WO2011040236A1

WO2011040236A1 - Cartridge conveying device, library device, and library system

Info

Publication number: WO2011040236A1
Application number: PCT/JP2010/065857
Authority: WO
Inventors: 利光川崎; 哲和田
Original assignee: Ｎｅｃパーソナルプロダクツ株式会社
Priority date: 2009-09-29
Filing date: 2010-09-14
Publication date: 2011-04-07
Also published as: JP2011076653A; JP5710871B2

Abstract

The objective is to achieve a high degree of freedom for expansion such that, even when a single library device is used, unnecessary dead space is not produced, and further, even when another library device is added, a cartridge stored in one library device can be automatically moved to the other library device. To this end, a conveying means for conveying a cartridge from one library device to another library device is provided in at least one space from which adjacent drives have been removed, in each of the two adjacent library devices.

Description

Cartridge transport device, library device, and library system

The present invention stores a plurality of cartridges for storing recording media such as a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a magneto-optical disk, selectively takes out a desired cartridge from these cartridges, and stores the cartridge in the cartridge by an internal drive. The present invention relates to a cartridge transport device, a library device, and a library system that are used in a library device that reads / writes data to / from a recording medium.

Generally, in a library apparatus, cartridges that store recording media are stored in a plurality of cells that are storage areas provided in magazines (cartridge storage shelves) in the library apparatus. When reading / writing data from / to any of the cartridges stored in the magazine in the library apparatus, the desired cartridge is selectively taken out and moved to a drive in the library apparatus. To read / write data.

For this reason, even when a plurality of library devices are used, the cartridges in each library device are moved to the drives in the library device in which the cartridges are stored, so that data is read / written. It becomes.

Further, when a cartridge stored in one library apparatus is moved to another library apparatus, it is necessary to manually pull out a desired cartridge from one library apparatus and store it again in another library apparatus.

Further, as a library system by the present applicant, there is one in which a cartridge is moved back and forth between a plurality of library devices by arranging a pass-through port mechanism between two library devices stacked one above the other (for example, patents). Reference 1).

The library device has a structure in which a hole is formed in the center of the library device, a pedestal for moving the device between the two library devices is stored in a storage area in the magazine, and a moving mechanism for moving the cartridge is provided in the library. In addition to the movement of the cartridge in the apparatus, there is a mechanism in which the cartridge is moved between two library apparatuses by providing a mechanism for moving the pedestal for movement between apparatuses to another library apparatus (for example, non Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-127628 A

However, in the above-described general library apparatus, when a cartridge stored in one library apparatus is moved to another library apparatus, since the cartridge is manually removed and stored again, it takes time and effort. I was sorry. Furthermore, since it is necessary to stop the operation of the library apparatus during such time for removal and storage, there is a problem that the operating rate of the library apparatus decreases.

Even when a plurality of library devices are used to store a large number of cartridges, the cartridges in each library device are read / written by the drive in the library device in which the cartridges are stored. Even if the drive is free in another library device, the free drive cannot be used. For this reason, there is a possibility that the operating rate of the entire library system may be lowered.

Further, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when a plurality of library devices are used and a cartridge stored in one library device can be automatically moved to another library device, the libraries stacked one above the other. Since it is necessary to arrange the pass-through port mechanism between the devices, an extra space is required between the library devices stacked one above the other.

Further, in the above-mentioned Non-Patent Document 1, a cartridge is moved between two library devices in a use state in which a plurality of library devices are vertically stacked, and one library device is used alone. In this case, a pedestal for moving between apparatuses and a moving mechanism for moving cartridges are dead spaces that do not require a mechanism for moving the pedestal to another library apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and even if one library device is used alone, there is no unnecessary dead space, and even when a library device is further added, one library device is not provided. A cartridge transport device, a library device, and a library system capable of automatically moving a cartridge stored in a library device to another library device in a space-saving manner and constituting a system with a high degree of freedom of expansion. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve such an object, a cartridge transport device according to the present invention includes two adjacent library devices with respect to a plurality of library devices in which a plurality of drives for reading and writing a recording medium in the cartridge are detachably provided. And a transport unit that transports the cartridge from one library device to the other library device in the two adjacent library devices. It is characterized by that.

Further, the library apparatus according to the present invention is a library apparatus configured to be detachable from a plurality of drives for reading and writing a recording medium in a cartridge, and the drives can be mounted in a stackable manner. A passage hole through which the cartridge can pass is formed above and / or below in the stacking direction of the position where the drive is disposed.

Further, the library system according to the present invention is provided by laminating a plurality of the library devices according to the present invention described above, and the cartridge transport device according to the present invention described above is disposed at each connection portion between the library devices. It is characterized by that.

As described above, according to the present invention, there is no unnecessary dead space even when a single library device is used alone, and even when a library device is added, it is stored in one library device. It is possible to realize a system with a high degree of freedom of expansion by automatically saving the cartridge to be moved to another library device in a space-saving manner.

It is a perspective view which shows the drive slot empty state of the library apparatus as embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the drive was mounted in all the drive slots of this library apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the state which mounted only the PTP module 3 in the drive slot of this library apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the state which mounted the PTP module 3 and the drive in the drive slot of this library apparatus. It is a figure which shows the longitudinal cross-section of this library apparatus roughly. It is a perspective view which shows the state from which the housing | casing of this library apparatus was removed. It is a figure which shows roughly the internal structure of the planar direction of this library apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cartridge transport operation 1 in the PTP module 3. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cartridge transport operation 2 in the PTP module 3. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cartridge transport operation 3 in the PTP module 3. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cartridge transport operation 4 in the PTP module 3. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a mechanism portion of a PTP module 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of a feed mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of a feed mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of a feed mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of an UP / DOWN mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of an UP / DOWN mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of an UP / DOWN mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of an UP / DOWN mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG. 2 is a perspective view mainly showing a configuration of an UP / DOWN mechanism of a PTP module 3. FIG.

Next, an embodiment to which the cartridge transport device, the library device, and the library system according to the present invention are applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, an outline of the present embodiment will be described.
The library apparatus according to the present embodiment can store a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges (hereinafter referred to as cartridges) for storing magnetic tapes in a removable cartridge storage shelf (hereinafter referred to as magazine), and a magnetic tape drive (hereinafter referred to as drive) can be attached and detached. It is possible. An accessor mechanism for moving the cartridge between the magazine and the drive is also provided.
In addition, a cartridge can be moved to and from the library device adjacent to the upper side, and a PTP (pass-through port) module that operates as one large library device can be installed in the drive slot in which the drive is installed. is doing.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when a plurality of library devices are used one above the other, the PTP module that is the inter-chassis cartridge moving means can be mounted in the drive mounting space. For this reason, it is possible to operate a plurality of connected library devices like one large library device at a low price.

Next, the configuration of the present embodiment will be described.
FIGS. 1 to 4 show an example of a state in which two library apparatuses 100 of the present embodiment are stacked and attached to a vertically-arranged rack 800. FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which nothing is installed in the drive slot of the library apparatus 100 of the present embodiment and is empty. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 1 of the library apparatus 100 is provided with a passage hole 11 for allowing the cartridge to pass above and below the drive slot (device housing, drive stacking direction).

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the drives 2 are mounted in all the drive slots of the library apparatus 100. In this state, the cartridge cannot be moved between the two library devices, and the cartridge is read / written by the drive 2 in the stored library device.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the PTP module 3 is mounted in the drive slot of the library apparatus 100 and the drive 2 is not mounted.
In this way, the PTP module 3 is mounted with one drive 2 in each of the two library apparatuses 100, that is, in a space equivalent to two drives 2.

Various types of drives such as a half-height drive and a full-height drive having a height of about 2.5 inches can be used as the drive, but in the examples of FIGS. 1 to 4, all are half-height drives. Show the case. When a full height drive is used, it is twice as high as a half height drive, so that a mounting space equivalent to two half height drives is required.

3 and 4 show a state in which the exterior plate is attached after the mechanism portion of the PTP module is mounted on the library apparatus 100. This exterior plate prevents the mechanical part of the PTP module from being seen from the outside and prevents unnecessary contact by the user. The mechanical part of the PTP module is connected to the library apparatus 100 by a connection cable (not shown) inside the exterior plate shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that power supply and operation control can be performed.

FIG. 4 shows a state where the drive 2 is mounted in the empty space of the drive slot in the state of FIG.

FIG. 5A shows a state in which the drives 2 are mounted in all the drive slots of the library apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. 5B shows a state in which the PTP module 3 is mounted at the connection portion of the two library devices 100 provided in a stacked manner, and the drive 2 is mounted in the other drive slot.
5A and 5B, the outline of a longitudinal section is shown by taking as an example a case where the library apparatus 100 has a configuration in which four half-height drives can be mounted.

As described above, the library apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes a drive slot in which a drive and the PTP module 3 can be attached and detached. For this reason, when two library apparatuses 100 are used independently, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5A, the drive 2 can be mounted in all the drive slots.

With this configuration, both of the two library devices 100 can function as base units, and any dead space can be prevented from being generated in either case.
In addition, a configuration for moving the cartridge between the two library apparatuses is not provided, and a low-cost configuration can be achieved.

On the other hand, in the case where the two library apparatuses 100 can move the cartridges between the apparatuses and operate like one large library apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. The PTP module 3 is mounted in the connection portion of the two library devices in the slot, that is, the space where one adjacent drive in each of the two library devices 100 is removed, and the drive 2 is mounted in the other drive slot It can be configured.

As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to realize the mutual movement of the cartridges between apparatuses with only a space saving by mounting the PTP module 3 in the space for two half height drives in the drive slot.
For this reason, the library device of the expansion unit can be easily and inexpensively expanded to the library device of the base unit.

Next, the configuration of the library apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

6 shows a state in which the housing 1 is removed from the library apparatus 100, the drives 2 are mounted in all the drive slots 102 that are drive mounting spaces, and the magazines 4a and 4b are mounted in the magazine space 103 that is the magazine mounting space. Indicates.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a magazine 4 for storing cartridges and a drive 2 for reading / writing data on a magnetic tape stored in the cartridge are fixed to a chassis 7 and mounted on a library apparatus 100. Is done.
The library apparatus 100 includes an accessor (cartridge moving means) 6 that moves the cartridges between the magazine 4 and the drive 2.

The accessor 6 reciprocates along the accessor travel path 101 and moves in the accessor movement direction X and movement direction Y, thereby extracting the desired cartridge 5 from the magazine 4 and inserting it into the designated drive 2 or from the drive 2. 5 is extracted and inserted into a predetermined position of the magazine 4.

In the configuration example shown in FIG. 6, two cartridges 5 are housed in the front and rear in the insertion / extraction direction of the accessor 6 in the magazine 4 so that each cartridge can be inserted / removed without the need for the accessor 6 to rotate.
For this reason, it is not necessary for the accessor 6 to have a complicated mechanism such as a rotating mechanism, and the accessor 6 can be miniaturized. As a result, the accessor traveling path 101 can also be reduced in space, and the space in the library apparatus 100 can be used more effectively.

The library apparatus 100 also includes a power source 104 that supplies power to each part in the apparatus such as the accessor 6, the drive 2, and the PTP module 3, and a control unit 105 that controls the operation of each part.
The control unit 105 operates in conjunction with control of a control program mounted on a PC (not shown) connected to the library apparatus 100, and controls operation of each part in the apparatus.

Next, the configuration and operation of the PTP module 3 used in the library apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

8 to 11, when the cartridge 5 is inserted by the accessor 6, the PTP module 3 carries the cartridge from the inserted library apparatus to another library apparatus. 8 to 11 show a state in which the cartridge 5 inserted by the accessor 6 of the upper library apparatus 100b is transported to the lower library apparatus 100a.

In this transport operation, first, as shown in FIG. 8, when the cartridge 5 is inserted into the cartridge tray 301 by the accessor 6 in the standby state of the cartridge 5, the PTP module 3 moves to the cartridge tray as shown in FIG. The structure including the cartridge tray 301 and the top plates 305a and 305b is moved in the accessor driving direction in the accessor 6 (operation direction X) until the 301 is moved through the passage hole 11 to the lower library apparatus 100a. Move away from the road 101.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the PTP module 3 moves the cartridge tray 301 vertically downward and moves it through the passage hole 11 into the lower library apparatus 100a which is not the inserted side.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the PTP module 3 inserts the cartridge tray 301 into the insertion / extraction direction (operation direction) by the accessor 6 to a position where the cartridge 5 can be extracted by the accessor 6 of the lower library apparatus 100a as the movement destination. X), move toward the accessor traveling path 101.

Next, the structure of the mechanism part of the PTP module 3 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

The mechanism part of the PTP module 3 is a feed mechanism that moves the other part back and forth in the insertion / extraction direction (operation direction X) by the accessor 6 with respect to the chassis 304, and the other part with respect to the chassis 304 in the inter-device movement direction (operation). UP / DOWN mechanism that moves up and down in the direction Y).

FIG. 12 shows the overall structure of the mechanism portion. FIGS. 13 to 15 mainly show the configuration of the feed mechanism and show a state where the UP / DOWN motor 303 and the like are removed. 16 to 20 mainly show the configuration of the UP / DOWN mechanism and show a state where the feed motor 302 and the like are removed.
FIG. 18 shows the feed motor 302 and the UP / DOWN motor 303 both removed.

In the feed mechanism, the power of the feed motor 302 is transmitted by the feed gear unit 309, and the feed pinion gear 309a and the feed rack gear 308a are engaged with each other, whereby the feed plate 308 to which the top plate 305a is fixed is operated. Moved back and forth to X. At this time, the slider bracket 307 to which the top plate 305b is fixed is also moved back and forth, so that the cartridge tray 301 provided inside thereof is moved back and forth in conjunction.

In the UP / DOWN mechanism, the power of the UP / DOWN motor 303 is transmitted by the UP / DOWN gear unit 311 and the UP / DOWN pinion gear 311b provided at both ends of the drive shaft 311a and the UP / DOWN rack gear. 308b bites. Thus, when the UP / DOWN motor 303 rotates, the feed motor 302 of the above-described feed mechanism is not operating, so the feed plate 308 does not move back and forth in the operation direction X, and the slider bracket 307 is moved to the UP / DOWN motor 303 or the UP / DOWN motor 303. It is moved back and forth in the operation direction X together with the / DOWN gear unit 311. When the slider bracket 307 is moved back and forth in the operation direction X in this manner, the cartridge tray 301 provided on the inner side thereof has an upper and lower groove 315 provided in the feed plate 308 and an oblique groove 314 provided in the slider bracket 307. When the protrusion on the side surface of the cartridge tray 301 is sandwiched between the two, it moves vertically up and down.

For example, when the cartridge tray 301 is moved from the upper library apparatus 100b to the lower library apparatus 100a, as shown in the state of FIG. 9 to the state of FIG. 10, the vertical movement is performed along the upper and lower grooves 315 and the oblique grooves 314. It will be moved downward.
Thereafter, the feed plate 308 and the slider bracket 307 are moved toward the accessor traveling path 101 in the operation direction X by the feed mechanism. As a result, the cartridge tray 301 inside the slider bracket 307 is moved to a position where the cartridge 5 can be removed by the accessor 6 of the lower library apparatus 100a as the movement destination.

The PTP module 3 includes accessor positioning targets 306 so as to correspond to the accessors 6 of the upper library apparatus 100b and the lower library apparatus 100a.

When the control unit 105 of each of the upper and lower library devices 100 is activated with the PTP module 3 mounted, a camera (not shown) provided in the accessor 6 is similar to a known accessor. Each of the upper device and the lower device recognizes the pattern of the accessor positioning target 306 and measures the position (distance) of the cartridge tray 301 in the X / Y direction.
As a result, the accessor 6 recognizes the position where the cartridge 5 is inserted and removed, and the control unit 105 stores it as an initial setting.

Next, a method for mounting the PTP module 3 on the library apparatus 100 will be described.
In the following description, as shown in FIG. 2, from the state where the half-height drive 2 is mounted in the entire drive mounting space, one adjacent drive mounting in each of the two library devices as shown in FIG. A method for mounting the PTP module 3 in the space will be described.

First, the operator removes two drives 2 at the connection portion with the lower device in the drive slot 102 of the upper device, and leaves a space for two half-height drives at the connection portion with the lower device. In other words, for example, if a full-height drive is installed, a space for two half-height drives can be similarly made by removing one full-height drive.

Also, one drive 2 in the connection portion with the upper device in the drive slot 102 of the lower device is removed, and a space equivalent to one half-height drive is made in the connection portion with the upper device.

In the space for two half-height drives in the drive slot 102 of the upper device thus vacated, the operator can see the PTP shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 in the horizontal direction (direction perpendicular to the drive stacking direction) from the rear side of the device. The mechanism part of the module 3 is inserted.

Thereafter, the operator moves the mechanism portion of the PTP module 3 in the vertical direction (drive stacking direction) so that the lower portion of the mechanism portion of the PTP module 3 passes through the passage hole 11. Thus, the mechanism portion of the PTP module 3 is lowered downward so that the chassis 304 of the PTP module 3 comes to the position of the bottom plate of the drive slot 102.

Thus, when the mechanism portion of the PTP module 3 is mounted at the installation position, the worker fixes the chassis 304 of the PTP module 3 to the housing 1 of the library apparatus 100 with a screw hole (not shown).

In addition, the worker connects the mechanical part of the PTP module 3 to the library apparatus 100 by a connection cable (not shown) and the like so as to be electrically connected so that power supply by the power supply 104 and operation control by the control unit 105 can be performed. And an exterior board is attached and the mounting to the library apparatus 100 as the PTP module 3 is completed.

Thereafter, when the drive 2 is mounted in the empty slot of the drive slot 102 of the upper library apparatus 100b, it is mounted in the library apparatus 100 as shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, when one library device used as a base unit is used alone, a dedicated mechanism for moving the cartridge between the devices is not provided. Can do. Therefore, a configuration in which no dead space is generated can be achieved, and the mounting efficiency of the cartridge can be prevented from being lowered. Further, since a mechanism for moving the cartridge between the apparatuses can be omitted, it is possible to prevent an unnecessary increase in cost.

Even when a library device used as an expansion unit is further added to a library device used as a base unit, for example, when the number of cartridges to be stored increases, the library device of the base unit and the library of the expansion unit are also included. The cartridge may be moved relative to the apparatus.

As a result, cartridges stored in one library apparatus can be moved to other library apparatuses in accordance with the drive availability in each library apparatus, and the operating rate of the system can be increased.
As described above, by realizing the movement of the cartridge between apparatuses, a library system including a plurality of library apparatuses to which an expansion unit is added can be operated like one large library apparatus, and the operating rate of the system is increased. Can do.

In addition, when an extension unit library device is added as described above, according to the present embodiment, the PTP module 3 can be installed between the devices by simply mounting the PTP module 3 in the space for two half-height drives in the drive slot. The mutual movement of the cartridge can be realized.
Thus, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated mechanism for realizing the movement of the cartridge between the devices, for example, in the accessor, for example, so that the library device of the expansion unit can be saved in space and without substantially reducing the cartridge mounting efficiency. Can be added.

In this way, the extension unit library device can be easily and inexpensively expanded to the base unit library device. For this reason, the degree of freedom of expansion is high, such as using the library device of the base unit alone or adding the library device of the expansion unit depending on the user usage status or the number of cartridges to be stored in the library device. Operation becomes possible.

Also, by mounting the PTP module 3 in the drive slot, the mutual movement of the cartridge between the apparatuses is realized, so that the above-described effects can be realized at a low price.

In addition, even when an extension unit library device is added as described above, according to the present embodiment, the base unit library device is fixed to the rack and used without being removed from the rack. Library devices can be added.
That is, since the PTP module 3 can be mounted from the back side to the drive slot 102 provided on the back side of the library apparatus 100, the PTP module 3 is mounted in the state in which the library apparatus of the base unit and the library apparatus of the expansion unit are attached to the rack 800. 3 mounting operations can be performed.

For this reason, even when the library device of the base unit is fixed to the rack and used alone, the expansion unit can be added with simple labor, and operation with a high degree of freedom of expansion becomes possible.

The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, the configuration of the PTP module 3 shown in FIGS. 8 to 12 in the above-described embodiment is an example, and the library apparatus fits in the outer dimension of two half-height drives in the drive slot 102 and passes through the passage hole 11 as described above. As long as the cartridge tray can be moved between the apparatuses in a shape that can be mounted on the device, the configuration is not limited to the above-described configuration, and other configurations may be used.

Thus, the configuration of the PTP module 3 may be, for example, a configuration in which the cartridge tray is moved up and down between the apparatuses, and the accessor 6 inserts and removes the cartridge 5 at the upper end position and the lower end position thereof. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the cartridge tray 301 is moved back and forth by the feed mechanism, then moved to the other apparatus side through the passage hole 11, and the cartridge tray 301 is moved back and forth again by the feed mechanism. For example, the present invention can be similarly realized even when the cartridge mechanism is not provided with a feed mechanism and the cartridge tray merely moves between the apparatuses through the passage hole 11.

In the above-described embodiment, the PTP module 3 has been described as driving the motor by receiving power supply from the power source 104 of the library apparatus 100 and moving the cartridge tray between apparatuses. If it can move, it will not be limited to the structure mentioned above, and the structure where the PTP module 3 is not provided with a power source may be sufficient. For example, the present invention can be similarly realized even when the PTP module 3 is configured to move the cartridge tray between apparatuses by pressing a predetermined protrusion by the accessor 6 or the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the cartridge for storing the recording medium is a magnetic tape cartridge for storing the magnetic tape has been described. However, the recording medium stored in the cartridge is not limited to this, and the drive is compatible. If possible, it may be any recording medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a magneto-optical disk.

In the above-described embodiment, the passage hole 11 is described as being formed above and below the drive slot in the housing 1 of the library apparatus 100 (device housing and drive stacking direction). However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, if two library devices can be stacked, the passage hole 11 may be opened only on the upper side of the library device 100 of the base unit and the lower side of the library device 100 of the expansion unit. Good.

This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-225047 filed on September 29, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Library apparatus 1 Case 11 Passing hole 2 Drive 3 PTP module 4 Magazine 5 Cartridge 6 Accessor 7 Chassis 101 Accessor traveling path 102 Drive slot 103 Magazine space 104 Power supply 105 Control part 301 Cartridge tray 302 Feed motor 303 UP / DOWN motor 304 Chassis 305a, 305b Top plate 306 Accessor positioning target 307 Slider bracket 308 Feed plate 308a Feed rack gear 308b UP / DOWN rack gear 309 Feed gear unit 309a Feed pinion gear 310 Guide plate 311 UP / DOWN gear unit 311a Drive Shaft 311b UP / D Pinion gear for WN

Claims

With respect to a plurality of library devices in which a plurality of drives for reading and writing the recording medium in the cartridge are detachably provided, at least one adjacent drive in each of the two adjacent library devices is disposed in a space removed. Used,
A cartridge transport device comprising transport means for transporting the cartridge from one library device to another library device in the two adjacent library devices.
The library device has a through hole for allowing the cartridge to pass between the other library device,
2. The cartridge transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport means is configured to move the cartridge from one library apparatus to another library apparatus through the passage hole.
The plurality of library devices are stacked and arranged,
2. The cartridge transport device according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge transport device is formed in an outer shape that fits in a storage space for the drive in the library device, and is configured to be detachable from the library device in a state where the plurality of library devices are stacked. 3. The cartridge conveying device according to 2.
The drive part is moved in the stacking direction of the two adjacent library devices from the state where it is accommodated in the removed space, and at least part of the connection hole passes through the passage hole, thereby connecting the two adjacent library devices. The cartridge conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the cartridge conveying device is configured to be attached to the cartridge.
The library apparatus includes a magazine that accommodates cartridges;
Cartridge moving means for moving the cartridge between the magazine and the drive,
The transport means is configured to transport the cartridge from a position where it can be inserted and removed by the cartridge moving means of one library apparatus to a position where it can be inserted and removed by the cartridge moving means of another library apparatus. The cartridge conveyance device according to any one of claims 2 to 4.
When the cartridge is inserted into a position where it can be inserted and removed by the cartridge moving means of one library apparatus, the transport means moves the cartridge in the cartridge insertion / extraction direction by the cartridge moving means and then passes through the passage hole. 6. The cartridge transport according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge is transported to another library apparatus and transported to a position where the cartridge can be inserted and removed by the cartridge moving means of the other library apparatus. apparatus.
A library apparatus configured to be detachable from a plurality of drives for reading and writing a recording medium in a cartridge,
The drive can be mounted in a stackable manner,
A library apparatus, wherein a passage hole through which the cartridge can pass is formed above and / or below in a stacking direction of a position where the drive is disposed.
A plurality of library devices according to claim 7 are provided in a stacked manner,
The library system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cartridge transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is disposed in each connection portion between the library devices.