The present invention relates to a case for a magnetic tape cassette and, in particular, to an improved case for a magnetic tape cassette which is used to keep an audio magnetic tape cassette.
Conventionally, a magnetic tape cassette (which will be hereinafter referred to simply as a tape cassette) for use in an audio equipment or the like includes a front opening portion into which a magnetic head is inserted when the tape cassette is loaded into a record/reproduce apparatus or the like, and a magnetic tape so mounted as to cross the front opening portion. Therefore, in order to prevent dust from going into the tape cassette through the front opening portion as well as to protect a magnetic tape exposed to the front opening portion and protect the entire the tape cassette, the tape cassette is normally kept in such a manner that it is stored in a plastic case for a magnetic tape cassette (which will be hereinafter referred to simply as a storage case).
FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively show conventional storage cases. Description will be given below of the storage cases respectively shown in these figures.
The storage case 1 shown in FIG. 10 includes a cover part 11 and a casing part 12 which is connected to the cover part 11 openably and closably. Here, the cover part 11 includes a cover side opposing wall 13 to extend along one surface of a tape cassette 2, and a pocket 14 which is disposed at one end side of the cover side opposing wall 13 and into which a front opening portion 21 of the tape cassette 2 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 10, an index card 3 and the tape cassette 2 can be inserted along the cover side opposing wall 13 into the pocket 14.
And the casing part 12 includes a casing side opposing wall 15 for covering the other surface of the tape cassette 2 loaded into the cover part 11, pivotally mounting portions 16 for connecting the casing side opposing wall 15 to the cover part 11 rotatably, and a pair of rotation preventive projections 17 respectively provided on the casing side opposing wall 15. The pivotally mounting portions 16 can be formed in such a manner that two shaft-like projections fittable into bearing holes respectively formed in the two side walls of the pocket 14 of the cover part 11 are projectingly provided in the corresponding inside portions of the casing part 12, whereby the cover part 11 and casing part 12 can be connected to each other in a mutually rotatable manner. Referring to the operation of the rotation preventive projections 17, when the casing side opposing wall 15 is rotated about the pivotally mounting portions 16 and is closed with respect to the cover part 11, the rotation preventive projections 17 are respectively engaged with hubs 22 provided in the tape cassette 2 to prevent the tape from being loosened while it is kept.
The width W1 of the index card 3 is set equal to or slightly smaller than the width W2 of the tape cassette 2.
On the other hand, the storage case 4 shown in FIG. 11 is one which is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho. 63-52782. The storage case 4 is improved in such a manner that it is made smaller in thickness to reduce the keeping space thereof. In FIG. 11, like parts as in FIG. 10 are given the same designations to thereby simplify the description thereof.
The storage case 4 is structured such that the tape cassette 2 is inserted from the opposite side of the tape cassette 2 into the storage case 4. That is, in the storage case 4, the tape cassette 2 is inserted into the pocket 14 of the cover part 11 from the rear end side thereof so that the front opening portion 21 of the tape cassette 2 is situated at the opening side of the storage case 4. And in the cover side opposing wall 13 and casing side opposing wall 15, there are respectively formed recessed portions 18 and 19 for receiving the thickness increased portion 23 of the tape cassette 2 disposed at the front opening portion 21 side thereof.
In this structure, the projecting portion of the increased thickness portion 23 of the tape cassette 2 can be absorbed within the plate thickness dimensions of the cover side and casing side opposing walls 13 and 15 to thereby be able to reduce the thickness dimension L1 of the whole storage case 4 considerably, which in turn can reduce the keeping space of the case as well as can improve the portability thereof.
For reference, in FIGS. 10 and 11, an arrow (a) indicates the opening and closing direction of the cover part 11 and an arrow (b) indicates the insertion direction of the index card 3 into the cover part 11.
In either of the above-mentioned conventional storage cases, the index card 3 is arranged such that the width dimension W0 of the title portion thereof is so set to be tightly fittable into the pocket 14 of the cover part 11, thereby preventing the index card 3 from being removed from the pocket 14. However, if the insertion and removal of the tape cassette 2 into and from the storage case 1 are repeated, then the index card 3 becomes gradually easier to slip off from the pocket 14 and, therefore, there is a possibility that, when the tape cassette 2 is taken out, the index card 3 can slip off from the pocket 14.
Also, in the storage case 4 shown in FIG. 11, since the recessed portion 18 formed in the cover side opposing wall 13 is covered with the index card 3, the increased thickness portion 23 of the tape cassette 2 becomes hard to be received by the recessed portion 18, which makes it difficult to close the cover part 11 and casing part 12 completely. Also, because part (a portion corresponding to the recessed portion 18) of the index card 3 is pressed by the increased thickness portion 23 of the tape cassette 2, there can be produced unnatural wrinkles or uneven surface portions in the index card.
In either of the storage cases 1 and 4 respectively shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the tape cassette insertion side is preset and, thus, if the tape cassette is inserted oppositely in error, then the case cannot be closed but the insertion side of the tape cassette 2 must be corrected before it is inserted again. That is, there exists handling inconvenience in the storage cases 1 and 4.