JP2002015492A - Magnetic tape cartridge device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To read and write the contents of magnetic tape cartridges of plural shapes with a single device. SOLUTION: This device is constituted to include a magazine 103 which allows consolidation of the magnetic tape cartridges of different shapes, a first tape drive 101 which can drive the magnetic tape cartridge of the first shape, a second tape drive 102 which can drive the magnetic tape cartridge of the second shape, a shape discriminating means which discriminates the shapes of the magnetic tape cartridges and outputs a discrimination signal and a carrier 105 which takes the magnetic tape cartridge out of the magazine and supplies the magnetic tape cartridge to the first tape drive 101 or the second tape drive 102 in accordance with the discrimination signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a magnetic tape cartridge device, and more particularly to a magnetic tape cartridge device in which magnetic tape cartridges having different shapes are mixedly mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Usually, a hard disk drive is used as a storage device of a computer. However, a hard disk has high performance, but has a high possibility of destroying data due to a head crash (destruction of a magnetic head for recording information on a medium) due to an impact or the like. For this reason, there is a magnetic tape cartridge as a backup device for a hard disk or the like. However, the amount of data that can be stored per cartridge is limited.
In a computer system or a data retrieval system that requires backup of a large amount of data, the number of tapes required becomes considerably large. Therefore, when the tape capacity is full, a new tape must be manually inserted into the drive. Usually, backup of data is performed at night when the system is not operating, and manual cartridge replacement is difficult. Therefore, in a system requiring a large-capacity data backup, a magazine for accommodating a plurality of cartridges and a tape drive unit, and a transport mechanism for transporting the cartridges in the magazine to the tape drive unit are mounted in one casing. These are commonly referred to as "loaders." The loader automatically conveys the selected cartridge to the tape drive unit, where data is read and written. When the read / write operation is completed, the cartridge is removed from the tape drive unit and returned to the magazine. The loader automatically performs data read / write operations on all designated cartridges.

[0003] A conventional magnetic tape cartridge device will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the related art.
(For example, see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 07-006950). The magnetic tape cartridge device shown in FIG. 4 includes a cartridge storage section in which a plurality of slots for storing a cartridge containing a recording medium are arranged in one direction, a carriage for transporting the cartridge, and the slot. In a device provided with a cartridge insertion port which is arranged in the arrangement direction and inserts the cartridge, and which has a drive unit for driving a recording medium in the cartridge, the cartridge may be inserted in a side of the slot and the cartridge insertion port. A position detection plate having a width smaller than the width is provided, and a sensor capable of detecting the width of the position detection plate and the width of the cartridge is attached to the carriage.

[0005] Position detecting plates 51a to 52b having a width smaller than the width of the cartridge K are provided on the sides of the slots 21a to 21n and the cartridge insertion ports 31A and 31B. The carriage 14 has a sensor S that can detect the width of the position detection plates 51a to 52b and the width of the cartridge K separately.
J and SK are attached. Thereby, the slots 21a to 21n and the cartridge insertion openings 31A, 3A
1B can be detected.

Further, since the position of the cartridge K is directly detected, the detection accuracy is improved. This enables accurate loading and unloading. Further, when the output levels of the sensors SJ and SK become maximum, the upper and lower limit positions of the carriage 14 are detected.

[0007]

Since the above-mentioned conventional magnetic tape cartridge apparatus operates on a magnetic tape cartridge having the same shape, a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges developed in recent years for the purpose of reducing the size of the magnetic tape cartridge are used. There is a drawback that processing cannot be performed simultaneously by one autoloader.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic tape cartridge device comprising: a magazine capable of mixing magnetic tape cartridges having different shapes; a first deep drive capable of driving a magnetic tape cartridge having a first shape; A second deep drive capable of driving a magnetic tape cartridge of a second shape, shape determining means for determining the shape of the magnetic tape cartridge and outputting a determination signal,
A magnetic tape cartridge that is removed from the magazine and supplied to the first tape drive or the second tape drive based on the determination signal;

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the magnetic tape cartridge device according to the first aspect, the shape discriminating means is provided in the magazine.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the magnetic tape cartridge device according to the second aspect, an optical sensor is used for the shape determining means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the magnetic tape cartridge device according to the second aspect, wherein the cartridge in which the shape discriminating means is set is loaded into the magazine (1) by a spring (106).
03) means for pressing against one wall surface of the slot and a cartridge size detecting sensor (110, 110) for detecting the width of the positioned cartridge.
b).

A magnetic tape cartridge device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, according to the first aspect, includes one or more cells (104) for accommodating a plurality of the magnetic tape cartridges in the same housing.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the magnetic tape cartridge device according to the first aspect, a plurality of the magazines are provided.

[0014]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway top view showing one embodiment of the present invention. The magnetic tape cartridge device shown in FIG. 1 includes a magazine 103 capable of mixing magnetic tape cartridges having different shapes, a first deep drive 101 capable of driving a magnetic tape cartridge having a first shape,
A second deep drive 102 capable of driving a magnetic tape cartridge of a second shape, shape determining means for determining the shape of the magnetic tape cartridge and outputting a determination signal,
The magnetic tape cartridge is removed from the magazine, and the first tape drive 10 is removed based on the discrimination signal.
1 or the carrier 105 to be supplied to the second tape drive 102.

In the present invention, in the casing of the loader,
It has a tape drive unit (data read / write device), a magazine for storing at least two or more cartridges, and a transport mechanism for transporting cartridges between the magazine and the tape drive unit. The loader has at least two or more tape drive units having different cartridge sizes, a spring for pressing the cartridge into one side in the magazine, a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the cartridge, and a sensor for detecting the size of the cartridge. Having.

In the present invention, at least two or more tape drive units 10 having different cartridge sizes are used.
1,102.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. The first slot of the magazine 103 has a cartridge 1
It has cartridge presence / absence detection sensors 109 and 109b, which are optical sensors for detecting the presence / absence of 20a.

FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are sectional views taken along the arrow D in FIG. A spring 106 for pressing the cartridges 120a, 120b, 120c,... Against the slot wall surface of the magazine 103 is provided in the magazine 103.
And cartridges 120a, 120b, 120c,.
The cartridge size detection sensors 109 and 109b, which are optical sensors for detecting the presence or absence of

FIG. 3A shows a state in which a cartridge 120c having a large width A is inserted into the third slot of the magazine 103, and the third slot of the magazine 103 is inserted into the third slot of the magazine 103. FIG. 3B shows a state in which a cartridge 120b having a small width and a dimension B is inserted as shown in FIG.

Next, the operation will be described. Whether or not a cartridge is set in the magazine 103 is detected by a cartridge sensor presence / absence detection sensor 109. The set cartridge is loaded into the magazine 10 by the spring 106.
It is positioned by pressing against one wall surface of the third slot. The cartridge size detection sensors 110 and 110b are arranged at positions larger than the dimension B and smaller than the dimension A. When the width of the cartridge is large (dimension A), the width of the wide cartridge 1 is determined by the cartridge detection sensor 110.
20c is set, and the cartridge 120c in the magazine is moved by the carrier 105 to the tape drive 1c.
01 is inserted. When the width of the cartridge is narrow (dimension B), the cartridge 1 that is narrower than the cartridge 120c is used.
20b is recognized, and the cartridge 120c in the magazine is loaded into the tape drive 1 by the carrier 105.
02 is inserted.

[0022]

The magnetic tape cartridge device of the present invention is provided with a plurality of tape drives capable of handling magnetic tape cartridges having different shapes and a magnetic tape cartridge shape detecting means. There is an effect that two or more types of tape drives having different cartridge sizes can be mounted in one loader.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway top view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

3 (a) and 3 (b) are cross-sectional views corresponding to arrows D and D in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Tape drive 102 Tape drive 105 Carrier 106 Spring 109 Cartridge presence detection sensor 120a Cartridge

Claims (6)

[Claims] A magazine capable of mixing magnetic tape cartridges having different shapes; a first deep drive capable of driving a magnetic tape cartridge having a first shape;
Second type that can drive magnetic tape cartridges of various shapes
A tape drive, a shape discriminating means for discriminating the shape of the magnetic tape cartridge and outputting a discrimination signal, and taking out the magnetic tape cartridge from the magazine, the first tape drive or the second tape based on the discrimination signal. A magnetic tape cartridge device comprising: a carrier for supplying to a drive. 2. The magnetic tape cartridge device according to claim 1, wherein said shape discriminating means is provided in said magazine. 3. The magnetic tape cartridge device according to claim 2, wherein an optical sensor is used for said shape discriminating means. 4. A means for positioning the cartridge, in which the shape discriminating means is set, by pressing the cartridge against one wall surface of a slot of the magazine (103) by a spring (106);
3. The magnetic tape cartridge device according to claim 2, further comprising a cartridge size detection sensor (110, 110b) for detecting the width of the positioned cartridge. 5. The magnetic tape cartridge device according to claim 1, further comprising a single cell or a plurality of cells accommodating the plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in the same housing. 6. The magnetic tape cartridge device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said magazines.