JP2876420B2 - Entry mechanism in recording medium cartridge library device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an entry mechanism in a recording medium cartridge library apparatus, and more particularly, to an entry mechanism for easily inserting a recording medium cartridge into the library apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art A magnetic tape library device is a device that stores and drives a magnetic tape cartridge (hereinafter, referred to as a cartridge), and includes a cartridge insertion slot (hereinafter, referred to as an entry port) and a cartridge introduced from the entry port. A storage rack capable of storing, for example, thousands of cartridges, a drive for driving (reading or reading / writing) the cartridges,
The library device includes a cartridge discharge port (hereinafter, referred to as an exit port) for discharging a cartridge used in the library device to the outside of the device, and a transfer robot for transferring the cartridge in the device. The transfer robot transfers the cartridge inserted into the entry port to the storage rack, transfers the cartridge to be driven from the storage rack to the drive, and then returns the cartridge driven by the drive to the storage rack. The cartridge to be discharged to the outside is transported to an exit port.

The entry port is constituted by, for example, 20-stage insertion shelves. When trying to introduce a cartridge into the library device, an operator (operator) inserts one cartridge into each insertion shelf. I have. The cartridges thus inserted are transported one by one by the transport robot to a pre-specified storage position of the storage rack and stored.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in this type of conventional magnetic tape library apparatus, since the operator has to insert the cartridges one by one into the insertion shelf as described above, the insertion operation is troublesome and the operability is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can easily perform an operation of inserting a recording medium cartridge.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an entry mechanism in a recording medium cartridge library device capable of improving operability.

[Means for solving the problem]

An entry mechanism in a recording medium cartridge library device according to the present invention includes a cartridge insertion slot, a storage body for storing a plurality of recording medium cartridges introduced from the insertion slot, a driving unit for at least reading out the cartridge, and the cartridge. And a transport means for transporting the cartridge between the insertion port housing and the driving means, a pedestal portion provided at the cartridge insertion port and supporting a plurality of the cartridges to be introduced in a stacked state. By inserting a pawl between the recording medium cartridge located at the lowermost end of the plurality of cartridges stacked on the pedestal portion and the recording medium cartridge thereon, and lifting the pawl by a predetermined amount, the lowermost end is reached. The recording medium located above the recording medium cartridge A separating mechanism for separating the cartridge group above the lowermost recording medium cartridge, and the lowermost recording medium cartridge remaining on the base after the separating operation by the separating mechanism. A feeding mechanism for sending out, and after the fed-out recording medium cartridge is passed to the transporting means, the remaining recording medium cartridge group held by the claws of the separation mechanism is returned to the pedestal portion. It is characterized by having done.

[Action]

The recording medium cartridge to be introduced into the recording medium cartridge library device is inserted into the cartridge insertion slot, and is set in a state of being stacked on the pedestal portion. When a plurality of cartridges stacked on the pedestal portion are sent to the transporting means, first, the recording medium cartridge group above the lowermost end is lifted up with a claw by a separating mechanism, so that these are moved to the lowermost recording position. Separate from media cartridge. Then, only the lowermost recording medium cartridge left on the pedestal portion is sent out to the transporting means by the feeding mechanism. After that, the remaining recording medium cartridge group held by the claw of the separation mechanism is returned to the pedestal portion.

As described above, according to the present invention, in a state where the recording medium cartridge group above the lowermost end is lifted by the claw of the separation mechanism,
Since only the lowermost recording medium cartridge is sent out to the conveying means, only one cartridge located at the lowermost end can be sent out without fail, and the remaining recording medium cartridge groups are claw of the separation mechanism. As it is lifted, the separation is performed reliably and smoothly,
There is no possibility that the work will be hindered. Also, since a plurality of recording medium cartridges can be sequentially stacked on the pedestal, the operation of inserting the recording medium cartridge can be easily performed, and the operability of the recording medium cartridge library device can be improved. Become. Further, since the stacked cartridges are sent out from the end to the conveying means, a new cartridge can be added and inserted into the cartridge insertion opening at least by the number of the sent out cartridges.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an entry mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is implemented in a magnetic tape cartridge library apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 as a whole. That is, the library apparatus includes an entry port 2, a storage rack 4 capable of storing, for example, up to thousands of cartridges 1 introduced from the port 2 in respective storage positions 4a, and a drive 5 for driving the cartridge. And an exit port 6 for discharging the cartridge 1 used in the library apparatus to the outside of the apparatus. The transfer robot 8 is movable vertically and horizontally along a predetermined transfer path P, receives the cartridges 1 inserted into the entry port 2 one by one, and stores the cartridges 1 in the storage rack 4 in a designated storage space. position
The specific cartridge 1 to be transported to or driven from the storage position 4a is taken out of the storage position 4a and transported to the drive 5, and thereafter,
The cartridge 1 driven by the drive 5 is returned to the storage position 4a, and the cartridge 1 to be discharged to the outside of the apparatus is transferred from the storage rack 4 or the drive 5 to the exit port 6a.
Or to be transported. Hereinafter, for the sake of explanation, the direction from the operator OP toward the transport path P is referred to as backward, the direction from the transport path P toward the operator OP is referred to as forward, and the direction horizontally orthogonal to the front-rear direction is referred to as the left or right side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge 1
Depending on the OP, a plurality of or one by one are inserted into the entry port 2 and are set in a state of being sequentially stacked on a pedestal 9 provided at the lower end of the entry port 2. In the entry port 2, for example, 20 cartridges 1 can be set on the pedestal 9 in a stacked state. Further, a label (not shown) on which a bar code for identifying each cartridge is written is attached to one end surface of each cartridge 1, and each cartridge 1 has the label facing the operator OP. Inserted into entry port 2 and set. By setting the plurality of cartridges 1 in the entry port 2 in a stacked state, the height occupied by all the cartridges 1 in the entry port 2 can be minimized. Further, since the cartridges 1 may be simply stacked on the pedestal 9 sequentially, the operator OP
Represents insertion of the cartridge 1 into the library device,
The setting operation can be easily performed.

The cartridges 1 set in the entry port 2 in the stacked state as described above are successively moved to the lowermost end by a separating and sending mechanism F provided in the library device as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example. Only the object 1a is selectively sent to the transfer robot 8. That is, in the delivery mechanism F, the drive shaft 10 extends in the left-right direction of the library device, and the main drive shaft S, the gear
The motor M rotates through G1 and G2. Eccentric cams 12, 12 'are fixed to both ends of the drive shaft 10 so as to be rotatable integrally with the drive shaft 10. The drive shaft 9 extends parallel to and separate from the drive shaft 10 and is rotated by a motor M via a main drive shaft S and gears G1, G2, G5, G6. A cylindrical cam 11 provided with a groove 11 a is fixed to the center of the drive shaft 9 so as to be rotatable integrally with the drive shaft 9. The first swing arms 14, 14 'extend in the front-rear direction on both sides of the entry port 2, and rotate at their front ends by shafts 15, 15' with respect to a frame (not shown) of the library apparatus. Possible fixed on axis
It can swing up and down around 15,15 '. A sub-arm 16, 16 'is rotatably connected to each of the swing arms 14, 14'. Arms 14, 16, 14 ', 16'
Are always urged by springs 17 and 17 'in a direction in which the rear ends approach each other, and rollers 14a and 16
The eccentric cams 12, 12 'are constantly pressed at a, 14a', 16a '. Due to such a configuration, the front ends of the first swing arms 14, 14 'move up and down as the eccentric cam 12 rotates as the motor M rotates.
Downward arms 19, 19 'extending downward on both sides of the pedestal 9 are rotatably connected to the front ends of the first swing arms 14, 14'. , 19 ', L-shaped locking members 22, 2 are provided by shafts 20, 20'.
2 'is rotatably connected. Tapered claws 22a, 22'a projecting in the direction toward the other locking members 22 ', 22 are formed at the lower ends of the locking members 22, 22'. In each of the downward arm portions 19, 19 ', projections 19a, 19'a having a circular cross section are provided at portions above the shafts 20, 20'. The projections 19a, 19'a are respectively inserted into long holes 24a, 24'a provided in the vertical direction at one side of the first link arms 24, 24 'located at both ends of the cylindrical cam 11. Long hole 24a,
24'a are slidably fitted in the longitudinal direction. One of the first link arms 24 is rotatably connected to one end of an upper second link arm 26 extending in the left-right direction at an upper end of a portion opposite to the elongated hole 24a, and the other first link arm is provided. 24 'is a lower second link arm 26' extending in the left-right direction at the lower end of the portion opposite to the elongated hole 24'a.
Is rotatably connected to one end. Upper, lower second
The other ends of the link arms 26, 26 'are rotatably connected to upper and lower ends of an intermediate link arm 28 extending vertically. The intermediate link arm 28 is swingably fixed to the frame by a shaft 29 at an intermediate portion thereof. In the intermediate link arm 28, an upper portion of the connection with the other end of the upper second link arm 26 is fitted in the groove 11a of the cylindrical cam 11 so as to be slidable along the groove 11a. A sliding protrusion 28a having a combined circular cross section is provided.

In this way, the main drive shaft S is rotated by the motor M, and the cylindrical cam 11 is rotated via the gears G1, G2, G5, G6 and the drive shaft 9, so that the sliding protrusion 28a slides along the groove 11a. As it moves, the intermediate link arm 28 rotates about the shaft 29 in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction in FIG. In the separating and sending mechanism F, when the eccentric cams 12, 12 'do not push up the swing arms 14, 14', that is, the downward arm portions 19, 19 'are lowered, so that the locking members 22, 22' are lowered. When in the position, the sliding protrusion 28a is located at the center in the left-right direction of the groove 11a. In this state, the claw portions 22a and 22'a protrude into the lower portion of the pedestal 9. When the state shown in FIG. 4 is set as an initial state and the lowermost cartridge 1a is to be sent out to the transfer robot 8, the main drive shaft S is rotated by the motor M, and the gears G1, G2, The eccentric cams 12, 12 'make a 1/2 rotation via the shaft 10. In this way, the eccentric cams 12, 12 'push up the front ends of the swing arms 14, 14' due to the rotation thereof, and the downward arm portions 19, 19 'rise to raise the locking members 22, 2'.
2 'rises. At this time, the cylindrical cam 11 first rotates by 1/4 turn together with the eccentric cams 12 and 12 ', so that the sliding protrusion 2
8a slides to the rightmost portion of the groove 11a, and the intermediate link arm 28 rotates clockwise. As a result, the first link arms 24, 24 'are pulled by the upper and lower second link arms 26, 26' and move in a direction approaching each other, and the edges of the long holes 24a, 24'a are moved. Projections 19a, 19 '
a are moved in directions approaching each other. As a result, the locking members 22, 22 'are
a, 22'a rotate so as to be separated from the pedestal 9 and the lowermost cartridge 1a. After that, the cylindrical cam 11
By rotating four times, the sliding protrusion 28a slides to the leftmost portion of the groove 11a, and the intermediate link arm 28 rotates counterclockwise. Therefore, the second link arms 26, 26 '
, The first link arms 24, 24 'move in the direction away from each other, and the edges of the elongated holes 24a, 24'a move the protrusions 19a, 19'a in the direction away from each other. Let me do. As a result, the locking members 22, 22 '
The claw portions 22a and 22'a are pivoted about the 20 'so that the claw portions 22a and 22'a protrude between the lowermost cartridge C1 and the second lowermost cartridge C2. cartridge stacked C ₃ ... Cn (first
(Fig.) In this manner, the lowermost cartridge 1a is separated from the other cartridges C ₃ ... Cn.

Further, in the separation / delivery mechanism F, the second swinging arms 34 and 34 'extending in the vertical direction are provided at the lower end of the separation / feeding mechanism F at the lower end in order to feed the lowermost cartridge 1a separated as described above toward the transfer robot 8. , Are rotatably connected to both sides of the base portion 36. Second swing arm 34,3
The upper end 4 'is fixed to the frame by shafts 37, 37' at its upper end, and can swing back and forth about the shafts 37, 37 '. Further, the second swing arm
The sub-arms 38, 38 'are swingably connected to the 34, 34' via shafts 37, 37 '. Both arms 34,38,34 ', 38'
The lower ends of the rollers 34a, 38a, 34a are urged in the directions approaching each other by springs 40, 40 '.
The eccentric cams 41 and 41 'are constantly pressed at a' and 38a '. The eccentric cams 41, 41 'are fixed to a drive shaft 43 rotated by a motor M via gears G1, G3, G4, and are rotatable integrally with the drive shaft 43. When the eccentric cam 41 rotates in this manner, the second swing arms 34 and 34 'swing, and as a result, the base portion 36 moves in the front-back direction. The pedestal 9 can be moved forward and backward integrally with the base 36 by a shaft 44 and can be rotated in the horizontal direction with respect to the base 36. That is, a pinion 46 is fixed to the shaft 44, and the pinion 46 is mounted on a rack provided on the base 36.
48,48 '. With such a configuration, after the separation of the lowermost cartridge C1 is completed as described above,
When the cams 41, 41 'make a 1/2 rotation by the motor M, the second swing arms 34, 34' swing backward, and the base 3
6 moves backward. At this time, the pedestal 9 moves toward the transfer robot 8 while supporting the lowermost cartridge 1a separated as described above together with the base portion 36, and moves the pinion 46 and the racks 48, 48 '. The shaft rotates 180 degrees in the front-rear direction due to the meshing. In this way, the cartridge 1a is sent to the transfer robot 8 while directing the label toward the transfer robot 8. Thereafter, the robot 8 conveys the cartridge 1a to, for example, a predetermined storage position 4a of the storage rack 4 based on the barcode information written on the label. Further, in the separation / delivery mechanism F, the lowermost cartridge is driven by a common motor M.
1a is separated and fed out, that is, the motor M first rotates the drive shafts 9, 10 by 1/2 rotation to separate the cartridge 1a, and then drives the drive shaft 43 to 1 /
The cartridge 1a is sent out by two rotations. Furthermore, after the cartridge 1 has been sent to the transfer robot 8 as described above, a new cartridge 1 can be additionally inserted into the entry port 2 at least by the number of the sent cartridges 1.

The separation and delivery mechanism F is not limited to the one described above, and a different configuration may be appropriately used. further,
The cartridge 1 that is separated from other components and sent to the transfer robot 8 is not limited to the lowermost one, and may be the uppermost one. Further, the present invention is not limited to a magnetic tape library device, but may be applied to a library device of another type of recording medium cartridge such as a magneto-optical disk cartridge.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the present invention, only the lowermost recording medium cartridge is sent out to the conveying means while the recording medium cartridge group above the lowermost end is lifted by the claw of the separation mechanism. So that only one cartridge located at the lowermost position can be reliably sent out,
In addition, since the remaining recording medium cartridge groups are lifted by the claws of the separation mechanism, the separation is reliably and smoothly performed, and there is an excellent effect that there is no possibility that the operation will be hindered. Further, since the recording medium cartridges may be sequentially stacked in the cartridge insertion slot, the operation of inserting the recording medium cartridge can be easily performed, and the operability of the recording medium cartridge library device can be improved. It has the effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an entry mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the entry mechanism according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an entire magnetic tape library apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the operation of the entry mechanism. 1 ... Magnetic tape cartridge, 2 ... Entry port, 4 ... Storage rack, 5 ... Drive, 8 ... Transport robot, F ... Separation and delivery mechanism.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Yoichi Abe 2880 Kozu, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Odawara Plant, Hitachi, Ltd. (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G11B 17/22-17 / 30 G11B 15/68

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A container for accommodating a plurality of recording medium cartridges to be introduced from the cartridge insertion slot;
In a recording medium cartridge library device comprising: a driving unit for reading at least the cartridge; and a conveying unit for conveying the cartridge between the insertion slot housing and the driving unit, the recording medium cartridge library device is provided in the cartridge insertion slot and should be introduced. A pedestal portion for supporting the plurality of cartridges in a stacked state, and a claw inserted between the recording medium cartridge located at the lowermost end of the plurality of cartridges stacked on the pedestal portion and the recording medium cartridge thereon A separating mechanism for separating a group of recording medium cartridges located above the lowermost recording medium cartridge above the lowermost recording medium cartridge by lifting the claw by a predetermined amount; and a separating operation by the separating mechanism. After that, the lowermost recording medium cartridge left on the pedestal portion And a delivery mechanism for delivering the cartridge to the transporting means.After the delivered recording medium cartridge is passed to the transporting means, the remaining recording medium cartridge groups held by the claws of the separating mechanism are removed. An entry mechanism, wherein the mechanism is returned on the pedestal portion.