JPS61175962A - Side loading mechanism of cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To insert and remove a cartridge to and from a recording and reproducing part to and from the longitudinal direction, by providing a transfer means for transferring a holder in the direction X between an inserting position and a tape running position, and a driving means of the direction Y for guiding and detaching the cartridge to a reference position of the direction Y in the holder. CONSTITUTION:A holder 80 moves in the direction X (running position direction) as guide rollers 71a-71d move along guide holes 70a, 70b by a driving engaging part 83 connected to a driving wire 74. Together with this movement,a setting lever 84 also turns in accordance with an inclined guide BS', and a cartridge 3 is pressed against engaging parts 80a, 80b provided on a reference position, and set to the reference position. In a stage that the holder 80 has been transferred to a running position in the direction X, the setting lever 84 presses the cartridge 3 against the reference position, and the end part of the cartridge 3 is abutted on the reference position use engaging parts 80a, 80b. Accordingly, the cartridge 3 is transferred in the direction X and also driven in the direction Y, and loaded to a reference position RS being a running position in the direction X and a running position in the direction Y.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to the loading/unloading (attachment/removal) of a magnetic tape cartridge to a recording/reproducing unit.
The present invention relates to a loading mechanism for inserting and ejecting a cartridge in the longitudinal direction, and particularly to a side loading mechanism for longitudinally inserting and ejecting a cartridge.

2. Description of the Related Art Magnetic tape cartridges, in which magnetic tape is housed, are widely used for recording and recording, and are also being used for external storage for information processing. In such a large-capacity storage device for external storage, a storage shelf is provided to store a large number of magnetic tape cards (IJ Tsuji).
Store magnetic tape cartridges in this storage shelf.
Remove the magnetic tape cartridge that requires a mechanical hand from the storage shelf, and read/read the magnetic tape cartridge.
An automated warehouse constructed by Hinoki that is carried and set in a write (recording/playback) station, read/write the magnetic tape cartridge, and after reading/writing, is taken out from the read/write station and stored in a storage shelf. It is made up of.

Conventionally, special cylindrical magnetic tape cartridges have been used for such magnetic tape cartridges, or in recent years, proposals have been made to lower the cost by using flat rectangular magnetic tape cartridges, which are used for video tapes. ing.

[Conventional technology]

To record/reproduce data on such a magnetic tape cartridge, it is necessary to load the cartridge on a read/write station.

For this reason, a front loading method as shown in FIG. 10 has been conventionally used. Cartridge 3 for device 6
was loaded into the device i6 by inserting the lid 30 for protecting the internal magnetic tape in the transverse direction A at the front. After loading, the lid 30 is opened and the internal magnetic tape 31 is pulled out by moving the pull-out rollers 60 and 61 along the guides 62 and 63.
It is brought into contact with a rotating magnetic head (not shown) to perform recording or reproduction.

In such a front-loading system, the cartridge 3 is somehow confused by the reference surface R8, so an upper loading stand is preferable.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned automatic storage type device, etc., the moving distance of the accessors IA and IB (described later) that stores and takes the cartridge 3 in the longitudinal direction is shortened, so the hand that stores and takes the cartridge 3 in the longitudinal direction is shortened. There is a request that the user 2 wants to grip and handle the cartridge 3. Cartridge 3 like this
In order to load the cartridge into a front-loading type, it is necessary to provide a rotation mechanism in the hand 2, rotate the cartridge 3 that has been gripped in the longitudinal direction, and then grip it again in the width direction, which makes the configuration extremely complicated. There is a problem again. Furthermore, even in the case of manual loading, a problem arises in that the width of the recording/reproducing section becomes wider.

[Means for solving problems]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a side loading mechanism for inserting and removing a cartridge from the longitudinal direction into a recording/reproducing section.

For this reason, the present invention provides a cartridge side loading mechanism for loading a cartridge inserted in the longitudinal direction to a tape running position 1t, which includes a holder for accommodating the inserted cartridge, and a holder for moving the holder between the insertion position and the tape running position. The cartridge is characterized by having a transport means for transporting the cartridge between positions in the X direction, and a Y direction driving means for guiding and removing the cartridge to a reference position in the Y direction within the holder.

[For production]

In the present invention, the inserted cartridge is housed in the holder, the holder is transported to the tape running position by the transporting means, and a driving means is provided for guiding and removing the cartridge to a reference position in the holder, so that the cartridge is not moved at the tape running position. This allows it to be set at the reference position, making side loading possible.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of an example of a device in which the side loading mechanism of the present invention is used, and shows a mass storage device.

In the figure, LCF and RCF are a left control frame and a right control frame, respectively, which are provided at both ends of the device and are provided with a main control circuit, an accessor drive circuit, etc., and DEF.

SEF and TEF each have a honeycomb frame, and magnetic tape cartridges (hereinafter referred to as cartridges) are mounted on both walls.
A storage shelf 4 for accommodating 3 in the longitudinal direction is provided, and guide rails RLU and RLL of an accessor, which will be described later, are provided at the upper and lower portions. The honeycomb frame TEF is provided with a side loading mechanism according to the present invention, including a read/write station (playback/recording section) for reading/writing the cartridge 3 and an entry for loading a new cartridge 3 from the outside. A station 5A and an exit station 5B for discharging unnecessary cartridges to the outside are provided. IA and IB are a left accessor and a right accessor, respectively, and a left control frame LCF is attached to the control frame that drives the hand 2 in the vertical direction (Y direction) and in the rotational direction (two directions) to access the storage shelves 4 on both sides.
The light control frame RCF is used as the home position and moves within the three honeycomb frames DgF, SEP, and TEF along the 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 connects the rails RLU, R
Move the hand 2 in the X direction along LL, and further drive the hand 2 in the Y (up and down) direction to position the hand 2 at the desired position of the cartridge 3 on the storage shelf 4, and at that position, the hand 2
is driven to take out and grip the cartridge 3, then the accessors IA and IB move to the read/write station and convey the cartridge 3, and the hand 2 is driven to set the cartridge 3 in the read/write station bellowsing. 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. The same applies when transporting the cartridge 3 from the entry station 5A to the storage shelf 4 and from the storage shelf 4 to the exit station 5B. Therefore, in a large-capacity storage device, the accessors IA and 1B take out a desired cartridge 3 stored in the storage shelf 4 in the honeycomb frame DgF, TEF, and SEP using the hand 2 and read/write it.
Cartridge 3 is transported to the write station, set, and read/written to the cartridge 3. After reading/writing, the cartridge 3 is taken out from the read/write station using hand 2, and transported using accessors IA and IB. It operates to store and return to the original storage shelf 4.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an embodiment of a side loading mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof, and FIG. 4 is a top view and a side view thereof.

In the figure, 7 is a transfer means, 70 is its base frame, and guide holes 70α are provided on both sides. (1, 71 is an X motor, which is provided on the base frame 70 and transports a holder, which will be described later, in the X direction, 72 is a drive pulley, and the X motor 71 is
73 is a slave pulley, which is installed on the base frame 70 and has a drive wire 74 stretched between it and the drive pulley 72; 75 is a two-motor pulley, which is installed on the base frame 70; The gears 76α and 76b that drive the base frame in the vertical (Z) direction are pinion gears, respectively, and are provided on the shaft 76d.
A device that rotates by the rotation of a drive gear 76C provided at the right end of a shaft 76d that engages with a worm gear 75cL and engages with a rack to be described later to move the base frame 70 up and down. 7tL, 776 is a support metal fitting,
Those provided on the base frame 70 and supporting the shaft 76d, 78α, 786 are racks, and those provided on the outer plate BS and engaged with the pinion gears 76G, 764, 79
A reset lever is rotatably provided on the base frame 70 and engages with a reset guide of a holder, which will be described later, to drive the cartridge in a direction away from the reference position. 5 (SO) is a cartridge holder (hereinafter referred to as "H") that accommodates the cartridge 3, and is provided with engaging parts 80α and 80b for setting the reference position, and 81α, 81A, 81C, and 81d are guide rollers. is provided in the upper part of the holder 80, and the guide hole 70α
, 706, 82 is a reset guide, which is provided at the upper part of the holder 80 to protrude from the guide hole 70α, and drives the reset lever 79; 83
is a drive holding part, which is provided on the upper part of the holder 80,
The drive wire 74 stretched between the pair of boos IJ 72 and 73 is connected to the pin g3iz, and 84 is a setting lever, which is rotatably provided on the upper part of the holder 80 and is connected to the inclined guide BS of the side plate BS. (shown by the dotted line below the shaft 76d in Fig. g4) to guide and drive the cartridge 3 in the holder 80 toward the reference position. Therefore,
The holder 80 has an engaging portion 80a which is a reference position in the Y direction,
80A and guide rollers 81α to 81
Guide holes 70α, 70 of the base frame 70 by d
The drive wire 7 is supported by the base frame 70 so as to be movable in the X direction along the direction b, and is stretched between the drive pulley 73 and the slave pulley 73 by the rotation of the drive pulley 72 caused by the rotation of the X motor 71.
4 is driven, and the holder 80 moves in the above-mentioned X direction via the driving engagement part 83 connected to the driving wire 74.

Furthermore, the base frame 70 is rotated by the rack 78 due to the rotation of the pinion gears 76α and 76A caused by the rotation of the two motors 75.
Up and down (Z
) direction. On the other hand, the setting lever 84 of the holder 80 rotates according to the inclined guide nl provided on the side plate BS, drives the cartridge 3 in the holder 80 in the reference position direction (+Y direction), and the reset lever 79 of the base frame 70 engages with the reset guide 82 of the holder 80 and drives the cartridge 3 in the holder 80 in the direction (-Y direction) away from the reference position.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configurations shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 will be explained using the operation explanatory diagrams shown in FIGS. 5 to 9.

■ As shown in Fig. 5, the holder 80 is inserted and removed at the following positions:
In this state, the hand 2 inserts the cartridge 3 into the holder 80 in the longitudinal direction.

(2) Next, as the X motor 71 rotates, the drive boob 972 rotates via the gear mechanism 71cL, thereby driving the drive wire 74 stretched between it and the slave pulley 73. Therefore, the holder 80 is connected to the guide roller 71 by the drive retaining part 83 connected to the drive wire 74.
As α to 71d move along the guide holes 70α and 701j, they move in the X direction (traveling position direction). Along with this movement, the setting lever 84 that engages with the inclined guide Bd number ζ of the side plate BS also rotates according to the inclined guide nl, and the cartridge 3 in the holder 80 is moved to the engaging portion 80α provided at the reference position in the holder. , pressed toward 80b,
The cartridge 3 is set in the holder 80 at the reference position. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the holder 80 has been transferred to the traveling position in the position retaining part 80α,
It is in contact with 80k. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the cartridge 3 is driven in the Y direction while being transferred in the X direction, and is loaded into the reference position R8, which is the traveling position in the X direction and the traveling position in the Y direction.

(2) Next, as shown in FIG. 7(B), the X motor 75 rotates, the worm gear 75α rotates the drive gear 76C, and the shaft 76d rotates. This allows rack 78
The pinion gears 76α, 76b that engage with the pinion gears 76α, 78b rotate, the base frame 70 descends along a linear guide (not shown), and the holder 80, that is, the cartridge 3 reaches the tape running position in two directions. This allows x, y, z
After completing the positioning to the traveling position in the direction, the lid 30 of the cartridge 3 is opened as before, and the pull-out rollers 60° and 61 are moved.
The magnetic tape 31 is pulled out, and the recording/reproducing operation is started.

■ After the recording/playback is completed, the lid 30 of the cartridge 3 is closed, and the second motor 75 is rotated in the reverse direction as in step ■.
Return to the state shown in the figure.

(2) Next, the X motor 71 is reversely rotated in the same manner as in step (2), and the holder 80 is returned from the X direction traveling position to the insertion/removal position. At this time, when the reset guide 82 provided on the holder 80
is engaged with the tip of the reset lever 79, and rotates the reset lever 79 as shown in FIG.
The pusher is driven in the direction of removing the cartridge 3 from the reference position. At this time, since the aforementioned setting lever 84 is located in the inclined recess of the inclined guide BS', no force is generated when the cartridge 3 is pushed toward the reference position, and the cartridge 3 is moved from the reference position in the holder 80. Move away and move to a position where it can be taken out.

Incidentally, the cartridge 3 is then placed in the holder 8 by the hand 2.
Extracted from 0.

In this way, the cartridge 3 inserted into the holder 80 by the hand 2 is transferred in the X direction by the When unloading, after rising from the running position in two directions, the X motor 71 transports it to the take-out position, and the reset guide 82 moves away from the reference position in the Y direction.
It is driven by the reset lever 79 and returns to the take-out position. Therefore, drive in the X direction is possible without requiring a drive source for driving the cartridge in the Y direction (reference position direction).

In the above embodiment, the holder 80 is moved up and down in two directions, but when movement in two directions is not required for transfer to the traveling position, there is no need for up and down movement in two directions, and the mechanism for this is omitted. In addition, a plunger magnet or the like may be provided separately for driving in the Y direction. Furthermore, although the explanation has been given using an example of using a large capacity storage device, the present invention may also be applied to a well-known device such as an ordinary video deck.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment, the present invention can be modified in various ways according to the spirit 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, in a cartridge side loading mechanism for loading a cartridge tape inserted in the longitudinal direction into a running position, a holder for accommodating the inserted cartridge;
Place the holder in the insertion position.

The cartridge is characterized by having a transport means for transporting the tape in the X direction between the tape running positions, and a Y direction drive means for guiding and removing the cartridge to a reference position in the Y direction within the holder. The inserted cartridge can be accurately set at the traveling position in the X direction and the reference position in the Y direction, which has the effect of realizing side loading, and even when side loading, it can be accurately set in the recording/playback sub. . Further, since the structure uses a holder, it is simple, and not only can it be realized inexpensively and easily, but also operates reliably and has the effect of preventing setting errors and providing stability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example of a device to which the present invention is applied, and FIG.
Figure 4 is a top view and side view of the embodiment configuration shown in Figure 1. Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are explanations of the operating state of the configuration shown in Figure 1. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional loading state. In the figure, 3... Cartridge, 7... Transfer means, 8...
...Holder, 84...Lever for setting (driving means),
79...Reset lever (driving means). Patent Applicant Fujitsu Limited (1 other person) Agent Patent Attorney Akira Sakae Yamatani Figure 4 (A) Figure 5 70o 71 B! a Fig. 6 8θa8/a 70a 778281b 80b (A) 8θaEIIa 77 θ23Blb8θb8° Fig. 8 3θ 3 Fig. 10 S (B)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A cartridge side-loading mechanism for loading a longitudinally inserted cartridge into a tape running position, which includes a holder for accommodating the inserted cartridge and transporting the holder in the X direction between the insertion position and the tape running position. 1. A side loading mechanism for a cartridge, comprising: a transport means for transporting the cartridge; and a Y-direction driving means for guiding and removing the cartridge to a reference position in the Y-direction within the holder.