JPH0411940B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a cartridge transport mechanism for a magnetic tape device.

A magnetic tape device is a device that records information on a magnetic tape or reads information recorded on a magnetic tape based on instructions from a computer or the like. A magnetic tape wound on a reel is attached to the device and reciprocated between the two reels, during which time it comes into contact with a magnetic head to read/write information.

Recently, a magnetic tape and two reels have been made into a cartridge, which is inserted into the insertion slot of a cartridge transfer mechanism (hereinafter referred to as loading mechanism), loaded into a magnetic tape device, and the magnetic head reads/writes information on the magnetic tape. The process is performed, and when it is finished, the cartridge is returned to the insertion slot.

If the reference position of the holder and the front surface of the cartridge inserted into the loading mechanism do not match, the cartridge will not be properly set in the magnetic tape device when loaded. Therefore, there is a need for a front loading mechanism that prevents the cartridge from being loaded when the inserted cartridge is not aligned with the reference position of the holder.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 shows an external view of a conventional front loading mechanism A, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the holder shown in FIG.

There is a shaft 3 for mounting and suspending a cartridge 2 on a holder 1 shown in FIG. 3 as shown by the dotted line. This shaft 3 engages with an L-shaped groove 4 shown in FIG.
It is movable within the groove. The shaft 3 also engages with the elongated hole 6 of the arm 5, and the arm 5 is connected to the motor M indicated by the dotted line.
The holder 1 is loaded along the L-shaped groove 4 by being moved by the rotation of the holder 1 via a gear described later.

The mechanism for moving the arm 5 is such that a gear 9 fixed to a motor shaft 8 meshes with a gear 10.
A worm gear (not shown) on the same axis as the worm wheel 11 meshes with the worm gear 11.
A gear (not shown) coaxial with the gear 12 meshes with the gear 12, and the arm 5 is disposed on the shaft 13 of the gear 12.
There is. The gear 12 has a notch 14 for moving the arm 5 and a spring 15 as a damper for overdrive when the loaded holder 1 is stopped. In addition, 16 is a loading motor M
17 is a return spring.
This return spring 17 is a spring for buffering when the cartridge 2 is pushed in a little more after it has been inserted into the insertion position, and when the cartridge 2 is pushed again against this return spring 17, the switch 16
is activated, and the loading motor M is operated.

Front loading mechanism A for cartridge 2
Insert the cartridge 2 into the holder 1 through the insertion opening as shown in Figure 4, and then push it a little further from the inserted position to align the reference position of the cartridge 2 with the front surface of the cartridge 2 and the reference surface of the holder 1 as shown in Figure 5. Then, the switch 16 is operated, the loading motor M is driven, the holder 1 is loaded, and the cartridge 2 is set in the magnetic tape device.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The conventional front loading mechanism A shown in FIG. 2 inserts a cartridge 2 into a holder 1 and pushes it a little further from the inserted position to align the front side of the cartridge 2 and operate a switch 16 to drive a loading motor M. Therefore, the return spring 17 was required due to the structure in which it is pushed in from the insertion position.

Therefore, if the cartridge 2 is pushed in and released immediately, the holder 1 will return to the insertion position by the force of the return spring 17, and if the loading motor cannot follow the return speed, the cartridge 2 will jump out of the insertion position due to the reaction. As a result, as shown in Fig. 6, the front reference surface F of the cartridge shifts, creating a gap E, which not only prevents the cartridge 2 from entering the reference pin 18 and reel boss 19 of the magnetic tape device even after loading, but also damages mechanical parts. There was a problem.

[Means for solving problems]

The above problem lies in the cartridge transport mechanism in which the magnetic tape cartridge is automatically transferred to the magnetic tape device by the loading motor M when it is further pushed in after being inserted into the insertion position. A cartridge insertion detection switch for detecting that the cartridge is further pushed in from the insertion position, and a timer for counting the time that the cartridge insertion detection switch is in an operating state, and when the count value of the timer exceeds a predetermined value. The present invention is solved by a cartridge transfer mechanism characterized in that the loading motor M is driven when the cartridge is loaded.

[Effect]

That is, if the switching operation time of the loading motor is less than a certain fixed time when a front loading cartridge is inserted, the motor is not driven, thereby preventing loading when the cartridge is not properly set in the holder. This prevents the cartridge from popping out and protects the mechanism.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the gist of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

Conventionally, when the cartridge 2 is pushed into the insertion opening of the front loading mechanism A and the hand is immediately released, the holder 1 returns to the insertion position by the force of the spring 17. If the loading motor cannot follow the return speed, the cartridge 2 Because the cartridge pops out from the insertion position due to reaction, the front reference plane F of the cartridge is
was causing gap E. In the present invention, a timer is provided in the control circuit of the loading motor (see the timer 20 indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 4) so that the loading operation is not performed when the gap E is generated, and the timer 20 is used to load the cartridge. The operating time of the insertion detection switch 16 is counted, and the loading motor M is driven when the insertion detection switch 16 is in an operating state for a certain period of time (for example, 0.5 seconds or more).

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the front loading mechanism of the present invention.

Front loading mechanism A
Insert it onto holder 1 from the insertion opening (see Figure 4),
When the cartridge is pushed in a little further from the inserted position, the switch 16 is turned ON by the present of the cartridge, the timer 20 measures the operating time of the switch 16, and the motor M is driven only after a certain period of time, for example, 0.5 seconds has passed. If the cartridge 2 is returned by the force of the return spring 17 and the switch 16 is activated for less than 0.5 seconds (when a gap E as shown in Fig. 6 is created and the position shifts), the loading Motor M is not driven.

As mentioned above, if the operating time of the switch 16 of the loading motor M is less than a certain fixed time, the motor will not be driven. This prevents loading when the cartridge 2 is not correctly set in the holder 1, and prevents the mechanism from being loaded. Can be protected.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a timer is provided, and the timer counts the operating time of the cartridge insertion detection switch, thereby preventing loading when the cartridge is not correctly set in the holder of the loading mechanism. The mechanism can be protected.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the front loading mechanism of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an external front view of a conventional front loading mechanism, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the holder shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the front loading mechanism of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the position of the cartridge and the holder when the cartridge is inserted and at the end of loading, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the position when the cartridge is pushed in, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the cartridge displaced by the reaction of the spring. In the figure, 1 is a holder, 2 is a cartridge,
3 is an axis, 16 is a switch, and 20 is a timer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cartridge transport mechanism in which a magnetic tape cartridge 2 is automatically transferred to a magnetic tape device by a loading motor M when the magnetic tape cartridge 2 is once inserted into an insertion position and then pushed further. A cartridge insertion detection switch 16 for detecting that the cartridge 2 is further pushed in from the insertion position, and a timer 20 for counting the time that the cartridge insertion detection switch 16 is in an operating state, the timer A cartridge transport mechanism characterized in that the loading motor M is driven when a count value of 20 exceeds a predetermined value.