JPH0440666A - Cassette housing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To regulate the direction and positional deviation of a cassette by a simple constitution by inserting the cassette while engaging a guide part with the long groove of the cassette. CONSTITUTION:Many longitudinal cassette housing parts whose one faces are opened are formed in a rack 10 and a guide part 14b consisting of a projected line longitudinal in the inserting direction of a cassette 1 is formed on the bottom 14a of each housing part 14. When the cassette 1 is inserted while allowing the guide part 14b of the cassette housing part to guide the long groove of the cassette 1, the inserting direction of the cassette 1 is regulated by the engagement of the long groove with the guide part 14b and the positional deviation of the cassette 1 in its width direction can also be restricted. Consequently, the direction alignment and positioning of the cassette 1 can be executed by the simple constitution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a cassette storage device that stores microfilm cassettes so that they can be inserted or pulled out.

(Technical Background of the Invention) A cassette storage device is known in which a micro roll film is wound around a reel held in a cassette, and the cassette is stored in such a manner that the cassette can be inserted and pulled out.

It is necessary to insert the cassettes in the same direction, and it is also necessary to strictly limit the displacement of the stored cassettes, especially when automatically replacing the cassettes using an automatic retrieval device.

Figures 10A and 10B show A as an example of this cassette.
NSI (American National
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the 5 standard of industry) type as seen from different directions. In this figure, numeral 1 is a cassette, and 2 is a reel housed therein. A micro roll film 3 is wound on this reel 2. The film 3 is taken out from the film outlet 4 of the cassette 1.

On the end face perpendicular to the end face of the film outlet 4, a first
As shown in Figure 10B, a long groove 5 is formed, and one end of the long groove 5 is open in the direction of insertion of the cassette (in the direction of the arrow in Figure 10A). Further, a recess 6 perpendicular to the long groove 5 is opened on the end face on the film outlet 4 side.

In the conventional device, as shown in FIG. 10A, a pin 7 that engages with the long groove 5 and a pin 8 that engages with the recess 6 are provided in the cassette storage portion and protrude in directions perpendicular to each other.
．． 8 regulates the orientation of the cassette 1 when it is inserted. Here, the pin 7.8 is made sufficiently narrower than the width of the long groove 5 and the recess 6. Therefore, it is necessary to position the cassette 1 in the width direction within the storage section. Conventionally, therefore, a leaf spring was provided on the inner wall of the storage section to press the cassette to position it, or a presser plate was provided with a spring-backed spring to press the cassette in one direction. As a result, the structure of the storage section becomes complicated, and especially in a rack that accommodates a large number of cassettes, there are problems such as the rack becomes large and adjustment becomes troublesome.

(Objective of the Invention) The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a simple structure for controlling the orientation and positioning of a cassette when inserting a cassette having long grooves parallel to the insertion/extraction direction into a cassette storage section. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette storage device that can perform the following operations.

(Structure of the Invention) According to the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette storage device that stores a cassette having a long groove parallel to the insertion direction and with one end open toward the insertion direction. The cassette accommodating part is provided with a guide part on the inner surface of the cassette storage part, and the cassette is inserted while the guide part is engaged with the long groove of the cassette, thereby regulating displacement of the cassette in the insertion direction and the lateral direction. This is achieved by a film cassette storage device.

(Function) If the cassette is inserted while its long groove is guided by the guide section of the cassette storage section, the engagement between the long groove and the guide section will restrict the orientation of the cassette when it is inserted, and also limit the positional shift of the cassette in the width direction. be done.

(Example) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a cassette transfer route of an automatic cassette exchange device to which this is applied, Fig. 3 is an external view of the entire device, and Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rack and carrier, Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the cassette hand mechanism of this carrier, Figures 6A-C are explanatory diagrams of the cassette posture correction operation by this cassette hand, and Figure 7 is the buffer and lift. 8 is a partial sectional view showing the operation of the buffer and lift, and FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view showing the cassette grip portion of this lift.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, reference numeral 10 denotes a rack (storage shelf) in which a large number of microfilm cassettes 1 having the structure explained in FIG. 10 are two-dimensionally stored on a substantially vertical plane. That is, the rack 10 is provided with a large number of vertically elongated cassette storage sections 14 that are open on one side.
The cassette 1 is stored vertically in the cassette 4. As shown in FIG.
A guide portion 14b consisting of a long protrusion in the insertion direction is provided. The length and width of the guide portion 14b are determined so as to regulate the orientation of the cassette 1 when it is inserted, and to prevent the cassette 1 from shifting in the lateral direction when the cassette 1 is stored.

A vertically elongated window 16 is provided near the center of this rack 10, and the cassette 1 can be transferred to both sides of the rack 10 through this window 16.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a cassette carrier, which moves opposite to one surface of the rack 10, that is, the surface on the opening side of the cassette storage section 14. That is, on vertical guide rails 22 (FIG. 4, only one of which is shown) fixed to the left and right side edges of the rack 10, a horizontal beam 24 is movable up and down while maintaining the horizontal position, and the carrier 20 is attached to these guide rails. 22 and a horizontal beam 24, and is moved vertically and horizontally by a servo motor (not shown).

The carrier 20 moves between a desired cassette storage section 14 and a window 16 to carry the cassette 1 to the window 16, and conversely returns the cassette 1 from this window 16 to a predetermined cassette storage section 14. The structure is shown in FIG.

In this figure, 26 is a board, 28 is a guide rail fixed on the board 26 perpendicular to the rack 1o, and 30
is a cassette hand that moves on this guide rail 28. 32 is an endless belt running parallel to the rail 28, and this endless belt 32 is driven by a drive mechanism 3 using a motor.
4 moves forward and backward. The hand 30 is fixed to this belt 32 and moves forward and backward on the rail 28. This result hand 3
0 moves toward or away from the cassette storage section 14 of the rack 10.

Here, the hand 30 is provided with a pair of left and right clamping plates 36 extending toward the rack 10. These clamping plates 36 are driven by an electromagnetic solenoid (not shown) so that their front ends move toward and away from each other. The movement of the hand 30 and the opening/closing operation of the clamping plate 36 are controlled by a hand control device 37.

The operation is performed as follows. When the carrier 20 moves in front of the desired cassette 1, the hand 30 moves to the front of the desired cassette 1.
6A, and the cassette 1 is held between the holding plates 36 as shown in FIG. 6A. Then, the desired cassette 1 is taken out from the storage section 12 by moving the hand 3o backward. Note that there is some variation in the stop position of the carrier 20, so
As shown in FIG. 6B, when the cassette 1 is pulled out onto the guide rail 28, variations occur in the amount of floating of the cassette 1 from the guide rail 28 or the inclination angle. Therefore, while the cassette 1 is pulled out, open the sandwich plate 36 once and bring the bottom of the cassette 1 into contact with the guide rail 28 and position it at the 6th C.
Align them correctly as shown.

Note that the rack 10 and carrier 20 are housed in a storage case 38. Carrier 20 of this storage case 38
A glass plate 40 that can be opened and closed is fitted into the side surface, so that the cassette 1 can be viewed from the outside (FIG. 4).

50 is a microfilm retrieval device. This search device 50 is located on the other side of the rack 10, that is, on the carrier 20.
The search device 5o and the storage case 38 of the rack 1o have a substantially T-shape in plan view (the third
(see figure).

As shown in FIG. 2, the search device 50 has a cassette loading port 52 at its right end that opens upward, into which the cassette 1 is vertically loaded from above. Microfilm is automatically sent from the cassette 1 loaded here to the take-up reel 54, and a target image is searched. For example, when an identification code for a target image is input from the keyboard 55, the film is automatically fed, the target image is automatically retrieved, and is projected onto the screen 56. Further, the image is printed by a printer 58 (FIG. 2) if necessary. Note that the search may be performed by manually inserting a predetermined cassette into the loading port 52.

A buffer 70 and a lifter 72 shown in FIG. 7.8 are interposed between the search device 50 and the rack 10. Buffer 70 receives cassette 1 from carrier 20 through window 16 of rack 10, redirects the cassette, and transfers it to lifter 72. The lifter 72 retrieves this cassette from the search device 5.
The cassette 1 is transferred to the cassette loading port 52 of No. 0, and conversely, the cassette 1 is returned to the carrier 20 from this cassette loading port 52.

This buffer 70 has a packet 74 rotatably attached to a substrate 76 by a shaft 78 (FIG. 8), and this packet 74 is moved to a horizontal position (solid line position in FIG. 8) by a motor 80 (FIG. 7). It rotates within the range of the vertical position (also the imaginary line position). This packet 74 has an opening at its rotating end, into which the cassette 1 can be inserted. In addition, when the packet 74 is in a horizontal position, it enters the window 16 of the rack 10 and faces the carrier 20 side. The carrier 20 and the cassette 1 are transferred to each other in this horizontal position, and the holder is transferred to the lift 72 in the vertical position.

The lift 72 has a movement I&82 that can move up and down.

This moving plate 82 is fixed to a linear bearing 86 held by a guide rod 84 fixed to the base plate 76, and moves up and down together with the linear bearing 86.

Note that the upper end of the guide rod 84 is attached to the base plate 76 at a support 88.
It is held by an upper plate 92 fixed by 90.

This moving plate 82 has a bushing rod 9 that passes through the base plate 76.
4, it is pushed upward and moves up and down. That is, the bushing rod 94 is held movably up and down by a linear bearing 96 fixed to the base l2ii 76, and its upper end is connected to the movable plate 8.
2, and its lower end is pushed upward by a plate cam 100 via a link 98. Here, one end of the link 98 is connected to the lower surface of the base plate 76 by a link 102, and a cam follower 104 (FIG. 8) provided on the link 98 rolls onto a plate cam 100.

Therefore, when the plate cam 100 is rotated by the motor 106, the bushing rod 94 moves up and down via the link 98. The rotational position of the plate cam 100 is determined by the position of the plate 108, 110 (FIG. 7) that rotates together with the plate cam 100.
It is obtained by detecting at 12.

On the outer periphery of the linear bearing 86 that holds the moving plate 82, a ninth
As shown in the figure, a pulley 114 is rotatably mounted. This pulley 114 has a pair of arms 116 and 116.
are radially protruding at symmetrical positions. These arms 116.116 have cassette grips 118.118
is installed. Each grip 118 has a pair of swingable claws 120, 120, as shown in FIG.
The lower end of a push rod 122 that vertically passes through the arm 116 is engaged with these pawls 120, and by pushing down this push rod 122, the pawl 120 is opened, and the push rod 122 is released from the return spring 1.
24, the claw 120 closes. The tips of these claws 120, 120 are engaged with and disengaged from the engagement projections 126, 126 of the cassette 1, and when opened, the cassette 1 is released, and when it is closed, the cassette 1 is gripped.

This grip 118 is opened and closed by an opening/closing drive mechanism 128 mounted on the upper surface of the moving plate 82. This mechanism 128 consists of an upper push rod 130.130 held by the movable plate 82 so as to move up and down opposite the push rod 122 at the position where the cassette 1 is attached to and removed from the grip 118;
Two substantially triangular crank plates 134 and 134 whose two vertices are connected to the upper end of 130 and the connecting rod 132, respectively.
and a stopper 136.1 that restricts the vertical movement of the other vertices of these crank plates 134.134 with respect to the moving plate 82.
36. This connecting rod 132 is moved left and right by a cam 140 rotated by a motor 138. For example, in FIG. 9, the cam 140 rotates counterclockwise and the connecting rod 132
When moved to the left, the crank plate 134 pushes down the upper end of the push rod 130. Therefore, if the push rod 122 of the cassette grip is located below it, it will be pushed down and the claw 120 will open.

Here, the grip 118 and the arm 116 are attached to the pulley 11.
4 about a linear bearing 86, and this rotation is controlled by a motor 142 (FIG. 7) attached to the lower surface of the moving plate 82. That is, this motor 142
The rotation of is transmitted to the pulley 114 by the belt 144. Light shielding plate 146.14 fixed to the upper surface of arm 116
6 is an optical sensor 148, 148 fixed to the moving plate 82.
is detected, and the arm 116 is stopped at a position where the push rod 122 of the grip 118 is under the push rod 130 of the mechanism 128. In this position, one grip 118 is located above the packet 72 in the upright position, and the other blip 118 is located above the cassette loading port 52 of the retrieval device 50.

The lift 72 is therefore lowered and the grips 118, 118-
By opening the cassette 1 in the packet 72 or in the cassette loading port 52, the claw 120 can grasp the cassette 1. In this state, the lift 72 is raised and then the arm 11
By rotating 6.116 by 180 degrees, the cassette can be transferred or exchanged from one of the packet 72 and the loading port 52 to the other.

Next, the overall operation of this embodiment will be explained. This winter's number of cassettes 1 are loaded into the rack 10, and the identification code and loading position (address) of each cassette 1 are input from the keyboard 55 and stored in a control device (not shown). By sequentially inputting the identification codes of the target images into the keyboard 55, the control device selects the cassette 12 containing the first target image.
The carrier 20 is moved to . The carrier 20 then takes out this cassette 1 and carries it to the window 16. On the other hand, this window 16
In advance, the packet 74 in the buffer 70 waits horizontally,
Carrier 20 transfers cassette 1 to this packet 74.

When the packet 74 receives the cassette 1, it stands up vertically, escapes from the window 16, and faces below the grip 118. The lift 72 descends, grips the cassette 1 in the packet 74 with the grip 118, and ascends again. and arm 11
6 rotates 180° and moves the cassette 1 gripped by the grip 118 above the loading port 52.

Next, the lifter 72 descends and loads this cassette 1 into the loading port 52.
After opening the claw 120 of the grip 118 to release the cassette 1, the cassette 1 is withdrawn upward.

1A and 1B are perspective views showing other embodiments of the present invention. The one in FIG. 1A has a guide portion 14c having a shape in which the width of the guide portion 14a in FIG. 1 is smoothly narrowed in the middle. According to this embodiment, when the cassette 1 is inserted into the storage section 14 in an attitude tilted left and right,
The cassette 1 enters the cassette 1 while its lateral deviation is corrected in the narrowed part, and the cassette 1 can be corrected in the correct direction. In addition, in the one shown in FIG. 1B, the guide portion 14b in FIG. 1 is divided in its length direction to form a guide portion 14d that extends in the insertion direction by two protrusions.

Although each of the above embodiments applies the present invention to the cassette storage section 14 of the rack 10, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it may be applied to the cassette loading port 52 of the search device 50 into which the cassette 1 is inserted, the packet 74 of the buffer 70, and the like. The guide portion may be provided not only on the bottom surface but also on the top surface of the cassette storage section, and may be provided on a surface parallel to the cassette insertion direction.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, a guide portion expanding in the insertion direction is provided on the inner surface of the cassette storage portion, and the cassette is inserted 4 degrees while engaging the guide portion with the long groove of the cassette. Therefore, the orientation of the cassette during insertion is regulated by the engagement between the long groove and the guide portion, and the displacement in the width direction upon completion of insertion can also be restricted at the same time. Therefore, the orientation and positional shift of the cassette can be controlled with a very simple configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a cassette transfer route of an automatic cassette exchange device to which this is applied, Fig. 3 is an external view of the entire device, and Fig. 4 is a rack. 5 is a perspective view showing the cassette hand mechanism of this carrier, FIGS. 6A to 6C are explanatory diagrams of the cassette posture correction operation by this cassette hand, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the buffer and lift. FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view showing the operation of the buffer and lift, and FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view showing the cassette grip portion of this lift. Also the first
Figure A and Figure 1B are perspective views of other embodiments, Figures 10A and 10.
Figure B is a perspective view of the cassette from a different direction. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Cassette, 5... Long groove, 10... Rack, 14... Cassette storage part, 14b
, 14c, 14d... guide portions.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a cassette storage device for storing a cassette having a long groove parallel to the insertion direction and with one end open toward the insertion direction, a guide portion expanding in the insertion/extraction direction of the cassette is provided in the cassette storage portion. 1. A microfilm cassette storage device, characterized in that the cassette is inserted into the cassette while a guide portion provided on the inner surface thereof is engaged with a long groove of the cassette, thereby regulating misalignment in the insertion direction and the lateral direction of the cassette.