JPH0473233B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention is directed to storing large amounts of information such as document information, video information, audio information, etc. using a large number of disks as record carriers, and This invention relates to a disk file device that can selectively pull out a large number of disks at high speed so that information can be read out at high speed and supplied to a player that writes and reads information.

[Background technology and its problems]

As a known example, there is, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-30263. This known example consists of an oblong and horizontal stocker in which a plurality of thin cartridges each containing disks are stored vertically and parallel to each other in the horizontal direction, and It consists of a stocker transport means for horizontally transporting a stocker, a pull-out mechanism having a pair of upper and lower pull-out claws disposed on the front side of the stocker, and a player disposed beside the pull-out mechanism. Then, by moving the stocker horizontally by the stocker transfer means, the pair of pull-out claws are moved relatively within a pair of grooves provided on both upper and lower sides of one end of the cartridge, and the cartridge is stored in the stocker. Perform a search for multiple cartridges. After this horizontally transported stocker is stopped at a designated position, the pull-out mechanism is operated to selectively pull out the designated cartridge to the front of the stocker using a pair of pull-out claws. The extracted cartridge is then supplied to a player to perform recording and playback on the disc in the cartridge.

However, this known example has the following defects.

(A) In a structure in which the stocker is moved horizontally to search for cartridges, a transport space that is twice the space occupied by the stocker is required, resulting in a very poor space factor.

(B) In a structure in which the stocker, which becomes heavy when multiple cartridges are stored, is horizontally transferred, the stocker transfer means becomes a big gimmick.
Not only is the entire device large and heavy, but it is also extremely expensive.

(C) With a structure in which a heavy stocker is transferred horizontally, the stocker cannot be moved at high speed and the cartridge cannot be searched at high speed, so information recorded on multiple disks cannot be read at high speed. I can't get it out.

(D) Due to the speed and strength of the stocker being transported by the stocker transfer means, there is a limit to the size and weight of the stocker, and the number of sheets that can be stored in a cartridge is limited to 20 to 30 sheets. Since cartridges cannot be stored, they are not suitable for storing large-capacity information files.

(E) In a structure in which the stocker is moved horizontally to search for a cartridge, preparatory operations for continuous reading of information such as searching for, pulling out, and waiting for the next cartridge to be pulled out during recording and playback by the player are performed. It's difficult to do. because,
If the stocker is transferred horizontally after supplying the cartridge to the player, the stopping position of the stocker relative to the pull-out mechanism will change, and after recording and playing the disc, the used cartridge that was supplied to the player will be returned to its original storage position in the stocker. Unable to return to position. Therefore, after recording/reproducing on a disk, there is a long waiting time until the next disk is pulled out and recording/reproducing begins, making it impossible to read information continuously at high speed.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention was invented to correct the above-mentioned deficiencies, and is most suitable for large-capacity information files and has a very good space factor. Furthermore, it is possible to read a large amount of information at high speed.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention comprises a stocker in which a large number of thin cartridges each containing disks are stored in parallel in a large number of storage shelves, and a plurality of players that write and read information to and from the disks in each cartridge. , a carrier for selectively pulling out a cartridge from a stocker and selectively supplying the cartridge to a plurality of players, the stocker and a plurality of players being arranged adjacent to each other with their front sides aligned; A carrier transport means is provided for linearly transporting the stocker and the plurality of players along the front surface thereof, and a pair of pull-out claws and a pull-out claw transport means for transporting the pull-out claws in a direction perpendicular to the carrier transport direction are provided on the carrier. established,
A pair of pull-out claws are selectively engaged with a pair of grooves provided on both sides of one end of each cartridge, and the cartridge is transferred by a pull-out claw transfer means, so that the cartridge can be moved between the stocker, a plurality of players, and the carrier. The cartridges are selectively moved in and out in a direction perpendicular to the carrier transport direction, and each pair of grooves in a large number of cartridges stored in a stocker and cartridges supplied to a plurality of players are positioned parallel to the carrier transport direction. When searching for a large number of cartridges stored in a stocker or when searching for a cartridge between multiple players, the carrier is moved in a straight line by moving the pair of pull-out claws along the grooves of each pair of cartridges. This disk file device is configured so that a carrier can be linearly transported by a transporting means to perform a high-speed search for a cartridge.

According to the present invention constructed in this manner, (A)' the stocker can be fixed in a fixed position, and there is no need to provide extra space for transporting the stocker.

(B)' The carrier, which is much smaller and lighter than the stocker, can be easily transported at high speed by belt drive.

(C)′ The small and lightweight carrier can be transported at high speed, and when searching for a large number of cartridges stored in a stocker or searching for cartridges between multiple players, the carrier's pair of pull-out claws can be used in large numbers. Since the carrier can be transferred linearly at high speed while being engaged in the pair of grooves of the cartridge, the cartridge and the pair of pull-out claws do not interfere with the transfer of the carrier at all when searching for this cartridge.
Cartridge searches can be performed quickly. Furthermore, when the carrier searches for and stops the designated cartridge, the pair of pull-out claws on the carrier are already engaged in the pair of grooves in the designated cartridge, so the pair of pull-out claws on the carrier is already engaged with the pair of pull-out claws after the carrier stops transporting. Since the cartridge can be immediately pulled out from the stocker and a plurality of players into the carrier, a large amount of information recorded on a large number of disks can be read out at high speed.

(D)′ The small and lightweight carrier can be transported at high speed, while the stocker can be stably fixed in a fixed position. Therefore, the stocker can be made as large as possible to transport as many as 50 to 100 cartridges. It is ideal for storing large-capacity information files.

(E)' While a certain player is writing to or reading from a disk of a certain cartridge, there is a sequence of information such as searching for the next cartridge to be drawn out, drawing it out, transferring it, and waiting to supply it to another player. Since the read preparation operation can be performed at high speed, information on a large number of disks can be read out one after another at high speed without waiting time.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of a disk file device to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a disk (not shown) serving as a record carrier is housed inside the cartridge 1, and the cartridge 1 is thin (thin thickness at the top and bottom). It has a substantially rectangular shape.

The stocker 2 is vertically long and has a large number of horizontal storage shelves 3 arranged in parallel in the vertical direction (vertical direction).
It is constructed so that as many as 100 cartridges 1 can be stored horizontally in parallel within the storage shelves 3.

The two players 4 and 5 write and read information to and from the disks in each cartridge 1, and are located at the lower position (or upper position) of the stocker 2.
are arranged vertically adjacent to each other, and the front side 2 of these stockers 2 and both players 4 and 5
a, 4a, and 5a are aligned on the same side.

Carrier 6 is stocker 2 to cartridge 1
is selectively drawn out and selectively supplied to both players 4 and 5, and this carrier 6 is connected to the stocker 2 and the front sides 2a and 4 of both players 4 and 5.
It is configured to be linearly transported along arrows a and 5a in the vertical direction of arrow Y. The carrier transport means 7 for transporting the carrier 6 is constituted by, for example, a pair of left and right vertical timing belts 8, and when both timing belts 8 are rotationally driven by a motor 9, the carrier 6 is moved. is configured to be guided by a pair of left and right vertical guide rails (not shown) and vertically transported at high speed in the direction of arrow Y while remaining horizontal.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of grooves 11 are provided on both left and right side surfaces 1b of one end 1a of each cartridge 1, and left and right grooves 11 are selectively engaged with each other. A pair of pull-out claws 12 are connected to the carrier 6
It is set in. Note that both pull-out claws 12 are approximately L-shaped and symmetrical.

Then, both pull-out claws 12 are moved in the direction of the arrow
The pull-out pawl transfer means 13 for horizontally transporting the pull-out pawls 12 is composed of, for example, a pair of left and right timing belts 14, and when both timing belts 14 are rotationally driven by a motor 15, both the pull-out pawls 12 are moved. A pair of horizontal guide rails 1 on the left and right
6, and is configured to be horizontally transferred in the direction of arrow X between the pull-out position shown by a solid line in FIG. Note that this pull-out claw transfer means 13 is connected to the carrier 6.
A center line of rotation parallel to the direction of the arrow
The reversing plate 18 is provided on one of the upper and lower surfaces of the reversing plate 18, which is configured to be reversible by 180° in the direction of arrow Za or Zb in FIG. 2 with X' as the center. A cartridge holding portion is provided on the other side of the reversing plate 18, and both pull-out claws 12 are inserted through a pair of left and right slits 19 provided on the reversing plate 18 to horizontally move the cartridge within the cartridge holding portion in the direction of arrow X. is configured to be

Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, each pair of grooves 11 in a large number of cartridges 1 stored in the stocker 2 and the cartridges 1 supplied to both players 4 and 5 are moved in the direction indicated by the arrow Y, which is the carrier transfer direction.
The position is aligned with the vertical line Y' parallel to the direction. When the carrier 6 is vertically transferred in a straight line in the direction of arrow Y with both pull-out claws 12 pulled out to the pull-out position shown by the solid line in FIG. 11 in the direction of arrow Y without coming into contact with the cartridge 1, and when the carrier 6 is vertically transferred, the cartridge 1 and both pull-out claws 12 are moved against the carrier 6.
The structure is such that it does not interfere with the transportation of

Next, a series of operations related to high-speed reading of information in this disk file device based on the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, the positions of both pull-out claws 12 of the carrier 6 indicate the position where the cartridge 1 is supplied to the upper player 4, and on the other hand, the used cartridge 1 from which information has already been read is ejected from the lower player 5. There is.

Next, transfer cartridge 1 to player 4 at the top.
After supplying, the carrier 6 is vertically transferred in the Ya direction, and both pull-out claws 12 are sent from the position to the
It is engaged in both grooves 11 of the used cartridge 1 of the lower player 5.

Note that after both pull-out claws 12 have moved from the position to the upper player 4, the supplied cartridge 1 is pulled into the player 4, and the information written on the disk in the cartridge 1 is read. A read is made. While the information is being read, the used cartridge 1 of the lower player 5 is returned to the original storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2, and then the next cartridge 1 to be pulled out is searched, pulled out, transferred, and A series of preparatory operations for continuous reading of information, such as waiting for supply to the lower player 5, are performed at high speed.

That is, first, both pull-out claws 12 of the carrier 6 are horizontally transferred in the Xa direction and pulled in from the position, and the used cartridge 1 of the lower player 5 is hooked by the both pull-out claws 12 and pulled into the carrier 6 ( Actually, the cartridge is taken into the cartridge holding section (inside the cartridge holding section provided on the reversing plate 18).

Next, the carrier 6 is vertically transferred in the Yb direction to the stocker 2 to which the used cartridge 1 is to be returned.
After being transferred to the height position of the original storage shelf 3 and stopped, both drawer claws 12 are moved horizontally in the 6 and is pushed back into the original storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2 and stored.

Next, the carrier 6 is vertically moved in the Ya direction to search for the next cartridge 1 to be pulled out. vertically transported along the inside.

After the carrier 6 searches for the designated cartridge 1 and is stopped, both the pull-out claws 12 are horizontally moved in the Xa direction and pulled in from the position, and the designated cartridge 1 is pulled out by the both pull-out claws 12. It is hung and pulled out from the storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2 into the carrier 6.

Next, the carrier 6 is vertically moved in the Ya direction to a position at the height of the lower player 5 and stopped, and then both pull-out claws 12 are moved horizontally in the Xb direction and pushed out from the position. A specified cartridge 1 is supplied from the carrier 6 to the player 5 at the bottom by both pull-out claws 12.

As a result of the above, a series of preparatory operations are performed at high speed,
When the reading of information in the upper player 4 is finished and the used cartridge 1 is ejected, the carrier 6 is vertically moved in the Yb direction and both pull-out claws 12 are moved from the position to the upper player 4.
is engaged in both grooves 11 of the used cartridge 1.

Then, after both pull-out claws 12 have moved from the position to the lower player 5, the supplied designated cartridge 1 is pulled into the player 5, and the information written on the disk in the cartridge 1 is pulled into the lower player 5. While reading is carried out, the carrier 6 which has returned to the upper player 4 repeats a series of preparatory operations similar to those described above at high speed.

By the way, this disk file device can use a double-sided cartridge 1, and a carrier is used to selectively transfer and supply the cartridge 1 pulled out from each storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2 to both players 4 and 5. While the cartridge 6 is being vertically transferred in the Ya direction, the cartridge 1 taken from both players 4 and 5 is stored in the original storage shelf 3 of the stocker 2.
While the carrier 6 is being vertically transferred in the Yb direction to return to the original position, the reversing plate 18 in the carrier 6 is inverted 180 degrees each time in the arrow Za or Zb direction around the rotation center line X', as shown in the figure. The configuration is such that selection (switching) between side A and side B of the disk in the cartridge 1 is performed.

This disk file device also enables high-speed writing of information by both players 4 and 5, and is stored in the stocker 2 by a series of operations that are exactly the same as the above-mentioned high-speed reading operation of information. It is possible to sequentially and continuously draw out a large number of cartridges 1 and write information to the disks in the cartridges 1 sequentially and continuously.

When writing and reading information to and from the disk in the cartridge 1 using both players 4 and 5, there are two methods: rotating the disk while it is housed in the cartridge 1, and separating the upper and lower halves of the cartridge 1 into upper and lower halves. There is a method in which the disk is rotated in the state of the cartridge.If the latter method is adopted, after writing or reading the disk, the disk is sandwiched between the upper and lower halves of the cartridge 1 from above and below, and the top and bottom thickness of the cartridge 1 can be adjusted. This cartridge 1 can be made very thin.
The space factor when storing the stock in Stockker 2 is greatly improved.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, the carrier and both pull-out claws are not limited to the structures shown in the embodiments, but can be changed to various structures.

Further, the carrier transfer means and the pull-out claw transfer means are not limited to the structures shown in the embodiments, but can be changed to various structures.

Furthermore, when a single-sided cartridge is used, the 180° reversal structure using the carrier reversal plate shown in the embodiment is not necessary.

In addition, in the embodiment, a large number of horizontal cartridges were stored vertically in parallel in a vertically long stocker. It is also possible to configure the carrier to be stored horizontally and to be transported horizontally along the front side of the stocker.

Further, in the embodiment, a plurality of players are arranged below the stocker, but a plurality of players may be arranged above the stocker, or they may be arranged above and below the stocker.

[Application example]

The present invention is applicable to various disk file devices capable of storing document information, video information, audio information, or a mixture thereof using disks, and is applicable to playback (reading) only devices or recording (writing), The present invention is applicable to any recording/reproducing device capable of both reproduction (reading).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention is ideal for storing large-capacity information files because it is sufficient to fix and arrange a stocker that can accommodate a large number of cartridges within the minimum required fixed space. It can be stored inside and has a very good space factor.

Moreover, when searching for a large number of cartridges stored in a stocker or when searching for cartridges among multiple players, the carrier can be moved linearly at high speed, and the search for the cartridge can be performed at high speed. Afterwards, the cartridge can be immediately pulled out. Furthermore, while data is being written to or read from a certain cartridge, preparatory operations for continuous reading of information, such as searching for, pulling out, and waiting for the next cartridge to be pulled out, can be performed at high speed. Therefore, a large amount of information can be read out at high speed, and its performance is extremely high.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of a disk file device to which the present invention is applied, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of the entirety, Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the main parts. 4 are enlarged perspective views of the main parts. In addition, in the symbols used in the drawings, 1...Cartridge, 2...Stocker, 2a...Front side of stocker, 3...Storage shelf, 4, 5...Player, 4
a, 5a...Front side of the player, 6...Carrier,
7... Carrier transfer means, 11... Groove, 12... Pull-out claw, 13... Pull-out claw transfer means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A stocker in which a number of thin cartridges each containing disks are stored in parallel in a number of storage shelves, a plurality of players that write and read information to and from the disks in each cartridge, and The carrier has a carrier that selectively pulls out a cartridge and selectively supplies the cartridge to a plurality of players, and the carrier and the plurality of players are arranged adjacent to each other with their front sides aligned, and the carrier and the plurality of players are arranged adjacent to each other with their front sides aligned. A carrier transport means for linearly transporting the plurality of players along the front surface thereof is provided, a pair of pull-out claws and a pull-out claw transport means for transporting the pull-out claws in a direction perpendicular to the carrier transport direction are provided on the carrier, and a pair of pull-out claws are provided on the carrier. The cartridges are transferred between the stocker and the plurality of players and the carrier by selectively engaging the pull-out claws with a pair of grooves provided on both sides of one end of each cartridge and transporting the cartridges by the pull-out claw transfer means. is selectively moved in and out in a direction perpendicular to the carrier transport direction, and each pair of grooves in a large number of cartridges stored in a stocker and cartridges supplied to a plurality of players are aligned in a straight line in a position parallel to the carrier transport direction. When searching for a large number of cartridges stored in a stocker or when searching for a cartridge among multiple players, the carrier is transferred by moving a pair of pull-out claws along the inside of each pair of grooves in the cartridge. A disk file device configured to allow high-speed retrieval of cartridges by linearly transporting carriers.