JPH0424512Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention is a method for storing large-capacity information such as document information, video information, and audio information using a large number of disks as record carriers. This invention relates to a disk file device that can selectively pull out a large number of disks at high speed so that information can be read out at high speed and supplied to a player that writes and reads information.

[Summary of the idea]

In order to prevent the user from changing the cartridges in the stocker without permission, the present invention first introduces a large number of cartridges, which are sequentially inserted through the cartridge supply/discharge port, into a cartridge supply/discharge mechanism having a slide table. Therefore, after the cartridges are sequentially drawn across the vertical transfer path of the carrier, the cartridges are received by the carrier and sequentially stored in predetermined positions of a large number of storage shelves of the stocker. Next, a large number of stored cartridges are selectively pulled out from the stocker by a carrier and supplied to a player placed at the bottom of the stocker, and information is written to and read from the disks in the cartridges. In such a disk file device, by arranging the cartridge supply/discharge port and the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism at the upper position of the stocker, even when the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism is in operation, the carrier can transfer the cartridge between the stocker and the player. It is possible to carry out the supply and discharge operations, and also to reduce the vertical height of the entire device.

[Conventional technology]

The earlier application (Utility Application No. 59-99247) filed by the applicant of the present invention is a vertically elongated device in which a number of cartridges each containing disks are stored horizontally in a number of storage shelves. A vertical stocker, a player placed at the bottom of the stocker for writing and reading information on disks in each cartridge, and a front side of the stocker and player for selectively pulling out cartridges from the stocker and supplying them to the players. A carrier is transported in a vertical direction along the vertical transport path, a cartridge supply/discharge port provided on the opposite side of the stocker across the vertical transfer path of the carrier, and a cartridge supply/discharge port provided horizontally opposite the cartridge supply/discharge port to a predetermined position of the stocker. and a cartridge supply/discharge mechanism having a slide table disposed at a height position and moved horizontally to the cartridge supply/discharge port across the vertical transfer path of the carrier, and the cartridges are sequentially inserted into the cartridge supply/discharge port. This disk file device was constructed so that the cartridges were sequentially drawn across the vertical transfer path of the carrier by a cartridge supply/discharge mechanism, and then the cartridges were received by the carrier and stored in the stocker one after another.

The invention of this prior application is such that the cartridge 1 is automatically stored in and removed from the stocker 2, so that the user cannot change the cartridge 1 in the stocker 2 without permission. be.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, in the prior application, the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism was placed at the vertical center of the vertically long stocker, so for example, when the carrier is moved to a position above the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism,
While the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism is in operation (the slide table is horizontally moving across the carrier's vertical transfer path to the cartridge supply/discharge port), the carrier supplies and discharges cartridges between the stocker and the player. I was unable to perform any movements. Therefore, in this prior invention, while the cartridge is being supplied or discharged from the cartridge supply/discharge port to the stocker, the cartridge cannot be supplied or discharged between the stocker and the player.
On the contrary, during the operation of supplying and discharging cartridges between the stocker and the player, the operation of supplying and discharging cartridges from the cartridge supply and discharge port to the stocker cannot be performed.

In addition, this type of disk file device is configured so that the cartridge pulled out from the stocker can be freely reversed by 180 degrees by a carrier so that information can be written and read on both sides of the disk. At this time, in order to turn the cartridge pulled out from the top storage shelf of the stocker 180° by the carrier on the spot, the cartridge must be placed at the top of the top storage shelf of the stocker, which is required for the carrier to turn 180°. Extra space needs to be provided.

However, in the previous application, the cartridge supply and ejection mechanism was placed in the upper and lower center of the stocker, so
The height of the stocker as a whole is increased by the height of the cartridge supply/ejection mechanism, and additional space required for 180° rotation of the carrier must be provided at the top of the stocker. It was getting very high.

The present invention is a disk file system configured so that the carrier can supply and eject cartridges between the stocker and the player even when the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism is in operation, and the height of the entire disk file device can be reduced. The aim is to provide equipment.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention consists of a long vertical stocker in which a large number of cartridges each containing disks are stored horizontally in a number of upper and lower storage shelves;
There is a horizontal player placed at the bottom of this stocker into which each cartridge is inserted horizontally and writes and reads information on each disk, and a horizontal player where the cartridges are selectively pulled out horizontally from the stocker and inserted horizontally into the player. There is a carrier that is vertically transported along the front of the stocker and player to supply the stock, and a vertical transport path of this carrier is provided on the opposite side of the stocker, and the cartridges are placed horizontally in the same way as the above storage shelf. The cartridge is placed at a predetermined height position on the stocker horizontally facing the cartridge supply/discharge port to be inserted, and is moved horizontally to the cartridge supply/discharge port across the vertical transfer path of the carrier. The cartridge feed/discharge mechanism has a horizontal cartridge supply/discharge mechanism having a slide table for horizontally inserting the cartridges into the cartridge supply/discharge port one after another horizontally. In the disk file device, the cartridges are drawn in, and then received horizontally by a carrier and stored horizontally in a stocker one after another. A disk file device, characterized in that the cartridge is placed at a position such that the cartridge is horizontally pulled into an upper position of the stocker by the cartridge feeding and discharging mechanism across the vertical transfer path to the carrier. be.

[Effect]

In the present invention, the cartridge supply/discharge port and the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism are placed at the upper position of the stocker, so even when the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism is in operation,
A carrier, which is always located at a lower position, allows cartridge feeding and ejection operations between the stocker and the player. In addition, the cartridge supply and ejection mechanism can be placed in the extra space above the stocker required to turn the cartridge pulled out from the top storage shelf of the stocker 180 degrees on the spot using the carrier, compared to the device of the previous application. The height of the entire disk file device can be reduced by an amount equivalent to the height of the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the disk file device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the entire disk file device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

A disk (not shown) serving as a record carrier is housed inside the cartridge 1, and the cartridge 1 has a thin top and bottom thickness and a substantially rectangular shape. Note that both the top and bottom of the disk serve as recording surfaces.

The stocker 2 is vertically long and has a large number of horizontal storage shelves 3 arranged in parallel in the vertical direction (vertical direction).
It is constructed so that as many as 100 cartridges 1 can be stored horizontally and in parallel within the many storage shelves 3.

The two players 4 and 5 write and read information to and from the disks in each cartridge 1, and are arranged vertically adjacent to each other at the bottom of the stocker 2. , 5 face the same side.

Carrier 6 is stocker 2 to cartridge 1
is selectively drawn out and selectively supplied to both players 4 and 5, and this carrier 6 is connected to the stocker 2 and the front sides 2a and 4 of both players 4 and 5.
It is configured to be linearly transported along arrows a and 5a in the vertical direction of arrow Y. Note that the carrier 6 is a carrier transport body 1 supported by a timing belt 8 rotationally driven by a motor 7 and guided by a vertical guide rail 9.
0 vertically in the direction of arrow Y. Further, the carrier 6 is pivotally supported on the carrier transfer body 10 via a horizontal rotational shaft 11 so as to be able to rotate 180 degrees, and is configured to be able to rotate 180 degrees in the direction of arrow Z about the rotational shaft 11. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the carrier 6 is provided with a pair of left and right pull-out claws 12, and these pull-out claws 12 are engaged with a pair of left and right grooves 13 provided on both left and right sides of one end of the cartridge 1. At the same time, the cartridge 1 is inserted into the stocker 2 and both players 4,
It is configured so that it can be taken in and out horizontally in the direction of arrow X, which is the horizontal direction with respect to 5.

In this disk file device, a designated cartridge 1 from among a large number of cartridges 1 stored in the stocker 2 is moved to both drawer claws 12.
After selectively pulling out the carrier 6 horizontally in the direction of the arrow X, the carrier 6 is transported vertically in the direction of the arrow X to a designated player 4 or 5 at high speed. Then, the transported cartridge 1 is fed horizontally into the player 4 or 5 from the direction of the arrow X, and information is written to and read from the disk at high speed. At this time, if necessary, rotate the carrier 6 by 180 degrees in the direction of arrow Z to attach the cartridges A and B.
The sides can be freely reversed to freely write and read information on both sides of the disk. The cartridge 1 on which information has been written and read by the player 4 or 5 is ejected (returned) to the original storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2 at high speed by a reverse operation of the above operation.

Next, in the disk file device of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 17 having a cartridge supply/discharge port and a slide table 16 is disposed above the stocker 2.

That is, the entire disk file device is covered by an exterior cover 18, and the front side of the exterior cover 18, which is opposite to the stocker 2 across the transfer passage 19 for the carrier 6, has a cover that can be opened and closed only for maintenance, inspection, and repair. A front panel 20 is provided. A cartridge supply/discharge port 15 is provided on the front panel 20 at a height horizontally opposite to the upper position of the stocker 2, and a cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 17 having a slide table 16 is also provided horizontally opposite the cartridge supply/discharge port 15. It is arranged at the upper position of the stocker 2. And the slide table 16 is the first
The vertical transfer passage 19 of the carrier 6 is located between the retracted position directly above the stocker 2 shown by the solid line in the figure and the retracted position moved to the cartridge supply/discharge port 15 side.
It is configured to be able to move horizontally in the direction of arrow X across the .

Then, a large number of cartridges 1 are loaded into the stocker 2.
When sequentially storing the cartridges 1 in a large number of storage shelves 3, the slide table 16 is moved to the drawer position each time, and the slide table 16 receives the cartridges 1 that are sequentially inserted from the cartridge supply/discharge port 15, and then stores them in the carrier 6. After the cartridges 1 are horizontally pulled into the retracted position across the vertical transfer path 19, the cartridges 1 are received by the carrier 6 and sequentially stored in designated storage shelves 3 of the stocker 2. Note that a large number of cartridges 1 of the stocker 2 are sequentially removed from the storage shelf 3, and the cartridges 1 are inserted into the cartridge supply/discharge port 1.
The operation of sequentially discharging the liquids to No. 5 is performed by the reverse operation of the above-mentioned operation.

However, in the disk file device of the present invention,
Since the cartridge supply/discharge port 15 and the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 17 are arranged at the upper position of the stocker 2, even when the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 17 is automatically supplying and discharging the cartridge 1, they are always placed at a lower position. The cartridge 1 can be supplied and discharged between the stocker 2 and the players 4 and 5 by the carrier 6.
In addition, as shown by the dashed line in Fig. 2, the stocker 2
The cartridge 1 pulled out from the uppermost storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2 is placed between the upper part of the stocker 2 and the ceiling panel 21 of the exterior cover 18 by 180° in the direction of arrow Z.
Although it is necessary to provide an extra space H1 necessary for reversing the cartridge, the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 1
7 in the extra space H1, and the height h of the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 17 can be absorbed into the extra space H1. The height H2 of the entire file device is determined by the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 1.
It can be made smaller by an amount equivalent to the height h of 7.
Incidentally, the height of the entire disk file device devised in the earlier application was H2+h.

Next, details of the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism 17 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

The slide table 16 has a substantially rectangular cross section, and a pair of horizontal rails 23 are provided on the inside of the left and right sides of the figure 16a. The cartridge 1 is inserted into both rails 23 by a pair of guide grooves 24 provided on both left and right sides of the cartridge 1, and is horizontally inserted and supported on the lower surface of the slide table 16. . The slide table 16 is fixed to a table transfer body 25 via a bracket 26, and the table transfer body 25 is attached to a pair of upper and lower rails 27a of a guide rail 27 which has a substantially C-shaped cross section and is fixed horizontally. A total of 4 guide rollers 28, one pair each
It is slidably attached via the A motor 29 is attached to one end of the guide rail 27, a pulley 31 is fixed to a motor shaft 30 within the guide rail 27, and a pulley 33 is attached to the inside of the other end of the guide rail 27 by a shaft 32. Both ends 34 of the wire 34 wound between
a and 34b are fixed to a bracket 35 fixed to the table transfer body 25 via a pair of limiter springs 36.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 6 indicates that a table transporting body 25 is supported in a cantilevered state, and when a motor 29 is driven to rotate forward and backward, the table transporting body 25 is moved along a guide rail 27 via a wire 34 and both limiter springs 36. The slide table 16 is moved horizontally.
is configured to be horizontally transferred in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 4 between the retracted position and the withdrawn position shown by a solid line and a dashed-dotted line in FIG.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various effective changes can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism of the present invention may have any structure.

Furthermore, the present invention is applicable to various disk file devices that can store document information, video information, audio information, or a combination of these information using disks, and is applicable to playback (reading) only devices or recording (writing) devices. The present invention is applicable to any recording/reproducing device capable of both reproduction (reading).

[Effect of idea]

In the present invention, even when the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism is in operation, the carrier can supply and discharge cartridges between the stocker and the player. Cartridges can be supplied and discharged between the player and the player, and conversely, cartridges can be supplied and discharged from the cartridge supply and discharge port to the stocker even during cartridge supply and discharge between the stocker and the player. It is convenient for Furthermore, since the height of the entire disk file device can be made very small, the space factor is significantly improved.

Moreover, according to the present invention, the cartridge is inserted horizontally into the cartridge supply/discharge port, and the cartridge inserted into the cartridge supply/discharge port is moved across the vertical transfer path of the carrier by the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism to the upper part of the stocker. The cartridge pulled into the upper position of the stocker is received horizontally by a carrier and stored horizontally in the storage shelf of the stocker, and the cartridge pulled out horizontally from the stocker by the carrier is By supplying the player horizontally, all cartridges can be transported in a horizontal position from the cartridge supply/discharge port to the stocker to the player. In the normal cartridge transfer process, except for special occasions when the recording surface of the disk is reversed during the cartridge transfer process, there is no need to convert the cartridge attitude by 90° between horizontal and vertical positions. do not have. Therefore, the control for transporting the cartridge from the cartridge supply/discharge port to the player via the stocker is very simple, and the cartridge can be transported at high speed.

Moreover, the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism is arranged horizontally above the vertical stocker, and the player is arranged horizontally below the stocker, so that the cartridge is transported from the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism to the player via the stocker. Since this is configured so that the carrier can be moved only in a single direction, that is, the vertical direction, the carrier moving mechanism and movement control can be simplified, and the cartridge can be transferred at high speed.

In addition, since the cartridge supply/discharge port was provided on the opposite side of the stocker across the vertical transport path of the carrier, the cartridge supply/discharge port was provided on the front panel of the disk file device, and the carrier, stocker, and player were placed inside the front panel. Everything can be placed facing forward on the front panel side, and when inspecting or servicing the carrier, stopper and player, by opening the front panel, all of these carriers, stoppers and players can be placed facing forward on the front panel side. It can be placed facing forward, and when inspecting or servicing the carrier, stockcar, or player, open the front panel.
The carrier, stopper, and player can all be easily inspected and maintained from the front. Therefore, when placing the disk file device indoors, even if the back panel side opposite to the front panel is placed in close contact with a wall, etc., there will be no hindrance to inspection or maintenance of the carrier, stocker, or player. There is no space required for installing the disk file device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the disk file device of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the entire disk file device, FIG. 2 is a view taken from the line shown in FIG. An exploded perspective view of the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism;
FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line in FIG. 4. In addition, in the symbols used in the drawings, 1... Cartridge, 2... Stocker, 3... Storage shelf,
4...Player, 5...〃, 6...Carrier,
15... Cartridge supply/discharge port, 16... Slide table, 17... Cartridge supply/discharge mechanism, 18
...Exterior cover, 19...Vertical transfer passage, 20...
...The front panel.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A vertically long stocker in which a large number of cartridges each containing disks are stored horizontally in a number of upper and lower storage shelves; A horizontal player into which each cartridge is inserted horizontally to write and read information on each disk, and a front side of the stocker and player in which the cartridges are selectively pulled out horizontally from the stocker and supplied horizontally to the player. A carrier that is transported vertically along the vertical transport path, and a cartridge supply/discharge port provided on the opposite side of the carrier from the stocker across the vertical transport path, into which cartridges are inserted horizontally in the same way as the storage shelf described above. , a horizontal slide table which is placed at a predetermined height position of the stocker horizontally opposite the cartridge supply/discharge port, and has a slide table that is moved horizontally to the cartridge supply/discharge port across the vertical transfer path of the carrier. and a cartridge supply/discharge mechanism, the cartridges are sequentially inserted horizontally into the cartridge supply/discharge port, and after the cartridges are horizontally drawn one after another across the vertical transfer path of the carrier by the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism, the cartridges are In the disk file device configured to receive cartridges horizontally by a carrier and store them horizontally in a stocker one after another, the cartridge supply/discharge port and the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism are disposed at an upper position of the stocker, and the cartridge The cartridge is characterized in that the cartridges which are sequentially inserted horizontally into the supply/discharge port are horizontally pulled into the upper position of the stocker by the cartridge supply/discharge mechanism across the vertical transfer path to the carrier. disk file device.