Abstract: A rotational torque adjustment apparatus is used to adjust the rotational torque of a rotational member secured to a rotational shaft for integrally rotating with the rotational shaft. The rotational torque adjustment apparatus includes a friction member for contacting with the rotational member to apply a frictional load to the rotational member, a brake member for holding the frictional member thereon, a pressing member for pressing the friction member held on the brake member with a predetermined pressure against the rotational member, and a guide section for holding the brake member for movement thereon. The brake member is moved in a radial direction of the rotational member along the guide section to vary the rotational torque of the rotational member.

Abstract: A cartridge case includes a case main body, a tape reel having a hub including a first teeth portion and accommodated in the case main body, and a lock member including a second teeth portion engaged with the first teeth portion, wherein the lock member includes at least one of an inner peripheral projection formed to an inner peripheral side of the second teeth portion, projecting toward the bottom plate beyond the second teeth portion, and engaged with the tape reel on the inner peripheral side of the first teeth portion when the first teeth portion is engaged with the second teeth portion and an outer peripheral projection formed to the outer peripheral side of the second teeth portion, projecting toward the bottom plate beyond the second teeth portion, and engaged with the tape reel on the outer peripheral side of the first teeth portion in the above engaged state, thereby the tape reel can be securely locked without loosening a magnetic tape.

Abstract: In one example of one aspect of the invention, a data storage cartridge is provided. The data storage cartridge includes a housing having at least one opening, a reel rotatably disposed within the housing and accessible through the opening, the reel capable of translating axially, a biasing member for biasing the reel toward the opening, and an absorbing member disposed between the reel and a portion of the housing opposite the opening. In one example, the absorbing member includes a spring constant value of greater than 30 ounces per inch. The absorbing member may be disposed to engage and dampen the motion of the reel when the reel is displaced beyond a desired distance.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a magnetic tape cartridge capable of improving operational precision and efficiency in the process of mounting a release part for unlocking a reel. A magnetic tape cartridge having a release button (part) for unlocking a reel, the release button being mounted in a hub with a cup shape formed on the reel, wherein a bottom portion of the hub has a fitting opening into which the release part fits, and a detection opening with a predetermined positional relationship with the fitting opening; and a reflection (metal) plate attached on a bottom surface of the bottom portion of the hub is viewed from an aperture of the detection opening defined in a top surface of the bottom portion of the hub.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a tape cartridge includes: a housing; a reel rotatably disposed in the housing; a reel lock operatively coupled to the reel, the reel lock operative between a first position in which the reel is locked and a second position in which the reel is unlocked; one of the housing or the reel lock having an insert and the other of the housing or the reel lock having a receiver, the insert sized and shaped to fit closely into the receiver and the insert slidable in the receiver; and a damper operatively coupled between the housing and the reel lock when the reel lock is in the second position.

Abstract: In a recording tape cartridge, cut-out portions are formed at an inner peripheral edge portion of a metal plate. By providing gates at the cut-out portions, the metal plate is insert molded without depending on submarine gates. Because the gates are provided, at the time of molding a reel hub, a molding material flows radially from a hole portion toward a tubular portion and a lower flange.

Abstract: A metal plate of a recording tape cartridge which has a tapered portion at an outer circumference thereof. In a state in which the metal plate is attached at a fixed-side mold plate of a metal mold for molding a reel hub and a lower flange, a gap is formed between the tapered portion and the fixed-side mold plate. During molding, molding material flows into the gap. Because of this gap, an annular pawl portion is formed at the reel hub, which annular pawl portion integrally joins the metal plate with the reel hub by sandwiching the metal plate via the tapered portion.

Abstract: A tape cassette including a cartridge and one tape reel provided in the cartridge, with a recording medium in the form of a tape being wound upon the tape reel. In the tape cassette, a leader tape that is more rigid than the recording medium in the form of a tape is connected to an unwinding end of the recording medium in the form of a tape; a toothed portion (a protrusion) is formed on at least a portion of both side edges of the leader tape; the tape reel has a flange on a top portion and on a bottom portion of a hub, and feed teeth (engaging portions) that engage the protrusions of the leader tape are formed on outer peripheral edges of the flanges. Rotation of the tape reel in one direction causes the engaging portions to feed the protrusions, whereby the leader tape is sent out from the cartridge. The tape cartridge of the invention can be reliably mounted to a recording/reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: Each lock portion (15) has a front portion (23) including an anchoring pawl (24) and a back portion (25) extending in a direction opposite to the front portion. Therefore, when a slider (14) withdraws, each back portion comes into contact with the inside surface of a back wall (10) of a cassette shell (4) and each lock portion rotates in an unlocking direction.

Abstract: The magnetic tape cassette comprises a reel, a cassette half (4), a reel locking member (45) and a rib (6a or 6b). The reel on which the magnetic tape is wound turns on a predetermined track and has engaging teeth at its periphery. The cassette half has a reel accommodating area which can accommodate various kinds of reels which are different from one another. The reel lock member is disposed on the cassette half and has an engagement pawl. The reel lock member is slidable between a reel lock position where the engagement pawl of the reel lock member is engaged with the engaging teeth of the reel so as to inhibit a rotation of the reel and a releasing position where the reel lock member disengages from the engaging teeth of the reels so as to allow the rotation of the reel. The rib disposed on the cassette half keeps a locking condition, i.e., where the engagement pawl is engaged with the engaging teeth, when the reel leaves the predetermined tracks.

Abstract: A limited use tape cassette comprising a housing enclosing a tape spooled to pass from a rotatable supply reel to a rotatable take-up reel during tape play, and from the take-up reel to the supply reel during tape rewind. A follower arm is pivotally mounted on the housing and is biased to engage spooled tape on the one of the reels, preferably the supply reel. An erase arm is pivotally mounted on the housing and is movably and releasably connected to the follower arm. The erase arm has a tape erase head thereon and is biased toward the take-up reel. Upon predetermined movement of the follower arm which results from predetermined tape movement between the reels, the erase arm is released from the follower arm to move the erase head into engagement with the tape on the take-up reel to erase it as it is being rewound onto the supply reel. After the erased tape is rewound onto the supply reel, the erase arm moves the erase head to an inoperative position to enable the erased tape to be reused.

Abstract: A tape cassette including a case body having upper and lower cases each having partition walls configured to rotatably receive tape reels wound with a tape-shaped medium, a reel brake configured to engage with the tape reels to prevent a free rotation when the tape cassette is not in use and slide between locked and unlocked positions of the tape reels, a biasing member configured to urge the reel brake toward the tape reels, and a support portion for supporting the biasing member provided outside the partition walls of the lower case, wherein one of the partition walls of the lower case has a cut-out portion adjacent to the support portion, and one of the partition walls of the upper case has a projected portion configured to engage with the cut-out portion of the lower case when the upper and lower cases are connected.

Abstract: A tape cartridge includes a pair of hubs and a casing. The respective hubs include respective drums for winding a tape-shaped medium thereon and respective cylinders with respective driving shaft insertion bores for accepting respective driving shafts of a recording/reproducing device. The hubs are rotatably supported in the a casing having upper and lower halves. The casing has driving shaft insertion holes formed therein so as to accept the respective driving shafts. The cartridge includes a slider for slidably covering the respective driving shaft insertion holes and a hub brake engageable with the respective hubs. The respective hubs have teeth provided on respective upper portions thereof so as to be engageable with the hub brake. Recesses are formed between the respective drums and the respective inner cylinders so as to have respective upper ends thereof opened.

Abstract: A tape cartridge having a housing formed of upper and lower casings, a single tape reel around which a length of tape is wound and which is turnably held within the housing, the lower casing having an opening through which a drive shaft of a recorder is to be inserted, the tape reel having an upper flange, a lower flange, and a hub which is open at top and closed at bottom, the hub having a hole formed at its bottom in engagement with a brake release plate, a metal disk disposed on the outer side of the bottom of the hub, teeth formed on the bottom around the disk for engagement with the drive shaft of a recorder, the hub having teeth provided on the inner side of its bottom in mesh with a brake lock, a brake release plate mounted in the hub in engagement with its hole, a brake lock mounted further on the brake release plate, the brake lock having brake teeth on the outer periphery of its bottom and follower projections on its top, the hub teeth and the brake teeth of the brake lock being engageable to preven

Abstract: An ink ribbon is formed form a belt shaped sheet body, and is wound around a pair of tubes. Spools are detachably mounted at each end of the tube bodies. An ink ribbon cartridge includes side plates formed with supporting openings for supporting corresponding spools. Each supporting opening is formed with a cutout portion defined by edges. When the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted in a facsimile machine, the spools are freely rotatable within the supporting openings. On the other hand, when the ink ribbon cartridge is dismounted from the facsimile machine, engagement protrusions formed to the spools catch on the edges defining the cutout portions, thereby preventing the spools form rotating. As a result, the ink ribbon will not unintentionally greatly loosen.

Abstract: A problem with the assembling of tape cassettes has been the possibility of erroneous fitting of the upper end of a coil spring that presses a release lever onto one of cylindrical bosses that cover reel brake posts.

Abstract: A limited-use tape cassette includes a follower arm pivotally secured to the housing at one end while abutting the spooled tape of a cassette reel at a distal end. A use-limiting mechanism is provided by the follower arm or another inter-related arm to control rewinding and/or playback of the tape based on follower arm position and/or positional history. In one embodiment, a second rotatable arm is located in controlled interference with the follower arm so as to cause it to "lock up" after a predetermined number of unfettered play back/rewind cycles have taken place. In other embodiments, the arrangement utilizes existing brake teeth of a tape cassette reel to prevent rewinding after a predetermined amount of the video has been viewed. In other arrangements, an over-center follower arm position is utilized together with a stop abutment to bind the tape against complete rewinding only after the video has been substantially completely once viewed.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a cassette or a cartridge, for storing a continuous tape medium in reeled form has first and second hubs contained in a housing having a base, with a continuous tape medium wound on said hubs, with a portion of the tape medium wound on one hub and another portion wound on the other hub. The hubs are respectively mounted on axles allowing rotation of the hubs. The axles are rotatably mounted in a platform which is slideable within an opening in the base of the housing so as to allow the axles to exhibit a translational movement, in tandem, in a direction parallel to the base as the tape medium is transferred between the hubs. As the diameter of reeled tape increases on one of the hubs due to the tape transfer, the platform, and the axles and the hubs, will move in a direction toward the housing sidewall closest to the hub having the smaller amount of tape reeled thereon, thereby increasing the spacing between the other hub and the other sidewall to accommodate the increasing diameter.

Abstract: A tape cartridge and reel lock that allows the reel lock to be released away from the center of rotation of the tape reel while keeping the frictional interface between the moving and fixed parts at the center of rotation of the reel. The tape cartridge includes a housing, a tape reel rotatably disposed in the housing, a tape drive interface on the reel, a rotatably fixed locking member operatively coupled to the reel and a release mechanism engagable by the tape drive at the tape drive interface on the reel. The release mechanism is movable between a first position in which the release mechanism is not engaged by the tape drive and the locking member is locked and a second position in which the tape drive engages the release mechanism and the locking member is unlocked.

Abstract: A magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus includes a tape deck having winding mandrels (5) which are rotatably supported on bearing spindles (3), these winding mandrels being adapted to engage winding-mandrel holes in the magnetic-tape cassette (11), and each have at least one coupling fin (10a, 10b, 10c) arranged on its circumference. To facilitate lowering of the cassette (11) onto the winding mandrels (5) and to preclude any problems which could then arise, the winding mandrels (5) are mounted on the bearing spindles (3) so as to be axially movable in a range of axial movement and are each pre-loaded towards a preferred axial position by at least one spring (9).

Abstract: A resilient, durable reel-locking member is provided in a magnetic tape cassette including a cassette case, a pair of reels rotatable in the cassette case to wind a magnetic tape, each of the reels including a flange and a plurality of teeth formed on a peripheral portion of the flange. The resilient, durable reel-locking member includes a slide body slidable between the reels in a front-rear direction of the cassette case, a pushing member pushing the slide body in the front-rear direction of the cassette case, a pair of cantilevered, arcuate expansions formed on opposite sides of the slide body, each of the expansions facing a respective adjacent one of the reels and extending in a direction normal to the front-rear direction of the cassette case, and a pair of claws, each of the claws projecting from a respective one of the expansions and being engagable with the teeth of the respective adjacent one of the reels.

Abstract: A tape cassette consisting of two cassette halves containing a pair of tape reels around which a length of tape is wound. Columnar pivots are formed upright on an inner wall of one of the cassette halves to turnably support reel detents which keep the tape reels from turning when the tape cassette is not in use. Each of the pivots is formed with an axially extending groove for cooling the pivot at a rate substantially equal to a cooling rate of the cassette halves. Each of the grooves has a width substantially uniform throughout an axial length of the pivot.

Abstract: A cassette for magnetic tape includes a pair of cassette halves cooperating with each other to form a cassette body; a pair of reels disposed rotatably in one of the cassette halves to wind the magnetic tape around the reels, each of the reels including a flange having a plurality of teeth formed at a circumference of the flange; and a reel locking assembly engaging the flanges for preventing rotation of the reels, the reel locking assembly includes: a slide body slidably disposed between the reels for sliding movement in a front-rear direction of the cassette body; an urging member urging the slide body towards a front of the cassette body; a pair of support members each disposed on a respective side of the slide body; and a pair of lock-engagement members, each having a central portion which is supported rotatably by a respective one of the support members, the lock-engagement members being made of a resilient spring wire rod.

Abstract: A tape cassette capable of exhibiting satisfactory resistance to shock to prevent sagging of a tape. During non-use of a tape cassette, a lock member prevents a reel brake member urged by elastic force so as to be engaged with tape reels from being moved in a lock release direction due to shock. When the tape cassette is charged in a recording and reproducing apparatus, the lock member is actuated by a lock release element of the apparatus, to thereby release the reel brake member from engagement with the lock member.

Abstract: A plug inserted into the access opening of a tape cartridge to prevent movement of the reel inside the cartridge. Damage to the tape media is thus prevented by contact of the reel with the tape media. The plug may also be used to seal the access opening and eliminate environmental contamination which would otherwise enter therethrough.

Abstract: A tape cartridge having a reel lock in the hub that is capable of releasing the reel at the same time the drive mechanism engages the hub while minimizing the vertical travel necessary to provide a robust lock. The cartridge includes a housing and a tape reel in the housing. A tape drive interface on the reel, usually a circular gear on the reel hub, is accessible to the drive mechanism on a tape drive through a hole in the bottom of the housing. An arm is mounted in the hub. The arm moves between a first position in which the arm engages the housing to prevent the reel from rotating in at least one direction, and a second position in which the arm does not engage the housing and the reel is free to rotate in both directions.

Abstract: A tape cassette or the like employs a resettable counter that disables the playing of the cassette after a limited number of playings consistent with home use. The small number of playings is supported by a machine resetting procedure that automatically records the usage and resets the cassette by translating information on a label on the cassette into a sequence of moves that unlocks the resetting mechanism that is otherwise locked against unauthorized parties. The label also includes a machine readable description of the program. Cassettes with the same program material have different reset codes on their labels to limit the resetting of some cassettes to particular machines thus lessening the economic incentive of obtaining or constructing unauthorized resetting equipment.

Abstract: A tape cassette has a tape extending from one tape reel around a tape engagement area of the periphery of a guide member and to another tape reel when the tape is in a normal operating position when the cassette is in a tape drive. The cassette includes a tape lift off mechanism which is mounted for rotatable movement around the periphery of the guide member from the normal tape operating position, where the tape lift off mechanism is out of contact with said tape, to a tape storage position where the tape lift off mechanism engages the tape and disengages the tape from at least a portion of the tape engagement area of the guide member when the cassette is removed from the tape drive. In addition to the tape lift off mechanism, a brake mechanism is provided that engages flanges of both tape reels when the cassette is removed from the tape drive to prevent the reels from rotating during storage of the cassette.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape cassette including a cassette case, a pair of reels rotatable in the cassette case to wind a magnetic tape, each of the reels including a flange and a plurality of teeth formed at a peripheral portion of the flange., and a lock member engaging the flange for preventing the reels from rotating, the lock member further includes a slide body slidable between the reels in a front-rear direction of the cassette case, a pushing member pushing the slide body in the front-rear direction of the cassette case, a pair of expansions formed on opposite sides of the slide body facing the reels, each of the expansions expanding in a direction normal to the front-rear direction of the cassette case, and a pair of claws projecting from the respective expansions and being engagable to the teeth.

Abstract: The coaxial reel tape cartridge uses a lengthy tape path within the tape cartridge to reduce the stresses on the tape medium as it is transported between the two reels. The tape reel lock mechanism locks the two tape reels together to prevent rotation of the reels with respect to each other when the tape cartridge is removed from the tape drive. The lock mechanism also locks the tape reels to the exterior housing to prevent any rotation of either tape reel. This lock mechanism enables to tape cartridge to implement mid-point loads.

Abstract: In a reel lock mechanism for a tape cassette in which a ratchet opening spring can be easily attached to reel lock ratchets, the ratchet opening spring (14) includes two coil portions (14a, 14b) mounted on shaft portions (20d, 20d) of a pair of reel lock ratchets (12, 13) and a pair of ratchet opening arms (14d, 14e) for spring-biasing ratchet portions (20c, 20c) toward ratchet wheels (8, 8) on the tape reels (2a, 3a). The pair of reel lock ratchets (12, 13) include a ratchet-side stopper (20f) and a reel lock body (11) includes a body-side stopper (11e) which can be engaged with the ratchet-side stopper (20f). When the ratchet-side stopper (20f) and the body-side stopper (11e) are engaged with each other, the ratchet opening spring (14) generates a spring force to bias the pair of reel lock ratchets (12, 13) under such spring force.

Abstract: A cassette for a high performance tape drive is disclosed. A cassette shell having the same general external dimensions as an industry standard leader block tape cartridge (3480/3490) includes both a tape supply spool and a take-up spool. Two tape guides present a segment of tape to a cassette access port which can be closed by a sliding door to prevent contamination when the tape is not in use. A tape cleaning device and a spool locking device are incorporated into the cassette mechanism.

Abstract: A tape cassette having a reel lock mechanism which includes a slider adapted to slide in frontward and rearward directions within a cassette housing; a pair of lock pawls adapted to engage with outer circumferential toothed portions of a pair of reels to lock rotation of the reels in tape slacking directions, the lock pawls being rotatably mounted on the slider; a first spring for biasing the lock pawls to rotate the same in such a direction as to engage the lock pawls with the toothed portions of the reels; a second spring for biasing the slider to slide the same in the frontward direction and drive the reels through the lock pawls in tape winding directions; and a pair of guides for rotating the lock pawls in such a direction as to disengage the lock pawls from the toothed portions against a biasing force of the first spring when the slider is slid in the rearward direction.

Abstract: In the magnetic tape cassette, upper and lower flanges 23a to 24c forming a tape reel 21 are formed alternately at a given angle in the two end portions of a reel hub 22 so that engaging gears 25a to 26c respectively formed on the outer peripheral edge portions of the upper and lower flanges 23a to 24c are substantially continuous in a plan view, and a brake claw is arranged so as to be engageable with any one of the engaging gears 25a to 26c regardless of the rotational position of the tape reel 21.

Abstract: An improved tape cassette which prohibits the advancement of the tape in a fast forward speed or advance searching mode through its lead portion includes at least a pair of extendable members which pivot or swing outwardly in the event the take-up spool is advanced above a predetermined rate of rotation. However, after a predetermined amount of tape has unwound off of the storage spool, the extendable members are prohibited from pivoting or extending outwardly further. Thereafter, the operator is permitted to fast forward the tape through the remaining portion. In this manner, the lead portion of the tape can only be viewed in a normal play mode and cannot be fast forwarded or advanced through quickly by the operator.

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: Reel brakes for inclusion in a cartridge-to-cassette adaptor which can be released by either a manual winder structure or a tape transport carried release pin.

Abstract: A tape cassette includes supply reel and a takeup reel each with a plurality of notches arranged along the entire outer circumference of the lower flange of the reel. A plurality of projections are provided on a lower housing of the cassette for engaging the plurality of notches, and a resilient member is provided in an upper housing of the cassette for biasing the supply reel and the takeup reel toward the lower housing, causing the notches to engage the projections to form a lock for preventing rotation of the reels when the tape cassette is not in use.

Abstract: A fast-forward locking mechanism prevents fast-forwarding of video tape cassettes through commercials or special announcements. The locking mechanism includes a locking pin or arm attached to a pay out reel that extends to catch edges of projections preexisting along an inner periphery of the video cassette casing next to the pay out reel. Centripetal acceleration generated by the rotational velocity of the pay out reel in excess of a maximum permitted rotational velocity during normal tape play speeds of the video tape cassette extends the pin or pivoting member. Once the pin or pivoting member is extended, the tape tenses as it being pulled by a take up reel. The video cassette player/recorder senses the tensed tape and turns off the motor driving the take up reel. The pin is retracted by either reversing the direction of the pay out reel or by a biasing spring. Projections for catching the extended pin or arm are molded into the video cassette casing near the pay-out reel's periphery.

Abstract: A tape cassette has a plurality of spaced apart, elongated bearing surface portions elevated relative to an internal surface of a cassette case and on which a reel lock member is adapted to slide. Accordingly, the sliding movement of the reel lock member is prevented from being hindered by a burr generated at the periphery of a hole formed through the internal surface or by a burr-like projection generated at the periphery of an indentation formed by contact of an ejector pin with the internal surface upon molding of the cassette case. As a result, the locking and unlocking operations of the reel lock member with respect to a tape reel can be reliably effected.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) constructed for at least reproducing signals from a magnetic tape (16) extending between two reel hubs (12, 13), comprises a tape-threading device (40), which is movable between a thread-out position and at least one thread-in position, a detection device (129) for detecting whether the tape-threading device (40) has reached a thread-in position, a winding-mandrel driving device (98) for driving two winding mandrels (95, 96) which cooperate with the reel hubs (12, 13), and a braking device, which is movable between a release position and a braking position, by means of which at the end of a thread-in process the winding mandrel (95) can be braked by which the magnetic tape (16) is unwound during this thread-in process.