Tape-cartridge case

Abstract: A tape-cartridge case comprises a lower plate (4), an upper plate (5) and side walls (6,7) projecting from the respective lower and upper plates, and when a tape cartridge is accommodated in the case, side surfaces of the tape cartridge are surrounded by the two side walls. However, only one of the two side walls lies in opposed relation to a bar code (12) that is provided on the side surface of the tape cartridge, so that the bar code can quickly and accurately be read by a bar-code reader through the single side wall.

Description: This invention relates to a tape-cartridge case, for example, for a video-tape cartridge, through a transparent part of which a bar code provided at a side of the tape cartridge is directly readable from outside the case with a bar-code reader. Previously proposed tape-cartridge cases are disclosed, for example, in Patent Specification US-A-4,054,206 and US-A-4,231,474 in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. A tape-cartridge case 1 of those kinds comprises, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, an upper plate 5, a lower plate 4, a connecting plate 2, which connects the upper plate 5 to the lower plate 4 through a pair of hinges 3, a U-shaped side wall 7 projecting upwards in Figure 10 from the upper plate 5, and a rectangular side wall 6 similarly projecting upwards in Figure 10 from the lower plate 4. The case 1 is made of transparent synthetic resin and the hinge 3 comprises a V-notch. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a tape cartridge 8 is fitted into the rectangular side wall 6 to be horizontaly set on the lower plate 4. To prevent the tape cartridge 8 from rattling in the rectangular side wall 6, a plurality of inwardly projecting portions 6a are provided near or at the corner of the rectangular side wall 6 so as to be brought into contact with four side srufaces of the tape cartridge 8, right and left side surfaces 8a, a front side surface 8b and a rear side surface 8c. As the result, there are made a plurality of spaces 9 enclosed by the side surface 8a, 8b, 8c of the tape cartridge 8, the inside of the rectangular side wall 6, and the inwardly projecting two portions 6a of the rectangular side wall 6, which are adjacent to each other. Height H₁ of the rectangular side wall 6 is substantially half height H₂ of the tape cartridge 8, and heiht H₃ of the U-shaped side wall 7 is substantially the same as the height H₂ of the tape cartridge 8. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the upper plate 5 is turned on the pair of hinges 3 and placed in a position parallel with the lower plate 4 just over the lower plate 4. At that time, the U-shaped side wall 7 is overlaid upon the rectangular side wall 6 from outside the rectangular side wall 6, and a pair of pawls 10 (Figure 9) formed integrally with the U-shaped side wall 7 on the inside thereof are engaged with the outer recess of the rectangular side wall 6 as shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figures 11 to 13, a bar code 12 is printed, or a bar-code lavel 11 is stuck on the right and left side surfaces 8a of the tape cartridge 8, and the bar code 12 is read from outside the tape-cartridge case 1 by a bar-code reader 13 through both a right or left portion 6b of the rectangular side wall 6 and right or left portion 7a of the U-shaped side wall 7. That is, a laser beam emitted by the bar-code reader 13 is reflected on the bar code 12, and then, the reflected beam strikes on the surface of the bar-code reader 13, so that the bar code 12 is read by the bar-code reader 13. Selected as a material for the tape-cartridge case 1 of this kind is a transparent synthetic resin, which is excellent generally not in having a good transmittance but in having a good weatherproofness and bringing high fatigue strength to the hinges 3. Moreover, in the previously proposed tape - cartridge case 1, the bar code 12 is read by the bar-code reader 13 through double side walls, through not only the portion 6b of the rectangular side wall 6 but also the portion 7a of the U-shaped side wall 7, so that it is rather difficult to read the bar code 12 because of interference by the doubly overlaid side walls 6 and 7. In addition, there is the gap 9 between the side surface 8a of the tape cartridge 8 and the inside of the rectangular side wall 6, so that even if the bar-code reader 13 is pressed against the portion 7a of the U-shaped side wall 7 as shown in Figure 13, there remains a large distance l₁ between the end of the bar-code reader and the bar code 12. Thus, in the previously proposed tape-cartridge case 1, there is such a problem to be solved that to read the bar code 12 by means of the bar-code reader 13 is rather difficult or impossible, or requires much time. According to the invention there is provided a tape-cartridge case, in which a tape cartridge is accommodated, comprising: a lower plate; an upper plate similar in shape to the lower plate; a connecting plate for connecting the lower plate to the upper plate through two hinges provided on both sides thereof; a first side wall projecting from the lower plate to surround the accommodated tape cartridge; a second side wall projecting from the upper plate to surround the first side wall from outside the first side wall when the upper plate is turned, on the two hinges, to a position where the upper plate is in parallel with the lower plate, said tape-cartridge case with said tape cartridge accommodated therein being characterised in that said case is made of transparent synthetic resin, a removed portion is provided in one of the side walls; and a bar code is provided on a side surface of the tape cartridge which bar code rightly faces the removed portion for a single side wall to lie between the bar code and a bar-code reader when the tape cartridge is fitted into the first side wall and set on the lower plate, and the second side wall then surrounds the first side wall. In such a tape-cartridge case, two side walls are overlaid upon each other to surround side surfaces of a tape cartridge when the cartridge is accommodated, but only one of whose two side walls lies in opposed relation to a bar code that is provided on the side surface of the tape cartridge, so that the bar code can quickly and accurately be read by a bar-code reader through only a single side wall. One of two side walls overlaid upon each other is partially removed in a portion which lies in opposed relation to a bar code that is provided on a side surface of a tape cartridge, so that the single side wall is made to lie between the bar code and a bar-code reader. Thus, it is possible to make the structure of the case simple and the production of the case easy, and nevertheless, the airtightness of the case is scarcely damaged. A projected portion is provided in the other of the two side walls and fitted into the removed portion of one of the two side walls so as to be placed adjacently to the bar code of the tape cartridge, so that the bar code can quickly and accurately be read by the bar-code reader due to decrease in distance between the bar code and the bar-code reader. A combination of the removed portion of one of the two side walls and the projected portion of the other is provided in opposed relation to the bar code of the tape cartridge, the bar code being provided on at least one of three side surfaces, right and left side surfaces and rear surface, so that the bar code can quickly and accurately be read by the bar-code reader wherever the bar code is provided. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the removed portion is provided in the first side wall that is arranged at the inside of the second wall. Furthermore, a projected portion is provided in the second side wall and fitted into the removed portion of the first side wall so as to be placed adjacently to the bar code of the tape cartridge. Moreover, a combination of the removed portion of the first side wall and the projected portion of the second side wall is provided in opposed relation to the bar code of the tape cartridge, the bar code being provided on at least one of three side surfaces, right and left side surfaces and rear side surface. The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify the same of corresponding parts in the several views. Figure 1 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I on Figure 3; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II on Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view, viewed along a direction of arrows III on Figure 1, of a tape-cartridge case according to an embodiment of this invention; Figure 4 is a plan view, shown upon developed condition, of the tape-cartridge case of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view of the tape-cartridge case of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI on Figure 8; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII on Figure 6; Figure 8 is a side view, viewed along a direction of arrows VIII on Figure 6, of a tape-cartridge case according to another embodiment of this invention; Figure 9 is a plan view, shown upon developed condition, of a previously proposed tape-cartridge case; Figure 10 is a side view of the tape-cartridge case of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a side view, shown upon condition of a tape cartridge being accommodated, of the tape-cartridge case of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XII-XII on figure 11; and Figure 13 is a sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII on Figure 12. A tape-cartridge case embodying this invention will be described in regard to Figures 1-5, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references, which have been used in Figures 9-13. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a first side wall 6 projecting from a lower plate 4 is partially removed in a right or left portion 6b thereof, which faces a bar code 12 provided on a right or left side surface 8a of a tape cartridge 8. On the other hand, a second side wall 7 projecting from an upper plate 5 is inwardly projected in a right or left portion 7a thereof, which corresponds to the removed portion 15 of the first side wall 6. The projected portion 7b shown in Figure 4 is fitted into the removed portion 15 of the first side wall 6 and brought into contact with the side surface 8a of the tape cartridge when the upper plate 5 is turned to a position shown in Figure 3. Thickness T₁ of the projected portions 7b shown in Figure 4 is thinner enough than thickness T₂ of the rest of the second side wall 7, and both surfaces of the projected portions 7b are specularly finished to improve the transmittance of the projected portions 7b as much as possible. When the tape cartridge 8 is completely accommodated in the case 1 as shown in Figure 1-3, the projected portion 7b comes in contact with the right or left side surface 8a of the tape cartridge 8, on which the bar code 12 has been provided, so that it is possible to set the bar-code reader 13 within a very small distance l₂ off from the bar code 12 as shown in Figure 2. In addition, not double but the single side wall 7 lies between the bar-code 12 and the bar-code reader 13, and also, the transmittance of the side wall 7 has been much improved. Thus, it is easy to read the bar code 12 with high accuracy and at high speed. Moreover, when a person holds the tape cartridge 8 between his fingers, and sets it in or takes out it from the place surrounded by the side wall 6, the removed portion 15 of the side wall 6 prevents his fingers from being interfered by the side wall 6. Referring to Figures 6-8, a second embodiment will be hereinafter described. In that event, a bar code 12 is provided on a rear side surface 8c of a tape cartridge 8. A front side surface 8b opposite to the rear side surface 8c is covered with a rotatable front lid 8d. A bar-code label 11, on which the bar code 12 has been printed, is stuck on the center of the rear side surface 8c. As shown in Figure 6, a first side wall 6 projecting from a lower plate 4 of a tape-cartridge case 1 is partially removed in a rear portion 6c thereof, which faces the bar code 12 of the tape cartridge 8. On the other hand, a second side wall 7 projecting from an upper plate 5 is inwardly projected in a rear portion 7c thereof. The projected portion 7d shown in Figure 6 is fitted into the removed portion 15 of the first side wall 6 and brought into contact with the rear side surface 8c of the tape cartridge 8 when the upper plate 5 is turned to a position shown in Figure 8. Thickness T₁ of the projected portion 7d shown in Figure 6 is thinner enough than thickness T₂ of the rest of the second side wall 7, and both surfaces of the projected portion 7d are specularly finished to improve the transmittance of the projected portion 7d as much as possible. When the tape cartridge 8 is completely accommodated in the tape-cartridge case 1 as shown in Figure 8, the projected portion 7d shown in Figure 7 comes in contact with the rear side surface 8c of the tape cartridge 8, on which the bar code 12 has been provided, so that it is possible to set a bar-code reader 13 within a very small distance l₂ off from the bar code 12 as shown in Figure 7. In addition, not double but the single side wall 7 lies between the bar code 12 and the bar-code reader 13, and also, the transmittance of the projected portion 7d of the second side wall 7 has been much improved. Thus, it is easy to read the bar code 12 with high accuracy and at high speed. Moreover, this invention is applicable not only to a video-tape-cartridge case but also to various kinds of tape-cartridge cases.

Claims: A tape-cartridge case, in which a tape cartridge (8) is accommodated, comprising: a lower plate (4); an upper plate (5) similar in shape to the lower plate; a connecting plate (2) for connecting the lower plate to the upper plate through two hinges (3) provided on both sides thereof; a first side wall (6) projecting from the lower plate to surround the accommodated tape cartridge; a second side wall (7) projecting from the upper plate to surround the first side wall from outside the first side wall when the upper plate is turned, on the two hinges, to a position where the upper plate is in parallel with the lower plate, said tape-cartridge case with said tape cartridge accommodated therein being characterised in that said case is made of transparent synthetic resin, a removed portion (15) is provided in one of the side walls (6, 7); and a bar code (12) is provided on a side surface (8a, 8c) of the tape cartridge (8) which bar code rightly faces the removed portion (15) for a single side wall (6 or 7) to lie between the bar code (12) and a bar-code reader (13) when the tape cartridge (8) is fitted into the first side wall (6) and set on the lower plate (4), and the second side wall (7) then surrounds the first side wall (6). A tape-cartridge case according to claim 1, wherein the removed portion (15) is provided in the first side wall (6) that is arranged at the inside of the second wall (7). A tape-cartridge case according to claim 2, wherein a projected portion (7b) is provided in the second side wall (7) and fitted into the removed portion of the first side wall so as to be placed adjacently to the bar code (12) of the tape cartridge (8). A tape-cartridge case according to claim 3, wherein a combination of the removed portion (15) of the first side wall (6) and the projected portion (7b,d) of the second side wall (7) is provided in opposed relation to the bar code (12) of the tape cartridge (8), the bar code (12) being provided on at least one of three side surfaces, right and left side surfaces (8a) and rear side surface (8c).

Inventors: IGARASHI TADAO C O SONY MAGNET, IGARASHI, TADAO, C/O SONY MAGNETIC PRODUCTS, INC.
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: G11B23
IPC codes: B65D85, B26B19, G11B23