Function checking system for magnetic tape cassette

• Main Author: HAYASHI; YOUICHI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.02.1991
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS

A tape cassette has a reel provided with a flange the outer periphery of which is toothed so that top lands and bottom lands are alternately formed. A brake mechanism includes a brake lever which can be swung between an engaging position in which its engaging portion abuts against one of the bottom lands and a retracted position in which the engaging portion is away from the teeth, and an urging spring which urges the brake lever toward the engaging position. A checking system which checks whether the brake mechanism can function correctly includes an instrument body which is movable in a first direction toward an operative position, an abutment member which is supported on the instrument body so that it can be swung relative to the instrument body in a second direction opposite to the first direction and abuts against the brake lever while the instrument body is moving toward the operative position, a balancer which impart light load to the abutment member in the first direction so that the abutment member urges the brake lever toward the retracted position under the light load against the force of the urging spring, a spring which imparts heavy load to the abutment member in the first direction when the abutment member is displaced under the counterforce of the brake lever by a predetermined amount relative to the instrument body in a second direction.