Molding mold, molding method and tape cartridge

Abstract

A molding mold and a molding method are disclosed, for molding a flange configuration in which a flange of a reel hub portion can be maintained in a predetermined configuration. Also a tape cartridge is disclosed, which can securely prevent a tape-shaped recording medium from touching at the flange while the tape cartridge is being used. In the molding mold for molding, a flange configuration is produced, which is provided with a reel hub portion having a flange and a hub arranged at a substantially center of the flange and an insert portion disposed at a substantially center of the reel hub portion at an opposite side of the hub, and which includes: an insert attaching portion; a flange forming portion for forming the flange; and a hub forming portion for forming the hub; wherein in a forming surface of at a side of the hub forming portion of the flange forming portion, a dimension of a circular area over from a root end of the hub forming portion to a substantially intermediate portion between the root end and a circumferential end of the flange forming portion, is corrected in view of deformation upon molding.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A tape cartridge, comprising: 
 a case;    a reel hub portion molded using a molding mold rotatably accommodated in said case, wherein the molding mold comprises: 
 a reel hub portion having a flange;  
 a hub arranged at a substantial center of said flange;  
 an insert portion disposed at a substantial center of said reel hub portion at an opposite side of said hub;  
 a stationary side mold;  
 a movable side mold; and  
 a cavity formed between said stationary side mold and said movable side mold;  
   said cavity, including: 
 an insert attaching portion for attaching said insert portion by an insert molding;  
 a flange forming portion for forming said flange; and  
 a hub forming portion for forming said hub; and  
   a tape-shaped recording medium wound around a hub of said reel hub portion;    wherein said reel hub portion has a pair of flanges and said hub, and has said insert portion at an opposite side of said hub, and    wherein in a molding surface at a side of said hub forming portion of said flange forming portion, a dimension of a circular area over from a root end of said hub forming portion to a substantially intermediate portion between said root end and a circumferential end of said flange forming portion is corrected in view of deformation upon molding.    
   
   
       11 . The tape cartridge according to  claim 10 , wherein a gradient of an inner surface of said flange molded in a molding surface of said flange forming portion is formed so as to be substantially linearly reduced from said root end of said hub to said circumferential end of said flange.  
   
   
       12 . A tape cartridge, comprising: 
 a case;    a reel hub portion molded using a molding mold rotatably accommodated in said case, wherein the molding mold comprises: 
 a reel hub portion having a flange;  
 a hub arranged at a substantial center of said flange; and  
 an insert portion disposed at a substantial center of said reel hub portion at an opposite side of said hub;  
 a stationary side mold;  
 a movable side mold; and  
 a cavity formed between said stationary side mold and said movable side mold;  
   said cavity, including: 
 an insert attaching portion for attaching said insert portion by an insert molding;  
 a flange forming portion for forming said flange; and  
 a hub forming portion for forming said hub; and  
   a tape-shaped recording medium wound around a hub of said reel hub portion;    wherein said reel hub portion has a pair of flanges and said hub, and has said insert portion at an opposite side of said hub, and    wherein in a molding surface at a side of said hub forming portion of said flange forming portion, a dimension of a circular area over from a root end of said hub forming portion to a substantially intermediate portion between said root end and a circumferential end of said flange forming portion, is corrected, so that height from a reference position at a side of said insert portion is set to be larger than the dimension before correction of said dimension.    
   
   
       13 . A tape cartridge, comprising: 
 a case;    a reel hub portion molded using a molding mold and rotatably accommodated in said case, the molding mold comprising: 
 a reel hub portion having a flange;  
 a hub arranged at a substantial center of said flange; and  
 an insert portion disposed at a substantial center of said reel hub portion at an opposite side of said hub, comprising: 
 a stationary side mold;  
 a movable side mold; and  
 a cavity formed between said stationary side mold and said movable side mold, said cavity, including: 
 an insert attaching portion for attaching said insert portion by an insert molding;  
 a flange forming portion for forming said flange; and  
 a hub forming portion for forming said hub; and  
 
 
   a tape-shaped recording medium wound around a hub of said reel hub portion;    wherein said reel hub portion has a pair of flanges and said hub, and has said insert portion at an opposite side of said hub, and    wherein in a molding surface at a side of said hub forming portion of said flange forming portion, in a circular area over from a root end of said hub forming portion to a substantially intermediate portion between said root end and a circumferential end of said flange forming portion, height from a reference position at a side of said insert portion is gradually reduced from the root end to the circumferential end so that a degree of its reduction is large as compared with that of reduction from said substantially intermediate portion to said circumferential end.