Patent ID: 8177158

Claim:
A reel comprising: a hub formed in a cylindrical tube shape, and having an outer peripheral surface for winding of a recording tape; and a reinforcing ring for reinforcing the hub, the reinforcing ring being formed in a cylindrical tube shape and mounted at the hub, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the hub is formed so as to, in a state in which a recording tape is wound, form a shape that is symmetrical with respect to a central portion in a transverse direction of the recording tape, and wherein the hub is structured such that a radial direction rigidity of one axial direction side of the hub is lower than a radial direction rigidity of another axial direction side of the hub, and the outer peripheral surface is formed in a taper shape in which an outer diameter is greater at the one axial direction side than at the other axial direction side, and wherein a wall thickness of one axial direction of the hub is larger than a wall thickness of another axial direction side of the hub, wherein wall thickness of the hub varies gradually and continuously along a length of the hub to provide the larger wall thickness at the one axial direction side of the hub relative to the wall thickness at the another axial side direction of the hub, and wherein the one axial side and the other axial side are disposed at opposite end portions of the hub.