JP2724073B2 - Library device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic tape having a leader block attached to a distal end thereof, the proximal end of which is locked.
A cell having a plurality of cells for accommodating a cartridge in which a tape reel around which an intermediate portion is wound is provided rotatably inside.
And Le shelf, a drive for performing data read / write to the magnetic tape of the cartridge, a guide provided in the vertical direction of the apparatus, together with the engaged movably in the vertical direction to said guide, the Guy in a plane perpendicular to the guide
It becomes rotatably provided de around the cartridge
About the library apparatus and a solder de for holding and conveying the di.

Such a library device has been frequently used in recent years as a large-capacity external storage device of a computer device, and it has been demanded that the library device operate reliably even if it is unmanned.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Next, a conventional example will be described with reference to the drawings.
4 is a plan view of the library apparatus, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a cartridge, FIG. 7 is a plan view of a drive, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a part A in FIG. . First, the overall configuration of the library device will be described with reference to FIGS. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a cell shelf provided with a plurality of cells 2 for accommodating cartridges 3 ;
Here, a cell drum (user cell) rotationally driven by a driving device (not shown) is shown .

[0004] Reference numeral 4 denotes a drive for reading / writing data from / to the magnetic tape of the cartridge 3. Between the cell drum 1 and the drive 4, a guide 5 provided in the up-down direction is provided. Reference numeral 6 denotes a hand which is provided on the guide 5 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and which holds and transports the cartridge 3. The hand 6 is provided so as to be rotatable around the guide 5 in a plane orthogonal to the guide 5 .

[0005] Reference numeral 7 denotes a reserved cell for storing a spare cartridge. Next, referring to FIG.
Will be described. Inside the cartridge 3, a base end of a magnetic tape 8 is locked, and a tape reel 9 around which an intermediate part is wound is provided rotatably. A leader block 10 is attached to a front end of the magnetic tape 8. Have been. The leader block 10 includes a drive 4 described in detail later.
Is formed with a fitting groove 10a with which the threader pin can be engaged.

Next, referring to FIG. 7 and FIG.
Will be described. In the drawing, the tape reel 9 in the set cartridge 3 is rotated in the direction of arrow B (the direction in which the magnetic tape 8 is wound) by a drive motor (not shown). Reference numeral 11 denotes a machine reel for winding the magnetic tape 8, and this machine reel 11 is also driven to rotate in the direction of arrow C (direction for winding the magnetic tape 8) by a drive motor (not shown).

[0007] At substantially the center of the base of the drive 4, a holding member 12 is rotatably provided. Reference numeral 13 denotes a drive motor that rotationally drives the holding member 12 via a belt 14. Reference numeral 15 denotes a thread arm guided by the holding member 12 so as to be movable in the axial direction. A thread pin 16 that can be engaged with the fitting groove 10 a of the leader block 10 is provided at the tip of the thread arm 15. Further, a guide 17 is provided on the end of the thread arm 15 on the side opposite to the direction in which the thread pin 16 extends.

A guide 18 is formed above the base to engage a slider 17 and guide the thread pin 16 to a machine reel. Reference numeral 19 denotes a head for reading / writing data from / to the magnetic tape 8. The magnetic tape 8 abuts on both sides of the head 19, and guide rollers 20, 2 for determining the tape run of the magnetic tape 8.
1 is rotatably provided. Of these two guide rollers 20, 21, the guide roller 21 is an arm 23 urged to rotate in the direction of arrow D by a spring 22.
At the end of the magnetic tape 8 to apply tension to the magnetic tape 8.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 24 denotes a sensor for detecting whether or not the leader block 10 of the cartridge 3 is at a proper position with respect to the cartridge 3. Next, the operation of the library device having the above configuration will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cell 2 containing the desired cartridge is placed in the cell drum-hand transfer position.
(Indicated by E in FIG. 4), the cell drum 1 is rotationally driven. Next, the hand 6 moves up and down along the guide 5 to hold the cartridge 3 in the target cell 2. The hand 6 holding the cartridge 3
The cartridge 3 rotates in the direction of the drive 4, moves again in the vertical direction along the guide 5, and sets the cartridge 3 in the drive 4.

Next, in FIG. 7, when the cartridge 3 is set in the drive 4, the drive motor 13 is operated,
The thread pin 16 is fitted into the fitting groove 10 a of the leader block 8 provided at the tip of the magnetic tape 8 of the cartridge 3. When this fitting is completed, the drive motor 13 is driven in the opposite direction to the above, moves the thread pin 16 along the guide 18, and engages the leader block 10 with the engagement groove 11a of the machine reel 11. Then, when the machine reel 11 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow C, the magnetic tape 8 is guided by the guide roller 20, the head 19,
While sliding on the guide roller 21, the machine reel 11
The head 19 is used to read / write data from / on the magnetic tape 8.

When data reading / writing to the magnetic tape 8 is completed, the tape reel 9 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow B, and the magnetic tape 8 is rewound. When the magnetic tape 8 is rewound into the cartridge 3, the hand 6 again holds the cartridge 3 and returns it to the predetermined cell 2 of the cell drum 1.

[0012]

However, the library device having the above configuration has the following problems. When the leader block 10 of the cartridge 10 is not in the normal position (solid line position in FIG. 9) but in a half-missing state (dashed position in FIG. 9), the hand 6
When the cartridge 3 is set in the drive 4, the thread pin 16 cannot be fitted in the fitting groove 10 a of the leader block 10, and there is a problem that a tape load failure occurs.

In most cases, the semi-missing state of the leader block 10 can be detected as a tape load failure by the sensor 24, but when the tape load failure is detected, the cartridge 6 is moved to the reserved cell 7 by the hand 6. It is stored or ejected outside the library device and is processed as an abnormal cartridge. Then, the cartridge 3 having the tape load failure fault is
The leader block 10 must be manually corrected and reinserted. However, in an unmanned state such as at night, there is a problem that such an abnormal cartridge is not processed at all.

If the thread pin 16 is abnormally fitted to the leader block 10 in a state where the leader block 10 is partially pulled out, the cartridge 3 cannot be removed from the drive 4 and the library apparatus may be down.

[0015] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to simplify a half-missed state of a leader block.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a library device which can simply prevent the occurrence of the error and improve the reliability.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention. The base 31 of the magnetic tape with the leader block 32 attached to the front end is locked,
This is a cartridge in which a tape reel around which an intermediate portion is wound is rotatably provided inside. 33 is a cartridge 31
Is a drive that reads / writes data from / to. 34 is a guide provided in the vertical direction of the apparatus, and 35 is movably engaged with the guide 34 in the vertical direction, and is provided rotatably around the guide 34 in a plane orthogonal to the guide 34. It is a hand for pinching and conveying.

[0017] Then, on a rotating locus T of the hand 35, pressed against possible push to the leader block 32 of the cartridge 31
A contact member, for example, a pin 36 is provided. Next, a second aspect of the present invention provides a pressing member according to the first aspect .
A roller is attached to the tip of the pin 36 using a pin 36.

Finally, the third aspect of the present invention is the first aspect of the present invention.
Use or Oite to claim 2, the pin 36 as pressed against member
Then, this pin 36 is moved to the hand 35 by a spring.
One in which was urged in a direction.

[0019]

In the library apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the hand 35 rotates, the cartridge 3
One leader block 32 is pressed by the pin 36, and the leader block 32 in the semi-missed state is corrected to a normal position.

In the library apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the sliding friction at the time of contact of the leader block 32 is reduced by a roller provided at the tip of the pin 36.

In the library apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the pin is urged toward the hand by a spring, excessive pressing of the pin against the leader block is prohibited.

[0022]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion E in FIG.

In the drawing, reference numeral 51 denotes a drive, and 52 denotes a guide provided in the vertical direction of the apparatus. This guide 52
Is engaged with the guide 5 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.
A hand 53 that is rotatably provided in a plane orthogonal to 2 and that holds and transports the cartridge 54 is attached.

A leader block insertion pin mechanism 60 is provided on the rotation locus T of the hand 53. In the leader block insertion pin mechanism 60, reference numeral 61 denotes a cylindrical image case. A hole 61a through which the shaft 62 is inserted is formed on one end surface of the case 61, and a hole 61b for venting air is formed on the other end surface. At the base end side of the shaft 62 disposed inside the case 61,
A collar portion 62a for retaining is formed. 63 is disposed inside the case 61, one end of which abuts on the flange 62 a of the shaft 62, and the other end of which abuts on the other end surface of the case 61, and moves the tip of the shaft 62 in the direction of the hand 53 (the tip of the shaft 62 Is a spring that is biased in a direction that protrudes from the case 61).

A slit is formed at the tip of the shaft 62, and a roller 63 that can abut on the leader block 55 of the cartridge 54 is rotatably attached to the slit using a pin 64. .

The urging force (spring constant) of the spring 63 is set so as to be a pressing force necessary for the shaft 62 and the roller 63 to press the leader block 55.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. If the sensor detects that the leader block 55 is in the half-removed state when the cartridge 54 is set in the drive 51, the hand 53 holds the cartridge 54 and rotates toward the leader block insertion pin mechanism 60, and The leader block 55 is pressed against the roller 63 of the leader block insertion pin mechanism 60. Then, the leader block 55
4 and return to its normal position.

According to the above configuration, when the sensor detects the half-missed state of the leader block 55, the half-missed state of the leader block can be corrected by the leader block insertion pin mechanism 60, thereby improving the reliability of the library device. Can be done.

In the above embodiment, the shaft 62 of the leader block insertion pin mechanism 60 is urged by the spring 63, and the urging force of the spring 63 is
2. Since the roller 63 is set to have a pressing force necessary to press the leader block 55, when a force greater than the set pressing force acts on the spring 63 when pressing the leader block 55, the spring 63 63 contracts, and the leader block 55 and the leader block insertion pin mechanism 60 can be prevented from being damaged.

Further, a roller 6 is attached to the tip of the shaft 62.
3 is attached rotatably, so that the leader block 55
The sliding friction at the time of contact can be reduced, and a smooth operation can be performed.

The other end face of the case 61 has a hole 61
By forming b, the compressed air generated when an overload acts on the shaft 62 is discharged to the outside of the case 61 through the hole 61b, so that the reaction force due to the compressed air can be prevented.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the pressing member capable of pressing against the leader block on the rotation trajectory of the leader block, it is possible to easily prevent the leader block from being partially pulled out. Thus, a library device with improved reliability can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the invention according to claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion E in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a library device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a cartridge.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a drive.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a problem.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 cartridge 32 leader block 33 drive 34 guide 35 hand 36 pin

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A base end portion of the magnetic tape leader block is attached to the distal end portion is engaged, a plurality of cells in which the tape reel intermediate portion is wound is housed a cartridge provided rotatably within a cell unit having pieces of data to the magnetic tape in the cartridge read /
A drive that performs a write, a guide provided in the vertical direction of the apparatus, together with the engaged movably in the vertical direction to said guide, said guide in a plane perpendicular to the <br/> Guide becomes rotatably provided around said at library apparatus and a hard <br/> down de the cartridge to clamp the transport, on a rotating locus of said Han de, leader of the cartridge <br/> library apparatus characterized in that a press-contact can be pressed against member over the block. 2. The library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pin is used as the pressing member , and a roller is attached to a tip of the pin. 3. The library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pin is used as the pressing member, and the pin is urged by a spring in the hand direction.