JPH03130956A - Recording medium library device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the necessity of a space for conveying route and to make a recording medium library device compact by moving a housing means, which houses plural cartridges, to a driving means and selectively feeding the desired cartridge into the driving means. CONSTITUTION:A magazine 4 housing a cartridge 1 in a cell C is set on a table 8 by engagement between a guide groove 4a and a lock pin 9. Next, when the desired cartridge is designated by button operation, the table 8 is moved to a position where the specified cell C is put in order to the opening part of a guide pocket 6. The cartridge 1 housed in the cell C is taken into the pocket 6 and fed into a drive 2 afterwards. Then cartridge 1 finished being driven by the drive 2 is returned to the original cell C in a reverse order. Thus, the space for the conveying route can be economized and the device can be made compact.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a recording medium library device.

In particular, the present invention relates to a recording medium library device that is compact, easy to use, and can easily be made into a desktop type.

[Conventional technology]

Optical disk library system [(OL U: 0ptic
The alDisk Library Unit is a device that houses and drives an optical disk cartridge (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge). The optical disk library device includes a multi-stage storage rack that stores a plurality of cartridges, an optical disk drive (hereinafter referred to as a drive) that drives the cartridges (reads/writes optical disks), an insertion slot, and a storage rack. It is comprised of a transport mechanism that transports cartridges between the storage rack and the storage rack, transports desired cartridges from the storage rack to the drive, and returns cartridges that have been used in the drive to the storage rack. The transport mechanism has a holder that holds a cartridge taken in from a storage rack or drive and reciprocates between the storage rack and the drive as appropriate.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, conventional optical disk library devices are large-sized devices that are fixedly (semi-permanently) installed in specific public facilities, companies, etc., occupying a large space, and are not easy to use. For this reason, there has been a strong need for an optical disk library device that is compact and easy to use.

This invention was made in view of the above points.

The present invention aims to provide a recording medium library device that is compact and easy to use.

[Means to solve the problem]

A recording medium library device according to the present invention includes a storage means that has a plurality of storage positions for storing recording medium cartridges in a manner that allows them to be taken in and taken out, and that is removable from a main body so that it can be replaced with other storage means at once.

introducing the recording medium cartridge from the storage means;
a driving means for at least reading out the recording medium;
moving the storage means relative to the drive means;
moving means for selectively positioning the desired storage position at a predetermined position corresponding to the drive means, and introducing the recording medium cartridge from the storage position positioned at the predetermined position to the drive means; The recording medium cartridge is then returned to the storage position.

[Effect]

According to this invention, the storage means itself that stores a plurality of recording medium cartridges is moved relative to the drive means, so that a desired storage position in the storage means corresponds to the drive means. is positioned at a predetermined position. The recording medium cartridge is thus positioned at a predetermined position and introduced from the storage position to the driving means.
Alternatively, the recording medium cartridge is returned to the storage position from the driving means.

In this way, since the storage device itself that stores a plurality of recording medium cartridges is moved relative to the drive device, it is equipped with an independent cartridge transport mechanism separate from the storage rack like a large library device. Compared to the case where the
Suitable for downsizing and compactness. In other words, in the present invention, by moving the storage means itself relative to the drive means, there is no need to provide a transport route space separate from the space for arranging the storage means or the drive means, so the space for the transport route is saved. It is possible.

Further, the storage means is removable from the main body and can be replaced with other storage means, so to speak, as a magazine type. As a result, by preparing a large number of storage means and replacing the storage means set in one main body at any time, it is possible to handle a large number of recording medium cartridges in the present library apparatus. Therefore, the size of one storage means itself can be set to a size suitable for downsizing, and in this respect as well, it is suitable for downsizing and compactness.

As described above, in the present invention, the storage means is made small enough to be detachably attached so that it can be replaced with other storage means at once, and the storage means is moved relative to the drive means to obtain the desired location. Since the cartridges are selectively fed into the driving means, the entire device can be made compact, and
This means that it can be used easily.

Note that by including a casing that houses at least the driving means and the moving means, the recording medium library device according to the present invention can be made into a portable portable type device. Further, in the apparatus, the recording medium cartridge can be manually inserted into the drive means with the storage means removed.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a recording medium library device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the present invention is implemented as an optical disk library device.

In this optical disk library device, the drive 2 takes in the cartridge l from the front opening 2a and drives it, and is fixed at a predetermined position at the rear inside the casing 3. The magazine 4 has a plurality of storage positions Wl (hereinafter referred to as cells) C arranged vertically in parallel, each of which stores one cartridge L in a manner that can be taken in and taken out freely, and has an opening formed in the front of the casing 3. 3a
It is attached so that it can move up and down. Further, the magazine 4 is removable so that it can be replaced with other magazines at once. Each cell C has a rectangular shape with a rear opening facing the drive 2 and a front opening on the opposite side, and each cartridge l has its front and rear ends connected to the front opening of the corresponding cell C. The cell C is housed in the cell C in a state where it protrudes from the front and rear openings.

The guide pocket 6 is fixed within the casing 3 between the drive 2 and the magazine 4.

It has a rectangular shape having a rear opening 6a aligned horizontally opposite to the front opening 2a of the drive 2, and a front opening 6b opening toward the magazine 4.

The guide pocket 6 mediates the transfer of the cartridge 1 between the cell C of the magazine 4 and the drive 2 along a transfer path P (indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 3). In addition, when the cartridge 1 is a double-sided recording type, the recording surface of the cartridge 1 accessed by the head of the drive 2 is reversed (A/B
The guide pocket 6 can be rotated by 180 degrees with respect to the drive 2 about a rotation axis parallel to the transfer path P by appropriate means so that the guide pocket 6 can be rotated by 180 degrees with respect to the drive 2 so that the guide pocket 6 can be rotated by an appropriate means.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an elevating mechanism E that moves the magazine 4 up and down. The magazine 4 is supported on a table 8 that moves up and down along a linear guide G, and moves up and down together with the table 8. 1. In the magazine 4, on the outer surface of both side walls, there are guides W14a94a extending in the vertical direction over approximately the entire length of each side wall.
are provided, and locking pins 9, 9 fixed to the casing 3 are slidably inserted into the respective guide grooves 4a, 4a along the guide grooves 4a, 4a.

The table 8 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and is fixed to a slider 10 that slides along a linear guide G at one side wall portion adjacent to one side wall of the magazine 4 . Both ends of a wire 12 wound around an upper roller lla and a lower roller llb are connected to the slider 10. The wire 12 is driven by the lower roller llb when the lower roller llb is rotated by the motor M, so that the wire 12 is connected to the slider 10, and thus to the table 8 and the magazine 4 supported on the table 8.
is moved upward or downward along the linear guide G. By being moved in this way, the magazine 4 is vertically displaced with respect to the guide pocket 6 and the drive 2, and the front opening 6b of the guide pocket 6 is
The cells C aligned horizontally to face the front opening 2a of the drive 2 change sequentially. Such vertical movement of the magazine 4 is controlled by the entire optical disk library device.
It is controlled by a control unit (not shown) that performs operation and management, and the control unit controls the cell C containing the desired cartridge l to the front opening 6 of the guide pocket 6.
The elevating mechanism E is positioned at a predetermined position corresponding to b.
control the movement of

At this predetermined position, the desired cells C are aligned horizontally facing the opening 6b, and the magazine 4 is stopped at this position. The locking pin 9 guides the magazine 4,
This prevents the magazine 4 from wobbling and the table 8 from rotating horizontally about the linear guide G via the slider 10 during its vertical movement.

3 and 4 show an example of a feeding mechanism F for transferring the cartridge 1 between the magazine 4 and the drive 2 via the guide pocket 6. FIG. That is, between the magazine 4 and the guide pocket 6, there are a pair of front rollers 14, 14 located on both sides of the transfer path P and facing each other, each with vertical shafts 14a, 14a.
It is installed so that it can rotate around the center. Also,
The front rollers 14, 14 are provided so as to be located on both sides of the leading end of the cartridge 1 protruding from the cell C which is horizontally aligned with the front opening 6b of the guide pocket 6. Furthermore, the front rollers 14, 14 are movable between an operating position where they approach the transfer path P and clamp the cartridge 1, and a standby position where they are away from the transfer path P. In this way, the front rollers 14,1
4 selectively takes out the cartridge 1 of the cell C aligned with the opening 6b among the plurality of cartridges 1 stored in the magazine 4 when in the operating position, and transports it toward the drive 4; The cartridge 1 that has been used in the drive 4 is returned to the original cell C and used there.

Further, a pair of central rollers 15, 15 are provided at the center of the guide pocket 6, and are positioned on both sides of the guide pocket 6 and facing each other. Fourth
As shown in the figure, each center roller 15 is composed of an upper roller 15a and a lower roller 15b that can vertically clamp one side of the cartridge 1 to be transferred within the guide pocket 6. The upper rollers 15a, 15a facing each other on both sides of the guide pocket 6 are connected to be rotatable at the same time by a horizontal shaft 15C, and the lower rollers 15b,
15b are connected horizontally @15d so that they can rotate simultaneously. Moreover, each of the rollers 15a, 15b
The surface portion of is made of an elastic material such as urethane. In each center roller 15, an upper roller 15a and a lower roller 15
The distance S in the vertical direction between the rollers 15a and 15b is set smaller than the thickness T of the cartridge 1 so that the rollers 15a and 15b can hold the cartridge 1 using the elasticity of the elastic material. In this way, the central feed rollers 15,1
5, the magazine 4 is moved by the forward feeding roller 14°14.
The cartridge 1 selectively sent from the drive 2 is sent out toward the drive 2, and the cartridge 1 that has been used by the drive 2 is sent out toward the magazine 4.

Further, between the guide pocket 6 and the drive 2, a pair of rear rollers 1B, 18 facing each other and located on both sides of the transfer path P are arranged vertically @18a, 18.
It is provided so as to be rotatable around 8a. The rear roller 18.18 is also located at the same height as the rear opening 6a of the guide pocket 6 and the front opening 2a of the drive 2. Furthermore, the backward feeding roller 18
18 is movable between an operating position where it approaches the transfer path P and clamps the cartridge I, and a standby position where it is away from the transfer path P. In this way, the rear rollers 18, 18, when in the operating position, transport the cartridge ejected from the guide pocket 6 by the central rollers 15, 15 to the drive 2,
The used cartridge 1 is then sent to the guide pocket 6.

Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the recording medium library device according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, a desired cartridge L is placed in each desired cell C.
After storing the magazine 4 in advance and inserting the locking bin 9 into each guide groove 4a by hand, the locking bin 9. Next, by operating a button or the like, a specific cell C containing a desired cartridge L to be driven by the drive 2 (for example, the second cell from the top in FIG. cell C8). In this way, the wire 12 is driven and the table 8 moves downward along the linear guide G, so that the magazine 4 is moved so that the specific cell C3 is guided as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Next, the cartridge 1 stored in the cell C2 is moved downward until it is aligned with the front opening 6b of the pocket 6.
After being taken into the guide pocket 6 by the central feed roller 15. in the guide pocket 6. It is sent out toward the drive 2 by the machine 5, and is sent into the drive 2 by the rear rollers 18, 18.

In this way, the cartridge l is driven by the drive 2. At this time, if the cartridge 1 is of a double-sided recording type and driving of both sides is desired, the cartridge 1 is moved by the rear rollers 18, 18 and the Chuo Road rerollers 15, 15 after the driving of one recording surface is completed. Once taken into the guide pocket 6, the guide pocket 6 is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the drive 2, thereby being reversed in the vertical direction, and then fed into the drive 2 again.

The cartridge 1 that has been driven by the drive 2 is
It will be returned to the original cell C2 via the guide pocket 6 in the reverse order to that described above.

Thereafter, cartridges 1 stored in other cells C are sent to the drive 2 as appropriate. Further, if necessary, the magazine 4 can be replaced with another magazine all at once.

Note that the present invention is applicable not only to optical disk library devices but also to library devices for magnetic disk cartridges and other disk cartridges, or for recording medium cartridges other than disk cartridges. Further, when the recording medium is of a single-sided recording type, the guide pocket 6 may not be provided and the cartridge 1 may be directly transferred between the magazine 4 and the drive 2.

Note that when the magazine 4 is removed, the entrance of the drive 2, that is, the front opening 6b of the guide pocket 6, is exposed to the outside, and the drive 2
It is also possible to manually insert the desired cartridge l directly into the holder.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the storage means is removably attached so that it can be replaced with other storage means at once, and
Since the storage means is moved relative to the drive means and a desired cartridge is selectively fed into the drive means,
This has the excellent effect of providing a recording medium library device that is compact and easy to use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the whole of an embodiment of a recording medium library device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing an example of a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering a magazine in the same embodiment, and FIG.
The figure is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a feeding mechanism for transporting a cartridge in the same embodiment, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a central roller provided on one side of a guide pocket in the feeding mechanism, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the operation of the library device according to the embodiment. L...Cartridge, 2...Drive, 4...Magazine, C...Cell, E...Elevating mechanism.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A storage means that has a plurality of storage positions for storing recording medium cartridges in a manner that allows them to be freely taken out and put in, and that is removable from the main body so that the storage means can be replaced all at once with other storage means; introduced,
a driving means for at least reading out the recording medium; moving the storage means relative to the driving means;
moving means for selectively positioning the desired storage position at a predetermined position corresponding to the drive means, and introducing the recording medium cartridge from the storage position positioned at the predetermined position to the drive means; A recording medium library device configured to return a recording medium cartridge from the storage position to the storage position. (2) The recording medium library device according to claim 1, further comprising a casing means for accommodating at least the driving means and the moving means, and the recording medium library device is made portable by the casing means. (3) The entrance of the drive means opens to the outside when the storage means is removed, so that a desired recording medium cartridge can be manually inserted into the drive means. recording media library device. (4) A transfer intermediary means is provided at the entrance of the drive means, and the transfer intermediary means mediates the transfer of the recording medium cartridge between the storage means and the drive means, and at least reading is performed by the drive means. 4. The recording medium library device according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium library device is rotatable by 180 degrees so that the recording surface of the recording medium can be turned over.