JPH0478060A - Library device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a device by making space the charging and discharging mechanism of a cartridge occupies into charging/discharging storage parts arranged at a part of a cell. CONSTITUTION:A part of a storage part 2a in the cell 22 is made into the charging/discharging storage parts 32, 34, and an operator throws in the cartridge 5 by simple operation into the charging storage part 32 from the outside of a device main body through an opening 33 provided at a device main body side. Then, the thrown in cartridge 5 is carried to a prescribed usual storage part 2a by the usual operation of an accessor 3, and besides, the undesired cartridge 5 in the usual storage part 2a is discharged to the discharging storage part 34 by the accessor 3, and it can be taken out through the opening 33 by the simple operation of the operator. Therefore, a charging and discharging device having been constituted separately from the storage part 2a in the cell becomes unnecessary. Thus, occupancy space is made small, and the whole device is miniaturized.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a library device equipped with a mechanism for loading/unloading cartridges into and out of cells from outside the device main body, this invention aims to reduce the occupied space and downsize the entire device. In a library device comprising a cell having a plurality of storage compartments therein for storage, and an accessor for attaching and removing the cartridges to and from the storage compartments within the device main body, some of the storage compartments are connected to the cartridges. , and an opening is provided on the side of the device main body to allow the cartridge to be directly inserted into or ejected from the outside of the device main body.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a library device, and more particularly to a library device provided with a mechanism for loading/unloading cartridges into/from cells from outside the device main body.

A library device is generally known as a computer peripheral device. This library device stores media (optical disks, etc.) for recording data as external storage devices for computers into cartridges and stores them in multiple devices, and when necessary, a designated cartridge is taken out using a transport mechanism to record data. It is configured to perform playback processing.

In recent years, computers and related equipment have been required to be more compact and highly reliable, and as a result, it has become necessary to prevent the occurrence of failures in the library equipment described above, improve the reliability of the entire equipment, and downsize the equipment. desired.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional library device.

In the figure, the library apparatus 1 roughly includes a cell 2 having a plurality of storage sections 2a for storing cartridges 5, and a cell 2.
a drive device 6 adjacent to the cartridge 5 for recording and reproducing data on the medium in the cartridge 5; an accessor 3 for transporting the cartridge in the library device 1;
It is composed of an input/discharge device 10, which will be described later, and a control section 8 that controls the library device 1.

The accessor 3 moves along the front surface of the cells 2 arranged in the X direction in FIG.
A hand 3a that is movable on the guide plate 3b in the Y direction in the figure and has a mechanism for attaching and detaching the cartridge 5. It is composed of. The accessor 3 drives the drive motors of the carriage 3c and the hand 3a in response to commands from the control unit 8, and operates the storage unit 2a in the cell 2, the loading/unloading device 10. The cartridge 5 is transported between the drive device 6 and the drive device 6, and the cartridge 5 is mounted and removed in each device.

The loading/unloading device IO is a device for loading and unloading the cartridges 5a and 5b between the inside and outside of the library device 1.

This loading/unloading device 10 is located within the library device 1.
Since the cartridge 5 is transported by the accessor 3 as described above, it is provided adjacent to the cells 2 arranged in rows in the X direction in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the charging/discharging device 10.

In the figure, cartridges 5a to be newly loaded are placed in an input box 13 in an arrangement such that the cartridges to be processed first are placed below the input port 11 (not shown in the figure) provided on the front side of the input/output device 10. It is placed on a shelf. This shelf has a mechanism for sequentially transporting the cartridges 5a to the lower part of the input box 13 by being guided by the belt 12 according to commands from the control section. The cartridge 5a transported to the lower part of the input box 13 is placed on the turntable 14,
Then, it is rotated by a predetermined angle and is in a state of waiting for the accessor 3 to take it in and transport it. The above-mentioned rotation is necessary because the direction in which the label that allows the operator to identify the cartridge 5a when inserted is visible is different from the direction in which the accessor 3 takes in the cartridge 5a.

On the other hand, the cartridge 5b that is no longer needed in the cell 2
is transported by the accessor 3 to the discharge side table I5 of the input/discharge device 10, and then discharged into the discharge box 16.

In order to prevent the cartridges 5b from falling to the bottom and being damaged, the ejection box 16 has a shelf configured to move downward one stage each time one cartridge 5b is ejected. Finally, the operator takes out the cartridge 5b from the outlet 17.

As mentioned above, the charging/discharging device 10 is designed for operator safety.
The operator and the accessor 3 are configured so that they do not come into direct contact with each other, and the cartridge 5a.

In order to avoid the inconvenience of inputting and discharging 5b one by one, it has a temporary storage box 13, 16 and a feeding device,
Overall, the structure was quite complex.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the library device I having the above configuration, the loading/unloading device I
O must be placed adjacent to the cell 2 as described above, and the movement range of the accessor 3 must also be extended to the position of the loading/unloading device 10 accordingly. Therefore, by incorporating the charging/discharging device 10 into the device, the efficiency of the space occupied by the device deteriorates.

Further, since the loading/unloading device 10 has a complicated configuration as described above, there is a high possibility that a failure will occur, which is one of the factors that reduce the reliability of the library device 1 as a whole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a library device that occupies a smaller space and is smaller as a whole.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a library comprising: a cell having a plurality of storage sections in which cartridges are stored; and an accessor for attaching and removing the cartridges to and from the storage sections within the apparatus main body. In the device, a part of the storage section is used as a storage section for loading/unloading the cartridge, and an opening allows the cartridge to be directly inserted into or removed from the outside of the device main body. is provided on the side of the device main body.

[Effect]

A part of the storage section in the cell is used as a loading/unloading storage section, and the operator can load/unload cartridges from the outside of the device body with simple movements through an opening provided on the side of the device body.
It can be put into the discharge storage section.

The inserted cartridge is then transported to a predetermined general storage section by the normal operation of the accessor.

Further, unnecessary cartridges in the general storage section are ejected into the loading/unloading storage section by the accessor, and the operator can take them out through the opening with a simple motion. Therefore, there is no need for an input/output device having a configuration different from that of the storage section in the cell.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a cartridge is loaded in the library apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view taken from arrow A in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the library device of the present invention.

The library device 20 in FIG. 3 has the same structure as the conventional one except for the cell 22 and the input/discharge device 10 shown in FIG. The same reference numerals are used to omit the explanation.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cell 22 is installed in the storage section 2a of a general cartridge 5 or in a plurality of storage sections 2a.
A storage section 32 for inserting a new cartridge 5a having the same structure as a. and a storage section 34 for discharging unnecessary cartridges 5b are arranged separately.

Reference numeral 29 denotes a side plate forming the housing of the library device 20, and there is a slight gap between the cell 2.22 and the cell 2.22 provided in a straight line in the library device 20.
is set parallel to.

The input storage section 32 and the discharge storage section 34 on the side plate 29
(hereinafter referred to as input/discharge storage sections 32 and 34) is a cartridge 5a.

Rectangular opening 31.3 with a size corresponding to the width dimension of 5b
There are 3 each.

These openings 31 and 33 are provided with an input cover 31a and an output cover 33a, respectively, which are connected at one end by a hinge. These covers 31a and 33a normally have their openings closed, and are engaged by locks 38 and 39 that are interlocked with the input button 36 and the ejection button 37 on the operator panel 35, which are also arranged on the side plate 29. It has been stopped.

To prevent the cartridge 5 from falling backward, there are rear side plates 2b, 22 on the rear surface of the general storage section 2a (referring to the storage section other than the loading/unloading storage section 32, 34) of the cells 2, 22.
b is provided. The above loading/unloading storage section 32.3
The rear surface of 4 has no rear side plate 22b and is an opening.
The cartridges 5a and 5b are configured to be attachable and detachable from the rear.

All storage parts 2a of cells 2, 22, 32. 34 has the same structure as described above, and the cartridges 5, 5a, 5b can be attached and detached using the accessor 3.

Further, guide boxes 31b are provided between the opening 31 and the input storage section 32, and between the opening 33 and the discharge storage section 34, respectively.
, 33b are provided to prevent the cartridges 5a, 5b that the operator inserts into or ejects from the cell 22 from falling between the cell 22 and the side plate 29.

The loading/unloading device 10 described using FIG. 5 is not provided in the library device 20 of the present invention because its function is incorporated into the cell 22 as described later.

Therefore, in the library device 20, the conventional installation space for the input/output device IO and the space for moving the accessor 3 to the input/output device IO (indicated by the dotted chain line in FIG. 3) are unnecessary.

Next, a method of loading cartridges into the library apparatus 20 having the above configuration will be explained.

First of all, when the input button 36 on the operator panel 35 is pressed, the lock 38 that fixes the input cover 31a
is released, and the charging cover 31a becomes open. Then, the operator carries the cartridges 5a to be loaded one by one into the opening 3I and inserts them into the loading storage section 32 in a predetermined direction.

The cartridges 5a to be loaded here are inserted at a position where the cartridges 5a that are loaded earlier are positioned below the loading storage section 32.

After the insertion of the cartridge 5a is completed, the above input force t<-3
When the cartridge 1a is closed, the lock 38 detects this and outputs to the control section 8 of the library device 20 that the insertion of the cartridge 5a is completed.

Then, the accessor 3 sequentially takes out the cartridges 5a from the lower part of the input storage section 32 and transports them one by one to a general predetermined storage section 2a in a normal operation according to a command from the control section 8.

Next, a method for ejecting the cartridge will be explained.

The designation of the unnecessary cartridge 5b is output from the host device to the control unit 8 of the library device 20 by the operator.

The control unit 8 moves the accessor 3 according to the command,
The unnecessary cartridges 5b are transported one by one from the storage sections 2a of the cells 2 and 22 to the discharge storage section 34 (indicated by the dotted chain line in FIG. 1).

Then, when all of the specified cartridges 5b have been transported into the ejection storage section 34, the operator presses the ejection button 37.
When you press , the lock 3 that secures the ejection cover 33a is released.
9 is released and the discharge cover 33a is opened. Then, the operator inserts his hand into the opening 33 and manually takes out the unnecessary cartridge 5b to the outside. Finally, discharge cover 3
When the door 3a is closed, the lock 39 detects this and the library apparatus returns to its normal working state.

Therefore, the cartridge loading/unloading mechanism in the library apparatus of the present invention has a simple configuration as described above, and its operation method is also simple as described above.

Therefore, the occurrence rate of failures in this part is significantly reduced compared to the prior art, and the reliability of the entire library apparatus can be improved accordingly.

Note that the lock 38 of the loading cover 31a will lock the loading button 36 unless the operator issues a loading command to the host device.
Even if you press , the lock cannot be unlocked, and the ejection cover 33
The lock 39 a issues an ejection command to the operator or the host device, and the specified cartridge 5b is placed in the ejection storage section 3.
The accessor 3 has an interlock mechanism that cannot be unlocked unless the accessor 3 is conveyed to the accessor 4. Similarly to the conventional example, the accessor 3 is configured to prevent direct contact between the operator and the accessor 3 for operator safety. Also, loading/unloading storage section 32.34
is generally composed of a plurality of storage units (five in this example), and the trouble of loading and unloading cartridges one by one into the library device is eliminated.As a result, even with the present invention, which has a simple configuration, I expect it to have the same effect as input/discharge mechanism 0.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can also be applied to a type of library device in which the cell has a substantially cylindrical shape and the accessor that moves up and down can rotate the cell. Embodiments of the invention may include openings on the side plates adjacent to the cells.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the space occupied by the cartridge loading/unloading mechanism is limited to the loading/unloading storage section provided in a part of the cell, which impairs the effectiveness of the conventional loading/unloading device. It is possible to downsize the library device without any problems. In addition, since the cartridge loading/unloading operation is basically performed directly through the opening on the side plate of the library device, the mechanical configuration of the loading/unloading mechanism is simpler than before, which increases the reliability of the library device. I can do it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state in which a cartridge is loaded in the library apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway rear view of the cell 22 taken in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional library device, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an enlarged loading/unloading device 110. In the figure, 2.22 is a cell, 2a is a storage section, 3 is an accessor, 5.5a and 5b are cartridges, 6 is a drive device, 7 is a rail, 8 is a control section, 10 is an input/output device, 20 is a library device, 21 is a device main body, 31, . 33 is the opening, 31a is the input cover 32, is the input storage area, 33a is the output cover 34, is the output storage area, 36 is the input button, 37 is the output button, and 38.39 is the lock. 20 Uhiori Cage 1st Figure 20 4 Furari Reed Snore 1 [#1 View from the middle arrow At:Niruse) kυ → Yahato CW Figure 2
Figure 10 Throwing ratio it

Claims (1)

[Claims] A cell (2, 22) having a plurality of storage sections (2a) in which the cartridge (5) is stored, and a cell (2, 22) in which the cartridge (5) is stored in the storage section (2a) within the main body (21). an accessor (3) for attaching and detaching the cartridge (5);
5), and the cartridge (5) can be directly inserted into or ejected from the outside of the device main body (21) into the loading/unloading storage section (32, 34). A library apparatus characterized in that said openings (31, 33) are provided in a side part (29) of said apparatus main body.