Cassette tape

Abstract: A recording and reproducing cassette tape is provided. The cassette tape has a case (12,62), a pair of reels (14, 16;164,166;164,216), a magnetic tape (18,168,218) and an adjusting device for stopping feeding of the tape at an arbitrary position of the longitudinal direction of the tape. The adjusting device comprises an annular plate (20, 170) relatively rotatably provided at one of the reels and setting means (28,128,178) mounted on the annular plate for setting a tape stop position by contacting with an outer surface of said magnetic tape wound on the reel. This adjusting device detects the arrival of the tape at the stopping position when the tape is reproduced by a tape recorder/reproducer to stop feeding of the tape by mechanically operating the tape or an automatic device of the tape recorder/reproducer.

Description: The invention relates to a tape cassette comprising a cassette case, a supply reel and a take-up reel rotatably arranged in said cassette case; a magnetic tape arranged between said reels and being reversibly transportable between said reels by a tape transport; setting means for selectively setting a tape stop means at an arbitrary position of the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape when it is re-wound onto said supply reel during reverse tape movement; and means for stopping the tape transport when the set stop means arrives at a position between said reels during forward tape movement. Such a tape cassette is known from WO-A-81/00480. In conventional tape cassettes which include all an ordinary type and an endless type, the length of the respective tapes have been determined fixedly in response to recording and reproducing time, but the tape cassette itself could not be set or changed in a range of the available length at all. In most of conventional ordinary tape recorder/reproducer systems frequently used, the fact that the tape reached its end during recording or reproducing was detected according to the tension of the tape thereby to stop feeding of the tape or to automatically reversely feed the tape. In the systems of such a type, it was impossible to automatically stop feeding of the tape at its arbitrary position by designating in advance the arbitrary position of the tape or to automatically reversely feed the tape. Therefore, if the required recording time of a tape is different, another tape cassette having a different length must be employed, and hence it was necessary to previously prepare various tape cassettes having a variety of length and to select any of the cassettes having a length of the tape which matches the required recording time. However, the conventional tape cassettes sold in the general market are sorted according to the length of recording time, but the number of the types of cassettes having different lengths is not sufficient, and cannot respond to certain utility. As an example, in the case where training or learning of a foreign language is repeated by using tape cassettes, the lengths of phrases and sentences to be repeated include a number of kinds. Even if cassettes preferably responding to the training or learning of the language are desired to be selected, it is extremely rare to select the tape cassettes just in response to the required recording time. In the case of a cassette having a short length, an object to be recorded is failed to be sufficiently recorded all on the tape, or in the case of a cassette having an excessively long length, an unrecorded portion of the tape remains, and a difficulty in the operation might frequently occur. Even in the above cases, however, it is very difficult in techniques to prepare a variety of tape cassettes having a number of different lengths in response to objects to be presumed to be recorded, to measure required recording time at each time and to then select a suitable one from the various tape cassettes and to sequentially frequently exchange the tapes. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a tape cassette which can eliminate the above-described drawbacks of the prior art and in which the length of recording and reproducing time can be readily adjusted. According to the invention, a tape cassette as defined in the precharacterizing clause of claim 1, is characterized by an annular plate relatively rotatably provided at, and being engageable with, said supply reel, and coupling means for selectively coupling said annular plate to said supply reel when operated; said setting means comprising an operation button and a control pin as a stop means which is rockably supported on said annular plate and engageable with said magnetic tape to be wound together with the tape onto the supply reel during reverse tape movement. Preferable embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a tape cassette of this invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a reel unit of the tape cassette of Fig. 1, illustrating the state that a tape length adjusting mechanism is not operated; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an- enlarged plan view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the state that a tape length adjusting mechanism is operated; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a reel unit for explaining the state that the control pin of the tape length adjusting mechanism is engaged with a tape; Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a reel unit for explaining the state that the control pin of the tape length adjusting mechanism is wound with the tape; Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a modified example of an adjustment button locking mechanism; Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a modified example of the control pin; Fig. 10 is a partial plan view of another embodiment of a tape cassette in which the cover half of a case is removed, illustrating the state that a tape length adjusting mechanism is not operated; Fig. 11 is a partial plan view showing the state that the tape length adjusting mechanism of the tape cassette of Fig. 10 is operated; Fig. 12 is a partial plan view showing still another embodiment of tape cassette in which the cover half of a case is removed, illustrating the state that a tape length adjusting mechanism is not operated; and Fig. 13 is a partial plan view showing the state that the tape length adjusting mechanism of the tape cassette of Fig. 12 is operated. Preferred embodiments of a tape cassette of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Reference numerals of the same type in the drawings designate components of the same type or corresponding type through the entire drawings. Figs. 1 to 7 show an embodiment of a tape cassette according to the present invention. A tape cassette 10 comprises a case 12, a pair of reels 14 and 16 rotatably contained in the case 12, and a magnetic tape 18. The reels 14 and 16 may be used in both a supply side and a take-up side according to the feeding direction of the magnetic tape 18, but for the convenience of description, the pair of reels 14 and 16 are respectively called "a supply reel 14 and a take-up reel 16". Magnetic tape 18 having a predetermined length in which the ends are fixed at, and are respectively wound on, the supply reel 14 and the take-up reel 16. Projections 142 extend radially inwardly to be rotated by a tape recorder/reproducer system are integrally formed at the center of the supply reel 14, and a recess 146 is formed inside a take-up drum 144. A plurality of projections 150 extending radially inwardly are provided at an equal interval on a cylindrical inner wall 148 for forming the recess 146, and one of them is formed with a tape end fixing unit 152. A circular interlocking plate 20 is movably engaged within the recess 146 of the supply reel 14. A bearing 22 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the interlocking plate 20, and an operation button 26 is mounted on the outer periphery of its radially opposite side through a supporting spring 24. The supporting spring 24 is formed in a bent plate shape, fixed at its one end to the interlocking plate 20 via a fulcrum 24a and mounted at the other end with the operation button 26. A known locking/unlocking mechanism, not shown, for stopping the operation button 26 at a second position (Fig. 5) when the operation button 26 is pressed down from a first position (Fig. 3) and returning the operation button 26 to the first position by the recoiling force of the supporting spring 24 when the operation button 26 is again pressed down is provided between the operation button 26 and the interlocking plate 20. An opening 12a is formed at the position of the case 12 corresponding to the operation button 26, and when the operation button 26 is disposed at the first position, the operation button 26 is disposed in the opening 12a. A control pin 28 has one end 28a rotatably supported to the bearing 22 having an axis parallel to the rotating axis of the supply reel 14, a portion 28b bent perpendicularly from the bearing portion of the one end 28a to be extended, and the other end 28c further extending downward in parallel with the center line of the bearing. The control pin 28 is rotated at the bearing 22 as a center, and the end 28c of the control pin 28 can be contacted with the surface of the magnetic tape 18. The interlocking plate 20 contained in the recess 146 of the supply reel 14 is loosely engaged with the inner cylindrical wall 14a formed with its central hole of the interlocking plate 20 at the supply reel 14, vertically positioned by a ring pin 30 engaged with the cylindrical wall 14a, and stably rotated. When the operation button 26 is disposed at the first position, the interlocking plate 20 is not engaged with the projection 150 formed at the supply reel 14, and can be relatively rotated with respect to the supply reel 14 around the rotating axis of the supply reel 14. When the operation button 26 is pressed down to be disposed at the second position, the operation button 26 provided on the interlocking plate 20 is engaged with one of the projections 150 formed on the supply reel 14 to disable the relative rotation of the interlocking plate 20 and the supply reel 14. Now, the operation and use of the tape cassette 10 of the embodiment of will be described. When the operation button 26 is disposed at the first position in the opening 12a formed at the case 12, the interlocking plate 20 is separated from the supply reel 14 in a steady state, the end 28c of the control pin 28 is disposed at a radially outwardly separated position of the magnetic tape 18, and the supply reel 14 can be freely rotated. The magnetic tape 18 can be freely reciprocated in this state, similarly to the conventional ordinary tape cassette, in the entire length from the stating end to the finishing end of the magnetic tape 18 between the supply reel 14 and the take-up reel 16. For example, if a specific range of the entire length of the already recorded magnetic tape 18 is desired to be repeatedly reproduced, the tape length regulator of the present invention is operated at the last magnetic tape position of the object to be reproduced. First, the tape cassette 10 is loaded in a tape recorder/reproducer system, reproduced, and when the tape 10 arrives at the last of the range of the object to be reproduced, the feeding tape is stopped. The tape cassette 10 is removed from the tape recorder/reproducer system, the operation button 26 is pressed to the second position. Then, the tape cassette 10 is recharged in the tape recorder/reproducer system. The tape recorder/reproducer system is operated, and the cassette tape 18 is fed in the same direction as that before the tape cassette 10 is removed by reproducing or fast forward feeding. The supply reel 14 is received by a rotary force from the tape recorder/reproducer system to start rotating counterclockwise, but the projection 150 of the supply reel 14 disposed adjacently to the operation button 26 is immediately engaged with the operation button 26 to integrally rotate the supply reel 14 with the interlocking plate 20. Since the control pin 28 is also rotated at the same time as the rotation of the interlocking plate 20, the end 28c of the control pin 28 disposed at the position separated from the outermost portion of the tape 18 wound on the supply reel 14 is also moved toward the tape portion extending in its tangential direction. When the end 28c of the control pin 28 is engaged with the tape portion extended in its tangential direction and the supply reel 14 and the interlocking plate 20 are further rotated, the control pin 28 is moved together with the interlocking plate 20 while the end 28c of the control pin 28 is fluctuating at the bearing 22 as a center. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6, the tangentially extending portion of the tape 18 is pulled in the rotating direction of the supply reel 14 by the end 28c of the control pin 28. Thus, the tension to be operated at the tape 18 is increased to operate a tension detecting mechanism (not shown) of the tape recorder/reproducer system, and the feeding tape 18 is stopped. When the tape 18 is rewound from the take-up reel 16 toward the supply reel 14 in this state, the supply reel 14 and the interlocking plate 20 are, since the adjusting button 26 is disposed at the pressed second position, integrally rotated clockwise. When the supply reel 14 is rotated substantially one revolution, the end 28c of the control pin 28 contacts the inner surface of the tangentially extending direction of the tape 18. When the supply reel 14 and the interlocking plate 20 are further rotated, as shown in Fig. 7, the control pin 28 is fluctuated counterclockwise at the bearing 22 as a center, and the end 28c of the control pin 28 is engaged to be held between the tape windings 18. Thus, the tape 18 can be continuously wound on the supply reel 14 in the state that the end 28c of the control pin 28 is engaged between the tapes 18 as it is. When the rewound tape 18 is fed from the supply reel 14 toward the take-up reel 16 by reproducing or fast forward feeding, the end 28c of the control pin 28 is disposed above the tape 18 immediately before the control pin 28 is disposed at the longitudinal position of the tape to be previously set as its stopping position, the control pin 28 is engaged with the tangential portion of the tape 18 when the control pin 28 is disposed at its set position, the tension of the tape 18 is increased similarly to the above-described state, and the feeding tape 18 is again stopped. If the once set feeding or stopping position of the tape is altered or released at its setting, the tape cassette 10 stopped at the stopped position is removed from the tape recorder/reproducer system, the supply reel 14 is slightly manually rotated to match the operation button 26 to the opening 12a of the case 12, the operation button 26 is pressed and may be returned to the first position. In the embodiment described above, the operation button 26 is locked to be set and reset at the second position when it is pressed, and the locking of the operation button 26 is released when it is pressed. However, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, a slider 82 movable between the opening 62a of a case 62 and a supply reel 64 is provided therebetween, the slider 82 is moved to the supply reel 64 to set an operation button 26 (to move to the second position), and the slider 82 is moved to the case 62, and the operation button 26 may be reset (returned to the first position). In this case, it is preferable to form oblique portions, as shown, at the engagement starting ends of the slider 82 and the operation button 26. Further, in order to enhance the strength of the control pin while reducing in its thickness, it may be formed in the shape as shown in Fig. 9. In this case, a control pin 28 has a bearing portion 28a, a portion 28b disposed on the upper surface of a supply reel 14, a portion 28c parallel to the axis of the supply reel 14, further a portion 28d extending in parallel with the lower surface of the supply reel 14 and an end portion 28e parallel to the rotating axis of the supply reel 14. An annular groove 14b is formed on the lower surface of the supply reel 14, and the end 28e of the control pin 28 is movably engaged with the groove 14b of the supply reel 14. When the control pin 28 is formed in this shape, the forming portion of the control pin 28 is formed in a rectangular shape substantially closed, and two supporting portions of the control pin 28 are formed when it is engaged with the tape, thereby improving its strength. Then, another embodiment of a cassette tape according to the present invention will be described by referring to Figs. 10 and 11. In the previous embodiment, when the control pin is operated to stop the feeding tape, a slightly large tension is applied to the tape. However, in the conventional ordinary tape cassette, reinforced lead tape portions are provided at the starting and finishing ends of the tape. Thus, the large tension to be operated at the tape when an automatic device for stopping or reversing the tape of the tape recorder/reproducer system is operated is received by the lead tape portions to protect the magnetic tape recording portion. However, when the above-described adjusting mechanism is provided to stop or reverse the tape at the arbitrary longitudinal position, the lead tape portion cannot be provided on the way of the magnetic tape since stopping position of the tape is variable. Or, if the tape is increased in its thickness over the entire length so as to enhance the strength of the tape as the protection of the take against the increase in the tension of the tape when the tape recorder/reproducer system is automatically operated, the length of the tape to be contained in one cassette is shortened, it is not economic, and not practical as well. Therefore, in this another embodiment of the present invention, a tape protecting function at the time of feeding and reversing is also provided in addition to the tape length adjusting function. Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views of the portion of the case of the tape cassette in which the cover half of the case is removed, as partial plan views illustrating the state that a tape length adjusting mechanism is not operated and the state that the tape length adjusting mechanism is operated. A control pin 28 has a similar shape to that shown in Fig. 3, and is supported by a bearing 22. An S-shaped weak leaf spring 182 is provided at an interlocking plate 20 near the bearing 22. The control pin 28 is freely rockable at the bearing 22 as a center counterclockwise from the radial position, but is received by a small resistance by the spring 182 in the clockwise movement. A reel gear 184 is integrally formed on the outer periphery of one hub portion of a take-up reel 16. A starting plate 186 is formed substantially in a sector shape, sector gears 188 are formed on the outer periphery of the starting plate 186, an arm portion 190 is formed, and a pivotal shaft 194 pivotally rotatably supported by a bearing 192 provided in the case. The starting plate 186 is rockable at the bearing 192 as a center. When the starting plate 186 is rotated clockwise in the drawings, the sector gears 188 can be engaged with the reel gear 184. A pin-supported guide 196 is formed at the end of the arm portion 190, and its end is lightly contacted with the surface of the tape 18 by the spring action of itself. The guide 196 is adapted to guide the control pin 28 in either rotating direction when the interlocking plate 20 is coupled to the supply reel 14 and rotated together. A stop lever 198 for operating the automatic stopping device of a tape recorder/reproducer system is supported at its intermediate portion by a bearing 200 formed at the case, coupled at its one end to the starting plate 186 by a connecting rod 202, and occupied at the other end in the shape and at the position for operating the automatic stopping device of the tape recorder/reproducer system oppositely to the tape 18. The other arrangement is substantially similar to that of the previous embodiment described above. The manipulation and operation of the other embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the adjusting button 26 disposed at the first position in the opening 12a formed at the case, the control pin 28 is disposed in an angular range between the tape portion extending tangentially from the tape 18 wound on the supply reel 14 and the guide 196. The end 28c of the control pin 28 is disposed at the position radially outwardly separated from the magnetic tape 18, the supply reel 14 is freely rotatable, and the magnetic tape 18 can be freely reciprocated in the entire length from the starting end to the finishing end of the magnetic tape 18 between the supply reel 14 and the take-up reel 16. When the stopping position of the tape is set, the tape cassette is first loaded in the tape recorder/reproducer system, the system is reproduced, and the feeding tape is stopped when the tape -is arrived at the last of the range of the object to be reproduced. The tape cassette is then removed from the tape recorder/reproducer system, the operation button 26 is pressed, and the operation button 26 is set to the second position. The tape cassette is charged in the tape recorder/reproducer in this state, and the tape 18 is rewound from the take-up reel 16 toward the supply reel 14. Then, since the operation button 26 is disposed at the pressed second position, the operation button 26 is engaged with the projection 150 of the supply reel 14 disposed immediately near the rear position of the rotating direction thereof. Thus, the supply reel 14 and the interlocking plate 20 are integrally rotated clockwise. When the supply reel 14 is further rotated, the end 28c of the control pin 28 is contacted with the inner surface of the tangentially extending portion of the tape 18, the control pin 28 is fluctuated counterclockwise at the bearing 22 as a center to be disposed to be held between the windings of the tape 18. Thus, the tape 18 is continuously wound on the supply reel 14 in the state that the end 28c of the control pin 28 is engaged between windings of the tape 18 as it is. When the rewound tape 18 is fed from the supply reel 14 toward the take-up reel 16 by reproducing or fast forward feeding as described above, the end 28c of the control pin 28 is disposed above the tape 18 at the previously set tape longitudinal position of the control pin 28, moved from the end of the guide 196 along the guide 196, and engaged with the arm portion 190 of the starting plate 186. As shown in Fig. 11, the end 28c of the control pin 28 slightly pulls up the starting plate 186 to engage the sector gear 188 with the reel gear 188 of the take-up reel 16, and the sector gear 188 is received by the rotary force from the reel gear 184. Since the starting plate 186 is rotated clockwise at the bearing 192 as a center through the sector gears 188 by the rotation of the reel gear 184, the connecting rod 202 is pulled up, and the stop lever 198 is rotated at the bearing 200 as a center in cooperation with the connecting rod 202. As a result, the opposite side end of the stop lever 198 actuates the automatic stopping device of the tape recorder/reproducer system, thereby stopping the feeding of tape 18. After the sector gear 188 is engaged with the reel gear 184, a groove having a play is formed at either the connecting rod 202 or the starting plate 186 so that a force for lifting the stop lever 198 is not operated at the control pin 28, thereby coupling both. When the supply reel 14 and the take-up reel 16 for rewinding the cassette tape stopped as described above are reversely rotated, the reel gear 184 is rotated clockwise, the sector gear 188 is rotated counterclockwise, and the engagement of both is disengaged. The starting plate 186 is rotated at the bearing 192 as a center by the rotation of the sector gear 188 and the spring action of the guide 196 until it is contacted with a stopper 204. The stop lever 198 is rotated clockwise at the bearing 200 as a center in cooperation with it. Thus, the starting plate 196 and the stop lever 198 are returned to their standby positions. On the other hand, the tape 18 is sequentially wound by the rotation of the supply reel 14 in the state that the end 28c of the control pin 28 is engaged between the windings of the tapes 18. Thus, the tape stop adjusting device of this embodiment is prepared for its next operation. If once set stopping position of the tape is altered or the set tape is released, the tape cassette stopped at the stopping position is removed from the tape recorder/reproducer system, the supply reel 14 is slightly manually rotated to match the operation button 26 to the opening 12a of the case, the operation button 26 is pressed, and may be returned to its first position. In the other embodiment described above, the rotary force of the take-up reel is used so as to stop the feeding of tape. Therefore, a large tension is not applied to the tape when the tape is stopped. Now, still another embodiment of a tape cassette of the present invention will be described by referring to Figs. 12 and 13. Figs. 12 and 13 are partial plan views showing the tape cassette in which the cover half of the case is removed, as partial plan views illustrating the state that a tape length adjusting mechanism is not operated and the state that the tape length adjusting mechanism is operated. In the embodiment described above shown in Fig. 10, the gear mechanism is used to interlock the take-up reel to the starting plate. However, a space for occupying the gear mechanism is considerably large to limit the length of the tape to be contained therein. Therefore, in this embodiment, the tape cassette having an adjusting mechanism in which longer tape can be contained is provided. The arrangement of the supply reel of the tape cassette of the embodiment is similar to that of the embodiment shown in Fig. 10. Further, a plurality of projections 216a are formed in the take-up drum of a take-up reel 16. A stop lever 248 for operating an automatic stopping device of a tape recorder/reproducer system supports the intermediate portion of a bearing 250 provided at the case, is coupled at its one end to a cushion plate 254 via a connecting rod 252, and occupied at the other end in shape and position for operating the automatic stopping device of the tape recorder/reproducer system. One end of a spring 256 extended between the end of the stop lever 248 with the connecting rod 252 and the case is engaged with the end of the stop lever 248. The cushion plate 254 is supported at its one end to a bearing 258 provided at the case, and provided at the other end with a bearing 242 for supporting a braking plate 236. The cushion plate 254 is rockable at the bearing 258 as a center, pulled by the spring 256 through the connecting rod 252, and normally stood by as engaged with a stopper 260 provided at the case. The braking plate 236 has a first arm 238 and a second arm 240. A shaft attached to the intermediate portion of the braking plate 236 is supported by the bearing 242 fixed to the cushion plate 254. The end of the first arm 238 is bent perpendicularly toward the interior of the drum of the take-up reel 16 to form a pawl 238a extending in parallel with the rotating axis of the take-up reel 16. The pawl 238a is to be able to be engaged with a projection 216a formed at the take-up reel 16. A guide 196 is mounted at the end of the second arm 190, and the end of the guide 196 is lightly contacted with the surface of the tape 18 wound on the supply reel 14 by the spring force thereof. A spring 262 is extended between the intermediate portion of the second arm 190 and the case. This spring 262 is arranged to alter the position of the braking plate 236 to snapping position when the braking plate 236 is rocked around the bearing 242. When the braking plate 236 is disposed at a standby state, the pawl 238a is separated from the projection 216a inside the take-up reel 16, and the end of the second arm 190 is disposed on the moving route of the end 28c of the control pin 28. The manipulation and operation of the other embodiment of the invention will be described. When the operation button 26 is disposed at the first position in the opening 12a formed at the case, the supply reel 14 is freely rotatable, and the magnetic tape 18 is freely reciprocated over the entire length from the starting end to the finishing end of the magnetic tape 18 between the supply reel 14 and the take-up reel 16. The stopping position of the tape is set similarly to that of the embodiment shown in Fig. 10 as described above. When the tape cassette set at its stopping position is charged in the tape recorder/reproducer system and the rewound tape 18 is fed from the supply reel 14 toward the take-up reel 16 by reproducing or fast forward feeding, the end 28c of the control pin 28 is disposed above the tape 18 as the control pin 28 is previously disposed at the set tape length position, moved from the end of the guide 196 along the guide 196, and engaged with the second arm 190 of the braking plate 236. The end 28c of the control pin 28 slightly lifts the braking late 236 thereby to engage the pawl 238a of the end of the first arm 238 with the projection 216a formed at the take-up reel 16 by snapping by means of the elastic force of the spring 262 by the braking plate 236. When the take-up reel 16 is further rotated from the state that the pawl 238a is engaged with the projection 216a, the bearing 242 provided at the cushion plate 254 for rotatably supporting the braking plate 236 rotates counterclockwise integrally with the cushion plate 254 around the bearing 258. Therefore, the movement of the cushion plate 254 is transmitted to the stop lever 248 through the connecting rod 252, and the stop lever 248 is rotated at the bearing 250 as a center. As a result, the opposite side end of the stop lever 248 actuates the automatic stopping device of the tape recorder/reproducer system, thereby stopping the feeding of tape 18. When the supply reel 14 and the take-up reel 16 for rewinding the tape cassette stopped as described above are reversely rotated, the pawl 238a of the braking plate 236 is pressed from behind by the projection 216a of the take-up reel 16, and the braking plate 236 is rotated around the bearing 242 to be returned to the standby position snapping by the operation of the spring 262. The cushion plate 254 and the stop lever 248 are also returned to the standby position by the spring 256 in cooperation with the returning operation of the braking plate 236. Thus, the tape stopping regulator of this embodiment is prepared for next operation. In the embodiment of the invention described above, the snapping braking plate and the cushion plate are employed to perform a shock absorber function. Therefore, the adjusting mechanism of the embodiment is operated as a protecting device for inhibiting an unreasonable force not only at the tape but also at the entire system even if the tape is stopped at the time of feeding at a high speed. In all the embodiments described above, the tape length adjusting mechanism is provided at one side reel. However, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments. For example, the tape length adjusting mechanisms may be provided at both the reels with the same arrangement. The tape cassette according to the present invention can be limited arbitrarily in a range of an object to be recorded and reproduced of the entire tape length, and the tape length adjustment can be performed steplessly and simply in response to its utility. When the tape cassette of the invention is used for recording or reproduced by using an automatic reverse type tape recorder/reproducer system, a continuously recording and reproducing can be performed almost without vacant portion of the tape at the time of reversing the tape. The preferred embodiments illustrated and described in the drawings and specification are exemplified only. The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described above.

Claims: A tape cassette comprising a cassette case (12), a supply reel (14) and a take-up reel (16) rotatably arranged in said cassette case (12); a magnetic tape (18) arranged between said reels and being reversibly transportable between said reels by a tape transport; setting means (26, 28) for selectively setting a tape stop means (28) at an arbitrary position of the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape (18) when it is re-wound onto said supply reel (14) during reverse tape movement; and means for stopping the tape transport when the set stop means (28) arrives at a position between said reels (14, 16) during forward tape movement; characterized by an annular plate (20) relatively rotatably provided at, and being engageable with, said supply reel (14), and coupling means (26, 150) for selectively coupling said annular plate (20) to said supply reel (14) when operated; said setting means (26, 28) comprising an operation button (26) and a control pin (28) as a stop means which is rockably supported on said annular plate (20) and engageable with said magnetic tape (18) to be wound together with the tape (18) onto the supply reel (14) during reverse tape movement. Tape cassette according to claim 1, wherein the set control pin (28) engages the tape (18) during forward tape movement and operates as a load to the tape (18) to stop the tape transport directly. Tape cassette according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said control pin (28) includes an engaging portion (28c) with said magnetic tape (18), said engaging portion (28c) being engaged with said magnetic tape in a state in which said coupling means (26, 150) couples said annular plate (20) to said supply reel (14), and said engaging portion (28c) being disengaged from said magnetic tape (18) in a state in which said coupling means (26, 150) does not couple said annular plate (20) to said supply reel (14). Tape cassette according to any of claims 1-3, wherein said coupling means (26, 150) comprises a projection (150) formed on said supply reel (14), and the operation button as an engaging member (26) attached to said annular plate (20). Tape cassette according to any of claims 1-4, wherein said control pin (28) comprises a portion (28b) extending substantially radially of said supply reel (14), and a portion (28c) parallel to the rotating axis of said supply reel radially outwardly of said magnetic tape (18). Tape cassette according to claim 4, wherein said engaging member (26) is attached to said annular plate (20) through a spring (24), and comprises a locking mechanism for holding said engaging member (26) at first or second position. Tape cassette according to claim 6, wherein said locking mechanism comprises a slider (82) moving between said case (12) and said supply reel (14). Tape cassette according to claim 5, wherein said control pin (28) further comprises a portion (28d) radially extending along the lower surface of said supply reel (14), and an end portion (28e) parallel to said rotating axis radially inwardly of said reel, and wherein an annular groove (14b) is formed on the lower surface of said supply reel (14), and said end portion (28e) is engaged with said annular groove (14b). Tape cassette according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitting mechanism to be engaged with the take-up reel (16) by said setting means (26, 28), and an operating member coupled to said transmitting mechanism to operate manipulating means of a tape recorder/reproducer. Tape cassette according to claim 9, wherein said transmitting mechanism comprises a gear (184) formed at said take-up reel (16), and a sector gear (188) rotatably supported on said case (12) and engageable with said gear (184). Tape cassette according to claim 10, wherein said sector gear (188) comprises an arm portion (190) being engageable by said control pin (28). Tape cassette according to claim 9, wherein said transmitting mechanism comprises an engaging member (216a) formed at said take-up reel (16), a supporting member (254) rotatably supported on said case (12), a transmitting member (236) having a portion rockably supported by said supporting member and engageable with said engaging member, and means (262) for altering a position of said transmitting member with snap action. Tape cassette according to claim 12, wherein said transmitting member (236) comprises an arm portion (190), being engageable by said control pin (28). Tape cassette according to claim 11 or 13, wherein said arm portion (190) is provided with a guide (196) extending toward the magnetic tape (18) wound on said supply reel (14) for guiding said control pin (28).

Inventors: SUGITA MASARU, SUGITA, MASARU
Applicants: TDK CORP, TDK CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: G11B23
IPC codes: G11B23