Patent ID: 6702216
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A tape cartridge comprising: a housing; a single tape reel turnably held within the housing, said tape reel carrying a length of tape wound thereon, the outer end of the tape being fixed to a leader member in the form of a pin, which can be taken out of the cartridge through an outlet formed in the housing by a tape draw-out member of a recording-reproducing apparatus; an openable door member covering said outlet; and a spring member pushing said door member towards the closed position; wherein:said spring member is a torsion coil spring comprising: only two torsion coil portions; a single generally straight connecting portion linking said two coil portions; a first arm portion that extends from one of the coil portions, forming a first angle with said connecting portion, and has an end abutting with a first abutting portion of said housing; and a second arm portion that extends from the other coil portion, forming a second angle with said connecting portion, said second angle pointing in an opposite direction to said first angle, and has an end fixed to said door member, said first arm portion is longer than said second arm portion, such that when the door member is opened, said first arm portion abutting the housing at first deforms, and then said second arm portion fixed to the door member deforms, said housing has a second abutting portion in a position that a part of the first arm portion of the spring comes to contact with the second abutting portion during opening of the door member so that the end of said first arm portion is caused to move toward the outlet out of engagement with the first abutting portion after the contacting, the first and second arm portions and the connecting portion being free of interference of crossing as the door moves between closed and open positions.