Claims
- 1. A flange for a tape reel comprising at least one aperture formed on the flange and located at a predetermined location with a radially inner edge of the aperture representing a first predetermined quantity of tape and a radially outer edge of the aperture representing a second predetermined quantity of tape, wherein the edges of the aperture indicate the quantity of tape on the tape reel and the time available for recording, and wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined quantities of tape is more than none of the tape and less than all of the tape.
- 2. The flange of claim 1 wherein the flange is made of an opaque material.
- 3. The flange of claim 1 wherein the flange is made of a thermoplastic material.
- 4. The flange of claim 1 further comprising markings placed at radial locations along at least one radial edge of at least one of the apertures to represent quantities of tape greater than the first predetermined quantity and less than the second predetermined quantity.
- 5. The flange of claim 1 wherein the inner edge represents the first predetermined quantity of tape that indicates that some tape remains and the outer edge represents the second predetermined quantity of tape that indicates that less than all of the tape remains.
- 6. The flange of claim 1 comprising a plurality of radially spaced apertures.
- 7. The flange of claim 6 wherein the flange is a VHS videocassette reel flange.
- 8. The flange of claim 7 wherein each aperture has a radially inner edge and a radially outer edge and wherein respective edges correspond to fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, forty-five minutes, and one hundred five minutes of available recording time when the tape is recorded at a speed of 33.35 mm/s.
- 9. The flange of claim 1 further comprising a central disk, an outer ring, and a plurality of spokes emanating from the central disk and extending to the outer ring, wherein the aperture is located on one spoke.
- 10. The flange of claim 9 comprising a plurality radially spaced of apertures located on at least one spoke.
- 11. The flange of claim 10 wherein a plurality of apertures is located on each spoke.
- 12. The flange of claim 11 wherein the flange comprises three spokes.
- 13. The flange of claim 1 wherein the radially inner and outer edges of the aperture are segments of concentric circles.
- 14. The flange of claim 13 wherein the radially inner and outer edges of the aperture have the concave side facing toward the center of the reel.
- 15. A reel comprising a lower flange, a hub, and an upper flange, wherein the upper flange comprises at least one aperture formed on the flange and located at a predetermined location with a radially inner edge of the aperture representing a first predetermined quantity of tape and a radially outer edge of the aperture representing a second predetermined quantity of tape, wherein the edges of the aperture indicate the quantity of tape on the tape reel and the time available for recording, and wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined quantities of tape is more than none of the tape and less than all of the tape.
- 16. The reel of claim 15 wherein the upper flange comprises a plurality radially spaced of apertures.
- 17. The reel of claim 15 wherein the inner edge represents the first predetermined quantity of tape that indicates that some tape remains and the outer edge represents the second predetermined quantity of tape that indicates that less than all of the tape remains.
- 18. A cassette having a supply reel and a take-up reel, wherein the supply reel comprises a lower flange, a hub, and an upper flange, wherein the upper flange comprises at least one aperture formed on the flange and located at a predetermined location with a radially inner edge of the aperture representing a first predetermined quantity of tape and a radially outer edge of the aperture representing a second predetermined quantity of tape, wherein the edges of the aperture indicate the quantity of tape on the tape reel and the time available for recording, and wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined quantities of tape is more than none of the tape and less than all of the tape.
- 19. The cassette of claim 18 wherein the upper flange comprises a plurality radially spaced of apertures.
- 20. The cassette of claim 18 wherein the inner edge represents the first predetermined quantity of tape that indicates that some tape remains and the outer edge represents the second predetermined quantity of tape that indicates that less than all of the tape remains.
- 21. A flange for a tape reel comprising at least one aperture formed on the flange and located at a predetermined location with a radially inner edge of the aperture representing a first predetermined quantity of tape and a radially outer edge of the aperture representing a second predetermined quantity of tape and wherein the difference between the first predetermined quantity of tape and the second predetermined quantity of tape represents a maximum of sixty minutes of available recording time in the VHS SP mode when the recording speed is 33.35 mm/sec.
- 22. The flange of claim 21 wherein the difference between the first predetermined quantity of tape and the second predetermined quantity of tape represents a maximum of thirty minutes of available recording time in the VHS SP mode when the recording speed is 33.35 mm/sec.
- 23. The flange of claim 21 wherein the difference between the first predetermined quantity of tape and the second predetermined quantity of tape represents a maximum of fifteen minutes of available recording time in the VHS SP mode when the recording speed is 33.35 mm/sec.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/877,486 filed May 1, 1992, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
886490 |
Oct 1943 |
FRX |
1324300 |
Mar 1963 |
FRX |
1333915 |
Jun 1963 |
FRX |
971317 |
Sep 1964 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
877486 |
May 1992 |
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