Abstract: The invention has been developed to find out a blemish on the surface of a disk (in particular, a stroke mark in the CSS area) without opening up a hard disk. Furthermore, the invention is intended not to cause extra labor or cost in fabrication of hard disks, and to be applicable to hard disk already in widespread use. To this end, with an acoustic inspection method of the invention, inspection of whether or not a blemish has been inflicted on the surface of a disk (in particular, a blemish in the CSS area) can be conducted without opening up the hard disk by detecting vibration occurring when a head of the hard drive comes into collision with the blemish on the disk from vibration propagating to a housing of the hard disk.

Abstract: A first tape cassette adapted to be interchangeably used with a second tape cassette of a different thick case thickness is provided. A first tape cassette includes a first case having a first total thickness. The first case having a bottom face which is formed with an indentation and a first depression formed within the indentation. The indentation is used for positioning the cassette in a plane parallel to its bottom face. The second tape cassette includes a second case having a second total thickness that is smaller than the first total thickness of the first case. The second case has a bottom face which is formed with a second reference depression opened towards the bottom face. The second reference depression is for positioning the second tape cassette in a plane parallel to its bottom face.

Abstract: A tape cassette which can maintain stably the accuracy of the reference planes for determining the height of the tape cassette and which allows enhancement in accuracy of positioning, height positioning reference planes being provided inwardly a specified distance apart from an outside casing surface of the tape cassette such that the reference plane for determining the height of the tape cassette relative to the apparatus is not provided on the outside casing surface of the tape cassette, thus the reference planes remain free from contact with any mechanism for loading the tape cassette or with any foreign matter in transport, thus the reference planes can be kept free from damage.

Abstract: A tape cartridge comprising a housing case which comprises an upper wall and a lower wall both having a pair of holes for receiving driving shafts and a covering plate which covers the holes on the upper wall, the upper and lower sides of which can be clearly identified so that misloading is prevented.

Abstract: A cassette transport configuration provides a cassette insertion slot for introducing a cassette cartridge, guide rails for guiding and positioning each cassette cartridge and a plurality of cassette detecting elements for detecting the correct positioning of each cassette. The detecting elements are spaced apart on an upper inner portion of the insertion slot.

Abstract: A tape cassette which can maintain stably the accuracy of the reference planes for determining the height of the tape cassette and which allows enhancement in accuracy of positioning, height positioning reference planes being provided inwardly a specified distance apart from an outside casing surface of the tape cassette such that the reference plane for determining the height of the tape cassette relative to the apparatus is not provided on the outside casing surface of the tape cassette, thus the reference planes remain free from contact with any mechanism for loading the tape cassette or with any foreign matter in transport. Thus, the reference planes can be kept free from damage.

Abstract: A cassette loading mechanism for loading either a smaller tape cassette or a larger tape cassette into a recording/reproducing apparatus, having apparatus for causing the large cassette to avoid obstructions in a cassette holder during insertion of the large cassette and of enabling the stable insertion of the larger tape cassette in the cassette holder. The cassette loading mechanism has a cassette holder provided with contact members disposed so as to engage only the larger tape cassette and so as to move members provided on the cassette holder for use with the smaller tape cassette to a retracted position. The member for use with the smaller tape cassette and the contact member are formed in an integral unit to ensure the correct operation of the cassette loading mechanism.

Abstract: A tape cartridge provided with a slider member slidably mounted for sliding movement in forward and backward directions at an outer side under surface on the bottom wall of a main casing for closing and opening a pocket, a front lid pivotally connected to the main casing for covering a front face of the main casing, an upper lid for closing the open upper face of the pocket, a front edge of the upper lid being pivotally connected to an upper edge of the front lid through pins, such that when the front lid is pivoted for upward opening, the upper lid is displaced for retraction to a rear side from an open upper face of the pocket in association with the movement of the front lid.

Abstract: A tape cassette comprising an insertion opening disposed in a main body case and a detecting optical path, for detecting the leading and rear ends of a tape, interposed between the insertion opening and an optical path window formed in the left and right side walls of the case, wherein a first distinguishing member, rotatably inserted into an upper portion of the insertion opening, is supported to be vertically slidable, and a mechanism for holding the first distinguishing member in each state is disposed between the first distinguishing member and the main body case, thereby to allow a tape deck to have a simple internal construction even though the tape cassette is of a smaller size, and to provide a construction of the detecting opening preferable for detecting cassette information so that the tape cassette can be used in a compatible form.

Abstract: A tape cartridge provided with a slider member slidably mounted for sliding movement in forward and backward directions at an outer side under surface on the bottom wall of a main casing for closing and opening a pocket, a front lid pivotally connected to the main casing for covering a front face of the main casing, an upper lid for closing the open upper face of the pocket, a front edge of the upper lid being pivotally connected to an upper edge of the front lid through pins such that when the front lid is pivoted for upward opening, the upper lid is displaced for retraction to a rear side from an open upper face of the pocket in association with the movement of the front lid.

Abstract: A tape cartridge is arranged so that when an upper lid of a pocket portion of the tape cartridge is in a position for opening the upper side of the pocket portion, the upper lid is positioned above an upper surface of a casing body so that a lower surface of the upper lid faces the upper surface of the casing body through a gap in which a member of a recording/reproduction apparatus for depressing the cartridge can be placed. When the upper lid is in the position for opening the upper side of the pocket, the cartridge depressing member of the recording/reproduction apparatus is placed in the gap to depress the cartridge, whereby the cartridge can be stably depressed to and mounted in a predetermined position in the recording/reproduction apparatus when the cartridge is loaded in the apparatus.

Abstract: A tape system for implementing tape cassettes of variable size which includes both large-sized and small-sized tape cartridges each housing a memory element having a set of terminals for electric connection with corresponding terminals of a tape player, the level at which the terminals of the memory element in the large-sized tape cartridge are positioned and the level at which the terminals of the memory element in the small-sized tape cartridge are positioned are the same level, spaced from a longitudinal mid center line of the length of magnetic tape, intermediate of the width thereof or a reference plane in which a reel support lies.

Abstract: A tape cartridge having a right and left pair of reels around which a tape is wound, within a casing equipped with a front cover, a reel lock mechanism provided within the casing for preventing the reels from rotating, a release member is disposed on the inner, upper face of the bottom wall of the casing so as to be movable back and forth, a slider for opening and closing the lower face of the pocket for tape loading fitted to the outer, lower face of the bottom wall of the casing so as to be movable back and forth, such that when the slider moves backward, the release member is moved backward nearly at the terminating end of the backward travel stroke of the slider, so as the backward movement of the release member, the reel lock mechanism is moved, thereby releasing the reels from locking for rotation, thus, while the front cover is kept from any excessive upward opening force, the reels can be locked and released for rotation by the movement of the slider.

Abstract: A lid locking mechanism for a magnetic tape cassette intended to improve dust prevention and drip wherein a shutter for opening and closing of tape end detecting windows is integrally provided with a front lid stopper member for the tape cassette.

Abstract: A dual access control system is disclosed including a write-only memory portion for storing dual access commands issued from a host unit and unit addresses of a magnetic-disk unit, and a contention control portion for receiving coded signals representing the dual access commands and a control signal generated by magnetic-disk control portions. The contention control portion first generates a unit select tag signal for allowing the unit addresses of the magnetic-disk unit to be processed upon receipt of the coded signals and the control signal. The contention control portion then generates a tag signal and a bus bit signal which are supplied to the magnetic-disk unit upon reception of a response signal from the magnetic disk unit, a reset signal which is supplied to the write-only memory portion, a write timing signal which is supplied to a read-only memory portion and an output signal which is used to generate an interruption signal.

Abstract: In a tape reel for use in a recording tape cartridge for winding a recording tape, there are formed a plurality of radial grooves on the upper face of a lower flange of the tape reel and projected ribs on the lower face corresponding to the grooves so that the wall thickness of the lower flange can be generally equal over the entire area to improve the flow of the plastic resin material during the molding process and to exhaust unwanted air.

Abstract: A tape cartridge which comprises a tape loosening preventing means disposed at a tape guide pin in the cartridge. A slidable member may be supported resiliently on said tape loosening preventing means so as to apply a force to the tape from the inner surface in an outward direction to stretch the tape.

Abstract: A tape cartridge comprising at least one tape reel having a flange portion provided with a plurality of engaging teeth on the peripheral edge thereof and a rotatable brake arm with the braking end portion thereof formed in a hook shape having a slanted portion so as to engage at a point P with one of the engaging teeth for preventing rotation of the tape reel in such manner that a portion of the slanted wall between the point P and the end of the hook exists inside of or along a locus L which is defined by displacement of the point P of the end portion of the brake arm contacting the corner of the engaged tooth when the braking arm is in a brake position.

Abstract: A magnetic recording tape cartridge comprising a spring plate member for rotatably supporting tape reels, with one or more projected members formed on one face of the spring plate so as to provide a gap between two spring plates when they are stacked to ensure to take the spring plate one by one from the stacked spring plates in a manufacturing process.