Tdk Corporation

Yoshiki Satoh

Yoshimi Sakai

A guard panel for tape cassettes and methods and apparatus for manufacturing the same wherein the guard panel comprises an upper plate portion which is devoid of cracks and deformation. The guard panel, which is adapted to be pivotally mounted on the cassette housing, comprises an elongated plate member including front, upper and side plate portions, each forming a side wall of the plate member. The upper plate portion includes at least two sections which differ in thickness from another section, the two sections being spaced from each other by a central section of the upper plate portion which is interposed between them in the longitudinal direction. The sections of the upper plate portion which differ in thickness from the other section may be in the form of recesses or protrusions formed in the upper plate portion and preferably on the back surface thereof. An additional recess or protrusion may be formed in the central section of the back surface of the upper plate portion. The guard panel is manufactured in a mold having a cavity block and a core block, the latter having a molding surface on which is provided at least two protrusions or recesses which are spaced from each other by a central portion of the molding surface interposed between them in the longitudinal direction. When molten plastic material is injected into the mold, the recesses or protrusions corresponding to the protrusions or recesses provided in the core block are formed on the back surface of the upper plate portion.

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Nagano, Japan

Yoshiki Satoh