JPS6289260A - Automatic cassette feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the moving distance of a handler and to facilitate an easy access at a high speed by providing a waiting shelf at a place near a reproducing device and stocking temporarily a cassette to be fed. CONSTITUTION:A single row of storing parts of a cassette shelf 2 which are most close to the VTR 4-7 is used as a waiting shelf 10. An XY handler arranges the cassette to be fed subsequently onto the shelf 10 from the shelf 2 while no CM is sent out. Then the XY handler feeds successively the cassettes to those of VTR 4-7 with which the sending actions are through from the shelf 10 at the CM sending time points. Here the XY handler has its movement mainly in the direction Y if no movement is needed in the direction X or the movement is scarcely needed in the direction X. Therefore a Y handler 12 can cope easily with a high speed as long as the weight of the handler 12 is reduced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention automatically loads tape cassettes into a VTR in the order of programs, so that a plurality of commercials can be played continuously between programs at a broadcasting station, for example. The present invention relates to an automatic cassette dispensing device suitable for use when discharging cassettes.

[Summary of the invention]

This invention is an apparatus that automatically takes out cassettes in program order from a cassette shelf in which a large number of cassettes are individually stored, loads them into a VTR, and sequentially plays them. This system is equipped with a waiting shelf for stocking cassettes, thereby facilitating high-speed access between the cassette shelf and the VTR.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art When broadcasting stations send out a plurality of different commercial messages (hereinafter abbreviated as CM) between programs, devices are used that automatically do this.

The conditions required for this automatic CM sending device are: (1) Assuming that one CM is recorded on one cassette tape, the number of CMs for one day, for example, 500 to 60.
■ The ability to store 0-volume cassettes ■ The ability to continuously send out commercials of about 10 seconds in real time ■ The cassette label is visible and the cassette device is easy ■ The VTR is easy to maintain. It will be done.

As a device that satisfies the above conditions, a device as shown in FIG. 4 has been proposed.

In other words, as shown in the figure, nflll in the vertical direction and m in the horizontal direction.
A cassette shelf (2) having cassette storage units Tl) is provided, and tape cassettes (3) containing 500 to 600 volumes (-n It will be stored. And this cassette shelf (
There are multiple VTRs (4) next to 2), in the example shown in the figure, 4 VTRs (4) (
5) (6) (71 is placed. Also, the cassette shelf (
2) is provided with an XY handler that takes out tape cassettes from the storage section (1) and loads them into the VTR, and also takes out the cassettes from which the CM has been sent out from the VTR and returns them to the shelf (2). This XY handler is made to move in both the horizontal direction (X direction) and the vertical direction (Y direction) of the cassette shelf according to instructions from the host computer. Insert and remove the cassette, and then
Cassettes are loaded and unloaded into and out of T R (41 to (7)).As this XY handler, the
The cassette feeding mechanism described in No. 766 can be used.

When transmitting a CM using the above system, the host computer is programmed with instructions in order to
CMs are sent out in the order of the programs as follows.

That is, first, the first to fourth CM cassettes are placed in advance by an XY handler on four VTRs (4
1 to (7) are loaded. Then, when it comes to commercial time between programs, VTR (41 to (7)
CMs are sent out sequentially, and the cassette of the next CM is replaced in the VTR that has finished sending out the CM, and the cassette that has been sent out is returned to its original storage position on the cassette shelf (2) by the XY handler. After the barcode attached to the cassette (1) or the cassette is read, the cassette is stored in an empty storage compartment (1) so that when the cassette is used again, the location of the cassette can be found. Register it in memory.

In this way, when four or more CMs are sent out consecutively during the CM time, the
The cassette is replaced in the TR.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

For example, when arranging 600 video cassettes as shown above, the size of the cassette shelf is 1.3 m (height (in the Y direction)),
Width (X direction): Approximately 3.6m. As the cassette shelf becomes larger in this way, the travel distance of the XY handler becomes longer. If the time length of one commercial is about 10 seconds, the handler must be moved at a fairly high speed in order to play it continuously. Furthermore, as the cassette shelf becomes larger, the XY handler itself becomes larger and heavier, and moving heavy objects at high speed requires power, which poses problems in terms of noise, lifespan, and reliability.

[Means for solving problems]

In this invention, a plurality of playback devices (4) to (7) and a cassette shelf (2) in which a large number of cassettes are individually stored are provided.
and a handler for loading and unloading cassettes between the playback devices (4) to (7) and the cassette shelf (2), and sequentially moves the cassettes to the playback devices (4) to (7) in accordance with a predetermined order. In a device that performs playback by loading and unloading, a waiting shelf QOI is provided near the playback devices (4) to (7), and cassettes to be sent to the playback device next are temporarily stocked on this waiting shelf αω. do.

[Effect]

For example, if we consider the format of CM transmission, generally a plurality of CMs are transmitted between programs as a group. In other words, the operation of reproducing and transmitting CMs on a VTR does not continue sluggishly, but there is usually a certain amount of time between CM clusters. Also, in Japan, for example, the content of a commercial block is at most 1.
It's a commercial around 5.

Therefore, cassettes for the next batch of CMs to be sent out are stocked on the waiting shelf αω during the time between the batches of CMs.

Then, when sending out a commercial, this waiting shelf α and V
Cassettes are passed only between T R (41 and (7)). This waiting shelf Ql is connected to V T R (
4) to (7), the distance traveled by the handler is short and high-speed access is facilitated.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an example of the device according to the present invention. In this example, a row of storage compartments shown with diagonal lines in the diagram closest to the VTRs (4) to (7) of the cassette shelf (2) is waiting. Use as a shelf QQl. In this case, storage sections (1) for 20 to 30 power sets are prepared for this - column, and the number of storage sections is slightly larger than the number of 0M to be sent out as one group of CMs.

As described above, the CM transmission order and transmission time have already been determined and are generally registered in the host computer. Therefore, during the time when no CM is being sent out (program sending time), the xY handler performs an operation to align the next and subsequent cassettes to be sent out from the cassette shelf (2) to the waiting shelf Ql.

Next, when the CM sending time comes, the cassettes on the waiting shelf αΦ are sequentially sent to VTR (4) to (
In step 7), the data is inserted into and removed from the VTR that has finished transmitting data.

At this time, if the XY handler does not need to move at all or rarely in the X direction, the movement will be mainly in the Y direction. Therefore, if the Y handler is structurally light, it will be possible to easily handle high speeds.

That is, FIG. 2 shows an example of the structure of an XY handler, which has an X handler (11) and a Y handler (12), and the X handler (11) is attached to a guide rod (13). along the Y handler (1
2) is adapted to move in the Y direction along a guide rod (14) fixed to the X handler (11).

For VTR (41 to (7)), waiting shelf α
When loading and unloading cassettes sequentially from φ, only the Y handler (12) moves, or the X handler (11) moves slightly between the adjacent waiting shelf QOI and VTR+4) to (7). This makes it easier to respond at high speeds.

In this case, it is also possible to use an XY handler that has a storage section for two cassettes and can take in and take out the cassettes 7) at one time. That is, after a cassette that has already been sent out is taken out from a VTR and loaded into this handler, the next cassette can be loaded from the handler into this VTR immediately.

The operating procedure of the above system is shown in FIG.

That is, first, it is determined whether n seconds have passed before the transmission of a CM block (step (101)).
The second is, for example, the time required to change the cassettes on the waiting shelf 00 to the four VTRs (4) to (7). Then, until n seconds ago, that is, during the program transmission time, the process proceeds to step (102), where it is determined whether there are any used cassettes or empty storage compartments on the waiting shelf a, and if so, step (102) is performed. 103), the XY handler exchanges cassettes between the cassette shelf (2) and the waiting shelf QQI. If there are no used cassettes or empty storage units on the waiting shelf OI, the process returns to step (101) and waits until n seconds before the CM is sent. During this waiting period, it is convenient if the XY handler is located at the waiting shelf αΦ.

Then, when n seconds before the CM is sent, step (101)
Proceed to step (104) and set the waiting shelf αω
A cassette exchange operation is performed between the VTRs (4) and (7). Next, the process proceeds to step (105), and it is determined whether or not to send out a CM. If there is a CM to be sent, the process returns to step (104). At the same time as the CM is sent out, the work of replacing the feeder between any of the already sent VTRs (41 to (7)) and the waiting shelf Ql is performed.

When there are no more commercials to send in succession, step (1)
Returning to step 01), cassettes are exchanged between the waiting shelf αΦ and the cassette shelf (2) again in steps (102) and (103) until n seconds before the next CM sending time.

In this way, cassettes are exchanged between the cassette shelf (2) and the waiting shelf α between one batch of CMs and the next batch, so that the waiting shelf Ql always stores cassettes to be sent out. It turns out.

Therefore, during the CM sending time, VTR (41 to (7)
Cassettes can be exchanged by the XY handler only between the cassette and the waiting shelf αψ, and as mentioned above, if the Y handler of the XY handler is made lighter, high-speed handling can be achieved.

Furthermore, since the cassette to be sent out should always be present on the waiting shelf, there is an advantage that the existence of the cassette to be sent out can be visually confirmed before sending out the CM.

Note that the waiting shelf may have the same structure as other cassette shelves, or may have a different structure so that it cannot be accessed manually. That is, the waiting shelf 0ω may be provided completely separately from the cassette shelf (2).

In addition, the XY handler also has a waiting shelf 0ω and V T
A separate cassette receiver between Rf41 to (7) may be provided exclusively for transfer.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, a waiting shelf is provided near the VTR, and the next cassette to be sent out is always stocked on this waiting shelf, so that the handler can change the cassette to the VTR during the CM sending time. This can be carried out between only this waiting shelf, and the handler hardly needs to move in the X direction, for example, and can easily cope with high-speed operation.

Further, since the cassettes to be sent out are stocked on the waiting shelf, there is an advantage that the presence of the cassettes to be sent out can be visually confirmed on this waiting shelf before delivery.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of an example of the device of this invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the XY handler, FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operating procedure of the device of this invention, and FIG. 4 1 is a diagram showing an outline of an example of a conventional device. (11 is the cassette storage section, (2) is the cassette shelf, (4)
~(7) is a VTR, and αω is a waiting shelf. Hidemori Matsukuma 111,...', - Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A predetermined system comprising a plurality of playback devices, a cassette shelf in which a large number of cassettes are individually stored, and a handler for loading and unloading cassettes between the playback device and the cassette shelf. In a device that performs playback by sequentially loading and unloading cassettes into and out of the playback device according to the order in which they are played, a waiting shelf is provided near the playback device, and the waiting shelf temporarily stocks cassettes to be sent to the playback device next. Automatic cassette feeding device.