JPH1145534A - Magazine of tape cartridge automatic loader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a tape cartridge from being erroneously inserted to a magazine of a tape cartridge automatic loader. SOLUTION: This magazine is constituted in such a manner that a cartridge inserting port 2 and a cartridge taking out port 3 are formed in the upper and lower parts respectively on one side surface and a plurality of tape cartridges 201...201 successively inserted from the cartridge inserting port 2 are successively housed along the longitudinal direction by a rotation system with the style of one after the other and also successively pushed out to the cartridge taking out port 3. In this case, an erroneous insertion preventing means 11 is provided for preventing the tape cartridge from being erroneously inserted from the cartridge inserting port 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magazine for a tape cartridge autoloader used for a tape streamer or the like which is a backup magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus for storing computer data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 11, a magazine 1 of a tape cartridge autoloader has a cartridge insertion slot 2 and a cartridge ejection slot 3 formed on one side in the longitudinal direction. The tape cartridges 201... 201 which are sequentially inserted from the cartridge are sequentially housed along the length direction by a rotation method based on a balling method, and can be sequentially pushed out from the cartridge outlet 3.

After the tape cartridge 201 pushed out of the magazine 1 is received by the elevator 107 and automatically loaded into the drive 104 for recording / reproducing, the tape cartridge 201 is reloaded.
The plurality of tape cartridges 201... 201 can be automatically loaded and exchanged between the magazine 1 and the drive 104 by being received by the elevator 107 and returned to the cartridge insertion slot 2 of the magazine 1. ing.

[0004]

Incidentally, the above-mentioned conventional magazine 1 is not provided with an erroneous insertion preventing means for preventing erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge 201 (reverse insertion, front and back, reverse insertion, etc.). Therefore, there is a possibility that the tape cartridges 201... 201 may be erroneously inserted.

When the tape cartridges 201... 201 are erroneously inserted into the magazine 1, the erroneously inserted tape cartridges 201. The erroneously inserted tape cartridges 201... 201 are inevitably erroneously inserted into the drive 104, and have a problem that recording / reproduction becomes impossible.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention has a cartridge insertion opening and a cartridge extraction opening formed on one side in the longitudinal direction, and is inserted sequentially from the cartridge insertion opening. In the magazine of the tape cartridge autoloader configured to sequentially store a plurality of tape cartridges along the length direction in a rotation system by a ball-throwing system and to sequentially push out the cartridges to the cartridge outlet, the cartridge An erroneous insertion preventing means for preventing erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge from the insertion opening is provided.

Therefore, the erroneous insertion preventing means prevents the tape cartridge from being erroneously inserted into the magazine, and prevents the tape cartridge from being erroneously inserted into the drive due to the erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge into the magazine. Can be prevented.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing a magazine of the present invention, a tape cartridge autoloader will be briefly described first.

FIG. 1A is a schematic side view of the tape cartridge autoloader 101. FIG. The tape cartridge autoloader 101 has a cabinet 102 formed in a rectangular parallelepiped box shape. A magazine storage space 10 is provided above the inside of the cabinet 102.
3 and the magazine insertion space 10
A drive 104, which is a magnetic recording / reproducing device that performs recording and / or reproduction of a tape cartridge, is disposed below the tape cartridge 3.

An elevator elevating space 106 is formed between the magazine insertion space 103 and one side of the drive 104 and the front panel 105 of the cabinet 102, and an elevator 107 can be moved up and down in the elevator elevating space 106. Are located.

The magazine insertion port 108 is provided at an upper portion of the front panel 105 of the cabinet 102, and the magazine insertion port 108 is opened and closed by a rotating door 109.

When the outer surface of the rotating door 109 is pushed by the magazine 1, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), the rotating door 109 is substantially perpendicular to the pivot shaft 110 at the lower end. The magazine 1 is rotated to open the magazine insertion opening 108, and the magazine 1 is inserted into the magazine storage space 103 from the magazine insertion opening 108.

The magazine 1 is used as the magazine storage space 1
When a certain amount is inserted into the cartridge 03, a magazine loading mechanism (not shown) is operated, and as shown in FIG.
The magazine 1 is completely drawn into the magazine storage section 103 to form the elevator elevating space 106 again.

Next, the elevator 107 rises and stops at the position of the cartridge outlet 3 of the magazine 1 described in detail below. When the elevator 107 stops at the position of the cartridge outlet 3 of the magazine 1, as shown in FIGS. 1D and 1E, the first cartridge push-out mechanism 111 is operated, and the cartridge outlet of the magazine 1 is operated. From 3, the leading edge tape cartridge 201 is introduced into the elevator 107.

The elevator 107 containing the tape cartridge 201 descends and moves down the drive 104.
Stops at the position of the cartridge entrance 104a. When the elevator 107 stops at the position of the cartridge doorway 104a of the drive 104, the second cartridge push-out mechanism 112 operates, and as shown in FIG. 1F, the cartridge doorway of the drive 104 from the elevator 107. 104a.

The tape cartridge 201 inserted into the cartridge entrance 104a of the drive 104 is automatically loaded by a cartridge loading mechanism (not shown) of the drive 104, so that recording / reproduction is performed.

When the recording / reproduction is completed, FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), the tape cartridge 201 in the drive 104 is returned into the elevator 107 by the cartridge projecting mechanism 113 of the drive 107. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, the elevator 107 rises and stops at the position of the cartridge insertion slot 2 of the magazine 1, and the cartridge pushing mechanism 112 of the elevator 107 operates. Then, the tape cartridge 201 in the elevator 107 is returned from the cartridge insertion slot 2 into the magazine 1. If necessary, as shown in FIG.
After being lowered to the position, the magazine 1 is taken out from the magazine insertion slot 108.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the magazine 1 according to the first embodiment. The magazine 1 has a cartridge slot 2 and a cartridge slot 3 on one side in the longitudinal direction at the top and bottom, and inserts a tape cartridge 201... 201 from the cartridge slot 2 to the cartridge slot. 3 can be taken out from the tape cartridge 201.

The magazine 1 has a two-stage upper and lower cartridge storage section by partitioning a magazine main body section 11 formed in a horizontally long and flat rectangular parallelepiped box shape by a partition plate 12 made of a synthetic resin. 2 in each cartridge storage section
Each of the tape cartridges 201 can store a total of four tape cartridges 201... 201.

One end of the upper cartridge storage section serves as a cartridge insertion port 2, and one end of the lower cartridge storage section serves as a cartridge outlet 3.
It has become.

The upper and lower cartridge storage sections are communicated with each other at a communication port 13 at an end opposite to the cartridge insertion port 2 and the cartridge removal port 3, and are shown in FIGS. 4 (A) to 4 (E). As shown, the four tape cartridges 201...
5 are sequentially stored in the upper and lower cartridge storage sections by a so-called thrust method, or as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a cartridge insertion port 2 and a cartridge removal port 3.
From the tape cartridges 201 ... 20 each
1 can be stored in the upper and lower cartridge storage sections. (When four tape cartridges 201... 201 are inserted from the cartridge insertion slot 2, first, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4 (B), when the cartridge is inserted into
15, the first tape cartridge 201 at the leading end
Drop through the communication port 13 into the lower cartridge storage section. The first cartridge that has fallen into the lower cartridge storage
As shown in FIG. 4C, the leading end of the tape cartridge 201 is pressed by a fingertip or the like through a notch 16 provided from the back side to the bottom side of the magazine main body 11, and the cartridge outlet is removed. Position it on the 3rd side. Next, when the third tape cartridge 201 is inserted from the cartridge insertion port 2, as shown in FIG. 4D, the second tape cartridge 201 is pushed in a ball-butt type, and It falls into the lower cartridge storage section, the first and second two tape cartridges 201 are stored in the lower cartridge storage section, and the third tape cartridge 20 is stored in the upper cartridge storage section.
1 is stored. Next, when the fourth tape cartridge 201 is inserted through the cartridge insertion slot 2, the third tape cartridge 201 is pushed as shown in FIG. And the third and fourth two tape cartridges 201, 201 are stored in the upper cartridge storage section. 3) As shown in FIG. 3, the magazine 1 is inserted from the cartridge insertion port 2 and the cartridge outlet 3 into the tape cartridge 2.
It has erroneous insertion prevention means 21 for preventing erroneous insertion (insertion other than the normal posture such as front-back reverse insertion, front-back reverse insertion, etc.).

The erroneous insertion preventing means 21 is pushed by the inclined surface 203 of the lid 202 of the tape cartridge 201 inserted in a proper posture, and escapes in a direction to open the cartridge insertion passage (cartridge storage portion). A configuration in which the tape cartridge 201 can be further inserted, and if the tape cartridge 201 is erroneously inserted, the tape cartridge 201 is engaged with the end surface of the tape cartridge 201 (does not move away) to prevent the cartridge 201 from being further inserted. It has become.

As shown in FIG. 6, erroneous insertion preventing means 21
Is a tape cartridge 201 inserted in a proper posture.
The cartridge engaging portion 2 is formed by the inclined surface 203 of the lid 202 of FIG.
6 is rotated in the escape direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6) around the shaft 23 by being pressed, and when the tape cartridge 20 is inserted into the end surface 204 or turned upside down, The cartridge engaging portion 22 engages the end surface 205 of the tape cartridge to prevent the tape cartridge 201 from being inserted.
A turning member 24 made of a synthetic resin such as BT (polybutylene terephthalate) and a turning force is applied to the turning member 24 so that the cartridge engaging portion 22 is inclined to the inclined surface of the lid 202 of the tape cartridge 201. 203 and a torsion coil spring 25 protruding to a position where it engages with the end surface 205 of the lid 202 or the end surface 204 of the tape cartridge 201.

The erroneous insertion preventing means 21 is assembled in a notch 26 formed by cutting the upper plate 11a of the magazine main body 11 or the side of the partition plate 13.

The rotating member 24 is formed to have a thickness that fits within the thickness T of the upper surface plate 11a or the partition plate 13 of the magazine main body 11, and the tape cartridge 201
And the cartridge engaging portion 22 is moved from the lower surface of the upper surface plate 11a of the magazine main body 11 or the lower surface of the partition plate 13 by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 25. It projects into the upper cartridge storage section or the lower cartridge storage section. Also, the rear surface of the cartridge engaging portion 22 has an inclined surface 27, and when the tape cartridge 201 is taken out from the cartridge outlet 3, the end surface of the tape cartridge 201 comes into contact with the inclined surface 27. In addition, the rotating member 24 is configured to escape and rotate against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 25 so that the tape cartridge 201 can be reliably taken out from the cartridge outlet 3.

As shown in FIG. 7, the erroneous insertion preventing means 21 is provided on both the left and right sides of the upper surface plate 11a and the partition plate 13 of the magazine body 11, and the erroneously inserted tape cartridge is provided. It is configured to engage with both left and right side portions of 201 to reliably prevent erroneous insertion.

The magazine 1 according to the embodiment has the above-described configuration. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when the tape cartridge 201 is inserted into the cartridge insertion slot 2 in a normal posture, the lid 2 of the tape cartridge 201
02, the tip of the cartridge engaging portion 22 of the erroneous insertion preventing means 21, the cartridge engaging portion 22 is pressed by the inclined surface 203, and the cartridge engaging portion 22 is disengaged from the torsion coil spring 25. The tape cartridge 201 fits into the notch 26 formed in the upper surface plate 11a or the partition plate 13 of the magazine main body 11 as shown by a two-dot chain line, against the spring force of the tape cartridge 201.
To prevent further insertion of

When the tape cartridge 201 is taken out of the cartridge outlet 3, one end 205 of the tape cartridge 201 comes into contact with the inclined surface 27 on the back surface of the cartridge engaging portion 22, and By pressing the surface 27, the cartridge engaging portion 22 is released and rotated against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 25, thereby enabling the tape cartridge 201 to be smoothly removed from the cartridge outlet 3. .

When the disc cartridge 201 is erroneously inserted from the cartridge insertion opening 2 and the cartridge outlet 3, as shown in FIG. 9, the end surface (non-inclined surface) 204 of the tape cartridge 201 The tape cartridge 201 is engaged with the tape cartridge 201, and the cartridge engaging portion 22 is prevented from rotating in the escape direction, thereby preventing further insertion of the tape cartridge 201.

FIG. 10 shows a magazine 1 according to the second embodiment.
FIG. In this embodiment, the erroneous insertion preventing means 21 is formed of a leaf spring.

One end of the erroneous insertion preventing means 21 made of a leaf spring is attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 11a of the magazine body 11 or the lower surface of the partition plate 13 by a method such as boss welding, and the other end is provided. The cartridge engaging portion 22 is bent.

Then, when the tape cartridge 201 is inserted in a normal posture, the cartridge engaging portion 22 is moved to the inclined surface 20 of the lid 202 of the tape cartridge 201.
3, the erroneous insertion preventing means 21 made of a leaf spring bends in a direction in which the cartridge engaging portion 22 is released. When the tape cartridge 201 is erroneously inserted, the cartridge engaging portion 22 is moved to the end face 2 of the tape cartridge 201.
04 to prevent further insertion of the tape cartridge. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the tape cartridge 201 is an AIT (Advantage Intelli).
gence Tape) cartridge was used.
A millimeter tape cartridge or another tape cartridge may be used.

In the embodiment, the magazine 1
A total of four tape cartridges 2 with two in each of the upper and lower stages
Although a configuration is shown in which it is possible to store 01... 201, three or more may be stored in each of the upper and lower stages. Further, the cartridge storage section is not limited to the upper and lower two stages, but may be three or more stages.

[0035]

The magazine of the tape cartridge autoloader of the present invention has the following effects.

(1) Since the magazine of the first aspect is provided with an erroneous insertion preventing means, the tape cartridge is prevented from being erroneously inserted into the magazine, which is caused by the erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge into the magazine. Erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge into the drive can be prevented.

(2) In the magazine according to the second aspect, when the tape cartridge is inserted in a proper posture, the erroneous insertion prevention means is pushed away by the inclined surface of the tape cartridge and moves away.
The tape cartridge can be further inserted, and if the tape cartridge is erroneously inserted, the tape cartridge does not move and engages with the tape cartridge to automatically prevent the tape cartridge from being further inserted.

(3) In the magazine of the third aspect, the erroneous insertion preventing means is pressed by utilizing the inclined surface of the lid of the tape cartridge. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a special inclined surface on the tape cartridge. Further, the erroneous insertion preventing means includes a rotating member that rotates around an axis, and a torsion coil spring that applies a rotating force to the rotating member, and the spring force of the torsion coil spring is The cartridge engaging portion provided on the rotating member is configured to protrude into the cartridge insertion passage, so that when the tape cartridge is inserted in a normal posture, the cartridge engaging portion abuts on the inclined surface of the lid. The rotating member can be reliably released around the shaft while rotating against the spring force of the torsion coil spring so that the cartridge engaging portion does not hinder the insertion of the tape cartridge. Further, when the tape cartridge is erroneously inserted, the cartridge engaging portion comes into contact with the end surface (non-inclined surface) of the tape cartridge, so that further insertion of the tape cartridge can be reliably prevented.

(4) The thickness of the rotating member forming the erroneous insertion preventing means is made equal to or less than the thickness of the upper surface plate or the partition plate of the magazine main body. Since the rotating member and the torsion coil spring are assembled in the notch formed in the upper surface plate or the partition plate of the magazine main body, the cartridge engaging portion is notched when the cartridge engaging portion is rotated. It does not hinder the insertion of the tape cartridge because it is housed inside the unit.

(5) In the magazine according to the fifth aspect, erroneous insertion preventing means acts on both sides of the tape cartridge in the insertion direction, so that erroneous insertion of the tape cartridge can be more reliably prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 (A), (B), (C), (D), (E),
(F) is an explanatory view of a tape cartridge autoloader.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E are explanatory diagrams of a tape cartridge autoloader.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E are illustrations showing a method of inserting a tape cartridge.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams showing a method of inserting a tape cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan sectional view.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view in a state of being inserted in a normal posture.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are cross-sectional views of a state in which an erroneous insertion is performed.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Magazine, 2 ... Cartridge insertion opening, 3 ... Cartridge removal opening, 11 ... Magazine main body part, 11a ... Top plate,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Partition plate, 21 ... Mis-insertion prevention means, 22 ... Cartridge engaging part, 23 ... Shaft, 24 ... Rotating member, 25 ... Torsion coil spring, 26 ... Notch, 101 ... Tape cartridge autoloader, 201 ... Tape Cartridge, 202
... lid, 203 ... inclined surface.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A cartridge insertion slot and a cartridge ejection slot are formed vertically on one side surface in the length direction, and a plurality of tape cartridges sequentially inserted from the cartridge insertion slot are rotated in a longitudinal direction by a ball-butt type. In a magazine of a tape cartridge autoloader configured so as to be sequentially housed along and to be able to be sequentially pushed out to the cartridge ejection port, it is possible to prevent a tape cartridge from being erroneously inserted from the cartridge insertion port and / or the cartridge ejection port. A magazine for a tape cartridge autoloader, comprising a wrong insertion preventing means. 2. The erroneous insertion prevention means according to claim 1, wherein when the tape cartridge is inserted in a normal posture, the tape cartridge is pressed by an inclined surface provided on the tape cartridge and moves away in a direction to open the cartridge insertion passage. The tape cartridge can be further inserted, and when the tape cartridge is erroneously inserted, the tape cartridge is engaged with an end face of the tape cartridge to prevent further insertion of the tape cartridge. Magazine of a tape cartridge autoloader to do. 3. The tape cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the erroneous insertion prevention means is rotated in the escape direction about the shaft by pressing the cartridge engaging portion by the inclined surface of the lid of the tape cartridge inserted in a proper posture. A rotating member that engages with the end face of the erroneously inserted tape cartridge to prevent insertion of the tape cartridge, and applies a rotating power to the rotating member to move the cartridge engaging portion into the lid of the tape cartridge. And a torsion coil spring protruding at a position engaging with an inclined surface of the tape cartridge and an end surface of the tape cartridge. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the rotating member and the torsion coil spring constituting the erroneous insertion preventing means are assembled so as to fit into notches provided in the upper surface plate and the partition plate of the magazine main body. Magazine of tape cartridge autoloader to be. 5. The magazine for a tape cartridge autoloader according to claim 4, wherein the erroneous insertion preventing means is provided on both sides of the upper surface plate and the partition plate of the magazine main body in the tape cartridge insertion direction.