JPS6346656A - Automatic disk changer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the distortion and damage of a disk without operating a large external force except a dead weight at a disk by scooping up the object disk from a lower surface with a disk carrier, maintaining its horizontal condition and shifting it three-dimensionally. CONSTITUTION:When a disk D stored in a horizontal shelf plate 3 of a rack 1 is removed, a disk carrier 24 is shifted to the rack 1 side, the periphery of the disk D is lifted up and scooped up from the lower surface and the disk D is extracted from the clearance of the shelf plate 3 while it is mounted. Out of plural decks 5, while a horizontal condition is maintained, this is shifted up to the front surface of an empty deck, and loaded through a delivery mechanism provided at a deck 5 side to the deck 5. Since the disk carrier 24 always supports the disk D from the lower surface in the periphery, the distortion and the damage are prevented without operating the excessive force except the dead weight to the disk D.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention automatically selects a desired disc from among a large number of discs stored in a rack consisting of multiple shelf boards and places it on a deck. Load it, record or play video and audio,
This relates to a disc autochanger device that is returned to its original rack position after completion.

(Prior Art) Recently, a device has been proposed that records digital signals on an optical disk in place of the conventional magnetic recording video disk device, thereby filing video, audio, or document information at high density.

In particular, the recording and reproducing method using optical discs uses laser light of 1 μm.
In order to form a continuous signal on the optical disk with a track pinch of 2 μm, the conventional magnetic recording method
Since it has a recording density of about 0 times higher and can store a huge amount of the world's information in a small space, it is expected to become rapidly popular in various fields such as broadcasting and education.

On the other hand, automatic performance devices for audio discs such as jukeboxes or compact discs are generally well known as automatic changer devices for automatically changing discs of this type.

Therefore, in the field of optical discs, the development of systems that can utilize these autochanger devices as they are to save the effort of changing discs and display desired information on a monitor by pressing buttons from a remote location is underway. .

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the autochanger device for audio discs (records) that is built into conventional jukeboxes has the problem of long access times and long replacement times. In order to avoid damaging the sound grooves, a disk carrier was used in which the disk was held and transported by a plurality of claw members having ■-shaped grooves from its periphery, as shown in Figure 4, and this was used as it was for automatic optical disk exchange. When used in
/min, and distortion is likely to occur due to material problems, which may cause trouble during recording and reproduction.

On the other hand, autochangers used for compact discs generally take advantage of the characteristics of optical discs, which are resistant to scratches and dirt on the surface, to grip discs from the front and back sides and transport them in and out of racks, or to transport them to decks. A method to do this has been proposed.

(For example, JP-A-59-82663, JP-A-59-82663,
(Refer to Japanese Patent No. 90258, etc.) However, even in the above-mentioned autochanger device, if there is slight play or misalignment in the transfer mechanism when loading or unloading a disc from one shelf of the rack or loading it onto the deck, the disc may Because excessive force is applied to the transfer mechanism, which can cause damage, it is necessary to greatly improve the positioning accuracy of the transfer mechanism, which causes a rise in product prices.

Racks that store large numbers of audio discs and compact discs are generally divided into those that store discs vertically and side by side, and those that store discs on multiple horizontal shelves; the former is different from the latter. If the number of sheets to be stored is the same, a larger installation area is required, and therefore, a horizontal shelf type rack is considered to be more advantageous in dealing with future increases in the amount of information.

The present invention was made by focusing on the problems that such conventional autochanger devices had. The disk is held from the bottom so that no excessive force is applied to the disk, protecting the disk from distortion and damage, and providing a margin for positioning accuracy of the transfer mechanism that moves between the rack and deck section. By doing so, the cause of failure is reduced, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The disc autochanger device of the present invention includes a disc storage means (A) in which a rack (1) consisting of a plurality of horizontal shelves (31, (31...) each stores one disc (D) such as an optical disc. and a playing means (B) consisting of a deck (5) which is fixedly provided facing the storage means (A) and records or reproduces information such as required video and audio on the loaded disc (D). Then, the target disc (D) is picked up and held in the disc carrier (24) between the storage means (A) and the playing means (B), and is held in a horizontal state in a three-dimensional manner. A device consisting of a transportable disk exchange means (C) and a control means for controlling the operation of the disk exchange means (C). Note that the disk carrier (24) included in the disk exchange means (C) is Disk (D) on the top surface
A plurality of claw members (26), (26) each having a stepped portion (27) that supports the peripheral edge of the member from the lower surface and faces the outer peripheral surface.
..., and a downwardly inclined guide surface (28) is formed on the upper surface of each claw member (26) to move the disk (D) to the center of the mounting position by its own weight.

(Function) In the disc autochanger device of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration, when taking out the disc (D) stored in the horizontal shelf board (3) of the rack (11), the disc autochanger device (24)
moves to the rack (1) side, lifts the periphery of the disk (D) from the bottom, pulls it out from the gap in the shelf board (3) with the disk (D) placed on it, and transfers it to multiple units. Among the decks (5), the empty deck is transferred to the front side while maintaining a horizontal state, and an appropriate receiver provided on the deck (5) side is loaded into the deck (5) via a transfer mechanism.

In addition, when returning the disc (D) after recording or playback by the play means (B) to its original position, the disc carrier (24) is operated in the opposite manner to the above procedure.
) and transfer it to the original shelf board (3).

Therefore, the disk carrier (24)
When loading or unloading the disc (D) from the rack (1),
When transferring between the rack (1) and the deck (5),
When loading or retrieving the disc (D) onto the deck (5), since the disc (D) is supported from below at its periphery, no unreasonable force other than its own weight is applied to the disc (D). This prevents distortion and damage.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of the disc autochanger device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the device.

In these figures, (1) is a rack configured by fixing a large number of horizontal shelf boards (3) in parallel to a support (2), and each of the horizontal shelf boards (3) has an optical disc on its upper surface. A positioning boss (4) is provided to protrude and fit into the center hole of the donut-shaped disc (D).

(5) is a deck for recording and reproducing optical discs in which a plurality of units are installed in a stacked state adjacent to the rack (1) storing a large number of discs (D), and the deck (5) The disk receiver plate (6) extending forward is moved in and out while keeping it level by a loading mechanism built into the deck (5).

(7) is a passing mechanism in which the disc holder provided on the front surface of the deck (5) moves up and down along the vertical guide rods (9) and (9)' attached to the outer surface of the actuator (8). The lift arm 0ω supported so as to be able to move in parallel can place a disc (D) on the positioning boss U at the upper end of the lift rod 0υ, which is erected at the tip of the lift arm 0ω. When the plate (6) is pushed forward, the receiver moves the positioning boss (2) up and down through the bottom hole α in the center of the plate (6), and moves the disc (D) to the set position on the lower limit side. The receiver on the upper limit side is adapted to be displaced between it and the transfer position.

On the other hand, (C) is a storage means (8) including the rack (1).
and a deck (5) and a tray are disk changing means provided opposite to the playing means (B) including a passing mechanism (7), and the disk changing means (C) is vertically fixed. A movable arm OS that moves vertically in a horizontal state along a guide rail α, a carrier table aη supported so as to be horizontally rotatable by an output shaft (16)′ of an actuator αe fixed to the movable arm a; a rail (18) laid on the top surface of the carrier table aη,
(18)', a carrier saddle 0Φ that is horizontally reciprocated by a drive mechanism (not shown), and the carrier saddle α
A carrier frame (21) is swingably supported by a horizontal support shaft (201) provided on the upper surface of the carrier frame (21), and the carrier frame (21) is slidably supported in a horizontal through hole (22) drilled in the carrier frame (21). Two inserted carrier rondos (23),
(23)' and a horizontal disk carrier (24) fixed to the tip.

The disk carrier (24) has a U-shaped frame shape with its free end open to the front, and horizontally inward at the tips and intermediate portions of the parallel support arms (25) and (25)' on both sides. There are four protruding claw members (26). As shown in cross section in FIG. 2, each claw member (26) has a stepped portion (27) at its tip, which has an arcuate vertical surface facing the outer circumferential surface of the disk (D), and each stepped portion (
Continuing from the upper end of 27), there is a guide surface (28) that slopes downward toward the center of the disk mounting position of the disk carrier (24).

On the other hand, the carrier loft (23) supported by the carrier frame (21) so as to be movable forward and backward is connected to an arm portion (29) at its rear end and a spring force adjustment pole (30) screwed onto the carrier frame (21). The rear end flange (32) is constantly biased in the direction of the arrow (X) by a tension spring (31) stretched between the carrier frame (21) and the carrier frame (21).
It stops at the position where it comes into contact with.

In addition, bottle insertion holes (35) and (36) are formed in the two front and rear boss portions (33) and (34) provided on the carrier saddle αΦ, respectively, with their axes aligned. Insert the positioning bin (37) into each of the bin insertion holes (35) and (36) facing each other from the outside.
, (38) are slidably inserted into each bottle (38).
The inner ends of the positioning bins (37), (38) are in contact with the front and rear surfaces of the lever (39) hanging downward from the carrier frame (21), and the positioning bins (37), (38)
38) is a spring force adjustment nut (40) screwed onto the tip;
Compression springs (42), (43) are compressed between (41) and the facing surfaces of the boss portions (33), (34).
), the carrier frame (21) and disk carrier (24) are normally resiliently held in a horizontal position.

In the figure, (44) indicates that an abnormal external force in the direction of the arrow (X) acts on the disc carrier (24), and the carrier lofts (23), (23)' are moved by the tension springs (31).
), the limit switches (45) and (46) detect this and stop the movement of the carrier saddle α when the moving arm QSI moves in the same direction. Then, an abnormal external force in the vertical direction acts on the disc carrier (24), causing the disc carrier (24) to
1) rotates in the direction of the arrow (Y) or (Y)', the positioning pin (37) or (38) is pushed by the lever (39), and an external force is applied against the compression springs (42) and (43). This is a limit switch that detects when the movable arm α→ moves to and stops the vertical movement of the movable arm α→ in an emergency.

The storage means (A), the play means (B), and the disc exchange means (C) may be arranged, for example, by an opening/closing door (47) having a transparent glass window on the front as shown in FIG.
A rack (1) with 100 shelves (3) each on both left and right sides is fixed inside a vertically elongated case body (48) with a (
51, (5)... are arranged in a stacked state, and
By arranging the guide rail Oa that guides the movable arm αω in the vertical direction in front of the rack (1) on the left side, the disk carrier (24) supported at the free end of the movable arm 09 so as to be able to rotate and move forward and backward. It is constructed so that the disk (D) can be efficiently taken in and out of either the left or right rack (1) with small movements.

The disc autochanger device of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, and its operation will be explained step by step.

First, when you enter a search symbol for the desired information content on the operation panel of the terminal, the microcomputer receives this command and instructs the position of the corresponding shelf board (3) of rack +11, so the movable arm a It moves either up or down and stops at a predetermined shelf position, and actuator 06
) rotates the carrier table αη, causing the disk carrier (24) to pivot in the direction of a predetermined rack fl), and at the same time, the carrier saddle 09) moves along the rails (18) and (18)′ on the carrier table 0η. Rack (1
), the support arms (25), (25)' of the disc carrier (24) move forward in the direction of the target disc (
D).

Next, the movable arm 09 rises slightly, and the claw member (26) of the disc carrier (24) supports the disc (D) so that the peripheral edge of the disc (D) is scraped from below. Thus, when the disc (D) is held in the disc carrier (24), the carrier saddle <19+ is moved back and the disc (D) is held by the disc carrier (24).
) forward through the gap between the shelf boards (3), and the rotation of the actuator α and the vertical movement of the swing arm 09 move the disc carrier (24) to the empty deck (5).
), the disk (D) is placed on the upper surface of the positioning boss (2) by a slight downward movement of the moving arm 0ω, or by the lifting of the lift arm 0φ of the transfer mechanism (7), and then Evacuate to a position where it will not occur. Therefore, when the lift arm αφ is lowered by the actuator (8) and the disc (D) is placed on the tray (6), the deck (5) is started and the tray (5) is placed on the tray (6). 6
) is pulled in and recording or playback begins.

Of course, while one of the decks (5) is recording or reproducing, the disk exchange means (C) is operated to carry out the operation (random access) of loading and unloading the disks (D) to the other deck (5). You can also do that.

Furthermore, the disk (D) that has finished recording or playing on the deck (5) is returned to the original shelf board (3) in the exact reverse order of the loading operation.
will be returned to.

In addition, during the above-mentioned disk loading/unloading operation, due to a malfunction or operational error in the position detector of the disk carrier (24), the disk carrier (24) may run out of control in an unexpected direction and collide with the shelf board (3), etc. For example, when the carrier saddle aCJ moves forward, the disc carrier (24) may be damaged due to the height difference between the carrier saddle aCJ and the shelf board (3).
) collides with the shelf board (3) and receives a force from the front, when the carrier rods (23), (23)' retreat against the tension spring (31), the limit switch (44) ) detects an abnormality and stops the forward movement of the carrier saddle. Furthermore, a disk carrier (24)
is inserted into the gap between shelf boards (3), and the moving arm 0
When stress is applied to the disk carrier (24) in the direction of the arrow (Y) or (Y)' due to excessive rise or fall, the carrier frame (21) will tilt together with the disk carrier (24). and the positioning pin (
37) or (38) is pushed by the lever (39) against the compression springs (42) and (43), so when the limit switches (45) and (46) are activated, the moving arm Q51 stops.

In addition, since the actuator αe is designed to operate only when the carrier saddle R1 is in the retracted position far from the rack (1) and the deck (5), the disc carrier (24) is placed on the shelf α. The carrier table α does not swing in the inserted state, so it can be considered that the disk carrier (24) will not receive any abnormal external force from the side.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the explanation was mainly given to the case where optical discs are handled, but since the disc autochanger device of the present invention adopts a method in which the peripheral edge of the disc is supported from the bottom surface, scratches in the sound groove may become a problem. It can also be applied to automatic playback of discs.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the disc autochanger device of the present invention, the disc storage means is constituted by a rack consisting of a plurality of horizontal shelf boards each storing one disc, and
The playing means is constituted by a deck provided facing the storage means, and the disc changing means is capable of picking up a target disc from its underside with a disc carrier and transporting it in a three-dimensional manner while maintaining a horizontal state. Because of this structure, no large external force other than its own weight is applied to the discs when loading or unloading the discs from the rack, when transporting the discs, or when loading and unloading the discs onto the deck, preventing distortion or damage to the discs. It is highly effective in preventing accidents from occurring. Moreover, according to the present invention, high positioning accuracy of the disk exchange means is not required when taking disks into and out of the rack and loading them onto the deck, so together with the simplicity of the structure of the disk carrier, it is possible to reduce the cost of the device. In addition to this, it can also be expected to have the effect of preventing disk distortion and damage due to poor positioning.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a disc autochanger device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of the same device, Fig. 3 is a front view of a concrete example of the entire device of the present invention in an open state, and Fig. 4 is a conventional one. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a carrier used in the autochanger device. (11...Rack, (3)...Horizontal shelf board, (5)...Deck, (24)...
... Disk carrier, (26) ... Claw member,
(27)...Stepped portion, (28)...Guide surface, (A)...Disc storage means, (B)...
...Playing means, (C)...Disc exchange means, (D)...
··disk. Patent applicant Showa Seiki Kogyo Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Yasushi Miyamoto - Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Consists of a disc storage means, a play means, a disc exchange means, and a control means for controlling the operation of the disc exchange means, and the disc storage means stores one disc each. A rack consisting of multiple horizontal shelves,
The play means is fixedly provided facing the storage means,
The deck is a deck for recording or reproducing required information on a loaded disc, and the disc changing means is located between the disc storage means and the plate means, and picks up a target disc with a disc carrier and maintains it in a horizontal state. A disc autochanger device characterized in that it is a means capable of three-dimensionally transferring discs. 2. The disk exchanging means has a plurality of claw members that support the circumferential edge of the disk from the lower surface on the upper surface of the disk carrier and have a stepped portion facing the outer circumferential surface, and a disk holding center on the upper surface of the claw members. The disc autochanger device according to claim 1, wherein the disc autochanger device has a guide surface that slopes downward. 3. The disc autochanger device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the playing means is comprised of a plurality of decks.