JP5924804B2 - Storage device and storage device latch state detection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a storage apparatus that stores a large number of cassettes (objects to be stored) in a magazine, and relates to a technique for detecting whether or not a cassette is securely stored in a storage space.

As a related technique of this kind, library apparatuses shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are known.
This library apparatus includes a storage unit that accommodates a cassette (object to be stored), which is a maximum of two recording media, in series from the opening of the storage space toward the rear while guiding the cassette on the horizontal guide surface. A plurality of medium storage means are arranged in the plane direction.

An accessor that moves parallel to the surface of the opening is provided on the opening side of the medium storage means, and a cassette can be taken in and out of the storage space by a picker mechanism mounted on the accessor. It is said.
In the cited document 2, a lock mechanism is provided in the vicinity of the opening of the storage unit, and the cassette stored in the storage space is held by the lock mechanism so as not to jump out.

JP 2011-146087 A JP 2009-230791 A

By the way, in Patent Documents 1 and 2 shown above, the cassette accommodated in the storage unit is held by a lock mechanism near the opening of the storage unit.
However, even when the cassette is in a locked position, the locking mechanism may not completely lock the cassette, and the lock on the cassette may be incomplete. For this reason, after the cassette storing operation by the accessor, the cassette jumps out of the storage space, and there is a risk of hindering the subsequent insertion and removal of the cassette by the accessor.

  Further, when the cassette is poorly stored due to such an imperfect lock, the position of the cassette is in the proper storage position while the accessor is mechanically moved (for example, the proper storage position of the cassette). The storage abnormality is determined by detecting the amount of projection from the However, such an abnormality determination has a problem in accuracy, and there is a problem that a lot of time is required for the cassette storing work such as performing a retry operation a plurality of times.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and efficiently detects whether or not a cassette is in an appropriate storage position in a storage space, thereby improving the efficiency of cassette storage work by an accessor. And a latch state detection method for a storage apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
The present invention provides a storage unit in which a plurality of storage units are arranged in series in the surface direction of the opening from the opening of the storage space toward the rear while guiding a plurality of objects to be stored on a predetermined guide surface, A storage device provided with an accessor provided opposite to a storage portion and moving in parallel with a surface of the opening to operate the storage object, wherein the storage object is opened from the rear side to the opening side. Pushing means for biasing, a latch lever movably provided in a direction intersecting the opening, and a bias lever biased in a direction overlapping with the opening; and a position of the latch lever provided on the accessor detection means for, it has a, wherein the accommodated article is in a retracted state, characterized in that it is sandwiched between said extrusion means and said latch lever.

In addition, the present invention provides a storage unit in which a plurality of storage units that store a plurality of objects to be stored in series from the opening of the storage space toward the rear while guiding the plurality of objects to be stored in a predetermined guide surface in the surface direction of the opening. And a latch state detection method for a storage device having an accessor that is provided opposite to the storage portion and moves parallel to the surface of the opening to operate the storage object. A latch lever that is movable in a direction intersecting the opening of the storage space and overlaps the opening in a state where the pushing means biases the stored object from the rear side to the opening side. was positioned to bias, sandwiching the accommodated article between said extrusion means and said latch lever, by detecting the position of said latch lever at said accessor, detects a latch state of the storage device

According to the present invention, when the object to be stored in the storage space of the storage unit is stored, the storage unit performs the process of detecting the position of the latch lever by the detection means provided in the accessor. It can be determined whether or not the object to be stored is positioned with respect to the space.
Specifically, if the detecting means provided on the accessor detects that the latch lever is outside the opening, it is determined that the object to be stored is not latched with respect to the storage space. can do. Further, when the detecting means provided in the accessor detects that the latch lever is in the advanced position where it overlaps the opening, it is determined that the stored object is in the normal latch position where the stored object is latched with respect to the storage space. Can do.

That is, in the storage apparatus of the present invention, detection of whether or not the cassette is in the proper storage position in the storage space and subsequent storage retry are performed by detecting the position of the latch lever by the detecting means provided in the accessor. The operation can be performed efficiently.
Further, the detecting means for detecting the position of the latch lever is configured by an imaging device that captures an image of the front side of the object to be stored, and the image data of the imaging device is processed by the control unit so that the latch lever is opened. It is possible to accurately determine whether it is in the outside retracted position or in the advanced position where the latch lever overlaps the opening, and the detection accuracy can be improved.

1 is an external view schematically showing a storage apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of the storage apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a figure for demonstrating the cassette accommodation operation | movement to the storage space in a storage apparatus, Comprising: (a) is a top view which shows the state which a cassette does not exist in an appropriate storage position, (b) is a front view of (a). . (A) is a plan view showing a state in which the latch lever is in the “normal latch position” and the cassette is in the proper storage position, for explaining the cassette storage operation in the storage space in the storage device. b) is a front view of (a). It is a flowchart which shows the step (SP) of the control program which operates the accessor A.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
1 and 2 are schematic configuration diagrams of a storage apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan views showing the inside of the storage apparatus. In this storage apparatus, a storage unit 3 that stores a plurality of cassettes C to be stored in series (z direction) from the opening 2 of the storage space 1 toward the rear 1B while being guided by a predetermined guide surface 1A. A plurality of magazines 4 arranged in the surface direction (xy direction) of the opening 2 and an accessor A for loading and unloading the cassette C with respect to each storage unit 3 of the magazine 4 are provided.

  The accessor A moves (moves in the xy direction) in parallel with the surface of the opening 2 at a position facing the magazine 4 by the power of a drive mechanism (not shown), and includes a control device 50 ( Based on a control signal from the control unit), the cassette C is moved to the opening 2 of the specific storage unit 3 and the cassette C is held in and out of the storage space 1 by a picker mechanism (not shown). Further, in each storage space 1 of the plurality of storage units 3, a plurality of cassettes C are accommodated in series (z direction). In this example, a maximum of two cassettes C can be accommodated. Yes. Reference numeral 5 in the figure is a device (magnetic tape drive) for reading and writing data in the cassette C. When the cassette C is inserted into the opening 2, the tape in the cassette C is loaded and the data is transferred via the magnetic head. Read and write.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the cassette C accommodated in the storage space 1 is urged toward the opening 2 side in the rear part 1B of each storage space 1 of the storage unit 3. Extruding means 10 for extruding is provided.
The push-out means 10 is formed of a coupling formed in a spring shape, for example, and comes into contact with the back corner of the cassette C inserted into the storage space 1 of the storage unit 3 so that the cassette C is stored. It is configured so that it can be released when it is pushed into the space 1. And the cassette C accommodated in the storage space 1 is always urged | biased to the opening part 2 side by the press of the coupling formed in such a spring shape.

Further, outside the opening 2 of each storage space 1 of the storage unit 3 is provided so as to be movable in a direction crossing the opening 2 (in the x direction in this example), and illustrated in a direction overlapping the opening 2. There is provided a latch lever 11 biased by a leaf spring that does not.
The latch lever 11 is in a position protruding so as to overlap the opening 2 of the storage unit 3 when the cassette C is not present in the storage space 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the latch lever 11 is in a position retracted from the opening 2 of the storage unit 3 when the cassette C is pushed into the storage space 1 by the accessor A. As shown in FIG. 4, the latch lever 11 protrudes so as to overlap with the opening 2 when the cassette C completely passes through the opening 2 of the storage unit 3.
As shown in FIG. 4, when the latch lever 11 is in the “normal latch position”, the cassette C is placed between the latch lever 11 and the pushing means 10 in the storage space 1 of the storage unit 3. It is arranged at an “appropriate storage position” to be sandwiched.

  The accessor A has operating means for temporarily pushing the latch lever 11 to a position retracted from the opening 2 of the storage unit 3 when the cassette C is inserted into and removed from the opening 2 of the storage unit 3. Although provided, it is omitted in the drawing.

The accessor A is provided with an imaging device 20 (detection means) such as a CCD image sensor for detecting the position of the latch lever 11 as shown in FIG.
The imaging device 20 is disposed so as to face the opening 2 of the storage unit 3, and reads the target mark M provided on the latch lever 11, and is attached to the front of the cassette C, for example. The cassette identification code 21 can also be read.

  Next, the operation of the accessor A will be described with reference to FIG. The operation of the accessor A is performed by a control program set in the control device 50, and details thereof will be described for each step (SP) below.

<< Step 1 >>
After the accessor A is moved to the designated storage unit 3 in the magazine 4, the cassette C gripped by the accessor A is stored in the storage space 1 in the storage unit 3.

<< Step 2 >>
After the cassette C is stored in the storage space 1, the image of the target mark M attached to the latch lever 11 is read by the imaging device 20 mounted on the accessor A, and the position thereof is measured. At this time, the cassette identification code 21 attached to the front of the cassette C may be read and stored.

<< Step 3 >>
The position data of the target mark M read in step 2 and the latch lever 11 stored in advance are “normal latch position” (the position of the latch lever 11 when the cassette C stored in the storage space 1 is correctly latched). Is the “normal latch position”), and the amount of deviation from the reference position data (indicated by the symbol Δx in FIG. 3) is calculated.
Note that this shift amount (Δx) is obtained by extracting only the component in the x direction in the moving direction of the accessor A along xy.

<< Step 4 >>
It is determined whether or not the deviation amount (Δx) calculated in step 3 is equal to or less than a reference value (Δx ₀ ) stored in advance. If YES, the latch lever 11 is in the “normal latch position”. Further, assuming that the cassette C is in the “appropriate storage position” in the storage space 1, this flow is finished. Further, in the case of NO, the latch lever 11 is in an incomplete state deviating from the “normal latch position”, and as a result, the cassette C protrudes forward by the length indicated by Δz in FIG. 3, for example. Is determined, and the process proceeds to the next step 5.

<< Step 5 >>
After performing a retry operation to store the cassette C in the storage space 1 in the storage unit 3 for the accessor A, the process returns to the previous step 2.
If it is detected in steps 1 to 5 that the latch lever 11 is outside the opening 2, the cassette C is not latched with respect to the storage space 1 (that is, the latch lever 11). Is not in the “normal latch position”, it is determined that the cassette C is not in the “appropriate storage position”), and the retry operation for storing the cassette C in the storage space 1 in the storage unit 3 with respect to the accessor A is performed. Can be performed.

As described in detail above, according to the storage device shown in the present embodiment, when the rear end of the cassette C pushed into the storage space 1 by the accessor A passes through the opening 2 of the magazine 4, The latch lever 11 urged in a direction overlapping with the opening 2 (if normal) protrudes into the opening 2. As a result, the cassette C is disposed in an “appropriate storage position” that is sandwiched between the latch lever 11 and the pushing means 10 in the storage space 1 of the storage unit 3.
Then, when the cassette C is stored in the storage space 1 of the storage unit 3, the accessor A is moved along the surface direction of the opening 2 and is latched by the imaging device 20 provided in the accessor A. By executing the process of detecting the position of the lever 11, it can be determined whether or not the cassette C is reliably positioned in the storage space 1 (steps 1 to 3).
Specifically, when the imaging device 20 provided in the accessor A detects that the latch lever 11 is outside the opening 2, the cassette C is not latched with respect to the storage space 1. That is, it is determined that the cassette C is not in the “appropriate storage position” as shown in FIG. 3, and the storage retry operation can be performed (NO in step 4 to step 5). Further, when it is detected that the latch lever 11 is in the “normal latch position” overlapping the opening 2, it can be determined that the cassette C is in the “appropriate storage position” where the cassette C is latched with respect to the storage space 1. (YES in step 4).

That is, in the storage apparatus shown in the present embodiment, whether or not the cassette is in the “appropriate storage position” in the storage space 1 by the process of detecting the position of the latch lever 11 with the imaging device 20 provided in the accessor A. It is possible to efficiently perform the detection and subsequent retry operation of the storage, and the cassette storage work by the accessor A can be made efficient.
In addition, the imaging device 20 that detects the position of the latch lever 11 is configured by the imaging device 20 that captures an image in front of the cassette C, and the image data of the imaging device 20 is processed by the control device 50, whereby the latch It is possible to accurately determine whether the lever 11 is in the retracted position outside the opening 2 or whether the latch lever 11 is in the advanced position overlapping the opening 2, and the detection accuracy can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the detection means is constituted by the imaging device 20 such as a CCD image sensor. However, the detection means is not limited to this, and the micro is turned ON / OFF depending on whether or not the latch lever 11 is in the “normal latch position”. You may comprise a switch or an optical sensor.
In the above embodiment, a maximum of two cassettes C are stored in series in the storage space 1 of the storage unit 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more cassettes C are directly arranged. The number of storage is not limited.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail with reference to drawings, the concrete structure is not restricted to this embodiment, The design change etc. of the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention are included.

  The present invention relates to a storage apparatus that stores a large number of cassettes (objects to be stored), and relates to a technique for detecting whether or not a cassette is securely stored in a storage space.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage space 1A Guide surface 1B Rear part 2 Opening part 3 Storage part 4 Magazine (storage part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Extrusion means 11 Latch lever 20 Imaging device (detection means)
50 Control device (control unit)
A Accessor C Cassette (container)
M target mark

Claims (6)

A storage unit in which a plurality of storage units for receiving a plurality of objects to be stored in series from the opening part of the storage space toward the rear side while guiding a plurality of objects to be stored in the surface direction of the storage space, and the storage part. A storage device that has an accessor that moves in parallel with the surface of the opening and operates the storage object,
Pushing means for urging the object to be stored from the rear side to the opening side;
A latch lever provided so as to be movable in a direction intersecting with the opening, and biased in a direction overlapping the opening;
Provided in the accessor, we have a, a detecting means for detecting a position of the latch lever,
The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage object is sandwiched between the push-out means and the latch lever in a stored state .   The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the latch lever is provided so as to be capable of advancing and retreating with respect to a space of the opening where the storage object moves.   The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is an imaging device that is provided in the accessor and captures a front image of the storage object.   The storage apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a control unit that controls access to the storage object by the accessor based on a detection result of the detection unit.   The control unit calculates a deviation amount between the position data of the latch lever read by the detection means and reference position data indicating the normal latch position of the latch lever stored in advance, and the deviation amount is calculated as follows: By comparing with a reference value stored in advance, it is determined whether or not the latch lever is in a normal latch position, and based on the determination result, the accessor performs a storage retry operation. The storage apparatus according to claim 4. A storage unit in which a plurality of storage units for receiving a plurality of objects to be stored in series from the opening part of the storage space toward the rear side while guiding a plurality of objects to be stored in the surface direction of the storage space, and the storage part. And a latch state detection method for a storage device having an accessor that operates parallel to the surface of the opening and operates the object to be stored,
The object stored in the storage space is movable in a direction intersecting the opening of the storage space in a state where the pushing means urges the opening from the rear side to the opening side, and the opening A latch of a storage apparatus, wherein a latch lever is biased in an overlapping direction, the stored object is sandwiched between the push-out means and the latch lever, and the position of the latch lever is detected by the accessor. State detection method.

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