Tape cartridge of compatible type

Abstract

A tape cartridge capable of recording and reading out large and small tape cartridges with different widths is provided. The tape cartridge comprises a pair of right and left hubs for winding a tape which is winded off from one hub and is wound around the other hub via tape guides. A passage for light injection and a passage for light ejecting of the tape end detection light are opened respectively on a side wall of a case of a main body facing a tape traveling path between the tape guide and the hub, and an optical path inverted body facing a pair of passages across the tape traveling path is arranged in the case of the main body. One of the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges is formed at a prescribed distance from the reference surface.

1 . A compatible type tape cartridge capable of recording and reading out large and small tape cartridges with different widths in common with a same tape driver, comprising:
 a pair of right and left hubs for winding a tape arranged in a case of a main body, said pair of hubs being designed so that tape wound off from one hub is wound around the other hub via tape guides arranged on the front, right, and left of said case of said main body and also being connected with start and terminal ends of said tape via leader tapes,   a passage for light injection and a passage for light ejecting of a detection light opened respectively on a side wall of said case of said main body facing a tape traveling path between said tape guide and said hub, and   an optical path inverted body facing said passages and across a tape traveling path arranged in said case of said main body,   wherein defining one of upper and lower surfaces of said case of said main body as a reference surface, one of the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges is formed at a prescribed distance from the reference surface, and upper and lower adjacent spaces between the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges differ in response to a difference of widths and measurement of the case of the main body between the large and small tape cartridges.   
   
   
       2 . A compatible type tape cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the passage for light injection is opened at said upper part and said passage for light ejecting of the detection light is opened at said lower part respectively on right and left side walls of said case of the main body,   wherein defining the lower surface of the case of the main body as a reference surface, the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges are formed at a prescribed distance from the reference surface.   
   
   
       3 . The compatible type tape cartridge according to  claim 1  or  2 ,
 wherein a first light path inverted body is comprised of a prism comprising a transparent plastic material, and said first light path inverted body is provided with a horizontal lateral optical guide having one end extending to the inside surface of the passage for light injection and a vertical longitudinal optical guide projected downward extending from the inner end of the lateral optical guide integrally,   wherein at upper and lower ends of the inner side of the longitudinal optical guide, reflection surfaces inclined against respective lateral and longitudinal optical guides by 45 degrees are formed respectively.   
   
   
       4 . A compatible type tape cartridge according to  claim 1  or  2 ,
 wherein a second light path inverted body is comprised of a square pole plastic mold formed in a block, and on side surfaces directly opposed to the passage for light injection and the passage for light ejecting, trapezoidal recess portions are formed, and at upper and lower ends of the recess portion, reflection surfaces are formed and inclined against a vertical surface and a horizontal surface by 45 degrees.   
   
   
       5 . A compatible type tape cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a plurality of identification holes for identifying the classification information specific to said tape cartridge are formed on the outer surface of said case of said main body, and each of said identification holes corresponds to classification information so as to set a depth measurement of each identification hole to be long or short in response to the corresponding classification information, whereby detection of the depth measurements of said identification holes gives classification information of the tape cartridge on the side of the tape deck.   
   
   
       6 . A compatible type tape cartridge according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the identification holes are arranged in a right and left direction near to one right end or one left end of the rear end of the case of the main body.   
   
   
       7 . A compatible type tape driver capable of recording and reading out large and small tape cartridges with different widths, said tape cartridges comprising a case of a main body, a passage for light injection and a passage for light ejecting of a detection light opened respectively on a side wall of said case of said main body, and an optical path inverted body facing said passages arranged in said case of said main body, wherein defining one of upper and lower surfaces of said case of said main body as a reference surface, one of the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges is formed at a prescribed distance from the reference surface, and upper and lower adjacent spaces between the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges differ in response to a difference of widths and measurement of the case of the main body between the large and small tape cartridges,
 wherein said driver comprises two light emitting elements and one light receiving element, and in detecting said large and small cartridges, said detection light is detected by the same light receiving element.   
   
   
       8 . A compatible type tape driver capable of recording and reading out large and small tape cartridges with different widths, said tape cartridges comprising a case of a main body, a passage for light injection and a passage for light ejecting of a detection light opened respectively on a side wall of said case of said main body, and an optical path inverted body facing said passages arranged in said case of said main body, wherein defining one of upper and lower surfaces of said case of said main body as a reference surface, one of the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges is formed at a prescribed distance from the reference surface, and an upper and lower adjacent spaces between the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges differ in response to a difference of widths and measurement of the case of the main body between the large and small tape cartridges,
 wherein said driver comprises one light emitting element and two light receiving elements, and in detecting said large and small cartridges, said detection light is emitted by the same light emitting element.   
   
   
       9 . A compatible type tape driver capable of recording and reading out large and small tape cartridges with different widths, said tape cartridges comprising a case of a main body, a passage for light injection and a passage for light ejecting of a detection light opened respectively on a side wall of said case of said main body, and an optical path inverted body facing said passages arranged in said case of said main body, wherein defining one of upper and lower surfaces of said case of said main body as a reference surface, one of the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges is formed at a prescribed distance from the reference surface, and upper and lower adjacent spaces between the passages for light injection and the passages for light ejecting in the large and small tape cartridges differ in response to a difference of widths and measurement of the case of the main body between the large and small tape cartridges,
 wherein said driver comprises one light emitting element and one light receiving element, and one of said light emitting element and said light receiving element is capable to move up and down, and in detecting said large and small cartridges, said one of elements is used to receive or emit said detection light.