover is connected to the short living springs.

Abstract: An integrally molded tape cassette has a base with vertical first and second side walls. A rear wall is attached to the base by an integral hinge. A cover attached to the rear wall by an integral hinge, and a dust door attached to the cover by an integral hinge. Snaps between the cover and base connect and close the apparatus with integral springs pressing on tape reel hubs. The dust door covers a forward wall protruding from the base between the first and second side walls. The forward wall has slots and posts for allowing passing of the tape between the interior and exterior of the cassette. The cassette further includes a dust door latch which is integrally molded with one of the sides of the tape. An integrally molded tape hub brake is positioned between the hubs for locking the hub flanges when the cassette is not in use.

Abstract: A cutter for removing overwraps or tape on products and product packages incorporates first and second wings extending angularly from a body. A cutting point extends a short distance into the angle between the wings, wherein the wings embrace an edge of a product and the blade slices the wrapper along the edge as the user slides the cutter along the edge. The wings are flexible to conform to the angle of the edge, and are integrally molded with the body. Living hinges provided between the wings and the body, or the wings are molded angularly with respect to the body. A cutter is molded as a flat blank and folded. A solid article is molded with a pocket for insertion of the blade. The angle between the wings is less than or equal to 90.degree., allowing it to conform to most standard packages. The reduced angle between the wings and the relatively slight exposure of the blade allows for effective cutting of the wrapper without scarring the package or injuring the user.

Abstract: A non-abrasive disc cleaner is disclosed. The present cleaner incorporates a base, a cover, a cleaning solution reservoir, a spin pan and a spinner means with a drive spindle for spinning the disc within the spin pan. Solution is supplied to the spin pan from the reservoir. A spinner is mounted within the cleaner, and the spin pan is horizontally positioned within the base above the reservoir. The disc is positioned with respect to the fluid within the pan with the spinning motion of the CD creating froth which forms a high surface area, thin skin of bubbles on the CD. Because of the spinning motion, the bubbles move outwardly and the CD is dried by air contact. Spinning the disc rapidly above the surface of the fluid causes a vacuum to draw the fluid upwards for frothing, or spinning the disc within the fluid froths the cleaning fluid and centrifugally removed the fluid from the pan.

Abstract: Brake levers are molded in place through an opening in the base of a video cassette. The brake levers have first brake arms with outward extending reel grippers at distal ends, and second actuator arms with an actuator connected between distal ends of the actuator arms. Medial portions of the levers are supported on integrally formed living hinges with axes perpendicular to the base. Pressing outward on the actuator arms with the actuator rotates the levers about the hinges so that the brake arms and grippers are withdrawn from contact with the reels. The actuator has two legs which are joined centrally by a hinge and which extend angularly to living hinge interconnections with the actuator arms. As a pin or blade pushes on the central connection in a direction parallel to the hinge axes of the operating levers, the actuator legs spread forcing distal ends of the actuator arms apart and distal ends of the brake arms and the grippers together, releasing the reel brake.

Abstract: A dust door arrangement which avoids spring clip malfunction and enhances video cassette longevity. Reduced width of cavities containing first and second side hinges between the dust door and the video cassette cover improve hinge flexibility and operation and eliminate hold down spring clips catching when the video cassette is being withdrawn from a VCR. The dust door, hinge and cover are integrally molded, with the hinge lying below the surface of the cover of the video cassette and providing an axis of rotation for the door with respect to the cover. The hinge and cavity are approximately of the same width and are about two to four times as wide as the thickness of the dust door side walls. A supplemental spring is preferably provided to bias the dust door downward. The dust door first and second thin side walls have bevelled tops with extended steps which form first and second hinges. Flat tops of the hinges oppositely mate with first and second extensions extending down from the cover.

Abstract: A compact disc tray incorporates a flat planar surface approximating the size of a compact disc for nesting a compact disc. A central rosette molded to the flat planar surface engages the inner center hole of the CD. The rosette has engagement arms molded to and extending upward from the tray for engaging the center hole, and further extending radially inward towards a molded connection with a center button. The molded connection between the center button and inner ends of the engagement arms provides a living hinge and may be accomplished through reduced thickness in the molded material. Pushing of the center button imparts a downward motion on the inner ends of the engagement arms, which thereby angles the upwardly extending portions of the engagement arms away from the engagement with the center hole of the CD. This releases the CD from the rosette.

Abstract: An integrally molded tape cassette has a base with vertical first and second side walls. A rear wall is attached to the base by an integral hinge. A cover is attached to the rear wall by an integral hinge, and a dust door is attached to the cover by an integral hinge. Snaps between the cover and base connect and close the apparatus with integral springs pressing on tape reel hubs. The dust door covers a forward wall protruding from the base between the first and second side walls. The forward wall has slots and posts for allowing passing of the tape between the interior and exterior of the cassette. The cassette further includes a dust door latch which is integrally molded with one of the sides of the tape. An integrally molded tape hub brake is positioned between the hubs for locking the hub flanges when the cassette is not in use.

Abstract: An integrally molded video cassette comprises a base, a cover, front and opposite rear walls extending from the base toward the cover. An integral hinge is provided between the rear wall and the cover and a dust cover integrally hinged to the cover opposite the rear wall hinge. First and second side walls extend between front and rear walls and between the cover and the base. Mated alignment guides and engagements are provided on the base and the cover, and welding attachments are provided between the base and the cover for securing the cover to the base.

Abstract: A machine optics and paper path cleaner has a relatively stiff backing sheet and a cleaning sheet attached to the backing sheet at a position spaced from the leading edge. The cleaning sheet is folded, flocked or flapped, knitted or engraved with surface variations to aid in the cleaning of paper paths and optics. Wet cleaners are held in absorbent materials and in frangible or openable reservoirs to wet the cleaning material as it is drawn into the machine through the paper path and across the optics. The cleaners are made in single foam sheets of varied thickness and in laminated sheets of stiff backing material and flexible cleaning material.

Abstract: A low cost video cassette has a base formed of a generally flat wall portion, with sloped converging front walls spaced inward from a front edge and with flat tape guiding walls extending upward from medial, generally rectangular projections of the base. Tape guide roller support pins are mounted on forward projections near lateral portions of the base. Tape reel guides are molded in the base. Integrally formed tape reel locks have operators extending into a groove formed in the plane of the base for receiving an actuator which extends into, but not beyond, the plane of the base. The rear wall has an upward-extending recess and a frangible anti-record tab extending downward within the recess. Rectangular openings are formed medially in the cover. Flaps are hinged to the openings. Cantilevered leaf springs connected along outer edges of the openings or to the flaps extend toward the base wall when the flaps close the openings to urge tape reels downward. A dust cover is connected to the short living springs.

Abstract: An integrally molded tape cassette has a base with vertical first and second side walls. A rear wall is attached to the base by an integral hinge. A cover attached to the rear wall by an integral hinge, and a dust door attached to the cover by an integral hinge. Snaps between the cover and base connect and close the apparatus with integral springs pressing on tape reel hubs. The dust door covers a forward wall protruding from the base between the first and second side walls. The forward wall has slots and posts for allowing passing of the tape between the interior and exterior of the cassette. The cassette further includes a dust door latch which is integrally molded with one of the sides of the tape. An integrally molded tape hub brake is positioned between the hubs for locking the hub flanges when the cassette is not in use.