JPH1021345A - Auto-changer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simultaneously, consecutively and speedily record/reproduce information of plural memory cards without individual and selective insertion by a user by providing a means guiding the memory cards to a stoker at the time of rotation a tray for housing the memory cards. SOLUTION: At a prescribed position of a rotary tray 2, a recessed part for arranging a compact flash memory 3 is formed. In addition concerning a inversely rotating direction at the time of the inverse rotation of a spindle motor 1, a taper 2B is provided at the rear side edge of the recessed part as a part of a pushing-up guiding means in order to guide the memory 3 on the tray 2 to a stoker 4. In addition, as the other parts of the guiding means, a separation pawl is provided for an insertion part positioned at the lower tip of the stoker 4 in the state of corresponding to the position of the height of the thickness of the memory 3 with respect to the memory 3 at a lowest stage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an autochanger mainly used for recording and reproducing information in a card-shaped memory such as a compact flash memory and a PCMCIA standard memory card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional memory card is read by:
As shown in FIG. 25, there is a dedicated memory card read drive. Usually, the user has to insert a desired memory card into the read drive one by one to record / reproduce information. Since a large number of memory cards cannot be set and placed in advance, it is necessary to replace the memory card each time recording / reproducing of each memory card is performed, and the operation is troublesome.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has improved the handling of a user so that a plurality of memory cards can be recorded / reproduced continuously at a time without individual selection and insertion by the user. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an autochanger capable of recording / reproducing information at a high speed.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a stocker for stacking and storing a plurality of memory cards in a thickness direction and a memory card are sequentially arranged at predetermined positions from the stocker. And a guiding means for guiding the memory card to the stocker when the tray is rotated to store the memory card from the rotating tray into the stocker.

[0005] In this case, as a preferred embodiment,
It is preferable that a lubricating liner sheet is provided on the sliding surface between the rotating tray and the memory card, or a lubricating member is coated, and the rotating tray is used to arrange the memory card at a predetermined position. The guiding means includes a separating claw arranged in the memory card insertion portion of the stocker, and a rotating claw that approaches from the edge of the recess at the rear side in the rotation direction when the rotating tray rotates. It is desirable to have a tapered portion that rises.

[0006] Further, a connector is provided opposite to the rotating tray, and the memory card arranged at a predetermined position of the rotating tray is fixed to the connector by a locking member provided on the connector. It is preferable that information can be transmitted via the contact points. Further, a guide rail for guiding the memory card in the circumferential direction may be provided on the rotary tray along a sliding surface thereof.

[0007] Therefore, when the user stacks and stores the memory cards in the stocker, the memory cards are continuously supplied from the stocker to the rotating tray, and the recording / reproducing of information is sequentially performed on each memory card. be able to. In addition, when storing the memory card on the rotating tray in the stocker, the guiding means works so that the memory card can be stored in the stocker at high speed.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIGS. Here, reference numeral 1 denotes a spindle motor for rotating (rotating or rotating) the rotary tray (rotating tray) 2 in a forward or reverse direction. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the rotary tray 2 is provided with a tray lubrication coat 2A to reduce the frictional resistance when the compact flash memory (memory card) 3 slides on its surface. ing.

Further, a concave portion for arranging the compact flash memory 3 is formed at a predetermined position of the rotary tray 2, in this embodiment, at a location divided into six equal parts in the circumferential direction. In the reverse rotation direction of the rotary tray 2 during rotation, a tapered portion is provided on the rear edge of the concave portion as a part of a guiding means which rises to guide the compact flash memory 3 on the rotary tray 2 to the stocker. 2B are provided. As another part of the guiding means, a separation claw 4A is provided at the insertion portion located at the lower end of the stocker 4 with respect to the lowermost compact flash memory 3 in one place.
It is provided in a state corresponding to the position of the thickness and height of the sheet.

The rotary tray 2 is provided with projections 2C and 2D at the circumference and center thereof to serve as guide rails when the compact flash memory 3 is arranged on the rotary tray 2. ,is working. The compact flash memory 3 has a connection terminal 3A at one end as shown in FIG.

Further, a memory reading terminal 5 is arranged on the chassis so as to face the rotary tray 2, and a compact terminal at a predetermined position on the rotary tray 2 is driven by the driving of a reading terminal moving motor (reciprocation) 6. The flash memory 3 is connected to or disconnected from the connection terminal 3A. Reference numeral 7 denotes an interface board that transmits / receives information reproduced from the compact flash memory 3 to / from a PC or the like via the memory reading terminal 5 and the connector 7A.

When recording / reproducing information to / from the compact flash memory 3, the compact flash memory 3 is first loaded into the stocker 4 and stacked. And, by the rotation of the rotary tray 2,
In order to record / reproduce information with the memory reading terminal 5 corresponding to the compact flash memory 3 which has moved to a predetermined position, the memory reading terminal 5 is driven by a read terminal moving motor 6 so that the rotary reading terminal 5 is rotated. 2 in the radial direction.

As a result, the memory reading terminal 5 is fitted (or abutted) to the connection terminal 3A of the compact flash memory 3. In this manner, the recording and reproduction of information with the compact flash memory 3 are selectively performed. Thus, the autochanger of the present invention is constructed and used.

Next, a more detailed operation sequence will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. First, as described above, the compact flash memory 3 is loaded in a state of being continuously stacked on the stocker 4 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Next, the rotary tray 2 is rotated by the normal rotation drive of the spindle motor 1. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the compact flash memory 3 stored in the stocker 4 is sequentially lowered on the rotary tray 2 by its own weight, and is placed in the concave portion. Here, as shown in FIG.
The separation claw 4 </ b> A provided at the bottom does not become an obstacle when descending the lowermost compact flash memory 3.
It has receded to the side from the insertion part.

Next, according to the rotation of the rotary tray 2, the number of spaces for placing the compact flash memory 3 on the rotary tray 2, in this embodiment, only six compact flash memories 3 as shown in FIGS. The memory 3 is arranged in each recess on the rotary tray 2. If all the recesses on the rotary tray 2 are completely filled with the compact flash memory 3, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the compact flash memory 3 is further inserted from the insertion portion of the stocker 4 into the rotary tray 2.
Move the two separation claws 2A horizontally below the insertion section so that they do not fall
Is locked (see FIG. 15).

In the state where the compact flash memory 3 is arranged in each concave portion of the rotary tray 2 as described above, or in the process of sequentially arranging, the memory reading terminal 5 is read as shown in FIG. When the terminal moving motor 6 is driven, it is advanced to the rotary tray 2 side, and the connection terminal 3A is fitted and connected to the compact flash memory 3 at the corresponding location (or
Contact). At this time, as shown in FIG. 17, the compact flash memory 3 is fixed by the floating prevention claw 5B provided on the memory reading terminal 5, and the contact 5A is
As shown in FIG. 18, it is securely connected to the connection terminal 3A. In this state, between the compact flash memory 3 and an external computer, as shown in FIGS.
Recording / reproduction of information is performed via the interface board 7.

After recording / reproducing information, again
When the compact flash memory 3 on the rotary tray 2 is stored in the stocker 4, FIGS.
As shown in (2), the rotary tray 2 is rotated in the reverse direction, one of the separation claws 4A is moved downward at the edge of the insertion portion, and the tip thereof is brought into contact with the compact flash memory 3. Then, with the next rotation of the rotary tray 2, the compact flash memory 3 supported by the separation claws 4A is
As shown in FIG. 23 and FIG. 24, the end of the rotary tray 2 rides on the tapered portion 2B of the rotary tray 2 and is pushed up to the upper sliding surface.

Then, in this state, the other of the separation claws 4A is moved downward at the edge of the insertion portion, and both separation claws 4A are advanced to the insertion portion side, and the compact flash memory 3 is lifted up, and It is stored in. Thus, the compact flash memories 3 on the rotary tray 2 are sequentially returned into the stocker 4.

In this embodiment, one stocker 4 is arranged with respect to the rotary tray 2, and the compact flash memory 3 is stored while being pushed up from the rotary tray 2. However, a return stocker (not shown) may be separately provided at a required portion of the rotary tray 2 and the compact flash memory 3 may be collected there.

In this case, the operation of the separation claw as the guiding means is operated so that the left and right are reversed, and the tapered portion 2B is operated.
Are also provided on the opposite edge of the recess. Further, the rotation direction of the tray 2 can also be kept in the forward rotation drive. That is, the rotary tray 2 is intermittently driven to rotate forward and intermittently,
The memory read terminal 5 is connected to the connection terminal 3B to perform recording / reproduction, and the used compact flash memory 3 is collected in a return stocker at a required location at the next forward rotation.

[0021]

The present invention has been described above in detail,
A stocker for stacking and storing a plurality of memory cards in the thickness direction, a rotating tray for sequentially placing the memory cards at predetermined positions from the stocker, and a storing tray for storing the memory cards from the rotating tray to the stocker. When the tray is rotated, a guide means for guiding a memory card to the stocker is provided, so if a plurality of memory cards are stored in the stocker in advance, after that, the information is sequentially and sequentially. Thus, recording / reproduction can be performed, user handling can be improved, and information recording / reproduction processing can be speeded up.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is also a plan view.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the same.

FIG. 4 is also a front view.

FIG. 5 is also a left side view.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state before the memory is loaded.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a memory loaded state.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation order (1) in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation sequence (2) in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation sequence (3) in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (4) in the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation sequence (5) in the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation sequence (6) in the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (7) in the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation sequence (8) in the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional side view showing a main part at the time of recording / reproduction.

FIG. 17 is also a longitudinal sectional side view showing a connection state of the main part.

FIG. 18 is also a perspective view of a memory reading terminal.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation order (1) of returning a memory from a tray to a stocker.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (2) for returning a memory to the stocker.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (3) for returning a memory to a stocker.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (4) for returning the memory to the stocker.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (5) for returning a memory to the stocker.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory view showing an operation sequence (6) for returning the memory to the stocker.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Spindle motor 2 Rotary tray 2A Tray lubrication coat 2B Taper part 2C Convex part 2D Convex part 3 Compact flash memory 3A Connection terminal 4 Stocker 4A Separating claw 5 Memory reading terminal 5A Contact 5B Floating prevention claw 6 Reading terminal moving motor 7 Interface board 7A connector

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A stocker for stacking and storing a plurality of memory cards in a thickness direction, and sequentially from the stocker.
A rotating tray for arranging the memory card at a predetermined position; and a guiding means for guiding the memory card to the stocker when the tray is rotated to store the memory card from the rotating tray to the stocker. An autochanger, characterized in that: 2. A lubricating liner sheet is provided on a sliding surface between the rotating tray and the memory card, or a lubricating member is coated.
The autochanger described in. 3. The rotating tray has a recess for arranging a memory card at a predetermined position, and the guiding means includes: a separating claw arranged in a memory card insertion portion of the stocker; 2. A tapered portion which rises from an edge of the concave portion at the rear side in the rotation direction when the rotating tray is rotated.
The autochanger described in. 4. A connector is provided opposite to the rotating tray, and the memory card arranged at a predetermined position on the rotating tray is fixed to a connector provided by the connector. 2. The automatic changer according to claim 1, wherein the automatic changer is connected to an external device and transmits information via the contact. 5. The rotating tray according to claim 1, wherein a guide rail for guiding the memory card in a circumferential direction is provided along a sliding surface thereof. Auto changer.