Claims
- 1. The combination of a magnetic tape cassette with a magnetic tape cassette apparatus, said combination comprising:
- a magnetic tape cassette apparatus having means for receiving a magnetic tape cassette, a magnetic head, and a locating pin with a conical portion extending from a free end and terminating at a shoulder of said locating pin, said conical portion having an outer surface and longitudinally extending recesses extending along a portion of said outer surface such that, in cross-section transverse to its length dimension, said outer surface of said conical portion of said locating pin has the shape of a four-pointed star, said recesses having respective ends adjacent said shoulder; and
- a magnetic tape cassette including a housing having a wall with a locating aperture extending through the wall and having a shape complementary to the shape of said conical portion of said locating pin for receiving said locating pin of said tape cassette apparatus, said aperture having a central region and four aperture appendages extending from said central region, each aperture appendage being defined by respective opposing pairs of inwardly directed projections of said wall directed inwardly towards said central region, said aperture appendages being aligned with each other in pairs with each pair being orthogonal to the other pair, at least one of said pairs defining a maximum diameter of said aperture and said central region being substantially smaller than said maximum diameter, said locating aperture has an outer periphery with the shape of a four-pointed star with said aperture appendages defining the points of said star, said inwardly directed projections and said appendages being sized such that with said locating pin fully received in said locating aperture said inwardly directed projections engage the ends of said recesses adjacent said shoulder of said shank portion.
- 2. The combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said locating pin has a part opposite said free end which comprises a supporting surface for receiving a cassette with a locating aperture (i) which is larger than and (ii) which does not engage said conical portion of said locating pin.
- 3. The combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cross-section of said locating pin has one pair of points which are larger at their extremes than the extremes of the other pair of points.
- 4. A magnetic tape cassette for cooperation with a magnetic tape cassette apparatus having a receptacle for receiving the cassette, magnetic head means positioned in the receptacle, and a locating pin for locating the cassette with respect to the magnetic head, the locating pin including a cylindrical shank portion of a predetermined diameter, and a conical portion extending from a shoulder of said shank portion and terminating at a free end of the locating pin, said conical portion of said locating pin having an outer surface and recesses in said outer surface extending along the length dimension thereof such that a cross-section transverse to the length dimension of the locating pin is substantially star-shaped, said recess having an end adjacent said shoulder, said magnetic tape cassette comprising:
- a) a cassette housing having first and second major walls and minor walls extending between said major walls, one of said minor walls defining a cassette front wall and including a tape opening;
- b) a pair of tape winding spools rotatably disposed in said housing;
- c) a length of magnetic tape connected to said tape winding spools and transportable past said tape opening in said front wall; and
- d) a locating aperture in said main wall, said locating aperture having a star-shaped outer periphery complimentary to the cross-section of the conical portion of said locating pin and being dimensioned such that with the locating pin fully received in said locating aperture the outer surface of said main wall bounding said star-shaped aperture engages the end of said recesses adjacent said shoulder of said shank portion.
- 5. A magnetic tape cassette according to claim 4, wherein said star-shaped aperture includes two opposing points aligned with said front wall of said cassette and two opposing points aligned transverse to said front wall.
- 6. A magnetic tape cassette according to claim 5, wherein said cassette includes two of said star-shaped locating apertures, and the two points aligned transverse to the front wall for only one of said apertures has a dimension along the direction aligned with said front wall which is greater than the same dimension of the same two points for the other said aperture.
- 7. A magnetic tape cassette according to claim 6, wherein said locating aperture includes a central cylindrical alignment space, interior of said star-shaped outer periphery, for receiving an aligning tip portion of the locating pin.
- 8. A magnetic tape cassette for cooperation with a magnetic tape cassette apparatus having a receptacle for receiving the cassette, magnetic head means positioned in the receptacle, and a locating pin for locating the cassette with respect to the magnetic head, the locating pin including a cylindrical shank portion of a predetermined diameter, and a conical portion extending from a shoulder of said shank portion and terminating at a free end of the locating pin, said conical portion of said locating pin having an outer surface and a recess in said outer surface extending along the length dimension thereof, said magnetic tape cassette comprising:
- a) a cassette housing having first and second major walls and minor walls extending between said major walls, one of said minor walls defining a cassette front wall and including a tape opening;
- b) a pair of tape winding spools rotatably disposed in said housing;
- c) a length of magnetic tape connected to said tape winding spools and transportable past said tape opening in said front wall; and
- d) a locating aperture in said main wall, said locating aperture having an outer periphery including an inwardly directed portion for engaging in said recess in said outer surface of said conical portion of said locating pin, said locating aperture being dimensioned such that, with the locating pin fully received in said locating aperture, said inwardly directed portion of said locating aperture engages the end of said recess adjacent said shoulder of said shank portion.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8901605 |
Jun 1989 |
NLX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/927,783, filed on Aug. 10, 1992 pending, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/545,307, filed on Jun. 26, 1990 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
57-103105 |
Jun 1982 |
JPX |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
927783 |
Aug 1992 |
|
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
545307 |
Jun 1990 |
|