JP2876413B2 - Moving Method of Storage Medium Storage Unit in Storage Medium Library Device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of moving a recording medium storage unit in a recording medium library device, and in particular, to control the movement of each recording medium storage unit when selecting a desired recording medium cartridge. The present invention relates to an optical disk library device or the like which can shorten the average access time to a recording medium cartridge.

[Conventional technology]

Optical Disk Library (OLU: Optical Disk Libra)
The ry unit is a device that stores and drives an optical disk cartridge (hereinafter, referred to as a cartridge). The optical disk library device includes a multi-stage storage rack that stores a plurality of cartridges, and an optical disk drive (hereinafter, referred to as a drive) that drives the cartridges (reads or reads / writes an optical disk).
Transfer the cartridge between the insertion slot of the device and the storage rack, transfer a desired cartridge from the storage rack to the drive, or return the cartridge used in the drive to the storage rack. And a transport mechanism. The transport mechanism has a holder which holds a cartridge taken in from a storage rack or a drive and reciprocates as appropriate between the storage rack and the drive, and transports the cartridge between the storage rack and the drive by the holder. Things.

However, the conventional optical disk library device is
It is a large one that is fixedly (permanently) installed while occupying a large space in a particular public facility or company, and cannot be used easily.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Therefore, instead of using a large storage rack that is fixedly installed, a magazine-type optical disc library device in which a magazine containing a plurality of cartridges is detachably mounted so that it can be appropriately replaced with another magazine is considered. ing. By using a detachable magazine in place of such a large storage rack, the library device can
It is compact and easy to use.
FIG. 6 shows an example of such an optical disk library apparatus. In the optical disk library apparatus, a magazine 4 containing one cartridge 1 in each cell C is mounted so as to be vertically movable in front of a drive 2. Have been. Further, a guide pocket 6 is provided between the magazine 4 and the drive 2 to mediate the transfer of the cartridge 1 between the magazine 4 and the drive 2. It is fixed in a state where it faces and is aligned. In this apparatus, when a desired cartridge 1 is transferred from the magazine 4 to the drive 2, first, the desired cartridge 1 is transferred.
By the housed cell (eg, cell C ₁ in the top-level) is specified by a button operation or the like, the magazine 4
Is moved up and down (in this case, downward) along the linear guide 6 by an appropriate moving means until the cell C ₁ is aligned with the guide pocket 6 in the horizontal direction (indicated by a two-dot chain line). You. Thus, the desired cartridge 1 is fed into the drive 2 via the guide pocket 6, and is driven by the drive 2. During this driving, the magazine 4 is stopped and the drive of the cartridge 1 is waited for to be completed. Drive 2 in this way
At the end is driven by the cartridge 1 is returned to the original cell C ₁ via the guide pocket 6 again. Thereafter, the magazine 4 until the next cell C is specified, the cell C ₁ is to wait while the guide pocket 6 and the counter aligned position. That is, in the library device, the magazine 4 is to stand by at the latest (final) position.

However, in the this type of optical disk library unit, in particular, the least significant cell Cn is specified when the magazine 4 is waiting at a position where the cell C ₁ in the uppermost aligned with the pocket 6, as described above In this case, the magazine 4 must be moved by a considerable distance (ie, approximately the entire length of the magazine 4 in the vertical direction) by the moving means until the cell Cn is aligned with the guide pocket 6. For this reason, the time from when the cell Cn is designated to when the cartridge 1 housed in the cell Cn is selectively taken out of the magazine 4 (hereinafter referred to as access time) becomes longer. Furthermore, such a prolonged access time causes
Cell C near the cell C ₁ or the lowest cell Cn of the uppermost
Is also waiting when the robot is waiting at a position aligned with the guide pocket 6. As a result, the library device has a problem that the average access time for each cartridge stored in the magazine is prolonged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage means moving method capable of shortening an average access time to a recording medium cartridge in a compact and easily usable storage means exchange type recording medium library apparatus. Is what you do.

[Means for solving the problem]

The recording medium container moving method according to the present invention has a plurality of storage positions for storing a recording medium cartridge in a removable manner, and is detachable from the main body so that it can be exchanged with another storage magazine at a time. A storage magazine provided with a guide groove, a drive unit for introducing the recording medium cartridge from the storage magazine and reading at least the recording medium, and moving the storage magazine up and down to a desired storage position in the storage magazine. Is selectively positioned at a predetermined position corresponding to the driving means, a table on which the storage magazine is mounted, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the table up and down, and provided on both side surfaces of the storage magazine. And a pair of locking pins that engage with the respective guide grooves and guide the storage magazine up and down. And a step in which the recording medium cartridge is introduced into the driving means from the storage position positioned at the predetermined position, or the recording medium cartridge is returned to the storage position from the driving means. The casing is made portable so that the casing is portable, and in a state where the storage magazine is removed, an entrance of the driving means opens to the outside,
Thus, in the recording medium library device in which a desired recording medium cartridge can be manually inserted into the driving means, a position where a substantially central portion of the storage magazine in the moving direction faces the entrance of the driving means is a standby position. And the movement by the moving means is performed with the standby position as a base point.

(Operation)

When reading (or writing if necessary) the recording data of a desired recording medium cartridge, a specific storage position in which the recording medium cartridge is stored is designated,
The storage magazine is relatively moved by the moving means so that the specific storage position is positioned at a position corresponding to the entrance of the driving means. After positioning the desired storage position in this way, the recording medium cartridge at the storage position is sent to the driving unit.

When the necessary read / write drive by the drive means is completed,
The cartridge is returned to the storage position. When such return is completed, the storage magazine is moved by the moving means to a standby position where a substantially central portion in the moving direction is opposed to the entrance of the driving means, and the next storage position is designated in the standby position. Wait until When the next storage position is designated in this way, the storage magazine is moved from the standby position to a position where the next storage position faces the entrance of the driving means by the moving means. Thus, the cartridge at the next storage position is sent to and driven by the driving means, and then returned to the storage section again. When such a return is completed, the storage magazine returns to the standby position again. Hereinafter, each time the storage position of the storage magazine is designated, the above operation is repeated. If necessary, the storage magazine is exchanged for another storage magazine.

As described above, in the recording medium library device according to the present invention, the storage magazine stands by at the standby position where the substantially central portion in the moving direction faces the entrance of the driving means, and moves appropriately from the standby position as a base point. For example, even if the storage position located at the front end in the movement direction is specified, the distance that the storage magazine should move is about half of the total length in the movement direction. Become. as a result,
The average take-out time (average access time) of the cartridges stored in the storage positions of the storage magazine can be reduced.

Further, guide grooves are provided on both side surfaces of the storage magazine, and the moving means is provided on both sides of the storage magazine, a table for mounting the storage magazine, a vertical movement mechanism for moving the table up and down, and a storage unit. By including a pair of locking pins that engage with the respective guide grooves and guide the vertical movement of the storage magazine, the vertical movement of the storage magazine can be performed smoothly, and By detaching and inserting the storage magazine in the length direction of the groove, the storage magazine can be easily attached and detached without hindrance.Furthermore, even when the entire casing is carried, the storage magazine can be held by the engagement between the guide groove and the locking pin. Various excellent effects such as being able to be held safely are exhibited.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the present invention is embodied as an optical disk library device. In FIG. 1, components denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 6 perform the same functions as those in FIG.

In this optical disk library device, drive 2
Is for taking in the cartridge 1 from the opening 2a and driving it, and is fixed at a predetermined position in the rear of the casing 3. The magazine 4 has a plurality of storage positions (hereinafter, referred to as cells) C in which one cartridge 1 is stored so as to be freely taken in and out, and is arranged in a vertical direction. An opening 3 a formed in the front of the casing 3 is provided. Is mounted so that it can move up and down. Further, the magazine 4 is detachable so that it can be exchanged with another magazine at once for each magazine. Each cell C has a rectangular shape having a rear opening facing the drive 2 and a front opening on the opposite side.
The cell C is accommodated in the cell C in such a manner that its rear end protrudes from the front opening and the rear opening of the corresponding cell C.
The guide pocket 6 is fixed between the drive 2 and the magazine 4 in the casing 3, and has a rear opening 6 a and a magazine 4 which are horizontally aligned with the center of the front opening 2 a of the drive 2. Front opening 6b opening toward
And has a rectangular shape. The guide pocket 6 has a transfer path P between the cell C of the magazine 4 and the drive 2.
(Indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 3) to transport the cartridge 1. When the cartridge 1 is of a double-sided recording type, the cartridge 1 accessed by the head of the drive 2
The guide pocket 6 can be rotated by 180 degrees with respect to the drive 2 about a rotation axis parallel to the transfer path P by a suitable means so that the recording surface can be turned upside down (A / B inversion). Has become.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an elevating mechanism E for moving the magazine 4 up and down. The magazine 4 is mounted while supported on a table 8 that moves up and down along the linear guide G, and moves up and down with the table 8. In the initial state in which the magazine 4 is mounted as described above, the lowermost cell Cn of the magazine 4 is substantially opposed to the guide pocket 6 as shown by a solid line in FIG. 5A. Further, guide grooves 4a, 4a extending in the vertical direction over substantially the entire length of each side wall are provided on the outer surfaces of both side walls in the magazine 4, and the guide grooves 4a, 4a are fixed to the casing 3 respectively. Lock pins 9,9
Project slidably along the guide grooves 4a, 4a.
The table 8 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and is fixed to a slider 10 that slides along a linear guide G on one side wall portion adjacent to one side wall of the magazine 4. The slider 10 has an upper roller 11a and a lower roller 1a.
Both ends of the wire 12 wound with the wire 1b are connected. When the lower roller 11b is rotated by the motor M, the wire 12 is driven by the lower roller 11b to linearly move the slider 10, and therefore, the table 8 and the magazine 4 supported on the table 8. It is moved upward or downward along the guide G. By being moved in this manner, the magazine 4 is displaced vertically with respect to the guide pocket 6 and the drive 2, and the front opening 6 b of the guide pocket 6, and thus the front opening of the drive 2
The cells C that are aligned horizontally opposite to 2a are sequentially changed. The vertical movement of the magazine 4 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) for controlling, operating and managing the entire optical disc library apparatus. The movement of the elevating mechanism E is controlled so that C is positioned at a predetermined position corresponding to the front opening 6b of the guide pocket 6. At this predetermined position, the desired cell C is aligned with the opening 6b in the horizontal direction, and the magazine 4 is stopped at this position. The locking pin 9 guides the magazine 4, and when the magazine 4 moves up and down, prevents the magazine 4 from wobbling and the table 8 from rotating horizontally around the linear guide G via the slider 10. It is to prevent.

When the library device is turned on by a button operation or the like and a cell C containing a desired cartridge 1 is designated, the control unit moves the magazine 4 in a direction in which the designated cell C approaches the guide pocket 6. A drive start command signal is output to the motor M so as to be capable of being driven. Next, the control unit outputs a drive stop command signal to the motor M so that the magazine 4 stops at the position where the specified cell C is aligned with the front opening 6b of the guide pocket 6. Further, the control unit may control a center cell Cm located at the center of the magazine 4 (for example, when the magazine 4 has 13 cells, the seventh cell from the top,
When the magazine 4 has 12 cells, the sixth or seventh cell from the top) is the guide pocket 6.
The position which is opposed to and aligned with the front opening 6b of the magazine 4 is the always standby position of the magazine 4 (hereinafter referred to as the home position).
Is performed to perform the following. That is, when the cartridge 1 stored in a specific cell C in the magazine 4 is sent to the drive 2 to be driven and returned to the cell C, the control section sets the magazine 4 to the home position as described above. In order to move to the position, a drive start command signal and a drive stop command signal are output to the motor M as appropriate. In this way, the magazine 4 always stands by at the home position. By setting the position where the center cell Cm faces and aligns with the guide pocket 6 as the home position of the magazine 4,
In the library device, no matter which cell C in the magazine 4 is designated next, the distance that the magazine 4 must move is at most about 1/2 of the length of the magazine 4, and The average access time for each cartridge 1 stored in the cartridge 4 can be reduced.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of a feed mechanism F for transferring the cartridge 1 between the magazine 4 and the drive 2 via the guide pocket 6. FIG. That is, between the magazine 4 and the guide pocket 6, a pair of front rollers 14, 14 facing each other while being positioned on both sides of the transfer path P can rotate about vertical axes 14a, 14a. It is provided as follows. Also the front roller
Reference numerals 14 and 14 denote cartridges 1 protruding from the cells C which are horizontally aligned with the front opening 6b of the guide pocket 6.
It is provided so that it may be located on both sides of the tip of the. Further, the front rollers 14, 14 are movable between an operation position where the front rollers 14 approach the transfer path P to clamp the cartridge 1 and a standby position separated from the transfer path P. In this way, when the front rollers 14, 14 are in the operating position, the plurality of cartridges 1 stored in the magazine 4 are
The cartridge 1 of the cell C aligned with the opening 6b of the guide pocket 6 is selectively taken out and transferred to the drive 4, or the cartridge 1 used in the drive 4 is returned to the original cell C. Work.

A pair of central rollers 15, 15 are provided at the center of the guide pocket 6 so as to face each other while being positioned on both sides of the guide pocket 6. As shown in FIG. 4, each central roller 15 is composed of an upper roller 15a and a lower roller 15b capable of vertically holding one side of the cartridge 1 to be transferred in the guide pocket 6. The upper rollers 15a, 15a facing each other on both sides of the guide pocket 6 are connected by a horizontal shaft 15c so as to be able to rotate simultaneously, and the lower rollers 15b, 15b are connected by a horizontal shaft 15d so as to be able to rotate simultaneously. The surface of each of the rollers 15a and 15b is made of an elastic material such as urethane. The vertical interval S between the rollers 15a and 15b is equal to the thickness T of the cartridge 1 so that the upper roller 15a and the lower roller 15b can clamp the cartridge 1 by utilizing the elasticity of the elastic material. It is set smaller. In this way, the center feed rollers 15, 15
Functions to send out the cartridge 1 selectively sent from the magazine 4 to the drive 2 by the front feed rollers 14 and 14 and send the cartridge 1 used by the drive 2 to the magazine 4. Will be done.

Furthermore, between the guide pocket 6 and the drive 2,
A pair of rear rollers 18, 18 facing each other while being positioned on both sides of the transfer path P are provided so as to be rotatable about vertical axes 18a, 18a. The rear rollers 18 are located at the same height as the rear opening 6a of the guide pocket 6 and the front opening 2a of the drive 2. Further, the rear feed rollers 18, 18 are connected to the transfer path P.
, And a standby position separated from the transfer path P. In this way, when the rear rollers 18, 18 are in the operating position, the cartridge 1 sent out from the guide pocket 6 by the central rollers 15, 15 is sent to the drive 2 or the cartridge 1 used by the drive 2 is used. To the guide pocket 6.

Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the recording medium library device will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

First, the magazines 4 in which the desired cartridges 1 are previously stored in the respective desired cells C are manually inserted into the guide grooves 4a, and then lowered along the lock pins 9. While setting on the table 8. next,
When the library apparatus is designated a particular cell C is accommodated a desired cartridge 1 on (eg, cell C ₁ in the top-level) by button operation or the like, the lift mechanism E is suitably under the control of the control unit By operation, the magazine 4 moves downward, and as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5A,
The specified cell C ₁ is stopped while facing aligned with the guide pocket 6. Next, the cartridge 1 housed in the cell C ₁ is moved by the feed mechanism F into the guide pocket 6.
And is driven by the drive 2 via the drive 2. At this time, when the cartridge 1 is of a double-sided recording type and it is desired to drive both sides, the cartridge 1 is once taken into the guide pocket 6 by the feed mechanism F, and the guide pocket 6 is After being turned upside down by 180 degrees, it is fed into the drive 2 again. Cartridge 1 driven by drive 2
It is returned via the guide pocket 6 by the feed mechanism F to the cell C _1.

When a series of driving operations for one cartridge 1 are completed in this way, the elevating mechanism E appropriately operates under the control of the control unit, and as shown in FIG. 5B, the magazine 4 is moved to the center cell Cm. Moves upward to a position facing the guide pocket 6, and stops there.
Thus, the magazine 4 is positioned at the home position, and waits at the home position until the next cell C is designated. Thereafter, for example, when the lowest cell Cn is designated, the magazine 4 is moved upward by the elevating mechanism E to a position where the cell Cn faces and aligns with the guide pocket 6. At this time, the distance by which the magazine 4 is moved is the distance from the center cell Cm to the lowest cell Cn, that is, about 1/2 of the total length of the magazine 4 in the moving direction.
Is equivalent to The cartridge 1 housed in the lowermost cell Cn in this way is the uppermost cell
Is driven by the cartridge 1 in the same manner as in the drive 2 of C _1, then it is again returned to the cell Cn of the lowest. In this way, when a series of driving operations for the cartridge 1 of the lowest cell Cn is completed, the magazine 4 waits again at the home position.

Hereinafter, each time a specific cell C is specified for the magazine 4, the above-described operation is repeated. If necessary, the magazine 4 is exchanged for another magazine 4 at a time.

The present invention is not limited to an optical disk library device, but is also applicable to a magnetic disk cartridge or other disk cartridges, or a library device of a recording medium cartridge other than a disk cartridge.
When the recording medium is of a single-side recording type, the cartridge 1 may be directly transferred between the magazine 4 and the drive 2 without providing the guide pocket 6.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the storage magazine stands by at the standby position where the substantially central portion in the moving direction faces the entrance of the driving means, and moves appropriately from the standby position as a base point. For example, even if the storage position located at the front end in the movement direction is specified, the distance that the storage magazine should move is only about 1/2 of the total length in the movement direction. As a result, there is an excellent effect that the average take-out time for the cartridges stored in the respective storage positions of the storage magazine can be reduced. Further, guide grooves are provided on both side surfaces of the storage magazine, and the moving means includes a table on which the storage magazine is mounted, a vertical movement mechanism for vertically moving the table,
By including a pair of locking pins that respectively engage with the respective guide grooves provided on both side surfaces of the storage magazine and guide the vertical movement of the storage magazine, the vertical movement of the storage magazine Can be carried out smoothly, and the storage magazine can be easily attached and detached by inserting and removing the storage magazine in the length direction of the guide groove, and furthermore, the storage magazine can be removed even when the entire casing is carried. Various excellent effects such as safe holding by the engagement between the guide groove and the locking pin are exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire recording medium library apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing an example of an elevating mechanism for moving a magazine up and down, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a mechanism, FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a central roller provided on one side of a guide pocket in the feed mechanism, and FIGS. 5A and 5B are examples of the operation of the library device. Schematic side view to explain,
FIG. 6 is a schematic side view schematically showing a recording medium library apparatus using a cartridge magazine. 1 ... Cartridge, 2 ... Drive, 4 ... Magazine, E ...
... Elevating mechanism.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage device having a plurality of storage positions for storing a recording medium cartridge in a removable manner, detachably mountable to a main body so as to be collectively exchangeable with another storage magazine, and provided with guide grooves on both side surfaces. A magazine, a drive unit for introducing the recording medium cartridge from the storage magazine and reading at least the recording medium, and moving the storage magazine up and down so that a desired storage position in the storage magazine corresponds to the drive unit. A table on which the storage magazine is placed, a vertical movement mechanism for vertically moving the table, and the guide grooves provided on both side surfaces of the storage magazine, respectively. Moving means including a pair of locking pins for engaging and guiding the vertical movement of the storage magazine; The recording medium cartridge is introduced into the driving means from the positioned storage position, or the recording medium cartridge is returned to the storage position from the driving means, and the entire casing is contained in one casing and can be carried together with the casing. A recording medium library device in which, when the storage magazine is removed, an entrance of the driving means is opened to the outside so that a desired recording medium cartridge can be manually inserted into the driving means. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a position at which a substantially central portion of the storage magazine in a moving direction is opposed to an entrance of the driving means is defined as a standby position, and the movement by the moving means is performed based on the standby position. A method of moving a recording medium storage in a library device.