Tape cassette with a lid

Abstract: A tape cassette comprises a housing (6), a pair of reels, and mounts mounting the reels for rotation in the housing. A recording tape is wound on the reels and extends therebetween for transport from one of the reels to the other. The housing is formed with an opening through which a transducer can gain access to the recording tape for recording or reproducing signals on or from the recording tape. A lid (7) is provided, together with a pivot shaft pivotally connecting the lid to the housing (6) so that the lid (7) can be moved selectively between a first position closing the opening and a second position uncovering the opening. The lid is formed with an engagement portion (7 a ) displaced from the pivot shaft in such a manner that, when the tape cassette is seated by a seating force for playing in a cassette player, the lid is moved from the first position to the second position in response to a force applied to the engagement portion (7 a ), the force having a component substantially parallel to the seating force.

Description: The invention relates to a tape cassette having a lid disposed thereon. There have heretofore been proposed various tape cassettes having a lid that is angularly movable upwardly into an open position, the lid being disposed at the front of a cassette housing for closing an opening therein, as disclosed for example in Japanese laid open utility model publication No. 55(1980)-40615. One such conventional tape cassette is shown in Figures 9A to 9D of the accompanying drawings. To load the tape cassette, denoted at 6, into a cassette loading unit 1 a of a deck mechanism 1 of recording and reproducing apparatus, the cassette housing 6 a of the tape cassette 6 is moved in a downward direction. When the cassette housing 6 a is so moved, a lid 7 which is pivotally supported on the cassette housing 6 a . for upward angular movement is lifted open by an engaging pin 61 a on a lid raising member 61 mounted on a chassis of the cassette loading unit 1 a . The lid 7 of the tape cassette 6 is normally urged by a spring to close the front opening of the cassette housing 6 a . Therefore, when the lid 7 is released from the engaging pin 61 a , i.e., when the cassette housing 6 a is allowed to move upwardly, the lid 7 is closed. Since the lid of the conventional tape cassette is opened when it is pushed upwardly, the lid cannot be opened with a large degree of freedom. That is, the lid cannot be opened while the tape cassette is being loaded in the cassette loading unit unless a complex mechanism is employed. Because the cassette housing is subjected to upward forces by the engaging pin 61 a , the tape cassette tends to be lifted in its entirety with respect to the cassette loading unit while the lid is being opened. Therefore, the cassette housing must be forced down by application of a force that is large enough to overcome the force tending to lift the tape cassette, namely the force due to the spring that normally urges the lid in the closed direction. For this reason, the cassette loading unit is required to have a relatively powerful cassette presser mechanism, making the deck mechanism, which includes the cassette loading unit, difficult to simplify in structure and reduce in size and weight. Patent Specification EP-A-0 150 987 discloses a tape cassette with a lid rotatably mounted thereon, which lid is rotated to an open position by a fixed member in a tape player upon insertion of the tape cassette into the tape player. Patent Specification US-A-4 021 006 discloses a cassette with a two part protective covering comprising L-shaped member pivotally mounted and geared together so that upon one member being tilted upwardly into an open position upon engaging a fixed stop as the cassette is loaded into a player, the other member tilts into an open position too. According to the invention there is provided a tape cassette comprising: housing means having a top and a bottom; a pair of reels; means mounting the reels for rotation in the housing means, the bottom of the housing means being so formed that drive means of a recording and reproducing device can engage the reels therethrough; a recording medium wound on the reels and extending therebetween for transport from one of the reels to the other; a mouth opening at the front of the housing means through which transducer means can gain access to the recording medium to record or reproduce signals on or from the recording medium; lid means; and pivot means including a pair of pivot shafts pivotably connecting the lid means to the housing means so that the lid means can be moved selectively between a first position closing the mouth opening and a second position uncovering the mouth opening; characterised in that, the lid means is formed with an engagement portion displaced from the pivot means in such a manner that, when the tape cassette is seated by a downwardly applied seating force for playing in a recording or reproducing device, the lid means is moved from the first position to the second position in response to a force applied to the engagement portion, downwardly relative to the top of the housing means whereby when the engagement portion is rearward of the pivot means a front portion of the lid means is pivoted upwardly in moving from the first position to the second position or alternatively when the engagement portion is forward of the pivot means the front portion of the lid means is pivoted downwardly in moving from the first position to the second position. The lid of such a tape cassette can be opened with a greater degree of freedom, with the result that a loading unit of a recording and reproducing device into which the tape cassette is loaded can be simplified in structure and reduced in size and weight. In its preferred embodiment, a tape cassette constructed in accordance with the invention has the lid openable by being angularly moved upwardly, the lid being disposed at the front open side of the cassette housing, the arrangement being such that the lid can be opened in response to depression of the engaging portion that extends rearwardly from a portion of the lid that is pivotally attached to the cassette housing. While the tape cassette is being loaded into a recording and reproducing device, the lid is opened by the application of a downward force, and at the same time, in order to seat the cassette for recording or reproducing, other downward forces are applied to the cassette housing, which thus shows no untoward tendency to rise. A cassette pressure mechanism which is disposed in the cassette loading unit of the recording and reproducing device can be simplified, and the lid can be opened and closed efficiently in the cassette loading unit. Consequently, the recording and reproducing device can be designed with greater flexibility. When the tape cassette is loaded into the cassette loading unit, the lid of the tape cassette is opened by the lid opening and closing member, which pushes the engaging portion downwardly. Even with the tape cassette loaded in the cassette loading unit, the lid can be closed when the engaging portion is released from the lid opening and closing member. Therefore, as the tape cassette is loaded in the cassette loading unit, the lid can be opened and closed with a great degree of flexibility. Since the lid preferably automatically closes when it is released from the downward depression, the lid opening and closing member of the cassette loading unit can be simple in structure. The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view, from a front-upper-right vantage point, of a tape cassette according to the invention, the cassette being shown in its closed state; Figure 2 is a perspective view, from a front-upper-left vantage point, of magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus that employs the tape cassette of Figure 1, the apparatus being shown in an open state; Figure 3 is a perspective view, from a front-upper-left vantage point, of the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus of Figure 2 in a closed state; Figures 4A to 4F are cross-sectional views in a vertical plane parallel to the front-to-back direction of both the tape cassette and the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus showing the manner in which a plurality of chassis of the magnetic recording and reproducing device operate; Figures 5A to 5D are top plan views showing the manner in which reel supports mounted on the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus can be displaced by a rotary head drum also mounted on the magnetic recording and reproducing device; Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the tape cassette of Figure 1, portions thereof being omitted for the sake of clarity; Figure 7 is a top plan view of the tape cassette showing the manner in which it cooperates with a rotary head drum, an upper portion of the tape cassette being omitted from the illustration for the sake of clarity; Figures 8A to 8F are schematic views in a vertical plane parallel to the front-to-back direction of both the tape cassette and the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, showing another construction of a portion of the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus; and Figures 9A to 9D are schematic views similar to Figures 8A to 8F but showing the manner in which the lid of a conventional tape cassette is opened and closed. Figure 2 shows magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus that can employ a tape cassette of the kind to which the invention relates, the apparatus having a rotary head, e.g., a videotape recorder (VTR) such as an 8-mm VTR, and including a deck mechanism 1. The deck mechanism 1 comprises a first chassis 2 which is of substantially the same size as an 8-mm tape cassette when viewed in plan, a second chassis 3 in the form of a plate supported on the first chassis 2 and slidable into and out of the first chassis 2, and a third chassis 4 which is of substantially the same size as the first chassis 2. The first chassis 2 is in the form of a casing which is composed of a lower panel 2 a , a rear wall panel 2 b , and a pair of side wall panels 2 c , 2 d and the third chassis 4 is in the form of a lid which is composed of an upper panel 4 a and a pair of side wall panels 4 b , 4 c . The side wall panels 4 b , 4 c of the third chassis 4 are pivotally coupled at their rear ends to the front ends of the side wall panels 2 c , 2 d of the first chassis 2 so that the third chassis 4 is angularly movable towards and over the first chassis 2 to close the upper open side thereof, as shown in Figure 3, and away from the first chassis 2 to open the upper side thereof, as shown in Figure 2. When the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2 to an extent that the third and first chassis 4, 2 are held in planar alignment with each other, the second chassis 3 can slide from the first chassis 2 into the third chassis 4, as shown in Figure 2. The deck mechanism 1 also includes a cassette presser frame 5 pivotally coupled to the front ends of the side wall panels 2 c , 2 d of the first chassis 2 at its front open side. The cassette presser frame 5 is angularly movable toward and over the upper open side of the first chassis 2 (see for example Figures 2, 4A and 4B) to hold a tape cassette 6 (Figures 4A, 6 and 7) which is stored in the first chassis 2. To allow the second chassis 3 to slide from the first chassis 2 to the third chassis 4 when the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2, the side wall panels 2 c , 2 d of the first chassis 2 have respective guide slots 2 c 1, 2 d 1 formed therein, and the second chassis 3 has pairs of tongues 3 a , 3 b projecting from opposite side edges thereof and slidably riding in the respective guide slots 2 c 1, 2 d 1. The side wall panels 4 b , 4 c of the third chassis 4 also have respective guide slots 4 b 1, 4 c 1 formed therein which are linearly aligned with the respective guide slots 2 c 1, 2 d 1 of the first chassis 2 when the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2 so as to be in planar alignment therewith. Therefore, the second chassis 3 moves from the first chassis 2 to the third chassis 4 as the tongues 3 a , 3 b slide out of the guide slots 2 c 1, 2 d 1 and into the guide slots 4 b 1, 4 c 1. The first chassis 2 houses therein a supply reel support 11 and a take-up reel support 12, a reel support drive mechanism 13 selectively to drive the supply and take-up reel supports 11, 12, a tape guide post assembly 14 including first and second tape guide posts 14 a , 14 b , and a tape loading mechanism 15. The second chassis 3 supports thereon a rotary head drum 16 incorporating a drive motor and recording and reproducing heads, a pinch roller 17, and an impedance roller 18. A first link 22 is angularly movably supported on a shaft 21 by which the third chassis 4 is pivotally coupled to the first chassis 2. The first link 22 has an end fixed to the side wall panel 4 b of the third chassis 4 by a pin 23, so that the first link 22 is angularly movable in unison with the third chassis 4. The opposite end of the first link 22 supports an engaging pin 24. A second link 25 is pivotally supported at its central portion on one of the pivoted ends of the cassette presser frame 5 by a shaft 26. The second link 25 has a slot 27 defined in a portion thereof on one side of the shaft 26, and the engaging pin 24 is movably received in the slot 27. The second link 25 supports a presser pin 28 on an end thereof on the other side of the shaft 26, remote from the slot 27. The slot 27 includes a relief portion 27 a in which the engaging pin 24 slides as the first link 22 turns in unison with the third chassis 4 when the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2, thereby opening the first chassis 2; a disengaging portion 27 b from which the engaging pin 24 is released and freed when the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2 so as to be in planar alignment therewith; and an engaging portion 27 c which is engaged and pushed by the engaging pin 24 when the third chassis 4 is angularly moved toward and over the first chassis 2, thereby closing the first chassis 2. When the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2 so as to be in planar alignment therewith, thus opening the first chassis 2, and also when the cassette holder frame 4 is raised into a substantially vertical position, the second link 25 assumes an erected position, moving the presser pin 28 upwardly with respect to the first chassis 2, as shown in Figure 4A. The tape cassette 6 is now loaded into the first chassis 2, so that reels in the cassette housing 6 a of the tape cassette 6 are engaged respectively by the reel supports 11, 12. Then, as shown in Figure 4B, the cassette presser frame 5 is angularly moved downwardly over the upper open side of the first chassis 2, thereby pressing the loaded tape cassette 6. The second link 25 is also turned downwardly to cause the presser pin 28 to engage and press downwardly an arm or engaging portion 7 a projecting rearwardly from a pivoted portion of a lid 7 of the tape cassette 6. When the cassette presser frame 5 is further angularly moved downwardly until it completely presses the tape cassette 6, the second link 25 is further turned to enable the presser pin 28 to raise the lid 7 to its fully erected open position. Thereafter, the second chassis 3 is moved from the third chassis 4 toward the first chassis 2, as shown in Figures 4C and 4D, thereby inserting the rotary head drum 16, the pinch roller 17, and the impedance roller 18 through the open side of the tape cassette 6 into a dead space in the cassette housing 6 a of the tape cassette 6. When the third chassis 4 is then angularly moved towards and over the first chassis 2 to close the first chassis 2, the first link 22 is turned in unison with the third chassis 4. The engaging pin 24 on the first link 22 slides into pushing engagement with the engaging portion 27 c of the groove 27 of the second link 25. The second link 25 is now turned about the shaft 26 in a direction to elevate the presser pin 28 out of pressing engagement with the lid 7 of the tape cassette 6. The lid 7 now starts to be automatically closed under the bias which normally urges the lid 7 to be closed, as shown in Figure 4E. When the third chassis 4 fully closes the first chassis 2, the second link 25 is pushed by the first link 22 further to elevate the pin 28, thereby fully releasing the lid 7. The lid 7 now fully closes the open side of the tape cassette 6, as shown in Figure 4F. The tape in the tape cassette 6 is then loaded around the rotary head drum 16. When the third chassis 4 is thereafter angularly moved back to open the first chassis 2, the second link 25 is turned by the first link 22 to displace the presser pin 28 downwardly. The presser pin 28 presses the arm 7 a of the lid 7 of the tape cassette 6, whereupon the lid 7 starts to open the tape cassette 6. When the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2 until the third chassis 4 is positioned in planar alignment with the first chassis 2, the lid 7 is in the fully open position, thus fully opening the tape cassette 6. The second chassis 3 can now move from the first chassis 2 toward the third chassis 4, displacing the rotary head drum 16, the pinch roller 17, and the impedance roller 18 out of the dead space in the tape cassette 6. The cassette presser frame 5 is then turned to the vertical position. The second link 25 is turned upwardly in unison with the cassette presser frame 5, so that the lid 7 is released from the presser pin 28, thereby closing the tape cassette 6. The closed tape cassette 6 can be removed from the first chassis 2. During the operation described above, the second chassis 3 is smoothly guided, without any swinging movement, between the first and third chassis 2, 4 by the tongues 3 a , 3 b of the second chassis 3, which slide along the guide slots 2 c 1, 2 d 1, 4 b 1, 4 c 1 that are linearly aligned when the third chassis 4 is fully pivoted away from the first chassis 2 so as to be in planar alignment therewith. As described above, the rotary head drum 16 is mounted on the second chassis 3. The supply and take-up reel supports 11, 12 in the first chassis 2 are rotatably mounted respectively on reel support chassis 31, 32. As shown in Figures 2 and 5A through 5D, the reel support chassis 31, 32 are mounted on the lower panel 2 a of the first chassis 2 in laterally spaced relation to each other, so that they are located one on each side of the rotary head drum 16 when it is displaced into the first chassis 2. The reel support chassis 31, 32 are positioned at substantially the same height as a head drum base 33 by which the rotary head drum 16 is mounted on the second chassis 3. The reel support chassis 31, 32 are angularly movably supported on the lower panel 2 a by respective shafts 34, 35 which are equidistantly spaced from the axes of the reel supports 11, 12, respectively. The reel support chassis 31, 32 are normally urged to turn into engagement with respective stopper pins 36, 37 by tension springs 38, 39 so that the reel supports 11, 12 normally remain spaced from each other by a predetermined distance. The first and second tape guide posts 14 a , 14 b of the tape guide post assembly 14, which are spaced from each other, are vertically disposed on a front edge of the reel support chassis 31. When the reel supports 11, 12 and the rotary head drum 16 are thus arranged and the second chassis 3 is displaced toward the third chassis 4 that has been angularly moved away from the first chassis 2, the rotary head drum 16 is spaced forwardly from the reel supports 11, 12, as shown in Figures 2 and 5A. When the second chassis 3 is moved into the first chassis 2, the rotary head drum 16 is moved with the second chassis 3 toward the reel supports 11, 12 in the first chassis 2, until a leading edge of the head drum base 33 abuts respective inner end faces of the reel support chassis 31, 32, as shown in Figure 5B. Continued movement of the second chassis 3 into the first chassis 2 causes the head drum base 33 to push the reel support chassis 31, 32 against the bias of the springs 38, 39. The reel support chassis 31, 32 are now turned respectively clockwise and counterclockwise about the respective shafts 34, 35, as shown in Figure 5C. When the second chassis 3 is fully moved into the first chassis 2, the reel support chassis 31, 32, are angularly displaced away from each other toward their limit positions by the head drum base 33, thus increasing the distance between the reel supports 11, 12. The rotary head drum 16 is now positioned between the reel supports 11, 12, as shown in Figure 5D. The tape cassette 6 has a supply reel 8 a and a take-up reel 8 b which are housed in the cassette housing 6 a , as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The supply and take-up reels 8 a , 8 b are movable in determined directions from their predetermined positions. Specifically, the supply and take-up reels 8 a , 8 b are spaced a predetermined distance from each other and locked in their predetermined positions under a normal condition. When the supply and take-up reels 8 a , 8 b are unlocked, they are movable in the same directions as the directions in which the reel supports 11, 12 are movable. When the third chassis 4 is angularly moved away from the first chassis 2 so as to be in planar alignment therewith, thus opening the first chassis 2, and when in addition the second chassis 3 is moved into the third chassis 4 and the cassette presser frame 5 is erected, the first chassis 2 is rendered open, the rotary head drum 16 being displaced out of the first chassis 2. Under this condition, the reel supports 11, 12 in the first chassis 2 are positioned in normally spaced relationship to each other, i.e., the reel supports 11, 12 are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, the reel support chassis 31, 32 being held against the respective stopper pins 36, 37 under the bias of the springs 38, 39. When the tape cassette 6 is then loaded into the first chassis 2, the reels 8 a , 8 b in the tape cassette 6 are engaged by the respective reel supports 11, 12 and unlocked by an unlocking member 40 in the first chassis 2. Then the cassette presser frame 5 is turned downwardly to press the tape cassette 6 loaded in the first cassette 2. As described above, the second link 25 is turned to cause the presser pin 28 to press the arm 7 a of the lid 7, which is turned to open the tape cassette 6, i. e., the front open side of the cassette housing 6 a . After the tape cassette 6 is opened, the second chassis 3 is moved into the first chassis 2. The rotary head drum 16 on the second chassis 3 is inserted into the tape cassette 6 through the front open side thereof. Upon insertion of the rotary head drum 16, the head drum base 33 engages and presses the reel support chassis 31, 32, thereby angularly displacing the reel supports 11, 12 away from each other against the resiliency of the springs 38, 39. The reels 8 a , 8 b in the tape cassette 6 are also displaced away from each other in unison with the reel supports 11, 12. Accordingly, the space in the tape cassette 6 available to accommodate the rotary head drum 16 and associated apparatus is increased. The rotary head drum 16 enters the augmented spaced and is fully inserted into the tape cassette 6. The third chassis 4 is then angularly moved toward and over the first chassis 2. As described before, the second link 25 with its presser pin 28 releases the lid 7, which is spring-biased so that it automatically closes the front open side of the tape cassette 6. The lid 7 is now positioned within the same plane as the cassette housing 6 a . Consequently, the third chassis 4 is neatly held against the first chassis 2 in fully superposed relation, thus completely closing the upper open side of the first chassis 2. The third and first chassis 4, 2 thus combined together are of substantially the same size and shape as the loaded tape cassette 6. The second chassis 3 is moved by a drive motor (not shown) disposed in the first chassis 1. The second chassis 3 has a groove 42 in which there engages a pin 41 that is circumferentially movable by the drive motor. The groove 42 includes an actuating portion 42 a in which the pin 41 slides to move the second chassis 3 when the pin 41 is circumferentially moved by the drive motor, and relief portions 42 b , 42 c in which the pin 41 moves idly when the tape in the tape cassette 6 is loaded around the rotary head drum 16 and also when the tape cassette 6 is unlocked for ejection. The pinch roller 17, which is located on one side of the rotary head drum 16, is rotatably supported on a pinch roller arm 43 of the second chassis 3. The impedance roller 18, which is located on the other side of the rotary head drum 16, is rotatably supported on the second chassis 3 by a shaft 18 a . The second chassis 3 has an arcuate guide slot 44 positioned near and extending partly around the rotary head drum 16, the tape loading mechanism 15 being movable in the arcuate guide slot 44. The second chassis 3 also has a straight transverse relief slot 47 receiving a shaft 46 of a loading arm 45 on which the tape loading mechanism 15 is supported, and relatively large transverse recesses 48, 49 (Figure 2) positioned on the opposite sides, respectively, of the rotary head drum 16 to receive the shafts of the reel supports 11, 12, respectively, when the second chassis 3 is moved into the first chassis 2. The reel support drive mechanism 13, which is disposed in the first chassis 2 selectively to transmit drive forces to the reel supports 11, 12 comprises a support plate 51 having a central bearing 50 thereon; a pair of inner larger gears 52, 54 rotatably mounted on the support plate 51, one on each side of the bearing 50; and a pair of outer smaller gears 53, 55 rotatably mounted on respective outer ends of the support plate 51 and held in mesh with the larger gears 52, 54, respectively. The outer smaller gears 53, 55 can selectively alternatively be brought into mesh with respective gears 11 a , 12 a of the reel supports 11, 12 when the support plate 11 is angularly moved or swings about its central bearing 50. Since the reel support drive mechanism 13 has four gears 52, 53, 54, 55, it can reliably transmit drive forces to the reel supports, 11, 12 even when the relatively movable reel supports 11, 12 are spaced the maximum distance from each other. At the same time, the gears 52 to 55 can be made relatively small and light. The side wall panels 2 c , 2 d of the first chassis 2 have respective recesses 2 c 2, 2 d 2 formed in upper rear edges thereof for easy insertion and removal of the tape cassette 6 into and out of the first chassis 2. The unlock member 40 for unlocking the reels 8 a , 8 b in the tape cassette 6 which is loaded in the first chassis 2 has a substantially triangular presser 40 a which is inserted upwardly into the cassette housing 6 a of the loaded tape cassette 6 to push in the unlocking direction a lock member 10 which locks the reels 8 a , 8 b . The second chassis 3, the rotary head drum 16, the tape loading mechanism 15, and the reel supports 11, 12 are actuated by an ordinary conventional actuator mechanism including a motor, speed reducer gears, and other known components. Therefore, the actuator mechanism is omitted from the illustration and it not described herein. The tape cassette 6 which can be loaded into the deck mechanism 1 is illustrated by way of example in Figure 6. The cassette housing 6 a of the tape cassette 6 has an open mouth 6 d defined in a bottom panel 6 b thereof and contiguous with a front open side 6 c of the cassette housing 6 a . The supply and take-up reels 8 a , 8 b in the cassette housing 6 a are rotatably supported on respective reel holders 9 a , 9 b which are disposed in the cassette housing 6 a in front of the mouth 6 d . The reel holders 9 a , 9 b are swingably supported in the cassette housing 6 a by respective shafts P1, P2, so that the reel holders 9 a , 9 b are angularly movable toward and away from each other. The supply and take-up reels 8 a , 8 b have respective central holes 8 a 1, 8 b 1 opening downwardly for receiving respective shafts of the reel supports 11, 12 when the tape cassette 6 is loaded in the first chassis 2. When the tape cassette 6 is loaded into the first chassis 2, the shafts P1, P2 about which the reel holders 9 a , 9 b are swingable with respect to the cassette housing 6 a are axially aligned with the respective shafts 34, 35 about which the reel supports 11, 12 are angularly movable with respect to the first chassis 2. The cassette housing 6 a also houses the lock member 10 in a rear portion thereof (i.e., on the side opposite the lid 7), to lock the reels 8 a , 8 b and the reel holders 9 a , 9 b in position. The lock member 10 is normally urged resiliently in a forward direction to lock the reels 8 a , 8 b and the reel holders 9 a , 9 b . At this time, a front end 10 a of the lock member 10 is located across a cavity 6 e formed in the rear edge of the mouth 6 d in the bottom panel 6 b . When the tape cassette 6 is loaded in the first chassis 2 and the unlock member 40 is inserted into the cavity 6 e , the presser 40 a (Figure 2) of the unlock member 40 pushes the front edge 10 a (Figure 6) of the lock member 10 against the resilient forces applied thereto, thus unlocking the reels 8 a , 8 b and the reel holders 9 a , 9 b , which are now free to rotate. The bottom panel 6 b of the cassette housing 6 a also has a pair of recesses 6 f 1, 6 f 2 defined therein near rear corners thereof and contiguous to the recess 6 d , to receive the respective reels 8 a , 8 b . The recesses 6 f 1, 6 f 2 extend partly along the paths of movement of the swingable reel holders 9 a , 9 b . Figure 7 shows the tape cassette 6 with the rotary head drum 16 and the tape loading mechanism 15 inserted in the increased accommodation space provided in the cassette housing 6 a . After the lid 7 is closed, the magnetic tape T in the tape cassette 6 is loaded around the rotary head drum 16 by the tape loading mechanism 15, preparing the recording and reproducing heads on the rotary head drum 16 to record signals on and reproduce signals from the magnetic tape T. Figures 8A to 8F show another mechanism to open and close the lid of a tape cassette. The lid opening and closing mechanism shown in Figures 8A to 8F employs a sector gear to open the lid of a tape cassette. More specifically, a deck mechanism 1 includes a loading unit 1 a in the form of a casing to load a tape cassette 6 therein, A sector gear 62 is rotatably mounted on a side wall panel of the loading unit 1 a in a position corresponding to a side of the lid 7 of the tape cassette 6, The sector gear 62 is held in mesh with a drive gear 61 and angularly movable in one direction and the other (upwardly and downwardly). The sector gear 62 has on an upper inner surface thereof a presser pin 63 to engage an arm or engaging portion 7 a protecting rearwardly from the lid 7 of the tape cassette 6. When the tape cassette 6 is inserted into the loading unit 1 a as shown in Figure 8A and lowered into a predetermined position as shown in Figure 8B, the drive gear 61 is rotated counterclockwise about its own axis in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Figure 8C, causing the sector gear 62 meshing with the drive gear 61 to turn clockwise or downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow b . The presser pin 63 on the sector gear 62 is therefore brought into abutment with the arm 7 a of the lid 7. Upon further turning movement of the sector gear 62, the pressure pin 63 presses the arm 7 a to turn the lid 7 in an opening direction as shown in Figure 8D. The lid 7 is fully opened when the sector gear 62 is turned to its downward limit position as shown in Figure 8E. The drive gear 61 is now stopped, thereby stopping the sector gear 62 and holding the lid 7 in the fully open position. The rotary head drum and the tape loading mechanism are now inserted into the tape cassette 6, and the tape in the tape cassette 6 is loaded around the rotary head drum by the tape loading mechanism. After the rotary head drum and the tape loading mechanism are completely inserted in the tape cassette 6, the drive gear 61 is rotated in the opposite direction (clockwise, as indicated by the arrow - a in Figure 8F), thereby turning the sector gear 62 counterclockwise or upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow - b , so that the lid 7 is released by the presser pin 63. The released lid 7 is automatically turned to close the front open side of the tape cassette 6 under its own bias. After the lid 7 is closed, the drive gear 61 is stopped, thereby stopping the sector gear 62 substantially in an intermediate angular position, whereupon the upper edge of the sector gear 62 lies substantially flush with the upper surface of the tape cassette 6 as shown in Figure 8F. Then, an upper panel 1 b of the loading unit 1 a is lowered toward the upper surface of the tape cassette 6. The loading unit 1 a is now rendered compact in size. Signals can be recorded on and reproduced from the tape in the tape cassette 6 by the recording and reproducing heads of the rotary head drum inserted in the tape cassette 6. Thus, as described above, a lid is angularly movable upwardly and downwardly to open and close a front open side or opening of a tape cassette for use in a VTR, an audio DAT, or the like, for the insertion of a rotary head drum and a tape loading mechanism and for the loading of a tape around the rotary head drum. The lid is opened by being pushed downwardly or, more generally, the applied force has a downward component. Therefore, when the lid of the tape cassette is opened to insert the rotary head drum and the tape loading mechanism and to load the tape around the rotary head drum, the cassette housing of the tape cassette is subjected to downward forces. Accordingly, the tape cassette is prevented from being lifted, and a member such as a cassette presser of the deck mechanism may be simplified in structure. The deck mechanism can thus be simple in structure and small in size and weight. Even if complex actions are necessary to open and close the lid of the tape cassette while the tape cassette is being loaded in the deck mechanism, a mechanism to carry out such complex actions can be constructed with a greater degree of freedom or flexibility, and hence can be designed and manufactured with ease.

Claims: A tape cassette comprising: housing means (6 a ) having a top and a bottom; a pair of reels (8 a , 8 b ); means (9 a , 9 b ) mounting the reels (8 a , 8 b ) for rotation in the housing means (6 a ), the bottom of the housing means (6 a ) being so formed that drive means of a recording and reproducing device can engage the reels (8 a , 8 b ) therethrough; a recording medium (T) wound on the reels (8 a , 8 b ) and extending therebetween for transport from one of the reels to the other; a mouth (6 d ) opening at the front of the housing means (6 a ) through which transducer means (16) can gain access to the recording medium (T) to record or reproduce signals on or from the recording medium; lid means (7); and pivot means including a pair of pivot shafts pivotably connecting the lid means (7) to the housing means (6 a ) so that the lid means (7) can be moved selectively between a first position closing the mouth opening (6 d ) and a second position uncovering the mouth opening (6 d ); characterised in that, the lid means (7) is formed with an engagement portion (7 a ) displaced from the pivot means in such a manner that, when the tape cassette (6) is seated by a downwardly applied seating force for playing in a recording or reproducing device, the lid means (7) is moved from the first position to the second position in response to a force applied to the engagement portion (7 a ), downwardly relative to the top of the housing means (6 a ) whereby when the engagement portion (7 a ) is rearward of the pivot means a front portion of the lid means is pivoted upwardly in moving from the first position to the second position or alternatively when the engagement portion (7 a ) is forward of the pivot means the front portion of the lid means is pivoted downwardly in moving from the first position to the second position.

Inventors: KONDO YOSHIO, KONDO, YOSHIO, KONDO, YOSHIO, C/O PATENTS DIVISION
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: G11B23
IPC codes: G11B15, G11B23