Disclosed is a tape cassette for short-time recording having an interchangeability with a long-playing standard tape cassette. The short-time cassette has the external size and functions substantially the same as that of the standard tape cassette. The casing of the short-time tape cassette is provided with a large aperture the area of which is made larger than that of an aperture formed in the bottom of the standard tape cassette, owing to the reduction in the diameters of the reel flanges. With this arrangement, it is possible to accommodate the mechanism including the tape path within the outside dimensions of the tape cassette, thus allowing miniaturization of the mechanism of the apparatus which handles the tape. At the same time, a perfect interchangeability between the short-time tape cassette and the standard tape cassette is obtained, so that users can operate both types of the tape cassette on an identical player such as a VTR.
The magnetic tape cassette of the present invention has the opening portion into which the head drum having the rotary head is inserted. The pair of tape guide members which guide the tape-like record medium so that the record medium is helically wrapped around the head drum are provided in the inside of the opening portion so as to be able to swing independently. Thus, when the head drum is inserted into the opening portion, the two tape guide members are brought in circumferential contact with the peripheral surface of the head drum accurately. Therefore, the recording and/or reproduction can be reliably carried out, which can increase reliability of the magnetic tape cassette.
A tape cassette including a cassette case having a pair of tape reels having a recording tape wound therebetween and having an opening for providing access to the recording tape; a main lid pivotably mounted on opposite side faces of the cassette case; a top lid pivotably mounted on the main lid; and a guide apparatus. Upon opening or closing the main lid so as to provide access to the magnetic tape, the top lid is respectively moved rearwardly from a position in which the top lid covers an upper portion of the opening or forwardly so as to cover the upper portion of the opening. The guide apparatus guides the top lid during such movement thereof so as to avoid sliding or rubbing of a lower face of the top lid on an upper face of the cassette case.
A tape loading mechanism for a magnetic recording and reproducing device to pull out a magnetic tape from a tape cassette containing the magnetic tape to wind the magnetic tape for a predetermined winding angle around a rotating cylinder having a rotating head mounted thereon comprising an incoming-side tape pull-out guide device for pulling out the magnetic tape from the tape cassette to form an incoming-side portion of a tape running path, the incoming-side tape pull-out device having a plurality of tape guides which engage with the magnetic tape; first outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device for pulling out the magnetic tape from the tape cassette and winding the tape for a predetermined angle around the rotating cylinder, the first outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device having a first inclined tape guide to change the running direction of the magnetic tape upwardly; and second outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device for forming an outgoing-side portion of the tape running path in cooperation with the first outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device, the second outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device having a second inclined tape guide always located outside the tape cassette to engage with a magnetic surface side of the magnetic tape running from the first inclined tape guide to return the running direction of the tape to the height of the tape cassette. cooperation with the first outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device, the secodn outgoing-side tape pull-out guide device having a second inclined tape guide always located outside the tape cassette to engage with a magnetic surface side of the magnetic tape running from
A recording or reproducing apparatus for performing recording or reproduction by winding a tape around a rotary drum on which a plurality of heads are mounted includes a tape supply side guide post and a tape take-up side guide post for guiding the tape to the rotary drum, a tape supply side guide member and a tape take-up side guide member for respectively guiding the tape supply side guide post and the tape take-up side guide post, and a sensor for detecting an end portion of the tape. The sensor moves along a space portion formed by the tape supply side guide member and the tape take-up side guide member as the tape is being loaded and is located in the space portion when tape loading is completed.
A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus which includes a set of loading members for drawing out a magnetic tape accommodated in a tape cassette and wound around a set of reels disposed to contact the same plane. The tape storing portions of the tape cassette are directed along part of the outer peripheral surface of a rotary head cylinder in an approximately M-shape, and a single inclining member is provided in the vicinity of one tape storing portion for causing a tape travelling reference face of the magnetic tape drawn out from the tape storing portion to be inclined. The first loading member corresponding to the tape storing portion is rotatably supported at right angles with respect to the tape travelling reference face of the magnetic tape inclined by the inclining member, while the other loading member corresponding to the other tape storing portion is rotatably supported at right angles with respect to the tape travelling reference face of the magnetic tape drawn out from the other tape storing portion.
