JP3164221B2 - Cassette autochanger device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cassette autochanger device in which a plurality of cassettes containing recording / reproducing media are stored in a magazine, and a desired one of the cassettes is exchanged with a cassette holder in a cassette playing section. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many tens to hundreds of cassettes containing a recording / reproducing medium (a large number of cassettes) are housed, and a desired cassette is selected from the cassettes to automatically perform recording and / or reproduction. Loadable autochanger devices are widely used in the business field. The cassette used here includes, for example, a recording / reproducing medium having a built-in magnetic tape or a disk having a built-in disk. Cassettes with built-in magnetic tape are used in multi-load video tape recorders, multi-load (digital) audio tape recorders, and the like, while cassettes with disks are multi-load audio, video, and information equipment. It has been adopted in various fields.

[0003] In recent years, this type of autochanger apparatus has been extended to the field of home use. In this case, the amount of cassettes stored in a magazine is not so large as compared with that for business use. The autochanger device is housed in the order of books (sheets), and is reduced in size and weight and provided to the user at low cost.

In this type of autochanger apparatus, cassettes are selectively transferred between a magazine containing a plurality of cassettes and a cassette holder (also referred to as a tray) in a cassette playing section, and thereafter recording and / or recording is performed. Reproduction is generally performed.

As an example of this, an automatic changer of a video tape recorder used for home use is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-21 / 1988.
No. 1155. Here, a brief description will be given with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5, an auto changer 100 of a video tape recorder has a cassette insertion opening 101a opened above a frame 101 and, for example, three cassettes are placed on a cassette receiver 103 arranged below a cassette storage section 102. 104 (104A to 104C) are stacked. Then, the cassette receiver 103 is moved up and down by the vertical drive mechanism 105.
By moving the cassette up and down, the desired cassette 10
4 corresponds to the position of the cassette insert mechanism 106, and then the cassette 10
4 is moved rightward in the figure, and the cassette 104 is mounted on the cassette holder 107.

[0007]

The automatic changer 10 of the conventional video tape recorder shown in FIG.
In the case of 0, a desired cassette 104 can be selected from among a plurality of stored cassettes 104, but when the lowest cassette 104C is selected, for example, the upper cassettes 104A and 104B are positioned above the cassette insertion opening 101a. It pops out and requires a large installation space for the autochanger 100 in the height direction.

Further, there arises another problem that, for example, an object cannot be placed above the frame 101.

Further, although the cassette 104 is stored in a stacked state while being kept horizontal by a guide member (not shown), there is a problem that the operability of the autochanger 100 is remarkably reduced when the cassette 104 is inserted from above. Has occurred.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and a plurality of cassettes containing recording / reproducing media are stored in a magazine, and a desired one of the cassettes is selected to play a cassette. An autochanger device for recording and / or reproducing data by means of a unit, wherein the cassette is detachable from the front side of the device, has a plurality of cassette storage units for storing the inserted cassette, and is rotatably supported on a side surface. Said magazine having a portion and an engaging portion,
A cassette playing unit disposed opposite to the magazine, having a cassette holder for receiving and receiving the desired cassette stored in the cassette storage unit, and having a rotation support unit and an engagement unit on a side surface; A fixed portion rotatably supporting a rotation support portion of the magazine and a rotation support portion of the cassette playing portion; a fixed portion connected to a driving source and slidably supported by the fixed portion; A first guide for engaging the engaging portion and guiding the magazine to rotate, and a second guide for engaging the engaging portion of the cassette playing portion and guiding the cassette playing portion to rotate. When the magazine and the cassette playing unit are rotated in cooperation with the sliding operation of the slide plate,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic cassette changer device, wherein the cassette storage section storing the desired cassette and the cassette holder have a corresponding positional relationship in which cassettes can be selectively transferred.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a cassette autochanger device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire configuration of the cassette autochanger device according to the present invention. FIGS. 2A to 2C are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the autochanger device of the same cassette. FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing a cassette used in the automatic changer device of the cassette.

The technical idea of the cassette autochanger device 1 according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is that a magazine 5 containing a plurality of cassettes 2 and a cassette playing section 25 for recording and / or reproducing the cassettes 2 are fixed. Side plate 1 to be
2 and 13 so as to be rotatable, and slide plates 14 and 15
The magazine 5 and the cassette playing section 25 rotate in the same direction about the rotation supporting sections 6 and 27 in cooperation with the sliding of the cassette player. At this time, the selected desired cassette 2 in the magazine 5 is played by the cassette. It is configured to be able to exchange information with a cassette holder 29 in the section 25.

Before describing the cassette autochanger device 1 according to the present invention, the cassette 2 used here will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. FIG.

The cassette 2 (2A) shown in FIG. 3 has a magnetic tape 3 built therein.
The cassette playing section 25 (FIG. 1) employing A is configured to record and / or reproduce the magnetic tape 3 by a magnetic head.

The cassette 2 (2B) shown in FIG.
Includes a disk 4 therein, and a cassette playing section 25 employing the cassette 2B is configured to record and / or reproduce the disk 4 by, for example, an optical pickup. Particularly, in the case of the cassette 2B, the cassette 2B is also called a disk case.

Incidentally, in the cassette autochanger device 1 according to the present invention, the recording and / or reproducing medium in the cassette 2 is not particularly limited, and the cassette playing section 25 is provided in accordance with the recording / reproducing medium to be used. Although the configuration may be appropriately made, the following description will focus on the cassette playing section 25 using the cassette 2 (2A) having the magnetic tape 3 built therein.

Here, the overall configuration of the cassette autochanger device 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

In FIG. 1, an "L-shaped" side plate 12 on the near side and a "L-shaped" side plate 13 on the rear side are formed symmetrically on a bottom plate 11 using a sheet metal material and are spaced apart from each other. And are fixed facing each other. These members 11 to 13
Functions as a fixing portion of the autochanger device 1. Further, between the side plates 12 and 13 and between the side plates 12,
13, a pair of slide plates 14 and 15 are provided on the side plate 1.
It is provided movably in a horizontal direction (directions of arrows A ₁ and A ₂ ) parallel to 2 and 13. The side plates 12, 13 are also formed in a "plate" shape and substantially symmetrically using a sheet metal material or the like.
Further, a magazine 5 is disposed on the left between the slide plate 14 and the slide plate 15, and a cassette playing unit 25 is disposed on the right opposite to the magazine 5.

Here, the front side plate 12 and the slide plate 14 face each other with the rear side plate 13 and the slide plate 15 and are formed in a substantially symmetrical shape. Although the rear side will also be described as appropriate, the following description focuses on the illustrated part on the near side, and omits the illustration on the unrepresented part on the rear side.

A shaft 6 serving as a rotation support portion and a shaft 7 serving as an engagement portion are fixed to the side surface 5a of the magazine 5. The left shaft 6 passes above a clearance cutout portion 14a formed on the upper left side of the slide plate 14, and is axially mounted on a hole 12a formed in the side plate 12. On the other hand, the right shaft 7 is a stepped first guide portion 14b of the slide plate 14 (hereinafter, referred to as a guide groove 14b).
And is in an engaged state. Thus, the magazine 5 is supported so as to be rotatable about the shaft 6 in the directions of arrows B ₁ and B ₂ .

The cassette playing section 25 has a structure similar to that of the magazine 5 and is rotatably supported by the side plate 12. That is, the side face 25a of the cassette playing section 25 has
A shaft 26 serving as an engagement portion and a shaft 27 serving as a rotation support portion are fixed. And the left shaft 26
Is fitted into a stepped second guide portion 14c (hereinafter, referred to as a guide groove 14c) of the slide plate 14 to be in an engaged state. On the other hand, the right shaft 27 is mounted on a hole 12 b formed in the side plate 12. Thus, the cassette playing section 25 is also supported so as to be rotatable about the shaft 27 in the directions of arrows B ₁ and B ₂ .

The guide grooves 14b and 14c formed in the slide plate 14 are formed symmetrically in a stepwise manner facing each other in the same plane as shown in the figure. Further, the guide groove 14b, the flat step portion _14b 1 ~ to 14c
14b _{3, 14c} 1 ~14c ₃ is formed stepwise from above, and between the step portions are connected by inclined grooves. Here, since the three cassette 2 is housed in the magazine 5 as described below, the guide groove 14b, the stepped portion _14b of the three stages in _{14c 1 ~14b 3, 14c 1 ~14c} 3
Is formed, but may be a substantially linear groove inclined without forming a step portion. In this case, when the magazine 5 and the cassette playing section 25 are rotated, the position can be held stepwise. What means should I take?

The shaft 1 is attached to the side plate 12 on the near side.
The shafts 16 and 17 are fixed to the slide plates 14 in a horizontally elongated guide groove 14d and 14e.

Further, a rack portion 14f is integrally formed below the slide plate 14, and a pinion gear 19 fixed to a long shaft 18 meshes with the rack portion 14f. The front end of the shaft 18 is located on the side plate 12.
The shaft 18 is attached to a hole 12 c formed in the shaft 18.
Is axially mounted on the side plate 13. The rear slide plate 15 is also provided with a pinion gear (not shown) coaxially with the shaft 18, and the front pinion gear 19 is connected to a motor 21 serving as a drive source via a speed reduction mechanism 20. The side plate 12 and the side plate 1
3 can move horizontally in the directions of the arrows A ₁ and A ₂ without going out of phase. In the embodiment, the slide plates 14 and 15 are provided on both sides so that the operation of the autochanger device 1 described later can be reliably performed, but the slide plate may be provided on only one side.

Next, the magazine 5 is formed into a box body, a cassette housing portion 5b _(5b 1 ~5b ₃₎ are partitioned by a partition plate 5c in the interior. The cassette housing portion 5b is here cassette housing portion 5b ₁ ～5B ₃ of three stages so that the three cassette 2 can hold is provided in a stacked state. Incidentally, the cassette storage amount in the magazine 5 is appropriately determined by the height T of the cassette 2,
In the embodiment, three standard VHS tape cassettes are stored. The cassette housing portion _5b 1 _~5b cassette carrier 8 "U" shaped for each set to ₃ by the arrow _C 1, C
_It can be moved horizontally in _two directions. The cassette transport body 8 is opened at both front and rear sides and is formed to be shorter in the same direction than the length L of the cassette 2, and each set of motors 9 mounted on the side surface 5 a of the magazine 5 is used as a drive source. The cassette carrier 8 is driven by a cassette carrier moving mechanism comprising racks and gears (not shown) provided on the right side of the cassette carrier 8, but this cassette carrier moving mechanism may be any means, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.

In order to insert the cassette 2 into the magazine 5, the cassette 2 can be detached from the cassette carrier 8 from the front side of the autochanger device 1. Incidentally, without providing a cassette carrier 8 in the cassette housing portion _5b 1 _{~5b 3,} the cassette 2 cassette housing portion _5b 1 _~5b
3 directly, for example, the applicant of the present invention
No. 5005, the cassette 2 is moved by an arrow C while directly grasping both sides of the cassette 2 by belt driving as shown in FIG.
_1, C ₂ direction may be configured to horizontally move.

In the embodiment, a well-known video tape recorder having a rotating drum 28 is used as the cassette playing section 25. Inside the cassette playing section 25, a cassette holder 29 for exchanging the cassettes 2 stored in the magazine 5 is provided. The cassette holder 29 also move the cassette 2 discharged from the magazine 5 to the cassette holder 29 the direction of the arrow C ₁ direction or magazine 5 direction is provided with the cassette moving mechanism back (arrow C ₂ direction), wherein Since the cassette moving mechanism has a known structure, its illustration and description are omitted. The cassette holder 2
9 is also called a tray, but is called a cassette holder here in order to unify the terms.

Here, the operation of the cassette autochanger device 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The operation of the cassette autochanger device 1 described below refers to the cassette storage 5b of the magazine 5.
_(5b 1 ~5b ₃₎ of the housed cassette 2, the transfer or, or that the operation of returning to its original storage location in the magazine 5 a desired cassette 2 selected in the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing portion 25 Means

[0031] 2 (A) is autochanger device 1 is an initial state with a cassette 2 housed in the cassette housing portion 5b ₁ of the uppermost cassette playing section of the magazine 5 2
In this state, the first corresponding positional relationship facing the cassette holder 29 of No. 5 with each other is maintained. That is, FIG.
(A), the shafts 16 and 1 fixed to the side plate 12
7 and the slide plate 14 of the guide groove 14d, is guided by the 14e, slide plate 14 slides to the initial position of the left (arrow A ₂ direction), it is stopped. At this time, the shaft 7 fixed to the magazine 5 is located at the bottom of the step portion 14b ₃ of the guide groove 14b provided in the slide plate 14, whereas,
The shaft 26 fixed to the cassette playing section 25 is the uppermost step 14b ₁ of the guide groove 14c provided in the slide plate 14.
It is located in. Under the above conditions, the magazine 5 is supported in a horizontal state without rotating around the shaft 6, and similarly, the cassette playing section 25 is supported in a horizontal state without rotating around the shaft 27. . And
Cassette housing portion 5b ₁ uppermost magazine 5 is positioned to face the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing portion 25. Here, by operating the second selection switch 30 (FIG. 1), selecting a cassette 2 housed on the cassette carrier 8 of the cassette housing portion 5b _1, a cassette housing portion 5b
₁ of the cassette carrier 8 is moved together with the cassette 2 in the arrow C ₁ direction by the cassette carrier moving mechanism (not shown). Thereafter, when the leading end of the cassette 2 reaches a predetermined position of the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing section 25, a cassette moving mechanism (not shown) of the cassette holder 29 operates to mount the cassette 2 on the cassette holder 29. Thereafter, the magnetic tape is pulled out of the cassette 2 mounted on the cassette holder 29, and recording and / or reproduction is performed. Figure 2 (A) In the recording and / or reproducing After completion, the above operation reverse may return the cassette 2 mounted on the cassette holder 29 into the original cassette housing portion 5b _1.

Next, the selection switch 30 is operated to operate the cassette storage section 5b _{2 in the} second stage from the top of the magazine 5.
The case of selecting the cassette 2 stored on the cassette carrier 8 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
(B) is the second cassette storage unit 5 from the top of the magazine 5.
This is a state in which the cassette 2 stored in the cassette b ₂ maintains the second corresponding positional relationship in which the cassette 2 faces the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing section 25. That is, by operating the second selection switch 30, moves to the left the right slide plate 14 and 15 are aligned in phase from the initial state shown in FIG. 2 (A) (arrow A ₁ direction), the slide plate position not shown It stops when it reaches a predetermined position by the detecting means. Here, the predetermined position is set at the center of the entire moving distance of the slide plates 14 and 15. And the slide plates 14 and 15
With the movement of the shaft 7 fixed to the magazine 5 is moved up to the position of the middle step portion 14b ₂ through the inclined groove from the bottom of the step portion 14b ₃ of the guide groove 14b. Thus, the pivot point positional relationship shown, the magazine 5 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction (arrow B ₁ direction) about the shaft 6. On the other hand, in accordance with the movement of the slide plate 14, a shaft 26 fixed to the cassette playing portion 25 is located in the middle of the stepped portion 14c ₂ via the inclined groove from the stepped portion 14b ₁ uppermost guide groove 14c Descend to. As a result, the cassette playing portion 25 moves counterclockwise (see arrow B _{1) about the} shaft 26 due to the illustrated rotational fulcrum positional relationship.
Direction).

As described above, the magazine 5 and the cassette playing section 25 rotate in the same direction about the rotation supporting sections 6 and 27 in cooperation with the movement of the slide plates 14 and 15, so that the magazine 5 is moved. 2nd cassette storage section 5b from above
₂ is opposed to the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing section 25. That is, the cassette storage unit 5
cassette 2 housed in the cassette carrier 8 b ₂ is in the position that can be exchanged cassette holder 29. In addition, the inclination angle of the magazine 5 and the cassette playing section 25 is such that the movement of the cassette 2 can be moved almost linearly between them. Although the recording and / or reproduction can be performed in the state shown in FIG. 2B, when the recording and / or reproduction is actually performed, the state is returned to the initial state shown in FIG. 2A. Recording and / or playback is being performed. The reason for this is that the cassette 2 can be easily attached and detached in a horizontal state to the magazine 5 during recording and / or reproduction. And
After recording and / or playback end it may be returned to the cassette 2 mounted on the cassette holder 29 in the reverse operation to the original cassette housing portion 5b ₂ from the above in the state shown again FIG 2 (B).

Furthermore, FIG. 2 (C) of the third cassette 2 housed at the bottom of the cassette housing portion 5b ₃ of the magazine 5 are opposed to each other with the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing portion 25 corresponding positional relationship Is maintained. In the state shown in the FIG. 2 (C), the by operating the second selection switch 30, a case where the selected cassette 2 housed in the cassette housing portion 5b _3. In this case, the slide plates 14 and 1 are moved from the initial state through the state shown in FIG.
5 is intended to move further rightward (arrow A ₁ direction),
Here, the details are omitted.

As described above in detail, according to the cassette autochanger device 1 according to the present invention, the slide plate 1
The magazine 5 and the cassette playing section 25 rotate in the same direction about the rotation supporting sections 6 and 27 in cooperation with the movement of the magazines 4 and 15 so that the cassette storage section 5b of the magazine 5 is rotated.
Of the cassettes 2 stored in the cassette 2, the selected cassette 2 faces the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing section 25, and the cassette 2 can be exchanged between the magazine 5 and the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing section 25. Become.

As a result, a plurality of cassettes 2 can be easily attached and detached from the front side of the autochanger device 1, and the operability of the autochanger device 1 is improved. Further, since the magazine 5 does not protrude above the conventional autochanger device 1, there are advantages that the height of the autochanger device 1 can be reduced, and that objects can also be placed above the device 1.

[0037]

According to the cassette autochanger apparatus of the present invention described in detail above, the magazine and the cassette playing section are rotated about the rotation supporting section in cooperation with the movement of the slide plate, so that the magazine is rotated. Of the cassettes stored in the cassette storage section, the desired cassette selected opposes the cassette holder of the cassette playing section and the magazine 5 and the cassette holder 29 of the cassette playing section.
It is possible to exchange cassettes between them.

As a result, a plurality of cassettes can be easily attached / detached from the front side of the autochanger device, and the operability of the autochanger device is improved. Furthermore, since the magazine does not protrude above the conventional autochanger device, there are advantages that the height of the autochanger device can be reduced and that objects can be placed above the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an overall configuration of a cassette autochanger device according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the autochanger device of the cassette.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cassette used for an automatic changer device of the cassette.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cassette used for an automatic changer device of the cassette.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an auto changer of a conventional video tape recorder.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... auto changer, 2 ... cassettes, 5 ... magazine, 5a ... _{side, 5b (5b 1 ~5b 3)} ... cassette housing portion, the rotation support portion of 6 ... magazine (the shaft), 7 ... engaging portion of the magazine ( Shaft), 11 ... fixed part (bottom plate),
12, 13 ... fixed part (side plate), 14, 15 ... slide plate, 14b ... first guide part (guide groove), 14c ... second
Guide part (guide groove), 21... Drive source (motor), 25
... cassette playing section, 25a ... side face, 28 ... rotating support section (shaft) of the cassette playing section, 29 ... engaging section (shaft) of the cassette playing section, 29 ... cassette holder.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An autochanger device for storing a plurality of cassettes containing recording / reproducing media in a magazine, selecting a desired one of the cassettes, and recording and / or reproducing the selected cassette by a cassette playing unit, wherein the front side of the device. The magazine is configured such that the cassette is detachable, has a plurality of cassette storage portions for storing the inserted cassette, and has a rotation support portion and an engagement portion on a side surface, and is opposed to the magazine. A cassette holder for disposing and receiving the desired cassette housed in the cassette housing section,
A cassette playing portion having a rotation support portion and an engagement portion on a side surface; a fixed portion rotatably supporting the rotation support portion of the magazine and the rotation support portion of the cassette performance portion; and a drive source. A first guide portion which is slidably supported by the fixed portion in connection with the first portion, and which engages with the engagement portion of the magazine to guide the magazine to rotate, and an engagement portion of the cassette playing portion A slide plate formed with a second guide portion for guiding the cassette playing portion to rotate by engaging with the magazine and the cassette in cooperation with the sliding operation of the slide plate. A cassette accommodating section accommodating a desired cassette and a cassette holder having a corresponding positional relationship in which cassettes can be selectively transferred when the playing section is rotated. apparatus.