JP2004110940A - Magnetic tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a magnetic tape cartridge in which automation for assembling a door and a tension coil spring to a cartridge case can be easily realized and its assembling method. <P>SOLUTION: A slide door 6 and a pin 8 are held by a parts holding tool 20 with vertical erected attitude in a state that a tension coil spring 7 is hooked to a door side spring hook part 6C of the slide door 6 and the pin 8. Then the middle part 6g of the slide door 6 is held by a robot hand RH1, the upper end part 8a of the pin 8 is held by a robot hand RH2, and the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are assembled at the lower half of a cartridge case at the same time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a magnetic tape cartridge and an assembling method thereof, and more particularly, to a magnetic tape cartridge and an assembling method thereof that can easily realize automation of assembling a curved door and a tension coil spring to a cartridge case. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, as an external recording medium for data backup such as a computer, there is a magnetic tape cartridge configured to store a single reel on which a magnetic tape as a recording medium is wound (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-265560 (FIG. 2)
[0004]
There are various types of magnetic tape cartridges of this type. In recent years, in order to reduce the storage space of the magnetic tape cartridge when inserted into the drive device, an opening is formed at the corner of the cartridge case, A magnetic tape cartridge has been developed in which the opening is formed in a horizontally long thin plate shape and is opened and closed by a curved door.
[0005]
In such a magnetic tape cartridge, in order to open and close the door, the door is slidable with respect to the case, the door is provided with a door-side spring hook, and the case-side spring hook is provided on the inner surface of the cartridge case. The door is normally urged in the closing direction by a tension coil spring spanned between the door-side spring hook and the case-side spring hook, and the operation protrusion formed on the outer surface of the door is attached to the drive device. A structure is considered in which the door is opened by being pushed by an operation arm attached to the loading mechanism.
[0006]
As a method for automating the assembly operation of the door and the tension coil spring in the magnetic tape cartridge having such a structure, first, the door is gripped by the robot hand and set in the guide groove formed on the inner surface of the cartridge case. Thereafter, the tension coil spring is gripped by the robot hand, and both ends of the tension coil spring are attached to the door side spring hook provided on the door and the case side spring hook provided on the inner surface of the cartridge case. Can be considered.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above assembling method, if the door set in the guide groove of the cartridge case swings or tilts to the left or right, the position of the door-side spring-hanging portion with respect to the case-side spring-hanging portion shifts. There was a problem that it was difficult to attach both ends of the spring to the door-side spring hook and the case-side spring hook. Also, if the gap between the door and the case-side spring hook is narrow, the robot hand that holds the tension coil spring is attached to the door and the case when both ends of the tension coil spring are attached to the door-side spring hook and the case-side spring hook. There was a problem that it became difficult to insert between the side spring hooks. That is, the above assembling method has a problem that it is difficult to automate the operation of assembling the door and the tension coil spring to the cartridge case.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tape cartridge capable of easily realizing the work of assembling a curved door and a tension coil spring to a cartridge case, and an assembling method thereof.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention includes a cartridge case composed of an upper half and a lower half, a magnetic tape outlet formed at a corner of a side wall portion of the cartridge case, and a curved door that opens and closes the magnetic tape outlet. A guide groove for slidably guiding the door in its opening and closing direction, a door-side spring hook provided on the door, a pin mounting hole formed on the inner surface of the cartridge case, and the pin mounting hole A pin-like case-side spring hook attached to the door, and a tension coil spring spanned by the door-side spring hook and the case-side spring hook and biasing the door to the closed position of the magnetic tape outlet It is characterized by comprising.
[0010]
According to the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention, the case side spring hook is formed in an independent pin shape and is attached to the pin mounting hole formed in the inner surface of the cartridge case. The case side spring-hanging portion does not protrude, and even when a plurality of upper halves or lower halves are placed on the transport pallet when the magnetic tape cartridge is manufactured, the upper half or the lower half does not tilt. Also, when the magnetic tape cartridge is assembled, the case side spring hook is deeply inserted into the pin mounting holes formed in the upper half and the lower half. Even when an impact is applied and the cartridge case is bent and a gap is formed between the upper half and the lower half, the tension coil spring does not come off from the case side spring hook.
[0011]
A magnetic tape cartridge assembly method according to the present invention is the magnetic tape cartridge assembly method according to claim 1, wherein the door and the case are attached to a component holding jig previously disposed on a transport pallet. A side spring hook is held in a state where a tension coil spring is stretched between the door side spring hook and the case side spring hook, and a part of the door is gripped by a first robot hand, A part of the case-side spring hook is gripped by a second robot hand, and the door and the case-side spring hook are assembled to the inner surface of the cartridge case at the same time.
[0012]
According to the method for assembling the magnetic tape cartridge of the present invention, the curved door and the case-side spring hanging portion are placed on the component holding jig previously arranged on the transport pallet, and the door-side spring hanging portion and the case side are arranged. Hold the tension coil spring around the spring hook, hold a part of the curved door with the first robot hand, and hold a part of the case side spring hook with the second robot hand. As a result, the curved door and the case side spring hanging portion are simultaneously assembled to the inner surface of the cartridge case in a state where the tension coil spring is stretched over the door side spring hanging portion and the case side spring hanging portion provided on the curved door. be able to. As a result, automation of the work of assembling the curved door and the tension coil spring to the cartridge case can be easily realized.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a magnetic tape cartridge and an assembling method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
[0014]
First, a magnetic tape cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. In the drawings to be referred to, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a magnetic tape cartridge MC according to the present invention. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the inner surface 10 of the lower half 1B included in the magnetic tape cartridge MC shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the slide door 6 included in the magnetic tape cartridge MC shown in FIG.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the magnetic tape cartridge MC is a single reel in which a magnetic tape MT as a recording medium is wound inside a cartridge case 1 that is divided into an upper half 1A and a lower half 1B. 2. Lock plate 3 and compression coil spring 4 for locking the rotation of the reel 2, release pad 5 for releasing the locked state of the reel 2, the corner 1C of the cartridge case 1 at the lower half 1A and the upper half 1B A sliding door 6 that opens and closes the magnetic tape outlet 1D that is formed to straddle, a tension coil spring 7 that biases the sliding door 6 to the closed position of the magnetic tape outlet 1D, a pin 8 that is a case-side spring hook, and a sliding door A leaf spring 9 that locks the leader pin L attached to the tip of the magnetic tape MT, an accidental erasure prevention claw 10, and a cartridge memory 1 It is constructed by assembling the like. The corner 1C of the cartridge case 1 is formed obliquely by notching a part of the side wall portion of the cartridge case 1. The “sliding door 6” corresponds to the “door” in the claims. The “pin 8” corresponds to a “case-side spring hook” in the claims.
[0016]
2, the lower end 6b (see FIG. 3) of the slide door 6 is fitted into the inner surface 12 of the lower half 1B. When the slide door 6 is opened and closed, the slide door 6 can be slid in the opening and closing direction. A curved shallow guide groove 13 that guides to a pin, a pin mounting hole 14 to which a pin 8 (see FIG. 1) as a case side spring hook is mounted, and a leader pin L (see FIG. 1) that is locked to a leaf spring 9 (see FIG. 1). A leader pin holding recess 15 or the like for holding the lower end of the reference is formed. Although not shown here, the guide groove 13 formed on the inner surface 12 of the lower half B, the pin mounting hole 14, the guide groove corresponding to the leader pin holding recess 15, the pin engaging hole, A leader pin holding recess is formed.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 3, the slide door 6 is formed in a horizontally long thin plate shape, and has a shape curved in the plate thickness direction. A plurality of sliding protrusions 6A are formed on the upper end 6a and the lower end 6b of the slide door 6 so as to be slidably fitted in the guide grooves 13 formed in the upper half 1A and the lower half 1B.
[0018]
On the outer surface 6c of the slide door 6 (the surface facing the outside of the magnetic tape cartridge MC), an operation protrusion 6B for opening the slide door 6 is provided. When the magnetic tape cartridge MC is assembled, the operation protrusion 6B faces the operation opening 1E (see FIG. 1) formed in the side wall portion of the upper half 1A. The sliding door 6 is opened by being pushed by an operating arm attached to the loading mechanism of the drive device.
[0019]
An inner surface (surface facing the inside of the magnetic tape cartridge MC) 6d of the slide door 6 has a rear end portion (an end portion on the opening direction side when the slide door 6 is assembled to the lower half 1B) 6e and a tension coil. A door-side spring hook 6C to which the spring 7 is attached is projected. The door-side spring hanging portion 6C has a base end portion 6C1 extending perpendicularly from the inner surface 6d in the thickness direction of the slide door 6, and a pin-like shape extending vertically from the distal end of the base end portion 6C1 toward the upper end 6a side of the slide door 6. It is comprised from the spring hook part 6C2. The shape of the door-side spring hook 6C is not particularly limited as long as one end of the tension coil spring 7 is attached.
[0020]
In addition, the inner surface 6b of the slide door 6 has a front end portion (an end portion on the closing direction side when the slide door 6 is assembled to the lower half 1B) 6f and a leader pin L when the slide door 6 is in a closed state. A stopper 6D for holding the lower end of (see FIG. 1) is formed.
[0021]
Next, a method for assembling the magnetic tape cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. In the drawings to be referred to, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the component holding jig 20 in a state where the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are held. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the slide door 6 and the pin 8 held by the component holding jig 20 are respectively held by the robot hands RH1 and RH2 of the assembling apparatus. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are assembled to the lower half 1B at the same time. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are assembled to the lower half 1B of the cartridge case 1.
[0022]
When assembling the magnetic tape cartridge MC, the lower half 1A, the upper half 1B, the reel 2, the lock plate 3, the compression coil spring 4, the release pad 5, the slide door 6, the tension coil spring 7, the pin 8, The parts such as the leaf spring 9, the erroneous erasure preventing claw 10, the cartridge memory 11 and the like are arranged, and in the assembling process of each part, each part is attached to the lower half 1B by using an assembly device equipped with a robot hand. It is assembled at a predetermined position. The assembly device used in the assembly process of the slide door 6 includes two sets of robot hands RH1 and RH2 (see FIG. 5) in order to grip the slide door 6 and the pin 8.
[0023]
Each component is held on the transport pallet by a component holding jig 20 dedicated to each component so that the robot hand of the assembly apparatus can easily hold it. As shown in FIG. 4, the sliding door 6 and the pin 8 have a component holding portion in which a sliding door holding groove 21 for holding the sliding door 6 and a pin holding groove 22 for holding the pin 8 are formed on the upper surface thereof. The jig 20 is held in a vertical standing posture with no left-right tilt or front-back tilt. The position of the pin holding groove 22 with respect to the slide door holding groove 21 is set to be the same as the position of the pin mounting hole 14 with respect to the closed slide door 6 in the lower half 1B.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4, the tension coil spring 7 has a ring portion 7 a formed at one end thereof attached to the door-side spring hanging portion 6 </ b> C of the slide door 6 and a ring portion 7 b formed at the other end. Is attached to the pin 8. That is, the tension coil spring 7 is stretched over the door-side spring hook 6 </ b> C and the pin 8 of the slide door 6. At this time, the tension coil spring 7 is stretched in a state where the slide door 6 is urged to the closed position of the magnetic tape outlet 1D, that is, in a state before being extended.
[0025]
When the slide door 6 and the pin 8 held by the component holding jig 20 are assembled to the lower half 1B, first, as shown in FIG. The slide door 6 and the pin 8 are held by the two sets of robot hands RH1 and RH2. Specifically, the middle part 6g of the slide door 6 is gripped by the robot hand RH1, and the upper end part 8a of the pin 8 is gripped by the robot hand RH2. The position at which the slide door 6 is gripped by the robot hand RH1 is not particularly limited. The “robot hand RH1” corresponds to the “first robot hand” in the claims, and the “robot hand RH2” corresponds to the “second robot hand” in the claims.
[0026]
Next, the robot hands RH <b> 1 and RH <b> 2 are moved above the component holding jig 20, and the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are simultaneously lifted from the component holding jig 20. At this time, the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are lifted in a state in which the tension coil spring 7 is stretched over the door-side spring hook 6 </ b> C and the pin 8 of the slide door 6.
[0027]
After the robot hands RH1 and RH2 are moved upward to the lower half 1B, the robot hands RH1 and RH2 are lowered toward the inner surface 12 of the lower half 1B, and the lower end of the slide door 6 gripped by the robot hand RH1. The sliding protrusion 6A formed on 6b is fitted in the guide groove 13 formed on the inner surface 12 of the lower half 1B, and the lower end of the pin 8 gripped by the robot hand RH2 is attached to the pin 12 formed on the inner surface 12 of the lower half 1B. It attaches to the hole 14 (refer FIG. 6). At this time, the slide door 6 is fitted into the closed position of the guide groove 13.
[0028]
As described above, the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are simultaneously grasped by the two sets of robot hands RH1 and RH2, and the tension coil spring 7 is stretched over the door side spring hook 6C and the pin 6 of the slide door 6, The sliding projection 6A of the sliding door 6 is fitted into the guide groove 13, and the lower end of the pin 8 gripped by the robot hand RH2 is attached to the pin mounting hole 14, whereby the sliding door 6 and the pin 8 are assembled to the lower half 1B at the same time. Can do.
[0029]
Therefore, the slide door is set in the guide groove formed on the inner surface of the cartridge case, and then both ends of the tension coil spring are door-side spring hooks provided on the slide door and the case side formed on the inner surface of the cartridge case. It is necessary to consider the problem that the slide door set in the guide groove swings to the left and right or falls, and the problem of the gap between the slide door and the case side spring hook, which occurs in the assembly method of attaching to the spring hook. Therefore, automation of the operation of assembling the slide door and the tension coil spring to the cartridge case can be easily realized.
[0030]
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications are possible as long as it is based on the technical idea of the present invention.
[0031]
For example, in the present embodiment, the case where the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are assembled to the lower half 1B has been described. However, the magnetic tape cartridge assembly method according to the present invention assembles the slide door 6 and the pin 8 to the upper half 1A. It can also be applied to cases.
[0032]
Further, in the present embodiment, the position of the pin holding groove 22 with respect to the slide door holding groove 21 in the component holding jig 20 is the same as the position of the pin mounting hole 14 with respect to the closed slide door 6 in the lower half 1B. However, the position of the pin holding groove 22 is not limited to this. For example, the position of the pin holding groove 22 is set to be the same as the position of the pin mounting hole 14 with respect to the open slide door 6 in the lower half 1B, and the tension coil spring 7 is set to the door side spring hooking portion of the slide door 6. 6C and the pin 8 can be stretched over. In that case, the slide door 6 is fitted in the open position of the guide groove 13.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a magnetic tape cartridge and its assembling method that can easily realize the automation of the operation of assembling the door and the tension coil spring to the cartridge case.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a magnetic tape cartridge MC according to the present invention.
2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of an inner surface 10 of a lower half 1B included in the magnetic tape cartridge MC shown in FIG.
3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a slide door 6 included in the magnetic tape cartridge MC shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a component holding jig 20 in a state where a slide door 6 and a pin 8 are held.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state where the slide door 6 and the pin 8 held by the component holding jig 20 are respectively held by the robot hands RH1 and RH2 of the assembling apparatus.
6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the slide door 6 and the pin 8 are assembled to the lower half 1B at the same time. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
6 Sliding door (door)
6g Middle abdominal part 6C Door side spring hook 7 Pulling coil spring 8 Pin (case side spring hook)
8a Upper end 20 Component holding jig RH1 Robot hand (first robot hand)
RH2 robot hand (second robot hand)

Claims (1)

A cartridge case consisting of an upper half and a lower half;
A magnetic tape outlet formed at a corner of the side wall portion of the cartridge case;
A curved door that opens and closes the magnetic tape outlet;
A guide groove for slidably guiding the door in its opening and closing direction;
A door-side spring hook provided on the door; a pin mounting hole formed on the inner surface of the cartridge case;
A pin-like case-side spring hook attached to the pin attachment hole;
A magnetic tape comprising: a tension coil spring that spans between the door side spring hook and the case side spring hook and biases the door toward the closed position of the magnetic tape outlet. cartridge.

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