JPS60243861A - Automatic disk exchanging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a transportation of a disk cassette in the condition where it can be held with high accuracy and to avoid increases in its weight and size by providing a guide roller for guiding a disk cassette at the time of taking in and sending out a disk cassette on a top of a transporting frame. CONSTITUTION:A slide claw 88 is set to a position slightly below a bottom of a disk cassette 10, and an entire transporting frame 72 is ascended. Then the slide claw 88 is put in a concealed hole 53 of the disk cassette 10, and driven. Next, the disk cassette 10 is led in the transporting frame 72, which is shifted to a specified position in this condition. Since the titled device is constituted in such a way that the disk cassette 10 is taken in the transporting frame 72 and is transported in the condition where it is completely held in said frame 72, the disk cassette 10 can be transported in the condition where it is held with high accuracy. Furthermore, since guide rollers 94 and 94 for guiding the disk cassette 10 are provided on the top of the transporting frame 72, the friction at the time of taking in and sending out the disk cassette 10 can be reduced, and the taking-in and sending-out can be easily executed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a disc that automatically loads and ejects a disc into, for example, an optical disc device, and also automatically replaces a designated disc with a designated disc. Related to automatic switching equipment.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

In the above-mentioned type of automatic disk exchange device, circular and lightweight objects can be transported with high accuracy by gripping a part of the outer shape with a chuck of a simple structure.
When transporting a rectangular and heavy object, such as a disc housed in a cassette, using the same method as above would require a heavy chuck and a complicated structure to ensure accuracy. Therefore, there is a problem in that the conveyance system becomes heavy and the entire apparatus becomes sturdy and large.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to transport a disc cassette in a state where it is accurately held, and to avoid increasing the weight and size of the device. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic disk exchange device.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention automatically loads and ejects a disk into and from an information recording/reproducing means,
In an automatic disk exchange device that also automatically exchanges with a specified disk, the disk cassette containing the disk is taken into a conveyance frame and conveyed while being completely held within the conveyance frame, and further, The present invention is characterized in that a guide roller is provided at the tip of the transport frame to guide the disc cassette when taking in the disc cassette and when feeding the disc cassette.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an image information storage and retrieval device to which an automatic disk exchange device according to the present invention is applied, and numeral 1 in this figure is a main control device. This main control m device 1 is
It is connected to a reading device 2, an automatic disk exchange device 4 containing an optical disk device 3, a keyboard 5, an output device 6, a recording device 7, and a floppy disk device 8, and performs various image information processing. There is. Further, the reading device 2 is constituted by, for example, a two-dimensional scanning device, and generates an electric signal according to image information on the document by two-dimensionally scanning an original such as a document with a laser beam light. Optical disk device 3 of the automatic disk exchange device 4
．． 3 sequentially stores image information read by the reading device 2 and supplied via the main control device 1 on an optical disk 9 to be described later. The keyboard 5 is used to input a unique search code corresponding to image information, various operation commands, etc. The output device 6 is, for example, a cathode ray tube display device (C
RT display device), image information read by the reading device 2 and supplied via the main controller 1, image information read from the optical disk device 3.3 and supplied via the main controller 1, a search code read from the floppy disk device 8 and supplied via the main controller 1;
Also, the search code entered using the keyboard 5 is displayed. The recording device 7 hard copies image information read by the reading device 2 and supplied via the main controller 1 or image information read from the optical disk devices 3 and 3 and supplied via the main controller 1. Output in the form of . The floppy disk device 8 stores search data for each image information on the floppy disk, which is composed of a search code entered through the keyboard 5 and a storage address on the optical disk 9 where the image information corresponding to the search code is stored. Remember.

The optical disc 9 has information forming layers on both sides that can be recorded and reproduced by laser beams, etc., and is housed in a disc cassette 10 as shown in FIG. 3. The disc cassette 10 containing this optical disc 9 has a length of 340 inches, a width of 350 inches, a thickness of 18 inches, and a weight of 1.3 kg.

The automatic disk exchange device 4 has a height of 1410 mm, a width of 660 mm, and a depth of 1200 m, and has a person exit 11 on the front side through which people can take out the disk cassette 10 in a standing position along the X direction (back and forth direction). It is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, inside the interior is a loading/unloading device 12 for loading and unloading disk cassettes 10 through the input/outlet 11, and a plurality of disk cassettes 10 loaded by this loading/unloading device 12. Storage section 13 that can store
, two optical disk devices (information recording and reproducing devices) 3, 3 for recording and reproducing information on the disk 9 in the disk cassette 10 carried in, and these optical disk devices 3.3 and the above-mentioned loading/unloading. A conveying device 14 is provided for conveying the disc cassera].10 between the device 12- and the storage section 13. Then, the storage section 1
3 and the two optical disk devices 3, 3 are arranged in the Z direction (vertical direction, ie, vertical direction).

The storage section 13 has a box-shaped storage rack 15a with two upper and lower stages,
Each of these storage racks 15a and 15b stores a large number of disk cassettes 10 in an upright position along the X direction, with the rear part protruding, and stacked with a predetermined gap in the Y direction (horizontal direction). It is now possible to do so. Then, store the disk cassette 10 from the back side.
It is now possible to take it out.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, these storage racks 15a and 15b have an upper end guide groove 17 for guiding the upper end of the disk cassette 10 in a frame 16 constituting the upper part.
・There is a disk cassette 1 on the base 18 that constitutes the lower part.
A lower end guide groove 19 for guiding the lower end of the disc cassette 10 is provided, and a first detector 20 for detecting that the disk cassette 10 is housed at the tip of each lower end guide groove 19 is provided. ...is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the loading/unloading device 12 transports the disk cassette 10 from the person exit 11 to the right end of the upper storage rack 15a in the Y direction, where it is connected to other disks already stored in the upper storage rack 15a. While transporting the cassette 10 to the same position as the upper storage rack 1,
It is configured to be transported from the right end in the Y direction of 5a to the exit 11 for people.

That is, the right end in the Y direction of the base 18 of the upper storage rack 15a extends to the vicinity of the exit 11, and the first and second guides 21 are provided on the right end of the base 18.
, 22 are screwed.

Also, between the first and second guides 21 and 22, there is a slide portion 2 that supports the lower end of the disk cassette 10.
3 is sandwiched between them, allowing them to slide in the X direction.

This sliding portion 23 is connected to a stepping motor 24.
The vehicle is driven to travel based on the rotation of the vehicle.

That is, a stepping motor 24 is attached to the vicinity of the front end of the base 18 via a support frame 25, and a pulley 27 is attached to the rotating shaft 26 of the stepping motor 24.
is installed. A pulley 29 is supported by the support frame 25 via a shaft 28, and a belt 30 is hooked between the pulley 29 and the pulley 27 so that it runs endlessly. In addition, the pulley 29
A pulley 31 is integrally fixed to the base 18, and a belt 3 is connected between the pulley 31 and a pulley 34 supported near the rear end of the base 18 via a support frame 32 and a shaft 33.
5 runs endlessly along the X direction. Further, this belt 35 is connected to the slide portion 23 via a bracket 36. The stepping motor 24 rotates in forward and reverse directions to reciprocate along the X direction. Incidentally, the first guide 21 and the slide section 23 are respectively provided with upright protrusions 37 and 38 along the X direction so as to guide both sides of the lower end of the disk cassette 10.

Further, a stopper 39 is screwed to the front end of the base 18 to block the slide part 23, and the position where the stopper stops is the initial position of the slide part 23. A second detector 40 detects whether the slide portion 23 is at the initial position.

That is, the second detector 40 is fixed to a part of the stopper 39, and has a concave cross section containing a light source (not shown) and a light receiving element that receives light from the light source.

Further, a light shielding plate 41 is fixed to the lower surface of the slide portion 23. When the slide portion 23 is located at the initial position, the light shielding plate 41 enters the recess of the second detector 40 and blocks light directed from the light source to the light receiving element.

Further, on the light shielding plate 41, a third detector 42 for detecting whether or not the insertion direction of the disk cassette 10 is correct, and a fourth detector 43 for detecting whether or not the disk cassette 10 is reliably inserted. are attached, and these detection rods 44 and 45 are inserted into holes 46 made in the slide part 23.
It protrudes onto the slide portion 23 through. Note that a hole 47 is formed in the base 18 so that the light shielding plate 41, the third detector 42, and the fourth detector 43 can be moved as the slide portion 23 moves.

Further, a stopper 48 is screwed to the rear end of the base 18, and is used to prevent the slide portion 23 from moving too far.

Further, a guide roller 48 is attached to the exit 11 side of the slide portion 23 via a support frame 49, and when inserting the disk cassette 1o, the guide roller 48
It guides the lower end of the disk cassette 10 and positions the rear end of the disk cassette 10. In addition, a disk cassette 1 is mounted on the frame 16 of the upper storage rack 15a.
A third guide 50 is attached to guide the upper end of the disk cassette 1o when the disk cassette 1o is inserted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a stopper device 52 having a rotationally driven actuation stopper 51 is attached to the inner wall of the upper storage rack 15a, and the inserted disk cassette 10 is hit by the actuation stopper 51. When the third detector 42 confirms that the insertion direction of the disk cassette 10 is correct and the fourth detector 43 confirms that the disk cassette 10 has been inserted correctly, the operating stopper 51 rotates to allow the disk cassette 10 to be transported.

Assuming that the slide section 23 is now in the initial position, if the disk cassette 10 is placed on the guide roller 48 with its upper end aligned with the third guide 50 and pushed, the disk cassette 10 will move as follows. Slide part 23
, the upright protrusion 38 of the third guide 501 slide section 23
, and the upright protrusion 37 of the first guide 21 to move in an upright position. When the disk cassette 10 is completely inserted onto the slide section 23, the disk cassette 10 is sandwiched between the guide roller 48 and the operation stopper 51, so that the disk cassette 10 and the slide section 23 are of the same type. It is fixed at the initial position.

When the disk cassette 10 is fixed, the third detector 4
2, it is detected whether or not the insertion direction of the disk cassette 10 is correct, and a fourth detector 43 detects whether or not the disk cassette 10 is inserted securely. As shown in FIG. 8, the correct insertion direction is when the hidden hole 53 provided in the disk cassette 10 is on the back side, and when the disk cassette 10 is inserted securely in the correct direction, the third and fourth detection Both devices 42 and 43 are turned "ON", and this is detected. On the other hand, when the insertion direction is reversed, as shown in FIG. 9, the fourth detector 43 becomes rONJ, but the third detector 42 becomes rOFFJ, indicating that it is not inserted in the correct direction. is detected. When it is detected that the insertion direction is correct, the operation stopper 51 is released, but when the insertion direction is reversed, the operation stopper 51 is not released.

When it is confirmed that the insertion direction is correct and the operation stopper 51 is released, the stepping motor 24 rotates in the normal direction, and as a result, as shown in FIG. Storage rack 15a
The vehicle travels in the same direction and stops when it reaches a predetermined location.

At the stop position, the disk cassette 10 placed on the slide portion 23 is in the same state as the disk cassette 10 already stored in the upper storage rack 15a. here,
A stepping motor 24 serves as a driving source for the slide section 23.
Since this is adopted, the stop position is high at 11 degrees, and the position can be maintained by the self-holding force of the motor, and the slide portion 23 is fixed at the stop position. therefore,
The disk cassette 10 carried into the storage section 13 by the carry-in/out device 12 can be handled in the same way as other disk cassettes 10 stored in the storage section 13 by the transport device 14.

Next, the transport device 14 will be explained in detail. 54 in Figure 4 above
is a frame, and in this frame 54, a pair of first guide shafts 55, 55 are arranged parallel to each other along seven directions. A first carriage 56 is installed between these first guide shafts 55 and 55, and two
It can be moved freely in any direction. In addition, the frame 54
, rollers 57... are pivotally supported on the upper and lower end sides of each guide shaft 55,55, and the upper and lower rollers 57...
...Belts 58, 58 are stretched between them so as to run endlessly along each guide shaft 55, 55. Further, the rollers 57.57 on the lower end side are rotated together by a shaft 59, and the driving force of a stepping motor 60 is applied to the shaft 59 through a pulley 61 and a belt 6.
2, a belt 63, etc. A portion of the belts 58 and 58 are connected to the first carriage 56, and when the stepping motor 60 rotates forward and backward, the first carriage 56
is adapted to move in two directions, that is, in the up and down directions.

Further, a pair of second guide shafts 64, 64 are arranged in the first carriage 56 in parallel along the Y direction. These second guide shafts 64
．． A second carriage 65 is installed between the two carriages 64 and is movable in the Y direction. In addition, rollers 67.67 are pivotally supported on the first carriage 56 at the right and left ends of the second guide shaft 64.64, and between these rows 567.67, the second guide shaft 64. A belt 68 is wound around the belt 64 so as to run endlessly along the belt 64. In addition, a stepping motor 6 is attached to the O-ra 67 on the right end side.
The driving force of 9 is transmitted via a belt 70 and the like. A part of the belt 68 is connected to the second carriage 65, and a stepping motor 69 is connected to the second carriage 65.
By rotating forward and backward, the second carriage 65 moves in the Y direction, that is, in the left-right direction.

Further, a rotating shaft 71 is supported by the second carriage 65 so as to pass through the second carriage 65, and a transport frame 72 is fixed to one end of the rotating shaft 71. A pulley 73 is attached to the other end of the rotating shaft 71, and the driving force of a stepping motor 74 is transmitted to the pulley 73 via a pulley 75 and a belt 76. Then, the forward and reverse rotation of the stepping motor 74 causes the transport frame 72 to rotate in the forward and reverse directions, so that it assumes an upright state and a collapsed state.

In addition, a pair of wheel sets 77.77 are pivotally supported on the frame 54 (not shown), and each wheel set 77.77 is
As shown in FIG. 11, a large diameter pulley 78 and a small diameter pulley 7
9 are coaxially integrated. And each wheel set 7
One end of each of two wires 80.81 is fixed to 7.77, the middle part of one of the wires 80 is passed through the large diameter pulley 78 and a fixed pulley (not shown), and the other end is connected to the large diameter pulley 78 and the fixed pulley (not shown). It is fixed to the first carriage 56.

In addition, the other wire 81 has a middle portion that is connected to the small diameter pulley 79.
The hook is spanned and the other end is connected to one end of a spring 82, which is connected to the lower part of the frame 54 (not shown). The mass of the first carriage 56 portion and the mass of the springs 82, 82 are balanced.

In addition, the optical disk device [3, 3 disk insertion slot 83
．． Reference numeral 83 is for inserting the disk caser I/10 in an inclined state, and the rotating shaft 71 of the second carriage 65 is aligned at the same angle as the inclination of the disk insertion slot 83.83, as shown in FIG. The transport frame 72 is also tilted.

Also, the storage rack 15a is adjusted according to this inclination.

15b is also inclined.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the conveyance frame 72 has a frame 89 attached to the rotation shaft 71.
, an upper guide rail 85 that is attached to this frame 89 and guides the upper part of the disk cassette 10 , a lower guide rail 86 that is also attached to the frame 84 and guides the lower part of the disk cassette 10 , and an upper guide rail 85 and the lower part of the disk cassette 10 . It is formed into a substantially rectangular shape with reinforcing plates 87 and 87 that connect and reinforce the guide rail 86, and when transporting the disc cassette 10, the disc cassette 10 is completely inserted into the transport frame 72 as shown in FIG. It is designed to be transported while being held in place. Further, the lower guide rail 86 is longer than the upper guide rail 85, and the disk cassette 10 is attached to the lower guide rail 86.
A sliding claw 88 is provided to freely slide, which engages with the hidden hole 53 (shown in FIG. 16) to take the material into the transport frame 72 and send it out from the transport frame 72. is connected to a part of the belt 89. This belt 89 is passed between rollers 90 and 90 attached to both ends of the lower guide rails 8 and 6 so as to run endlessly along the lower guide rail 86, and is attached to the frame 84. The driving force of the stepping motor 91 is applied to the pulley 92 and the belt 9.
It is designed to be transmitted via 3. The sliding claw 88 moves on the lower guide rail 86 by forward and reverse rotation of the stepping motor 91.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 17, a pair of guide rollers 94 and 94 are provided at the tip of the lower guide rail 86, and guide rollers 94 and 94 are provided on both sides of the lower portion of the disk cassette 10 when loading and unloading the disk cassette 10. It is designed to guide you.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18(a), the loading from the storage racks 15a, 15b into the transport frame 72 is performed at a position slightly lower than the bottom of the disk cassettes 10 stored in the storage racks 15a, 15b. Position the slide claw 88 at . Then, as shown in section 181K(b),
The entire transport frame 72 is raised and the slide claw 88 is inserted into the hidden hole 53 of the disk cassette 10. Then, the 18th
As shown in Figure (C), the slide claw 88 is driven to draw the disk cassette 10 into the transport frame 72, and in this state, the transport frame 72 is moved to a designated location. Feeding from the transport frame 72 to the storage racks 15a, 15b is performed by the reverse operation to the above-mentioned operation.

Further, loading from the optical disk device 3.3 to the transport frame 72 is performed in the same manner as loading from the storage racks 15a, 15b to the transport frame 72, but FIGS.
), the difference is that the transport frame 72 changes from an upright state to a collapsed state.

The transport device 14 configured in this manner further supports storage racks 15a and 15b in the Y direction (disk cassette 10 and
The center position (in the stacking direction) is the initial position (transportation start position), and the specified disk cassette 10 is taken out by moving it left and right. Moreover, the transport frame 72 rotates at this initial position and also moves in the Z direction. Furthermore, the transport device 14 loads the disk cassette 10 carried in by the loading/unloading device @ 12 into the -H optical disk device 3, and the optical disk device 3 reads information on one side of the disk 9 to select whether it is side A or side B. Based on the identified information, the transport frame 72 is rotated in the determined direction of the reference plane, and the disc cassette 1 is placed in the open part of the storage racks 15a, 15b.
0 are stored in the same direction.

Next, the general operation of the entire system will be explained. When the disk cassette 10 is inserted from the exit 11, this disk cassette 1
0 is carried into the storage portion at the end of the upper storage rack 15a by the carry-in/out device 12.

Next, this disc cassette 10 is loaded into one of the optical disc units [3] by the transport device 14, and the optical disc unit 3 identifies whether it is the A side or the B side. Next, the optical disc device 3 transports the disc cassette 3 from the optical disc device 3 to the storage rack 14 or 15, and stores it in the same orientation as the other disc cassettes 10. Further, when a processing command is issued by the operator, the transport device 14 takes out the specified disk cassette 1o from the storage rack 15a or 15b based on the command and loads it into one of the optical disk mounts 3. Here, if a processing command for several discs is issued, the transport device 14 takes out the next designated disc cassette 1o from the storage rack 15a or 15b, loads it into the optical disc device 3 that is currently there, and
At this point, the transport device 14 is in a standby state. When the processing of one of the optical disk devices 3 is completed, the disk cassette 10 is taken out and stored in the storage rack 15a or 15.
b, and the next specified disk cassette 10 is taken out from the storage rack 15a or 15b and loaded into the optical disk device 3 placed therein, and this process is repeated continuously. Further, when an ejection command is issued by the operator, the transport device 14 takes out the designated disk cassette 1o from the storage rack 15a or 15b, and the loading/unloading device 12
supply to. Then, this disk cassette 1o is ejected from the exit 11 by the loading/unloading device 12.

According to the above configuration, the disk cassette 1o is transferred to the transport frame 7.
Since the disc cassette 10 is taken into the disc cassette 2 and transported while being completely held within the transport frame 72, it is possible to transport the disc cassette 10 while holding it with high precision.
In addition to preventing the device from becoming multi-layered or bulky, guide rollers 94 and 94 for guiding the disk cassette 10 are provided at the tip of the transport frame 72, so that Wl friction is avoided when taking in and sending out the disk cassette 1o. It is possible to easily take in and send out by reducing the amount of damage.

Although the optical disk device serving as the information recording/reproducing means records and reproduces information, it may also perform recording or reproduction.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, there is provided a storage section capable of storing a plurality of disk cassettes containing disks of information storage media, and a storage section capable of storing information recording or reproducing information on the disks in the disk cassettes. and a conveying means for conveying the disc cassette while holding it in a conveying frame between the information recording/reproducing means and the storage section, the conveying means Since a guide roller is provided at the tip of the transport frame to guide the disc cassette during loading and unloading, the disc cassette can be transported while being held accurately, and the weight of the device can be reduced. Moreover, the disk cassette does not become large in size, and furthermore, it has excellent effects such as being able to easily take in and send out the disk cassette to the transport frame.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view showing a guide roller provided on a conveyance frame, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an image information storage and retrieval device, and FIG. 3 is a disk cassette. 4 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the automatic disk exchange device, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the loading/unloading device, FIG. 6 is a front view also showing the loading/unloading device, and FIG. Similarly, a side view showing the loading/unloading device, FIGS. 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the loading/unloading device, FIG. 10 is a front view showing the disc cassette inserted onto the slide section, and FIG. 11 is a wheel axle. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the transport frame of the transport device in an inclined state, FIG. 13 is a side view showing the transport frame, and FIG. 14 is a state in which the disk cassette is completely taken into the transport frame. A front view, FIG. 14 is a side view showing the same state, and FIGS.
Figure 7 is a side view showing the rising; ≠ guide roller, Figure 18 (a
) to (C) are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of taking the disk cassette from the storage rack to the transport frame, and FIGS. 19(a) to (c)
) (T is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of taking the disk cassette from the optical disk device into the transport frame. 3... Optical disk device, 4... Disk automatic exchange device, 9... Disk, 10... Disc. cassette,
13... Storage section, 14... Conveying device, 72... Conveying frame, 94.94... Guide roller. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 16, Figure 1v! J Figure 17 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 10 f Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 18 (a) (b) (c) Figure 19 (a) (b) (c)

Claims (1)

[Claims] a storage section capable of storing a plurality of disc cassettes containing discs of information storage media; information recording/reproducing means for recording or reproducing information on discs in the disc cassette; and information recording/reproducing means. and a conveyance means for conveying the disc cassette while holding it in a conveyance frame between the means and the storage section, and the conveyance means has a conveyance means at the tip of the conveyance frame when the disk cassette is taken in and when the disk cassette is taken in. An automatic disk exchange device characterized in that a guide roller is provided to guide the disk cassette during feeding.