GB2215305A - Clamping video tape to reel hub - Google Patents

Abstract

A hub of a video tape reel has an inner wall 7 with projection 8 having steps 9, 9' and 10, 10', and an outer wall 2 between whose ends 3, 3' a tape clamp 4 is retained by clamp hooks 5, 5'. Tape 6 is clamped at six places between clamp 4 and ends 3, 3' and steps 9, 9' and 10, 10'. The projection is said to inhibit clamp bending. <IMAGE>

Description

REEL FOR VIDEO TAPE The present invention relates to a tape reel for a video tape cassette, and particularly to an improvement of the clamping portion of the reel hub for securing an end portion of leader tape.

As shown in Fig.3, the construction of a prior art reel is such that a clamp 4 in the form of a thin plate is inserted in the reel hub 1, and a space S is formed at the inner side of the clamp 4. With this type of clamp, the clamp can be bent and clamping loosened due to such bending.

Further, the securing places for the leader tape are formed only at two places a, b, that is, the coupling places between the hub 1 and the clamp 4. Therefore, any reduction in clamping can result in disengagement of the leader tape during use.

The present invention is intended to reduce the above described disadvantages of the device of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape reel with improved clamping force and reduced likelihood of mechanical failure in the function of the clamp.

According to the invention there is provided a tape reel including a hub having a clamp thereon for securing a leader tape to the hub, the clamp being arranged to locate between opposing ends of an outer wall section of the hub, the hub having an inner wall section with a projection thereon so arranged that the leader tape will be clamped between surface portions of the projection and surface portions of the clamp.

The clamping between the projection and the clamp improves the reliability of leader tape retention.

Preferably the projection includes a plurality of steps and the leader tape may be clamped between at least two of the steps of the projection and the surface portions of the clamp. There may be first steps and second steps on the projection and in such a case the leader type may be clamped at two places between the first steps of the projection and surface portions of the clamp and, e.g., two places between the second steps of the projection and the inside of ~the clamp. Such additional clamping improves leader tape retention further and even greater reliability can be obtained by clamping the leader tape at two further places e.g., between the opposing ends of the outer wall of the hub and ends of the clamp to provide a total of six clamping places.

Where the projection includes a plurality of steps, the leader tape may be clamped between the end hooks and two of the steps.

To improve the reliability of the clamp, an outer surface portion of the projection may be arranged to prevent inward bending of the clamp towards the hub.

The above object and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent by describing the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings in which: Fig.1 is an exploded perspective view of the device according to the present invention, Fig.2 is a cross-sectional view of the device drawn to an enlarged scale, and Fig.3 is a cross-sectional view of the device of the prior art drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referred to Figs.1 and 2, a clamp 4 is fixed between two clamping ends 3, 3' of an outer wall 2 of the hub 1 by means of opposite hooks 5, 5' in order to secure the leader tape 6. A projection 8 is integrally formed on the inner wall 7 of the hub 1. The leader tape 6 passes between first steps 9, 9' of the projection 8 and the hooks 5, 5' of the clamp 4, between second steps 10, 10' of the projection 8 and the inner side of the clamp 4, and between the two ends 3, 3-' of the outer wall of the hub 1 and the ends of the clamp 4. Thus the six clamping points are formed.

As shown in Fig.2, the device of the present invention thus constituted has the special feature that the second steps 10, 10' of the projection 8 lie close to the inner side 4' of the clamp 4 in with the leader tape 6 clamped between them, and therefore, the clamp 4 in the form of a thin plate cannot bend inwardly.

Therefore, mechanical failures which are liable to occur between the outer wall 2 of the hub 1 and the clamp 4 of the prior art can be prevented in the present invention, thereby improving the reliability of the clamping function of the tape reel.

Further as described above, the leader tape is clamped at 6 places, two places between the hooks 5, 5' of the clamp 4 and the first steps 9, 9' of the projection 8, two places between the ends of the clamp 4 and the opposing ends 3, 3' of the outer wall 2, and two places between the second steps 10, 10' of the projection 8 and the inner side 4' of the clamp 4. Thus as the leader tape 6 is clamped at the said 6 places in a roughly W-type contour, the clamping of the leader tape is strongly maintained, compared with the device of the prior art.

The device of the present invention inhibits the bending of the thin clamp, and at the same time, the projection provided on the inner all of the hub increases the number of clamping places in order to reinforce the clamping effect, thereby reducing the likelihood of mechanical failure in the clamping of the leader tape.

It should be understood that various modifications can be added to the device of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims.

Claims (11)

1. A tape reel for a video tape including a hub having a clamp thereon for securing a leader tape to the hub, the clamp being arranged to locate between opposing ends of an outer wall section of the hub, and the hub having an inner wall section with a projection thereon so arranged that the leader tape will be clamped between surface portions of the projection and surface portions of the clamp.

2. A tape reel according to Claim 1 in which the projection includes a plurality of steps and the leader tape is clamped between at least two of the steps of the projection and the surface portions of the clamp.

3. A tape reel according to Claim 2 in which there are first steps and second steps on the projection.

4. A tape reel according to Claim 3 in which the leader tape is clamped at two places between the first steps of the projection and surface portions of the clamp and at least two places between the second steps of the projection and the' inside of the clamp.

5. A tape reel according to Claim 4 in which the leader tape is clamped at two further places to provide a total of six clamping places.

6. A tape reel according to Claim 5 in which the two further places are between ends of the clamp and the opposing ends of the outer wall section of the hub.

7. A tape reel according to any preceding claim in which the clamp is secured between the opposing ends of the outer wall of the hub by ends of the clamp.

8. A tape reel according to any preceding claim and where the projection includes a plurality of steps, in which the leader tape is clamped between end hooks on the clamp and two of said steps.

9. A tape reel according to any preceding claim in which an outer surface portion of the projection lies close to an inner surface portion of the clamp.

10. A video tape reel having a clamp fitted between two opposing ends of the outer wall of the hub by means of two end hooks of the clamp in order to secure the leader tape, wherein a two step type projection is integrally formed on the inner wall of the hub in such manner that the leader tape can be clamped at six places, including two places between the first steps of the projection and the end hooks of the clamp, and two places between the second steps of the projection and the inside of the clamp.

11. A video tape reel constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to Figs.1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.