Shape Corporation

Vincent E Landry

Anthony L Gelardi

John Gelardi

Diane C Pruneau

James P Elliott

Paul J Gelardi

Alan B Lowry

Robert B MacLeod, Jr

John Geladri

Tape cassette

A tape cassette with a separate, plastic, molded, elongated, tape guide subassembly is described. The tape guide subassembly incorporates two bearing extensions integrally molded at the left and right ends thereof. Each bearing extension is a pair of opposing, parallel, planar members extending from support members, each of which is parallel to the planar top and bottom of the tape guide subassembly. Each planar member includes a roller receiving means integrally formed therein and the rotational axles for the tape rollers are either integrally molded as part of the bearing extension or the tape roller itself. The planar members in each pair have the ability to flex only in the direction perpendicular to their planes, allowing the rollers to be easily snapped into place during assembly. Once the rollers are inserted into the tape guide subassembly, the latter is assembled into the front of the tape cassette, wherein the rollers form part of the central tape support area of the tape cassette. Related methods are also described for manufacturing, including particularly the steps of: forming the tape guide by a one-step injection molding to include a one-piece bridge with left and right ends, each of which includes a bearing extension integrally molded therein, and roller receptacles also integrally molded in each bearing extension; injection molding a one-piece roller having an axle integrally molded therewith whose ends extend from the roller; locating the roller in the roller receptacle for rotation; forming the cassette top half and bottom half to include bearing extension receptacles; and inserting the tape guide subassembly into the tape cassette such that the bearing extensions are received by the bearing extension receptacles.

Methods for manufacturing a tape cassette with separate tape guide

A tape cassette is described having top and bottom cassette halves, tape reels and low friction washers between the tape reels and the cassette halves. Each tape reel is made of a plastic hub connected to two plastic flanges, each flange having intentionally curved circumferential edges. Each flange also has a raised, annular centering ring abutting and rotating only on the washers for rotatably supporting the tape reels relative to the tape cassette. These centering rings minimize friction, prevent skewing of the tape reels relative to each other and, along with the curved edges of the flanges, permit the tape to be wound without damage.

Tape reel

An internal, self-locking hub assembly for a compact, audio, tape cassette is described, including a locking member with at least one movable portion and a spring. The cassette includes at least one receptacle formed in the raised annular rings thereof. The spring normally forces the movable portion radially inward in a direction parallel to the plane of the hub, wherein the movable portion engages the at least one receptacle in the raised annular ring, and locks the hub against rotation. On the other hand, when the tape cassette is placed into a tape player/recorder, the spindle thereof enters the center of the hub, abuts and moves the at least one movable portion radially outward against the force of the spring, thereby unlocking the at least one movable portion from the at least one receptacle and permitting normal rotation of the hub. A related method includes the steps of: forming the locking member to include at least one movable portion, a spring and a locating member; picking up the locking member; forming a hub to include a mounting member corresponding to the locating member; advancing the locking member to the hub; inserting the locking member into the hub such that the locating member is fixedly received by the mounting member; mounting the hub into a cassette base; forming a cassette cover to include the at least one receptacle; and positioning the cassette cover on the base, such that the at least one receptacle receives the at least one movable portion.

Self-locking hub assembly for a compact audio tape cassette and method

A tape cassette for use with an external tape player/recorder apparatus having upper and lower cassette halves and an independent tape guide for insertion between the cassette halves. The independent tape guide is a subassembly comprising an elongated bridge molded of plastic and having a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface, a front, a back, a left end and a right end, two pairs of corner posts located substantially centrally of the front and a plurality of lateral projections extending from the front in relatively perpendicular relation to the planes of the top and bottom of the bridge. Each pair of corner posts has holes formed therein to receive a stainless steel pin therethrough also in perpendicular relation to the planes of the top and bottom of the bridge, which together with the plurality of lateral projections define the tape sliding surface. In addition, there is provided behind the stainless steel pins a flexible leaf spring having a relatively soft facing member thereon for exerting an even pressure on the running tape as it crosses the magnetic head of the external tape player/recorder apparatus.

Tape cassette with separate tape guide

A tape cassette dust door latch, a dust door latch spring assembly and a related method for assembling the dust door latch into the tape cassette. The dust door latch has a lock plate with a boss projecting perpendicularly therefrom and a coil spring with first and second ends, the first end of the spring surrounding the boss and the second end of the spring being a free end. The cassette has an upper half case and a lower half case, the upper half case having an abutment member located in the vicinity of the lock plate, and the lower half case having a means for rotatably receiving the dust door latch. In the method of assembling, first, the dust door latch is inserted into the receiving means in the lower half case, and then the upper half case is assembled onto the lower half case such that the abutment member receives the free end of the coil spring, directs it downwardly, and holds the coil spring in a biased position. This dust door latch, dust door latch spring assembly and the method for assembling the dust door latch into the tape cassette provide more efficient production and automated assembly of tape cassettes.

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Saco, ME, United States of America

Vincent E Landry