JPS62204464A - Cartridge insertion mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the malfunction of a cartridge holder by providing the first locking mechanism to regulate the insertion direction of a cartridge to the cartridge holder, and the second locking mechanism which performs the locking of the cartridge in the non insertion time of the cartridge to the cartridge holder. CONSTITUTION:A cartridge holder 4 is supported with holder supporting plates 51 and 52 by engaging rollers 43a, 43b, 44a, and 44b provided at both ends of a pair of roller shafts 43 and 44 being provided at roller supporting parts 42a-42d, with guide holes 51a, 51b, 52a, and 52b at the holders plates 51 and 52. The first locking mechanism 7, in a non-operating time, is in a lock released state that an engaging roller 73 at the tip of a hook 71 is protruded from the lower part 41 of the holder. Also, the second locking mechanism 8, in the non input time of a cartridge 3, is in a locking state that an engaging roller 8 at the tip of a hook 81 is protruded from the lower part 41 of the holder, and a hooking part 83 is engaged with a block 84.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Table of Contents] Overview Industrial Field of Application Conventional Technology Problems to be Solved by the Invention Means for Solving the Problems (Fig. 1) Working Example 1a) Application of an Example Description of the equipment used (Figure 2) ib
) Explanation of the configuration of one embodiment (Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7) (C) Explanation of the operation of one embodiment (Fig. 8) (d) Other implementations Description of Examples Effects of the Invention [Summary] In a cartridge loading mechanism that moves and holds a cartridge holder into which a cartridge is loaded to a set position by a loading operation, the cartridge loading mechanism includes a first locking mechanism for regulating the loading direction of the cartridge into the cartridge holder; By providing a second locking mechanism that locks the cartridge when the cartridge is not inserted into the cartridge holder, malfunction of the cartridge holder is prevented.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a cartridge loading mechanism for loading a cartridge such as a magnetic tape cartridge into an apparatus.
In particular, the present invention relates to a cartridge loading mechanism that sets a cartridge loaded by a cartridge holder in a set position.

Cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges are used in various fields because they are easy to handle.

For example, in a large-capacity storage device capable of large-capacity storage used as an external storage device for a computer, a storage shelf is provided to store a large number of magnetic tape cartridges. Remove the magnetic tape cartridge that requires a hand from the storage shelf, carry it to the read/write station (recording/playback section) and set it.
Read/write the magnetic tape cartridge,
It consists of a kind of automatic warehouse configured to take out the data from the read/write station after reading/writing and store it in a storage shelf.

Conventionally, special cylindrical magnetic tape cartridges have been used for such magnetic tape cartridges, but in recent years, proposals have been made to reduce costs by using rectangular magnetic tape cartridges, which are used for video tapes. has been done.

Such an apparatus is provided with a loading mechanism for loading a magnetic tape cartridge from the outside.

[Conventional technology]

The conventional loading mechanism consists of a simple loading shelf (for example, a slide) that does not use an actuator, and a person performs the loading operation by setting a cartridge on the loading shelf.

However, with such a loading mechanism, it is not guaranteed that the cartridge will be loaded into the set position accurately.For example, when a cartridge loaded into a mass storage device is gripped by a mechanical hand and stored in a storage shelf, This has the disadvantage that the gripping state is not constant, which makes the storage operation unstable, and the post-processing operation of the loaded cartridge becomes unstable.

For this reason, a cartridge holder is used to move the cartridge holder to the set position by inserting the cartridge into the cartridge holder.
A device equipped with a seven-point mechanism has been proposed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in a cartridge loading mechanism equipped with such a cartridge setting mechanism, since the cartridge holder moves to the setting position by the cartridge loading operation, it is not guaranteed that the cartridge loading direction is constant, and subsequent recording During playback, there was a problem in that the tape did not oppose the recording/playback head, making recording and playback impossible.

In addition, since the cartridge holder can be moved by hand, there is a problem that malfunctions occur, such as not accidentally inserting a cartridge, but moving the cartridge holder manually and moving the cartridge holder to the set position while it is empty. was also occurring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge loading mechanism that can prevent a cartridge holder from being moved while empty, regulate the loading direction of the cartridge, and prevent malfunctions.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the principle of the present invention.

In the figure, 3 is a cartridge, such as a VTR cartridge, which is inserted by a person, 4 is a cartridge holder, which stores the cartridge 3 inserted in the longitudinal direction, and 6 is a setting mechanism. , a device that movably supports the cartridge holder 4 and holds the cartridge holder 4 in the set position, which is moved by the cartridge loading operation; 7 is a first locking mechanism, and the cartridge 3 housed in the cartridge holder 4 is 8 is a second locking mechanism that unlocks the movement of the cartridge in response to the insertion of the cartridge 3 into the cartridge holder 4. It is something.

[Effect]

In the present invention, two movement locking mechanisms for the cartridge holder 4 are provided.

The first locking mechanism 7 detects whether the cartridge 3 is inserted into the cartridge holder 4 in the correct direction.
The second lock mechanism 8 engages with the characteristic shape of the cartridge 3 to release the movement lock, and the second lock mechanism 8 releases the movement lock when the cartridge 3 is inserted into the cartridge or the holder 4. be.

Therefore, the cartridge holder 4 is not unlocked by the second locking mechanism 8 when the cartridge 3 is not inserted, so that even if an attempt is made to move the cartridge holder 4 by hand or the like without the cartridge 3 being inserted, the cartridge holder 4 cannot be moved. In addition, even if the cartridge 3 is inserted, the lock will not be released by the first locking mechanism 7 unless it is inserted in the correct direction, and the cartridge holder 4 will not be able to be moved even if it is inserted in the wrong direction. can.

Therefore, it is possible to move the cartridge holder 4 and set it at the set position only when the cartridge 3 is inserted and in the correct direction, thereby preventing malfunction.

〔Example〕

(al-Description of the device to which the embodiment is applied) FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the device provided with the loading mechanism of the present invention, and shows a large-capacity storage device as an example. In the figure, LG%R
G is a left garage and a right garage, which are provided at both ends of the device and are provided with a main control circuit, an accessor drive circuit, etc., and HFI, HF2, and HF3 are honeycomb frames, and magnetic tape cartridges 3 are mounted on both walls. A storage shelf SC is provided, and guide rails RLU for accessors, which will be described later, are provided at the upper and lower parts.

The magnetic tape cartridge 3 is equipped with an RLL and is set in some honeycomb frames HF3.
A read/write station (
(not shown), an entry station CES for inputting a new magnetic tape cartridge 3 from the outside, and an exit station CFS for ejecting an unnecessary magnetic tape cartridge 3 (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge) to the outside. There is. IA and IB are a left accessor and a right accessor, respectively, which drive the mechanical hand 2 in the vertical (Y) direction and in the rotational direction to access the storage shelves SC on both sides, and home the left garage LG and right garage RG. The position is to move within three honeycomb frames HF1, HF2, and HF3 along upper and lower rails RLU and RLL.

To explain the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 2, the left or right accessor IA or IB is driven by the accelerator drive circuit in response to a command from the main control circuit, moves in the X (left and right) direction on the rails RLU and RLL, and further moves the hand 2 to Y (up and down)
position the hand 2 at the position of the cartridge 3 on the desired storage shelf SC, and move the hand 2 at that position.
is driven to take out and grip the cartridge 3, then the accessor IA or IB moves to the read/write station and conveys the cartridge 3, and the hand 2 is driven to set the cartridge 3 to the read/write station. After the read/write is completed, the cartridge 3 is similarly taken out from the read/write station by the hand 2, gripped, conveyed in the same manner, and stored in the original storage shelf SC. Cartridge 3 is transferred from the entry station CBS to the storage shelf SC, and from the storage shelf SC to the exit station CFS.
The same applies when transporting to.

Therefore, in mass storage devices, honeycomb frame HFI
, HF2, HF3, the accessors IA, IB take out the desired cartridge 3 stored in the storage shelf SC with the hand 2, convey it to the read/write station run, set the cartridge 3, and read/write the cartridge 3. After writing, take out the cartridge 3 from the read/write station run with the hand 2, grip it, and transport it with the accessors IA and IB to the original storage shelf S.
It operates to have C store and return it.

(BL-Explanation of the configuration of the embodiment FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and shows the entire configuration diagram of the input mechanism provided in the entry station run CBS of FIG. 2. 5 is a cartridge loading mechanism (hereinafter referred to as loading mechanism), into which the cartridge 3 is loaded into the internal cartridge holder 4; 50 is its loading port; 51.52 is an inlet into which the cartridge 3 is loaded; A pair of holder support plates are each provided with a pair of inverted-shaped guide holes 51a, 51b, 52a52b, and 53 is an upper plate.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the cartridge 3 that is loaded into the loading mechanism configured in FIG. 3. In FIG. , 32 is a center hole for a sensor into which a reel shaft for driving the recording/reproducing section is inserted, 33 is a tape cover into which a tape end detection sensor (light emitting section) is inserted in the recording/reproducing section. This covers the magnetic tape inside the cartridge 3 from the outside.

In the present invention, the insertion direction is detected using the sensor center hole 32.

FIG. 5 is a top view of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are side views of one embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 are indicated by the same symbols, and 40 is the upper part of the holder, which is provided with roller support parts 42a, 42b, 42c, and 42d at the four corners, and the roller A roller shaft 43 is located between the support parts 42a and 42c.
However, the roller shaft 4 is between the roller support parts 42b and 42d.
4 is provided. At both ends of each roller shaft 43, 44 there are rollers 43a, 43b and 44a, 44, respectively.
b are provided and engage with the L-shaped guide holes 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b of the holder support plate 51.52. 4
Reference numeral 1 designates the lower part of the holder, which is H-shaped as shown in FIG. 5 in order to hold the inserted cartridge 3, and is provided with a stopper 45 at the right end, as well as a first locking mechanism 7 and a second locking mechanism, the details of which will be described later. A locking mechanism 8 is provided at the bottom.

46 is a rotation stopper, which is rotatably provided in the upper part 40. 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are springs, which are suspended between both ends of each roller shaft 43.44 and the top plate 53, and constitute a set mechanism together with the holder support plate 51.52; Reference numeral 61 denotes a set release plate, which includes inclined release blocks 62 a, 62 b, 62 c, 62.
d are provided at the four corners, supported by support pins 64 of the top plate 53 via slides 663, and slidable to the right by a plunger magnet, which will be described later. 65 is a plunger magnet, which is fixed to the top plate 53. , 47.66 is a proximity sensor, and the proximity sensor 47 is connected to the upper part 40 of the holder 4.
In addition, the proximity sensor 66 is provided on the top plate 53 and is attached to the holder 4.
This is to detect movement of the camera to the set position.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a metal fitting, which is attached to the lower part 41 of the holder 4 and supports a hook, which will be described later, around a fulcrum;
1 is a hook, which is rotatably attached to a metal fitting 70 by a fulcrum 72, and has an engagement roller 73 at one end and a hook portion 74 having a hook shape at the other end;
75 is a rotation regulating stopper, which regulates the rotational position of the hook 71 as shown in FIG. 6; 76 is a locking stopper, which is provided between the holder support plates 51 and 52; It engages with and locks.

Reference numeral 80 denotes a metal fitting, which is attached to the lower part 41 of the holder 4 and supports a hook, which will be described later, around a fulcrum;
1 is a hook, which is rotatably mounted on a metal fitting 80 around a fulcrum, and has an engaging roller 82 at one end and a hook portion 83 at the other end; 84 is a locking block; The locking operation is performed by engaging with the hook portion 83 of.

Therefore, the cartridge holder 4 has a roller supporting portion 42a.
A pair of roller shafts 43.44 provided at ~42d
Rollers 43a, 43b, 44a, 4 provided at both ends of
4b is the guide hole 51a, 51 of the holder support plate 51.52
The cartridge holder 4 is supported by the holder support plates 51 and 52 by engaging with the holder support plates 51 and 52b. Further, the cartridge holder 4 has rollers 43a, 4
3b.

44a, 44b are L-shaped guide holes 51a, 51b, 5
2a, 52b, and the roller shafts 43, 44 are biased toward the top plate 53 by springs 60a to 60d. For this reason,
Roller shaft 43, 44, i.e. cartridge holder 4
maintains a stable state at both ends of the L-shaped guide holes 51a, 51b, 52a, and 52b.

On the other hand, in the set release plate 61, the release block 62
The inclined portions a to 62d are provided to engage with both ends of the roller shaft 43.44 of the cartridge holder 4, and when the plate 61 is moved rightward by the plunger magnet 65, the roller shaft 43.4
4 is pushed down on the inclined part to release the setting.

When the first locking mechanism is not in operation, it is in an unlocked state in which the retaining roller 73 at the tip of the hook 71 protrudes from the holder lower part 41, as shown in FIG. Further, in the second opening mechanism 8, when the cartridge 3 is not loaded, the retaining roller 82 at the tip of the hook 81 protrudes from the holder lower part 41 as shown in FIG. 7, and the hook portion 83 engages with the block 84. is in a locked state.

(e) Description of operation of one embodiment FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of one embodiment of the present invention.

■ Before the cartridge 3 is inserted from the input port 50,
In the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cartridge holder 4
is in a state where the movement is locked by the second locking mechanism 8.

(2) In this state, the cartridge 3 is manually inserted from the input port 50, and the end surface of the cartridge 3 is brought into contact with the stopper 45 on the lower surface 41 of the holder 4, which is the 0-rotation stopper 4.
The cartridge 6 is configured not to rotate with respect to the loading direction, but to rotate in the opposite direction to the loading direction, and prevents the cartridge 3 from climbing over the stopper 45 and falling from the cartridge holder 4 upon loading.

In this case, if the cartridge 3 is inserted through the inlet 50 in the direction of arrow A (longitudinal direction) in FIG. 4 with the sensor center hole 32 facing downward, the first lock The engaging roller 73 of the mechanism 7 enters the center hole 32, as shown in FIG. 8(A) (the hook 71 remains in the state shown in FIG. 7, and the hook end 74 does not engage with the locking stopper 76).

Also, by inserting the cartridge 3 into the holder 4, the eighth
As shown in Figure (B), the locking roller 82 of the second locking mechanism 8 comes into contact with the cartridge 3, pushes down the hook 81, releases the lock between the hook portion 83 and the block 84, and releases the lock.

Therefore, the cartridge holder 4 becomes movable.

■ When the cartridge 3 is further inserted in the direction of the arrow, the cartridge 3 hits the stopper 45, so the cartridge holder 4 resists the spring force of the springs 608 to 60d, as shown in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B). Guide hole 51
a to 52b, and the L-shaped guide hole 518
The rollers 43a to 44b collide with the bent portions of the rollers 43a to 52b.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8(C), the cartridge holder 4 holds the spring 60a along the guide holes 51a to 52b.
It is moved upward by a spring force of ~60d, and the guide hole 51
The set position at the upper end of a to 52b is reached. In this state, the cartridge holder 4 is held in the set position by the spring force of the springs 60a to 60d, and the pair of proximity sensors 47, 66 come close to each other and detect that the cartridge holder 4 is in the set position.

■ When it is detected that it is in this set position, the
As shown in D), the hand portion 2a rotates the rotation stopper 46 and enters the cartridge holder 4, and the hand portion 2a rotates the rotation stopper 46 and enters the cartridge holder 4.
The lower hand a rises and grips the cartridge 3 between the upper hands, and the hand portion 2a further moves to the right in the figure to take out the cartridge 3 from the cartridge holder 4.

■ After removing the cartridge 3, when the set release magnet 65 is driven, the set release magnet 65 attracts the set release plate 61 and moves the set release plate 61 along the slide 663 as shown in Fig. 8 (E). )
Move to the right (in the direction of the arrow). As a result, the inclined portions of the release blocks 62a and 62b of the set release plate 61 are aligned with the rollers 43a and 43b at both ends of the pair of roller shafts 43 and 44 of the cartridge holder 4.

44a and 44b, and the roller shaft 43 resists the spring force of the springs 603 to 60d by its inclined portion.
．． 44, that is, the cartridge holder 4 is inserted into the guide hole 51a,
51b, 52a, and 52b (in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 8(E)). and guide holes 51a, 5
1b, 52a252b, the guide hole 51 is pushed down by the spring force of the springs 602 to 60d.
a, 51b, 52a, 52b along the horizontal direction as shown in FIG.
a and 52b, the drive of the set release magnet is further released, and the state returns to the initial state shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 8 (F), insert the cartridge 3 into the inlet 5.
If inserted from 0 with the sensor center hole 32 facing upward, or in the opposite direction to arrow A in Fig. 4,
When the cartridge 3 hits the stopper 45 on the bottom surface 41 of the cartridge holder 4, the first locking mechanism 7
The engagement roller 73 of the cartridge 3 is pushed down in the P direction by the cartridge 3 because the center hole 32 of the cartridge 3 does not match the position of the engagement roller 73, and therefore the hook 71 rotates in the P direction about the fulcrum 72, and the hook The hook end 74 of 71 engages a locking stopper 76. Since the lower surface 41 of the cartridge holder 4 is connected to the hook 71 by the metal fitting 70, no matter how much the cartridge 3 is pushed in, the cartridge holder 4 does not move along the guide holes 51a, 51b, and its movement is locked. Therefore, humans can detect that the insertion direction is different.

On the other hand, even if a person's finger or the like is inserted into the slot 50 without inserting the cartridge 3 and an attempt is made to move the cartridge holder 4, the cartridge holder 4 cannot be moved.
) of the second locking mechanism 8 unless the
1 does not rotate, so the engagement roller 8 at the tip of the hook 81
2 blocks the movement of the lower surface 41 of the cartridge holder 4, mechanically locking it, and preventing malfunction when the cartridge 3 is not inserted.

In this way, when the cartridge 3 is inserted into the cartridge holder 4 in the longitudinal direction, the lock of the second locking mechanism 8 is released, and when the cartridge 3 is inserted from the insertion port 50 in the correct direction, the locking mechanism 8 is locked. When the mechanism 7 is released, the cartridge 3 that has hit the stopper 45 due to the loading operation is brought to the set position by the cartridge holder 4 and can be held there.

Conversely, if the cartridge holder 4 is operated without inserting the cartridge 3, the second locking mechanism 8 locks the cartridge holder 4, and if the cartridge 3 is inserted in the wrong direction, the first locking mechanism 7 locks the cartridge holder 4. Even if the cartridge holder 4 or the cartridge 3 is pushed in any further, setting it to the set position is prohibited, so the cartridge holder 4 or the cartridge 3 cannot be pushed in any further.

Since this locking mechanism 7.8 operates on the bottom surface of the holder 4, it provides a function to prevent malfunctions in configurations where a detection mechanism cannot be provided on the right end side, such as when the cartridge 3 is taken out from the right end of the holder 4 in the figure. can.

+d+Description of other embodiments In the embodiments described above, the cartridge shown in FIG. 4 is used as the cartridge 3, and the sensor detection hole of the cartridge 3 is used as a shape feature for regulating the insertion direction. If the cartridge is a cartridge of It may also be the set position of the recording/reproducing section.

Also, although the magnet (solenoid) 65 is used as the actuator for releasing the set, other actuators may be used.

Although the present invention has been described above using examples, the present invention can be modified in various ways according to the gist of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the second locking mechanism locks the movement of the holder when the cartridge is not inserted to prevent malfunction when the cartridge is not inserted, and the first locking mechanism prevents the holder from moving when the cartridge is not inserted. This has the effect of locking the movement of the holder due to loading in the wrong direction and preventing malfunctions when loading the cartridge.As a result, when the cartridge holder is set, it is ensured that the cartridge is present in the holder and It can be ensured that the cartridge is inserted in the correct direction and stored in the holder.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an apparatus to which the present invention is applied, Fig. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 is an embodiment of the invention. 5 is a top view of the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and FIGS.
The drawings are FIG. 3 - a plan view of the configuration of the embodiment, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 3--Cartridge, 4--Cartridge holder, 6--Set mechanism, 7--First locking mechanism, 8--Second locking mechanism .

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A cartridge holder that stores a loaded cartridge; a setting mechanism that movably supports the cartridge holder and holds the cartridge holder, which is moved by the cartridge loading operation, at a set position; and the cartridge holder. a first locking mechanism that engages with a characteristic shape of a cartridge stored in the cartridge to unlock the movement of the cartridge holder; and a first lock mechanism that locks the movement of the cartridge holder in response to the cartridge being inserted into the cartridge holder. A cartridge loading mechanism characterized by having a second locking mechanism that releases the cartridge.