Reel lock mechanism for tape cassette

Patent 5449124 Issued on September 12, 1995. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 12, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Tape cassette
Patent #: 4022401
Issued on: 05/10/1977
Inventor: Kishi

Magnetic tape cassette
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Issued on: 04/30/1985
Inventor: Oishi , et al.

Recording tape cartridge
Patent #: 4553717
Issued on: 11/19/1985
Inventor: Takagi

Brake mechanism for tape cassette
Patent #: 4579295
Issued on: 04/01/1986
Inventor: Harada

Magnetic tape cassette
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Issued on: 04/29/1986
Inventor: Okamura , et al.

Magnetic recording tape cassette
Patent #: 4604671
Issued on: 08/05/1986
Inventor: Oishi

Magnetic tape cassette having improved reel locking means
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Issued on: 12/23/1986
Inventor: Hashizume , et al.

Brake and tape tensioning means for tape cassettes having flanged reels, and a tape cassette, in particular a magnetic tape cassette, including these means
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Issued on: 07/07/1987
Inventor: Schoettle , et al.

Tape cassette having means for locking reels thereof
Patent #: 4903915
Issued on: 02/27/1990
Inventor: Iwahashi

Reel lock mechanism for tape cassette Patent #: 5146380
Issued on: 09/08/1992
Inventor: Fujii, et al.

Inventor

Fujii, Hiroshi

Assignee

Sony Corporation

Application

No. 151029 filed on 11/12/1993

US Classes:

242/338.3, Acting on plural coils242/343.2, Spool or coil engaging360/132In container

Examiners

Primary: Nguyen, Dinh Q.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Kananen; Ronald P.

Foreign Patent References

0111876 EP. 06/23/1984
0146311 EP. 06/23/1985
0153137 EP. 08/23/1985
0163293 EP. 12/23/1985
0179169 EP. 04/23/1986
411622A2 EP. 02/23/1991
2508223 FR. 12/23/1982
3317566A1 DE. 12/23/1983
4205038A1 DE. 09/23/1992
61-210582 JP. 09/23/1986
63-26877 JP. 02/23/1988
2020628 GB. 11/23/1976
2044733 GB. 10/23/1980
2099400 GB. 12/23/1982
2114952 GB. 09/23/1983
2131769 GB. 06/23/1984
2192610 GB. 01/23/1988

International Class

G11B 023/087

Foreign Application Priority Data

1992-11-19 JP

Abstract

A reel lock mechanism in a tape cassette locks a pair of tape reels against rotation to prevent a tape wound around the tape reels from being loosened. The reel lock mechanism has a reel lock assembly movable between a lock position to lock the tape reels against rotation and an unlock position to unlock the tape reels for rotation. The reel lock assembly includes a slider slidably supported in the tape cassette, a lock body having a pair of engaging members engageable with teeth on outer circumferential edges of the tape reels, and a twistable joint, the slider and the lock body being integrally connected to each other by the twistable joint. When one of the tape reels is turned in a direction to loosen the tape, one of the engaging members is displaced by one of the teeth on the one of the tape reels, twisting the joint to press the other engaging member against one of the teeth on the other tape reel for thereby turning the other tape reel in a direction to tension the tape.