JPH11162056A - Object moving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect an object in a short time, to transfer it to a second housing part and to reduce the number of parts by detecting the presence and the size of the object to be taken out from a first housing part with a transfer part with a first detection sensor and a second detection sensor fitted side by side on the nearly same place. SOLUTION: A control part 100 judges the presence of a cassette in a space SP by an output of a light receiving pant 114 receiving the light from the light emission part 112 of the first detection sensor 110 arranged on fitting members 160, 165 of an elevator 50. Further, the control part 100 judges whether or not it is the cassette C2 with the wider width W2 or the space SP by the output of the light receiving part 124 receiving the reflected light of the light from the light emission part 122 of the second detection sensor 120 fitted to the fitting member 160. Then, the elevator 50 judges the presence and the sizes of plural cassettes in the first housing part on the nearly same place to transfer it to the second transfer part. Thus, the number of parts are reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of an object moving device for handling a plurality of objects having different sizes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an object moving apparatus, a cassette changer apparatus for data storage for recording or reproducing a large amount of information will be described as an example. The cassette changer device usually contains a plurality of different types of cassettes, such as a relatively large-sized cassette and a smaller cassette.
The cassettes of these different types are arranged side by side on a storage shelf, and a device for taking out and transporting the cassette takes out the necessary cassette from the storage shelf and inserts the cassette into the drive device side of the cassette, so that the cassette is removed. The drive device reproduces information recorded on a tape-shaped information recording medium in the cassette or records information on a tape-shaped information recording medium.

As described above, since a plurality of types of cassettes having different sizes are stored in the storage shelves, an apparatus that takes out and transports the cassettes determines whether or not there is a cassette at a corresponding location on the storage shelves. If a cassette is stored in that location, it is necessary to determine the size of the cassette. The reason why the size of the cassette needs to be determined in this way is that the cassette must be positioned at an appropriate position with respect to the drive device and then loaded into the cassette drive device.

[0004]

However, such a sensor for determining the presence or absence of a cassette and a sensor for determining the size of a cassette are provided at completely different positions in an apparatus for taking out and transporting the cassette. ing.
Therefore, in a device that takes out and transports a cassette, the presence or absence of the cassette and the determination of the size of the cassette must be sequentially performed at different times, and the determination of the presence or absence of the cassette and the determination of the size of the cassette are all completed. It takes a lot of time to do so.

Further, as described above, since the mounting position of the sensor for determining the presence or absence of the cassette and the mounting position of the sensor for determining the size of the cassette are greatly different, separate mounting members are required, and the number of parts is increased. There is also a problem that mounting position accuracy, component accuracy, and the like are required. Therefore, the present invention solves the above-described problems, the detection of the presence or absence of a corresponding target of a plurality of objects having different sizes, and the detection of the size of the corresponding target can be detected at almost the same location, It is an object of the present invention to provide an object moving device capable of reducing the number of parts.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a first storage section for storing a plurality of objects having different sizes, and a transport section for taking out and transporting the objects from the storage section. And a second storage unit for storing the object transported by the transport unit, wherein the transport unit detects a presence or absence of the object to be removed from the first storage unit.
A detection sensor, a second detection sensor for detecting a size of an object to be taken out of the first storage section, and an attachment member for mounting the position of the first detection sensor and the position of the second detection sensor side by side. The object is achieved by a device for moving an object.

According to the present invention, the first storage section stores a plurality of objects having different sizes. The transport unit takes out the target object from the storage unit and transports the target object. The second storage section stores the object transported by the transport section. This transport unit has a first detection sensor and a second detection sensor.
The first detection sensor detects the presence or absence of an object to be taken out of the first storage unit. The second detection sensor is for detecting the size of the object to be taken out of the first storage section.

The mounting member is configured to mount the positions of the first detection sensor and the position of the second detection sensor side by side. Accordingly, the detection of the presence or absence of the target by the first detection sensor and the detection of the size of the target by the second detection sensor can be performed almost simultaneously,
Detection of the presence or absence and size of the object can be performed in a short time, that is, almost simultaneously. In addition, since the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor can be mounted side by side by the mounting member, it is not necessary to separately prepare mounting members for the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor, and therefore the number of components can be reduced.

[0009]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention,
Although various technically preferable limits are given, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these modes unless otherwise specified in the following description.

FIG. 1 shows a cassette changer device 10 as a preferred embodiment of the object moving device of the present invention. This cassette changer device is, for example, a data storage device used for recording and reproducing a large amount of information. The case 12 has a lid 14, and a cassette storage shelf (first storage Part)
20, an elevator (transport unit) 50, a tape drive device (second storage unit) 80, and the like. The cassette storage shelf 20 is located at an upper position inside the case 12, and the tape drive device 80 is located at a lower portion inside the case 12. The elevator 50 serving as a transport unit supplies a cassette (see FIGS. 2 and 3) stored in the cassette storage shelf 20 to the tape drive device 80 side, or converts a cassette that has been driven by the tape drive device 80 into a cassette. The elevator serves to return to the storage shelf 20 side, so that it can move up and down along the arrow V direction.

FIG. 2 or FIG.
Cassettes C1 or C2 of different sizes as shown in FIG.
Are stacked so that they can be stored in multiple stages and mixedly. The cassette C1 shown in FIG. 2 is a relatively small cassette having a groove G1, and the cassette C1 shown in FIG.
2 is a cassette larger than the cassette C1 of FIG. 2 and has a groove G2. Each of the cassettes C1 and C2 contains a tape-shaped information recording medium. The tape-shaped information recording medium can be fed and rewinded between two reels.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an example of the above-described elevator (transportation section) 50. FIG. This elevator 50
A base 52 for mounting the cassette C1 of FIG. 2 or the cassette C2 of FIG. 3, a first detection sensor 110, and a second
It has a detection sensor 120 and a hand 54.
The hand 54 is a cassette C shown in FIG. 2 or FIG.
1 and C2 can be taken out from any stage of the cassette housing shelf 20 in FIG. 1 or can be inserted into any stage of the cassette housing shelf 20. In this case, the elevator 50 is positioned at, for example, the position P1 in FIG. This position P1 corresponds to the position of an arbitrary stage of the cassette accommodating shelf 20 accommodating the cassette C1 to be taken out.

Conversely, the hand 54 is connected to the tape drive 8
0, loading the cassette C1 or C2 into the cassette C1 or C2 after driving.
From the tape drive 80 to the elevator 50 side. In this case, the elevator 50 is positioned at the lowest position P2. Hand 54
Is the cassette storage shelf 20 or the tape drive device 80
In order to load or unload the cassette C1 or the cassette C2, the motor can be moved back and forth in the H direction by a motor (not shown) as shown in FIG.

First detection sensor 1 of elevator 50 in FIG.
10 and the second detection sensor 120 are connected to the end 56 of the base 52.
It is arranged at the position corresponding to. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7, the light emitting unit 112 of the first detection sensor 110 and the second detection sensor 120 are attached to one attachment member 160. The mounting member 160 is provided on one side 5 of the end portion 56 of the base 52 in FIG.
6A. On the other hand, the first detection sensor 1
The ten light receiving units 114 are attached to another attachment member 165. The mounting member 165 is fixed to the other side 56B of the end portion 56 in FIG. The mounting members 160 and 160 are arranged to face each other, and the distance between the two is set to a large size cassette C2 as shown in FIG.
Is set wider than the width W2 of the mounting member 160, so that the cassette C2 can enter with a margin without contact between the light emitting unit 112 and the light receiving unit 114 of the mounting member 160. Of course, as shown in FIG.
It is possible to enter between the light emitting unit 112 and the light receiving unit 114 of the detection sensor 110 with a margin.

Next, the first detection sensor 110 and the second detection sensor 120 will be described with reference to FIGS. First
The detection sensor 110 includes the light emitting unit 112 and the light receiving unit 114 as described above. The light emitting unit 112 is, for example, a light emitting diode, and the light receiving unit 114 is a photodiode. The light emitting unit 112 and the light receiving unit 114 are attached to the mounting member 16.
Lights L emitted from the light emitting unit 112 reach the light receiving unit 114 at positions 0 and 165, respectively. However, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
Cassette C2 between the space SP between
Alternatively, when the cassette C1 enters, the cassette C2
Alternatively, since the cassette C1 blocks the light L of the light emitting unit 112, the light L of the light emitting unit 112 does not reach the light receiving unit 114. When the light L does not reach the light receiving unit 114, the control unit 100 shown in FIG. 6 makes the following determination. That is, the cassette C2 or C1 is inserted into the space SP, whereby the cassette C1 or C2 is
Of the cassette housing shelf 20 in the corresponding stage.

The first detection sensor 110 is a so-called light transmission type sensor, while the second detection sensor 120 is a light reflection type sensor. That is, the second detection sensor 120
Has a light emitting unit 122 and a light receiving unit 124, and the light emitting unit 122
When the light L1 emitted by the light source is reflected on the side surface 61 of the cassette C2, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the reflected light L1 can be received by the light receiving section. Thereby, the space SP between the mounting plates 160 and 165 is formed.
The control unit 100 can confirm that the cassette existing in the cassette C2 is the large cassette C2.

On the other hand, when the small cassette C1 is arranged in the space SP as shown in FIG. 7, the light L1 of the light emitting section 122 cannot be reflected by the side surface 69 of the cassette C1, and The light receiving unit 124 cannot receive the light L1. From this, the control unit 100 determines that the space S
It can be confirmed that the small cassette C1 is located at P. Referring to FIG. 5, a small cassette C1 in the upper stage of the cassette housing shelf and a relatively large cassette C2 in the lower stage of the cassette housing shelf are arranged side by side as an example, and the movement of the elevator 50 in the H direction corresponding to them is arranged. The first detection sensor 110 and the second detection sensor 12
0 can selectively approach the cassettes C1 and C2.
FIG. 6 shows a state in which the elevator 50 and the first and second detection sensors 110 and 120 are close to the cassette C2, and FIG. 7 shows a state in which the elevator 50 and the first and second detection sensors are close to the cassette C1.
This shows a state in which the detection sensors 110 and 120 have approached.

FIG. 8 shows the mounting member 16 shown in FIGS.
0, the light emitting unit 112 of the first detection sensor 110, the second detection sensor 120, and the like. FIG. 9 is a side view showing the mounting member 160 and the like, and FIG. 10 is a top view.
The attachment member 160 is, for example, a sheet metal. The attachment member 160 has a shape as shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13. As shown in FIGS.
Reference numeral 60 is fixed to the base 52 of the elevator 50 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the light emitting unit 112 of the first detection sensor 110 is fixed to the first mount substrate 160A of the mounting member 160. On the other hand, the second detection sensor (reflection sensor) 1
The light emitting part 112 and the light receiving part 124 of the mounting member 1
60 is fixed to the second mount substrate 160B. The reason why the light emitting unit 112 and the second detection sensor 120 are fixed to separate mounting substrates of the mounting member 160 in this manner is as follows. Second detection sensor (reflective sensor) 120
The focal length of the light L1 of the light emitting unit 112 is about 4 mm, for example.
Therefore, when the focal length reaches the side surface 61 of the large cassette C2 as shown in FIG.
Twelve LEDs (light emitting diodes) must not strike the side surface 61 of the cassette C2. Therefore, by attaching the light emitting unit 112 to the first mount substrate 160A, the light emitting unit 112 is set at a position further offset from the second mount substrate 160B. Incidentally, the height (height in the optical axis direction) of the LED of the light emitting unit 112 is, for example, about 10 mm.

The light emitting section 112 and the second detection sensor 120
8 is set to be smaller than the width D of the cassettes C1 and C2 shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. Otherwise, the light L of the light emitting unit 112 cannot be blocked by the side surface of the cassette C2 or C1, and the light L1 of the second detection sensor 120 cannot be blocked by the side surface 61 of the cassette C2.
6 cannot be reflected as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 7, or FIG. 8, the detection section 112 of the first detection sensor 110 and the second detection sensor 120 are different from those in the related art by being set on one mounting member 160. There are benefits. That is, conventionally, since these sensors are set at separate and separated positions of the elevator, it is necessary to perform the work of determining the presence or absence of the cassette and the work of determining the size of the cassette unless the cassette passes the position of the sensor. Therefore, the time required to determine the presence or absence of the cassette and the time required to determine the size of the cassette are considerably long. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the first mounting member is provided along the V direction (vertical direction).
Light emitting unit 112 of detection sensor 110 and second detection sensor 12
By arranging 0, it is possible to simultaneously or almost simultaneously detect the presence or absence of the cassettes C1 and C2 and determine the size type of the cassettes C1 and C2.

Next, an operation example of the above-described object moving device will be described. In the cassette accommodating shelf 20 of FIG. 1, the required number of small cassettes C1 shown in FIG. 2 and the large cassettes C2 shown in FIG. When the operator turns on the cassette changer device 10, the elevator 50 in FIG. 1 detects the height position of the cassette storage shelf in order from the top shelf 20-1 of the cassette storage shelf 20 in order. Shelf steps 20
From -1 to 20-N (N is an integer), the operation stops at the position corresponding to the stage of each stage.

At this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a small cassette C1 is accommodated in the shelf step 20-1.
Assuming that the large cassette C2 is stored in the lower stage 20-2 of the shelf, first, as shown in FIG. 7, when the elevator 50 is positioned at the upper stage 20-1 of FIG. A small cassette C1 is positioned in the space SP shown in FIG. Thereby, the light emitting unit 11 of the first detection sensor 110
2 is blocked, and the light receiving unit 114 cannot receive the light L.
It can be determined that 1 or the cassette C2 exists in the space SP. At the same time or almost at the same time, the light L1 of the light emitting unit 122 of the second detection sensor 120 cannot reach the side surface 69 of the cassette C1, so that the light L1
1 does not return, whereby the control unit 100 can determine that the small cassette C1 is positioned in the space SP. That is, it is possible to determine that a small-sized cassette C1 exists in the space SP.

Next, when the elevator 50 moves to a position corresponding to the shelf step 20-2, the large cassette C2 placed on the shelf step 20-2 is moved to the space SP as shown in FIG.
Is positioned. Light emitting unit 12 of first detection sensor 110
The second light L1 is reflected by the side surface 61 of the cassette C2 and received by the light receiving unit 124. Thus, the control unit 100 can determine that the cassette located in the space SP is the large cassette C2. In this way, the elevator 50 is only stopped sequentially in front of the stages 20-1 to 20-N of the respective shelves of the cassette accommodating shelves 20, and the small cassette C1 is located at each of the shelves. It is possible to confirm whether or not a large cassette C2 is located, or whether the cassette is not accommodated in other stages.

In FIG. 1, the cassette accommodating shelf 20 accommodates a large cassette C2 or a small cassette C1 mixed with the shelves 20-1 to 20-N.
When the motor 50A of the elevator 50 operates according to a command from the control unit 100 in FIG. 1, the elevator 50 is positioned at a position corresponding to, for example, the shelf 20-2 of the cassette housing shelf 20. Then, the hand 54 shown in FIG. 4 moves forward and, for example, a large cassette C stored in the step 20-2 of the shelf.
2 is pulled out on the base 52 side of the elevator 50. The hand 54 can be moved back and forth in the H direction in FIG. 4 by the operation of the motor 54A in FIG.

Next, the control unit 100 operates the motor 50A to position the elevator 50 at the position P2.
Large cassette C mounted on elevator 50
2 is loaded into the tape drive 80.
Also in this case, the hand 54 shown in FIG. 4 advances to the tape drive device 80 side by the operation of the motor 54A while holding the cassette C2.
0 can be loaded into the slot ST. As described above, the hand 54 is inserted into the cassette C2 so as to be easily retracted into the slot ST of the tape drive device 80.
Is pressed from the back, and it is pushed to the position where insertion is completed.

As described above, since the cassette C1 and the cassette C2 shown in FIG. 2 are different in size, when the cassette C1 or the cassette C2 is inserted into the slot ST of the tape drive 80, the size of the cassette to be inserted is reduced. In addition, it is necessary for the hand 54 to change the stop position of the cassette on the base 52 of the elevator 50. For this purpose, as described above, the control unit 100
Determines whether the size of the cassette is large or small, so that the hand 5
Numeral 4 changes the position for positioning the cassette on the base 52.

If the cassette 54 is not discriminated and the hand 54 of the large cassette C2 is
When the small cassette C1 is positioned while being advanced in the H direction to the stop position thereof, the large cassette C2 is further advanced to the tape drive device 80 side to the stop position for the small cassette C1. 5
2, the large cassette C2 is forcibly inserted into the slot ST of the tape drive 80. For this reason, a large load is applied to the cassette controller of the tape drive device 80, which causes a failure of the tape drive device 80.

Conversely, with the hand holding the small cassette C1, the small cassette C1 is replaced with the large cassette C2.
Position at the stop position of the small cassette C
1 is positioned farther than a predetermined position on the base 52 of the elevator 50 with respect to the tape drive device 80. Therefore, even if the hand 54 advances the small cassette in the H direction, the small cassette 1 C1 cannot be completely inserted into the slot ST of the tape drive device well, and operation is hindered. That is, since the difference in the size of the cassette leads to the stop position of the hand 54 on the base 52, it is very important to determine the size of the cassette from the viewpoint of ensuring the operation reliability in the cassette changer device.

FIG. 14 shows an insertion position where the large cassette C2 is inserted into the slot ST of the tape drive 80 from the base 52 side. FIG. 15 shows an insertion position where the small cassette C1 is inserted from the base 52 into the slot ST of the tape drive device 80.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, a cassette changer device is taken as an example of a device for moving an object. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the object is not limited to a cassette containing a band-shaped information recording medium, but may be another type of cassette, for example, a cassette containing a disk-shaped information recording medium. . The object is not limited to the cassette for recording information, and may be an object to be transported in a completely different field or another field. In any case, it is assumed that two or more types of objects having different sizes are stored in the first storage unit. Further, the first detection sensor is not limited to the light transmission type sensor, and other types of sensors may be employed. Further, the second detection sensor is not limited to a light reflection type sensor, and another type of sensor may be employed.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to detect the presence or absence of a corresponding object of a plurality of objects having different sizes and to detect the size of the corresponding object at almost the same location, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a cassette changer device which is a preferred embodiment as an object moving device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a small cassette as an example of an object.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a large cassette as an object.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an elevator serving as a transport unit and an example of a first detection sensor and a second detection sensor.

5 is a perspective view showing the elevator of FIG. 4 and two types of cassettes.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where a large cassette is arranged corresponding to the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state where small cassettes are arranged corresponding to the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a mounting member for mounting the first detection sensor and the second detection sensor.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a mounting member.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mounting member.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing only a mounting member.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing only a mounting member.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing only a mounting member.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state where a large cassette is inserted into a tape drive device.

FIG. 15 is a view showing a state where a small cassette is inserted into a tape drive device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: cassette changer device (object moving device), 20: cassette storage shelf (first storage section), 50
... Elevator (conveyance unit), 80 ... Tape drive device (second storage unit), C1 ... Small cassette (object), C2 ... Large cassette (object)

Claims (7)

[Claims] A first storage unit that stores a plurality of objects having different sizes; a transport unit that takes out and transports the objects from the storage unit; and a storage unit that stores the objects transported by the transport unit. And a second storage unit, wherein the transport unit detects a presence or absence of an object to be removed from the first storage unit, and detects a size of the object to be removed from the first storage unit. And a mounting member for mounting the position of the first detection sensor and the position of the second detection sensor side by side. 2. The object moving device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment member is located at an end of the transport unit and at a position accessible to the first storage unit. 3. A plurality of objects having different sizes include: a first cassette for accommodating a tape-shaped information recording medium;
2. The object according to claim 1, wherein the second cassette is smaller in size than the cassette and stores a tape-shaped information recording medium, and the first storage unit is a cassette storage shelf that stores the first cassette and the second cassette. Moving equipment. 4. The apparatus for moving an object according to claim 1, wherein the transport unit is an elevator for exchanging the object between the first storage unit and the second storage unit, and has a hand for grasping the object. 5. The object according to claim 1, wherein the second storage unit is a tape drive device that records information on or reproduces information from or to a tape-shaped information recording medium in the first cassette or the second cassette. Moving equipment. 6. The first detection sensor has a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that receives light from the light emitting unit. When the light receiving unit does not receive light from the light emitting unit, the first detection sensor detects the light emitted from the first cassette or the second cassette. 4. The apparatus for moving an object according to claim 3, wherein presence of the object is detected. 7. The second detection sensor has a light emitting section, reflects light from the light emitting section in the first cassette, and receives the reflected light to determine the first cassette. When the reflected light cannot be obtained from the second cassette because the light from the
The apparatus for moving an object according to claim 3, wherein the cassette is identified.