Data storage cassette and data recording and reproducing device

A data storage cassette includes an upper cassette half and a lower cassette half and containing therein a tape for storing data. The cassette has an outer shape of a predetermined dimension, and the lower cassette half is formed with a reel lock release hole. A discrimination hole is formed through the lower cassette half at a location adjacent to the reel lock release hole for discriminating the data storage cassette from another cassette having an outer shape of a dimension substantially identical with the abovementioned predetermined dimension of the outer shape of the data storage cassette. A data recording and reproducing device has a discrimination switch or a fixed pin for identifying the presence of the discrimination hole during a loading operation of the data storage cassette into the device and enabling only the data storage cassette to be loaded and set in the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a data storage cassette used for storing
 data and to a data recording and reproducing device or apparatus. More
 specifically, the invention relates to a data storage cassette that can be
 discriminated or distinguished from the conventional cassette of the other
 kind and can be prevented from being erroneously loaded and set in the
 recording and reproducing device. The invention also relates to a data
 recording and reproducing device for recording and reproducing data with
 the use of such data storage cassette.
 The data storage cassette of the invention is obtainable by making slight
 improvements on a lower cassette half of an existing or a conventional
 cassette, and similarly the data recording and reproducing device of the
 invention is obtainable by making slight improvements on a conventional
 data recording and reproducing device.
 2. Related Art
 A magnetic tape has been used as a medium for recording and storing a large
 amount of data, processed by a computer or the like, for backup purposes.
 Such magnetic tape is usually contained in a cassette. Such cassette is
 called "a data storage cassette" or "a cassette for data storage"
 (hereinafter referred to, also, as "data cassette). Conventionally, the
 data cassette was constructed as a single-purpose cassette having a size
 or a dimension different from the cassettes of the other kind. Thus, a
 special cassette box for receiving such cassette was provided in the data
 recording and reproducing device.
 Consequently, even if an 8-mm video cassette was inserted into such data
 recording and reproducing device having a special cassette box, the
 recording and reproduction could not be effected. Similarly, even if the
 data cassette was inserted into a video recording and reproducing device,
 the recording and reproduction could not be effected. Generally, such data
 cassette was expensive. Also the data recording and reproducing device was
 expensive since it lacked versatility.
 Recently, from the viewpoint of the cost reduction, an attempt has been
 made to use an existing or a conventional video cassette as the data
 cassette. More specifically, an attempt has been made to use cassette
 halves having outer shapes substantially identical with those of the
 conventional video cassette, and to contain in the cassette halves a data
 recording or a data storage tape capable of effecting high-density
 recording.
 If the cassette halves of the conventional video cassette are used as those
 of the data cassette, the cost can be reduced. Further, the video
 recording and reproducing device can be used as the data the recording and
 reproducing device by modifying a part of the video recording and
 reproducing device. This also contributes to the cost reduction.
 In such a case, however, both of the video cassette and the data cassette
 can be loaded and set in the data recording and reproducing device. Thus,
 there is the fear that the user uses the data recording and reproducing
 device without noticing that the video cassette is erroneously loaded and
 set in the device.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a data cassette
 which can be obtained by making slight improvements on the existing or
 conventional cassette, and can be discriminated or distinguished from the
 conventional video cassettes.
 Another object of the invention is to provide a data recording and
 reproducing device which can use such data cassette.
 According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data
 storage cassette including an upper cassette half and a lower cassette
 half and containing therein a tape for storing data, the cassette having
 an outer shape of a predetermined dimension, the lower cassette half being
 formed with a reel lock release hole, comprising: a discrimination hole
 formed through the lower cassette half at a location adjacent to the reel
 lock release hole for discriminating said cassette from another cassette
 having an outer shape of a dimension substantially identical with said
 predetermined dimension of the outer shape of the data storage cassette.
 According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a date
 recording and reproducing device for recording and reproducing data with
 the use of the abovementioned data storage cassette comprising:
 discrimination means provided in the device for identifying the presence
 of the discrimination hole of the data storage cassette during a loading
 operation of the data storage cassette into the device and enabling only
 the data storage cassette to be loaded and set in the device for recording
 and reproducing data.
 When the discrimination hole in the lower cassette half is detected or
 identified by the discrimination means on the device body, it is judged
 that the data storage cassette is to be loaded and set in the device body.
 In contrast, if the discrimination hole is not detected, it is judged that
 the cassette other than the data storage cassette is to be loaded and set
 in the device body. With such construction, the kind of the cassette can
 be easily and positively judged.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 A preferred embodiment of a data storage cassette of the present invention,
 as well as a preferred embodiment of a data recording and reproducing
 device of the invention, will now be described in detail with reference to
 the drawings.
 According to the invention, cassette halves (an upper cassette half and a
 lower cassette half) of an existing or a conventional video cassette may
 be used as cassette halves of the data cassette by making a slight
 modification thereon. For example, cassette halves of an 8 mm video
 cassette may be used as cassette halves of the data cassette by making
 slight improvement thereon. A recording and reproducing device for an 8 mm
 video may be used as the recording and reproducing device into which the
 data cassette can be loaded.
 FIG. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the data recording and reproducing
 device 10 into which the data storage cassette of the present invention
 can be loaded. A high-density-recording magnetic tape 22, suited for
 recording and reproducing data, processed by a computer or the like, is
 contained or housed in the data cassette 20, and the magnetic tape 22 is
 extended or wound around a rotary drum 12 (for example, in an inverted
 Q-shape as shown in FIG. 1) via a plurality of guide rollers 24(including
 guide pins and tension regulator pins). In this wound condition or a
 tape-loading condition, the recording and reproduction of data are
 effected.
 A lock release pin 16 for releasing locking of a pair of reels 14R and 14L
 is provided at a predetermined portion of a device body to be located
 beneath the data cassette 20. When the data cassette 20 is loaded and set
 in the device body, the lock release pin 16 is inserted in a reel lock
 release hole (more fully described later) formed in the data cassette 20,
 and as a result of this insertion, the locking of the reels 14R an 14L is
 released. This technique has been well known in the art.
 A loading position detection switch 18 for determining whether or not the
 cassette is properly loaded on the pair of reels 14R and 14L is provided
 at that portion of the device body located near the lock release pin 16.
 When this switch 18 is turned on, such a control is effected that the
 cassette-in operation is stopped and a tape-loading operation is started.
 In the present invention, discrimination or identification means (which
 comprises, for example, a discrimination or an identification switch 30)
 for discriminating the data cassette from other cassettes or identifying
 the data cassette, is provided on the device body. The discrimination
 means is disposed between the lock release pin 16 and the detection switch
 18. In this embodiment, if the discrimination switch 30 is held in the OFF
 state or the OFF position during the cassette-in operation or the cassette
 loading operation, it is judged that the data cassette, rather than the
 cassette of the other kind, is to be loaded and set in the device for
 recording and reproducing data, and hence it is possible to properly load
 and set this cassette in the device body. After the cassette is thus
 loaded and set therein, the tape-loading operation, which is the operation
 necessary to be effected before the recording and reproducing operation,
 is effected.
 On the other hand, if the discrimination switch 30 is turned on during the
 cassette loading operation, it is judged that the cassette other than the
 data cassette is to be loaded and set in the device. In such case, for
 example alarm means (such as a buzzer and an alarm indicator lamp) is
 operated. Further, it may be so constructed that the cassette is
 automatically discharged from the device body at this time. These points
 will be described hereinafter in further detail.
 The data cassette 20 has unique features in connection with the
 discriminating switch 30, as will be described hereunder with reference to
 FIG. 2.
 The data cassette according to the illustrated embodiments of the invention
 comprises two cassette halves (i.e., upper and lower cassette halves)
 having outer shapes of predetermined dimensions or sizes substantially
 identical with those of a conventional video cassette. The upper cassette
 half is designated in FIGS. 4 to 7 by 20B. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a
 construction of the lower cassette half 20A. More specifically, FIG. 2
 shows an internal structure of the lower cassette half 20A, and FIG. 3
 shows an external structure thereof. In FIG. 2, the lower cassette half
 20A includes an outer wall (or flange) 21 extending over an entire outer
 periphery of the cassette half 20A, and inner walls 32 and 34 formed
 integrally with the outer wall 21. The inner walls 32 and 34 are formed to
 extend along parts of outer peripheries of generally disk-shaped reel
 flanges. These inner walls 32 and 34 shut off or isolate the interior of
 the cassette from the exterior thereof and prevents dusts, dirts or the
 like from entering the interior.
 The inner wall 34, provided at a lower central portion of the lower
 cassette half 20A, as viewed in FIG. 2, has a generally inverted V-shape
 with its top notched. The reel lock release hole 36 having a rectangular
 shape is formed through an upper central portion of that area or location
 of the lower cassette half 20A surrounded by the inner wall 34. A reel
 lock release pawl (not shown) is provided to close this lock release hole
 36. When the cassette-in operation is effected, the lock release pin 16,
 provided on the device body, is inserted into the lock release hole 36 to
 move the reel lock release pawl, thereby releasing locking of the pair of
 reels 14R and 14L.
 According to the invention, a discrimination hole or an identification hole
 40 is formed through the lower cassette half 20A at a location or within
 an area surrounded by the inner wall 34. The discrimination hole 40 is
 located adjacent to the lock release hole 36. In the embodiment shown in
 FIGS. 2 and 3, the discrimination hole 40 has a substantially rectangular
 shape. The longer sides 40' of the rectangular discrimination hole 40
 extends in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of
 insertion of the cassette into the device. Further, the discrimination
 hole 40 is formed substantially parallel to, and in a juxtaposed relation
 to, the rectangular reel lock release hole 36 of a larger size. FIG. 3
 shows the discrimination hole 40 viewed from the outer surface of the
 lower cassette half 20A.
 In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the discrimination hole 40 has a
 substantially rectangular shape as described above. However, various
 shapes, other than the rectangular shape, may be adopted as the shapes of
 the discrimination hole. FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate discrimination holes
 40A and 40B having substantially square shape and substantially circular
 shape, respectively. In an example of FIG. 10C, the discrimination hole
 40C is an elongated hole with rounded opposite ends 40C". The longer sides
 40C' of the hole 40C extend substantially parallel to the direction for
 inserting the cassette into the device body, as similar to the case of the
 substantially rectangular discrimination hole 40.
 As described above, the discrimination hole 40 is formed at the location or
 within the area surrounded by the inner wall 34. This contributes to
 preventing dusts and dirts to enter the interior of the cassette even if
 this discrimination hole 40 is formed through the lower half 20A. The
 formation of the discrimination hole 40 at such location or area is also
 preferable in that a space for disposing the discrimination switch
 (discrimination means) 30, which cooperates with the discrimination hole
 40, may be secured in the device body.
 As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of through holes 42 and 44 are formed at
 each of right and left corner portions of the lower cassette half 20A.
 However, it is difficult to conveniently use these through holes 42 and 44
 as the abovementioned discrimination hole, since the purpose of use of
 these holes 42 and 44 is already determined. For such reason, the
 discrimination hole 40 is formed at the above-described location.
 As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower cassette half 2A is formed with a pair
 of through holes 46 for reels, a plurality of through holes (circular and
 oval holes) 48 for positioning the cassette at the time of the cassette-in
 operation, and a through hole 50 for receiving detection means for
 detecting a tape end. These through holes have been well known in the art.
 According to the illustrated embodiment, the discrimination hole 40 is
 formed in the lower cassette half 20A, and the discrimination switch
 (discrimination means) 30 is provided at that portion of the device body
 corresponding to the discrimination hole 40. With such construction, the
 data cassette 20 can be accurately discriminated from other cassettes such
 as a video cassette and hence the proper processing or operation can be
 carried out.
 The discriminating operation will now be described with reference to FIGS.
 4 to 7. For clarifying the illustration, the members not related to the
 discrimination operation are omitted from these figures.
 FIG. 4 shows the relation of the cassette 20 with the device body into
 which the cassette 20 is to be loaded. A dot-and-dash line 52 indicates a
 reference surface of the device body. The reel lock release pin 16 is
 mounted at a predetermined position of this reference surface 52. The
 detection switch 18 is located near the reel lock release pin 16 for
 determining as to whether or not the cassette is loaded into the proper
 position at the time of the cassette-in operation. The discrimination
 switch 30 is provided at a predetermined position between the detection
 switch 18 and the reel lock release pin 16.
 The lock release hole 36 and the discrimination hole 40 are formed
 respectively through those portions of the lower cassette half 20A
 corresponding respectively to the reel lock release pin 16 and the
 discrimination switch 30. Thus, when the data cassette 20 is moved
 downward onto the reference surface 52 during the cassette-in operation or
 cassette loading operation, the lock release pin 16 can be inserted into
 the lock release hole 36 while an operating portion 30a of the
 discrimination switch 30 can be inserted into the discrimination hole 40.
 Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the data cassette 20 is properly moved
 downward onto the reference surface 52, and this is detected by the
 detection switch 18, so that the cassette-in operation or cassette loading
 operation is finished. Since the operating portion 30a of the
 discrimination switch 30 is not pressed by a bottom surface of the lower
 cassette half 20A and is kept in the condition of FIG. 4, it is judged
 that the cassette is the data cassette 20, rather than the cassette of
 other kind, and immediately the operation is shifted to the tape-loading
 mode.
 On the other hand, when a cassette (e.g. an 8 mm video cassette) 20' other
 than the data cassette is inserted into or is to be loaded and set in the
 device body and the cassette is moved downward during the cassette-in
 operation, the operating portion 30a of the discrimination switch 30 is
 pressed by a bottom surface 20a' of the lower cassette half and moved
 downwardly, as shown in FIG. 6. When the video cassette 20' reaches the
 reference surface 52, the detection switch 18 is turned on, so that the
 cassette-in mode is stopped.
 In this cassette-in mode, the discrimination switch 30 is turned on, and
 therefore a controller (not shown), provided in the device body, judges
 that the cassette 20' is the cassette other than the data cassette, and
 prohibits the operation from shifting to the tape-loading mode. As a
 result, the data recording-reproducing mode for the video cassette 20' is
 prohibited. This condition is informed to the user by the above-mentioned
 alarm means. Thus, there can be avoided the situation that data is
 recorded and reproduced with the use of the wrong cassette. It is possible
 to effect such a control as to automatically discharge the cassette 20' at
 the time that the cassette is judged as the cassette other than the data
 cassette.
 In the above-described embodiment, the discrimination switch 30 is used as
 the discrimination means. Instead of the discrimination switch 30 a
 discrimination pin or a fixed pin 60 may be used as the discrimination
 means, as shown in FIG. 7. The length of the discrimination pin 60
 projecting from the reference surface 52 is slightly larger than the
 lengths of the lock release pin 16 and the detection switch 18 projecting
 from the surface 52. Such construction is adopted in order that the
 discrimination of the cassette can be carried out as soon as possible. In
 the case where the discrimination pin 60 is used, the cassette can not
 further move downward when the lower cassette half 20A engages the
 discrimination pin 60, so that the user can realize that the wrong
 cassette is to be loaded and set in the device body. Therefore, also in
 this case, there can be avoided the situation that data is recorded and
 reproduced with the use of the wrong cassette. In this case, alarm means
 may be driven to give warning to the user.
 In the embodiment of FIG. 2, one discrimination hole 40 is formed through
 the lower cassette half 20A. However, two or more discrimination holes may
 be formed through the lower cassette half 20A. In the structure
 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, a second discrimination hole 41, having
 substantially the same shape and size as those of the discrimination hole
 (first discrimination hole) 40, is additionally formed through the lower
 half 20A at the area or the location surrounded by the inner wall 34. The
 first and second discrimination holes 40 and 41 are disposed generally
 symmetrically with respect to the lock release hole 36. In this case, a
 second discrimination switch (not shown), serving as discrimination means,
 is additionally provided on that portion of the device body to be opposed
 to the second discrimination hole 41.
 The second discrimination switch can be used in the following manner. For
 example, in the case where a first data cassette containing a high-density
 recording tape and a second data cassette containing a higher-density
 recording tape are used, it is preferable that the kind of the cassette or
 tape can be judged.
 In such case, the lower cassette half 20A of the first data cassette in
 which the abovementioned high-density recording tape (first high-density
 recording tape) is contained or housed is formed with one discrimination
 hole 40, while the lower cassette half 20A of the second data cassette in
 which the abovementioned higher-density recording tape is contained or
 housed is formed with two discrimination holes 40 and 41.
 In the such case, the device body is constructed to include a first and a
 second discrimination switches and a logic circuit into which output
 signals from the first and second discrimination switches are inputted.
 With such construction, it may be easily and accurately judged as to
 whether or not the cassette to be loaded is a data cassette, and if it is
 the data cassette what kind of tape the data cassette contains. It is
 herein to be noted that, when the first and second discrimination switches
 are provided in the device body, each switch should have a construction
 similar to that of the discrimination switch 30 as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.
 That is, each switch should have an operating portion similar to the
 operating portion 30a of the switch 30 which is moved downwardly to shift
 the switch from an OFF position to an ON position (or from ON position to
 an OFF position) when pressed by a bottom surface of the lower cassette
 half.
 A square hole, a rectangular or an oblong hole, a circular hole, an
 elongated hole with rounded opposite ends, or other hole may be used as
 the discrimination hole 41, as similar to the case of the discrimination
 hole 40. In the case where a rectangular hole or an elongated hole with
 rounded opposite ends is used as the discrimination hole 41, it is
 preferable that the longer sides or edges of the hole 41 extend
 substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of the cassette, as
 similar to the case of the discrimination holes 40 and 40C. With such
 arrangement, the loading of the cassette into the device body can be
 smoothly effected.
 As will be understood from the foregoing description, according to the
 invention, the lower cassette half of the cassette is formed at the
 specified area or location with the discrimination hole for distinguishing
 between the data cassette and other cassettes. The recording and
 reproducing device includes the discrimination means cooperating with the
 discrimination hole. In response to an output signal from the
 discrimination means, the cassette to be loaded and set in the recording
 and reproducing device is judged to be either the data cassette or the
 other cassette and the processing or operation necessary for the loaded
 cassette is carried out.
 Since the data cassette and other cassettes can be clearly discriminated or
 distinguished from each other, the wrong processing, such as to record
 data into a video cassette or the like, can be reliably avoided with the
 simple construction.