JPH0543619B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a handling device for flat recording media such as floppy disk media.

[Prior Art] For example, in a floppy disk medium inspection machine, it is common to carry out the floppy disk medium that has been inspected from the inspection section and stack it in a stacker.

Conventionally, a device for handling such a floppy disk medium transports the floppy disk medium discharged from an inspection section in a horizontal position to a stack section using a conveyor belt, and then transfers the floppy disk medium to a stack section in a horizontal position. The media are moved horizontally and stacked on top of each other in a horizontal position on the stacker.

Alternatively, a floppy disk medium conveyed by a conveyor belt is picked up or suctioned by a pick-up mechanism and carried to a stacker.

[Problems to be Solved] Such conventional handling devices require a considerable amount of movement to transport the floppy disk medium from the conveyor belt to the stacker, so the operation time is long, which reduces the handling speed. It is becoming a key to improvement.

In the former conventional device, since the end of the flat floppy disk medium is pushed by the pusher, the pushing operation is likely to fail due to displacement or deformation of the floppy disk medium. moreover,
Since a frictional force acts between the floppy disk medium and the conveyor belt, an unreasonable force is applied to the end of the floppy disk medium during the extrusion operation, which tends to cause damage to the floppy disk medium.

Furthermore, the latter conventional device tends to cause failures in the picking up or suction operation of the floppy disk medium, or to fall of the floppy disk medium during movement, and furthermore, the pickup mechanism tends to be complicated.

[Object of the Invention] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional apparatus as described above, to be able to handle similar recording media at high speed and reliably, and to have a simple configuration. An object of the present invention is to provide a media handling device.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve this object, the recording medium handling device according to the present invention tilts the recording medium from a vertical position to a first side by a predetermined angle. a transport mechanism for transporting in a specific direction;
It has a stacker disposed near the conveyance mechanism, and a pusher disposed opposite the stacker via the conveyance mechanism, and is conveyed by the conveyance mechanism to a position opposite the stacker. The pushed recording medium is pushed down toward the stacker by the pusher, and the recording medium is stacked in the stacker in an upright position tilted at a predetermined angle from a vertical position to a second side opposite to the first side. It is said that

[Operation] In this way, the recording medium carried by the conveyance mechanism in an upright position tilted at a predetermined angle toward the first side is pushed down by the pusher toward the stacker side, and then moved to the opposite second side.
Since the recording media are stacked in an upright position tilted at a predetermined angle to the side, the amount of movement of the recording media from the transport mechanism to the stacker is small. Furthermore, during this operation, no external force (such as frictional force with the conveyor belt in the conventional apparatus) that would impede the pusher operation is applied to the recording medium. Therefore, it is easy to perform the operation in a short time and at high speed, and it is easy to achieve high-speed handling of the entire recording medium from conveyance to stacking.

Further, unlike the conventional device described above, it is not necessary to engage the pusher with the edge of the recording medium, and the pusher can be engaged with a part of the front or back surface of the recording medium, so that the operation of the recording medium with the pusher is easy. It can be ensured. Furthermore, there is no problem such as failure to pick up or suction the recording medium, or falling of the recording medium, which occurs when the recording medium is picked up or suctioned by the pickup mechanism and transported to the stacker. Thus, according to the present invention, more reliable handling than before is possible.

Furthermore, since the pusher can have a simple structure, the recording medium handling device of the present invention can have a simpler overall configuration than conventional devices that use a complicated pickup mechanism.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a simplified overall configuration of a recording medium handling device according to the present invention. Moreover, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the conveyance claw and movable load guide in this recording medium handling device.

This recording medium handling device is used in a floppy disk medium inspection machine to horizontally transport the floppy disk medium (recording medium) ejected from the inspection section (floppy disk drive) and distinguish between passing items and defective items. These are sorted and stacked in separate stackers.

First, the transport mechanism 10 for horizontally transporting a floppy disk medium will be explained. 1
Reference numerals 1 and 12 designate fixed guide plates for guiding the conveyance of the floppy disk medium, and are fixed so as to be tilted rearward at a predetermined angle from a vertical position.

An endless belt 14 is hooked around pulleys 16 and 18 behind the fixed guide plates 11 and 12, and runs parallel to the fixed guide plates 11 and 12 in the direction of arrow A. A plurality of transport claws 20 are attached to the endless belt 14 at regular intervals.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, this conveyor claw 20 is fixed to the tip of an arm member 24 that can rotate back and forth about a pin 22 fixed to the back side of the conveyor belt 14 as a fulcrum. The upper and lower arm members 24 are urged rearward by a spring 26 attached to the pin 22. Therefore, when no force is applied to rotate the arm member 24 forward, the conveyor claw 20 is locked to the conveyor belt 14 as shown in the figure, and the tip of the conveyor claw 20 is attached to the fixed guide plate. 11,12
It's more backwards.

A micro bearing roller 28 is attached to the arm member 24. A movable roller guide 30 is arranged parallel to the endless belt 14 in association with the microbearing roller 28 .
This movable roller guide 30 can be rotated to a position shown by a solid line in FIG. 2 or a position shown by a chain line. The drive is performed using a solenoid or the like, but the means for that purpose is omitted in the figure.

When the movable roller guide 28 is in the position indicated by the solid line, the micro bearing roller 28 engages with the front surface of the movable roller guide 30, so that the arm member 2
4 is rotated forward against the force of the spring 26, and as a result, the tip of the conveyance claw 20 protrudes forward from the fixed guide plates 11 and 12.

However, even if the movable roller guide 30 is in such a position, if the micro bearing roller 28 moves further to the right than the right end and comes off the movable roller guide 30, the conveyance claw 20 will move backward as shown in FIG. do.

Referring again to FIG. 1, 32 is a motor, which is directly connected to the rotating shaft 34 of the pulley 16. As shown in FIG.

33 is a floppy disk drive (inspection department)
It is. The floppy disk medium that has been inspected is ejected from the floppy disk drive 33 in an almost vertical position, and transported by an elevator 36 to the transport mechanism 10 in an upright position tilted backward at a predetermined angle.
and set on the left end portions of the fixed guide plates 11 and 12.

Although the elevator 36 is illustrated in a simplified manner, it actually consists of a ball screw for moving the illustrated portion in a substantially vertical direction, a motor, and a guide for guiding the movement. There is.

Next, the stacker will be explained. In this embodiment, two stackers 40 and 42 having the same structure are provided at the positions shown. However, one stacker 40 is for stacking floppy disk media that passed the inspection.
The other stacker 42 is for stacking floppy disk media that fail the inspection.

To explain the structure of each stacker 40, 42, reference numeral 44 is a pair of guide shafts fixed at a predetermined angle from a horizontal position so that the front side is lower. 46 is a base slidably supported by the guide shaft 44. This base 46
The transport mechanism 10 is operated by a spring (not shown).
Forced to the side. A plate 48 is fixed to the base 46 and is substantially perpendicular thereto.
In other words, the plate 48 and the fixed guide plates 11 and 12 of the transport mechanism 10 are tilted forward by a predetermined angle. In addition, each stacker 40, 42 stacks the floppy disk media in an upright position with the floppy disk media tilted at a predetermined angle, but as the number of floppy disk media increases, the base 46 resists the spring due to its weight. and gradually retreat. That is, the plates 48 of the stackers 40, 42 are always maintained at a substantially constant distance from the transport mechanism 10 in preparation for the next stack of floppy disk media.

Next, a pusher for pushing down the floppy disk medium transported by the transport mechanism 10 toward the stacker 40 or 48 will be explained.

In this embodiment, two stackers 40,
Two pushers 5, each corresponding to 42.
0,52 are provided. One pusher 5
0 is for stacking floppy disk media that passed the inspection in the stacker 40, and the other pusher 52 is for stacking floppy disk media that failed the inspection in the stacker 42. It is. The structure of each is as follows.

Push arms 54 and 56 are main elements of the pushers 50 and 52, and are supported so as to be rotatable back and forth behind the fixed guide plates 11 and 12 with support shafts 58 and 56 as fulcrums at their lower ends, respectively. There is. When no external force is applied to each push arm 54, 56, the push arm 54, 56 falls backward to an angle at which it is locked with a locking member (not shown), and the push arm 54, 56 falls to the rear side to an angle at which it locks with a locking member (not shown), and the push arm 54, 56 falls to the rear side to an angle at which it locks with a locking member (not shown).
56d is retracted from the fixed guide plates 11 and 12.

61 is a stopper arm that interlocks with one pusher arm 54, and a support shaft 58 is connected to the lower end of the stopper arm.
It is rotatably supported.

62 is a cam plate for driving one pusher arm 54 and the stopper arm 61;
4 is a cam plate for driving the other push arm 56; 66 is a motor for rotationally driving the cam plates 62 and 64, and the rotational force is transmitted through the gear box 68 to the respective cam plates 62 and 6.
4. This motor 6
6. Gearbox 68 and cam plates 62, 64
(these are collectively referred to as drive units) are integrally movable left and right.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a solenoid, which is connected to the drive unit via a coupling member (not shown) and moves it left and right.

When actuating one of the pushers 50, the drive unit is moved to the left so that the cam plate 62 is in a position to engage the pusher arm 54 and the stopper arm 61. When the motor 66 is operated to rotate the cam plate 62 in this state, the push arm 54 and the stopper arm 61 will rotate forward as the cam plate 62 rotates.
1 protrudes in front of the fixed guide plates 11, 12, and after that, the push surfaces 54a to 54d of the push arm 54 move to the front side of the fixed guide plates 11, 12.

When actuating the other pusher 52, the drive unit is moved to the right so that the cam plate 64 is in a position to engage the pusher arm 56. Therefore, when the motor 66 is operated to rotate the cam plate 64, the push arm 56 rotates forward as the cam plate 64 rotates, and the push surface portion 56 of the push arm 56 rotates forward.
a to 56d move forward from the fixed guide plates 11 and 12.

Next, the overall operation of this recording medium handling device will be explained.

As the endless belt 14 runs, a certain conveyor claw 2
0 passes through the pulley 16, the micro bearing roller 28 associated with the conveyance pawl 20 comes to engage with the front surface of the movable roller guide 30, so that the conveyance pawl 20 is connected to the fixed guide plate 1.
Endless belt 1 in a state protruding forward from 1 and 12
Move to the right side with 4. At this point, the movable roller guide 30 is in the position shown by the solid line in FIG.

This protruding transport claw 20 engages with the left end of the floppy disk medium (indicated by imaginary line A in FIG. 1) carried into the transport mechanism 10 by the elevator 36, and fixes the floppy disk medium. It is transported to the right side while being guided by guide plates 11 and 12.

Here, since the fixed guide plates 11 and 12 are tilted backward by a predetermined angle as described above, the floppy disk medium is conveyed in an attitude tilted backward by the same angle.

If the floppy disk medium is acceptable, the drive unit is moved to the left and the pusher 50 and stopper arm 61 are made operable. Then, when the floppy disk medium approaches the position just in front of the stacker 40, the motor 66 is activated.

First, the stopper arm 61 is rotated forward, and its tip end is attached to the fixed guide plates 11 and 1.
Protrudes in front of 2. This stopper arm 61
Almost at the same time as the leading edge of the floppy disk medium engages with the leading edge of the second movable roller guide 30,
The transport claw 20 is rotated to the position shown by the chain line in the figure.
escapes from the floppy disk medium to the rear and moves directly to the right.

After that, the push arm 54 rotates forward,
The push surfaces 54a to 54d push the floppy disk media (indicated by imaginary line C in FIG. 1) forward and stack them on the stacker 40 in an attitude tilted forward at a predetermined angle.

When this stacking operation is completed, the push arm 54 and the stopper arm 61 are returned to the standby position, and the motor 66 is stopped. Note that the movable roller guide 30 is returned to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 2 after the conveying claw 20 passes through its right end.

On the other hand, if the floppy disk medium carried into the transport mechanism 10 is a rejected medium, the drive unit is moved to the right and the pusher 52 becomes ready for operation.

The floppy disk medium is indicated by the broken line D in Figure 1.
When conveyed to the position shown in , the micro bearing roller 28 of the conveyance claw 20 moves to the movable roller guide 3.
0 and is disengaged from the front surface of the floppy disk medium, so that the conveyance claw 20 escapes to the rear side of the floppy disk medium and continues to move.

When the floppy disk medium approaches the position just in front of the stacker 42, the motor 66 is activated. Then, the push arm 56 rotates forward, and the push surfaces 56a to 56d push the floppy disk medium D forward, and the floppy disk medium D is stacked in the stacker 42 in an upright position tilted forward at a predetermined angle.

In this way, the floppy disk medium is transported in a substantially vertical position by the transport mechanism 10, pushed down to the opposite side by the pushers 50 and 52, and stacked in the stackers 40 and 42 in a substantially vertical position. .

Since the amount of movement of the floppy disk medium for the stack operation is small, the operation can be performed quickly and in a short period of time. Also, unlike the configuration in which the floppy disk medium on the conveyor belt is horizontally moved and stacked by a pusher that engages the end of the floppy disk medium, no force such as friction is applied to the floppy disk medium, so the floppy disk Not only can damage to the medium be prevented, but even if the floppy disk medium is warped or otherwise deformed, the stacking operation can be performed reliably.

Here, the reason or effect of not directly transporting the floppy disk medium by the transport belt 14 but by using the transport claws 20 will be explained.

First, it is impossible to convey the floppy disk medium in a nearly vertical position using only one conveyor belt, and the floppy disk medium must be sandwiched between at least one pair of conveyor belts (or between the conveyor belt and the rollers). It is necessary to transport the

In this case, if an attempt is made to stack acceptable products and rejected products at different locations as in the above embodiment, at least one of the conveyor belts will be split in the middle, and the floppy disk medium will be inserted at the split part. It must be moved to the Stadka side.

Furthermore, simply dividing the conveyor belt in this way does not allow the floppy disk medium to be sent from the divided portion to the next conveyor belt, so some means of transport is required.

Additionally, the transport mechanism must be deployable to facilitate handling of the floppy disk media transport jam.

In this way, it is inevitable that the transport mechanism becomes complicated.

On the other hand, since one side of the transport mechanism 10 of this embodiment is open, it is possible to easily process the sorting stack of floppy disk media and the transport jam, and the structure can be simplified.

In addition, in the case of a configuration in which the floppy disk medium is directly conveyed by the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt is stopped immediately when the floppy disk medium is stopped by the stopper, and the conveyor belt is stopped until the stacking operation is completed. The belt must be stopped. Therefore, conveyance and stacking cannot be carried out continuously in parallel.

On the other hand, in the transport mechanism 10 of the embodiment,
By simply moving the transport claw 20 in and out using the movable roller guide 30 while the endless belt 14 is running, the transport and stacking of floppy disk media can be carried out in parallel and continuously.

Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, in the pusher of the above embodiment, the pusher arm is rotated to push down the floppy disk medium to stack it, but it is also possible to perform a similar stacking operation using a member that moves linearly back and forth. It is.

Similarly, the same effect can be achieved by linearly advancing and retracting the movable roller guide back and forth or up and down.

In the embodiment described above, the two pushers are driven by a common drive unit, but it is also possible to provide independent drive means for each pusher.

In addition, three or more stackers are provided to pass both sides.
The floppy disk media may be stacked by further classification into those that fail the A side, fail the B side, and fail both sides. vice versa,
It is also possible to provide only one stacker and perform stacking without sorting.

In addition to this, the present invention can be modified and implemented in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof.

Further, although the above embodiment deals with a floppy disk medium, the present invention can be similarly applied to a handling device for other flat recording media (such as an optical disk medium) to achieve the same effect. It is something.

Furthermore, the present invention is also applicable to handling devices that handle other flat objects such as semiconductor wafers.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention provides a transport mechanism for transporting a recording medium in a specific direction from a vertical position to a position tilted at a predetermined angle toward a first side, and this transport mechanism. It has a stacker disposed near the stacker, and a pusher disposed opposite to the stacker via a conveyance mechanism, and the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance mechanism to a position opposite to the stacker is pushed to the pusher. He turned over and pushed it down to Stadka's side,
The recording medium is stacked in a stacker in an upright position tilted at a predetermined angle from a vertical position to a second side opposite to the first side, and the entire handling from transporting the recording medium to stacking is performed quickly and reliably. In addition, it is possible to realize a recording medium handling device that is less likely to cause damage to the recording medium and has a simple structure.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a simplified overall configuration of an embodiment of the recording medium handling device of the present invention, and FIG. It is a schematic perspective view. 10... Conveyance mechanism, 11, 12... Fixed guide plate, 14... Endless belt, 20... Conveyance claw, 30... Movable roller guide, 40, 42...
Stadka, 50,52...Pushya, 54,5
6...Push arm, 61...Stopper arm, 62, 64...Cam plate, 66...Motor, 7
0... Solenoid.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A handling device for a recording medium having a flat outer shape, which transports the recording medium in a specific direction from a vertical position to an upright position tilted at a predetermined angle to a first side. a mechanism, a stacker disposed near the conveyance mechanism, and a pusher disposed opposite the stacker via the conveyance mechanism, the pusher being positioned opposite to the stacker by the conveyance mechanism; The pusher pushes down the recording medium that has been conveyed to the stacker side, and the recording medium is placed in the stacker in an upright position tilted at a predetermined angle from a vertical position to a second side opposite to the first side. A recording medium handling device characterized by stacking. 2. A patent claim characterized in that there are a plurality of sets of stackers and pushers, and the recording medium transported by the transport mechanism is pushed down and stacked on any one of the stackers by the corresponding pusher. The recording medium handling device according to scope 1.