DE9001718U1 - Removable cassette - Google Patents

Description

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Pelikan AG Hanover, 12.2.90

AD: 89/5

Removable cassette

-Q The invention relates to a changeable cassette for a double reel consisting of a supply reel, a take-up reel and a film-coated carrier tape which is wound from a tape supply on the supply reel to the take-up reel and is attached to the latter by means of a leader tape,

Supply and take-up reels housed in the parent cassette housing, which has two side walls supported against each other by intermediate webs

and the carrier tape is guided from the supply reel to the take-up reel via an application foot that protrudes outwards from the cassette housing.

The use of such removable cassettes has recently become known in connection with __ smaller handheld devices, which are particularly used in the office

have found their way into the market, whereby interchangeable cassettes with carrier tapes with different coatings, such as an adhesive film or a cover film (cover-up tapes) for covering written material, are known on the market. In one and the same handheld device , the inserted cassette can be changed easily to

differently coated tapes, whereby such a device can only be used for different purposes by changing the cassette. Likewise, if the tape contained in a cassette has already completely given up its film layer and is thus "used up",

_ is to quickly continue using the device by inserting another cassette.

device.

If such a device is used essentially for one and the same type of cassette, then the convenience of a quick cassette change

However, this is offset by slightly increased expenses, which result from 35

that when the tape supply in a cassette is used up, the old cassette is thrown away.

«and a new cassette must be inserted. These additional costs are fully justified if the special coating of the carrier tape in the cassette should exclude the risk or possibility of the user interfering with the cassette, which is the case, for example,

This is the case with certain adhesive coatings, as these are extremely susceptible to contamination and even the smallest amount of contamination can lead to significant malfunctions in the cassette. However, with other coatings, such as cover films (cover-up tapes), this risk is not present, so it may also be desirable for such tapes, at least in the event that

\ they prefer and often for such a less sensitive to pollution

In the interest of increased efficiency, the type of coating used for the carrier tape should also be designed to be reloadable, so that the cassette can be quickly exchanged for another cassette (with the same or a different carrier tape) if required, but the used cassette no longer has to be thrown away but can be reloaded.

The invention is intended to remedy this situation and propose an interchangeable cassette structure that ensures both easy cassette replacement by replacing the entire cassette and the reloadability of an individual cassette as such.

) 25 According to the invention, this is achieved with a removable cassette of the type mentioned

/Art is achieved by providing a side wall of the cassette housing with a swivel-away, hinged or removable side wall area to release a replacement opening, (.Veh through which the double spool can be inserted into or removed from the cassette housing.

The cassette according to the invention combines the advantage of an interchangeable cassette, which basically enables a quick cassette change in the receiving device, with that of a reloadable cassette. In principle, it is therefore sufficient for the user of a corresponding handheld device to purchase two ^such reloadable cassettes, whereby he can then replace them after the image supply of one of the receiving cassettes has been used up.

Double spool (consisting of the supply spool, the take-up spool and the carrier tape) and replaces it with a fresh double spool. To reload, he first places the supply spool through the receiving opening in the cassette housing with the side wall part open, guides the tape out of the housing via the open side wall at the point provided for it, over the protruding application foot, then on the opposite lipcionHon \C accAttoncotttaniuanr. &aacgr;&tgr;\ &EEgr;&agr;&ggr; Haf i it* uAiOACAUonorv ^+&lgr;&Igr;Ia iw.as-Ja»· t**v x4*»c

The cassette is then returned to the inside of the housing and the take-up reel, to which the carrier tape is already attached via a leader tape, is placed in the designated place inside the housing. Finally, the receiving opening is closed again by the side wall section and the cassette is reloaded.

This makes such cassettes particularly economical to use, while at the same time still maintaining the advantage of the removable cassette

jg is preserved and also in the case that sometimes a cassette with a

If a carrier tape with a different coating is to be used, the quick exchange of the two cassettes in the device is still possible without any problems.

Preferably, in the exchangeable cassette according to the invention, the side wall 2Q area is designed to be hinged and is connected to the rest of the

Overview of the Ssiter.w3nd ^a ri ^ao ! ^o r.kti For *^ ^A n FsH that the S ^o itsr.Mr ^f 3r.'^ ^e ri**r interchangeable cassettes are made of plastic, in particular polypropylene (which is probably the norm), a particularly simple, inexpensive and extremely reliable design of the folding hinge ( 25) consists in the fact that it is designed as a film hinge. A "film hinge"

is a hinge integrated into the relevant side wall, i.e. a hinge without eyelets and bolts, which can be manufactured in one piece with the side wall, in particular by injection molding. Such foil hinges represent a very thin, foil-like connection between the two sections, which is only a few tenths of a millimeter thick,

but can withstand an extraordinary number of alternating bends, is easy to fold, at the same time has an (often desired) elastic spring return effect, is inexpensive to manufacture and ensures that the two parts that can be folded towards each other ^are nevertheless securely fastened to each other ·

When the removable side wall area is connected to the rest of the side wall via a folding hinge, it is particularly advantageous to provide a device with which the folding side wall area can be locked in its opened position so that the user's two hands are free to insert the double coil through the insertion opening without the opened side wall area accidentally folding shut. Preferably, the device for locking the folding side wall area is designed in the form of a tongue attached to it and projecting from it to the other side of the hinge axis, which

Opening the side wall area into the interior of the cassette housing f and in the opened state of the side wall area with a

in a suitably designed locking receptacle located inside the cassette. Such a locking receptacle can preferably be designed as a shaped cam attached to the opposite side wall.

which can be brought into locking engagement with the free end of the tongue when the hinged side wall area reaches its opening position. In this way, effective locking is reliably guaranteed using simple means.

A further, advantageous development of the inventive side cassette is that the folding axis of the folding side wall area runs in the area of the corresponding cassette side wall that lies between the application foot and the coil of the (25 double coil arrangement closest to it. This has the advantage that the folding axis then

an area close to the attachment of the application foot within the cassette, thus within an area that is already particularly stable due to the pressure forces exerted on the application foot by the user during application, in order to be able to transfer the forces acting on the device and, via this, on the cassette to the application foot safely and without problems. It is particularly advantageous if the slight weakening of the corresponding cassette side wall caused by the folding axis is in an area that is already reinforced per se for other reasons, i.e. the connection between the two cassette side walls via suitable crossbars is reinforced there compared to other areas of the cassette.

Another, also preferred embodiment of the exchange cassette according to the invention is that the side wall area does not open up to release the exchange opening, but can be swung away to the side via a suitably attached rotating hinge within the relevant side wall plane. With this embodiment, it is not necessary that after the exchange opening has been released, the swung away side wall section requires its own locking mechanism in its swung-out position, because there is hardly any danger that it could undesirably swing back automatically in its swung-out position.

Particularly preferably, in an exchangeable cassette according to the invention, the removable or pivotable or hinged side wall area is also provided with a device for locking it in its position closing the exchange opening in order to prevent unwanted opening with the risk of the inserted double spool falling out.

The invention is described in more detail below using the drawing as an example. Here:

Fig. 1 shows an office device with an inserted removable cassette according to the invention in the opened state;

} 25 Fig. 2 the representation according to Fig. 1, but with a side wall area of the

Cassette is folded up, in the state immediately after inserting a new double spool;

Fif 3 a double coil as a reloading unit for an exchangeable cassette according to the invention;

Fig. it is an enlarged detailed view of the side wall provided with the hinged side wall area to show the axis of the folding hinge in the form of a film hinge, with locking tongue;

Fig. 5 an enlarged (partially sectioned) side view of a detail

an (empty) exchangeable cassette according to the invention in the area of the folding hinge with the exchange opening closed;

Fig. 6 the representation from Fig. ?, but with the side wall area folded open and locked in this position, and

• ig. 7 a new, useful cover for a corresponding cassette, which is equipped with a side wall area that can be swung away to the side ( ^{in the} open state).

In Figs. 1 and 2, an office device 1 is shown which consists of two device halves, namely a device base 2 and a device cover 3, which are pivotably attached to each other via a joint arch k .

A holder 5 for an exchangeable cassette 6 is formed in the lower part of the device 2.

The interchangeable cassette 6 has a cassette housing 6' which has an upper side wall 7 (Fig. 1), a lower side wall 8 opposite it (Fig. 2) and crossbars 9 (Fig. 2) which support the two side walls against each other and keep them at a certain distance from each other.

The upper side wall 7 (i.e. the one on top when the cassette is inserted) consists of two side wall sections 7a, 7b, whereby the smaller side wall section 7b

is firmly connected to the lower side wall 8 via corresponding crosspieces 9, while the side wall section 7a is designed as a side wall area that can be folded upwards (Fig. 2) and is attached to the smaller section 7b via a folding hinge 21.

3When the side wall area 7a is folded up, a replacement opening is released on the cassette housing ⁶¹ , which is dimensioned so large that a so-called "double spool" can be inserted into the cassette 6 or the double spool contained in the cassette can be removed from it.

Such a double coil 10 is shown in Fig. 3: it consists of a supply

reel 11 on which a tape supply 13 is wound, which consists of a film-coated carrier tape 15, at the beginning of which a leader tape Ik is attached, which is fastened to a take-up reel 12. In the ready-to-insert &ngr;

In this state, such a band 14 or 15 connected, %

double coil arrangement 10, referred to as "double coil", in the in Ä

Fig. 3 shown form, i.e. it is in this form in

appropriate packaging containers.

As shown in Fig. 2, when a double spool is inserted, the amount of power on the supply spool

(dispenser reel) 11 located tape supply 13 of film-coated carrier tape

{ 15 and to a at the front end of the cassette 6 from this

projecting application foot 16. The application foot 16 is at its end, as

Fig. 2 clearly shows, provided with an application bar that allows

at the application point, the band 15 with a very small radius around the application foot 16 and the film layer can be transferred from the carrier tape 15 to a suitable substrate. From the application foot 16, the carrier tape 15 is returned to the cassette 6 via a spring bar 17, which serves to build up a uniform tape tension, on the upper

Outside of the tape supply 13 on the supply reel U and then the

The supply reel 11 and the take-up reel 12 are seated on corresponding pivot pins (not shown in the figures) when the exchangeable cassette 6 is inserted into the hand-held device 1. These pivot pins are located in the holder 5 of the device 1 and are connected one above the other in a rotationally locked manner with the interposition of a slip clutch (not shown) in such a way that the pulling movement of the tape 15 from the supply reel 11 simultaneously causes a corresponding drive of the take-up reel 12. In the lower housing side wall 8, a locking tongue 19 is also punched out, which engages in a suitable toothing on the front of the take-up reel 12. (not shown) and allows movement of this coil only in the drive direction, but blocks it in the opposite direction.

On the hinged side wall area 7a, as shown in Fig. 2 and in particular in Hen i ig. 5 and 6 is shown in an enlarged view, according to the Position of the intermediate webs 9 locking projections 26 are formed, which in the Intermediate webs 9 formed central openings TJ when folded

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state of the side wall area 7a and cause a locking mechanism there, so that when the side wall area 7a is folded in, the side walls 7 and 8 are coupled to one another via the intermediate webs 9. 5

The folding hinge 21 enables the foldable side wall area 7a to be pivoted about a hinge axis A-A (Fig. 1), whereby the position of this hinge axis A-A lies between the fastening point of the application foot 16 and the spool closest to it, namely the supply spool 11. It proves to be advantageous if the size of the folding

side wall area 7a is selected so that the double coil 10 is easily inserted , or removed, whereby an unnecessary size of the receiving opening should generally be avoided. The position of the folding hinge 21 should be as close as possible to the

Fastening points of the application foot 16, because these

Fastening points, for example by means of additional stiffening bars 9' (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), are particularly well suited to the transmission of forces between the individual cassette housing parts in order to transfer the pressure forces exerted by the user via the housing of the device 1 onto the cassette housing 6 in in a corresponding form to the application foot 16. Here, the interchangeable cassette 6 is therefore designed to be stiffened, which is why the folding hinge 21 should preferably be attached there.

The design of the folding hinge 21 between the two side wall parts ( 26 7a and 7b can be made in any suitable form. Since

However, since such cassette housings are usually plastic injection-molded parts, which are often made of polypropylene or similar plastic, it is advisable to use a particularly cost-effective and highly effective design in the form of a so-called "film hinge". The design of the folding hinge 21 in the form of such a film hinge is shown in Fig. 4 in an enlarged perspective view. The film hinge consists of a corresponding wedge-shaped incision, which locally reduces the original wall thickness H of the ^tip wall to a much smaller thickness h at the bottom of the recess, whereby a one-piece connection of the two side wall areas 7a and 7b is retained, but a smooth pivoting around the folding

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axis or hinge axis A-A is possible. The use of such film hinges is only possible if the side wall 7 of the cassette is made of plastic, the elasticity of which also allows a sufficient number of hinge foldings without tearing off the bottom of the recessed groove 21.

As can be seen in particular from Fig. *, _a tongue-shaped extension 20 -Si ₆ - is provided on the foldable side wall 7a, which projects beyond the hinge axis AA to the other side thereof and is located there in a corresponding cutout, which when the side wall area 7a is folded open

/\ is pivoted into the ^other of the cassette housing S ¹ ,

5 and 4, which show a (enlarged) side view of an exterior of such an interchangeable cassette 6 (partially sectioned).

In this case, on the side wall 8 of the cassette housing 6' opposite the side wall /, in a position corresponding to the folding axis A-A on the side wall 7, a locking receptacle 22 is provided, which has a suitably designed shaped cam on its upper side: this shaped cam is provided with an inlet rounding 23 on its front, inlet-side end,

?Q over which the rear end of the tongue 20 when pivoting into the interior of the

cassette housing as shown by the arrow in Fig. 5 and is then guided into a locking groove 24 in which it is held in place next to a stop 25. The design of the surfaces 23 and 24 and the arrangement of the stop 25 are selected such that, as Fig. 6 shows, the ( ) 25 locking position takes place exactly in a position of the opened side wall area 7a in which it is exactly or approximately vertically upwards.

Fig. 5 also shows how a locking projection 26 engages in a central recess 27 of an intermediate web 9 when the receiving opening is closed, i.e. when the side wall area 7a is folded shut. Due to the overall elasticity of the cassette housing made of plastic, the locking position shown in Fig. 6 can be easily canceled again if the user applies pressure to the folded side wall area 7a again in the direction of its closed position. The force required to overflow the free

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The small deflections required at the end of the tongue 20 over the inlet rounds 23 are easily made possible by the cassette side wall 7.

The locking receptacle 22 is preferably designed as a single piece with the associated side wall 8 of the interchangeable cassette, but could also be manufactured as a separate part and attached to it later. It would also be possible to place the hinge axis A-A so close to an IQ intermediate web S that the locking receptacle 22 on the relevant

Intermediate web 9 could be attached.

Fig. 7 finally shows the representation of another embodiment of a interchangeable cassette 6, in which the opening of the cassette side wall 7 can be opened not via a side wall area 7a that can be folded upwards, but rather via a side wall area 7a that can be pivoted outwards about a pivoting pin 28, the pivoting movement here taking place within the clamping plane of the side wall 7.

For the double reels used in such interchangeable cassettes, film-coated tapes of almost any type of coating can be used. However, it is particularly recommended to use reels for so-called "cover-up" tapes, i.e. carrying tapes 15 in which the film coating consists of a suitable covering layer which covers the substrate when transferred (characters, drawings, etc.), ^since these tapes are less susceptible to soiling than, for example, tapes with an adhesive film.

Claims (1)

Pelican ACj
«&igr;. &Zgr;.: 89/5 Expectations 1. Interchangeable cassette for a supply reel, a take-up reel and a bar reel from the supply reel to the take-up reel . _n guided, film-coated, attached to this by means of a conveyor belt Carrier tape consisting of a double reel, the supply reel and the take-up reel being accommodated in a cassette housing which has two side walls supported against each other by intermediate webs, and the carrier tape being guided from the supply reel to the take-up reel via an application foot projecting outwards from the cassette housing, characterized in that at b a side wall (7) of the cassette housing (6') is provided with a pivotable, foldable or removable side wall area (7a) for releasing a replacement opening through which the double spool (10) can be inserted into or removed from the cassette housing (6'). 2. Interchangeable cassette according to claim 1, characterized in that the side walls (7ä) is hinged via a Kiäppschäfnief \i\i to the Resibeficn \7u> of the side wall (7). C oc ^. Interchangeable cassette according to claim 2, in which at least the side walls (7, 8) made of plastic, characterized in that the folding hinge is designed as a film hinge (21). Interchangeable cassette according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a device (20, 22) for locking the unfolded
(7a) in its unfolded position. Device (20, 22) for locking the hinged side wall area 30 5. Interchangeable cassette according to claim k, characterized in that the device for locking the hinged side wall area (7a) comprises a tongue (20) attached to it and projecting beyond the hinge axis (A-A) 35 which, when the side wall area (7a) is opened, extends into the interior of the cassette housing (6') and, when the side wall area (7a) is folded open, it releasably engages in a locking receptacle (22) provided inside the cassette.
5 6. Interchangeable cassette according to claim 5, characterized in that the locking receptacle (22) is designed as a shaped cam (23, 24, 25) fastened to the opposite side wall (8) and which can be brought into locking engagement with the free end of the tongue (20). 7. Interchangeable cassette according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the folding axis (A-A) of the foldable side wall area (7a) is arranged in the area of the cassette side wall (7) between the application foot (16) and the spool (11) closest to it. 8. Exchangeable cassette according to claim 1, characterized in that the side wall area (7a) can be pivoted away within the side wall plane via a rotary hinge (28) to release the exchange opening. 9. Exchangeable cassette according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the side wall region (7a) is provided with a device (26) for locking in its position closing the exchange opening.