JP3404964B2 - Autoloader for tape cartridges - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cartridge autoloader suitable for application to, for example, a tape streamer which is a magnetic recording / reproducing device for backup for storing data of a computer (CPU), and more particularly, , For increasing storage capacity, using a magazine containing a plurality of tape cartridges, and enabling continuous rotation (automatic exchange) of a plurality of tape cartridges between the magazine and the drive .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an autoloader for this kind of tape cartridge, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 12868/1993 is known.
There is a publicly known example published by Japanese Patent No.

In this publicly known example, a magazine containing a total of four tape cartridges, two tapes each vertically and vertically, is set horizontally under the drive in the autoloader main body, and four magazines in the magazine are set. The tape cartridge is rotated in the magazine by a combination of horizontal reciprocating motion and vertical reciprocating motion, and the tape cartridge is sequentially sent out to the cartridge inlet / outlet formed at the upper end on one end side in the length direction of the magazine. Is configured as follows.

Using a pickup that moves vertically and horizontally, the four tape cartridge cartridges are automatically exchanged one by one between the cartridge cartridge inlet and outlet of the magazine and the cartridge cartridge inlet and outlet of the drive. The tape cartridge can be continuously recorded and reproduced.

[0005]

However, in this known example, only four rolls of tape cartridge can be accommodated in the magazine, and four rolls of tape cartridge having a small storage capacity are reciprocated in the horizontal direction and reciprocated in the vertical direction. The structure for rotating in the magazine by the combined operation with the motion is complicated and the magazine becomes expensive. Since the structure of the pickup that moves in two directions, that is, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, is complicated, it is expensive and lacks reliability of operation.

The pickup holds one end of the tape cartridge from above and below and moves between the cartridge inlet / outlet of the magazine and the cartridge inlet / outlet of the drive in two directions, ie, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, to automatically exchange the tape cartridge. This is a structure, and there is a problem that the automatic replacement operation of the tape cartridge is unreliable because the tape cartridge is easily dropped from the pickup when the tape cartridge is automatically replaced by the pickup.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the rotation operation of the tape cartridge in the magazine can be easily performed, and the number of windings of the tape cartridge that can be stored in the magazine can be increased. . Then, the transfer operation of the tape cartridge between the magazine and the drive can be performed extremely easily and surely. Moreover, automatic loading of the magazine into the autoloader main body and automatic setting of the cartridge push-out means for pushing out the tape cartridge into the elevator from the cartridge storage opening formed in the upper and lower half of one side in the length direction of the magazine can be performed at the same time. It is the one.

[0008]

The tape cartridge autoloader of the present invention, which achieves the above object, comprises:
At least a cartridge insertion opening and a cartridge ejection opening are formed vertically on one side in the length direction, and a plurality of tape cartridges sequentially inserted from the cartridge insertion opening are sequentially stored along the length direction by a rotation method by a beading method. In addition, the tape cartridge can be sequentially pushed out to the cartridge ejection port, and only one roll of the tape cartridge can be retracted between the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge ejection port on one side of the length direction. A magazine with a cartridge storage port is formed, and the magazine is inserted in the length direction from the other side opposite to the one side in the length direction to the magazine insertion port formed on the front panel of the autoloader body. The magazine is automatically inserted into the autoloader body by inserting it along A magazine loading mechanism that sets the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge ejection port of the magazine at substantially the same phase position as the cartridge inlet and outlet of the drive in the autoloader main body, and the drive installed in the autoloader main body. Is moved in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the magazine between the cartridge inlet / outlet of the magazine and the cartridge insertion port, the cartridge outlet / outlet, and the cartridge storage port of the magazine. An elevator for delivering and receiving a cartridge, a cartridge pushing-out means arranged in the autoloader main body for pushing out a tape cartridge in the cartridge storage opening of the magazine into the elevator, and the autoloader. It is placed in the body, and in synchronization with the operation of pulling the magazine into the main body of the autoloader, the cartridge pushing means is automatically set at the back position of the cartridge storage opening of the magazine, and after the setting, A cartridge pushing-out mechanism for slidingly driving the cartridge pushing-out means to push out the tape cartridge in the cartridge storing port of the magazine into the elevator.

[0009]

The tape cartridge autoloader of the present invention constructed as described above has at least a cartridge insertion port and a cartridge ejection port formed on the upper and lower sides of one side in the length direction of the magazine, and the cartridge storage unit is placed between them. Forming a mouth. Then, by sequentially inserting a plurality of tape cartridges from the cartridge insertion opening, the tape cartridges are sequentially stored along the length direction of the magazine by the rotation method by the beading method and are sequentially pushed out to the cartridge ejection opening. In addition, only one roll of tape cartridge can be stored in the cartridge storage port. Then, by inserting this magazine from one side into the autoloader main body along the length direction from the magazine insertion opening formed on the front panel, the magazine loading mechanism automatically inserts this magazine into the autoloader main body. The cartridge insertion port and the cartridge ejection port are automatically loaded at substantially the same phase position as the cartridge inlet port of the drive in the autoloader main body. Then, in the autoloader main body, an elevator that is moved at a right angle to the magazine insertion direction between the cartridge inlet / outlet of the drive and the cartridge insertion port / cartridge outlet / cartridge storage port of the magazine, and the inside of the elevator from the cartridge storage port. By means of a cartridge pushing-out means for pushing out the tape cartridge, the tape cartridge is rotated between the cartridge insertion port, the cartridge ejection port and the cartridge ejection port. At that time, the cartridge push-out means is set at the back position of the cartridge storage opening of the magazine in synchronization with the operation of pulling the magazine into the autoloader main body, and after that, the cartridge push-out means is slid to drive the cartridge storage of the magazine. A cartridge pushing mechanism for pushing the tape cartridge in the mouth into the elevator is provided.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of a tape cartridge autoloader to which the present invention is applied to a tape streamer will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, R for data recorder is used.
A standardized tape cartridge is used as the DDS2 cartridge in the DAT cartridge.

[Outline of Magazine and Autoloader]
First, the outline of the magazine and the autoloader will be described with reference to FIGS.

[Explanation of Outline of Magazine] First, as shown in FIG. 1, a magazine 2 is used which can store a total of eight tape cartridges 1 in three stages in the vertical direction and along the length direction. It The magazine 2 has a magazine main body 3 which is substantially rectangular parallelepiped and has a horizontally long box shape, and a hollow portion 4 is formed in a substantially central portion of the inside thereof. Then, three of the eight tape cartridges 1 are replaced by the hollow portion 4
It is arranged horizontally in a row in the lower lower position, two rolls are horizontally arranged in the middle positions on the front and rear sides of the hollow part 4 at intervals, and the remaining three rolls are arranged in the upper position above the hollow part 4. These eight-roll tape cartridges 1 are housed around the hollow portion 4 so as to be arranged substantially horizontally in one line.

At this time, one side surface (side surface on the side of the arrow b'direction) 2 in the direction of the arrows a and b, which is the length direction of the magazine 2.
The cartridge insertion port 5 is opened in the upper stage of a, the cartridge take-out port 6 is opened in the lower stage, and the cartridge storage port 7 is opened in the middle stage.

A substantially U-shaped path that bypasses the periphery of the hollow portion 4 from the cartridge insertion opening 5 and is connected to the cartridge ejection opening 6 is a cartridge rotation path 8.
7 tape cartridges 1 formed in the cartridge insertion slot 5 and sequentially inserted in the direction of the arrow a are sequentially stored in the rotation path 8 by the rotation method (one-way method) by the beading method, and the cartridge is removed. It is configured so that it can be sequentially pushed out to the outlet 6 in the direction of arrow b.

Further, the tape cartridge storage port 7 is configured so that only one roll of the tape cartridge 1 can be stored in and out in the directions of arrows a and b '.

[Outline of Autoloader] Next, referring to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9, the autoloader 11 has an autoloader main body 12 which is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and has a horizontally long box shape. A horizontally elongated horizontal magazine insertion space 13 is formed along the center of the upper part of the autoloader main body 12, and a drive 14 which is a helical scan type magnetic recording / reproducing device is formed below the magazine insertion space 13. Are arranged. Then, a front surface 14a on which the cartridge entrance 15 of the drive 14 is formed,
The cartridge tray 16 is provided between the front panel 12a of the autoloader body 12 and the arrows c and d which are vertical directions.
A tray raising / lowering space 18 accommodating an elevator 17 that moves up and down in the direction is formed.

A magazine insertion port 19 facing the front of the magazine insertion space 13 (in the direction of arrow b) is opened at the center of the upper side of the front panel 12a of the autoloader main body 12, and the magazine insertion port 19 is opened. An inward opening / closing lid 20 that opens and closes is attached to the inside of the front panel 12a so as to be rotatable in the directions of arrows e and f.

[Magazine Loading Operation] As shown in FIG. 1A, when loading the magazine 2 into the autoloader 11, the cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17 is lowered to the drive position in the direction of arrow d. . Then, the magazine 2 is inserted from the side of the other side surface 2b, which is the side surface opposite to the one side surface 2a in the length direction, into the magazine insertion opening 19 from the direction of the arrow a. At this time, the other side surface 2b of the magazine 2 pushes the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of arrow e to open the magazine 2 horizontally in the magazine insertion space 13 from the direction of arrow a.

The magazine 2 is the autoloader 11
When the magazine 2 is inserted into the magazine insertion space 13 to a predetermined length, the magazine 2 is automatically pulled in the magazine insertion space 13 in the direction of the arrow a to perform an auto loading operation, as shown in FIG. As shown, the cartridge insertion opening 5, the cartridge ejection opening 6, and the cartridge storage opening 7 of the magazine 2 are set at substantially the same phase as the cartridge entrance 15 of the drive 14.

When the automatic loading operation of the magazine 2 is completed, the opening / closing lid 20 is automatically closed in the direction of arrow f by the opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism described later.

[Magazine Ejecting Operation] As shown in FIG. 5B, when the magazine 2 is ejected from within the autoloader 11, the eject button, which will be described later, is pressed or an eject command is issued from the host computer.
Then, first, the cartridge tray 1 of the elevator 17
After confirming whether 6 has been lowered to the drive position in the direction of arrow d, the opening / closing lid 20 is automatically opened in the direction of arrow e. Then, the auto eject operation is performed in which the magazine 2 is automatically pushed out from the magazine insertion opening 19 in the direction of the arrow b to a certain length.

The magazine 2 is inserted into the magazine insertion slot 19
When it is manually pulled out in the direction of arrow b, the opening / closing lid 20 is automatically closed in the direction of arrow f.

[First rotation operation of tape cartridge in autoloader]

First, as shown in FIG. 1B, the cartridge tray 16 moves from the drive position facing the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 to the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 shown in FIG. 2A. The magazine is raised in the direction of arrow c to the lower position of the opposed magazine.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the lower three tape cartridges 1 in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2 are moved by a first cartridge pushing mechanism, which will be described later, by a stroke corresponding to one stroke. The tape cartridge 1 is automatically pushed out in the b direction in a beading method, and one roll of the tape cartridge 1 is horizontally pushed into the cartridge tray 16 from the cartridge outlet 6.

Then, after this, in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2 behind the hollow portion 4 (arrow a).
The tape cartridge 1 of two rolls (in the direction side) simultaneously falls in the direction of the arrow d by a step of one roll, and an empty space S for one roll of the tape cartridge 1 is generated above them.

After this, as shown in FIG. 3A, the tape cartridge 1 is lowered to the drive position in the direction of the arrow d by the cartridge tray 16, and as shown in FIG. The tape cartridge 1 in 16 is horizontally pushed in the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 in the direction of arrow a by a second cartridge pushing mechanism described later.

The tape cartridge 1 pushed into the drive 14 is automatically loaded by a cartridge loading mechanism, which will be described later, in the drive 14 to carry out desired recording and reproduction, and the cartridge tray 16 stands by at the drive position. To do.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, the tape cartridge 1 which has been recorded and reproduced in the drive 14 is moved from the cartridge entrance / exit 15 into the cartridge tray 16 by a cartridge ejecting mechanism in the drive 14 which will be described later. It is projected horizontally in the direction of arrow b.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the tape cartridge 1 on which recording and reproduction have been completed is moved in the direction of arrow c to the upper magazine position facing the cartridge insertion slot 5 of the magazine 2 by the cartridge tray 16. After being raised, it is pushed from the inside of the cartridge tray 16 into the cartridge insertion port 5 in the arrow a direction by the second cartridge pushing mechanism described later.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5A, the upper two tape cartridges 1 in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2 are pushed by the tape cartridge 1 from the cartridge insertion port 5 in the direction of arrow a. The tape cartridge 1 is automatically pushed out in the direction of the arrow a by the stroke method for the stroke of one winding, and one tape cartridge 1 is stored in the empty space S shown in FIG. 2B.
After this, as shown in FIG. 6A, the cartridge tray 16 is lowered to the drive position in the direction of arrow d.

Therefore, by repeating this first rotation operation, the tape cartridge 1 of 7 rolls is sequentially rotated in the directions of the arrows a and b in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2 by the stroke of one roll. The seven-roll tape cartridge 1 can be sequentially rotated (automatically exchanged) one by one with respect to the drive 14, and continuous recording and reproduction can be performed on the seven-roll tape cartridge 1.

Therefore, the storage capacity of the autoloader 11 can be greatly increased by accommodating seven rolls of the recording tape cartridge 1 for recording data of the computer in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2.

[Second rotation operation of the tape cartridge in the autoloader]

At this time, the cartridge tray 16 rises in the direction of arrow c from the drive position shown in FIG. 6A to the magazine middle position facing the cartridge storage port 7 of the magazine 2 shown in FIG. 6B. After that, as shown in FIG. 6B and FIG. 7A, only one roll of the tape cartridge 1 in the cartridge storage port 7 is moved into the cartridge tray 16 by the third cartridge pushing mechanism described later. It is extruded horizontally in the b direction.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, after the tape cartridge 1 is lowered by the cartridge tray 16 to the drive position in the direction of arrow d, as shown in FIG. Then, the tape cartridge 1 is horizontally pushed from the inside of the cartridge tray 16 into the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 in the direction of the arrow a, and is automatically loaded into the drive 14 to perform desired recording and reproduction.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8B, the tape cartridge 1 on which recording and reproduction have been completed in the drive 14 is in the direction of arrow b from the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 into the cartridge tray 16 as described above. Then, as shown in FIG. 9 (A), the cartridge tray 16 moves the arrow c to the middle position of the magazine.
Is raised in the direction. Then, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the cartridge tray 16 is horizontally pushed in the cartridge storage opening 7 of the magazine 2 in the direction of the arrow a and returned, and the cartridge tray 16 is returned to the drive position. It is lowered in the direction of arrow d.

Therefore, by this second rotation operation, only one roll of the tape cartridge 1 can be quickly rotated between the magazine 2 and the drive 14.

Therefore, the cartridge storage port 7 of the magazine 2
If a specific tape cartridge (special tape cartridge) for indexing, cleaning, etc. is stored inside, the specific tape cartridge 1 can be quickly rotated with respect to the drive 14, and High-speed processing becomes possible.

Although not shown, when the tape cartridge 1 at a position other than the cartridge outlet 6 in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2 is selectively taken out and supplied to the drive 14, the cartridge tray 16 is used. Is moved up and down between the cartridge take-out port 6 and the cartridge insertion port 5 in the directions of arrows c and d, and the tape cartridge 1 is sequentially transferred from the cartridge take-out port 6 to the cartridge insertion port 5. Rotation of the tape cartridge 1 in the direction of arrows a and b is performed in the inside 8.

[Control Method of Pushing Position of Tape Cartridge into Elevator] Next, the control method of the pushing position when pushing the tape cartridge from the magazine and the drive into the elevator will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the cartridge insertion port 5 and the cartridge storage port 7 of the magazine 2 in the direction of arrow a from the front end 1a side. Then, the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out from the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 into the cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17 from the rear end 1b side in the direction of arrow b.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10A, the insertion position of the rear end 1b of the tape cartridge 1 inserted into the cartridge insertion opening 5 and the cartridge accommodation opening 7 of the magazine 2 from the direction of the arrow a is set to the magazine 2. The reference position P ₁ is set to be substantially flush with the one side surface 2a.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1A, the push-out position P ₂ of the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 pushed out from the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b is set to the reference position. Approximately 1. in the cartridge extrusion direction (direction of arrow b) based on P ₁ .
It is set to the first extrusion position P ₂ which is displaced by one step by a distance L _{1 of} about 5 mm.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, the front end 1 of the tape cartridge 1 pushed out in the direction of the arrow b from the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 and the cartridge storage port 7 of the magazine 2 into the cartridge tray 16.
As the pushing position P ₃ based on the reference position P ₁ of a, the cartridge extrusion direction (arrow b direction), in addition to the distance L _1, then by two-step partial displacement distance L ₁ of about 1.5mm The second extrusion position P ₃ is set.

That is, the push-out position P ₃ of the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 from the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 and the cartridge storage port 7 into the cartridge tray 16 is 2L ₁ (where 2L ₁ = L) with reference to the reference position P _{1. 1} + L
It is displaced in the direction of arrow b by a distance L ₂ corresponding to ₁ ).

As described above, when the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out into the cartridge tray 16 from the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 and the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 in the direction of arrow b, the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 is moved to the reference position P. distance in the direction of the arrow b with respect to ₁ L ₁
The pushing position P ₁ displaced by one step and the pushing position P ₃ displaced by 2 steps by a distance of 2L ₁ are respectively pushed back from the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b. When the tape cartridge 1 is lifted in the direction of arrow c and returned to the cartridge insertion opening 5 or the cartridge storage opening 7 of the magazine 2, the tape cartridge 1 is moved from the cartridge ejection opening 6 of the magazine 2 to the cartridge insertion opening by the cartridge tray 16. 5, when the tape cartridge 1 is moved up to 5 in the direction of arrow c, the rear end 1b of the tape cartridge 1 located in the cartridge outlet 6 and the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 which is moved up by the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow c
Mutual interference with the tape cartridge 1 can be prevented and the tape cartridge 1 can be rotated safely.

[Description of Magazine] Next, FIGS.
The magazine will be described below.

First, the magazine 2 has a magazine main body 3 which is substantially rectangular parallelepiped and has a horizontally long box shape. The outer diameter of the magazine 2 is H = 39 mm in height and W = 83 m in width.
m and the length L = 168 mm.

The magazine body 3 is composed of the left and right side plates 3
a and 3b are made of a synthetic resin plate having an appropriate plate thickness,
The back plate 3C, the bottom plate 3d, and the top plate 3e are made of thin metal plates such as stainless steel plates. These left and right side plates 3
The a, 3b, the back plate 3c, the bottom plate 3d, and the top plate 3e are disassembled by a fitting structure and a screw stopper.

On the inner facing surfaces of the left and right side plates 3a, 3b, a flat, substantially rectangular tube shape is formed at approximately the center in the lengthwise direction (arrows a, b directions) and the vertical direction (arrows c, d directions). The pair of left and right guide ribs 21 formed is integrally formed. A space between the pair of left and right guide ribs 21 is formed as a hollow portion 4 corresponding to the volume of the tape cartridge 1 for one roll.

One side surface 2a in the longitudinal direction of the magazine body 3 is entirely open, and between the one side surface 2a and the hollow portion 4, two upper and lower portions connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the hollow portion 4 are connected. And three horizontal partition plates 22 are installed between the left and right side plates 3a, 3b at a total of three positions including the lower surface position of the hollow portion 4. The partition plates 22 are made of a thin synthetic resin plate, and the left and right ends thereof are detachably installed between the left and right side plates 3a and 3b by a fitting structure with a plurality of dowels 23 and dowel holes 24. Has been done.

On one side 2a of the magazine body 3,
The space between the top plate 3e and the upper partition plate 22 is formed in the cartridge insertion port 5, the space between the upper and lower partition plates 22 is formed in the cartridge storage port 7, and the space between the lower partition plate 22 and the bottom plate 3d is the cartridge outlet 6. Has been formed.

The hollow portion 4 is provided inside the magazine body 3.
A vertical path 8b, which is a vertical space, is formed between the back plate 3c and the back plate 3c. A substantially horizontal upper horizontal path 8a connected to the upper part of the vertical path 8b from the cartridge insertion port 5 through the upper part of the hollow portion 4, and the vertical path 8b.
A horizontal lower horizontal path 8 connected from the lower part of the vertical path 8b to the cartridge outlet 6 through the lower part of the hollow portion 4.
With c, a substantially U-shaped cartridge rotation path 8 is formed that detours around the hollow portion 4 in the directions of arrows a, d, and b.

The upper surface of the pair of left and right guide ribs 21 forming the upper surface of the hollow portion 4 is formed as an inclined surface 21a which is inclined obliquely downward in the direction of arrow a, and is formed above the vertical path 8b. Is attached with a pair of left and right cartridge pushing down levers 25 which constitute a cartridge pushing down means.

The pair of left and right cartridge push down levers 25 are attached to both left and right ends of a fulcrum shaft 26 which is horizontally installed between the left and right side plates 3a and 3b so as to be rotatable in the directions of arrows g and h. A pair of winding springs 27 that are biasing means
Is urged to rotate in the direction of arrow g. The arrow g of the pair of left and right cartridge depressing levers 25
A pair of left and right cartridge guides 28 that also function as stoppers that regulate the rotation angle in the direction are fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 3e.

Then, the tape cartridge 1 arranged at four positions of the cartridge insertion port 5, the cartridge ejection port 6, the cartridge storage port 7 and the lower portion of the hollow portion 4.
A total of four cartridge positioning means 29 for respectively positioning are attached.

In the cartridge positioning means 29 in the cartridge insertion slot 5, one end 30a in the direction of arrow b is fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 3e, and the other end 30b in the direction of arrow a is attached to the top plate 3e in the directions of arrows a and b. It is composed of a long leaf spring 30 slidably locked to and a locking claw 31 which is a locking portion integrally formed at substantially the center of the length of the leaf spring 30. Then, the locking claw 31 of the leaf spring 30
Is configured so that it can move up and down in the directions of arrows c and d within a very small gap between the top plate 3e and the upper surface 1c of the cartridge 1. The locking claw 31 has a directionality that allows the tape cartridge 1 to pass in the direction of arrow a, but prohibits the reverse movement in the direction of arrow b.

Then, a total of three cartridge positioning means 29 in the cartridge take-out port 6, the cartridge storage port 7 and the lower position of the hollow portion 4 are combined into a total of three partition plates 2.
2, one end 32a in the direction of arrow b is fixed, and the other end 32b in the direction of arrow a is a short leaf spring 32 configured to be vertically movable in the directions of arrows c and d. It is configured by a locking roller 33 that is a locking portion that is rotatably attached. The leaf spring 32 and the locking roller 33 are configured to be vertically movable in the directions c and d in the opening 34 formed in the partition plate 22.

The locking claws 31 and the locking rollers 33 of the cartridge positioning means 29 are recessed portions 1e which are locked portions formed in the central portion of the upper surface 1c of each tape cartridge 1 near the front end 1a. The tape cartridges 1 are elastically locked inside from above to position the respective tape cartridges 1 at the above-mentioned respective positions.

A pair of horizontal left and right guide grooves 36 are provided along the upper ends of the left and right side plates 3a, 3b forming the left and right lateral sides of the magazine body 3 in the longitudinal direction. It is formed so as to penetrate between 2b. However, in order to prevent erroneous insertion of the magazine 2 into the autoloader 11, the groove width of the end portion 36a on the arrow b direction side of the one guide groove 36 formed on the one side plate 3a side is narrowed. .

The slit-shaped first opening 37 cut from the lower end of the back plate 3c of the magazine body 3 along the lower end of the other side plate 3b in the direction of the arrow b has the same height as the cartridge outlet 6. It is formed horizontally along the height.
A guide groove 38 is formed on one side plate 3a of the magazine main body 3 along the same height as the cartridge storage port 7 from the other side surface 2b in the direction of arrow b, and the guide groove 38 is hollow. A slit-shaped second opening 39 cut from the portion 4 to the cartridge storage port 7 is formed. A slit-shaped notch 40 having the same height as the second opening 39 is formed at the end of the hollow portion 4 on the arrow b direction side.

The left and right side plates 3 of the magazine body 3
First and second locked portions 41 and 42, which are convex portions, are formed at the end portions on the side of the other side surface 2b of a and 3b. Further, in the substantially central portion of the other side plate 3b, an erroneous erasure prevention using a slide claw or the like for identifying erroneous erasure prevention of the eight-roll tape cartridge 1 housed in the magazine 2 is performed.
The identification means 43 is attached.

[Operation of setting tape cartridge in magazine] Next, referring to FIG. 13 to FIG.
The operation of setting a total of eight tape cartridges 1 therein will be described.

First, with the upper surface 1c and the bottom surface 1d of the tape cartridge 1 properly oriented vertically, the five tape cartridges 1 are inserted into the upper horizontal path 8a of the cartridge rotation path 8 from the front end 1a side. Insert in the mouth 5 sequentially from the direction of the arrow a by the bead type. Then, these tape cartridges 1 are sequentially pushed in the arrow a direction in the upper horizontal path 8a by the beading method against the leaf spring 30 of the cartridge positioning means 29 in the upper horizontal path 8a.

At this time, since the upper surface of the hollow portion 4 is formed as the inclined surface 21a which is inclined obliquely downward in the direction of arrow a, these tape cartridges 1 move in the upper horizontal path 8a in the direction of arrow a. You can move smoothly.

The preceding three-roll tape cartridge 1 sequentially enters the upper horizontal path 8a to the upper part of the vertical path 8b, and the pair of left and right cartridge guides 28 guides the tape downwardly, and the left and right cartridges are pushed down. By the pressing action of the lever 25 in the downward arrow g direction by the winding spring 27, the three tape cartridges 1 are sequentially dropped vertically into the vertical path 8b in the downward arrow d direction. The tape cartridges 1 are vertically stacked and stored in the vertical path 8b.

Then, the following two tape cartridges 1 are housed in the upper horizontal path 8a in the upper position of the hollow portion 4 and in the cartridge insertion opening 5. At this time, the locking claw 31 of the leaf spring 30 constituting the upper cartridge positioning means 29 is elastically locked from above in the recess 1e of the tape cartridge 1 housed in the cartridge insertion opening 5, The tape cartridge 1 is correctly positioned in the cartridge insertion opening 5, and the tape cartridge 1 is prohibited from dropping from the cartridge insertion opening 5 in the arrow b direction. The tape cartridge 1 housed in the upper portion of the hollow portion 4 has front and rear ends 1a, 1b.
Is positioned between the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 in the cartridge insertion opening 5 and the rear end 1b of the upper tape cartridge 1 in the vertical path 8b from the front and back.

Next, in the same manner, the tape cartridge 1
The upper and lower surfaces 1c and 1d of the tape are properly oriented vertically, and the two tape cartridges 1 are attached to the front end 1 respectively.
The cartridges are sequentially inserted from the a side into the cartridge outlet 6 of the lower horizontal path 8c of the cartridge rotation path 8 from the direction of the arrow a in a beading method. Then, the two tape cartridges 1 are wound so that the leaf spring 32 and the locking roller 3 of the two cartridge positioning means 29 in the lower horizontal path 8c.
3 is pushed into the lower horizontal path 8c sequentially by the beading method, and the recess 1
The two locking rollers 33 are elastically engaged with each other from above in e, so that the two tape cartridges 1 are properly positioned in the lower position of the hollow portion 4 and the cartridge outlet 6.

At this time, first, the three tape cartridges 1 are sequentially inserted from the cartridge outlet 6 into the lower positions of the lower horizontal path 8c and the vertical path 8b of the cartridge rotation path 8 in the direction of the arrow a in a beading method. . Next, from the cartridge insertion port 5 to the upper horizontal path 8a
Alternatively, four tape cartridges 1 may be inserted in the vertical path 8b.

By the above, a total of 7 tape cartridges 1 are provided inside the upper horizontal path 8a, the vertical path 8b, and the lower horizontal path 8c of the cartridge rotation path 8.
Can be stored.

Then, the remaining one roll of the tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the cartridge storage port 7 in the same manner from the front end 1a side in the direction of arrow a in the normal posture to position the cartridge in the recess 1e of the tape cartridge 1. Means 2
If the locking roller 33 of the leaf spring 32 of 9 is elastically engaged and positioned from above, the setting operation of the tape cartridge 1 of a total of 8 rolls in the magazine 2 can be completed.

According to this magazine 2, one side surface 2a thereof
By a very simple set operation of sequentially inserting a total of eight tape cartridges 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow a into the cartridge insertion opening 5, the cartridge ejection opening 6 and the cartridge storage opening 7 which are the upper and lower three-stage openings. , Quickly install a total of 8 tape cartridges 1 in magazine 2,
It also has the feature that it can be inserted and set smoothly.

[Rotating Operation of Tape Cartridge in Magazine] Next, referring to FIGS.
The rotation operation of the seven-roll tape cartridge 1 in the cartridge rotation path 8 of the magazine 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

As described with reference to FIG. 2A, from the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 to the cartridge tray 16
When the tape cartridge 1 is pushed into the inside in the direction of the arrow b, the arrow b by the first cartridge pushing mechanism described later is used.
By the pushing operation in the direction, the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 on the lower stage of the vertical path 8b is horizontally pushed in the direction of the arrow b, and the lower stage of the vertical route 8b and the lower horizontal route 8c.
The tape cartridge 1 having a total of three rolls inside is pushed out simultaneously in the direction of the arrow b in a beading method by the stroke of one roll. At this time, the two locking rollers 33 in the lower horizontal path 8c are released upward from the recesses 1e of the two-roll tape cartridge 1 against the leaf spring 31, and these tape cartridges 1 are indicated by arrows b. Is pushed in the direction.

Then, as described later with reference to FIG. 2B, the two tape cartridges 1 in the vertical path 8b form a pair of left and right tapes as the first cartridge pushing-out mechanism returns to the direction of arrow a. Cartridge push down lever 25
By the duller dropping operation accompanied by the pushing force in the direction of the arrow g by the winding spring 27, the step for one winding is dropped in the vertical path 8b at the same time in the direction of the arrow d and horizontally, and the vertical path 8b is lowered. An empty space S for one winding of the tape cartridge 1 is generated at the upper part of.

Therefore, as described with reference to FIGS. 4B and 5A, the tape cartridge 1 is pushed from the cartridge tray 16 into the cartridge insertion opening 5 of the magazine 2 in the direction of arrow a, and the upper step is reached. The cartridge positioning means 2 in the upper horizontal path 8a has three rolls of the tape cartridge 1 over the horizontal path 8a and the vertical path 8b.
The tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the empty space S so as to be housed by being inserted in a bead type against the leaf spring 30 of 9.
To fill.

As described above, the tape cartridge 1 is rotated by one roll in the cartridge rotation path 8 in the directions of the arrows a, d, and b. By repeating this operation 7 times, the inside of the cartridge rotation path 8 is rotated. Tape cartridge for all seven volumes 1
Rotation of 1 cycle can be performed. As described above, with respect to the cartridge storage port 7, the one-roll tape cartridge 1 is simply resisted against the leaf spring 32 and the locking roller 33 of the cartridge positioning means 29 by the arrow a,
Put it in and out in the b direction.

[Modification of Magazine] Next, a modification of the magazine will be described with reference to FIG.

In this magazine 2, the cartridge storage ports 7 are arranged between the cartridge insertion port 5 and the cartridge extraction port 6 in two steps, and the cartridge rotation path 8 is provided.
In the vertical path 8b, the tape cartridges 1 of four rolls are stacked and stored. And
With this configuration, eight tape cartridges 1 can be stored in the cartridge rotation path 8, and together with the two tape cartridges 1 stored in the two upper and lower cartridge storage ports 7, Can store a total of 10 tape cartridges 1,
The storage capacity of the autoloader 11 can be significantly increased.

[0081] [Outline of autoloader Next, by 19 to 23, an outline of the autoloader.

The autoloader main body 12 constituting this autoloader 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape, and the outer diameter of the autoloader main body 12 has a height H ₁₀ = 82.5 mm and a width W. ₁₀ = 146.05 mm and the length L ₁₀ = 243.2 mm .

The chassis 45 of the autoloader main body 12 is formed of sheet metal or the like, and is composed of a horizontal bottom chassis 45a and left and right side chassis 45b and 45c vertically formed on the left and right sides of the chassis 45a. It is formed in a substantially U shape. And the left and right side chassis 4
The upper surfaces and the left and right side surfaces of 5b and 45c are closed by a top plate 45d, and the front surface is closed by a front panel 12a formed of synthetic resin or the like to form a box shape.

The left and right side chassis 45b, 45
A horizontally long horizontal magasin insertion space 13 is formed in the upper layer between c and a magasin insertion opening 19 facing the front of the magazine insertion space 13 (in the direction of arrow b) is formed at the center of the upper side of the front panel 12a. An opening / closing lid 20 formed of synthetic resin or the like for opening / closing the magazine insertion opening 19 from the inside is attached to the inside of the front panel 12a.

The magazine 2 horizontally inserted in the direction of arrow a from the magazine insertion slot 19 is installed in the pair of left and right guide rails 46 horizontally mounted inside the left and right chassis 45b and 45c. The magazine 2 is inserted into the magazine insertion space 13 and horizontally set in the magazine insertion space 13. The drive 14 arranged below the magazine insertion space 13 is horizontally mounted on the bottom chassis 45a, and the front surface 14a of the drive 14 and one side surface 2 of the magazine 2 set in the magazine insertion space 13
The cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17 is horizontally arranged in a vertical tray raising / lowering space 18 formed between a and the front panel 12a.

An eject button 47 is attached to the front panel 12 of the autoloader body 12. Further, an interface 48 for connecting to a computer (CPU), a power connector 49, etc. are attached to the rear panel 12b of the autoloader main body 12.

Inside the autoloader body 12, a magazine loading mechanism 51 for loading and ejecting the magazine 2 into the magazine insertion space 13 in the directions of arrows a and b, and a cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17 are lifted up and down. In the space 18, a tray elevating mechanism 52 that moves up and down in the directions of arrows c and d, and an opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism 5 that opens and closes the opening / closing lid 19 in the directions of arrows e and f
3, a first cartridge push-out mechanism 54 for pushing the tape cartridge 1 from the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b, a cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 from the inside of the cartridge tray 16, a cartridge insertion port of the magazine 2 5, a second cartridge pushing-out mechanism 55 for pushing the tape cartridge 1 into the cartridge receiving port 7 in the direction of arrow a, the magazine 2
Of the tape cartridge 1 for pushing the tape cartridge 1 from the cartridge storage port 7 into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b, the cartridge loading mechanism 57 in the drive 14, the tape from the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14 into the cartridge tray 16. Cartridge ejecting mechanism 58 for ejecting the cartridge 1 in the direction of arrow b, and a cartridge positioning detector for positioning the tape cartridge 1 in the cartridge tray 16.
Structure 59 and the like are provided.

[Description of Magazine Loading Mechanism] Next, the magazine loading mechanism 51 will be described with reference to FIGS. 21, 25 to 30 and 72.

The magazine loading mechanism 51 has a horizontal guide shaft 6 on the outside of one side chassis 45 of the chassis 45 (that is, outside the magazine insertion space 13).
1 is mounted in parallel with the magazine insertion space 13, and a slider 62 which is a slide driving member is provided to be slid along the guide shaft 61 in the directions of arrows a and b.

Then, a pair of front and rear locking claws 64 constituting a latch mechanism 63 for latching the first locked portion (convex portion) 41 of the magazine 2 from the front and rear direction (directions of arrows a and b),
65a is attached to the end of the slider 62 on the arrow a direction side. The front side (arrow a direction side) locking claw 64 is integrally fixed to the slider 62, and the rear side (arrow b direction side) locking claw 65a is provided via a fulcrum shaft 66 perpendicular to the slider 62. Is formed integrally with the end of the locking claw lever 65, which is attached rotatably in the directions of arrows i and j, on the arrow a direction side. The pair of front and rear locking claws 64, 65a are set at the same height as the first locked portion 41 of the magazine 2 loaded in the autoloader 11.

One of the locking claws 64 is projected into the magazine insertion space 13 from a long hole 67 formed horizontally in the side chassis 45c, and the other locking claw 65a is supported by the locking claw bar 65. Through the slot 67, the magazine insertion space 13 can be freely moved in and out in the directions of arrows g and h. The locking claw lever 65 is rotationally biased in the direction of arrow i by a coil spring 68 which is a biasing means, and the roller 69, which is a stopper attached to the locking claw lever 65, is moved to the side chassis 45c in the direction of arrow i. From the magazine insertion space 1 of the locking claw 65a.
3 is configured to be restricted in the amount of protrusion.

Then, when the slider 62 is slid to the standby position P _{12 in the} direction of the arrow b, the locking claw lever 65 is rotated around the fulcrum shaft 66 against the winding spring 68 and the arrow j.
A cam projection 70 for rotating in the direction to escape to the outside of the magazine insertion space 13 is formed at the end of the elongated hole 67 of the side chassis 45c on the arrow b direction side. The cam follower 7 abutting against the cam projection 70
1 is formed.

A drive mechanism for slidingly driving the slider 62 in the directions of arrows a and b is rotationally driven by a rack 72 formed on the side surface of the slider 62 and a motor 73 via a gear train 74, and the rack 72 is moved. The rack and pinion mechanism 76 includes a pinion 75 for driving the. The motor 73, gear train 74, and pinion 75 are mounted on the side chassis 45c side. In addition, as will be described later, the slider 62 is manually inserted in the magazine 2 inserted from the direction of the arrow a.
The rack and pinion mechanism 76 connects the motor 73 and the pinion 75 with a gear train 74 using a flat gear so that the optical sensor described later can be operated by pushing in the direction of arrow a. There is.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 27 and 72,
Two horizontal optical shutter plates 78 and 79 are integrally formed on the upper edge of the slider 62, and a pair of upper and lower optical sensors are photointerrupters which are ON / OFF controlled by the optical shutter plates 78 and 79, respectively. 80 and 81 are attached to the side chassis 45c side. One optical sensor 80 is configured as a magazine-in sensor that detects insertion of the magazine 2, and the other optical sensor 81 is configured as a magazine loading / eject sensor that detects loading completion and ejection completion of the magazine 2.

[Ejection state of magazine] First, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on, the motor 73 of the rack and pinion mechanism 76 drives the pinion 75 to rotate in the reverse direction, the rack 72 is driven in the direction of the arrow b, and the slider is moved. Reference numeral 62 is slid in the direction of arrow b to the standby position P ₁₂ shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. Then, at this time, as shown in (A) of FIG. 30, the locking claw lever 65 of the latch mechanism 63 causes the cam follower 7 to move.
1, the cam 70 contacts the cam 70 from the direction of the arrow b, the locking claw lever 65 is rotated about the fulcrum shaft 66 in the direction of the arrow j against the winding spring 68, and the other locking claw 65a is inserted into the magazine. It has been escaped to the outside of space 13.

[Magazine Autoloading Operation] Next, as described with reference to FIG. 1A, the magazine 2 is manually inserted horizontally from the magazine insertion opening 19 of the autoloader 11 in the direction of arrow a to When the pair of left and right guide grooves 36 of the magazine 2 are inserted into the pair of left and right guide rails 46 shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 21 and the magazine 2 is pushed in the direction of arrow a to a certain position P ₁₄ , FIG. As shown
The first locked portion 41 of the magazine 2 has one locking claw 64.
And the slider 62 is slightly pushed in the direction of the arrow a.

Then, as shown in FIG. 30B, the locking claw lever 65 is also moved in the arrow a direction integrally with the slider 62, and the cam follower 71 is separated from the cam 70 in the arrow a direction. This locking claw lever 65
Is rotated in the direction of arrow i about the fulcrum shaft 66 by the winding spring 68.

Then, as shown in FIG. 30B, the locking claw 65a at the tip of the locking claw lever 65 projects from the elongated hole 67 of the side chassis 45c into the magazine insertion space 13 in the direction of arrow i. Then, the locking claw 65a is engaged with the direction of the arrow b of the first locked part 41 of the magazine 2, and the first locked part 41 is inserted between the pair of front and rear locking claws 64, 65a.
Are latched (sandwiched from the front and back). At this time, the roller 69 of the locking claw lever 65 is moved to the side chassis 45.
c from the direction of the arrow g, and thereafter, the roller 69 remains in contact with the side chassis 45c and is in the direction of the arrow a and the arrow b
Is rolled in the direction.

At the moment when the slider 62 is slightly pushed in the direction of the arrow a, the optical sensor 80 is moved to the end of the optical shutter plate 78 shown in FIGS. 27 and 72 on the side of the arrow a.
Is operated (ON → OFF), and the insertion of the magazine 2 into the autoloader 11 is detected. And rack
The gear train 7 is driven by the motor 73 of the pinion mechanism 76.
The pinion 75 is driven to rotate in the forward direction via
2 is driven in the direction of arrow a, and the slider 62 is slid along the guide shaft 61 in the direction of arrow a to the loading completion position P ₁₁ shown by the solid line in FIG.

Then, the first locked portion 41 is pushed in the direction of the arrow a by the locking claw 65a of the latch mechanism 63 which is moved integrally with the slider 62 in the direction of the arrow a, and the magazine 2 is moved to the magazine of the autoloader 11. auto-loading operation is performed automatically retracted in the direction of the arrow a to the loading completion position P ₁₃ of the insertion space 13.

Then, the magazine 2 is the autoloader 11
21 is pulled in the direction of the arrow a to the set position shown in FIG. 21 in the magazine insertion space 13, and when the loading is completed, the slider 62 shown in FIGS.
At the end of the other optical shutter plate 79 in the direction of arrow b, the optical sensor 81 is operated (OFF → ON), the completion of loading the magazine 2 is detected, and the motor 73 is stopped.

[Magazine Auto Eject Operation] Next, when the eject button 47 shown in FIGS. 19 and 22 is pressed, the motor 73 of the rack and pinion mechanism 76 is operated and the pinion 75 is operated via the gear train 74. It is driven in reverse rotation. Then, the rack 72 is driven in the direction of arrow b, and the slider 62 is slid along the guide shaft 61 in the direction of arrow b from the loading completion position P ₁₁ shown by the solid line in FIG. 26 to the standby position P ₁₂ shown by the chain line. It

Then, as shown in FIG. 30B, the first locked portion 41 of the magazine 2 is moved to the arrow b by the locking claw 64 of the latch mechanism 63 which is moved integrally with the slider 62 in the arrow b direction. Is automatically pushed in the direction of arrow b from the loading completion position P ₁₃ in the magazine insertion space 13 of the autoloader 11 to the fixed position P ₁₄ toward the outside of the magazine insertion port 19 The eject operation is performed.

Then, when the slider 62 is slid in the direction of the arrow b to the standby position P ₁₂ indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 26, as shown in FIG.
Of the locking claw lever 65 of the cam 70 by the cam follower 71.
Is contacted from the direction of the arrow b, and the locking claw lever 65 is again rotated around the fulcrum shaft 66 against the winding spring 69 in the direction of the arrow j, and the locking claw 65a is moved to the first position of the magazine 2. It is disengaged from the locked portion 41.

At this time, the optical sensor 81 is operated (ON → OFF) at the end portion of the optical shutter plate 79 of the slider 62 shown in FIGS. 27 and 72 in the direction of arrow a,
When the ejection of the magazine 2 is detected, the motor 73
Is stopped. Therefore, after this, the magazine 2 can be manually pulled out from the magazine insertion opening 19 of the autoloader 11 in the direction of arrow b.

[Description of Tray Lifting Mechanism] Next, referring to FIG.
According to FIGS. 24, 25, 31 to 38, and 72,
The tray lifting mechanism 52 of the elevator 17 will be described.

First, the elevator 17 has one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 and the front surface 14a of the drive 14.
Has an opening 16a opened toward
There is used a horizontal cartridge tray 16 capable of horizontally storing the tape cartridge 1 only in one roll in the directions of arrows a and b.

The cartridge tray 16 is horizontally mounted on the tray elevating table 84, and is mounted on the left and right side surfaces of the vertical left and right side plates 84a, 84b integrally formed on the left and right sides of the tray elevating table 84, respectively. Are attached symmetrically so that a pair of upper and lower guide pins 85 and 86 in total are arranged horizontally in a horizontal direction and aligned in a straight line in the vertical direction. The pair of left and right upper guide pins 86 are long guide pins, and the pair of left and right lower guide pins 86 are short guide pins.

Then, the tray lifting / lowering mechanism 52 moves the cartridge tray 16 in the tray lifting / lowering space 18 in a horizontal position and vertically moves up and down in the directions of the arrows c and d. 4 guide pins 8
A pair of left and right vertical guides 87 that drive the motors 5 and 86 and a pair of left and right tilt guides 88 are provided.

The pair of left and right vertical guides 87 are vertically arranged on both the left and right sides of the left and right side plates 84a and 84b of the tray lift table 84, and the bottom chassis 45 of the chassis 45 is provided.
It is composed of a pair of left and right vertical guide plates 89 fixed on a, and a vertical guide groove 90 formed vertically along the center of these vertical guide plates 89. And
A total of four guide pins 85 and 86 of the tray lift 84
However, they are loosely fitted in the pair of left and right vertical guide grooves 90 and are vertically guided in the directions of arrows c and d.

The pair of left and right tilt guides 88 are vertically arranged on the left and right sides of the pair of left and right vertical guide plates 89, and a pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 that are horizontally slid in the directions of arrows a and b. The pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are formed by a pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92 that are inclined to the inner facing surfaces. A pair of long left and right upper guide pins 85 of the tray elevating table 84 penetrates through the pair of left and right vertical guide grooves 90 and is loosely fitted in the pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92. Then, when the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are slid in the directions of arrows a and b, the pair of left and right guide pins 85 are moved up and down in the directions of arrows c and d by the cam action of the pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92. It is configured.

At this time, the pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92 are inclined at approximately 45 ° with respect to the sliding direction of the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 (directions of arrows a and b). Then, the cartridge tray 16 is at a drive position P ₃₁ facing the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the drive 14, a magazine lower position P ₃₂ facing the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2, and a magazine middle position P facing the cartridge storage port 7. ₃₃ and upper and lower horizontal magazines 92a, 92b, 92c and 92d for accurately stopping at the upper magazine position P ₃₄ facing the cartridge insertion slot 5, respectively.
Are formed stepwise in the pair of left and right inclined grooves 92.

A pair of left and right vertical guide plates 89 and a pair of left and right outer vertical guide plates 94 which are vertically arranged on both the left and right sides thereof with a space therebetween are provided on the bottom chassis 45a. A vertical gap 95 is formed. A pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are vertically inserted into the pair of left and right gaps 95, and these slide guide plates 91 are horizontal inside the pair of left and right vertical guide plates 95 and parallel to the magazine 2. It is configured to be slidably driven in synchronization with each other along the pair of left and right guide shafts 96 mounted in the directions of arrows a and b.

A drive mechanism for slidingly driving the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 in the directions of arrows a and b in synchronization with each other is provided with a pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 horizontally formed along the lower surface of the slide guide plates 91. Rack 97 and a pair of left and right pinions 98 that drive these racks 97
And a pair of left and right interlocking gears 100 fixed to the left and right ends of the drive shaft 99 and rotationally driving the pair of left and right pinions 98 in synchronization, and a geared motor 101 rotationally driving one interlocking gear 100. Pinion mechanism 102
It is composed by. The pinion 98, the interlocking shaft 99, and the geared motor 101 are attached to the chassis 45 side.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 38 and 72,
A long optical shutter plate 104 is provided on the upper edge of one slide guide plate 91, and a total of four short optical shutter plates 105a and 105b arranged at predetermined intervals in the directions of arrows a and b.
105c and 105d are integrally formed in a horizontal shape in two steps, and these optical shutter plates 104 and 105a-
A pair of upper and lower photosensors 106 and 1, which are photointerrupters controlled by ON-oFF by 105d.
07 is attached to one vertical guide plate 94 side. Note that one optical sensor 106 is configured as a sensor that detects the initial position of the slide guide plate 91, and the other optical sensor 107 is configured as a sensor that detects four vertical positions of the cartridge tray 16.

[Initial Position of Slide Guide Plate] First, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on, a pair of left and right pinions 98 are operated by the geared motor 101 of the rack and pinion mechanism 102 via the pair of left and right interlocking gears 100 and the interlocking shaft 99. Is reversely driven, and as shown by the solid lines in FIGS. 36 to 38, the pair of left and right racks 97 are driven in the direction of arrow b, and the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 once reach the initial position P _{20 in the} direction of arrow b. Be moved to. Then, the optical sensor 106 is operated (ON → OFF) at the end portion of the optical shutter plate 104 shown in FIGS. 38 and 72 on the arrow a direction side,
The geared motor 101 is stopped and the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are set to the initial position P ₂₀ .

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 36 to 38, the pair of left and right upper guide pins 85 are positioned in the first horizontal step portion 92a which is the lowermost step of the pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92. And the cartridge tray 16 is the drive 1
4 to the drive position P ₃₁ facing the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 of the No. 4 cartridge in the direction of arrow d.

[Cartridge tray standby position]
Next, based on a setting command signal from the computer to the standby position of the cartridge tray 16, the geared motor 101 drives the pair of left and right pinions 98 to rotate in the forward direction to drive the pair of left and right racks 97 in the direction of arrow a to The pair of slide guide plates 91 are moved from the initial position P ₂₀ to the standby position P _{21 in the} arrow a direction. Then, when the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 reach the standby position P ₂₁ , the optical sensor 107 shown in FIGS. 38 and 72 operates with the first-stage optical shutter plate 105a (O.
(N → OFF → ON), the geared motor 101 is stopped, and the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are set to the standby position P ₂₁ . At this time, cartridge tray 1
6 is set to the drive position P _31, and only the pair of left and right upper guide pins 85 is relatively positioned to the end on the arrow b direction side in the first horizontal step portion 92a of the pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92. Be moved. The automatic loading operation of the magazine 22 into the auto loader 11 from the direction of the arrow a is performed in the state where the cartridge tray 16 is set to the drive position P ₃₁ in this way.

[Cartridge tray raising drive] Next,
When the pair of left and right pinions 98 are driven to rotate forward by the geared motor 101 of the rack and pinion mechanism 102 via the pair of left and right interlocking gears 100 and the interlocking gear 99 based on the command signal for raising the cartridge tray 16 from the computer, The pair of racks 97 are driven in the direction of arrow a, and the pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are moved to the positions shown in FIGS.
8 from the standby position P ₂₁ to the magazine lowering position P ₂₂ , the magazine middle position P _23, and the magazine upper position P _24.
The slide is sequentially driven in the direction of arrow a.

Then, the pair of left and right vertical guide grooves 90 makes a total of four guide pins 85, 8 of the tray lift table 84.
6, the pair of left and right upper guide pins 85 are driven upward by the inclined guide grooves 92 of the pair of left and right inclined guides 88 in the upward direction of arrow c, for a total of 4 The two guide pins 85 and 86 are driven to rise in the direction of arrow c in the pair of left and right vertical guide grooves 90. As a result, the cartridge tray 16 is integrally driven with the tray elevating table 84 while being held in the horizontal posture, and is moved upward (parallel movement) in the direction of arrow c.

As shown by the alternate long and short dash lines in FIGS. 36 to 38, the pair of left and right upper guide pins 85 are connected to the pair of left and right inclined guide grooves 92 from the first horizontal step portion 92a to the second horizontal step portion 3a. Horizontal steps 92b, 92c and 9 of the fourth and fourth steps
The cartridge tray 16 is sequentially lifted up to 2d, and the cartridge tray 16 is sequentially driven in the direction of arrow c from the drive position P ₃₁ to the magazine lower position P ₃₂ , the magazine middle position P ₃₃ , and the magazine upper position P ₃₄ .

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 38 and 72,
Arrow a from the standby position P ₂₁ of the slide guide plate 91
The optical sensor 107 is in the second stage by sliding in the direction,
The third and fourth optical shutter plates 105b, 105c,
105d sequentially operates (ON → OFF → ON) to move the cartridge tray 16 to the lower magazine position P ₃₂ ,
The magazine middle position P ₃₃ and the magazine upper position P ₃₄ are sequentially detected (position detection operation).

When the cartridge tray 16 reaches the stop position designated by the computer among the lower magazine position P ₃₂ , the middle magazine position P ₃₃ , and the upper magazine position P ₃₄ , based on the position detection output by the optical sensor 107. So that the geared motor 101 is stopped,
The cartridge tray 16 can be arbitrarily stopped at the designated stop position.

[Driving drive of cartridge tray] Next,
When the pair of left and right pinions 98 are reversely rotated by the geared motor 101 of the rack and pinion mechanism 102 based on the descending command signal of the cartridge tray 16 from the computer, the pair of left and right racks 97 are driven in the direction of arrow b, The pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are shown in FIG.
38 to 38 are slid in the direction of arrow b from the magazine upper position P ₂₄ shown in FIG. 38 to the standby position P ₂₁ .

Then, the cartridge tray 16 descends in the direction of the arrow d sequentially from the magazine upper position P ₃₄ to the magazine middle position P ₃₃ , the magazine lower position P ₃₂ , and the drive position P ₃₁ by the reverse operation when the cartridge tray 16 is driven upward. Driven. The cartridge tray 16 has a magazine middle position P ₃₃ , a magazine lower position P ₃₂ , and a drive position P.
_When the stop position designated by the computer of ₃₁ is reached, the geared motor 101 is stopped based on the position detection output by the optical sensor 107, and the cartridge tray 16 is moved to the designated stop position. It can be stopped arbitrarily.

When the rotation operation of the tape cartridge 1 between the magazine 2 and the drive 14 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 is completed, a pair of left and right slide guide plates 91 are generated based on the operation end signal from the computer. Is slid in the direction of arrow b to the standby position P ₂₁ shown by the solid line in FIGS. 36 to 38, the geared motor 101 is stopped based on the position detection output by the optical sensor 107, and the series of raising and lowering operations of the cartridge tray 16 is completed. Will be done.

[Explanation of Opening / Closing Lid Opening / Closing Mechanism] Next, referring to FIG.
The opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism 53 will be described with reference to FIGS. 25, 27, 33, 39 to 46, and 73.

First, the opening / closing lid 20 is made of synthetic resin or the like, and has a substantially U-shaped planar shape by the left and right side plates 20b integrally formed vertically at the left and right ends of the back surface 20a. Then, a horizontal fulcrum shaft 1 attached to the lower end of the opening / closing lid 20 so as to penetrate in the left-right direction.
This opening / closing lid 20 is rotatably attached to the inside of the front panel 12a in the up and down directions of arrows e and f via the opening / closing lid 20.
9 is configured to be opened and closed from the inside. The open / close lid 20 serves as a biasing means for the tension coil spring 1.
The lid 10 is urged by the lid 10 in the direction of the arrow f, and is in contact with the back surface of the front panel 12a. Then, the opening / closing lid 20 extends in a substantially L-shape from a position near the lower end of one side plate 20b of the opening / closing lid 20 toward the rear (arrow a side) and laterally outward (arrow o side) with respect to the magazine insertion space 13. A driven arm 111 that is vertically risen upward (on the side of the arrow c) later is integrally formed. And the lid 20
An engaged piece 112 that projects rearward (in the direction of the arrow a) is integrally formed at a position near the upper end of the one side plate 20b.

An opening / closing lid drive lever 115 for opening / closing the opening / closing lid 20 in the directions of arrows e and f is provided on the rear side of the opening / closing lid 20 (direction of arrow a) along the outside of the one side chassis 45c with the magazine 2 The opening and closing lid drive lever 115 is arranged in parallel with and is in the vertical direction of the side chassis 45c through the horizontal fulcrum shaft 116 in the length direction (arrow a, b direction). It is rotatably attached to. The opening / closing lid drive pin 117 horizontally attached to the outside of the lower end of the T-shaped arm portion 115a formed in a substantially T-shape at the front end of the opening / closing lid driving lever 115 is located at the front side position of the driven arm 111 of the opening / closing lid 20. (The position on the arrow b direction side). Also, the T-shaped arm portion 11
On the front side of the upper end of 5a, a recess 118 for engagement with an opening / closing lid lock pin described later is formed. A cam follower pin 119 is horizontally attached to the outside of the rear end 115b of the opening / closing lid drive lever 115, and the opening / closing lid drive lever 115 is rotated and biased in the direction of arrow m by a winding spring 120 which is a biasing means. Has been done.

The drive means of the opening / closing lid drive lever 115 is also used as the slider 62 of the magazine loading mechanism 51 described above, and the cam groove 12 for driving the cam follower pin 119 is provided inside the upper end of the slider 62.
1 is integrally molded. The cam groove 121 includes a lower horizontal path 121a and a pair of front and rear inclined paths 121a above the horizontal path 121a.
It is constituted by an upper horizontal path 121d connected endlessly in a substantially trapezoidal shape via b and 121c.
The cam follower pin 119 is loosely fitted in the cam groove 121.

An opening / closing lid lock lever 124 for locking the opening / closing lid 20 in the closed state is horizontally arranged at the upper position of one lateral side on the rear side of the opening / closing lid 20 (direction of arrow a). The rear end of the open / close lid lock lever 124 is rotatably attached to the lower portion of the upper surface of the side chassis 45c via a vertical fulcrum shaft 125 in the directions of arrows n and o. An open / close lid lock pin 126 is horizontally attached to the inner surface of the front end of the open / close lid lock lever 124, and the open / close lid lock pin 126 is engaged with the engaged piece 11 of the open / close lid 20.
On the rear side (arrow a direction side) of FIG. 4, it is configured to be able to move in and out in the directions of arrows n and o, which are directions substantially perpendicular to the directions of arrows e and f, which are the opening and closing directions of the opening / closing lid 20. The opening / closing lid lock lever 124 is rotationally biased in the direction of arrow n by a tension coil spring 127 which is a biasing means. A vertical cam follower roller 128 is rotatably attached to the front end of the open / close lid lock lever 124, and on the lower portion on the outer side opposite to the open / close lid lock pin 126. In addition, the arc-shaped guide hole 129 formed on the front end side of the opening / closing lid lock lever 124 has the side chassis 45.
Vertical guide pin 13 attached to the bottom of the upper surface of c
It is loosely fitted to 0.

The drive means for the opening / closing lid lock lever 124 is also used by the one slide guide plate 91 of the tray elevating mechanism 52 described above, and the rail-shaped cam is provided along the outside of the upper edge of the slide guide plate 91. Thirteen
1 is formed horizontally. A cam slope 131a is formed at the end of the rail-shaped cam 131 on the arrow b direction side, which is obliquely cut inward (toward the arrow n direction).

[Unlocked state of the open / close lid at the closed position]
First, as shown in FIG. 40, in the initial state, the opening / closing lid 20
Is the fulcrum shaft 1 by the tension coil spring 110 to the closed position.
The magazine insertion port 19 is closed by being rotated in the direction of arrow f about 09. Then, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on in this state, the slide guide plate 91 causes the standby P ₂₀ shown by the solid line in FIGS.
Is moved in the direction of arrow b. Then, FIG. 44 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the cam follower roller 128 of the opening / closing lid lock lever 124 moves the cam rail 1 by the cam slope 131a.
When the lid lock lever 124 rides on the shaft 31, the open / close lid lock lever 124 is rotated about the fulcrum shaft 125 in the direction of the arrow o against the tension coil spring 127. Then, the open / close lid lock pin 12
6 is disengaged from the engaged piece 112 of the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of arrow o, and the lock of the opening / closing lid 20 at the closed position is released.

Therefore, in this initial state, the opening / closing lid 20 can be freely opened / closed in the directions of arrows e and f around the fulcrum shaft 109 against the tension coil spring 110, and as described above, from the magazine insertion port 19 When the magazine 2 is inserted into the autoloader 11 in the direction of arrow a, the opening / closing lid 20
Can be pushed open in the direction of arrow e by the magazine 2. After the magazine 2 is automatically loaded into the autoloader 11 in the direction of arrow a, the opening / closing lid 20
Is automatically closed in the direction of arrow f by the tension coil spring 110.

[Opening / closing drive operation of the opening / closing lid by the opening / closing lid driving lever] Next, the opening / closing lid driving lever 115 moves the fulcrum shaft 116.
The coil driven pin 119 is constantly urged to rotate in the arrow k direction by the winding spring 120, and the cam driven pin 119 is always urged to move upward in the arrow k direction.

On the other hand, as described above, when the slider 62 of the magazine loading mechanism 51 is slid in the direction of arrow a to the loading completion position P ₁₁ shown by the solid line in FIG. 26, as shown in FIG. 119
Is relatively moved to the end 121e of the lower horizontal path 121a of the cam groove 121 on the arrow b direction side.

Therefore, as described above, in order to automatically eject the magazine 2 from the magazine insertion opening 19 in the direction of the arrow b, the slider 62 moves from the loading completion position P ₁₁ shown by the solid line in FIG. 26 to the standby position P shown by the one-dot chain line. ₁₂
Immediately after the slide is started in the direction of arrow b, the cam driven pin 119 is moved from the end 121e of the lower horizontal path 121a of the cam groove 121 on the arrow b direction side by the rising biasing force of the winding spring 116, as shown in FIG. One slope path 121
It goes up in the direction of arrow k through b to the upper horizontal path 121d.

Then, the opening / closing lid drive lever 115 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
Is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow k about the fulcrum shaft 116 from the open position indicated by the one-dot chain line to the closed position indicated by the solid line, and the open / close lid drive pin 117 of the open / close lid 20 drives the driven arm 111 of the open / close lid 20.
Is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow k, and the opening / closing lid 20 moves the fulcrum shaft 10
The lid is automatically opened in the direction of arrow e against the tension coil spring 110.

Then, the slider 62 is continuously slid in the direction of the arrow b to the standby position P ₁₂ shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 26, whereby the magazine 2 is inserted into the magazine insertion port 19 as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. Is pushed outward in the direction of arrow b to a certain length. At this time,
The cam follower pin 119 resists the coil spring 120 and the cam groove 12
0 upper horizontal path 121d to the other inclined path 121c
Through the end portion 1 of the lower horizontal path 121a on the arrow a direction side
It is lowered to 21f.

Then, as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG.
The open / close lid drive lever 115 is rotationally driven around the fulcrum shaft 116 in the direction of the arrow m against the winding spring 120 and returned to the closed position. The opening / closing lid 20 is also driven and rotated about the fulcrum shaft 109 by the tension coil spring 110 in the direction of the arrow f, but as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. Only the opening / closing lid driving pin 117 of the opening / closing lid driving lever 115 is separated from the driven arm 111 of the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of arrow f.

When the magazine 2 is manually pulled out from the magazine insertion port 19 in the direction of the arrow b after the auto-ejecting of the magazine 2, the opening / closing lid 20 is pulled by the tension coil spring 110 to the original two-dot chain line in FIG. The magazine insertion port 19 is closed by being driven and rotated in the direction of the arrow f to the closed position. Then, as shown in FIG. 73, the opening and closing of the opening / closing lid 20 are detected by an optical shutter plate 122 formed on the opening / closing lid 20 and an optical sensor 123 which is a photo interrupter which is turned on / off by the optical shutter plate 122. To be done.

[Locked state of the open / close lid at the closed position] Next, as described above, the magazine 2 is loaded into the autoloader 11
After being automatically loaded in the slide guide plate 9
When 1 is slid from the initial position P ₂₀ shown in FIGS. 36 to 38 to the standby position P _{21 in the} direction of arrow a to be in the standby state, as shown in FIGS. 39, 40, 43 and 45, the rail-like shape is formed. The cam slope 131a of the cam 131 separates from the cam driven roller 128 of the opening / closing lid lock lever 124 in the direction of arrow a.

Then, the opening / closing lid lock lever 124 is moved by the tension coil spring 127 around the fulcrum shaft 125 in the direction of arrow n.
When the open / close lid lock pin 126 is rotated in the direction, the lock pin 126 is inserted between the engaged piece 112 of the open / close lid 20 and the engaging recess 118 of the open / close lid drive lever 115 at a substantially right angle from the arrow n direction. Then, the opening / closing lid lock pin 126 restricts the rotation of the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of the arrow e, and the opening / closing lid 20 is locked at the closed position.

When the open / close lid 20 is locked at the closed position, the open / close lid drive lever 115 engaged with the open / close lid lock pin 126 by the engaging recess 118 is also moved by the open / close lid lock pin 126 as shown in FIG. It will be locked as it is in the closed position shown in FIG.

[Description of First Cartridge Pushing Mechanism] Next, the first cartridge pushing mechanism 54 will be described with reference to FIGS. 21, 24, 47, 48 and 71.

First, the first cartridge pushing mechanism 5
4 is arranged on one side chassis 45c side, and a guide shaft 134 is horizontally attached to the side chassis 45c in parallel with the magazine 2.
A slider 135, which is a slide driving member, is provided that slides in the directions of the arrows a and b along. At the rear end of the slider 135 (the end on the arrow a direction side), a first push-out arm 136, which is a cartridge push-out means, is integrally formed at a right angle and horizontally on the side surface on the magazine insertion space 13 side. Then, the first pushing arm 13
6 is an elongated hole 137 formed horizontally on the side chassis 45c.
Through the through, it projects horizontally into the magazine insertion space 13 at a right angle to the length direction of the magazine 2 (directions of arrows a and b).

The front end of the slider 135 (arrow b)
Direction side), a plate-shaped guided piece 138 for preventing rotation of the slider 135 is provided on the side surface opposite to the magazine insertion space 13.
Is integrally molded horizontally. And the side chassis 4
A horizontal upper guide plate 139 formed on 5c and a lower guide plate 1 horizontally attached to the lower part of the horizontal upper guide plate 139 at intervals.
The guided piece 138 is inserted between 40 and
By being guided in the direction, the first pushing arm 136 is configured to be able to horizontally move in the directions of arrows a and b while maintaining the horizontal posture.

A drive mechanism for driving the slider 136 in the directions of the arrows a and b is provided with a rack 141 integrally formed horizontally along the side surface of the slider 136 opposite to the magazine insertion space 13 side, and a lower guide. The rack and pinion mechanism 144 is composed of a pinion 143 that is driven to rotate by a geared motor 142 attached to the lower part of the plate 140 to drive the rack 141 in the directions of arrows a and b. The motor 73 of the magazine loading mechanism 51 described above is attached to the upper portion of the upper guide plate 139.

A pair of horizontal front and rear optical shutter plates 146 and 147 are integrally formed on both front and rear ends of the side surface of the slider 135 opposite to the magazine insertion space 13 side, and these optical shutter plates 146 and 147 are integrally formed. A pair of front and rear photosensors 148 and 149, which are photointerrupters controlled by ON / OFF, are attached to the side chassis 45c side. One optical sensor 148 is configured as a sensor for setting the extrusion start position of the first extrusion arm 136, and the other optical sensor 1
Reference numeral 49 is a sensor for preventing runaway of the first pushing arm 136 in the direction of arrow b.

[Setting of the first push-out arm 136 to the push-out start position] First, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on, the pinion 143 is driven in the reverse rotation by the geared motor 142 of the rack and pinion mechanism 144, and the rack 141 is moved.
Is driven in the direction of arrow a. Then, the slider 135
Is slid in the direction of the arrow a along the guide shaft 134, and the first pushing arm 136 is moved to the position shown in FIGS.
Is moved to the standby position P ₄₁ indicated by the solid line in the direction of arrow a. Then, the one optical sensor 148 is operated (ON → OFF) by the one optical shutter plate 146, the geared motor 142 is stopped, and the first pushing arm 136 is set to the standby position P ₄₁ .

[Automatic Cassette Operation of First Extrusion Arm into Magazine] Next, as described above, the magazine 2 is automatically loaded horizontally from the magazine insertion opening 19 into the autoloader 11 in the direction of the arrow a, as shown in FIG. When set to the position shown in FIG. 47, the first pushing arm 136 moves the magazine 2
Is automatically set so as to be relatively horizontally inserted from the arrow b direction into the end portion of the first opening 37 on the arrow a direction side.

[Pushing Operation of Tape Cartridge by First Pushing Arm] Next, the pinion 143 is driven to rotate forward by the geared motor 142 of the rack and pinion mechanism 144 based on the pushing command signal of the tape cartridge 1 from the computer. , The rack 141 is an arrow b
Driven in the direction. Then, the slider 135 slides along the guide shaft 134 in the direction of the arrow b, and the first pushing arm 136 moves from the standby position P ₄₁ shown by the solid line in FIGS. 47 and 48 to the position P ₄₂ shown by the one-dot chain line. Arrow b in the magazine 2 along the first opening 37 of the magazine 2
Is moved horizontally in the direction.

Then, as described with reference to FIG. 13, the cartridge rotation path 8 in the magazine 2 is moved by the first pushing arm 136 horizontally moved in the direction of the arrow b.
The front end 1a of the lower tape cartridge 1 of the vertical path 8b in FIG. And
By this cartridge pushing operation, a total of three tape cartridges 1 in the lower part of the vertical path 8b and the lower horizontal path 8c are simultaneously extruded in the direction of the arrow b by a stroke amount for one stroke, and the tape cartridge 1 of FIG. As described in (A) and FIG. 10, the cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17 is connected to the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2.
The tape cartridge 1 is pushed out by one roll in the direction of arrow b.

At this time, as described with reference to FIG.
When the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 pushed out into the cartridge tray 16 is pushed out from the reference position P _{1 in the} direction of arrow b by the distance L _{1 in the} direction of arrow b and reaches the first pushing position P ₂ , the cartridge tray 16 to be described later By the detection output of the cartridge extrusion position detection sensor inside. The geared motor 142 of the rack and pinion mechanism 144 is stopped, and the slider 135 and the first pushing arm 136 are stopped.
Is stopped at the position P ₄₂ indicated by the alternate long and short dash line.

At this time, when the detection output from the cartridge push-out position detection sensor cannot be obtained for some reason, the other optical sensor 149 is operated by the other optical shutter plate 147 (OFF → ON). ), The geared motor 142 is stopped, and the runaway of the first pushing arm 136 in the arrow b direction is prevented.

Then, after this, the rack and pinion mechanism 1
The pinion 143 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction by the geared motor 142 of 44, the rack 141 is driven in the direction of the arrow a, and the first pushing arm 136 is integrated with the slider 135 in the initial standby position shown by the solid line in FIGS. 47 and 48. It is returned to P _{41 in the} direction of arrow a.

Then, the first pushing arm 136 is returned in the direction of arrow a from the position P ₄₂ shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 47 to the standby position P ₄₁ shown by the solid line, and the first pushing arm 1 is moved.
As shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 13, the vertical path 8b of the magazine 2 is ejected from the lower position of the vertical path 8b of the magazine 2 in the direction of the arrow a.
The two upper and lower tape cartridges 1 inside of the tape cartridge 1 horizontally fall in the direction of the arrow d by a step corresponding to one winding, and an empty space S for one winding of the tape cartridge 1 is generated in the upper part in the vertical path 8b. .

[Description of Second Cartridge Pushing Mechanism] Next, FIGS. 21, 22, 24, 31, and 49 to 5:
The second cartridge pushing mechanism 55 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 71, 73, and 74.

First, the second cartridge pushing mechanism 55
Is mounted on the tray lifting table 84 described above,
The cartridge tray 16 is configured to be lifted and lowered in the directions of arrows c and d integrally with the cartridge tray 16. And the tray lift 8
4, a guide shaft 151 is horizontally mounted in parallel with the magazine 2 inside one of the side plates 84a, and an arrow of a slider 152, which is a slide driving member, is slid along the guide shaft 151 in the directions of arrows a and b. The second pushing arm 15 as a cartridge pushing means is provided on the end portion on the b direction side.
3 is attached at a right angle and horizontally. Then, the second pushing arm 153 is inserted into the cartridge tray 16 through an elongated hole 16e formed horizontally on one side surface of the cartridge tray 16, and the tape cartridge 1
Are arranged at right angles to the direction of the arrow a, which is the pushing direction.

The slider 152 is formed of synthetic resin or the like, and the rack 154 is integrally formed horizontally along the lower surface of the slider 152. A drive mechanism that drives the slider 152 in the directions of arrows a and b is composed of a rack 154 and a pinion 156 that is rotationally driven by a geared motor 155 attached to the tray lift 48 to drive the rack 154. It is configured by a pinion mechanism 157.

As shown in FIG. 51, a pair of front and rear horizontal optical shutter plates 159 and 160 are integrally formed on the slider 152 at intervals in the front-rear direction (directions of arrows a and b). Shutter plates 159 and 160
A pair of front and rear photosensors 161 and 162, which are photointerrupters that are ON / OFF-controlled by, are attached to the tray lift table 84 side. One optical sensor 161 is configured as a sensor that detects the standby position of the second extrusion arm 153, and the other optical sensor 162 is configured as a sensor that detects the extrusion end position of the second extrusion lever 153. .

[Setting of the second extrusion arm to the standby position] First, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on, the rack
The pinion 156 is driven in reverse by the geared motor 155 of the pinion mechanism 157, the rack 154 is driven in the direction of arrow b, and the slider 152 moves the guide shaft 151.
49 and 51 are slid in the direction of arrow b to the standby position P ₅₁ shown in solid lines in FIGS. 49 and 51, and the second pushing arm 153 moves in the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b to the standby position shown in solid lines in FIG. To be done. Then, the one optical sensor 161 is operated (ON → OFF) by the one optical shutter plate 159, the geared motor 155 is stopped, and the second pushing arm 153 is set to the standby position.

[Extrusion Operation of Tape Cartridge from Cartridge Tray by Second Extrusion Arm] Next, as described above, after the tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b, the tape cartridge 1 is inserted from the computer. When the push command signal of the rack and pinion mechanism 157 is output,
5, the pinion 156 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, the rack 154 is driven in the direction of the arrow a, and the slider 152 moves along the guide shaft 151 to the extrusion end position P ₅₂ shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 49 and 51. Slide in the direction.

Then, the second pushing arm 153 is moved in the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow a from the standby position shown by the solid line in FIG. 49 to the pushing end position shown by the alternate long and short dash line, and the second pushing arm 153 is moved. The rear end 1b of the tape cartridge 1 in the cartridge tray 16 is pushed, and as described above, the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out from the opening 16a of the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of the arrow a, and the tape cartridge 1 is placed in the drive 14 or the magazine 2 Push it in the direction of arrow a.

The second pushing arm 153 is shown in FIG.
When the extrusion end position indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 9 is reached, the other optical sensor 162 is operated (ON → OFF) by the other optical shutter plate 160, and the rack and pinion mechanism 1
The geared motor 155 of 57 is once stopped. Then, after this, the pinion 1 is driven by the geared motor 155.
56 is driven in the reverse rotation, the rack 154 is driven in the direction of the arrow b, and the second extrusion arm 1 is integrated with the slider 152.
53 is returned in the direction of arrow b to the extrusion start position shown by the solid line in FIG.

[Explanation of Third Cartridge Pushing Mechanism] Next, FIGS. 21, 24, 52 to 56, 71 and 7.
3, the third cartridge pushing mechanism 56 will be described.

The third cartridge push-out mechanism 56 is arranged along the outer side surface of the side chassis 45b to the other side of the chassis 45 with respect to the magazine insertion space 13. The guide shaft 165 is attached to the side chassis 45b.
Is mounted horizontally in parallel with the magazine 2, and a slider 166, which is a slide driving member, is horizontally slidable along the guide shaft 165 in the directions of arrows a and b. A horizontal third pushing arm 167 is attached to the lower part of the slider 166 via a vertical fulcrum shaft 168 so as to be horizontally rotatable in the directions of arrows q and r.

The third pushing arm 167 is set at the same height as the guide groove 38 and the second opening 39 of the magazine 2 loaded in the magazine insertion space 13 and set horizontally. Then, the third pushing arm 167 can be moved into and out of the magazine insertion space 13 through the elongated hole 169 formed horizontally in the side chassis 45b so that the third pushing arm 167 can be moved into and out of the magazine insertion space 13 within a range of about 45 ° indicated by a solid line and a dashed line in FIG. While being rotatable in the directions of the arrows q and r, the third pushing arm 167 is inserted into the magazine inserting space 13 along the long hole 169 and is indicated by a chain line in FIG.
It is configured to be movable in the directions of arrows a and b within the range indicated by the dotted line.

The third pushing arm 167 is rotationally biased in the direction of arrow q by the winding spring 170 which is a biasing means, and the slider 166 is provided with the third pushing arm 16.
55 is provided with a stopper 171 for stopping the rotation at the extrusion start position shown by the solid line in FIG. The third pushing arm 167 is configured to be engaged with the stopper 171 by a step portion 172 formed on the side surface near the fulcrum shaft 168.

A drive mechanism for slidingly driving the slider 166 in the directions of the arrows a and b is rotationally driven by a horizontal rack 173 integrally formed on the side surface of the slider 166 and a geared motor 174 attached to the side chassis 45b. Pinion 1 driven to drive rack 173
And a rack and pinion mechanism 176 including 75.

A plate-like slide cam 178 is slidably mounted in the arrow a and b directions at a position on the side surface of the side chassis 45b on the magazine insertion space 13 side so as to overlap the elongated hole 169. A cam projection 179 for controlling the rotation of the third pushing arm 167 in the directions of the arrows q and r is formed on the slide cam 178.
The cam follower surface 180, which is formed in a substantially curved shape with a gentle curved surface along the side surface of the 67 on the arrow q direction side, is the cam projection 1.
It is in contact with 79 from the direction of arrow q. Slide
The cam 178 moves from the position shown in FIG. 55 to the position shown in FIG.
It is biased to slide in the direction. A magazine contact portion 182 is formed at the end of the slide cam 178 on the arrow a direction side so as to project into the magazine insertion space 13 at a substantially right angle.

The magazine lock mechanism 183 controlled by the slider 166 is attached to the lower side of the third pushing mechanism 56 in the direction of the arrow b on the outer side surface of the side chassis 45b with respect to the magazine insertion space 13. The magazine lock mechanism 183 is provided on the side chassis 4
A horizontal magazine lock lever 1 mounted rotatably in the directions of arrows t and u via a fulcrum shaft 184 perpendicular to 5b.
The lock claw 1 that has a 85 and is integrally formed horizontally on the side surface of the magazine lock lever 185 on the arrow t direction side.
The second locked portion 4 of the magazine 2 in which 86 is horizontally loaded and set horizontally in the magazine insertion space 13.
It is set to the same height as 2. Then, the lock claw 186 is provided in the side chassis 45b, and the long hole 1 is formed horizontally.
The magazine lock lever 185 is configured to be able to move in and out of the magazine insertion space 13 through 87, so that the magazine lock lever 185 is urged to rotate in the direction of arrow t by a winding spring 188 which is an urging means and abuts against the side chassis 45b. It is configured.

A rib-shaped cam 190 controlled by a vertical cam drive pin 189 attached to the lower part of the slider 166 on the arrow a direction side is integrally formed vertically along the upper part of the outer edge of the magazine lock lever 185. A substantially crank-shaped cam surface 190a is formed on the inner side surface of the rib-shaped cam 190.

The horizontal optical shutter plates 192 and 193 are integrally formed in parallel with each other along the upper portion of the slider 166 in two steps, and the pair of upper and lower optical shutter plates 192 and 193 respectively turn on and off. A pair of upper and lower photosensors 194 and 195, which are controlled photointerrupters, are attached to the side chassis 45b side. Note that one optical sensor 195 is configured as a sensor that detects the standby position P ₆₁ of the slider 166, and the other optical sensor 194 is the slider 16.
Extrusion end position P _{62 of} 6 and magazine lock in the direction of arrow a
The sensor is configured to detect the release end position P ₆₃ .

[Standby State of Third Extrusion Arm] First, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on, the pinion 175 is rotationally driven in the forward or reverse direction by the geared motor 174 of the rack and pinion mechanism 176 to rotate the rack 1.
73 through the slider 166 in the direction of arrow b or arrow a.
The slider 166 is slid in the direction to position the slider 166. When this slider 166 is positioned at the standby position P ₆₁ shown by the solid line in FIG. 52 and shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 54 and 55, one optical sensor 195 is turned on and the other optical sensor 19 is turned on.
4 is turned off, the extrusion start position of the slider 166 is detected, and the geared motor 174 is stopped.

At this time, the slide cam 178 is slid in the direction of arrow b by the tension coil spring 181 to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. Then, the cam follower 180 of the third pushing arm 167 is pushed in the direction of arrow r by the cam projection 179, so that the third pushing arm 167 moves in the direction of arrow r against the coil spring 170 around the fulcrum shaft 168. This third extrusion arm 16 is rotated.
7 is discharged from the elongated hole 169 in the direction of the arrow r, which is the lateral outside of the magazine insertion space 13, and the third pushing arm 167 is discharged.
Becomes parallel to the magazine 2.

[Automatic setting operation of the third pushing arm 167 in the magazine] Next, as described above, the magazine 2 is inserted into the magazine insertion space 13 of the autoloader 11 by the arrow b.
54, a part of the other side surface 2b of the magazine 2 contacts the magazine contact portion 182 of the slide cam 178 from the direction of arrow a during the automatic loading in the direction. Then, the slide cam 178 is pushed by the magazine 2 and is slid together with the magazine 2 in the direction of arrow a against the tension coil spring 181.

As the slide cam 178 slides in the direction of arrow a, the third pushing arm 167 moves the fulcrum shaft 1
The third pushing arm 167 enters the magazine insertion space 13 through the slotted hole 169 from the direction of the arrow q by the coil spring 170 around the axis 68, and the third pushing arm 167 moves in the direction of the arrow a. It enters into the guide groove 38 of the magazine 2 which is being drawn in the direction.

Then, the slide cam 178 is slid together with the magazine 2 in the direction of the arrow a to the loading end position shown in FIG. 55. Just before that, the cam projection 179 of the slide cam 178 is moved to the third pushing arm 167.
It moves away from the cam follower surface 180 in the direction of arrow a.

Therefore, almost simultaneously with the slide cam 178 reaching the loading completion position shown in FIG. 55 integrally with the magazine 2, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 55, the third pushing arm 167 is centered on the fulcrum shaft 168. The third pushing arm 167 is rotated substantially 45 ° in the arrow q direction by the winding spring 170, and the third pushing arm 167 is automatically inserted from the second opening 39 of the magazine 2 into the hollow portion 4 of the magazine 2 in the arrow q direction and set. To be done. Then, when the step portion 172 of the third extrusion arm 167 is brought into contact with the stopper 171 of the slider 166 from the direction of the arrow q and the third extrusion arm 167 is stopped, the arrow at the tip of the third extrusion arm 167. Cartridge push-out surface 1 formed on the side surface on the r direction side
67a is the magazine 2 and the cartridge pushing direction (arrow b)
Direction), the tape cartridge 1 can be pushed out by the third pushing arm 167 in the direction of arrow b.

On the other hand, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 56, when the magazine 2 is pulled in the direction of arrow a to the loading completion position, the lock claw 18 of the magazine lock lever 185 is inserted.
6 goes over the second locked portion 42 of the magazine 2 in the direction of the arrow b against the winding spring 188, and the lock claw 186
Automatically engages with the second locked portion 42 on the arrow b side. Therefore, at the moment when the magazine 2 is pulled in the direction of arrow a to the loading completion position, the magazine 2
Is the magazine lock lever 1 of the magazine lock mechanism 183
85 automatically locks in its loading complete position.

[Extrusion Operation of Tape Cartridge by Third Extrusion Arm] Next, the pinion 175 is driven to rotate forward by the geared motor 174 of the rack and pinion mechanism 176 based on the extrusion command signal of the tape cartridge 1 from the computer. 173 is driven in the direction of arrow b, and the slider 166 is slid along the guide shaft 165 in the direction of arrow b from the standby position P ₆₁ shown by the solid line in FIG. 52 to the extrusion end position P ₆₂ shown by the chain double-dashed line. . Do
And the step portion 172 of the third pushing arm 167 is the slider 1
The state in which the rotation is stopped by being engaged with the stopper 171 of 66.
While maintaining the state, the third pushing arm 167 is horizontally moved by the parallel movement in the arrow b direction from the standby position P ₆₁ shown by the solid line in FIG. 55 to the pushing end position P ₆₂ shown by the two-dot chain line.

Then, the third pushing arm 167 enters from the hollow portion 4 of the magazine 2 through the notch 40 into the cartridge receiving port 7 in the direction of the arrow b, and the cartridge pushing surface 167a of the third pushing arm 167. 6 pushes the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 housed in the cartridge housing 7 in the direction of arrow b, and the tape cartridge 1 shown in FIG.
As described in 0, the tape cartridge 1 is pushed horizontally into the cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17 in the direction of arrow b.

At this time, as described with reference to FIG. 10, the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 extruded into the cartridge tray 16 is extruded in the direction of the arrow b from the reference position P ₁ by the distance L ₂ to the second extrusion position. When reaching P ₃ , the geared motor 174 of the rack and pinion mechanism 176 is stopped by the detection output of the cartridge push-out position detection sensor in the cartridge tray 16 described later.

At this time, if the detection output from the cartridge push-out position detection sensor is not obtained for some reason, the arrow a of one optical shutter plate 192 is used.
Operate the other optical sensor 194 at the end on the direction side (OFF
→ ON) to stop the geared motor 174,
The push arm 167 is prevented from running away in the direction of arrow b.

Then, the arrow b of the tape cartridge 1 from the cartridge storage port 7 into the cartridge tray 16
55, the pinion 175 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction by the geared motor 174 of the rack and pinion mechanism 176, the rack 173 is driven in the direction of the arrow b, and the third pushing arm 167 is integrally formed with the slider 166.
Is returned in the direction of arrow a to the initial standby position P ₆₁ shown by the solid line.

[Unlocking Operation at Magazine Ejection] Next, as described above, when the magazine 2 in the autoloader 11 is automatically ejected to the outside of the magazine insertion port 19 in the direction of the arrow b by the magazine loading mechanism 51, First, the pinion 175 is reversely driven by the geared motor 174 of the rack and pinion mechanism 176, and the slider 166 is shown by the one-dot chain line from the standby position P ₆₁ shown by the solid line in FIGS. 52 and 55 through the rack 173. It slides in the direction of arrow a to the overstroke position P _{63 in the} direction of arrow a, and the other optical sensor 195 is operated by the other optical shutter plate 194 (ON → OF).
Then, the geared motor 174 is stopped.

Then, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 52 and 56, the cam drive pin 186 of the slider 166 is pressed against the cam surface 190a of the rib-shaped cam 190 of the magazine lock lever 185 from the direction of arrow a. Then, by the cam action of the cam surface 190, the magazine lock lever 185 is rotated around the fulcrum shaft 184 in the direction of the arrow u against the winding spring 188, and the lock claw 186 is locked in the second locked state of the magazine 2. The lock is released from the portion 42 in the direction of the arrow u, and the lock of the magazine 2 at the loading completion position is released.

[Ejection operation of the third pushing arm 167 to the outside of the magazine] Then, after this, the automatic ejection operation of the magazine 2 to the outside of the magazine insertion opening 19 by the magazine loading mechanism 51 as described above is performed, and the magazine is ejected. The magazine 2 in the insertion space 13 is pushed out in the direction of the arrow b. At this time, the slide cam 178 together with the magazine 2 extends from the loading completion position shown by the solid line in FIG. 55 to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 181 slides in the direction of arrow b.

Then, the cam protrusion 179 of the slide cam 178 presses the cam follower surface 180 of the third pushing arm 167 from the direction of the arrow b, and the cam action of the cam follower surface 180 causes the third pushing arm 167 to pivot. 168
Is rotated in the direction of arrow r against the winding spring 170. The third pushing arm 167 is attached to the magazine 2
It exits from the inside in the direction of arrow r and exits to the exit position outside the magazine insertion space 13 shown by the solid line in FIG.

Then, after this, the pinion 175 is driven by the geared motor 174 of the rack and pinion mechanism 176.
Is driven in the normal rotation again, the slider 166 is returned to the standby position P ₆₁ shown in FIG. 52 again in the arrow b direction via the rack 173, and one end of the optical shutter plate 192 on the arrow b direction side is moved to the other side. The optical sensor 195 operates (O
(N → OFF), and the geared motor 174 is stopped. At the same time, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 56, the cam drive pin 189 causes the magazine lock lever 185 to move.
The lock claw 186 of the magazine lock lever 185 is projected into the magazine insertion space 13 again in the arrow t direction by the winding spring 188, away from the cam surface 190 in the arrow b direction.

[Explanation of Drive Cartridge Loading Mechanism] Next, referring to FIGS.
Cartridge loading mechanism 5 provided in 4
7 will be described.

First, the drive 14 is configured as a helical scan type magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, and is provided with a rotary head drum 201 for magnetically recording and reproducing computer data on the magnetic tape MT in the tape cartridge 1. . Then, as shown in FIGS. 57 and 58,
The tape cartridge 1 horizontally pushed in the direction of arrow a from the cartridge tray 16 to the cartridge inlet / outlet 15 by the second cartridge pushing mechanism 55 is horizontally inserted in the cartridge holder 202 of the cartridge loading mechanism 57 in the direction of arrow a. .

Then, as shown in FIGS. 59 and 60,
By the cartridge holder 202, the tape cartridge 1 is horizontally drawn in the direction of the arrow a to a position near the rotary head drum 201 in the drive 14, and then loaded so as to be vertically lowered in the direction of the arrow d.

Then, the opening / closing lid 1g of the tape cartridge 1 is opened by the loading of the tape cartridge 1, and the magnetic tape MT in the tape cartridge 1 is subsequently pulled out by the tape loading mechanism 203, and the outer periphery of the rotary head drum 201 is pulled out. Is loaded so as to be helically wound around, and data of the computer is recorded on and reproduced from the magnetic tape MT by the rotary head drum 201.

After the recording and reproduction, the tape loading mechanism 203 ejects the magnetic tape MT into the tape cartridge 1, and the cartridge holder 202 of the cartridge loading mechanism 57 shows the tape cartridge 1 in FIGS. 57 and 58. Eject in the direction of arrows c and b up to the cartridge entrance / exit 15. At this time, the opening / closing lid 1g of the tape cartridge 1 is also closed. Then, after this, the tape cartridge 1 is ejected into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b by the cartridge ejecting mechanism described later.

[Explanation of Cartridge Ejecting Mechanism in Drive] Next, the cartridge ejecting mechanism 58 provided in the drive 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 24, 57 to 63, 73 and 74.

First, the upper surface of the drive 14 is open. The cartridge ejecting mechanism 58 is horizontally arranged along the upper portion of the drive 14 on the side of the other side chassis 45b of the chassis 45.
A guide shaft 206 is horizontally attached to the magazine 5b in parallel with the magazine 2, and a slider 207, which is a slide driving member, is attached along the guide shaft 206 so as to be slidable in the directions of arrows a and b.

Then, the drive arm 20 perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slider 207 (directions of arrows a and b).
8 is horizontally arranged at a position higher than the rotary head drum 201, and one end of the drive arm 208 is fixed to the slider 207. And this drive arm 20
A pair of left and right projecting arms 209 integrally formed at a lower portion of 8 from the drive arm 208 is indicated by an arrow b.
It extends in parallel with the slider 207 in the horizontal direction. At this time, the pair of left and right protruding arms 209 are set at the same height as the cartridge inlet / outlet port 15 at both sides of the rotary head drum 201.

A drive mechanism for slidingly driving the slider 207 in the directions of the arrows a and b is rotatably driven by a rack 210 formed horizontally along the side surface of the slider 207 and a geared motor 211, and the rack 210 is moved.
The rack and pinion mechanism 213 includes a pinion 212 that drives the. The geared motor 211 is attached to the side chassis 45b by the mounting plate 214.
Is attached to. In addition, the guided plate 215 extended downward from the slider 207 is attached to the side chassis 45b.
The guide plate 216 provided on the guide plate 216 is configured to be guided in the directions of arrows a and b.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 61 and 62,
A pair of upper and lower optical sensors 220 and 221 which are photo interrupters ON / OFF controlled by horizontal optical shutter plates 218 and 219, which are integrally formed on the side surface of the slider 207, are provided on the side chassis 45b.
It is attached to the side. In addition, one optical sensor 22
0 is configured as a sensor for setting the pair of left and right protruding arms 209 to the standby position, and the other optical sensor 221 is configured as a sensor for preventing runaway of the pair of left and right protruding arms 209 in the direction of arrow b. .

[Setting the protruding arm to the standby position] First, when the power of the autoloader 11 is turned on, the pinion 212 is driven in the reverse rotation by the geared motor 211 of the rack and pinion mechanism 213, and the rack 210 is moved in the direction of arrow a. When driven, the drive arm 208 and the pair of left and right projecting arms 209 are moved integrally with the slider 207 in the direction of arrow b to the standby position P ₇₁ shown in FIGS. 57 to 61. Then, one optical sensor 220 is operated by one optical shutter plate 218 (OFF → ON).
Then, the geared motor 211 is stopped.

In this standby state, the pair of left and right projecting arms 209 are sufficiently separated from the cartridge loading mechanism 57 and the tape loading mechanism 203 in the directions of arrows a and c, so that the pair of left and right projecting arms 209 are provided. Does not hinder the loading and ejecting operations of the tape cartridge 1 and the loading and ejecting operations of the magnetic tape MT described above.

[Ejecting Operation of Tape Cartridge from Drive into Cartridge Tray] Next, as described above, after the tape cartridge 1 after recording and reproducing is ejected to the cartridge inlet / outlet port 15 by the cartridge loading mechanism 57, it is ejected from the computer. The pinion 21 is driven by the geared motor 211 of the rack and pinion mechanism 213 based on the cartridge ejection command signal.
2 is driven in the normal rotation direction, the rack 210 is driven, and the slider 207 is moved along the guide shaft 206 as shown in FIGS.
1 is slid in the direction of arrow b from the standby position P ₇₁ shown by the solid line to the protruding position P ₇₂ shown by the one-dot chain line.

Then, as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 57,
As shown in FIG. 63, the pair of left and right protruding arms 209 is horizontally moved in the direction of the arrow b to the protruding position by the drive arm 208 integrally with the slider 207.
At this time, the drive arm 208 moves the rotary head drum 2
01, and a pair of left and right protruding arms 209
Passes through both sides of the rotary head drum 201.

Then, a pair of left and right projecting arms 209
Enters the cartridge holder 202 from the direction of the arrow b, and the front ends 1a of the tape cartridges 1 in the cartridge holder 202 are horizontally projected in the direction of the arrow b by the tips of the protruding arms 209 to attach the tape cartridge 1 to the cartridge. It is pushed out from the doorway 15 into the cartridge tray 16 so as to horizontally project in the direction of arrow b.

At this time, as described with reference to FIG. 10, the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 pushed out into the cartridge tray 16 is pushed out from the reference position P _{1 in the} direction of the arrow b by the distance L ₂ and the second pushing position. When it reaches P ₃ , the geared motor 211 of the rack and pinion mechanism 213 is stopped by the detection output of the cartridge push-out position detection sensor in the cartridge tray 16 described later, and the drive arm 208 and the pair of left and right protruding arms 2 are stopped.
09 is stopped at the above-mentioned protruding position.

At this time, if the detection output from the cartridge push-out position detection sensor is not obtained for some reason, the other optical sensor 221 is operated by the other optical shutter plate 219 (ON → OFF). ), The geared motor 211 is stopped to prevent the drive arm 208 and the pair of left and right protruding arms 209 from running away in the direction of arrow b.

After that, the rack and pinion mechanism 2
The pinion 212 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction by the geared motor 211 of FIG. 13, the rack 210 is driven in the direction of arrow a, and the drive arm 208 and the pair of left and right protruding arms 209 integrally with the slider 207 are in the standby positions shown in FIGS. 57 to 60. It is returned to P _{71 in the} direction of arrow b.

[Cartridge Positioning Mechanism in Cartridge Tray] Next, FIGS. 31, 34, 64 and 6
5, the tape cartridge 1 pushed out from the magazine 2 and the drive 14 into the cartridge tray 16
A cartridge positioning mechanism 59 for positioning the cartridge in the cartridge tray 16 in two stages will be described.

First, the top plate 16 of the cartridge tray 16
A horizontal positioning roller 2 which is a mechanical positioning means for the tape cartridge 1 is provided at substantially the center of the opening 16a of FIG.
24 are arranged. The positioning roller 224 is rotatably attached to the front end (the end on the arrow a direction side) of the leaf spring 225 having the rear end (the end on the arrow b side) fixed on the top plate 16b. Opening 2 formed in 16b
The upper and lower portions of the cartridge tray 16 can be freely moved in and out of the cartridge tray 16.

The bottom plate 1 of the cartridge tray 16
A cartridge push-out position detection lever 227, which constitutes a push-out position detection unit of the tape cartridge 1 in the arrow b direction into the cartridge tray 16, is provided at the lower part of the substantially central portion on the rear end side (the end on the arrow b direction side) of 6c. A cartridge push-out position detection sensor 228 is attached. The cartridge push-out position detection lever 227 is used for the tray lift table 8
It is attached to the upper part of 4 via a horizontal fulcrum shaft 229 so as to be rotatable in the front and rear, and up and down v and w directions. A detection portion 227a integrally formed at the upper end of the cartridge push-out position detection lever 227 has a cartridge holder 16 through an opening 230 formed in the bottom plate 16c.
Has been inserted inside.

The cartridge push-out position detecting sensor 228 is attached to the lower portion of the sensor substrate 231 which is horizontally attached to the lower portion of the tray elevating table 84.
The cartridge push-out position detection sensor 228 is composed of an optical sensor which is a photo interrupter. Then, a pair of optical shutter plates 231 and 232 are provided at the tip of an arcuate arm 227b formed integrally with the lower portion of the cartridge push-out position detection lever 227.
They are integrally formed at intervals in the direction of rotation of b (directions of arrows v and w). Note that the arcuate arm 227b is used as the opening 2 formed in the tray lift 84 and the sensor substrate 231.
It is inserted below the sensor substrate 231 through 34. The cartridge push-out position detection lever 227 is configured to be rotationally biased in the direction of arrow v by a winding spring 235 which is a biasing means, and to be stopped at the position indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG.

[Positioning Operation of the Tape Cartridge in the Cartridge Tray at the First Pushing Position] As described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 47, the first cartridge pushing mechanism 5
When the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out from the cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of the arrow b by the first pushing arm 136 of No. 4, the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 is arrowed from the reference position P ₁ by the distance L _1. upon reaching a first extrusion position P ₂ which is one step displaced in the b direction, the first extrusion position P ₂ of the tape cartridge 1
Is detected by the cartridge ejection position detection sensor 228.

That is, at this time, as shown in FIG.
The rear end 1b of the tape cartridge 1 comes into contact with the detection portion 227a of the cartridge push-out position detection lever 227, and the detection portion 227a is pushed in the direction of arrow b to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. Then, the cartridge ejection position detection lever 2
64 is rotated about the fulcrum shaft 229 in the direction of the arrow w to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 64, and the cartridge push-out position detection sensor 228 is operated (OFF → ON) by one optical shutter plate 232, and the tape cartridge 1 The first extruding position P ₂ is detected.

Then, by the detection output of the cartridge push-out position detection sensor 228, as described above, the first
The geared motor 142 of the cartridge ejecting mechanism 54 is stopped to automatically control the ejecting stroke of the tape cartridge 1 by the first ejecting arm 136 so that the first ejecting arm 136 is stopped at the ejecting end position.

[Positioning operation of the tape cartridge in the cartridge tray at the second ejecting position] FIGS. 10 and 5
5 and FIG. 63, the magazine 2 is driven by the third pushing arm 167 of the third cartridge pushing mechanism 56.
When the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out from the cartridge storage port 7 into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of arrow b, and by the pair of left and right ejection arms 209 of the cartridge ejection mechanism 58, the tape cartridge is inserted into the cartridge tray 16 from the cartridge inlet / outlet port 15 of the drive 14. the extrusion 1 in the direction of arrow b, the front end 1a of the tape cartridge 1 by a distance L ₂ from the reference position P ₁ arrow b
When the second ejection position P ₃ displaced by two steps in the direction is reached, the second ejection position P ₃ of the tape cartridge 1 is detected by the cartridge ejection position detection sensor 228.

That is, at this time, as shown in FIG.
The rear end 1b of the tape cartridge 1 comes into contact with the detection portion 227a of the cartridge push-out lever 227, and the detection portion 2
Push 27a in the direction of arrow b to the position shown in FIG. Then, the cartridge ejection position detection lever 227 is rotated about the fulcrum shaft 229 in the direction of the arrow w to the position of FIG. 65, and the cartridge ejection position detection sensor 228 is operated (OFF) by the two optical shutter plates 232 and 233.
→ ON → OFF), and the second ejection position P ₃ of the tape cartridge 1 is detected.

As described above, the geared motors 174 and 211 of the third cartridge pushing-out mechanism 56 and the cartridge pushing-out mechanism 58 are stopped by the detection output of the cartridge pushing-out position detecting sensor 228,
The pushing stroke of the tape cartridge 1 by the third pushing arm 167 and the cartridge pushing arm 209 is automatically controlled so that the third pushing arm 167 and the pair of left and right cartridge pushing arms 209 are stopped at the pushing end positions, respectively.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 64, when the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out in the direction of the arrow b to the first pushing position P ₂ in the cartridge tray 16, the positioning roller 224 causes the upper surface 1c of the tape cartridge 1 to move. The tape cartridge 1 is mechanically positioned at the first push-out position P ₂ in the cartridge tray 16 by being engaged with the recess 1e by the elasticity of the leaf spring 225.

At this time, however, as shown in FIG. 65, the tape cartridge 1 is placed in the second tray in the cartridge tray 16.
When it is pushed out in the direction of the arrow b to the extrusion position P ₃ ,
4, the positioning roller 224 is elastically engaged with the concave portion 1e of the tape cartridge 1 to move the tape cartridge 1 into the second portion in the cartridge tray 16.
It may be mechanically positioned at the extrusion position P ₃ .

[Explanation of Tape Cartridge Erroneous Insertion Detection Mechanism] Next, referring to FIG.
The erroneous insertion detection mechanism 238 of the tape cartridge 1 provided in FIG.

An erroneous insertion detection lever 239, which constitutes erroneous insertion detection means for the tape cartridge 1, is attached to the bottom of the bottom portion 16c of the cartridge tray 16 on the rear end side (the direction of the arrow b) at approximately the center. The erroneous insertion detection lever 239 is provided on the tray lift table 84 and is provided on the fulcrum shaft 24
The detecting portion 239a is attached rotatably in the up and down directions of arrows x and y through 0, and is integrally formed at the upper end thereof into the cartridge holder 16 through the opening 241 formed in the bottom portion 16c. ing.

The photo-interrupter which is turned on and off by the optical shutter plate 242 extending downward from the lower end of the erroneous insertion detection lever 239 constitutes an erroneous insertion detection means of the tape cartridge 1. The optical sensor 243 is attached to the lower part of the sensor substrate 231. The lower half of the erroneous insertion detection lever 239 is inserted into the opening 244 formed in the tray lift base 84 and the sensor substrate 231, and the erroneous insertion detection lever 239 is a urging spring 245. 66 is rotationally biased in the arrow x direction to the position shown by the solid line in FIG.

[Incorrect insertion detection operation of tape cartridge]
As described with reference to FIG. 13, when the tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the cartridge insertion opening 5, the cartridge ejection opening 6 and the cartridge storage opening 7 of the magazine 2 from the direction of the arrow a and set, the tape cartridge 1 is moved forward and backward and up and down. Both must be inserted in the correct orientation.

At this time, when the tape cartridge 1 is inserted into the magazine 2 in the wrong orientation with respect to either the front or back or the top and bottom, the magazine 2 is set into the autoloader 11 as described above. , The cartridge outlet 6 of the magazine 2 or the cartridge storage 7
To tape cartridge 1 in cartridge tray 16
When the tape cartridge 1 is pushed out in the direction of the arrow b, the erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge 1 can be detected by the erroneous insertion detection mechanism 238.

That is, FIG. 66 shows a case where the tape cartridge 1 inserted in the magazine 2 in the correct direction is pushed out into the cartridge tray 16 in the direction of the arrow b. At this time, the detection of the erroneous insertion detection lever 239 is detected. Part 23
9a enters the recess 1f formed on the bottom surface 1d of the tape cartridge 1 in the direction of arrow x.

Therefore, at this time, the erroneous insertion detection lever 2
66 is rotated in the arrow x direction by the winding spring 245 to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 66, and the optical sensor 243 is turned OFF → ON → OFF by the optical shutter plate 242, so that the tape cartridge 1 is moved forward and backward and up and down. It is detected to be correct for both.

On the other hand, when the direction of the tape cartridge 1 is wrong, the cartridge tray 1
Tape cartridge 1 inserted in 6 from the direction of arrow b
The front and rear ends 1a, 1b are opposite to each other, and the recess 1f of the bottom surface 1d is displaced forward (in the direction of arrow a) from the detection unit 239a. When the tape cartridge 1 is erroneously turned upside down, the upper and lower surfaces 1c and 1d of the tape cartridge 1 inserted in the cartridge tray 16 from the direction of arrow b are turned upside down, and the recess 1f of the bottom surface 1d is removed. The upper side is the upper side 1c, and the upper side is the lower side.
It shifts upward from 39a (direction of arrow c).

[0230] Then, such a tape cartridge 1
In either case, the detecting section 239a cannot enter the recess 1f, and the detecting section 239a cannot be inserted into the concave section 1f as shown in FIG.
As indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 6, the detection portion 239a is pushed down (in the direction of arrow d) by the bottom surface 1d or the top surface 1c of the tape cartridge 1.

Therefore, at this time, the erroneous insertion detection lever 2
66 is rotated in the direction of the arrow y to the position shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 66 against the winding spring 245, and the optical sensor 243 is turned OFF → ON by the optical shutter plate 242. Erroneous insertion of can be detected.

When the optical sensor 243 detects an erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge 1, the tape cartridge 1 is immediately returned from the cartridge tray 16 into the magazine 2, and the magazine 2 is immediately ejected from the magazine insertion opening 19. It has a built-in sequence.

[Description of Automatic Pushing Mechanism of Tape Cartridge into Magazine] Next, FIGS. 25 to 30 and 36 to
45 and 67 to 70, an automatic cartridge push-in mechanism 247 for automatically pushing the tape cartridge 1 unexpectedly ejected from the magazine 2 in the arrow b direction into the magazine 2 in the arrow a direction will be described.

That is, as described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 17, when the tape cartridge 1 having a total of eight rolls is inserted in the magazine 2 from the normal direction and correctly stored, the cartridge insertion opening 5, the cartridge ejection opening 6, The tape cartridge 1 is positioned by the cartridge positioning means 29 at a total of four positions, that is, the lower positions of the cartridge storage port 7 and the hollow portion 4.

However, when the insertion depth of the tape cartridge 1 into the cartridge insertion port 5, the cartridge ejection port 6, the cartridge storage port 7 and the lower position of the hollow portion 4 of the magazine 2 is shallow or the tape cartridge 1 is erroneously inserted. 1 is a reaction when the magazine 2 is automatically loaded into the autoloader 11 from the magazine insertion port 15 in the direction of the arrow a, as shown in FIG. The tape cartridge 1 may unexpectedly pop out in the direction of the arrow b from the one side surface 2a which is the opposite side surface.

At this time, the gap dimension L between the one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 and the front edge 16d of the cartridge tray 16
_{If the} tape cartridge 1 pops out from the one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 in the direction of the arrow b in a dimension L ₁₁ larger than ₁₀ , the cartridge tray 16 is moved from the drive position to the arrow c.
When the cartridge tray 16 is to be lifted up in the direction, the front end edge 16d side of the cartridge tray 16 comes into contact with the protruding tape cartridge 1 from below to be hindered from rising, resulting in an inoperable state.

Therefore, this cartridge automatic pushing mechanism 2
Reference numeral 47 denotes a tape cartridge 1 that can be accidentally ejected from one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 and automatically pushed into the magazine 2.

The cartridge automatic pushing mechanism 2
As shown in FIG. 69, 47 includes a cartridge pop-out detection circuit 248 that detects pop-out of the tape cartridge 1 from the magazine 2 and a control circuit 249. Based on the detection output of the pop-out detection circuit 248, the magazine loading mechanism 51, The tray elevating mechanism 52 and the open / close lid driving mechanism 53 are controlled.

The cartridge jump-out detection circuit 24
67, for example, as shown in FIG. 67, a method of detecting the tape cartridge 1 protruding from one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 by an optical sensor or the like, or the drive of the geared motor 101 of the tray elevating mechanism 52 described above When the tray 16 is driven to move upward in the direction of arrow c, the cartridge tray 16 comes into contact with the tape cartridge 1 protruding from the one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 from below, and the tape cartridge 1 is stopped.
Various methods such as a method of electrically detecting the load applied to 01 can be adopted.

[Automatic Pushing Operation of Tape Cartridge into Magazine] Here, the automatic pushing operation of the tape cartridge 1 into the magazine 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 67, when the cartridge pop-out detection circuit 248 detects that the tape cartridge 1 is popping out from one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 which is automatically loaded in the auto loader 11, the control circuit 249 moves the slide guide plate 91 of the tray lifting / lowering mechanism 52 shown in FIGS. 36 to 38 from the initial position P ₂₀ to the standby position P ₂₁ , and the opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism 53 shown in FIGS. With the opening / closing of the opening / closing lid 20 prohibited, the magazine 2 is ejected by the magazine loading mechanism 51 shown in FIGS. Then, after the magazine 2 is brought into contact with the back surface 20a of the opening / closing lid 20, the magazine 2 is loaded and driven to the loading completion position in the arrow a direction.

At this time, the opening prohibiting operation of the opening / closing lid 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 36 to 38 with the opening / closing lid driving lever 115 returned to the closed position in the direction of the arrow m as shown in FIG. As described above, by moving the slide guide plate 91 from the initial position P ₂₀ to the standby position P _{21 in the} direction of the arrow a, the cam driven roller 128 is disengaged from the cam slope 131a of the rail-shaped cam 131 as shown in FIG. 39, the open / close lid lock lever 124 is rotated in the direction of arrow n, and
42, the open / close lid lock pin 126 is inserted between the engaged piece 112 of the open / close lid 20 and the engaging recess 118 of the open / close lid drive lever 115 from the direction of arrow n.
The opening / closing lid lock pin 126 prohibits opening / closing of the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of arrow e.

At this time, the opening / closing lid lock pin 126
Is engaged with the engaging recess 118, the opening / closing lid lock pin 126 causes the opening / closing lid drive lever 115 to move.
Is locked in the open position shown in FIG. 42 as it is, and the cam driven pin 11 of the opening / closing cover drive lever 115 is locked.
9 is held in the lower horizontal path 121a of the cam groove 121 of the slider 62 of the magazine loading mechanism 51.

Then, after this, FIG. 42 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the magazine 2 is ejected in the direction of the arrow b by the magazine loading mechanism 51. At this time, the cam driven pin 119 moves upward from the inclined path 121b of the cam groove 121 as in the normal magazine ejection. The cam follower pin 119 does not enter the path 121c side and the one end portion 121 of the lower horizontal path 121a
The lower horizontal path 12 from e toward the other end 121f
It moves linearly in the direction of arrow a in 1a.

Therefore, at this time, the opening / closing lid drive lever 1
The magazine 2 is ejected in the direction of the arrow b without the lid 15 being driven to open in the direction of the arrow k, and moreover, with the opening / closing lid 20 still locked at the closed position (state in which the lid is open).

Then, as shown in FIG. 68, the magazine 2
One side surface 2a of the opening / closing lid 20 is brought into contact with the back surface 20a of the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of arrow b, and the tape cartridge 1 protruding from the one side surface 2a of the magazine 2 in the direction of arrow b by the back surface 20a of the opening / closing lid 20 is attached to the magazine. It is automatically pushed into the regular position in 2 in the direction of arrow a.

At this time, the contact position of the magazine 2 with respect to the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of the arrow b is detected by an optical sensor or the like, or the magazine 2 is moved to the opening / closing lid 20 by the arrow b.
By contacting from the direction and stopping, the contact of the magazine 2 with respect to the opening / closing lid 20 in the direction of the arrow b is performed by various methods such as a method of electrically detecting the load applied to the motor 73 of the magazine loading mechanism 51. To detect.

Then, after that, the motor 73 of the magazine loading mechanism 51 is reversely driven to load the magazine 2 so as to pull it back to the regular loading completion position in the autoloader 11 in the direction of arrow a, and a series of operations. To finish.

The above is a description of one embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

Then, in the above embodiment, the tape cartridge 1 is rotated while passing the tape cartridge 1 between the cartridge insertion port 5, the cartridge ejection port 6 and the cartridge storage port 7 of the magazine 2 and the cartridge port 15 of the drive 14. The rotation mechanism is configured by the cartridge tray 16 of the elevator 17, the first to third cartridge pushing mechanisms 54 to 56, and the cartridge ejecting mechanism 58. Further, the cartridge transfer mechanism for transferring the tape cartridge 1 in the directions of arrows a and b between the cartridge insertion port 5, the cartridge ejection port 6, the cartridge storage port 7 and the cartridge port 15 and the cartridge tray 16 is the first to the third. The cartridge ejecting mechanisms 54 to 56 and the cartridge ejecting mechanism 58 are configured.

[0251]

The tape cartridge autoloader of the present invention constructed as described above has the following effects.

According to the first aspect, the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge ejection port are formed on the upper and lower sides of one side surface in the length direction of the magazine, and the cartridge storage port is formed between them.
Then, by sequentially inserting a plurality of tape cartridges from the cartridge insertion opening, the tape cartridge rotation method is used to sequentially store the cartridges along the length of the magazine and to push the cartridge cartridges out sequentially. Stores only one tape cartridge in and out freely. Then, by inserting this magazine from one side in the length direction into the auto loader main body along the length direction from the magazine insertion opening formed in the front panel, the magazine loading mechanism automatically operates the magazine. The magazine is automatically pulled into the loader body, and its cartridge insertion port and cartridge ejection port are automatically loaded to the same phase position as the cartridge inlet / outlet of the drive in the autoloader body. It can be automatically loaded into the main body, and it is extremely easy to set the magazine in the autoloader body. Rotation can be performed easily and surely in the magazine by the method of ejecting a plurality of tape cartridges, the structure in the magazine is simple, and the cost is low.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an elevator which moves in a direction perpendicular to the magazine insertion direction between the cartridge insertion port, the cartridge ejection port and the cartridge storage port of the magazine and the cartridge insertion port of the drive, and the inside of the elevator from the cartridge storage port. By rotating the tape cartridge between the cartridge insertion port, the cartridge ejection port, the cartridge storage port, and the cartridge port by the cartridge pushing-out unit that pushes out the tape cartridge, the rotation operation of the tape cartridge can be performed easily and , Surely. Moreover, the number of tape cartridges stored in the magazine can be reduced because a cartridge storage port is also provided between the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge storage port in addition to the tape cartridge rotation path from the cartridge insertion port of the magazine to the cartridge ejection port. The storage capacity of the autoloader can be increased.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the cartridge push-out means is set at the inner position of the cartridge storage opening of the magazine in synchronization with the operation of pulling the magazine into the main body of the autoloader.
In addition, since the cartridge pushing mechanism that pushes the tape cartridge in the cartridge storage opening of the magazine into the elevator is installed after the setting, the cartridge pushing mechanism is installed simultaneously with the automatic loading of the magazine into the autoloader main body. Can be automatically set at the back of the cartridge storage opening in the magazine. Therefore, after the automatic loading of the magazine into the main body of the autoloader, the tape cartridge can be quickly pushed out from the cartridge storage opening of the magazine into the elevator by the cartridge pushing means, and the loading operation of the tape cartridge between the magazine and the drive can be performed. Can be done quickly.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the cartridge push-out mechanism is arranged at one side of the magazine insertion space in the main body of the autoloader and slid in the pull-in direction and push-out direction of the magazine, and the cartridge push-out means is rotatable. A slide drive member mounted on the slide drive member, an urging means for rotationally urging the cartridge pushing-out means to the inside of the magazine insertion space, and a slide drive member which is arranged inside the slide drive member and slides in the retracting direction of the magazine. A slide for inserting the cartridge pushing-out means into the magazine insertion space by the biasing means, and discharging the cartridge pushing-out means against the biasing means to the outside of the magazine insertion space by sliding the magazine in the pushing-out direction. Make a cut from the cam and one side of the magazine in the width direction. And an opening opened at the back of the cartridge storage port, and by automatically pulling the magazine into the autoloader main body by the magazine loading mechanism, the slide cam slides in the pulling direction in the magazine. Let me
Since the cartridge pushing-out means is inserted into the opening of the magazine and the cartridge pushing-out means is automatically set at the back position of the cartridge storing port, the operation of pulling the magazine into the autoloader main body is performed. And the operation of setting the cartridge pushing means to the inner position of the cartridge storage opening of the magazine can be perfectly synchronized, and the reliability of the operation is very high. Further, since the slide cam is slidably driven by the magazine itself, the slide cam drive mechanism is not required, the structure is simple and the manufacturing is easy.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the cartridge pushing-out means is discharged out of the magazine insertion space, the cartridge pushing-out means becomes parallel to the magazine,
The rotation angle of the cartridge pushing-out means was set to about 45 ° so that the cartridge pushing-out surface of the cartridge pushing-out means was perpendicular to the magazine when the cartridge pushing-out means was inserted into the magazine insertion space. Therefore, the rotation space of the cartridge push-out means can be reduced, and when the cartridge push-out means is ejected out of the magazine insertion space, the cartridge push-out means becomes parallel to the magazine. The width in the direction perpendicular to the depth direction can be reduced. Even so, when the cartridge pushing-out means is inserted into the magazine insertion space, the cartridge pushing-out surface of the cartridge pushing-out means becomes a right angle with respect to the magazine. Stable and good.

Since the rack and pinion mechanism for linearly driving the slide drive member is provided, the drive mechanism of the slide drive member is simple and surely operates.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the slide driving member drives the cartridge pushing-out means in the pushing direction to lock the magazine and push the slide drive when the tape cartridge in the cartridge storing port is pushed out into the elevator. Since the magazine lock mechanism is provided in which the lock is released by the overstroke of the member in the pull-in direction, the magazine is pushed when the tape cartridge is pushed out into the elevator from the cartridge take-out port and the cartridge storing port of the magazine by the cartridge pushing-out means. The tape cartridge can be pushed out from the magazine into the elevator safely and surely without being accidentally pushed.

According to the present invention, since the lock of the lock mechanism is unlocked by the overstroke of the slide driving member of the cartridge push-out mechanism in the magazine pull-in direction, it is not necessary to separately provide the lock release mechanism of the lock mechanism, and the structure is simple. It is easy to manufacture.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view explaining a loading operation of a magazine into an autoloader in an embodiment of a tape cartridge autoloader to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view illustrating an operation of taking out a tape cartridge from a cartridge take-out port of a magazine loaded in an autoloader into a cartridge tray of an elevator.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional side view for explaining an operation of transporting a tape cartridge taken out from the cartridge outlet of the magazine into the cartridge tray of the elevator to the drive and supplying the tape cartridge into the cartridge inlet / outlet.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional side view illustrating an operation of transporting a tape cartridge taken out from a cartridge entrance / exit of a drive into a cartridge tray of an elevator to a magazine and returning the tape cartridge into a cartridge insertion opening.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional side view illustrating an eject operation of the magazine to the outside of the autoloader after returning the cartridge from the cartridge tray of the elevator to the cartridge insertion opening of the magazine.

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional side view for explaining the operation of taking out the tape cartridge from the cartridge storage opening of the magazine into the cartridge tray of the elevator.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional side view for explaining the operation of transporting the tape cartridge taken out from the cartridge storage opening of the magazine into the cartridge tray of the elevator to the cartridge inlet / outlet of the drive.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional side view for explaining a tape cartridge transfer operation between the cartridge tray of the elevator and the cartridge entrance / exit of the drive.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional side view for explaining the operation of returning the tape cartridge taken out from the cartridge inlet / outlet of the drive into the cartridge tray of the elevator into the cartridge storage port of the magazine.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional side view illustrating a two-step extrusion position of first and second extrusion positions when a tape cartridge is pushed out from a magazine and a drive into a cartridge tray of an elevator.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the entire magazine as seen from the front and left lateral sides.

FIG. 12 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the entire magazine seen from the front and left lateral sides.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional side view of the center of the magazine.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional side view taken along the line AA of FIG.

15 is a sectional plan view taken along the line BB of FIG.

16 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the line CC of FIG.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view illustrating cartridge positioning means in the magazine.

FIG. 18 is a central vertical cross-sectional side view illustrating a modified example of the magazine.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the entire autoloader.

FIG. 20 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a substantially U-shaped chassis of the autoloader.

FIG. 21 is a partially cutaway plan view of the entire autoloader with the cover removed.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the autoloader.

FIG. 23 is a rear view of the autoloader.

FIG. 24 is a partially cutaway side view taken along the line DD of FIG. 21.

25 is a partially cutaway side view taken along the line EE of FIG.

FIG. 26 is a partially cutaway plan view illustrating a magazine loading mechanism.

27 is a side view taken along the line FF of FIG.

28 is a side view taken along the line GG of FIG.

29 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view taken along the line HH of FIG.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged sectional plan view illustrating a latch mechanism of the magazine loading mechanism.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing a cartridge tray and a tray lift of an elevator.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view showing a tray lift and a vertical guide of an elevator.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view showing a tilt guide of a tray lift of an elevator.

FIG. 34 is a partially cutaway plan view showing a tray lifting mechanism of an elevator.

35 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 34.

36 is a sectional side view taken along the line JJ of FIG.

37 is a sectional side view taken along the line KK of FIG.

FIG. 38 is a side view illustrating an optical sensor and an optical shutter plate of a tray raising / lowering mechanism of an elevator and an enlarged cross-sectional side view of a main part.

FIG. 39 is a perspective view illustrating an opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism.

FIG. 40 is a sectional side view for explaining a closed state of the opening / closing lid of the opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism.

FIG. 41 is a sectional side view for explaining an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing lid of the opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism.

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a state in which the opening / closing lid is prohibited from being opened when the tape cartridge is automatically pushed into the magazine.

FIG. 43 is a perspective view for explaining a locked state of the opening / closing lid lock lever in the opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view for explaining the unlocked state of the opening / closing lid lock lever in the opening / closing lid opening / closing mechanism.

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating locking of the opening / closing lid in the closed state by the opening / closing lid lock lever.

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating unlocking of the opening / closing lid by the opening / closing lid lock lever.

FIG. 47 is a partially cutaway plan view illustrating the first cartridge pushing mechanism.

FIG. 48 is a side view of a first cartridge pushing mechanism and a sectional side view of a main part.

FIG. 49 is a partially cutaway plan view illustrating a second cartridge pushing mechanism.

50 is a sectional side view taken along the line LL in FIG. 49.

51 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the line MM of FIG. 49.

52 is a side view for explaining the third cartridge pushing mechanism. FIG.

FIG. 53 is a partially cutaway plan view and cross-sectional side view of a third cartridge pushing mechanism.

FIG. 54 is a partially cutaway plan view for explaining the retreat operation of the third ejection arm of the third cartridge ejection mechanism to the outside of the magazine insertion space.

FIG. 55 is a partially cutaway plan view for explaining an advancing operation of the third ejecting arm into the magazine insertion space in the third cartridge ejecting mechanism and an ejecting operation of the tape cartridge by the third ejecting arm.

FIG. 56 is a cross-sectional plan view for explaining the magazine lock mechanism of the third cartridge pushing mechanism.

FIG. 57 is a schematic plan view illustrating a cartridge loading mechanism and a cartridge ejecting mechanism in the drive.

FIG. 58 is a schematic cross-sectional side view taken along the line NN of FIG. 57.

FIG. 59 is a schematic plan view showing the loading completion state of the tape cartridge and the loading completion state of the magnetic tape in the drive.

FIG. 60 is a schematic sectional side view taken along the line OO of FIG. 59.

FIG. 61 is a side view illustrating a standby state of the cartridge ejection mechanism.

FIG. 62 is a partially cutaway side view taken along the line PP of FIG. 61.

FIG. 63 is a schematic cross-sectional side view for explaining the ejecting operation of the tape cartridge from the cartridge entrance / exit into the cartridge tray by the cartridge ejecting arm in the cartridge ejecting mechanism.

64 is a Q-Q of FIG. 49 for explaining the detection operation of the first pushing position of the tape cartridge in the cartridge tray.
It is an expanded sectional side view in the arrow.

65 is a Q-Q of FIG. 49 for explaining the operation of detecting the second ejection position of the tape cartridge in the cartridge tray.
It is an expanded sectional side view in the arrow.

FIG. 66 is an enlarged sectional side view taken along the line RR of FIG. 49, for explaining an erroneous insertion detection operation of the tape cartridge in the cartridge tray.

FIG. 67 is a partially cutaway side view illustrating the protrusion of the tape cartridge from the magazine loaded in the autoloader.

FIG. 68 is a partially cutaway side view for explaining the operation of automatically pushing the tape cartridge that has jumped out of the magazine into the magazine.

FIG. 69 is a block diagram illustrating a control circuit for automatically pushing a tape cartridge protruding from the magazine into the magazine.

70 is a flow chart diagram for explaining an automatic pushing operation of the tape cartridge into the magazine by the control circuit of FIG. 69. FIG.

71 is a schematic plan view illustrating a plurality of optical sensors in the autoloader. FIG.

72 is a schematic right side view illustrating a plurality of optical sensors in the autoloader. FIG.

FIG. 73 is a schematic left side view illustrating a plurality of optical sensors in the autoloader.

FIG. 74 is a schematic plan view illustrating a plurality of sensors in the drive.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 tape cartridge 1a front end 1b of tape cartridge 2 rear end of tape cartridge 2 magazine 2a one side surface of magazine 2b other side surface of magazine 3 magazine body 4 hollow portion 5 cartridge insertion opening 6 cartridge ejection opening 7 cartridge storage opening 8 cartridge rotation path 8a cartridge Upper horizontal path 8b of rotation path Vertical path 8c of cartridge rotation path Lower horizontal path of cartridge rotation path 11 Autoloader 12 Autoloader main body 12a Front panel of autoloader main body 13 Magazine insertion space 14 Drive 14a Drive front surface 15 Cartridge entrance / exit 16 Cartridge tray 17 Elevator 19 Magazine insertion opening 39 Second opening (opening) of magazine 42 Second opening of magazine Locked part 51 Magazine loading mechanism 52 Tray lifting mechanism 56 Third cartridge pushing mechanism (cartridge pushing mechanism) 166 Slider (slide driving member) 167 Third pushing arm (cartridge pushing means) 168 Support shaft 170 Rolling spring (biasing means) ) 171 stopper 122 step 176 rack and pinion mechanism 178 slide cam 179 cam protrusion 181 tension coil spring (biasing means) 182 magazine abutting portion 183 magazine locking mechanism 184 fulcrum shaft 185 magazine locking lever (magazine locking means) 188 winding spring ( Urging means) 189 cam drive pin 190 rib-shaped cam

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Tsuyoshi Umemura 6-735 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Akira Saito 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo In Sony Corporation (56) Reference JP-A-6-84248 (JP, A) JP-A-5-47089 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G11B 15 / 68

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cartridge insertion port and a cartridge ejection port are vertically formed on one side surface in the length direction, and a plurality of tape cartridges sequentially inserted from the cartridge insertion port are rotated in a length direction by a rotation method by a beading method. It is configured so that it can be sequentially stored along with and can be sequentially pushed out to the cartridge outlet.
In addition, a tape cartridge is installed between the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge ejection port on one side of the length direction.
Equipped with a magazine that has a cartridge storage port that can store only the rolls in and out, and insert the magazine on the front panel of the autoloader body from the other side of the magazine opposite the one side in the length direction. By inserting the magazine along the length direction into the mouth, the magazine is automatically pulled into the autoloader body, and the cartridge insertion port and the cartridge outlet of the magazine are used as the cartridge inlet and outlet of the drive in the autoloader body. The magazine loading mechanism that sets them in almost the same phase position, and the magazine loading mechanism that is placed in the autoloader body, inserts the magazine between the cartridge inlet / outlet of the drive and the cartridge insertion port, the cartridge ejection port, and the cartridge storage port of the magazine. Moved at right angles to the An elevator that transfers the cartridge between the cartridge insertion port, the cartridge outlet, and the cartridge inlet and outlet, and a cartridge pushing unit that is arranged in the autoloader main body and pushes the tape cartridge in the cartridge storage port of the magazine into the elevator. And disposed in the autoloader main body, in synchronization with the operation of pulling the magazine into the autoloader main body, the cartridge push-out means is automatically set at the back position of the cartridge storage opening of the magazine, Further, after the setting, a cartridge pushing mechanism for slidingly driving the cartridge pushing means to push the tape cartridge in the cartridge storage opening of the magazine into the elevator is provided. Toroda. 2. The cartridge push-out mechanism is arranged at one side of a magazine insertion space in the autoloader main body and slid in the pull-in direction and push-out direction of the magazine, and the cartridge push-out means is rotatably attached. A slide drive member, an urging means for rotationally urging the cartridge pushing-out means to the inside of the magazine insertion space, and a cartridge pushing-out means arranged inside the slide driving member and slid in the retracting direction of the magazine. A slide cam for inserting the cartridge pushing space into the magazine insertion space by the biasing means, and discharging the cartridge pushing means against the biasing means to the outside of the magazine insertion space by sliding the magazine in the pushing direction. Cut from one side in the width direction of the magazine The magazine loading mechanism automatically pulls the magazine into the main body of the autoloader, so that the slide cam slides in the pulling direction by the magazine loading mechanism. 2. The automatic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge pushing-out means is inserted into the opening of the magazine, and the cartridge pushing-out means is automatically set at the back position of the cartridge housing opening. Loader. 3. When the cartridge pushing means is discharged out of the magazine insertion space, the cartridge pushing means becomes parallel to the magazine, and when the cartridge pushing means is inserted into the magazine insertion space, 3. The tape cartridge autoloader according to claim 2, wherein the rotation angle of the cartridge pushing-out means is set to approximately 45 [deg.] So that the cartridge pushing-out surface of the cartridge pushing-out means is perpendicular to the magazine. 4. The tape cartridge autoloader according to claim 2, further comprising a rack and pinion mechanism that linearly drives the slide drive member. 5. The slide driving member drives the cartridge pushing-out means in the pushing direction to lock the magazine when pushing the tape cartridge in the cartridge storing port into the elevator, and the slide driving member has the above-mentioned structure. The tape cartridge autoloader according to claim 2, 3 or 4, further comprising a magazine lock mechanism for releasing the lock by an overstroke in the pull-in direction.