Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10~402Z
The invention relates to a container for a magnetic
tape cassette located therein.
Such containers are known which comprise a rectangular
casing, a push-in slide which is movable along a narrow side
of the casing and which receives the tape cassette, and a
compres~ion spring which engages between the rear wall of the
push-in slide and the rear side of the casing. After unlocking
a holding device, the compression spring propels the push-in
slide together with the tape cassette by a certain distance out
of the casing into an open position in which the tape cassette
can be removed from the container without hindrance. Tape
cassette containers of this type for music tape cassettes have
the advantage that they allow a quicker and simpler removal of
the cassette,-as compared with containers which have a hinged
cover hood and which are commercially available as standard
boxes (as in the PHILIPS system) or are designed, for example,
in accordance with United States Patent No. 3,532,211 (GELLE~T) .
Thus, for example, the cassette cannot be removed from these
known boxes using one hand. Furthermore, these hinged boxes
exclude the possibility of assembling several boxes into a
stable stack, since indeed it would be necescary to dismantle
the stac~ each time in order to be able to open a desired ~ox.
For ordered storage and stowing, however, stacking i~ frequently
desirable.
m erefore, containers have been proposed in the past,
which consist of a casing which has a drawer, which can be
lO9A~ZZ
longitudinally moved therein, for receivin~ the tape cassette
for example in United States Patents Nos. 3,642,337 (MANHEIM)~
3,836,222 (KUNTZE), 3,899,229 (ACKERET) and 4,046,255 (ACKERET).
Since, however, the drawer itself requires space in the casing,
S all these containers with drawers have the disadvantage that
the external dimensions of their casings exceed the standardised
dimensions of the hinged standard casing~ mentioned in at least
one edge direction. Since, however, tape cassettes with
recorded music have hitherto been sold in large numbers above
all in standard casings of this type, the displays in the shops
are accordingly fitted out for the dimensions thereof so that
the known push-in containers do not fit these racks, and this
represents a considerable disadvantage.
Another disadv~ntage of the known containers having a
drawer-like push-in slide is that, due to its unsymmetrical
shape, the tape cassette can always be stowed in the container
in one defined and prescribed orientation only. For example,
in the container described in United States Patent No. 3,899,229,
the tape cassette must first be placed in the transverse format
into the projecting slide-like drawer in such a way that its
thicker part points towards the opening of the casing, before
the drawer can be pushed into the casing. This deposition of
the tape cassette into the drawer proves to be involved since
the user is forced to turn the cassette in the hand ~ntil it
has the correct orientation.
A further construction of known containers for tape
" lO9A022
cassette9 has individual compartment-~ and makes it possible to
store many tape cassettes in a confined space and to remove
them with only one hand, as described, for example, in United
States Patent No. 3,677,396 (STAAR) as well as Nos. 3,994,550,
3,g94,551, 3,995,737~ 3,995,921 and 4,030,601 (all by ACKERET).
These constructions of containers have, however, an open front,
thus, the tape cassettes are not protected against dust in
storage.
Finally, there ha~ been a proposal for a container
in United States Patent No. 3,904,259 (HOFFMANN), in which one
narrow ~ide of the container is designed as a cover. In this
container, it would indeed be possible to adhere to the-
standardised dimensions, and it is likewise possible to remove
the cassette with one hand. -It is, however, disadvantageous
that, on the one hand, the cassette is completely ejected out
of the casing under the pressure of a spring after the cover
has been opened and, on the other hand, it ic not possible, in
the closed position, to lock the reel cores of the cassette
located in the casing.
In general terms, the present invention provides a
container for a tape cassette comprising: a rectangular casing
having flat top wall, bottom, two parallel narrow side walls,
rear wall and a front opening; a cassette~moving push-in slide
in the form of a four-sided open-bottom frame, fitting and movable
inwardly and outwardly within said casing through said opening
between closed and open positions, the two side parts of said
frame extending along said narrow side walls of said casing and
which frame at least partially surrounds the periphery of a tape
~assette lying on said casing bottom; spring means engaged
30 r~ - 4 -
1~402Z
~et~en said casin~ ~nd said ~ra~e ~iCh, ~ter a holding deYice
is unloc~ed, ~11 propeI said fr~e toget~e~ ~it~ a tape cassette,
which ~11 sl~de t~ere~ith along sa~d casing bott~m, a certain
distance th~oug~ said front opening into said o~en position;
guide means for controlling the movement of said frame which are
designed ~n suc~ a way that, in said open position, at least that
part of said frame which protrudes fram said casing assumes an
oblique position relative to said bottom of said casing so that
a tape cassette which lies on said bottom of said casing and
protrudes therefrom, is at least partially exposed.
In accordance with another feature of the present
invention, the frame a front wall which closes the front opening
of the casing; and frame is supported on the bottom of said casing
by the lower edges of its side parts; the guide means during
initial movement of said frame from closed to open position main- `
tains said frame parallel to said bottom of said casing and
subsequently allows movement into the oblique position; and a
front part of said frame which protrudes from said casing in said
open position has a smaller length than that part of said frame
which remains within said casing.
In accordance with a yet another feature of the present
invention, a container is designed for stowing and removing a
music tape cassette in all its four elongate orientations. In
accordance with a yet another feature of the present invention,
the container includes connecting means which are located on the
walls of the casing, in particular grooves for building up stacks
in which all the containers, and in particular the lowest
container, are accessible.
30 rd?
``` 1094022
The invention will be further describéd with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is, in a simplified diagrammatic representa-
tion, a plan view onto the frame of an embodiment of a
cassette containèr for a tape cassette, the casing being
shown in section,
Figure 2 is, in a simplified diagrammatic
representation, a sectlon through the frame of Figure 1 along
the line A-A of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is, in a simplified diagrammatic
representation, a section through the container according to
Figure 1, in the closed position, along the line A-A of
Figure 1:
Figure 4 is the same section as in Figure 3, but in
the open position of the container, and
Figure 5 is a simplified perspective view, partly
broken away, of an illustrative embodiment of container which
conforms for the most part with the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4,
in the open position.
The tape cassette containers to receive mùsic tape
cassettes shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprise essentially three
parts: a casing l; a push-in slide 2; and a compression
A3
.
lOgAOZZ
spring 3. The outlines of a standardi~ed magnetic tape cassette
4 of the type on the market are also indicated in Figures 1 and 3
in dots and dashes. All the components of the container, except
the spring 3, preferably consist of a thermoplastics material,
for example polystyrene.
The rectangular flat casing 1 of the container has
external dimensions, for example, of 1.7 x 7 x 10.9 cm and thus
the same size as standard containers on the market. Accordingly,
the container can be displayed or stowed in all existing racks
and can be labelled on all sides. The casin~ 1 consists of a
pair of relatively long narrow sides 6 and 7, rear wall 8,
upper flat side 9 and a lower flat side which is designated as
the base 10 of the casing in the following text. The
designation as the base of the casing and the orientation of the
casing in Figures 1 to 5 are intended to be illustrative only
and is not to be ta~en as meaning that the container will not
work in other orientations. The container can for example be
used in a similar manner when standing on the rear wall 8 or
held vertically in the hand. Alternatively, a container stack
assembled by means of the flat sides 9 and 10 can ta~e up any
desired spatial orientation, this applies likewise to the
individual container held in the hand. The end face of the
-casing 1 which is opposite the rear wall 8 is open and forms
the entrance 11 for the push-in slide 2.
The successful operation of the device is essentially
based on the special design of the push-in slide 2 and on the
guiding thereof in the casing 1. This push-in slide 2 is
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10940ZZ
designed as a four-part frame and has two parallel side parts
21 and 22, a rear side 23 and a front wall 24, which together
form the rectangular frame. With respect to its dimensions,
the frame 2 matches the outline of the cassette, so that the
narrow side~ of the cassette rest against the four frame sides,
as Figure 1 makes clear. In the pushed-in position of the
frame 2, designated in the following text as the closed
position, the side parts 21 and 22 of the frame rest against
the narrow sides 6 and 7 of the casing. The rear wall 8 of
the casing and the rear side 23 of the frame are opposite one
another, in parallel and provide a space 2~ in which the
compression spring 3 is located. Moreover, in the closed
position, the front wall 24 of the frame forms the closure of
-the entrance 11 of the casing. An advantage of the frame 2,
as compared with conventional drawer-like push-in slides, is
its small space re~uirement in the casing 1. The tape cassette 4
on the base 10 of the casing or on longitudinal ribs 12 thereof,
the position of which is merely indicated in Figure 1 and which
support the flat part of the cassette 4. The frame 2 thus does
not exert any supporting action on the tape cassette 4 since it
leaves the base 10 of the casing free.
The container in the present illustrative embodiment
is designed for the reception or removal of the cassette 4 in
an elongate format in any of its four possible orientations.
Fig~res 1 and 3 show the closed position of the container in
which the cassette 4 is stored so that it is protected from
` lOg4022
dust, shake-proof and locked against turning of its reel hubs.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the open position of the container
in which the front part of the frame projects from the entrance
11 of the casing and takes up an oblique position relative to
the base 10 of the casing. The frame is urged into the open
position under the pressure of the spring 3 and this is
initiated by unlocking a releasable holding device on the
front wall 24 of the frame and which responds to finger pressure.
This holding device comprises a notch 30 in the
upper flat side 9 and which forms a stop for a tooth 31 which
engages therein and is located on the frame 2 above the front
wall 24 of the frame. The notch 30 and the tooth 31 form the
holding device and can be unlocked in order to open the
container. For-this purpose, the front part of the frame 2,
carrying the front wall 24 and the tooth 31, is partially
separated from the remainder of the frame by the slots 32 in
the side parts 21 and 22. The front part which is isolated in
this way, is thus suspended on the narrow strips 33 which
are elastically deformable. Accordingly, when pressed by a
finger on the front wall 24, the tooth 31 reacts with a
downward movement until the holding device is completely
unlocked.
The frame 2 possesses two lugq 27 and 28 which are
arranged one behind the other longitudinally of the frame and
which, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, reach from above into the
reel hubs 13 of the cassette 4 and are fastened on the frame 2
in a man~er which is further described below. The tape
10940ZZ
cassettes 4 of the type which can be used have reel hubs 13
which are arranged asymetrically to the central axis of the
cassette, and this has restricted push-in slides hitherto
known to storage in only two orientations of the cassette.
In the present case, however, the lugs 27 and 28 are positioned
and dimensioned so that they make all the four orientation~
of the cassette in the frame 2 possible. The flat lugs 27 and
28 lie on the longitudinal axis of the frame 2 and thus also
on the longitudinal axis of the cassette and are mirror-
symmetric with respect to the latter. However, when acassette is turned by 180 about its longitudinal axis, the
two hole positions 13 and 13' each overlap by a common zone 13"
as Figure 1 shows. For this reason, the lugs 27 and 28 are
positioned and dimensioned in such a way that they protrude
into the capstan holes 13 only in the overlapping zone 13" and,
without exceeding the latter, are in engagement with the toothed
rim 14 of the tape reel hubs. The lugs 27 and 28 effect the
desired locking in the overlapping zone 13" because of the
position of the cassette 4 between the sides 21 to 24 of the
frame.
As Figure 4 makes clear, the frame 2, when in its
open position, takes up an obli~ue position with respect to the
base 10 of the tape casing, the entrance 11 of the casing being
unblocked on all sides. The part of the frame remaining in the
interior of the casing when in the open position should have a
greater length than the protruding part of the frame, i.e. the
_ 10 --
109402Z
front part in the following text, in order to prevent the
cassette 4 dropping out of the casing 1. During its advance
to the open position, the frame 2 is guided in such a way that
it first carries out a longitudinal movement and, subsequent
thereto, a tilting movement into the oblique position mentioned.
The longitudinal movement pushes the casAette 4 out of the
casing 1 by a desired distance, whilst the tilting movement
both unblocks the entrance 11 of the casing and the front part
of the cassette 4 and removes the lugs 27 and 28 from the reel
hubs 13.
In the open position, the frame 2 is pushed forward
as far as is permitted by the distance of the rear side 23 of
the frame in the closed position from a casing stop 35 located
in front thereof. This casing stop 35 protrudes li~e a tooth
from the upper flat side 9 of the casing into the interio~ of
the casing and is located immediately in front of and above
the rear lug 28. The distance of advance of the frame is thus
slightly greater than the distance from the rear side 23 of the
frame to the rear lug 28. Since this distance also corresponds
to the spacing between the front wall 24 of the frame and the
front lug 27, the frame 2 is pushed forward only until the
front lug 27 emerges from the entrance 11 of the casing. The
essential point is that on the base 10 of the casing there is
no stop corresponding to the casing stop 35. Therefore, under
the force of the spring, a torque is exerted on the rear side 23
of the frame when its upper edge 38 is in contact with the stop
35. Thus, the casing stop 35 forms a hinge for the frame 2.
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~0~40ZZ
However, the torque acting on this hinge swivels the
frame 2 into the described oblique position only after the
advance has ended, that is to say after the front lug 27 has
emerged from the entrance 11 of the casing. The part of the
frame which remains in the casing when in the open position,
must be suitably designed so that it is capable of swivelling.
In the present case, this is accomplished by chamfered sections
36 and 37 of the upper edges of the side parts 21 and 22 of the
frame. The chamfered edge sections 36 and 37 start at the level
of the front lug 27 and extend in a rising straight line up to
the upper edge 38 of the rear side 23 of the frame. In the
open position, the edge sections 36 and 37 are in contact with
the upper flat side 9 of the casing, that is to say their angle
of inclination corresponds to the swivelling angle of the
frame 2. This swivelling angle is of such a magnitude that the
rear lug 28 in the interior of the casing unblocks the capstan
hole 13, when in the open position. For this purpose, the rear
lug 28 is mounted on a triangular bracket 40 which extends
downwards from the upper edge 38 of the rear side 23 of the
frame at the same angle of inclination as the edge sections
36 and 37. In the closed position, the bracket 40 presses
resiliently onto the cassette 4 and, advantageously, effects
shake-proof contact of the cassette 4 with the base 10 of the
casing. The bracket 40 is also provided with a recess 41`which
is located in front of the rear side 23 of the frame and through
which the casing stop 35 protrudes during the advance. The
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10~402Z
front lug 27 is mounted on a tie 43 extending transversely
between the upper edges of the frame 2.
The frame 2, which carries out the swivelling movement
described above, and the provisions required to enable the rear
lug 28 to disengage from the capstan hole 13 virtually do not
require any extra space in the casing 1 so that it is possible
to adhere to the standard dimensions mentioned of the container.
It should also be pointed out that the cassette 4 is not eiected
from the casing 1 by, for example, inertia. The frame 2, and
with it the cassette 4 come to a standstill as soon as the
longitudinal advance is followed by the tilting movement and
in particular even before the frame 2 swivels into its obli~ue
position and laterally frees the tape cassette 4. The user is,
however, at liberty to hold the container, with the entrance 11
of the casing pointing obliquely downwards, in such a way that
the cassette 4 automatically slides into the open hand. Such
removal with one hand is frequently desirable, for example in
motor vehicles. The frame construction, which clears the
entrance 11 of the casing, also permits particularly simple
stowing of the cassette 4. It is merely necessary to insert the
cassette 4 in any desired longitudinal orientation into the
casing 1 and subsequently to tilt the frame like a cover over
the projecting end of the cassette and to push the frame in.
During both removal and stowing, lifting-off or placing-down,
respectively, of the cassette, which is necèssary with
conventional push-in containers, from or onto the base plate
- 13 -
10940Z2
of the push-in slide is thus eliminated.
A further advantage is that all the six container
walls are plane on the outside and are suitable for the
application of labelling so that inscribed container package~
are superfluous.
The above container is also suitable for releasably
fastening several like containers to one another, either side-
by-side along the narrow sides 6 and 7 or stacked above one
another along the flat sides 9 and 10. Examples of possible
connecting means are groove connections which are provided on
the sides 6, 7, 9 and 10 of the container. In Figure 5, such
groove-like complementary dove-tail connections 48 and 49 are
indicated on the narrow sides 6 and 7. When several containers
of this type are connected together along their narrow sides,
their upper flat sides 9 form a plane surface on which a common
picture with text can be mounted to indicate a work of music
which requires several cassettes. Grooves which correspond
to the groove connections 48 and ~9 and are not shown here, can
also be provided on the flat sides 9 and 10 so that several
containers can be pushed together to form a stack in which all
the inlets 11 of the containers are arranged one a~ove the other.
Since container stacks are known in themselves, a detailed
explanation or a graphic representation are superfluous. It
can ~e seen at once that, in a stack built up from the containers
described a~ove, each individual container is accessible for
stowing a cassette or removing a cassette, and the cassette can
_ 14 -
10940ZZ
also be removed unhindered from the lowest container
Various modifications of the above embodiment arepossible. For example, the casing stop 35 can be replaced by
a pin at each of the points 50 (Figure 5) on the narrow sideq
6 and 7 of the casing. The holding device can comprise a
pushbutton and can be locàted in the rear space of the casing
instead of in the entrance of the casing. Any suitable design
of spring can be used and it can be accommodated in any desired
manner between the rear walls 8 and 23. With respect to general
configuration, the container of the illustrative embodiment can
also be modified in such a-way that it is able to receive the
tape cassette in all four broadside orientations. Although
the container has been described with reference to music tape
c~assettes, it is likewise suitable for any type of tape
cassettes, in particular if it is important to adhere to
container sizes which are already standardised. Thus, the
container of the illustrative embodiment can be modified in such
a way that it is suitable for stowing and removing video tape
cassettes, in which case the components for locking the reel
hubs may then be unnecessary. With an appropriate adaptation,
if necessary, the container can be used for tape cassettes with
digital information thereon.
