Tape cartridge
A tape cartridge has a tape housing, first and second reel member cooperate with each other to constitute a reel around which a tape is wound, a connecting and biasing member connecting between the first and second, and first and second engaging means. The first engaging means is provided on an inner surface of the lower wall. The second engaging means is provided on a lower surface of the second reel member. This arrangement allows that the second engaging means can engage with the first engaging means due to a biasing force caused by the connecting and biasing member to prevent a rotation of the second reel member and can disengage from the first engaging means when the drive shaft accesses the second reel member through the opening and forces the second reel member toward the first reel member against the biasing force of the connecting and biasing member.
1. A tape cartridge comprising:
a tape housing having an upper wall and a lower wall defining a tape housing therebetween, the lower wall having a circular opening defined therein through which a drive shaft can access;
a first reel member positioned in the tape housing and supported by the upper wall for rotation about an axis extending through a center of the circular opening;
a second reel member positioned in the tape housing for rotation about said axis and having an outer peripheral surface extending around the axis for winding the tape therearound;
a connecting and biasing member mounted between the first and second reel members and connecting between the first and second reel members so that a rotation of the second reel member causes a rotation of the first reel member and biasing the first and second reel members away from each other toward the upper and lower walls, respectively;
a first engaging means provided on an inner surface of the lower wall to oppose said second reel member; and
a second engaging means provided on a lower surface of the second reel member to oppose said first engaging means so that, when the drive shaft is out of engagement with the second reel member, the second engaging means engages with the first engaging means due to a biasing force caused by the connecting and biasing member to prevent a rotation of the second reel member relative to the tape housing and, when the drive shaft engages with the second reel member through the opening and forces the second reel member toward the first reel member against the biasing force of the connecting and biasing member, a rotation of the drive shaft can be transmitted from the second reel member through the connecting and biasing member to the first reel member to cause simultaneous rotations of the first and the second reel members.
2. The tape cartridge of claim 1 , wherein either or both of the first and the second engaging means have a number of teeth continuously or discretely arranged around the axis.
3. The tape cartridge of claim 2 , wherein each of the teeth of the first and second engaging means has an intermediate surface extending substantially parallel to the axis.