JPH02257462A - Storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and quickly perform a cartridge supplying and ejecting operation and to simplify the subject device in structure at low cost by supplying and ejecting the cartridge at the same time as a housing rack is attached and detached. CONSTITUTION:The subject device is of a cassette type structure capable of attaching, detaching and housing the housing rack 13 into a main body case 1 from the exterior. A required cartridge 2 is housed in a prescribed position in the housing rack 13, and when this housing rack 13 under the above state approaches the main body case 1, the cartridge 2 becomes a posture to be carried as it is by a carrier 5. When the cartridge 2 is desired to be ejected outside, the housing rack 13 can be taken out of the main body case 1 under the state of the cartridge 2 housed in the housing rack 13. By this method, the supplying and ejecting operation for a number of cartridges is performed in a short time without needing a revolving mechanism, etc.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a storage shelf for storing a cartridge in which a disk, which is a recording medium such as an optical disk, is mounted, and a recording and reproducing device for recording and reproducing information. The present invention relates to a storage device in which a transport device for transporting cartridges between storage devices is housed in a main body case.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional optical disk storage device of this kind disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-153352. In FIG. 0, (1) is the main body case of the optical disk storage device, (2) is an optical disk cartridge with an optical disk installed inside (hereinafter simply referred to as "car ridge").
, (31 is a storage shelf that appropriately stores a plurality of cartridges (2), and is fixed to a mounting base (la) as a mounting part formed integrally with the main body case (1). A recording and reproducing device that records information on the optical disc installed in the cartridge (2) and reproduces information from the optical disc. In this example, there are two units, both of which have mounting bases like the storage shelf (3). The installation is fixed in (la). (51 is a conveyor that transports the cartridge (2) between storage shelf B) and the recording/reproducing device (a); (5a);
When transporting cartridge (2), this cartridge (
2J, a gripping part is provided on the conveyor (51) so as to be movable forward and backward, and (6) is a scale equipped with an optical marker that is used as a positioning reference when the conveyor (5) moves in the vertical direction.
Slits (6 a
) is formed. (7) is a scale sensor configured such that a light emitting part and a light receiving part face each other with the scale (6) in between, in order to read the optical label on the scale (6);
8] is a linear guide provided along the moving direction of the conveyor (9). (9) is an inlet/outlet provided at the upper front side of the main body case (1), and the main body case of the cartridge (2) is (The supply and discharge to and from the cartridge 11 are carried out through this supply and discharge port (9). α■ is a supply and discharge means for supplying and discharging the cartridge (2). ) for 180° rotation, and a slide table (
12).

Next, the operation will be explained. Assuming that an optical disc loaded in a cartridge (2) stored in a specific shelf of the storage shelf (3) is to be recorded and reproduced, first, the transport machine (5)
] along the linear guide (8) to the position of the above shelf. Here, the grip part (5a) is operated.

That is, the gripping part (5a) moves forward to grip the cars 1 to 2 (2) stored on the shelf, and in this state, the gripping part (5a)
5a) retreats and pulls the cartridge (2) into the conveyor (51).Next, the conveyor (51) is lowered and stopped at the position of the recording/reproducing device (a).
5a) to insert the cartridge (2) into the recording/reproducing device (
4), and when the grip part (5a) releases the cars 1 to 21, the so-called autoloading tflfil in the recording and reproducing device (4) operates, enabling recording and reproducing processing of the optical disc. become a state.

In the above, position detection when moving the carrier (5) to a predetermined position is performed by counting the rising pulse of the voltage output from the scale sensor (7) every time it passes through the slit (6a). be exposed.

Furthermore, when returning the cartridge (2) for which the recording and reproducing process has been completed to the storage shelf (3), the operations described above may be performed in the reverse order.

Next, the operation when taking the cartridge (2) into the interior through the supply/discharge port (9) will be described. First, the turning mechanism (
11) in a direction rotated 180° from the direction shown in Fig. 4, and further move the slide table (12) forward. In this state, the operating lever moves the cartridge (2) through the supply/discharge port (9). Insert into the slide table (12). When the cartridge (2) is inserted, the slide table (1)
2) is moved backward, and then the turning mechanism (11) turns 180 degrees to the orientation shown in FIG. Here, the slide table (12) moves forward again, and the mounted cartridge (2)
It stops when it reaches a position where it can be gripped by the gripping part (5a). After that, the conveyor (9 and its gripping part (5a) pulls out the cartridge (2) from the slide table (12) and moves it to the storage shelf 0) or the recording/reproducing device (4) by the method described above. , insert the cartridge (2) into these parts.

Note that, for example, when taking out the cartridge (2) in the storage shelf (3) to the outside of the main body case (1), the operations described above may be performed in the reverse order.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Since the conventional optical disk storage device is configured as described above, the operation of supplying or ejecting the cartridges (2) into the main body case (1) must be performed one by one. If this number of sheets is large, it will take a long time to perform the feeding and discharging operation.

In addition, a complex swing machine fi (11) and a slide table (
12) A supply/discharge means consisting of the following is required, which poses a problem in that the device is correspondingly expensive.

This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a storage device that does not require a rotation mechanism or the like and can perform operations for loading and unloading a large number of cartridges in a short period of time. .

[Means to solve the problem]

In the storage device according to the present invention, the storage shelf thereof has a cassette-type structure that can be attached to and detached from the main body case from the outside.

[For production]

Necessary cartridges are stored in advance at predetermined positions on the storage shelf, and when this storage shelf is attached to the main body case in this state, the cartridges are ready to be transported as they are by the transport machine. If you want to eject the cartridge to the outside, you can remove the storage shelf from the main body case with the cartridge stored in the storage shelf.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1st
The figure is a cross-sectional view of (1), (21 and () in the same figure).
A) to 8) are the same as before. (13
) is a cassette-type storage shelf according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of it, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of the main case (1) side to which the storage shelf (13) is attached. In Figure 0, (14) is a convex attachment part formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the storage shelf (13) in the attachment/detachment direction;
A concave mounting formed at a corresponding position on the main body case (1) slidably engages the guide (15). (16) is a group of detection switches that detect whether a cartridge (2) is set in each column of the storage shelf (13), and (17) is a group of detection switches that detect the contact status of this detection switch group (16) on the main body case (
1) This is a storage shelf side terminal for transmitting data to the side.

(18) is the main body case side terminal provided on the main body case (1), and when the storage shelf (13) is set in a predetermined position in the main body case (1), each contact point is connected to the storage shelf side terminal (17).
is configured to make contact with each contact point of the (+9)
After setting the storage shelf (13) into the main case (1),
This is a stopper that prevents the storage shelf (13) from shifting in the mounting/detaching direction, and is installed in a hole formed in the guide (15) so as to be movable up and down. (20) is installed with a guide (1
5) With the push spring attached to the side of the storage shelf (13)
The mounting section (14) is interposed between the mounting section (14) and the guide (15) to prevent the storage shelf (13) from shifting in the left-right direction. (21) is a shutter for closing the opening of the main body case (1), and prevents dust etc. from entering into the main body case (1) when the storage shelf (13) is removed.

Next, operations will be described, particularly the operation of attaching and detaching the storage shelf (13) and the main body case (1), and therefore the operation of supplying and discharging the cartridge (2). First, insert the storage shelf (13) into the main case (1).
Assuming that the shutter (21) is installed inside the main body case (1), the shutter (21) is kept in a position where it closes the opening of the main body case (1) by a spring (not shown). From this state, the storage shelf (13
) To install the shutter (
21) gradually rotates inward against the spring, and finally opens 90 degrees. Here, the stopper (19)
protrudes upward by a spring (not shown), but as shown in Figure 3, its sloped head is connected to the storage shelf (13
) is pushed downward by part (14) and the storage shelf (
13), the spring returns upward again to prevent the storage shelf (13) from retreating.

The pressing spring (20) uses its spring pressure to restrain the storage shelf (13) and maintain its left-right position. Also, both terminals (17
) and (18) contact each other, and the cartridge (2) in the storage shelf (13) is stored in the main case (1).
It can be detected from the side.

Next, when removing the storage shelf (13) from the main body case (1), first sink the stopper (19) downward using mechanical or electromagnetic means, and then release the restraint of the part (14) for installation. To install, pull out the storage shelf (13) along the guide (15). As a result, the shutter (21) begins to return to the closing direction with its spring, and the storage shelf (13) is moved to the main body case (
1), the shutter (21) closes again to prevent dust from entering into the main body case (1).

Note that if the storage shelf (13) is attached or removed while the transport machine (51) is in operation, the transport operation may fail or the cartridges may be damaged.
9) An interlock mechanism is adopted to restrict the operation.

As described above, by attaching and detaching the storage shelf (13) to the main body case (1) as a cassette type structure, it is possible to simultaneously load and eject multiple cartridges ('2) into the main body case (1). , the time required for this loading/unloading operation is significantly shortened.The effect is particularly noticeable in large-capacity disk storage devices.In addition, the complicated loading/unloading operation using the conventional rotating mechanism <11) and slide table (12) is significantly reduced. Since the means α0 is not required, the structure of the device becomes simpler and cheaper. Furthermore, since the cartridges (2) can be managed, stored, transported, etc. using this storage shelf (!3) as a unit, their handling becomes easy.

In the above embodiment, the storage l1lIl (13) is attached to the front side of the main body case (1), but it may be attached to the upper surface, side surface, etc. In addition, in the above embodiment, the storage shelf (13) was composed of a single one, but
It may be divided into several blocks, each of which can be attached and detached independently as a cassette structure.
The storage information of the cartridge (2) is derived from the terminal (17).
It is also possible to use a connector instead of the contact contact in (1B).

Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes the case where an optical disk is used as the recording medium, the present invention is equally applicable to a storage device in which other recording media such as a magnetic disk or magnetic tape are attached to a cartridge. The same effect can be achieved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in this invention, the storage shelf is made of a single cassette type that can be attached and detached from the main body case from the outside, and the cartridges are loaded and unloaded at the same time as the storage shelf is attached and detached, so that the cartridge loading and unloading operation is easy. can be done easily and quickly,
The conventional complicated supply/discharge means are not required, and the equipment is simple and inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an optical disk storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a storage shelf thereof, and FIG. 3 is a main part of the main body case of FIG. 1. Perspective view,
FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional optical disk storage device. In the figures, (1) is the main body case, (2) is the cartridge, (A) is the storage/reproduction device, (9 is the conveyor, and (13) is the storage shelf. In addition, the same symbols in each figure are the same or equivalent. Parts shown. Agent: Masuo Oiwa, patent attorney

Claims (1)

[Claims] a storage shelf for appropriately storing cartridges with recording media installed therein; a recording/reproducing device for recording information on the recording medium between the cartridges and reproducing information from the recording medium;
A conveyor for transporting the cartridge between the storage shelf and the recording/reproducing device is housed in the main body case, and a supply/discharge means for supplying the cartridge into the main case and carrying it out of the main case. 2. A storage device, characterized in that the storage shelf has a cassette-type structure that can be attached to and removed from the main body case from the outside, and the storage shelf also has the function of the supply/discharge means.