JPH01260684A - Floppy disk inspecting and selecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To sort a floppy disk to a storage capacity capable of being successively used by feeding the floppy disks arranged to many stages by a stacker through a carrier to an inspecting means by an intermediate transferring means and ejecting the inspected floppy disk to a destacker through the carrier. CONSTITUTION:The stacker 7 of the intermediate transferring means 5 stacks the floppy disks 1 supplied from a supplying means 3 to the many stages and feeds them in the stacked state to the storing rack 9A of the carrier 9. Thereafter, the carrier 9 is transferred to a switching position, the floppy disks 1 of the stacked state are transferred to the inspecting means 2 and the plural floppy disks 1 are simultaneously inspected. The floppy disk 1 in which the inspection is completed is transferred to the carrier 9 from the inspecting means 2 and then, the carrier 9 is transferred to the ejected position, the floppy disks 1 are transferred to the stacker 8 from the storing rack 9A and the floppy disks stacked to the many stages are fed one by one to an ejecting means. In such a way, the storing capacity is sorted to that capable of using the successively supplied floppy disks 1.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates primarily to an apparatus for inspecting floppy disks and classifying them into usable storage densities.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

Floppy disks have different storage capacities depending on the type, even if they have the same external shape. For example, the current 3.5
inch floppy disk. They are categorized into 2HD, 2DD, and 2D, which have the highest storage density. A 2HD floppy disk has a large storage capacity of more than IM bytes in a formatted state. Not all floppy disks manufactured as 2HD floppy disks meet the 2HD standards. 2 Some floppy disks that do not meet the HD standards can be used for 2DD or 2D. Therefore, an apparatus that inspects floppy disks manufactured for 2HD and classifies non-standard floppy disks as 2DD or 2D can improve the yield of floppy disks. As an apparatus for inspecting floppy disks, an apparatus has been developed that supplies and inspects floppy disks arranged in multiple stages (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 63-34782 and 63-34783). This inspection device has a hopper that supplies floppy disks stacked in multiple stages, and an inspection unit is provided opposite the hopper. A floppy disk discharge/supply unit is provided between the inspection unit and the hopper and is movable vertically and horizontally. The ejection-feeding unit moves to feed floppy disks from the hopper to the inspection unit and to eject the floppy disks that have been inspected by the inspection unit. The structure of this inspection device can be used in a device that sorts floppy disks into usable storage densities. In this case, the testing unit tests the usable storage density of the floppy disk. The supply-discharge unit divides the floppy disks into storage densities and discharges them according to the inspection results of the inspection unit. However, this device cannot be conveniently used to sort a continuous supply of floppy disks into storage densities. When used in conjunction with a floppy disk manufacturing and assembly line, it is necessary to stack floppy disks in order to supply them, which reduces transfer efficiency. A testing device for continuously supplied floppy disks has also been developed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6:3-31026 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-31080). This inspection device includes an inspection unit disposed near a floppy disk supply conveyor, and a supply and discharge unit in which a supply carrier and a discharge carrier are disposed above and below between the inspection unit and the supply conveyor. ing. The supply and discharge unit is
It moves vertically, horizontally, and horizontally to feed the carriers supplied from the supply conveyor to the inspection unit, and takes out the carriers that have been inspected from the inspection unit. The structure of this inspection device can also be used in a device that sorts floppy disks into storage densities. However, in the inspection unit having this structure, since the supply/discharge unit transfers one floppy disk, it is difficult to increase the floppy disk transfer ability of the supply/discharge unit. Therefore, in order to increase the throughput per unit time, it is necessary to use a large number of supply and discharge units or to increase the moving speed of the supply and discharge units, and this control becomes difficult.

[Object of the Invention] This invention was developed with the aim of solving the drawbacks of these conventional floppy disk inspection devices.
An important object of this invention is that a floppy disk or a concentric disk having a continuously usable storage capacity can be efficiently transferred between the supply means, the inspection means and the ejection means; The object of the present invention is to provide a floppy disk inspection device that can easily detect a floppy disk transfer mechanism.

[Means to solve conventional problems]

The floppy disk inspection device of the present invention includes a floppy disk supply means, a floppy disk inspection means, an ejection means for the inspected floppy disk, and a floppy disk is transferred between the supply means, the inspection means, and the ejection means. and an intermediate transport means. The inspection means inspects the supplied floppy disks and outputs an inspection classification signal for classifying the usable storage density (inspection units) arranged in multiple stages. A stacker that stacks floppy disks in multiple stages, a carrier that supplies the multi-stage floppy disks from the stacker and sends the supplied floppy disks to an inspection means and an ejection means, and a floppy disk that has been inspected by the inspection means or a carrier. The destacker is ejected from the inspection means through the destacker.The ejection means includes an ejection conveyor that transfers the floppy disk sent out from the destacker, a control circuit to which the inspection classification signal from the inspection unit is input, and an ejection member. The stacker of the intermediate transfer means moves downward in synchronization with the supply of floppy disks from the supply means. The carrier has a stack shelf for stacking and storing fed floppy disks in multiple stages.The carrier has a multi-stage storage shelf for storing stacked floppy disks from the stacker.The carrier also has a stack shelf for storing stacked floppy disks from the stacker. A supply position where floppy disks are supplied to the shelf, an exchange position where the supplied floppy disks are taken in and out between the inspection means and the storage shelf, and a floppy disk discharged from the inspection means is discharged from the storage shelf to the destacker. The destacker is movably disposed between the floppy disk and the ejection position.The destacker has a stack shelf from which the floppy disks that have been inspected by the inspection means are ejected from the carrier in a multi-stage arrangement.

[Operation and Effect] The floppy disk inspection device of the present invention inspects the usable density of the floppy disk using the inspection unit. The inspection means measures the usable density of each floppy disk supplied in a stack and sends an inspection classification signal to the ejection means. A control circuit of the ejection means receives and receives test classification signals from the test means. A control circuit controls the individual evacuation members. The individual ejection member classifies the floppy disks transferred by the ejection member into usable storage densities and ejects them. The floppy disks that are continuously fed from the supply means are transported by the intermediate transport means. The intermediate transfer means includes a stacker, a carrier, and a destacker. The stacker stacks floppy disks supplied from the supply means in multiple stages. The floppy disks stacked in the stacker are fed into the storage rack of the carrier in a stacked state. Thereafter, the carrier moves to the exchange position, and the stacked floppy disks are transferred from the carrier to the inspection means. The multistage testing means tests multiple floppy disks simultaneously. The floppy disk that has been inspected is transferred from the inspection means to the carrier. Thereafter, the carrier moves to the ejection position, and the floppy disk is transferred from the storage shelf of the carrier to the destacker. The destacker is a stacker that stores floppy disks stacked in multiple stages.
The sheets are sent one by one to the ejection means. The ejection means sorts and ejects floppy disks into usable storage capacities. The apparatus of the present invention, which sorts floppy disks into storage capacities using the above operations, sorts continuously supplied floppy disks into usable storage capacities, so that manufactured floppy disks can be used most effectively with a high yield. Can be used. In addition, the stacker stacks the continuously supplied floppy disks in multiple stages, transports the stacked floppy disks as one block, and on the discharge side, the destacker discharges the multi-stage stacked floppy disks one by one. It has the advantage that floppy disks can be continuously supplied here and that connection to automatic floppy disk manufacturing and assembly equipment is easy. In addition, the carrier carries out the operations of both transporting the multi-stage floppy disks from the stacker to the inspection means and also transporting the floppy disks from the testing means to the de-stacker. The mechanism allows for efficient transfer, and the ability to easily increase the transfer capacity of floppy disks can also be realized. Preferred Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. However, the embodiments shown below are illustrative of an inspection device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the inspection device of the present invention has the material, shape, structure, and arrangement of the component parts as described below. It is not structure specific. The inspection device of this invention includes:
Various changes may be made within the scope of the claims. Further, in this specification, in order to make the claims easier to understand, numbers corresponding to the members shown in the embodiments are added to the members ζ shown in the claims. However, the members described in the claims are by no means limited to the members shown in the examples. FIG. 1 shows a floppy disk 1 inspection device. This inspection device includes a supply means 3 for the floppy disk 1, an inspection means 2 for the floppy disk 1, an ejection means 4 for the inspected floppy disk 1, and a connection between the supply means 3, the inspection means 2, and the ejection means 4. An intermediate transfer means 5 for transferring the floppy disk 1 is provided. The testing means 2 tests the usable storage density of the floppy disk. The inspection means 2 also inspects the usable storage density as well as whether it can be used as a floppy disk. Therefore, the inspection items of inspection means 2 are:
For example, usable storage density, average output voltage, modulation, resolution, etc. are checked. In the inspection means, each inspection unit 6 inspects the floppy disk 1 inserted into each unit, and each inspection unit 6 outputs an inspection classification signal. The inspection classification signal is input to the control circuit 4C of the ejection means 4. The time required for the inspection means 2 to inspect one floppy disk 1 is determined by the type of floppy disk 1 and the inspection items. The inspection means 2 has a plurality of inspection units 6 stacked in multiple stages in order to increase the throughput per hour. In the inspection means 2 shown in FIG. 1, inspection units 6 stacked in multiple stages are arranged in two rows. A floppy disk drive can be used for the inspection unit 6. Floppy disk drives are manufactured for use in computers and can be stacked in multiple tiers. Floppy disk drives for computers are produced in large quantities at low cost. Therefore, by using a computer disk drive, the testing means can be made inexpensive. However, the inspection units 6 do not necessarily have to have a structure that can be separated one by one. Therefore, it goes without saying that an inspection means in which inseparable inspection units 6 are arranged in multiple stages can also be used. The ejecting means 4 removes the floppy disk 1 from the destacker 8.
The floppy disc 1 is provided with an ejecting member 4A into which the floppy disks 1 are sent, an individual ejecting member 4B which sorts and ejects the floppy disks 1 sent by the ejecting member 4A according to their storage densities, and a control circuit 4C which controls the individual ejecting member 4B. The floppy disks 1 are loaded one by one into the ejection member 4A.
Alternatively, any transfer member that can transfer several disks together, such as a conhair, or a transfer member that pitches the floppy disks one by one with a transfer arm, can be used. One end of the discharge member 4A is connected to the destacker 8. The floppy disks 1 that have been inspected are sent one by one from the destacker 8 to the ejection member 4A. During the transfer of the ejection member 4A, individual ejection members 4B are removed at regular intervals.
is provided. The individual discharge member 4B has a three-piece discharge unit 4D. 3 Silk discharge unit 4D accepts 2 floppy disks.
Sort and retrieve data by storage density: HD, 2DD, and 2D. This discharge unit) 4D includes a bushing 4E and an individual container hair 4F. The bushing 4E reciprocates laterally across the top of the discharge member 4A. Butsusha 4E
The tip of the floppy disk 1 pushes the floppy disk 1 transferred by the ejection member 4A and sends it to the individual conveyor 4F. The bushing 4E is controlled by a control circuit 4C. The floppy disks 1 sent out from each individual container 4F are classified by storage density, and storage density indicators such as lids and labels are attached. The individual ejecting member 4B can also attach a storage density display to the floppy disk 1 and transport the storage density separately. The control circuit 4C controls the bushing 4E using the test classification signal input from the test unit 6. The pusher 4E pushes out the floppy disks 1 to the individual conveyor 4F according to storage density based on the results of the inspection by the inspection means. The stacked floppy disk 1 inspected by the inspection means is
The storage density of each stage is sequentially tested starting from the first stage, and the test classification signals of the floppy disks 1 of each stage are sequentially sent to the control circuit 4C. Carrier and death from testing means = 16
- The order and time of the floppy disks 1 to be delivered to the ejecting member 4A via the tacker 8 are fixed. Therefore, the time for each floppy disk 1 to pass in front of each pusher 4E of the ejecting member 4A is determined based on the time when the floppy disks 1 in each stage are sent out from the inspection means to the carrier in a stacked state. Therefore, the control circuit 4C of the individual ejecting member 4B drives the bushers 4E with the inspection classification signal after delaying the time when the bushers 4E are ejected from the inspection means by the time when the bushers 4E pass in front of each busher 4E. The control circuit 4C includes a clock oscillation circuit that determines a reference time. The clock oscillation circuit oscillates a reference pulse signal, and synchronizes this reference pulse signal with the stacker.
The carrier, the destacker 8, and the ejection member 4A are driven. The control circuit 4C is sent from the inspection means.
It goes without saying that all the circuits for sorting the floppy disks 1 into storage densities by means of the individual ejection member 4B can be used based on the test classification signal for each floppy disk 1. However, in order to make it easier to understand, in FIG. 1, the position of the inspection means 2 is shown shifted backward from the position where it is actually installed, and the stacker 7 and the destacker 8 are also shown at different positions from their actual positions. , are shown somewhat apart from the carrier 9. A schematic diagram of the intermediate transfer means 5 is shown in FIG. The intermediate transfer means shown in this figure includes a stacker 7 that arranges the floppy disks 1 sent from the supply means 3 in multiple stages, and a stacker 7 that supplies the floppy disks 1 in multiple stages from the stacker 7 and inspects the supplied floppy disks 1. Means 2 and discharge means 4
The floppy disk 1 is provided with a carrier 9 to be sent to a destination, and a destacker 8 from which the floppy disk 1 inspected by the inspection means 2 is ejected via the carrier 9. The stacker 7 receives the floppy disks 1 from the supply means 3.
A stack shelf 7A is provided which moves vertically in synchronization with the supply of floppy disks 1 to stack and store fed floppy disks 1 in multiple stages. The stack shelf 7A rises from the position where the supply conveyor feeds the floppy tray 1 while maintaining a horizontal position, and moves by rotating 180 degrees between the upper and lower ends. One end of this stack shelf 7A is fixed to two chains 10 stretched vertically here. 2 chains 10
are hung on sprockets 11 of a rotating shaft that are supported horizontally and spaced apart from each other. The upper rotating shaft is connected to a pulse motor 12, and this pulse motor 1
2, the rotating shaft is rotated at a constant pitch, and the stack shelf 7A
is raised at fixed height intervals. The operation of the pulse motor 12 is synchronized with the operation of the feeding means 3 feeding the floppy disk 1. That is, each time the supply means 3 feeds one floppy disk 1 to the stack shelf 7A, the pulse motor 12 is rotated by a predetermined angle to transfer the floppy disk 1 to the next stack shelf 7A.
A moves to the position where the floppy disk 1 is fed. The pulse motor operates when the floppy disk 1 is sent from the stack shelf 7A to the carrier 9, and when the supply means 3
When the floppy disk 1 is sent from the floppy disk to the stack shelf 7A, it does not rotate. The floppy disks 1 stacked in multiple stages on the stack shelf 7A are held in a stacked state and are transferred from the carrier 9 to the inspection means 2 and from the inspection means 2 via the carrier 9 to the destacker 8. Therefore, the stack shelves 7A, 8A, the carrier 9, the inspection means 2, and the destacker 8 stack the floppy disks 1 at the same intervals and have the same number of stacked floppy disks 1. The carrier 9 has a storage shelf 9A into which the stacked floppy disks 1 are sent from the stacker 7. Storage shelf 9
A has openings on both sides so that floppy disks 1 can be supplied and ejected from both sides. The carrier 9 shown in FIG. 1 has four rows of storage shelves 9A. This carrier 9 can be taken into and taken out of the inspection means 2 with two rows of floppy disks 1 as one block. Although not shown, the inspection means is 1
In the case of rows, use carriers with two rows of storage shelves. Furthermore, if there are three rows of inspection means, a carrier having six rows of storage shelves is used. In this way, carrier 2
If the carrier has double rows of storage shelves for the inspection means, the carrier 9
The floppy disk 1 can be taken in and out of the stacker 7 or the destacker 8 while being put in and out of the inspection means 2, and the floppy disk 1 can be taken in and out of the carrier 9 in the most efficient manner. The carrier 9 has a supply position where the floppy disk 1 is supplied from the stacker 7 to the storage shelf 9A, an exchange position where the supplied floppy disk 1 is taken in and out between the inspection means 2 and the storage shelf 98, and an inspection means. The floppy disk 1 is movably disposed between the storage shelf 9A and a discharge position where the floppy disk 1 sent out from the storage shelf 9A is discharged to the destacker 8. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a supply position of a floppy disk 1,
The exchange position and the discharge position are on the same horizontal plane. Therefore,
The carrier 9 is, for example, not shown, or is disposed horizontally movably via a kite or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, this carrier 9 moves horizontally to a fixed position and stops. Although the mechanism for horizontally moving the carrier 9 is not shown,
Any mechanism that can move to a specific position can be used. The carrier 9 is moved to three positions shown in (1), (3), and (5) in FIG. 3 and then stopped. The same mechanism as the stacker 7 can be used for the destacker 8. The destacker 8 and the inspection means 2 are discharged to the opposite side of the stacker 7. In Figure 3 (1), carrier 9
is moved to the rightmost position, the stacker 7 is located near the leftmost storage shelf 9A, the inspection means 2 is located near the two central rows of storage shelves 9A, and the destacker 8 is located near the rightmost storage shelf 9A.
Located near A. In this invention, the carrier 9 is transferred from the stacker 7 to the carrier 9.
Further, the member for transferring the stacked floppy disks 1 from the carrier 9 to the destacker 8 between the inspection means 2 and the inspection means 2 is not specified. As shown in FIG. 1, the floppy disk 1 is transferred from the stacker 7 to the carrier 9 on the stack shelf 7A.
A button 13 that is pushed out can be used. Further, the bushing 14 having the same structure can be used from the carrier 9 to the destacker 8. Between the carrier 9 and the inspection means 2, a mechanism can be used that pushes the floppy disk 1 from the carrier 9 into the inspection means 2, or grasps the floppy disk 1 of the inspection means 2 at its tip and pulls it from the inspection means 2 into the carrier 9. . The floppy disk 1 inspection means 2 configured as described above transports the floppy disk 1 in the following conditions and classifies the floppy disk 1 according to its storage density. However, the hatched area in FIG. 3 indicates a position where an untested floppy disk 1 is stored, and the grid-shaped hatched area indicates a location where a tested floppy disk 1 is stored. (2) A supply container serving as the supply means 3 continuously supplies the floppy disks 1 to the stacker 7. The stacker 7 receives the floppy disk 1 from the supply container.
It rises in sync with the supply of water. That is, every time a floppy disk is supplied from the supply container to the stack shelf 7A for one month, the stack shelf 7A is raised by one stage. (2) The stack shelf 7A of the stacker 7 stores the same number of floppy disks 1 as the number of shelves 9A of the carrier 9. In this state, the leftmost storage shelf 9A of the carrier 9 approaches the stacker 7, as shown in FIG. 3(1). ■ Floppy disk 1 is transferred from stacker 7 to carrier 9
is pushed into the leftmost storage shelf 9A. Figure 3 (2) ■ After that, floppy disk 1 is placed in stacker 7.
They are sent in and piled up. The carrier 9 moves to the position shown in FIG. 3(3). The floppy disks 1 stacked in the stacker 7 are stored in the storage shelf 9A in the second row on the left.
sent to. FIG. 3 (4) ■ The carrier 9 moves to the far left, and the floppy disk 1 is sent from the carrier 9 to the inspection means 2, and the carrier 9 becomes empty. FIG. 3(6), ■ The carrier 9 moves one row to the left, and the floppy disks 1 stacked on the stacker 7 are again fed into the leftmost storage shelf 9A of the carrier 9. Thereafter, the carrier 9 moves one column further to the left. Figure 3 (
8), (9) ■ The carriers 9 stacked on the stacker 7 are fed into the storage shelf 9A in the second row from the left. At this time, the floppy disk 1 that has been inspected by the inspection means 2 is returned from the inspection means 2 to the storage shelf 9A in the two right rows of the carrier 9. FIG. 3 (10) ■ The carrier 9 moves to the leftmost position and is fed into the floppy disk 1 or the inspection means 2 from the carrier 9. In this state, the floppy disk 1 in the storage shelf 9A in the second row from the right is delivered to the stacker 8. FIG. 3 (11), (12) To one - (1) The destacker 8 sends out the floppy disks 1 to the ejecting means 4 in order. At this time, the carrier 9 moves one column to the left in order to eject the floppy disk 1 from the next storage shelf 9A to the destacker 8. Fig. 3 (13) ■ The floppy disk sent to the ejecting means is transferred to the pusher 4E in the middle of being transferred through the ejecting member 4A shown in Fig. 1.
is pushed and sent to the individual conveyor 4F. Butsusha 4E
The movement is controlled by the control circuit as described above. Therefore, the floppy disks transported by the ejecting member are classified by storage density based on the results of inspection by the inspection means. [Phase] All floppy disks 1 from destacker 8
When the floppy disk 1 is delivered to the ejecting means 4, the floppy disk 1 is sent from the carrier 9 to the destacker 8. Figure 3 (13) [Phase] After that, either the floppy disks 1 stacked on the stacker 7 or the leftmost storage shelf 9 of the floppy disks 1
Sent to A. After Figure 3 (15), Figure 3 (9)
Repeat steps (14) to remove floppy disk 1.
Inspect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a floppy disk inspection and sorting device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of intermediate transfer means of the inspection device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a carrier ( This is a schematic plan process diagram showing the state in which the floppy disk is fed. 1... Floppy disk, 2... Inspection means, 3... Supply means, 4... ...Discharge means, 4A...
・Discharge member, 4B...Individual discharge member, 4C...
...Control circuit, 4D...Discharge unit, 4
E...Butsusha, 4F...Individual conditioner, 5...Intermediate transfer means, 6...Inspection unit, 7...Stacker, 7A・・・・・・
Stack shelf, 8...Te'stacker, 8A...
...Stack shelf, 9...Carrier, 9A
...Storage shelf, 10...Chain,
11...Sprocket, 12...Pulse motor-1 13...Buzz, 14...Buzz. =28- 11 Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] Supply means 3 for the floppy disk 1, inspection means 2 for the floppy disk 1, ejection means 4 for the inspected floppy disk 1, and between the supply means 3, the inspection means 2, and the ejection means 4. In the floppy disk inspection apparatus, the inspection means 2 inspects the supplied floppy disk 1 and sends an inspection classification signal for classifying the floppy disk 1 into usable storage densities. The inspection units 6 to be delivered are arranged in multiple stages, and the intermediate transfer means 5 includes a stacker 7 that arranges the floppy disks 1 sent from the supply means 3 in multiple stages, and the stacker 7 supplies the floppy disks 1 in multiple stages. It is equipped with a carrier 9 for transporting the supplied floppy disk 1 to the inspection means 2 and the ejecting means 4, and a destacker 8 to which the floppy disk 1 inspected by the inspection means 2 is transferred via the carrier 9. The ejecting means 4 includes an ejecting member 4A that transfers the floppy disk 1 sent out from the destacker 8, a control circuit 4C to which the inspection classification signal from the inspection unit 6 is input, and a memory for storing the floppy disk 1 transferred by the ejecting member 4A. It is equipped with an individual discharge member 4B that separates and discharges according to density, and a stacker 7 as an intermediate transfer means.
, carrier 9, and destacker 8 have the following configurations. (a) The stacker 7 includes a stack shelf 7A that moves vertically in synchronization with the supply of floppy disks 1 from the supply means 3 and stores the fed floppy disks 1 stacked in multiple stages. (b) The carrier 9 has a plurality of storage shelves 9A into which stacked floppy disks 1 are fed from the stacker 7, and has a supply position where the floppy disks 1 are fed from the stacker 7 to the storage shelf 9A, and between an exchange position where the floppy disks 1 that have been removed are taken out and put between the inspection means 2 and the storage shelf 9A, and an ejection position where the floppy disks 1 that have been ejected from the inspection means 2 are ejected from the storage shelf 9A to the destacker 8. It is arranged so that it can be moved freely. (c) The destacker 8 has a stack shelf 8A to which the floppy disks 1 inspected by the inspection means 2 are sent from the carrier 9 in a multi-stage arrangement.