JPH0772969B2 - Cassette holding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in the following order.

A Industrial Field B Outline of the Invention C Conventional Technology D Problems to be Solved by the Invention E Means for Solving Problems F Action G Example G ₁ Overall Description of Cassette Automatic Loading Device (Fig. 4) and Figure 5) G ₂ structural description of cassette insertion and ejection device (Fig. 1A-FIG. 3) G ₃ operation of cassette insertion and ejection device (Fig. 1A, second 2C view) available on the effect a industry H invention FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is suitable for a cassette storage rack or the like of an automatic cassette loading device for sequentially and automatically loading a large number of video cassettes on a video tape recorder to perform continuous video playback for a long time. It relates to the holding device.

B Outline of the Invention The present invention inserts and holds a cassette in a cassette holding chamber such as a cassette storage shelf of an automatic cassette loading device,
In a cassette holding device configured to discharge the cassette in the cassette holding chamber as needed, a cassette can be inserted from either side of the cassette holding chamber and either side of the cassette holding chamber can be inserted. Even if the cassette is automatically discharged, the cassette can be replaced by the operator even during the cassette transfer operation by the cassette transfer machine, and the cassette can be automatically discharged with excellent operation feeling by the operator. It is made possible to do.

C Prior Art As a conventional example of an automatic cassette loading device for a video tape recorder, there is, for example, JP-A-60-55549.

This conventional example is a cassette transfer machine in which a large number of video cassettes inserted and retained in a large number of cassette storage shelves are moved in the XY directions (up and down, left and right) along the front surface of the cassette storage shelves. Thus, a plurality of video tape recorders are selectively taken out and automatically loaded into a plurality of video tape recorders.

D Problem to be solved by the invention However, in this conventional example, the cassette storage shelf has only the function of holding the cassette, and has no function of automatically discharging the cassette to the cassette transfer machine side. I never happened.

In this conventional example, therefore, the cassette gripping arm or the cassette hooking arm provided on the cassette transfer machine is extended from the cassette transfer machine to the cassette storage shelf side and the cassette gripping arm is used to directly clamp the cassette or the cassette hooking arm. Hook it in the locking groove provided on the outer surface of the cassette, and then pull back the cassette holding arm or the cassette hooking arm to the cassette transfer machine side so that the cassette can be taken in from the cassette storage rack to the cassette transfer machine. I was making up.

Therefore, in this conventional example, the cassette is taken in from the cassette storage shelf to the cassette transfer machine by the expansion and contraction movement of the cassette holding arm and the cassette hooking arm, and there is a defect that the operation time of the cassette is long. It was Further, the structure and operation of the cassette holding arm and the cassette hooking arm are very complicated and unreliable, and in the case of using the cassette hooking arm, it is necessary to add a special structure as a locking groove to the outer surface of the cassette. Further, since the cassette holding arm and the cassette hooking arm are provided in the cassette transfer machine, the cassette transfer machine is large and heavy, and there is a defect that it is difficult to transfer the cassette transfer machine at a high speed.

Further, in this conventional example, the operator can perform the cassette setting operation (inserting and holding operation) on the cassette storage shelf only from the cassette transfer machine side.

Therefore, in this prior art example, there is a defect that the operator cannot carry out any cassette replacement work in the cassette storage shelf because it is extremely dangerous during the cassette transfer operation by the cassette transfer machine.

The present invention is capable of inserting and holding a cassette from either side of the cassette holding chamber and automatically discharging the held cassette from either side of the cassette holding chamber. The present invention provides a cassette holding device capable of performing the above.

E Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has a cassette holding chamber provided with a pair of openings for inserting and discharging a cassette at both ends, and the cassette holding chamber is selectively inserted into the cassette holding chamber through the pair of openings. A pair of cassette discharge members that are pushed by the cassette to be moved from the backward movement position to the forward movement position and a spring that returns the pair of cassette discharge members from the forward movement position to the backward movement position. And a pair of locking members that lock the pair of cassette discharging members at the forward movement positions, respectively, and when one of the locking members locks the one cassette discharging member, the other cassette discharging member with respect to the cassette. When the locking member of one of the locking members releases the locking of the one cassette discharging member, the other cassette discharging member is moved to the cassette. A cassette holding device is provided with a lock and lock release mechanism and a pair of control members to be backward from the engagement position to the disengagement position.

In the present invention, a pair of cassette discharge mechanisms are provided in the cassette storage chamber, and the pair of cassette discharge members of the pair of cassette discharge mechanisms are provided between the engaging position and the disengaging position with respect to the cassette. Since the reciprocating motion is controlled alternately, the cassette can be inserted and retained from either side of the pair of openings at both ends of the cassette storage chamber, and from either side of the pair of apertures at both ends of the cassette storage chamber. However, the cassette that is being held can be automatically discharged.

G Embodiment An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an automatic cassette loading device of a video tape recorder will be described below with reference to the drawings.

G ₁ First, the entire cassette automatic loading apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

A plurality of shelf frames 3 provided with cassette storage shelves 1 in a plurality of upper and lower stages are arranged in two rows along both sides of the moving space 5 of the cassette transfer machine 4. Further, a plurality of video tape recorders 6 which are vertically stacked and face each other in the front of the moving space 5 are provided. The cassette transfer machine 4 is guided by a guide mechanism composed of a vertical guide rail 7 and a pair of upper and lower horizontal guide rails 8 for guiding the vertical guide rail 7, and in the moving space 5 the XY directions ( It is configured to be moved up and down, left and right).

The cassette storage shelves 2 each having a large number of upper and lower stages of each shelf frame 3 are provided with a horizontal and horizontal cassette holding chamber 10, and the cassette transfer machine 4 also has a pair of upper and lower cassette holding chambers 11. It is provided. A large number of video cassettes (hereinafter simply referred to as "cassettes") 12 are horizontally inserted and reserved in the large number of cassette storage chambers 10.

Then, among the large number of cassettes 12 held in the large number of cassette holding chambers 10, sequentially designated cassettes 12 are sequentially taken out from the cassette holding chamber 10 by the cassette transfer machine 4, and a plurality of videos are displayed. The tape recorder 6 is sequentially and automatically loaded into the tape recorder 6 so that continuous video reproduction or the like can be performed for a long time.

By the way, in the cassette automatic loading apparatus 1, for each cassette storage chamber 10 of the specific shelf frame 3a or all of the shelf frames 3, an arrow A, from both directions of the operator side 13 and the cassette transfer machine side 14, in FIG. The cassette 12 can be taken in and out in the direction indicated by B (in particular, the cassette can be automatically ejected in both directions A and B).

G ₂ Next, the structure of the cassette insertion / ejection device 16 provided in the cassette holding chamber 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 3.

First, each of the horizontal cassette storage shelves 2 is composed of a sheet metal stamping member because it is necessary to construct it with high strength.
Further, a pair of openings 17 and 18 for inserting and discharging the cassette 12 are provided at both ends of an operator side 13 and a cassette transfer machine side 14 of a cassette holding chamber 10 which is horizontally formed between the upper and lower sides of each cassette storage shelf 2. Has been. The cassette insertion / ejection device 16 is attached to the lower surface 2a of each cassette storage shelf 2 and is configured to perform insertion positioning and automatic ejection of the cassette 12 inserted on the upper surface 2b of each cassette storage shelf 2. .

Next, the cassette insertion / ejection device 16 includes a pair of cassette ejection members 19a, 19b and a pair of cassette ejection mechanisms 21a, 21b having a pair of return springs 20a, 20b, and a pair of locking members 22a, 22b and a pair. And a pair of lock releasing mechanisms 24a and 24d having control members 23a and 23b. The pair of cassette discharge mechanisms 21a and 21b and the lock and lock release mechanisms 24a and 24b are respectively configured by arranging the same structural parts symmetrically.

First, a pair of guide rails 26a, 26b made of a low friction material such as a synthetic resin are parallel to both sides of the lower surface 2a of the cassette storage shelf 2 and are provided with screws 27 over the entire length of the cassette storage shelf 2. It is fixed with screws. These guide rails 26a and 26b have guide grooves 28 along their entire length.
Is formed horizontally.

A plurality of convex portions 29 are integrally formed and provided on the upper surfaces of both guide rails 26a and 26b.
29 is projected at a slight height above the upper surface 2b of the cassette storage shelf 2 from a plurality of through holes 30 provided in the cassette storage shelf 2, and is inserted and retained on the upper surface 2b of the cassette storage shelf 2. The cassette 12 is configured to slide on the convex portion 29 extremely smoothly.

Next, each of the cassette discharge members 19a and 19b has a cassette locking piece 32, is rotatably supported vertically by a pair of sliding members 33a and 33b through a fulcrum pin 34, and is wound by a coil spring. The springs 35 are urged to rotate in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 1A. Both sliding members 33a and 33b are attached to both guide rails by a pair of guide pins 36 mounted on both sides thereof.
2a, which are slidably engaged in both guide grooves 28 of 26a and 26b, and are slidably biased in the directions of arrows b and b'in FIG. 2A by both springs 20a and 20b which are tension springs. . Both locking members
22a and 22b are rotatably pivoted by a fulcrum pin 37, and each is indicated by an arrow c in FIG. 2A by a spring 38 composed of a tension spring.
Is biased to rotate in the direction. Both lock members 22a, 22b
A lock portion 40, which is a roller for locking the locked portion 39 of both sliding members 33a and 33b, is attached to this. Both control members 23a and 23b are provided with a pair of long holes 41 and a pair of guide pins 42, respectively.
2A in FIG. 2A so as to be slidable in the directions of arrows b and b ', and are connected to both lock members 22a and 22b through elongated holes 43 and pins 44, respectively. Both cassette discharge members
A pair of rollers 45 pivotally attached to 19a and 19b are provided as control members for both rollers.
The pair of cams 46 provided integrally with 23a and 23b are pressed from the direction of arrow a in FIG. 1A.

A pair of eject rods 51a and 51b are slidable on both sides of the cassette holding chamber 10 in the directions of arrows d and e in FIGS. 1B and 1C via a pair of elongated holes 52 and guide pins 53, respectively. The eject rods 51a and 51b are connected to the lock members 22a and 22b through a long hole 54 and a pin 55, respectively. Then, an eject button 56 is attached to each of the cassette holding chambers 10 on the operator side 13 by a button rod 57, and the button rod 57 and one eject rod 51a are connected by a link 58. It is linked. On the other side of each cassette storage chamber 10, an eject lever 59 is rotatably attached to the cassette transfer machine side 14 via a fulcrum pin 60, and the eject lever 59 is connected to the other eject rod 51b. Is connected with.

G ₃ Next, the cassette insertion / ejection device 16 configured as described above
The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 2C.

First, the operation of inserting the cassette 12 in the direction of arrow A from the opening 17 on the operator side 13 of the cassette storage chamber 10 will be described.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B, before inserting the cassette, one cassette discharging member 19a is returned to the return position, and the other cassette discharging member 19b is locked at the forward position. . The other cassette discharging member 19b is rotated in the direction of arrow a in FIG.
32 is returned to the disengaged position (raised position) with respect to the cassette 12.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B, the cassette 12 is opened.
When the cassette 12 is inserted horizontally into the cassette storage chamber 10 in the direction of arrow A, the front end 12a of the cassette 12 comes into contact with the cassette locking piece 32 of one cassette discharging member 19a, which is indicated by the arrow b '.
The springs 20a and 20b are moved in the forward direction.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, when the cassette 12 is completely inserted into the cassette holding chamber 10 and one cassette discharge member 19a is moved to the forward movement position, one lock member is moved. 22a is rotated in the direction of arrow c in FIG. 2A by the spring 38, and the locking portion 40 causes the locking portion 3 of one sliding plate 33a to be locked.
9 is locked and one cassette discharge member 19a is locked at the forward movement position. When one locking member 22a rotates in the direction of arrow c in FIG. 2A, one control plate 23a slides in the direction of arrow b in FIGS. 1A and 2A, and both cams 46 of the other control plate 23a slide. Riding on both rollers 34 of the discharge member 19b,
The other cassette discharge member 19b resists the spring 35 and moves to the 1A
In the drawing, the cassette locking piece 32 is rotated in the direction of arrow a '.
Is moved to the engaging position (lowering position) with respect to the cassette 12.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A, at the moment when the cassette 12 is completely inserted into the cassette storage chamber 10, both front and rear ends 12a, 12b of the cassette 12 are discharged from the cassettes 19a, 19b.
It is held by the cassette locking piece 32.

Next, the cassette 12 stored in the cassette storage room 10
A description will be given of the operation of automatically ejecting from the opening 17 on the operator side 13 in the arrow B direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2B, when the operator pushes the eject button 56 in the direction of arrow f, one eject rod 51a is slid in the direction of arrow d via the button rod 57 and the link 58,
One lock member 22a is rotated in the direction of arrow c'against the spring 38. Then, the locking portion 40 is disengaged from the locked member 39, the locking of one cassette discharging member 19a is released, and the cassette discharging member 19a is returned to the returning position in the direction of arrow b by both springs 20a and 20b. To be done. Immediately before the lock of one cassette discharging member 19a is released,
By rotating one locking member 22a in the direction of arrow c'in FIG. 2B, one control member 23a is slid in the direction of arrow b'in FIGS. 1B and 2B, and both cams 46 of the other control member 23a are slid in the other direction. The cassette discharge member 19b is disengaged from both rollers 34 in the direction of arrow b ',
The other cassette discharge member 19b resists the spring 35 and moves to the 1B
In the drawing, the cassette locking piece 32 is rotated in the direction of the arrow a to return to the disengaged position again.

Therefore, the cassette locking piece 3 of the one cassette discharging member 19a
The front end 12a of the cassette 12 is pushed by the arrow 2 in the direction of the arrow b, and the cassette 12 is automatically discharged from the opening 17 toward the operator side 13 in the direction of the arrow B.

It should be noted that the opening 18 on the cassette transfer machine side 14 of the cassette holding chamber 10
Insertion operation of the cassette 12 in the direction of arrow B and arrow A
The automatic ejecting action in the direction is shown in FIGS. 1C and 2C and is performed as described above.

However, at this time, the eject operation lever 62 provided in the cassette transfer machine 4 automatically ejects the cassette 12 reserved in the cassette storage chamber 10 from the opening 18 of the cassette transfer machine side 14 in the direction of the arrow A. Edge lever 60 to 1C
In the figure, rotate in the direction of arrow g, and the other eject rod 51
This is done by sliding b in the direction of arrow e.

At this time, by the other cassette discharge member 19b which is moved back in the direction of the arrow b'by both springs 20a, 20b,
The cassette 12 is automatically discharged from the opening 18 in the direction of the arrow A, and the cassette 12 is instantaneously inserted into the cassette holding chamber 11 of the cassette transfer device 4, so that the cassette 12 is transferred to the cassette transfer device 4. 12 can be taken out very quickly.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and various effective modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the cassette storage shelf of the automatic loading device for the video cassette, but temporarily holds the cassette, etc. in the automatic loading device for the cassette, the cartridge and the jacket in which various record carriers are stored. It is applicable to devices.

Effect of the Invention According to the present invention, since the cassette can be inserted and reserved from either side of the cassette storage chamber, the cassette transfer device with respect to the cassette storage chamber, for example, even during the cassette transfer operation by the cassette transfer device. From the side opposite to the side, the operator can always safely and easily perform the cassette exchange work in the cassette storage chamber.

Moreover, the cassettes that have been reserved from both sides of the cassette storage chamber are automatically discharged, that is, the cassettes are automatically discharged from the cassette storage chamber in both directions, for example, the operator side and the cassette transfer machine side. When the operator removes the cassette from the cassette storage room, it is not necessary to pinch the cassette by hand to pull it out, and the cassette can be automatically ejected by pressing the eject button etc. As a result, it is possible to improve the operation feeling of the cassette ejection by the operator. Further, the operation of loading the cassette from the cassette holding chamber to the cassette transfer device can be always performed extremely quickly by the automatic cassette discharging operation. Further, it is not necessary to attach a cassette loading mechanism having a complicated structure such as a cassette holding arm or a cassette hooking arm for loading the cassette to the cassette transporter, and the cassette transporter has a simpler structure and is smaller and lighter in weight. Therefore, the cassette transfer device can be transferred at high speed. Therefore, the automatic cassette loading operation and the high-speed transfer enable the cassette automatic loading operation to be performed at high speed. Further, it is not necessary to add a special locking groove for locking the cassette hooking arm to the outer surface of the cassette, and the existing cassette can be used as it is.

Also, since the cassettes that are being held can be automatically discharged from either side of the cassette holding chamber, a great degree of freedom can be taken in the layout of the cassette transfer machine or the like with respect to the cassette holding chamber. For example, it becomes easy to design and manufacture an automatic cassette loading device.

However, as shown in the embodiment, the pair of cassette ejection mechanisms and the pair of lock and unlock mechanisms may be arranged symmetrically with each other, so that the cost can be reduced by sharing the components. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which
FIGS. 1B and 1C are partially cutaway side views for explaining the operation of the main part, FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are partially cutaway plan views for explaining the operation of the main part, and FIG. The figure shows an exploded perspective view of the main part, No. 4.
The figure is a schematic plan view of the whole, and FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the whole. In the reference numerals used in the drawings, 10 ... cassette holding room 12 ... video cassette 13 ... operator side 14 ... cassette transfer machine side 17 ... opening 18 ... 〃 19a …… cassette discharge member 19b …… 〃 20a ...... Spring 20b …… 〃 21a …… Cassette ejection mechanism 21b …… 〃 22a …… Lock member 22b …… 〃 23a …… Control member 23b …… 〃 24a …… Lock and lock release mechanism 24b …… 〃 .

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cassette holding chamber having a pair of openings for inserting and discharging the cassette provided at both ends thereof, the cassette holding chamber being selectively pushed into the cassette holding chamber through the pair of openings to be pushed by the cassette. A pair of cassette discharge mechanisms having a pair of cassette discharge members that are moved forward from the backward movement position to the forward movement position and a spring that moves the pair of cassette discharge members back from the forward movement position to the backward movement position are provided. A pair of locking members that lock the pair of cassette discharging members in the forward movement position, respectively, and when one locking member locks the one cassette discharging member, the other cassette discharging member moves from the disengagement position to the cassette to the engagement position. And when one of the locking members releases the locking of the one cassette discharging member, the other cassette discharging member is moved from the engaged position to the disengaged position with respect to the cassette. Cassette holding device is provided with a pair of lock and lock release mechanism having a pair of control members to be backward to.