JP4125219B2 - Tape library device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tape library apparatus having a plurality of recording media, in which a target recording medium is set in a drive device, and data can be read and written to read or back up data.

In Non-Patent Document 1, a tape cassette 1 is annularly arranged on a turntable 2 as shown in FIG. 10, and the turntable 2 is rotated by a turntable drive mechanism 3, so that a garage 4 of the turntable 2 is obtained. Among the tape cassettes housed in the storage medium, the elevator mechanism 5 reads and writes the target tape cassette 1 in and out of the tape drive 6.
“New Technology of 2002 Matsushita Electric” 2003/05 Pages 155-159 “DDS Backup Library” R & D Planning Office

  In this configuration, the loading and unloading of the tape cassette 1 into and from the tape drive 6 can be automated within the range of the data library stored in the turntable 2. However, when a large number of tape cassettes 1 that are stored as a tape library in a limited space are required, it is said that the magazine method shown in FIG. 11 is more suitable than such a turntable method.

  In this magazine type tape library device, as shown in FIG. 11A, a tape drive 6 and magazines 8a and 8b are arranged in a tape library device housing 7, and the tape cassette 1 is stored in the tape drive 6. The picker 9 is configured to transfer the recording medium cassette between the magazines 8a and 8b and the tape drive 6. In FIG. 11A, when the tape cassette 1 located on the side of the tape drive 6 is set in the tape drive 6 or when the tape cassette 1 taken out from the tape drive 6 is stored in the back end of the magazine 8a. As shown in FIG. 11B, there is provided a driving device for driving the magazine 8a to a desired loading / unloading position by the picker 9. Reference numerals 10a and 10b denote stepping motors as power sources of the driving devices of the magazines 8a and 8b. The magazines 8a and 8b are taken out from the openings 11a and 11b provided in the front panel P of the tape library apparatus housing 7 as indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 11B, and are loaded into the magazines 8a and 8b. 1 can be replaced.

  However, in the case of this magazine type tape library apparatus, the magazines 8a and 8b may be illegally taken out from the openings 11a and 11b and the tape cassette 1 may be stolen.

  Specifically, as a configuration of the driving device for taking in and discharging the magazines 8a and 8b, the rotation system of the stepping motors 10a and 10b is connected to the linear system of the magazines 8a and 8b via a worm gear. However, in the mechanical field of information equipment, in this case, it is necessary to provide an emergency release mechanism so that the magazine can be manually removed even if the stepping motors 10a and 10b fail. It is.

  As an emergency release mechanism found in various drive devices such as a CD drive device, a thin pin is inserted into a hole provided in the front panel in the event of an emergency, and a part of the rotation system between the worm gear and the brushless motor is It is common to force the tray to be ejected manually by pushing it with a pin.

  As shown in FIG. 11, in the case of a magazine system in which a plurality of tape cassettes 1 are stored in a straight line, the stepping motors 10a and 10b as drive sources are arranged on the far side away from the front panel P. Therefore, a configuration in which the magazines 8a and 8b are forcibly discharged by manually pulling out the magazines 8a and 8b is adopted, and the power transmission system is not a combination of a worm gear and a stepping motor, and does not cause an automatic stop due to friction. Will be adopted.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape library apparatus that can prevent magazines from being pulled out illegally in a magazine-type tape library apparatus.

The tape library device according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a magazine in which a recording medium cassette is set, a drive in which a recording medium cassette selected and removed from the magazine is set, and between the magazine and the drive. A picker that executes delivery of the recording medium cassette and a drive device that drives the magazine to a loading / unloading position of the target recording medium cassette by the picker are built in a tape library device housing, and the recording medium to the magazine An open / close detecting means configured to allow the magazine to be withdrawn / retracted from an opening provided in the tape library apparatus housing for attaching / detaching a cassette, and detecting opening / closing of a door body that opens / closes the opening; An open / close detection means determines that the door is open and the door is based on a normal operation state sequence. Opened determines whether a normal state or abnormal state, if it is determined that the occurrence of abnormal conditions, providing a control means for generating an instruction to restrict the movement of the direction toward the opening of the magazine to the drive unit It is characterized by that.

A tape library device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the tape library device according to the first aspect , wherein the driving device transmits the rotation of the pulse motor with a pulse motor of a power source and a structure that does not automatically stop due to friction. A power transmission mechanism that linearly moves the magazine, and when the control means determines that the abnormal state has occurred, the pulse motor is supplied with a brake current that is greater than the magazine stopped state in the normal state. It is configured to be energized.

The tape library apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the tape library device according to the first aspect, wherein, when the control unit determines that an abnormal state has occurred, the drive is performed so as to move the magazine away from the opening. The apparatus is configured to instruct the apparatus .

The tape library device of the present invention includes an opening / closing detection means for detecting opening / closing of a door body that opens and closes an opening that allows the magazine to be moved in and out, and the opening / closing detection means determines that the door body is open and is in a normal operation state. Based on the sequence, it is determined whether the opening of the door body is in a normal state or an abnormal state, and when it is determined that an abnormal state has occurred, an instruction is given to the drive device to restrict the movement of the magazine in the direction approaching the opening. Since the generated control means is provided, the intrusion can be detected by detecting the intrusion of the foreign matter and operating the security device to improve the reliability.

1 to 9 show a tape library apparatus of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the front panel P of the tape library apparatus housing 7 is provided with openings 11a and 11b provided with door bodies 12a and 12b. When the open / close button 13a provided on the front panel P is pushed upward against the urging force of the compression spring 14 shown in FIG. 2, the door lock 15 is released and the door body 12a can be manually opened to the virtual line position. Similarly, when the open / close button 13b is pushed up, the door body 12b can be manually opened.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the magazines 8a and 8b can be attached to and detached from the tape library apparatus housing 7 through the opened openings 11a and 11b. In the magazines 8a and 8b, tape cassettes 1a1 to 1a4 and 1b1 to 1b4 as recording medium cassettes are set.

The inserted magazines 8a and 8b are engaged with the drive devices 16a and 16b provided in the tape library device housing 7 and are taken into the tape library device housing 7.
Here, the drive devices 16a and 16b transmit the rotation of the stepping motors 10a and 10b and the magazines 8a and 8b in a straight line with a structure that does not automatically stop due to friction with the stepping motors 10a and 10b as power sources. It is comprised with the power transmission mechanism part 17. FIG.

A tape drive 6 is disposed at the center of the back end of the tape library apparatus housing 7.
The picker 9 for transferring the tape cartridges 1a1 to 1a4 and 1b1 to 1b4 between the tape drive 6 and the magazine 8a and between the tape drive 6 and the magazine 8b is a magazine between the magazines 8a and 8b and the tape drive 6. It is configured to be movable along the directions 8a and 8b and to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow 18 so that the tip 9a faces the magazine 8a or the magazine 8b.

  Specifically, the contents displayed on the display 19 provided on the front panel P are changed to cursor keys 20up, 20down, 20right, 20left, an enter key 21 and an escape key 22 provided on the front panel P. Are combined to take out the tape cartridge 1b1 stored in the magazine 8b and set it in the tape drive 6, the controller 23 composed of a microcomputer, as shown in FIG. After the operation, the picker 9 that has taken in the tape cartridge 1b1 is rotated to the imaginary line position immediately before the tape drive 6, and the tape cartridge 1b1 picked up by the picker 9 is transferred to the tape drive 6. To be set.

  A combination of the cursor keys 20up, 20down, 20right, 20left, the enter key 21 and the escape key 22 is used to take out the tape cartridge 1b4 located on the side of the tape drive 6 in the state shown in FIG. When instructed to set the tape drive 6, the controller 23 drives the stepping motor 10b to move the magazine 8a toward the opening 11b as shown in FIG. 5, and then takes in the tape cartridge 1b4 by the picker 9. The picker 9 rotates, and the tape cartridge 1b4 is transferred from the picker 9 to the tape drive 6 and set.

  FIG. 6A shows a driving state of a general-purpose driver integrated circuit 24 that drives the stepping motors 10a and 10b. “PHASE A” and “PHASE B” are pulse control signals for driving the stepping motors 10a and 10b, and “Vref” is a control signal for limiting the coil current of the stepping motors 10a and 10b. “A +”, “A−”, “B +”, and “B−” are output signals of the driver integrated circuit 24 and are connected between “A +” and “A−” and between “B +” and “B−”. The stepping motors 10a and 10b are rotated by supplying a motor current to the exciting coil. FIG. 6B shows a timing chart of “PHASE A” “PHASE B” and motor current (A phase, B phase) in the case of two-phase excitation.

FIG. 7 shows an internal bridge circuit of the driver integrated circuit 24. This bridge circuit has two circuits of A phase and B phase.
The PWM control of the driver integrated circuit 24 is performed by switching the lower transistor 25. For the output off time, the time constant of the one-shot circuit MMV is set by an external capacitor C and a resistor R. In setting the output current, the base voltage of the lower transistor 25 is held at the H level over the off time toff by the output of the one-shot circuit MMV.

toff ≒ 1.1 ・ CR ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ (1)
It is.
Reference numeral 27 denotes a comparator. The motor current I0 is determined by the reference voltage Vref and the external current detection resistor RNF.
I0≈Vref ′ / RNF (Vref ′ = 1/5 Vref)
(2)
Set by.

  The fact that the motor is fixed by excitation means that the pulse control signals “PHASE A” and “PHASE B” are fixed to the H level or the L level, respectively, and the current continues to flow as shown in FIG.

The motor current can be variably controlled by varying “Vref ′” or RNF as shown in equation (2).
In this embodiment, as foreign matter detecting means for detecting the intrusion of foreign matter from the opening 11a, as shown in FIG. 8, a sensor 26a for detecting the opening / closing of the door 8a, and the cursor keys 20up, 20down, 20right, 20 left, an enter key 21 and a gate array 27 for collating a password entered by a combination operation of the escape key 22 and a part of the CPU 28. The foreign matter detecting means for detecting the intrusion of foreign matter from the opening 11b is also composed of the sensor 26b.

  The digital / analog converter 29 detects that the doors 12a and 12b have been opened by the sensors 26a and 26b in the state where the code code coincidence is not detected. The DAC control signal is continuously generated so that a high “Vref” is generated. In this embodiment, the crime prevention means for restricting the movement of the stepping motors 10a and 10b in the direction approaching the opening portions 11a and 11b of the magazine is caused by a part of the CPU 28 to generate “Vref higher than normal”. So that the DAC control signal continues to be generated ".

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of the portion of the CPU 28 related to the security means.
This flowchart is executed while the stepping motors 10a and 10b are not rotating.

  When an operator who is permitted to take out the magazine 8a inputs the password as described above, a match is detected in step S3, and the sensor 26a detects that the door 12a is opened in step S4. Then, immediately in step S5, the "Vref" is set to zero volts, the stepping motor 10a is opened, and it does not prevent the operator from inserting the hand from the opening 11a to grasp and pull out the magazine 8a. The same applies to an operator who is permitted to take out the magazine 8b by inserting his / her hand through the opening 11b and grasping and pulling out the magazine 8b.

  On the other hand, if the sensor 26a detects that the door 12a has been opened in step S6 in a state where it is not possible to detect the coincidence of the personal identification code in step S3, in step S7, the door that has detected opening in step S6. The stepping motor 10a on the 12a side is immediately energized with the "Vref" set to the maximum voltage, and the routine of steps S3, S6, and S7 is repeated, so the hand is inserted through the opening 11a and the magazine 8a is gripped. The tape cartridges 1a1 to 1a4 can be protected from theft. The same applies when the sensor 26b detects that the door 12b has been opened in step S6 in a state where the code code match cannot be detected in step S3, and the tape cartridges 1b1 to 1b4 can be protected from theft.

  Here, only one of the stepping motors on the side of the door body 12a or 12b that has been illegally opened is excited in step S7. However, both stepping motors 10a and 10b may be excited in step S7. .

  In this way, in the magazine type tape library apparatus, the magazine drive system employs a power transmission system having a structure that does not cause automatic stop due to friction, so in an emergency when the stepping motors 10a and 10b stop rotating, After inputting the password, the user can insert his / her hand through the opening 11 to grasp and pull out the magazines 8a and 8b.

  Furthermore, if the door 12a, 12b is illegally opened during standby despite the adoption of a power transmission system having a structure that does not automatically stop due to friction as described above, the stepping motors 10a, 10b are immediately activated. Therefore, a protection state that cannot be pulled out even if the user inserts a hand through the opening 11 and grasps and pulls out the magazines 8a and 8b can be created, thereby ensuring security.

In addition, since the excitation current of the stepping motors 10a and 10b is increased after switching from the standby state to the protection state, the power consumption during the standby state can be reduced.
In the above embodiment, as a specific example of the crime prevention means for restricting the drive device from moving in the direction approaching the openings 11a and 11b of the magazine when it is determined that foreign matter has entered, the stepping motor 10a , 10b is described as an example where the excitation current is increased. As another example, when it is determined that an abnormal state has occurred, the driving device is configured to move the magazine away from the opening. Control means for commanding can also be configured. Specifically, in step S7 of the previous embodiment, prior to increasing the excitation current, the stepping motor is reversed to drive the magazine to the far end of the tape library apparatus housing 7, and thereafter the excitation current is changed. The crime prevention means can be configured to be larger, and in this case, the magazine can be made more difficult to grip, so the security is further improved. Also in this case, it is possible to select a case where only one of the stepping motors on the side of the door body 12a or 12b that has been illegally opened is controlled, and a mode where both stepping motors are controlled in step S7.

  The present invention can contribute to further increase in capacity and security of a tape library device used for data backup recording / reading.

The front view of the tape library apparatus of embodiment of this invention Side view of essential parts of the embodiment Top view when the magazine of the embodiment is attached and detached The top view of the process of setting the recording-medium cassette taken out from the magazine of the embodiment to a drive device The top view of the process of setting the recording-medium cassette taken out from the back end of the magazine of the embodiment to a drive device General operation diagram of stepping motor Stepping motor excitation circuit diagram of the same embodiment Configuration diagram of foreign matter detection means and crime prevention means of the embodiment Flowchart diagram of crime prevention means of the embodiment Plan view of a conventional DDS tape library device Top view of magazine type tape library device

Explanation of symbols

1a1 to 1a4, 1b1 to 1b4 Tape cassette (recording medium cassette)
6 Tape drive 7 Tape library device housing 8a, 8b Magazine 9 Picker 10a, 10b Stepping motor (power source)
11a, 11b Opening portion 12a, 12b Door body 13a, 13b Open / close button 16a, 16b Driving device 17 Power transmission mechanism portion 19 Display 20up, 20down, 20right, 20left Cursor key 21 Enter key 22 Escape key 23 Controller 24 Driver integrated circuit 26a , 26b Sensor 27 Gate array 28 CPU
29 Digital / analog converter

Claims (3)

A magazine in which recording media cassettes are set,
A drive in which a recording medium cassette selected and taken out from the magazine is set;
A picker for transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and the drive;
A drive device for driving the magazine to a loading / unloading position of the target recording medium cassette by the picker is built in the tape library apparatus casing, and the tape library apparatus casing is attached to and detached from the magazine. While configuring the magazine so that it can be withdrawn from an opening provided in the body,
Open / close detecting means for detecting opening / closing of the door body for opening / closing the opening;
When the opening / closing detection means determines that the door is open and determines whether the door is opened normally or abnormal based on a normal operation state sequence, and determines that an abnormal state has occurred, A tape library apparatus comprising: a control unit that generates an instruction for restricting movement of the magazine in a direction approaching the opening of the magazine . The drive device;
A power source pulse motor;
A power transmission mechanism that linearly moves the magazine by transmitting rotation of the pulse motor with a structure that does not automatically stop due to friction;
2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control means is configured to energize the pulse motor with a brake current larger than that of the magazine in a normal state when it is determined that the abnormal state has occurred. Tape library device. The control means;
The tape library device according to claim 1 , wherein when it is determined that an abnormal state has occurred, the drive device is instructed to move the magazine in a direction away from the opening .

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