US 12,257,827 B2
Tape cassette
Koshiro Yamaguchi, Kakamigahara (JP); Akira Sago, Seto (JP); Takashi Horiuchi, Kariya (JP); Yasuhiro Iriyama, Mie-gun (JP); Yasuhiro Shibata, Okazaki (JP); Tsuyoshi Nagae, Kasugai (JP); Masato Kato, Kasugai (JP); and Teruo Imamaki, Nissin (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Jun. 19, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/211,412.
Application 18/211,412 is a continuation of application No. 17/339,374, filed on Jun. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,707,938.
Application 17/339,374 is a continuation of application No. 16/866,950, filed on May 5, 2020, granted, now 11,052,685, issued on Jul. 6, 2021.
Application 16/866,950 is a continuation of application No. 16/256,604, filed on Jan. 24, 2019, granted, now 10,675,894, issued on Jun. 9, 2020.
Application 16/256,604 is a continuation of application No. 15/866,000, filed on Jan. 9, 2018, granted, now 10,226,949, issued on Mar. 12, 2019.
Application 15/866,000 is a continuation of application No. 15/250,310, filed on Aug. 29, 2016, granted, now 10,201,988, issued on Feb. 12, 2019.
Application 15/250,310 is a continuation of application No. 14/641,681, filed on Mar. 9, 2015, granted, now 9,498,988, issued on Nov. 22, 2016.
Application 14/641,681 is a continuation of application No. 12/732,457, filed on Mar. 26, 2010, granted, now 9,427,988, issued on Aug. 30, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 2009-088440 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088441 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088456 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088460 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-088468 (JP), filed on Mar. 31, 2009; application No. 2009-156355 (JP), filed on Jun. 30, 2009; application No. 2009-156357 (JP), filed on Jun. 30, 2009; application No. 2009-156369 (JP), filed on Jun. 30, 2009; and application No. 2009-156371 (JP), filed on Jun. 30, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2023/0331011 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 15/04 (2006.01); B41J 2/325 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 32/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 15/044 (2013.01) [B41J 2/325 (2013.01); B41J 3/4075 (2013.01); B41J 11/009 (2013.01); B41J 32/00 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tape cassette comprising:
a cassette case having a first end portion and a second end portion separated from the first end portion in a first direction, the cassette case including:
a first spool positioned in the cassette case, the first spool on which a tape is wound, and the first spool positioned closer to a third end portion of the cassette case in a second direction than to a fourth end portion being separated from the third end portion in the second direction, the first spool positioned closer to the second end portion than to the first end portion in the first direction;
a second spool positioned in the cassette case, the second spool on which an ink ribbon is wound, the second spool positioned closer to the fourth end portion than to the third end portion in the second direction, and the ink ribbon positioned closer to the first end portion than to the second end portion in the first direction;
a tape drive roller rotatable about an axis extending in a third direction, the drive roller allowing the tape to be discharged from inside of the cassette case, the tape drive roller positioned closer to the first end portion of the cassette case in the first direction than to the second end portion, the tape drive roller positioned closer to the third end portion of the cassette case than the fourth end portion of the cassette in the second direction, and
an arm positioned at the first end portion, the arm extending in the second direction, the arm having a first outer surface facing a portion of the cassette case in the first direction and a second outer surface opposite side of the first outer surface in the first direction, and the arm has an exit allowing the ink ribbon to be discharged toward the tape drive roller from inside of the cassette case, wherein the cassette case has a third outer surface and a fourth outer surface being separated from the third outer surface in the third direction,
wherein a portion of the third outer surface being positioned closer to the second end portion than the first end portion in the second direction, the portion of the third outer surface positioned outside of the first spool and the second spool,
wherein the cassette case has a first aperture and a second aperture positioned at the portion of the third outer surface,
wherein the first aperture extending in the third direction toward the fourth outer surface in the third direction,
wherein the second aperture extending in the third direction toward the fourth outer surface in the third direction, and
wherein the second aperture is separated from the first aperture in the second direction, and
wherein a shape of the second aperture is different from a shape of the first aperture in the second direction.