JPH04139689A - Medium cleaning method and head cleaning method for assembled storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clean a storage medium without deteriorating a throughput by transferring a cartridge from a control container to a medium cleaner by a conveying mechanism, and transferring the cartridge from the cleaner to the control container by the conveying mechanism after cleaning the storage medium. CONSTITUTION:A controller 12 judges whether the rotation of either a cell drum 3 or 4 is necessary for the fetch of the cartridge to be cleaned. Then, the cell drum 3 or 4 is rotated in a timing in which the drum is capable of being rotated when the rotation of the cell drum is necessary. Moreover, the device 12 fetches the cartridge by driving a waiting accessor 5, and transfers this to a medium cleaner 9. The cleaner 9 rotates an information storing medium in the cartridge, wipes the face of the medium with a cloth, and remove stuck dust or the like in order to clean the medium. After the completion of the cleaning, the device 12 stores the information of the completion of the cleaning in a storage circuit corresponding to the cartridge, rotates either the drum 3 or 4, drives the waiting accessor 5, transfers the cartridge from the device 9 back to a storing rack, and stores it. Thus, the cleaning of the information storing medium is executed without deteriorating the throughstop concerning the recording or reproduction of the information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a medium cleaning method and a head cleaning method in a collective storage device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, there have been various storage devices using replaceable information storage media, but these generally require manual handling of the media, which increases the time required to select and replace the media and causes operational errors. , there were problems such as complicated media management. Additionally, with the rapid development of information processing systems that use the aforementioned storage devices, the amount of information handled is increasing year by year.
The above-mentioned drawbacks were becoming more and more obvious. In response to this situation, an ultra-large 8-inch collective storage device has been developed that stores a large number of information storage media at once and completely automates their handling.

The aforementioned large-scale storage device is often used as the final stage backup file device in the storage hierarchy of a general-purpose computer system, and reliability as a device is extremely important. For this reason, high reliability has conventionally been ensured by preparing a cleaning tool for the recording/reproducing head inside the device, transporting it using the information storage medium's transport mechanism, and cleaning the recording/reproducing head. .

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above method, the transport mechanism of the information storage medium is used as is for transporting the cleaning tools, so the transporting work of the information storage medium is temporarily delayed, and this causes the recording of information or There is a problem in that the throughput associated with playback is reduced and the processing capacity of the entire system is seriously affected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a method that can clean an information storage medium and a head without reducing the throughput for recording or reproducing information.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cartridge incorporating an information storage medium, a storage for storing a plurality of cartridges, and information storage in the cartridge. A media processing device that records or reproduces information on the media, a media cleaning device that cleans the information storage medium in the cartridge, and mutual transfer of cartridges between the storage, the media processing device, and the media cleaning device. In a collective storage device, one of the transport mechanisms is normally operated to transfer cartridges between the management warehouse and the media processing device, while the other transport mechanism is on standby. Transferring the cartridge from the storage to the medium cleaning device using a transport mechanism, cleaning the information storage medium in the cartridge, and then transferring the cartridge from the medium cleaning device to the storage using the waiting transport mechanism. A method for cleaning a medium in a collective storage device according to claim (2), and a method for cleaning a medium in a collective storage device according to
a second cartridge containing a built-in head cleaning tool; a storage for storing a plurality of first cartridges and second cartridges; It is equipped with at least two media processing devices that perform playback, and two transport mechanisms that mutually transport the first or second cartridge between the storage and the media processing device, and one of the transport mechanisms is normally operated. In a collective storage device in which a first cartridge is transferred between a management warehouse and a media processing device while the other transport mechanism is placed on standby, the media processing device to be cleaned is placed in a standby state, and the media processing device that is to be cleaned is placed in a standby state, and the first cartridge is transferred between a management warehouse and a media processing device. The second cartridge is transferred from the storage to the waiting media processing device, the head of the media processing device is cleaned, and then the second cartridge is transferred from the media processing device using the waiting transport mechanism. This paper proposes a head cleaning method for a collective storage device that is transported to a management warehouse.

(Function) According to claim (1) of the present invention, the cartridge is transferred from the storage to the medium cleaning device by the waiting transfer mechanism,
The information storage medium is cleaned by the medium cleaning device, and after the cleaning is completed, the information storage medium is transferred from the medium cleaning device to the management warehouse by a waiting conveyance mechanism.

According to claim (2), the medium processing device to be cleaned is placed in a standby state, and the second cartridge is transferred from the storage to the waiting medium processing device by the waiting transport mechanism, and the second cartridge The head of the processing equipment is cleaned, and after cleaning is completed,
The second cartridge is transferred from the media processing device to the management warehouse by the waiting transfer mechanism.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an embodiment of a collective storage device to which the method of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view thereof. In the figure, 1.2 is a media processing device (optical disk device), 3.4 is a management storage (cell drum), and 5.
Reference numeral 6 indicates a transport mechanism (accelerator), 7.8 indicates hands of the accelerators 5 and 6, 9.10 indicates a medium cleaning device, 11 indicates a medium input/discharge mechanism, and 12 indicates a control device.

There are six optical disk devices 1.2 each, and each of the optical disk devices 1.2 records and reproduces information (not shown) from a cartridge containing an information storage medium, such as an information storage medium in an optical disk cartridge (not shown). Record or playback.

The cell drums 3 and 4 each have 6 rows of storage shelves 13 radially arranged to store a large number of cartridges (not shown) horizontally.
They are arranged in rows and held rotatably around a vertical axis. Note that each cell drum 3.4 stores a cleaning cartridge 14 containing a head cleaning tool.

Axlers 5.6 move hands 7.8 vertically and rotate horizontally so as to enable cartridges to be taken in and out of both cell drums 3 and 4, respectively;
In addition, the hand 7.
Rotate 8. Further, the accelerators 5 and 6 normally operate such that one of them is in the operating state and the other is in the standby state, and these are alternately switched at a constant cycle. Furthermore, when a failure occurs in an operating accelerator, a standby accelerator is operated and failure recovery is performed during that time.

Further, the hand 7.8 takes cartridges into and out of the optical disk devices 1 and 2, the cell drums 3 and 4, the medium cleaning device 9.10, and the medium loading/unloading mechanism 11. The optical disk device 1.2 is configured such that cartridges can be taken in and out by either the hand 7 or 8, that is, the cell drums 3, 4 are connected to each other via a rotating mechanism (not shown).
It is rotatably held on the same axis as the rotation axis of.

The medium cleaning devices 9 and 10 clean the information storage medium in the cartridge, and are arranged so that the cartridge can be taken in and out using hands 7 and 8, respectively. Further, the medium loading/unloading mechanism 11 is used to input a medium from the outside and to discharge the medium to the outside, and is arranged so that a cartridge can be taken in and out using the hand 7.

The control device 12, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a well-known microprocessor (CPU) 12a and a memory circuit 12b, and controls each of the above-mentioned sections according to a predetermined program.

Further, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the medium cleaning operation, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the head cleaning operation.

The operation of the apparatus will be described below, but first, the normal cartridge loading operation and information recording/reproducing operation will be explained.

It is now assumed that the accelerator 5 is in the operating state, the accelerator 6 is in the standby state, and the optical disk devices 1.2 are all arranged so as to face the accelerator 5.

First, an operator enters the medium input/discharge mechanism 11 from outside the device.
When a cartridge is inserted through the medium input/output mechanism 11, this is detected by a sensor (not shown) of the medium input/output mechanism 11, and the control device 12 is notified. When the control device 12 receives the notification, it drives the accelerator 5 and the hand 7 to take out the cartridge from the medium loading/unloading mechanism 11, and inserts the cartridge into the optical disk device 1,
2. Load into the empty device.

Next, the control device 12 causes the corresponding optical disk device to perform a predetermined information recording and reproducing operation on the cartridge, and when this is completed, drives the accelerator 5 and the hand door to unload the cartridge and the cartridge from the previous disk device, and It is stored in the third or fourth storage shelf 13. In addition,
At this time, the cell drum 3 or 4 is rotated as required (S).

Further, the control device 12 drives the optical disk devices 1 and 2, the cell drums 3 and 4, the accessor 5, and the hand 7 based on a command from a host device (not shown), and drives any cartridge stored in the cell drum 3 or 4. It is taken out and loaded onto a vacant optical disk device 12 to perform desired information recording and reproducing operations.

Further, the control device 12 puts the accessor 5 in a standby state and the accessor 6 in a working state at regular intervals, and simultaneously places the optical disk devices 1 and 2 so as to face the accessor 6, and thereafter uses the same information as described above. Perform recording/playback operations.

Next, the medium cleaning operation will be explained.

Now, as shown in FIG. 6, the accessor 5 is in a standby state, the accessor 6 is in an operating state, and the medium cleaning device 9 is used to clean the information storage media in the cartridges stored in the cell drums 3 and 4. Let me explain the case.

First, upon receiving a medium cleaning command from a host device, the control device 12 determines whether rotation of the cell drum 3 or 4 is necessary to take out the cartridge to be cleaned. At this time, if necessary, the cell drum 3 or 4 is rotated at a timing that allows rotation, that is, at a timing that does not interfere with the transfer of the cartridge for normal information recording and reproduction by the accessor 6.

Further, the control device 12 drives the standby accessor 5 to take out the cartridge and transfer it to the medium cleaning device 9.

The medium cleaning device 9 rotates the information storage medium in the cartridge and wipes the surface of the medium with a cloth.
Remove adhering dust, etc. and clean. When the cleaning is completed, the control device 12 stores cleaning completion information including the date and time of cleaning completion in the storage circuit 12b corresponding to the cartridge, and then rotates the cell drum 3 or 4 as described above or leaves it on standby. The cartridge is transferred from the medium cleaning device 9 to the original storage shelf of the cell drum 3 or 4 by driving the accessor 5 therein and stored therein.

Thereafter, the control device 12 sequentially performs the same medium cleaning work as described above for other cartridges stored in the cell drums 3 and 4 in accordance with a command from a host device or independently. Note that the cleaning completion information described above is used for determining the cleaning order, etc.

In addition, if the cleaning operation is not performed normally due to a failure of the cartridge or the media cleaning device, the control device 12 stores the address of the storage shelf, the number of the media cleaning device, etc. related to the cartridge, and takes appropriate recovery action or It is also possible to make a report to the person.

Next, the head cleaning operation will be explained.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the accessor 5 is in a standby state and the accessor 6 is in an operating state.

First, upon receiving a head cleaning command from a host device, the control device 12 detects the timing at which the optical disk device 2 can be detached, rotates the optical disk device 2, and attaches it to the standby accessor as shown in FIG. 5. Further, the control device 12 rotates the cell drum 3 or leaves it as it is in the same manner as during the medium cleaning operation, drives the standby accessor 5 to take out the cleaning cartridge 14, and transfers it to one of the optical disk devices 2. Transport and load.

Next, the control device 12 causes the optical disk device 2 to perform the same operation as in the case of recording and reproducing information using a normal cartridge for a certain period of time. At this time, clean cartridge 1
The cleaning tool 4 removes dust and the like from the objective lens surface of the recording/reproducing head of the optical disk device 2 and cleans it. When the cleaning is completed, the control device 12 stores cleaning completion information including the date and time of cleaning completion in the storage circuit 12b corresponding to the optical disk device 2, and further drives the standby accessor 5 to remove the cleaning cartridge. 14 is transferred from the optical disk device 2 to the original storage shelf of the cell drum 3 and stored therein, and the optical disk device 2 is rotated so as to face the accessor 6.

Thereafter, the control device 12 sequentially performs the same head cleaning operations on other optical disk devices according to commands from the host device or independently. Further, the cleaning completion information described above is used for determining the cleaning order, etc., as in the case of medium cleaning.

In the above embodiments, an apparatus constructed of a rotary management vehicle and a vertically moving and horizontally rotating transport mechanism was explained as an example, but the present invention can be applied regardless of the shape, arrangement, etc. it is obvious. Furthermore, although an optical disk device is used as the media processing device in this embodiment, it is clear that the present invention is equally applicable to other devices such as a magnetic tape device.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to claim (1) of the present invention, the cartridge is transferred from the management vehicle to the medium cleaning device by the waiting conveyance mechanism, and the medium cleaning device transfers the cartridge to the information storage medium. After the cleaning is completed, the information storage medium is transferred from the medium cleaning device to the management vehicle by a waiting transport mechanism, so that the information storage medium can be cleaned without reducing the throughput for recording or reproducing information.

Further, according to claim (2) of the present invention, the medium processing device to be cleaned is in a standby state, and the second cartridge is transferred from the management vehicle to the waiting medium processing device by the waiting conveyance mechanism. The head of the media processing device is cleaned, and after the cleaning is completed, the second cartridge is transferred from the media processing device to the management vehicle by a waiting transport mechanism, so that the throughput regarding recording or reproducing information is reduced. There are advantages such as being able to clean the head without any problems.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an embodiment of a collective storage device to which the method of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the arrangement of each part of the device in FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of the device shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the medium cleaning operation, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the head cleaning operation, and FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the arrangement of various parts during the medium cleaning operation. , FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the arrangement of various parts during head cleaning operation. 1.2... Optical disk device, 3,4... Cell drum, 5゜6... Accessor, 7゜8... Hand, 9゜10... Medium cleaning device, 12... Control device , 14...Cleaning force-tridge. patent

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A cartridge containing an information storage medium, a storage for storing a plurality of cartridges, a media processing device that records or reproduces information on the information storage medium in the cartridge, and a storage medium for storing information in the cartridge. It is equipped with a media cleaning device that cleans the cartridges, and two transport mechanisms that mutually transport cartridges between the storage, media processing device, and media cleaning device. In a collective storage device that is transferred between a management warehouse and a media processing device while the other transport mechanism is on standby, the cartridge is transferred from the management warehouse to the media cleaning device using the waiting transportation mechanism, and information storage in the cartridge is performed. Clean the media and then
A method for cleaning a medium in a collective storage device, characterized in that the cartridge is transferred from a medium cleaning device to a management storage using a standby conveyance mechanism. (2) a first cartridge containing an information storage medium;
a second cartridge incorporating a head cleaning tool; a storage for storing a plurality of first cartridges and a plurality of second cartridges; and at least one for recording or reproducing information on an information storage medium in the first cartridge. It is equipped with two media processing devices and two transport mechanisms that mutually transport the first or second cartridge between the storage and the media processing device. In a collective storage device in which a cartridge is transferred between a storage and a media processing device while the other transport mechanism is on standby, the media processing device to be cleaned is placed in a standby state, and the waiting transport mechanism is used to transport the second cartridge. is transferred from the management warehouse to the standby media processing device, the head of the media processing device is cleaned, and then a second cartridge is transferred from the media processing device to the management warehouse using the waiting transport mechanism. A head cleaning method for a collective storage device, characterized in that: