Europaisches Patentamt
`
`9 European Patent Office
`
`Office européen des brevets
`
`@) Publication number:
`
`“
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`0 284 687
`
`A2
`
`(2)
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`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`
`@) Application number: 87309888.3
`
`int. Cl.4: G11B 23/107 , G11B 23/04
`
`@) Dateoffiling: 09.11.87
`
`
`
`Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE CH DE ES FR GB GRIT LI LU NL SE
`
`@)
`
`inventor: Laverriere, Guy P.
`49 Wentworth Street
`Biddeford Maine 04005(US)
`
`
` @) Priority: 31.03.87 US 32382
`
`@) Applicant: SHAPE INC.
`Biddeford Industrial Park P.O. Box 366
`
`@ Date of publication of application:
`Biddeford Maine 04005(US)
`05.10.88 Bulletin 88/40
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Representative: Skone James, Robert Edmund
`etal
`GILL JENNINGS & EVERY 53-64 Chancery
`Lane
`London WC2A 1HN(GB)
`
`@) Tape cartridge.
`
`@) A tapecartridge (56) has a spool hub (66)in-
`cluding an annular wail (68) with a set of centering
`ribs or projections (70') circumferentially spaced ar-
`ound the inside circumference thereof. These projec-
`tions direct, center and maintain a brake button (61)
`concentrical relative to the hub (66) to prevent the
`brake button (61) from becoming misaligned in the
`cartridge during assembly or use.
`In addition, the
`brake button includes a cross-shaped recess (73) for
`receiving
`a
`correspondingly
`shaped
`projection
`formed on the lower part of the cartridge to prevent
`the brake button from rotating and to facilitate as-
`sembly and prevent binding of the centered button.
`FIG.3
`
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`Xerox Copy Centre
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`SONY Exhibit 1007
`SONY Exhibit 1007
`SONY v. FUJI
`SONYv. FUJI
`
`

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`0 284 687
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`2
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`TAPE CARTRIDGE
`
`This invention relates to tape or ribbon car-
`tridges and is particularly concerned with an im-
`proved hub structure of such a cartridge which
`facilitates proper alignment of a brake button rela-
`tive to the hub.
`art as
`the
`in
`known
`Ribbon
`cartridges,
`include a single, circular
`"Segoma" cartridges,
`spool which is
`rotatable within a substantially
`square cartridge. The cartridge has an opening in a
`corner thereof to allow the ribbon wound on the
`spool to be withdrawn from the cartridge. There is
`also an opening in the top part of the cartridge,
`which allows the spool to be coupled to an external
`drive means to turn the spool and dispense the
`ribbon.
`:
`The spool includes a hub with an annular wail
`which,
`in the assembled cartridge, surrounds a
`circular brake button mounted on the bottom car-
`tridge part and biased by a coil spring. The brake
`button is intended to “brake” or prevent rotation of
`the spool, except when desired. That is, the coil
`spring normally biases the brake button against the
`hub to interlock corresponding,
`respective teeth
`and "brake" the spool. Only when the brake button
`is pushed back into the cartridge against the force
`of the spring via, e.g., the external drive means can
`the hub be rotated and the ribbon be dispensed.
`The diameter of the annular wall of the hub is
`significantly greater than the diameter of the brake
`button to allow easy mounting of the hub relative to
`the brake button during assembly. This difference
`in diameters results in a loose fit between the
`brake button and the hub, and this may cause the
`brake button to become misaligned,
`i.e.,
`lie off
`centre of the hub during assembly and/or use. As a
`result, the brake button cannot function properly to
`prevent undesirable dispensing of the ribbon and
`the external drive means cannot properly align with
`the brake button.
`it is an object of the present in-
`Accordingly,
`vention to provide a cartridge constructed in such a
`way as to help ensure positive, concentric align-
`ment of the brake buiton relative to the hub.
`The invention also provides a cartridge having
`a hub structure which may be maderelatively easy
`to manufacture, does not otherwise interfere with
`assembly or operation of the cartridge, and which
`provides facilitated movement of the brake bution
`relative to the cartridge.
`To this end, according to this invention, a tape
`cartridge which comprises:-(a)first and second car-
`tridge parts, (6) a circular brake button which has a
`substantially planar part
`, biased for movement
`between the first and second cartridge parts; and,
`(c) a spooi
`including a flange and an integrally
`
`the hub including a circular annular
`formed hub,
`wall projecting trorn one surface thereof, is charac-
`terised in that projecting means is formed on the
`inner circumference of
`the annular wail, and a
`surface of the projecting means abuts the circular
`periphery of
`the brake button and maintains a
`substantially concentric relationship between the
`circular brake button and the circular annular wall
`of the hub.
`These projecting means direct, centre and con-
`tain the brake button relative to the hub when
`assembled, thus preventing the brake button trom
`becoming misaligned in the cartridge during as-
`sembly and use, and ensuring proper engagement
`of the brake button with the external drive means.
`In addition,
`the brake button preferably also in-
`cludes a cross-shaped recess for receiving a cor-
`respondingly shaped projection formed on the low-
`er part of the cartridge. This configuration facilitates
`automated mounting of the brake button and pre-
`vents binding of the brake button once directed,
`centred and contained by projecting means.
`An example of type or ribbon cartridge in ac-
`cordance with the invention will now be described
`with reference to the accompanying drawings in
`which:-
`FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view of a
`conventional "Segoma"-type cartridge;
`FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of the
`brake button and spooi of
`the conventional car-
`tridge shown in FIG. 1, illustrating particularly, the
`off-centre orientation of the brake button relative to
`the hub of the spool;
`FIG. 3 is a side, cross-sectional view of the
`brake button and spool of a cartridge in accor-
`dance with illustrating particularly the brake button
`cenired withing ihe hub of the spool;
`FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view of
`the brake button, spring and cartridge base of the
`cartridge in accordance with the present invention,
`and, FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the spool of
`the cartridge in accordance with the present inven-
`tion,
`illustrating particularly the plurality of radial
`projections formed on the hub.
`"Segoma”
`FIG.
`1
`illustrates a conventional
`type cartridge 10. such a cartridge is also shown
`and described in US-A-4,383,660.
`The cartridge 10 includes a first half 11 and a
`second half 13 which are ultimately mated during
`assembly. Each half 11,13 has corresponding
`opening 12 in a corner thereof to allow the ribbon
`or tape 14 wound on a spool 16 to be withdrawn
`from the cartridge 10 via a leader 18 as known in
`the art. There is also an opening 20 in the first half
`11 which allows an external drive means (not
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`shown) access to a brake button 24 and the hub 17
`of
`the spool 16 to rotate the spool 16 during
`operation to supply the tape 14.
`More particularly, the spool 16 includes both
`the hub 17 and an integrally formed pianar flange
`19. As shown in more detail
`in FIG. 2, the hub 17
`includes a top portion 22 having three equally,
`radially spaced protuberances 40 (two shown)
`formed thereon which, during assembly, are de-
`formed to secure a metal disk (not shown). The top
`portion 22 also includes a plurality of radially dis-
`posed teeth 12 which couple with the external drive
`means, and a centrally formed opening 43 for
`receiving a first projection or button 50 formed on
`the brake button 24. The hub 17 also includes a
`
`botiem portion 36 from which extends a circular
`annular wall 38.
`.
`The brake button 24 includes a circular disk
`the first, upper projection 50 and a second,
`44,
`lower projection 52. When the hub 17 is mounted
`on the biased brake button 24 during assembly, a
`first step 41 of
`the circular disc 44 should be
`received by a first steo 46 formed in the hub 17
`and the first, upper projection 50 should center
`within the opening 43 formed in the hub 17. The
`second,
`lower projection 52 includes a rectangular
`recess 53 which is mounted on a rectangular pro-
`jection 26 formed on the second half 13 of the
`cartridge 10.
`The brake button 24 is biasly mounted via a
`coil spring 28. A first end 30 of the spring abuts the
`second half 13 of the cartridge 10 and a second
`end 32 of the spring 28 abuts the bottom portion
`36 of the brake button 24 to normally bias both the
`brake button 24 and the spool 16 resting thereon in
`the direction of the first half 11 of the cartridge 10.
`The inside diameter d of the annular wall 38 of
`the hub 17 is substantially larger than the outside
`diameter d’ of the disk 44 portion of the brake
`button 24. This intentional difference in diameters
`creates a loose fit between the brake button 24 and
`the annular wall 38 to facilitate assembly. However,
`as can be seen in FIG. 2,it is possible, due to this
`relatively loose fit,
`that the brake button 24 can
`become oriented off-center of the hub 17 during
`assembly or mishandling during use. Compare the
`center line x of the hub 17 with the center line y of
`the brake button 24 in FIG. 2. Of course, the biased
`nature of the brake button 24 aggravates this mis-
`alignment since the brake button 24 is necessarily
`urged in the misaligned position via the spring 28.
`As a result, the brake button 24 is effectively dis-
`engaged, which disadvantageously allows dispens-
`ing of
`the ribbon when the cartridge 10 is not
`coupled to the external drive means.
`In addition,
`the misaligned brake bution 24 interferes with
`proper coupling of the external drive means with
`the brake button 24.
`
`It has also been observed in the indusiry that
`the rectangular recess 53 formed in the projection
`52 has a tendencyto bind relative to the projection
`26 during assembiy and operation of
`the brake
`button 24. Further,
`these brake buttons 24 are
`mounted on the projections 26 by machines. It has
`also been observed that a rectangular recess 53
`and corresponding rectangular projection 26 do not
`provide the most time and cost efficient automation
`during assembly.
`these
`overcomes
`invention
`The
`present
`drawbacks as will now be described in relation to
`the preferred embodiments of the present invention
`shown in FIGS. 3-5.
`The present
`invention provides a means for
`ensuring positive, concentric alignment between
`the brake button and hub of a Segoma cartridge.
`More partricularly, the cartridge 56 of the present
`invention includes a spool 62 having both a flange
`64 and an integrally formed hub 66. The hub 66
`includes an annular wall 68 extending from the
`bottom portion 69 thereof.
`A brake button 60 includes a substantially flat
`disk 61, an upper projection 63 and a lower projec-
`tion 65. Again, a spring 67 biases the brake button
`60 in the direction of the first half 58 of the car-
`
`tridge 56.
`A projecting means 70 is formed to extend
`from the inner circumference of the annular wall 68
`of the hub 66. The projecting means 70 preferably
`includes an abutting surface 72 which is angled
`relative to a plane tangential to the annular wall 68
`of the hub 66. That is, the projecting means 70 is
`wider near the area that
`the annular wall 68 is
`connected to the flange 64 than at the free end 74
`of the annular wail 68.
`As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, preferably, the
`projecting means 70 is six projections or centering
`ribs 70’
`integrally molded to be equally, radially,
`spaced about the inner circumference of the an-
`nular wall 68. Alternatively, the projecting means 70
`can constitute a single, continuous annular ring 70°
`as indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 3.
`Each projection 70’
`is about
`.3 inches high,
`about
`.19 inches wide at its widest portion and
`about .05 inches wide at its narrowest portion. Each
`projection 70’ also includes two outer curves 76
`about .05 radius and an inner curve 77 also about
`.05 radius. These curves 76, 77 cause the abutting
`surface 72 of the projection 70’ to include angled,
`contoured steps which gradually and positively re-
`ceive and position the circular brake button 60
`concentrically relative to the hub 66 as discussed
`below.
`
`Due to the projecting means 70, when the hub
`66 is assembied relative to the brake bution 60, the
`projecting means 70 necessarily receives. the cir-
`cumferential border of the disc 61 of the brake
`
`10°
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`button 60, contains the brake button and maintains
`the brake button in the desired position,
`i.¢., on
`center with the hub 66, as illustrated by the co-
`incident center lines "2" of the brake button 60 and
`the hub 66.in this position, the first step 78 formed
`on the bottom portion 69 of the hub 66 advanta-
`geously receives the first step 80 formed on the
`brake button 61.
`The lower projection 65 of the brake button 60
`preferably includes a cross-shaped recess 73
`formed therein, which receives in sliding relation a
`cross-shaped projection 75 formed on the second
`half 79 of the cartridge 56. Of course, a cross-
`shape is the equivalent of four, substantially colum-
`nar projections extending from the second half 79
`of the cartridge 56. The combination. of the cross-
`shaped recess 73 and projection 75 leads to less
`binding therebetween during assembly and opera-
`tion of the brake button 60.
`In addition, this con-
`figuration also facilitates assembly by making the
`machine's task of mounting the brake button 60 on
`the second half 79 of the cartridge 56 easier.
`As can be seen, incorporation of the projecting
`means 70 requires only minimal modifications to
`the structure of the hub 66. In addition, the projec-
`ting means 70 does not otherwise interfere with
`assembly or operation of the cartridge 56. And yet,
`the projecting means 70 allows positive seating of
`the brake button 60 relative to the hub 66 once
`assembied. Further,
`the means for mounting the
`brake button 60 relative to the second half 79 of
`the cartridge 56 further facilitates assembly and
`prevents binding of the centred brake button 60.
`
`Claims
`
`1. A tape cartridge (10,56) comprising:-
`(a) first and second cartridge parts (11,12);
`(b) acircular brake button (24,60), which has
`a substantially planar part (44,61), biased for move-
`ment between thefirst and second cartridge parts;.
`and ,
`-
`(c) a spool (16,62) including a flange (19,64)
`and an integrally formed hub (17,66) the hub in-
`cluding a circular. annular wall
`(38,68) projecting
`from one surface thereof; characterised in that pro-
`jecting means (10) is formed on the inner circum-
`ference of the annular wall (68), and a surface (72)
`of the projecting means abuts the circular periph-
`ery of the brake button and maintains a substan-
`tially concentric relationship between the circular
`brake button and the circular annular wail of the
`hub.
`2. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the
`projecting means comprises a plurality of projec-
`tions (70) spaced circumferentially around the inner
`circumference of the annular wall (68).
`
`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`50
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`55
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`3 A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the
`projecting means is a single, continuous annular
`ring (70").
`.
`4. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1
`to 3, wherein the projecting meansis radially wider
`near the end of the annular wall connected to the
`hub than at the free end of the annular wall.
`5. A cartridge according to claim 2,
`in which
`there are six projections (70") equally spaced ar-
`ound the inner circumference of the annular wail.
`6. A cartridge according to any one of
`the
`predeeding claims, wherein the brake button (60)
`includes a projection (65) on one surface thereot
`including a cross-shaped recess (73) formed there-
`in, and one of the cartridge parts (79) includes a
`corresponding cross-shaped projection (75) formed
`thereon the cross-shaped projection being slidingly
`received in the cross-shaped recess.
`in
`7. A tape cartridge according to claim 1,
`which the projecting means (70) comprises; a plu-
`rality of projections (70') in equally spaced circum-
`ferential relationship, each projection being radially
`wider at an end of the annular wail connected to
`the hub than at a free end of the annular wall and
`in which a surface of each of the projections abuts
`_the circular periphery of the brake button to main-
`tain the substantially concentric relationship be-
`tween the brake button and the annular wail of the
`hub.
`8. A cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the
`brake button (60) includes a projection (65) on one
`surface thereof having a cross-shaped recess (73)
`formed therein, and one of the cartridge parts (79)
`includes a corresponding cross-shaped projection
`(75) formed thereon the cross-shaped projection
`being slidingly received by the cross-shaped re-
`cess.
`
`ci
`
`zy
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`

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`££ O™N
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`0 284 687
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`0 284 687
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`¢Old
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`Nz,SEER
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`SSIZZESE
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`4
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`0 284 687
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`65
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`log> 8 FIG. 4
`73 SnreSs
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