Tape cassette storage box coupling accessory

Claim 2

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory to be coupled with a tape cassette storage box (58) which comprises a storage box body (62) for holding a micro cassette (60); a cover (64) coupled with said storage box body (62) so as to be able to rotate between a first position in which said cover (64) houses, in cooperation with said storage box body (62), the micro cassette (60) held in said storage box body (62) and a second position in which said cover (64) allows said micro cassette (60) to be removed from said storage box body (62); a first engaging means (20) formed on one (66) of two lateral faces of said storage box body (62) intersecting the axis of rotation of said cover (64); and a second engaging means (22) formed on the other (68) of said two lateral faces, comprising: a first lateral face (12) having a first engaging means (20) formed thereon; and a second lateral face (14) disposed in parallel with said first lateral face (12) and having a second engaging means (22) formed thereon, the improvement in which the distance between said first and second lateral faces (12, 14) is set so that the distance between said one lateral face (66) of a first tape cassette storage box (58) and said other lateral face (68) of a second tape cassette storage box (58) is substantially equal to the longitudinal length of a compact tape cassette when the second engaging means (22) of said other lateral face (68) of said first tape cassette storage box (58) and the first engaging means (20) of said one lateral face (66) of said second tape cassette storage box (58) are engaged with the first engaging means (20) of said first lateral face (12) and the second engaging means (22) of said second lateral face (14) of said accessory, respectively.

Claim 3

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 1, further comprising first and second faces (16, 18) connected with said first and second lateral faces (12, 14) and isolated from each other, at least one of said first and second faces (16, 18) including a holding means (78) for removably holding the micro cassette (60) in a position to intersect said first and second faces (16, 18).

Claim 4

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 2, wherein said holding means (78) includes a cavity being defined by an inner peripheral surface (80) to hold at least part of the surface of the micro cassette (60).

Claim 5

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 1, further comprising first and second faces (16, 18) connected with said first and second lateral faces (12, 14) and isolated from each other, said first face (16) including a holding means (78) for removably holding the micro cassette (60) in a position to intersect said first and second faces (16, 18), and said second face (18) including at least one of said first and second engaging means (20, 22).

Claim 6

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 4, wherein said holding means (78) includes a cavity being defined by an inner peripheral surface (80) to hold at least part of the surface of the micro cassette (60).

Claim 7

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 1, further comprising first and second faces (16, 18) connected with said first and second lateral faces (12, 14) and isolated from each other, at least one of said first and second faces (16, 18) including at least one of said first and second engaging means (20, 22).

Claim 8

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein said first and second faces (16, 18) are disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles to said first and second lateral faces (12, 14), and are located flush with the surfaces of said first and second tape cassette storage boxes (58) when said accessory is coupled with said cassette storage boxes (58).

Claim 9

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of said first and second lateral faces (12, 14) has a rectangular shape, said first engaging means (20) includes first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) formed in the four corners of said first lateral face (12) and having the same length and the same direction for engagement, a first guide plate (32) formed between the first engaging click (24) and the third engaging click (28) located in the direction of the engaging length of said first engaging click (24) and guiding to engage with said first or third engaging click ' (24, 28) is guided in engagement, and a second guide plate (34) formed between the second engaging click (26) located in a direction to cross the direction of the engaging length of said first engaging click (24) and the fourth engaging click (30) located in the direction of the engaging length of said second engaging click (26) and guiding to engage with said second or fourth engaging click (26, 30) is guided in engagement, and said second engaging means-(22) includes first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) formed in the four corners of said second lateral face (14) and having the same length and the same direction for engagement, a third guide plate (50) formed between the first engaged click (42) and the third engaged click (46) located in the direction of the engaging length of said first engaged click (42), whereby said first or third engaged click (42, 46) is guided in engagement, and a fourth guide plate (52) formed between the second engaged click (44) located in a direction to cross the direction of the engaging length of said first engaged click (42) and the fourth engaged click (48) located in the direction of the engaging length of said second engaged click (44), whereby said second or fourth engaged click (44, 48) is guided in engagement.

Claim 10

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 8, wherein said first and second lateral faces (12, 14) and said first and second engaging means (20, 22) are integrally formed out of a plastic material with elasticity by injection molding.

Claim 11

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 9, wherein said first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) and said first and second guide plates (32, 34) are isolated from one another, said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) of said first engaging means (20) protrude from said first lateral face (12) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent away from said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) along a direction substantially parallel with said first lateral face (12), said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) of said first engaging means (20) protrude from said first lateral face (12) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent away from said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) along the direction substantially parallel with said first lateral face (12), said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) of said second engaging means (22) protrude from said second lateral face (14) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent toward said second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) along a direction substantially parallel with said second lateral face (14), said second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) of said second engaging means (22) protrude from said second lateral face (14) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent toward said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) along the direction substantially parallel with said second lateral face (14), and the respective projected ends of the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) and the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) have chamfer portions (72) formed along their respective directions for engagement, so that the respective chamfer portions (72) of the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box (58) is brought into contact with the respective chamfer portions (72) of the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first'engaging means (20) of said accessory when said second engaging means (22) of said tape cassette storage box (58) is brought into contact with said first engaging means (20) of said accessory along a direction to cross the engaging direction of said first engaging means (20).

Claim 12

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second guide plates (32, 34) of said first engaging means (20) includes an engaging device (35), and at least one of the third and fourth guide plates (50, 52) of said second engaging means (22) includes an engaged device (53), so that the engaging device (35) of said first engaging means (20) engages the engaged device (53) of said second engaging means (22) to maintain the engagement between the first engaging means (20) of said accessory and the second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box (58) until an external force exceeding a given level is applied to said accessory and said tape cassette storage box (58) when the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) get engaged with the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20).

Claim 13

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 11, wherein said first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) and said first and second guide plates (32, 34) are isolated from one another, said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) of said first engaging means (20) protrude from said first lateral face (12) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent away from said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) along a direction substantially parallel with said first lateral face (12), said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) of said first engaging means (20) protrude from said first lateral face (12) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent away from said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) along the direction substantially parallel with said first lateral face (12), said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) of said second engaging means (22) protrude from said second lateral face (14) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent toward said second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) along a direction substantially parallel with said second lateral face (14), said second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) of said second engaging means (22) protrude from said second lateral face (14) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent toward said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) along the direction substantially parallel with said second lateral face (14), and the respective projected ends of the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) and the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) have chamfer portions (72) formed along their respective directions for engagement, so that the respective chamfer portions (72) of the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box (58) is brought into contact with the respective chamfer portions (72) of the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) of said accessory when said second engaging means (22) of said tape cassette storage box (58) is brought into contact with said first engaging means (20) of said accessory along a direction to cross the engaging direction of said first engaging means (20).

Claim 14

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 11, wherein the first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) and the third guide plate (50) of said second engaging means (22) are connected with one another, and the second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) and the fourth guide plate (52) of said second engaging means (22) are connected with one another and isolated from said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) and said third guide plate (50), the engaging device (35) of said first engaging means (20) includes openings (36) formed severally in the central regions of said first and second guide plates (32, 34) along the direction for guidance thereof, whereby said central regions are isolated from said first lateral face (12), a first stopper (38) formed in the central region of said first guide plate (32) nearer to said first engaging click (24) than to said third engaging click (28) and projecting in the same direction with the projected end portions of said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28), and a second stopper (40) formed in the central region of said second guide plate (34) nearer to said fourth engaging click (30) than to said second engaging click (26) and projecting in the same direction with the projected end portions of said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30), and the engaged device (53) of said second engaging means (22) includes a first engaged projection (54) formed in the central region of said third guide plate (50) along the direction for guidance thereof and projecting in the same direction with the projected end portions of said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46), and a second engaged projection (56) formed in the central region of said fourth guide plate (52) along the direction for guidance thereof and projecting in the same direction with the projected end portions of said second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48), so that the first and second engaged projections (54, 56) of said second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box abut against the first and second stoppers (38, 40) of said first engaging means (20) of said accessory, respectively, to maintain the engagement between the first engaging means (20) of said accessory and the second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box until an external force exceeding said given level is applied to said accessory and said tape cassette storage box when the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) get engaged with the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20).

Claim 15

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 13, wherein said first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) and said first and second guide plates (32, 34) are isolated from one another, said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) of said first engaging means (20) protrude from said first lateral face (12) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent away from said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) along a direction substantially parallel with said first lateral face (12), said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) of said first engaging means (20) protrude from said first lateral face (12) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent away from said first and second engaging clicks (24, 28) along the direction substantially parallel with said first lateral face (12), said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) of said second engaging means (22) protrude from said second lateral face (14) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent toward said second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) along a direction substantially parallel with said second lateral face (14), said second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) of said second engaging means (22) protrude from said second lateral face (14) substantially at right angles thereto with the projected ends thereof bent toward said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) along the direction substantially parallel with said second lateral face (14), and the respective projected ends of the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) and the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) have chamfer portions (72) formed along their respective directions for engagement, so that the respective chamfer portions (72) of the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box (58) is brought into contact with the respective chamfer portions (72) of the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20) of said accessory when said second engaging means (22) of said tape cassette storage box (58) is brought into contact with said first engaging means (20) of said accessory along a direction to cross the engaging direction of said first engaging means (20).

Claim 16

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 14, wherein the first and second engaged projections (54, 56) of said second engaging means (22) are hollow.

Claim 17

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 9, wherein the first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) and the first guide plate (32) of said first engaging means (20) are connected with one another, the second and fourth engaging clicks (26, 30) and the second guide plate (34) of said first engaging means (20) are connected with one another and isolated from said first and third engaging clicks (24, 28) and said first guide plate (32), the first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) and the third guide plate (50) of said second engaging means (22) are connected with one another, the second and fourth engaged clicks (44, 48) and the fourth guide plate (52) of said second engaging means (22) are connected with one another and isolated from said first and third engaged clicks (42, 46) and said third guide plate (50), an engaging member (90) is formed in the central region of at least one of said first and second guide plates (32, 34) along the direction for guidance thereof, and first and second engaged projections (54, 56) are formed in the central regions of said third and fourth guide plates (50, 52) along the direction for guidance thereof, respectively, so that one of the first and second engaged projections (54, 56) of said second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box gets engaged with the engaging member (90) of said first engaging means (20) of said accessory to maintain the engagement between the first engaging means (20) of said accessory and the second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box until an external force exceeding a given level is applied to said accessory and said tape cassette storage box when the first to fourth engaged clicks (42, 44, 46, 48) of said second engaging means (22) get engaged with the first to fourth engaging clicks (24, 26, 28, 30) of said first engaging means (20).

Claim 18

A tape cassette storage box coupling accessory according to claim 13, wherein the engaging member (90) of said first engaging means (20) includes a pair of engaging projections (92, 94) arranged along the guiding direction of said first and second guide plates (32, 34), so that one of the first and second engaged projections (54, 56) of said second engaging means (22) of the tape cassette storage box engaged with the engaging member (90) of said first engaging means (20) of said accessory comes in contact with the pair of engaging projections (92, 94), lying between said engaging projections (92, 94).