JPH0487056A - Automatic cassette exchanging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the movable range of a robot and to improve the moving speed of a cassette by deciding the robot movable range based on the signal received from a means which detects the position of the robot. CONSTITUTION:A main robot 9 usually has the reciprocating motions between a stationary cassette store case 6 and a VTR set 7 and at the same time exchanges the cassettes via a pair of upper and lower manipulators 19a and 19b. Meanwhile a subrobot 17 usually has the reciprocating motions among a stationary cassette store case 6c, a rotary cassette store case 16, and a VTR set 18 and at the same time exchanges the cassettes via a pair of upper and lower manipulators 19c and 19d. In addition, both robots 9 and 17 rearrange the cassettes between the stationary cassette store cases 6a/6b and the case 6c and between the case 6c and the case 16 respectively. Thus the cassettes can be continuously exchanged and the cassette exchanging time is shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic exchange device for video tape recorders and audio tape cassettes used primarily in television broadcasting stations.

Conventional technology In general, a cassette is selected from a large number of cassettes stored in a cassette storage case, and then the video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VT)
An automatic cassette exchange device equipped with a robot that automatically supplies information to an information recording and reproducing device such as a set (referred to as R) is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-61646, USP 3,831.
．． No. 197, USP 3,938,190, etc.

These include two robots, each of which moves a cassette through an intermediate station located approximately centrally.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional automatic cassette exchange device described above, the movable range of each robot is fixed, and the cassette is moved via an intermediate station, so the cassette movement speed is slow. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic cassette exchange device in which a robot has a wide movable range and a cassette moves at a high speed.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic cassette exchange device that includes a cassette storage section, an information recording and reproducing device, and two cassette exchange robots, and a means for detecting the position of the robots. and means for determining the movable range of the robot based on the signal from the detection means.

Function: The automatic cassette exchange device of the present invention described above is one of the robots 7).
When the robot stops in front of the information recording/reproducing device and waits for the cassette to be ejected, the other robot inserts or takes out the entire cassette storage section to speed up the cassette movement. Become.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The illustrated embodiment relates to an apparatus for automatically changing video tape cassettes. 1 and 2 show an overall view of an automatic cassette exchange device in which a basic unit 1, a carousel expansion unit 2, and a VTR expansion unit 3 are connected.

The basic unit 1 has a cassette storage case 6, a VTR center (information recording/reproducing device 7, a control box 8, and a cassette exchange robot 9) arranged in a basic unit box 5 equipped with a protective glass 4 that can be opened and closed on the front. It consists of

The basic unit box 6 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and its front space is a robot movement space 10 in which the robot 9 is disposed so as to be movable in the X direction (horizontal direction) and the Y direction (vertical direction).

1 on the right side of box 5 is deck 7 loaded vertically
A VTR set 7 consisting of cassettes a, 7b, .

A cassette storage case 6 is arranged from the left side to the center of the box 5 so as to face the robot movement space 10. The cassette storage case 6 includes a large number of storage sections 13 partitioned in a matrix in the x-y direction, and each cassette storage section 13 stores a cassette 12 containing a video tape. What is shown in the figure includes three rack cases 61L, 8b, and 60 each having a large number of shelves formed in the vertical direction. An opening (cassette entrance/exit) 14 of each cassette storage section 13 is open to the robot movement space 10 .

The rotating shelf expansion unit 2 has a protective glass 4 that can be opened and closed on the front.
A rotary cassette storage case 16 is disposed within an expansion unit box 15a provided with an extension unit box 15a.

The VTR expansion unit 3 has a protective glass 4 that can be opened and closed on the front.
In the expansion unit box 16b equipped with a VTR
It is configured by arranging cent 1B.

The expansion unit boxes 1sa and 15b are formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with the same height and the same depth as the basic unit box 6, but their width is slightly smaller than that of the basic unit box 6. The space in front of the expansion unit boxes 15a and 15b is a robot movement space, and a cassette exchange robot (sub robot) 17 is also disposed in this robot movement space so as to be movable in the X-Y directions. .

The basic unit 1, carousel expansion unit 2, and VTR expansion unit 3 are connected in the left-right direction as shown, and their respective robot movement spaces 10°10a, 1(+b) are in communication.

Next, the automatic cassette exchange operations of the main robot 9 and the sub robot 17 will be explained.

The main robot 9 normally has a stationary cassette storage case 6.
and the VTR set 7, and performs the cassette exchange work while having a pair of upper and lower manipulators 19a and 19b share the work.

The sub-robot 17 normally has a stationary cassette storage case 6.
The cassette replacement work is performed by reciprocating between the rotary cassette storage case 16 and the VTR set 18, and having the upper and lower pair of manipulators 190 and 19d share the work.

In addition, the main robot 9 has a stationary cassette storage section -X6a.
, sb and the stationary cassette storage case 6c, the sub-robot 17 rearranges the cassettes between the stationary cassette storage case 6C and the rotary cassette storage case 16.

As a result of the above, the cassettes that have been recorded using the VTR set 18 on the left are automatically transferred to the VTR set 7 on the right via the stationary cassette storage case 6C.
It becomes possible to attach it and send it out. Also, the VTR on the left
The functions of the center 18 and the right VTR set 7 may be reversed.

Next, based on Figure 3, the cassette exchange robot yto9 +1
7 manipulators 191L, 19b, 19C.

1ga ni car t=t) 12 VTR set 7,1
The control of the insertion/removal operation for 8 will be explained. First, in order to take out the cassette 12 to be used from the selected cassette storage section 13 of the stationary cassette storage case 6 or the rotary cassette storage case 16, move the cassette 1. / exchange robot) 9.17 moves in X-Y.

Then, the upper manipulators 191L and 190 are arranged in the storage case 13 and the cassette 1 to be used next is placed.
Take it out from 2.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the cassette exchange robot 9.17 has a manipulator 19b located below it.

19d moves in the X-Y direction so as to face the cassette insertion section 20 of the VTR (for example, 71L) containing the used cassette 12. Then the lower manipulator 131)
, 13 (1 moves forward, grasps the cassette 12, and retreats to take out the cassette 12 from the cassette insertion section 2o (FIG. 3 (bχ(C)).

Next is the cassette exchange robot)9. In order to insert the cassette 12 held by the manipulators 191L and 190 above it into the VTR 7a, ff7 moves slightly to make the manipulators 131L and ff3C face the cassette insertion section 20 (FIG. 3(d)).

Then, the manipulators 13a and 13c move forward, insert the cassette 12 into a predetermined position in the cassette insertion portion 20, and then move backward (FIG. 3 (fiKf')).

After completing the cassette exchange in the VTR set 7 as described above, the cassette is transported to the selected cassette storage section 13 of the stationary cassette storage case 6 or the rotary cassette storage case 16.

As explained above, the upper manipulators 19 & 190
takes out the cassette 12 from the stationary cassette storage case 6 or the rotary cassette storage case 16 and transfers it to the VT.
The lower manipulator 19b shares the role of inserting into the RTR Sera 7.18.

19d takes out the cassette 12 from the VTR set 7.1B and returns it to the stationary cassette storage case 6 or the rotary cassette storage case 16. This result VT
The cassette replacement work in the R set 7 can be performed continuously, and the cassette replacement time can be shortened.

Next, based on FIGS. 4 and 6, the stationary cassette storage case 6 or the rotary cassette storage case 16 and the VT
The movement of the cassette to and from the R set 7.18 will be explained.

The cassette exchange robot 17 normally moves the rotating cassette storage case 16 and the VTR set 18 or a specific cassette storage section (hereinafter referred to as an intermediate station) 13a of the stationary cassette storage case 6.

13k) to perform the cassette exchange work. The cassette exchange robot 9 normally performs cassette exchange work by reciprocating the stationary cassette storage case 6 (including an intermediate station) and the VTR set T. but,
The movement of the cassette exchange robot differs depending on the position of the other robot. Here, cassette movement between the rotary cassette storage case 16 and the VTR set 7 will be explained.

First, the position of the cassette exchange robot 17 is detected before starting the operation. Cassette exchange robot 17 is VTR set 18
If it is not there, the movement will be as shown in Figure 4.

The cassette exchange robot 17 operates as shown on the left side of FIG. In the first stage ■', the next cassette 1
2 is removed from the selected cassette storage section 21 of the rotary power cent storage case 16. Next, in the second stage (2), the cassette 12 is transported toward the intermediate station 13a. In the third stage ■', station 131 between J Howe
The cassette 12 is inserted into L. Next, as shown on the right side of FIG. 4, the cassette exchange robot 9 takes out the cassette 12 carried to the intermediate station 13& by the cassette exchange robot 1a, and inserts it into the VTR set 7 (Fig. 4 - ■). , takes out the finished cassette 12 from the VTR set 7 and returns it to the intermediate station 13b (Fig. 4 ->■). Then, after being taken out by the cassette exchange 9bot 17, it is returned to the rotary cassette storage case 16 (Fig. 4 @'-yu'
).

On the other hand, before starting the operation, the position of the cassette exchange robot 17 is detected, and if it is in front of the VTR set 1B, the robot moves as shown in FIG. The cassette exchange robot 9 selects the selected cassette storage section 2 of the rotary cassette storage case 16.
Take out the cassette 12 directly from the VTR set 7 and insert it into the VTR set 7 (Fig. Figure 4■→■).

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the description of the above embodiments, according to the present invention, one cassette exchange robot can omit the cassette movement via the intermediate stage depending on the position of the other robot, and the cassette movement speed can be increased. It gets faster.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view;
Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view, Fig. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the operation of inserting and removing a cassette into and out of a VTR set using a pair of upper and lower manipulators, and Fig. 4 is a movement of the cassette exchange robot when passing through an intermediate station. FIG. 5 is a principle diagram showing the movement trajectory of the cassette exchanging robot without passing through an intermediate station. 1...Basic unit, 2...Carousel expansion unit 1-13...VTR expansion unit,
6... Basic unit box, 6... Stationary cassette storage case, 7... Information recording and reproducing device, 9... Cassette exchange robot, 151L,
16b... Box for expansion unit, 17...
...Cassette exchange robot, 18...Information recording and reproducing device, 19! L, 191), 19C19d
······manipulator. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and 1 other person! 7,18 9,! 7 15a=I5b Noro L9a, +9b, IQc, l'M Jinkei unit rotary w1 beat prefecture unit V engineering RfrL rabbit unit fundamental unit box fixed seal type cassette 199 case information ntaum life cassette companionship robot 翿應uni・Soto Po Nokunu U3 IrI eight power tottorinu 1 booth manipulation - 9 Fig. 1 Fig. Control - Lupohesoku Fig. D

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a box whose front space is a robot movement space, a cassette storage section is arranged in the center, an information recording and reproducing device is arranged on both left and right sides or on one side, and two cassette exchange robots are arranged in the robot movement space, An automatic cassette exchange device comprising: means for detecting the position of the robot; and means for determining a movable range of the robot based on a signal from the detecting means.