JP3410201B2 - Storage medium copying apparatus and storage medium transfer apparatus in the apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying apparatus for copying and verifying a storage medium and a storage medium transfer apparatus used in the copying apparatus. In the present specification,
The "storage medium" refers to a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A copying process such as formatting of a completed storage medium is often performed as part of the manufacturing process of the storage medium. Further, the user may perform a copying process of writing and recording various data in a large amount of storage media. Therefore, conventionally, a copying apparatus for a storage medium is known which enables a large amount of copying processing.

For example, the one shown in FIG.
1, a recording / reproducing device 62, and a carry-out device 63 are arranged at predetermined intervals in order from the bottom, and an unprocessed storage medium 70 is carried in by a carry-in device 61, which is placed on a ball screw 64d. Piston rod 6 of air cylinder 64a that is arranged to be able to move up and down by driving motor 64e
4b is gripped by the chuck 64c, held by the storage medium holding tray 64f, moved up to a position facing the drive of the recording / reproducing device 62, loaded into the drive, and after the copying process, stored again by the chuck 64c. Medium 7
A storage medium transfer device 64 that holds 0 and supplies it to the unloading device 63 is configured. During this time, the piston rod 64b is connected to the carry-in device 61, the recording / reproducing device 62,
When the storage medium 70 is delivered to the carry-out device 63, the storage medium 70 is extended each time and is moved up and down after being stored in the air cylinder 64a.

However, in such a configuration, the transfer device holds one storage medium, performs a predetermined process, once supplies the same to the carry-out device, and then receives the next storage medium to the carry-in device, so that recording / reproduction is performed. A loss time occurs in which the recording / reproducing apparatus is not operating after the processing by the apparatus and before the next storage medium is supplied to the recording / reproducing apparatus.

In view of this, the loss time is reduced,
In order to improve the processing capacity of the storage medium, the transfer device is provided with two holding means, and while one holding means transfers the storage medium to and from the carry-in device or the carry-out device, the recording / reproducing device with the other holding means. It is also possible to supply and take out a storage medium.

[0006]

However, each of the above-mentioned devices is premised on the one dedicated to copying as a recording / reproducing device, or is accompanied by a verifying function for confirming or inspecting copying on a storage medium. However, it is premised that after the copy process, the verify process is continuously performed by the same drive.

By the way, in the case of performing the verify processing, it is considered that the reliability is improved when the verify processing is performed in a drive different from the drive in which the copy processing is performed, as compared with the case where both processes are performed in the same drive. On the other hand, if the copying process and the verifying process are processed by different drives in this way, it is expected that the time required to supply and take out the storage medium from the drive will increase and the processing capability will be inferior.

Therefore, the present invention provides a copying apparatus for a storage medium capable of performing a copying process and a verifying process by different drives of a recording / reproducing apparatus, and at the same time, minimizes loss time due to delivery of the storage medium. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage medium transfer device in the device capable of efficiently performing such two processes.

[0009]

In order to achieve such an object, a copying apparatus for a storage medium according to the present invention has a carrying-in device for carrying in an unprocessed storage medium, and a predetermined process for the unprocessed storage medium. In a copying apparatus for a storage medium, a recording / reproducing apparatus for carrying out the processing, a carry-out apparatus for carrying out a processed storage medium, and a transfer apparatus for delivering the recording medium from the carrying-in apparatus to the recording / reproducing apparatus and from the recording / reproducing apparatus to the carrying-out apparatus. The recording / reproducing apparatus has one or more sets of drives in which three or more drives are arranged along the transfer direction of the transfer apparatus, and the transfer apparatus has three holding means for holding the storage medium corresponding to each drive group. Then, the unprocessed storage medium is supplied to one drive in each drive group of the recording / reproducing apparatus for copy processing, and then supplied to another drive in the drive group for verification processing, and then carried out. Characterized in that it is supplied.

The storage medium transfer device of the present invention receives the unprocessed storage medium sent from the carry-in device,
Transferring a storage medium in a storage-medium copying apparatus, which supplies the unprocessed storage medium to a recording / reproducing apparatus, receives the processed storage medium that has been subjected to a predetermined process by the recording / reproducing apparatus, and supplies the processed storage medium to a carry-out apparatus. In the apparatus, there are three holding means arranged at predetermined intervals for delivering a storage medium to a carry-in device, a recording / reproducing device, and a carry-out device, which holds an unprocessed storage medium from the carry-in device for copy processing. And one holding means for moving and supplying the same to one drive of the recording / reproducing apparatus, and another holding means for holding a copied storage medium for verifying and transferring and supplying the same to another drive of the recording / reproducing apparatus. Further, one or more sets of holding means for holding the verified storage medium and transferring and supplying the storage medium to the carry-out device are provided.

[0011]

The transport device holds the unprocessed storage medium from the carry-in device by one of the holding means and moves it, and loads the unprocessed storage medium into one drive having the recording / reproducing device. After that, the transfer device goes to the carry-in device to receive another unprocessed storage medium, and holds and moves it by any one of the holding means. After the movement, the storage medium copied by a certain one drive is held by another holding means and loaded in another drive for verify processing, and another unprocessed storage medium is loaded in a certain one drive. Thereafter, another storage medium which is still unprocessed is received from the carry-in device by any one of the holding means, moved, and the other storage medium copied by the other holding means is held to further drive another drive for verification processing. And yet another raw storage medium in the remaining drive. The storage medium that has been subjected to the verification process is received by still another holding unit and supplied to the unloading device.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. In the figure, reference numeral 10 is a recording / reproducing apparatus which constitutes the copying apparatus for the storage medium of the present embodiment, and 20
Is a storage medium transfer device. Reference numeral 30 is a carry-in device, and 40 is a carry-out device.

The recording / reproducing apparatus 10 is provided with an even number of drives 11 to 14 arranged along the moving direction of the holding means 21 to 23 constituting the transfer device 20. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the moving direction of the holding means 21, that is, the moving direction of the holding means 21 to 23 of the transfer device 20 in the copying apparatus in this embodiment is set to be the vertical direction. Therefore, four stages of drives 11 to 14 are provided in the vertical direction. It should be noted that drive groups 10a to 10f each including the four-stage drives 11 to 14 as a set
Is provided in six rows and six sets of holding means are provided as described later, but the number of arrays is not limited. Also, 4
In this embodiment, the stage drives 11 to 14 are provided along the vertical direction, but if the holding means 21 to 23 of the transfer device 20 are provided so that the moving direction is horizontal, the drives 11 to 14 are provided along the horizontal direction. Of course, four stages are provided.

The transfer device 20, as shown in FIG.
The holding means 21, the second holding means 22, and the third holding means 23 are included. Each of the holding means 21 to 23 is configured to have chuck portions 21a to 23a for holding a storage medium, and all of the holding means 21 to 23 are supported by a spindle such as a ball screw as in the conventional case and the AC servo is performed. It is installed so that it can be moved up and down and back and forth simultaneously by a motor. It is also provided so that it can be moved back and forth individually. When individually movable back and forth, the first holding means 21 not only loads one of the drives 11 to 14 but also receives it from the carry-in device 30, so that individual position control by an AC servomotor is possible. And the third holding means 23 is the drive 11-14.
In addition to receiving the storage medium ejected from any of the above, it is preferable to have a structure that can be individually controlled by an air cylinder in order to supply the storage medium to the carry-out device 40. Since the second holding means 22 only loads and receives the drives 11 to 14, it does not need to be individually movable back and forth, and the position may be controlled by an AC servomotor that moves the entire body back and forth. .

Although not shown, in the present embodiment, a pair of holding means 21 to 23 is a drive group 1 of the recording / reproducing apparatus 10.
Six sets are provided corresponding to 0a to 10f.

As the carry-in device 30, for example, a conveyor or the like which moves in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 1 can be used, and in the case of this embodiment, it stops when six storage media are conveyed to a predetermined position. The storage medium is held by the six sets of the first holding means 21 of the transfer device 20, and the recording / reproducing device 1
0 drive groups 10a to 10f. Further, as the discharge device 40, the same as in FIG.
A conveyor or the like that moves in the direction of the upward arrow X can be used. In the present embodiment, the carry-in device 30 and the carry-out device 40 are provided below the recording / reproducing device 10 at a predetermined interval, and the carry-in device 3 is provided.
0 is provided on the upper side and the unloading device 40 is provided on the lower side. The distance between the carry-in device 30 and the carry-out device 40 is
As shown in FIG. 2, the interval between the first holding means 21 and the third holding means 22 of the transfer device 20 is the same.
This is because the first holding means 21 has a function of receiving the storage medium from the carry-in device 30, and the third holding means 22 has a function of supplying the storage medium to the carry-out device 40.

However, it goes without saying that the carry-in device 30 and the carry-out device 40 may be arranged above the recording / reproducing device 10 at a predetermined interval. Also, the recording / reproducing apparatus 1
When the 0 drives 11 to 14 are provided side by side in the horizontal direction, the loading device 20 and the unloading device 40 are disposed on either the left or right side of the recording / reproducing device 10.

Further, it is possible to dispose the carrying-in device 30 and the carrying-out device 40 separately on the upper and lower sides or on the left and right sides of the recording / reproducing device 10. However, when they are collectively arranged on either side, the receiving from the carry-in device 30 and the supply to the carry-out device 40 can be performed at the same time, but when they are separately arranged, the drives 11 to 14 cannot be performed simultaneously. Four
If more than two even numbers are lined up, the efficiency is poor. However, when the number of drives is two, while the first holding means 21 is receiving from the carry-in device 30, or while the third holding means 22 is supplying to the carry-out device 40,
Since the remaining two holding means can load and receive the storage medium with respect to the two drives, there is no play and there is no problem efficiently.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the entire holding means 21 to 23 are lowered to a position where the first holding means 21 substantially faces the carry-in device 30, and the chuck portion 21a of the first holding means 21 holds the unprocessed storage medium 51. Next, the first holding means 21
The holding means 21 to a position substantially facing the stage drive 11
After the whole 23 has risen, it approaches the first-stage drive 11 and loads the storage medium 51 to perform the copying process (see FIG. 3).
(A)). Similarly, the unprocessed storage medium 52 is received in the carry-in device 30 by the first holding means 21 and loaded into the third-stage drive 13 for copy processing (FIG. 3B). After the medium 53 is received from the carry-in device 30 by the first holding means 21, the second holding means 22 is lifted up to substantially face the first-stage drive 11. Then, the copy processing is performed by the first-stage drive 11. Storage medium 51
Is received by the second holding means 22 (FIG. 3 (c)).
During this time, the first holding unit 21 is on standby while holding the unprocessed storage medium 53. The second holding means 2
2 receives the storage medium 51, the storage medium 51
However, a part thereof is made to project from the insertion opening of the first-stage drive 11 by the operation of an eject mechanism (not shown).

Next, the second holding means 22 descends until the second-stage drive 12 and the first holding means 21 substantially face the first-stage drive 11, and the unprocessed storage medium 53 becomes the first-stage. The second drive 11 is loaded into the second drive 11 to perform the copying process, and the storage medium 51 after the copying process is loaded into the second-stage drive 12 to perform the verification process (FIG. 3D). The position where the second holding means 22 substantially opposes the third stage drive 13 after the entire holding means 21 to 23 descend and the first holding means 21 receives the unprocessed storage medium 54 from the carry-in device 30. Rise to. After that, the second holding unit 22 receives the storage medium 52 copied by the third stage drive 13. During this period, the first holding unit 21 stands by while holding the unprocessed storage medium 54 (FIG. 3 (e)). Next, the second holding unit 22 descends until the fourth holding drive 14 and the first holding unit 21 substantially face the third holding drive 13, and the unprocessed storage medium 5 is moved.
4 is loaded in the third-stage drive 13 to perform the copying process, and the storage medium 52 that has undergone the copying process is loaded in the fourth-stage drive 14 to perform the verification process (FIG. 3 (f)).

Next, the entire holding means 21 to 23 descends to receive the unprocessed storage medium 55 from the carry-in device 30, and the second holding means 22 causes the first-stage drive 11 and the third holding means 23 to operate. The second holding unit 22 rises until it substantially faces the second-stage drive 12, the second holding unit 22 receives the copied storage medium 53 from the first-stage drive 11, and the third holding unit 2
3 receives the verified storage medium 51 from the second-stage drive (FIG. 4A). Next, the first holding means 21 descends until the first-stage drive 11 and the second holding means 22 substantially face the second-stage drive 12, and the first-stage drive 11 moves.
Then, the unprocessed storage medium 55 is loaded, and the copied storage medium 53 is loaded in the second-stage drive 12 (FIG. 4B). During this time, the third holding means 23 is on standby.

Next, the entire holding means 21-23 descends, the verified storage medium 51 is supplied from the third holding means 23 to the carry-out device 40, and at the same time, the first holding means 21 is fed.
The holding means 21 receives the new unprocessed storage medium 56 (FIG. 4C). The second holding unit 22 moves up to a position where the third holding unit 23 and the third holding unit 23 substantially face the fourth-stage drive 14, and the copy-processed storage medium 54 is moved from the third-stage drive 13 to the fourth position. The verified storage medium 52 is received from the stage drive 14 (FIG. 4 (d)). The first holding means 21 descends to a position substantially opposite to the third-stage drive 13 and the second holding means 22 descends to a position substantially facing the fourth-stage drive 14, and the unprocessed storage medium 56 is transferred to the third-stage drive 13.
The storage medium 54 that has undergone the copying process is loaded into the fourth stage drive 14 (FIG. 4 (e)). Next, the entire holding means 21 to 23 descend, the verified storage medium 52 is supplied from the third holding means 23 to the carry-out device 40, and at the same time, the first holding means 21 is newly replaced. Processing storage medium 57
Is received (FIG. 4 (f)). And the second holding means 2
2 rises to a position where the third holding means 23 substantially opposes the second-stage drive 12 and the third holding means 23 moves from the first-stage drive 13 to the copied storage medium 55 from the second-stage drive 14 After receiving the verified storage medium 53 (see FIG. 4A), the steps of FIGS. 4A to 4F are repeated.

That is, the first holding means 21 goes to the carry-in device 30 to receive a new unprocessed storage medium, and loads it into any of the drives 11 to 14 for copying.
The second holding means 22 receives the copied storage medium from any of the drives 11 to 14 and loads it into any of the other drives for the verification processing, and the third holding means 23 stores the verified storage medium. Is received from any of the other drives and supplied to the carry-out device 40, and the unprocessed storage medium is received from the carry-in device 30 of the first holding means 21 and the carry-out device of the third holding means 23. The verified storage medium is supplied to 40 at almost the same time.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 11 to 14 indicate the same drives as in the above-mentioned embodiment, 30 indicates a carry-in device, and 40 indicates a carry-out device. The positional relationship between the carry-in device 30 and the carry-out device 40 is the same as that in the above-described embodiment. However, the present embodiment is different in that holding means 201 to 203 having steps capable of mounting a storage medium are used as the holding means constituting the transfer device 200.

That is, the holding means 201 to 203
Has a notch portion into which a chuck for loading and receiving a storage medium can be inserted substantially at the center, and the step portions 201a to 203a thereof are provided.
It is formed so that a storage medium can be placed on it. Further, the holding means 201 to 203 only move up and down, and the drive 1
1 to 14 or the carry-in device 30 and the carry-out device 40 are not moved toward and away from each other. Numerals 211 to 214 are storage medium loading and receiving means fixedly arranged so as to face the respective drives 11 to 14 with holding means 201 to 203 interposed therebetween, and piston rods 211b to 214b having chucks 211a to 214a at their tips. Are cylinders 211c-2
The holding means 201 to 203 are made movable in 14c.
Push in the storage medium held in each drive 11
To 14 or receive the processed storage medium from each of the drives 11 to 14 and place them on the holding means 201 to 203, and constitute a part of the transfer device 200.

Further, the carry-in device 30 is provided with the pushing-in means 31 for mounting the unprocessed storage medium on the lowered first holding means 201, and the carry-out device 40.
On the side, a pushing means 41 for pushing the processed storage medium from the holding means 203 onto the unloading device 40 is provided at a position facing the unloading device 40 with the lowered third holding means 203 interposed therebetween. There is.

Also in this embodiment, the same operation as in the above-mentioned embodiment is performed. That is, when the holding means 201 to 203 descend, the unprocessed storage medium 501 is pushed into the first holding means 201 by the pushing means 31, and
The verified storage medium 502 held by the third holding unit 203 is pushed out by the pushing unit 41.
Supplied on. For example, the second holding means 202 moves up to a position substantially opposite to the first-stage drive 11, and the storage medium 503 already copied by the first-stage drive 11 is expanded by the first loading and receiving means 211 and the chuck 211a. Then, the piston rod 211b is retracted and placed on the second holding means 201. At this time, the second loading and receiving means 212 similarly expands to receive the storage medium which has already been subjected to the verification processing by the second-stage drive 12, and places it on the third holding means 203 while retracting it. Next, when the holding means 201 to 203 are lowered until the first holding means 201 substantially faces the first-stage drive 11, the first loading and receiving means 211 extends and the unprocessed storage medium 501 is moved to the first-stage. At the same time as loading the drive 11, the second loading receiving means 212 extends and copies the storage medium 503 loaded in the second-stage drive for the verification process. After that, as in the above, the entire holding means 201 to 203 descends, the verified storage medium is supplied from the third holding means 203 to the unloading device 40 by the pushing means 41, and the first holding means 201. A new unprocessed storage medium is placed. After that, this is repeated.

The copying apparatus for a storage medium of the present invention and the transfer apparatus for the storage medium in the apparatus are not limited to the above embodiments. In the above-described embodiment, an example in which it is applied to a recording / reproducing apparatus having a four-stage drive has been described. However, the present invention causes the drive in which either the copying process or the verifying process is performed to be different, and the drive in which either process is completed. In order to be able to immediately load another storage medium, during the processing, the storage medium that has completed all the processes is supplied to the unloading device, and a new unprocessed storage medium is received.
The number of drives is applicable as long as it is an even number of at least two stages.

[0029]

According to the copying apparatus for a storage medium and the storage medium transferring apparatus in the apparatus of the present invention, since the copying process and the verifying process are performed by different drives of the recording / reproducing apparatus, they are performed by the same drive. Compared with the case, the copying accuracy or reliability is high. Moreover, since the two processes are performed in one copying apparatus, the apparatus is small. In addition, the three holding units perform the copying process and the verifying process in parallel, during which the processed storage medium is supplied to the carry-out device and the unprocessed storage medium is received from the carry-in device. Therefore, the loss time is short, and the processing time for loading and unloading the storage medium is short. Therefore, a large amount of storage media can be efficiently copied and verified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a recording / reproducing apparatus which constitutes a copying apparatus for a storage medium according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the storage medium transfer device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the action of the holding means which constitutes the storage medium transfer device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the action of the holding means that constitutes the storage medium transfer device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a copying apparatus for storage medium according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional storage medium transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Recording / reproducing device 11 First stage drive 12 Second stage drive 13 3rd stage drive 14 4th drive 20 Transfer device 21 First Holding Means 22 Second holding means 23 Third Holding Means 24 Fourth Holding Means 30 carry-in device 40 Unloading device 200 transfer device 201 First holding means 202 Second holding means 203 Third holding means 204 Fourth holding means

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A carrying-in device for carrying in an unprocessed storage medium, a recording / reproducing device for performing a predetermined process on the unprocessed storage medium, a carrying-out device for carrying out a processed storage medium, and a carrying-in device. In a storage medium copying apparatus having a recording / reproducing device and a transfer device for delivering a storage medium from the recording / reproducing device to a unloading device, a group of drives in which the recording / reproducing device has an even number of drives arranged in the transfer direction of the transfer device. 3 or more holding means for holding the storage medium by the transfer device corresponding to each drive group.
After the unprocessed storage medium is supplied to one drive in each drive group of the recording / reproducing apparatus to be copied, it is supplied to another drive in the drive group to be subjected to verification processing and then to the unloading apparatus. A copying apparatus for a storage medium, which is supplied. 2. A processed storage medium which receives an unprocessed storage medium sent from a carry-in device, supplies the unprocessed storage medium to a recording / reproducing device, and is further subjected to predetermined processing by the recording / reproducing device. Received and supplied to the unloading device,
In a storage medium transfer device of a storage medium copying device, three holding means are provided at predetermined intervals to transfer the storage medium to a carry-in device, a recording / reproducing device, and a carry-out device. Therefore, one holding means for holding the unprocessed storage medium from the carry-in device and transferring it to one drive of the recording / reproducing apparatus and supplying it, and another drive of the recording / reproducing apparatus for holding the copied storage medium for the verification process. Transfer of the storage medium, characterized in that it has one or more sets of other holding means for transferring and supplying to and from the storage device and further holding means for holding and transferring the verified storage medium to the unloading device. apparatus.