JPH103727A - Recording media cartridge library system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: In a system provided with a plurality of recording medium cartridge library devices, cartridges can be exchanged between the library devices. SOLUTION: A cartridge transfer body (14) is configured to be able to transfer a cartridge to and from a transfer body (6) of each library device. When transferring a desired cartridge from one of the adjacent library apparatuses to the other, the cartridge transfer body is positioned at a predetermined access position accessible by the transfer body in the one library apparatus, and is moved by the transfer body. For example, the desired cartridge conveyed from the storage cell is received, and is moved to the other library device by the moving means (12) while holding the desired cartridge. Thus, the cartridge transfer body is positioned at a predetermined access position accessible by the carrier in the other library device, and delivers the desired cartridge to the carrier.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a library system that enables exchange of recording medium cartridges among a plurality of recording medium cartridge library devices provided side by side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A magnetic tape cartridge library device (hereinafter, also referred to as MTL) is a device for storing and driving (reading / writing) a magnetic tape cartridge (hereinafter, also referred to as a cartridge). In general, the MTL includes a rack-type storage body that stores a large number of cartridges, a drive that reads and writes the cartridges, and a movable cartridge that moves along a predetermined transport path while detachably holding a desired cartridge. And a transfer body (generally referred to as a transfer robot or an accessor) for transferring the cartridge in the inside. Also, conventionally,
For example, a plurality of MTLs having the same configuration are installed and used in parallel so that the number of cartridges that can be processed simultaneously can be increased, or even if one MTL goes down (function stops), it can be replaced by another MTL. ing.

By the way, in such a system in which a plurality of MTLs (most commonly two) are provided, the frequency of use of a specific cartridge stored in a specific MTU (that is, the frequency of reading / writing by a drive). ) Is likely to be particularly high. For this reason,
Although the drive in the specific MTU is always busy (in use), the drive in the other MTL tends to be in an idle state. In such a case, the cartridge frequently used in the specific MTU is directly (without manual operation) directly connected to the other MTUs in the idle state.
The MT so that it can be transported and used by the other MTU.
If the cartridges can be freely exchanged between U, the drives of each MTU can be used evenly and efficiently, and as a result, the overall processing efficiency of the system can be increased.

[0004]

However, there is no conventional library system in which cartridges can be exchanged between MTUs. Therefore, it is necessary to sufficiently improve the overall processing efficiency of the system. could not. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to enable exchange of cartridges between library devices in a recording medium cartridge library system provided with a plurality of recording medium cartridge library devices.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a recording medium cartridge library system according to the present invention comprises: a storage unit having a plurality of storage cells for storing a recording medium cartridge; A plurality of recording medium cartridge library devices provided in parallel, each having a drive for performing the transfer and a transporting body for transporting the cartridge inside the device, and a transfer connecting portion provided between the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices, respectively. Wherein each of the transfer connection sections transfers a recording medium cartridge to and from the transport body of each of the library devices at a predetermined access position in each of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices. Cartridge transporter configured to allow Along a predetermined path of movement extending between the library apparatus, it is characterized in that a moving means for moving the cartridge conveying member between the library device.

When transferring a recording medium cartridge from one of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library apparatuses to the other, the transfer body has been conveyed by the conveyance body at a predetermined access position in the one library apparatus. Receive the recording medium cartridge. Then, while holding the cartridge, the transfer body is moved by the moving means to the other library device along the moving path. Thereafter, the transfer body performs an operation of transferring the cartridge to the carrier at a predetermined access position in the other library device. In this manner, a desired recording medium cartridge can be exchanged between adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices via the cartridge transfer body. Accordingly, the drives of each of the library devices can be used uniformly and efficiently, and as a result, the overall processing efficiency of the system can be increased.

In one embodiment, at each of the access positions, the cartridge transfer body may be positioned so as to be aligned with a corresponding storage cell of the library device. With such a configuration, the transporter of each of the library apparatuses can access the cartridge transporter as if it were a storage cell.

[0008] The moving means may be a transfer belt disposed between recording medium cartridge library devices adjacent along the movement path, and the cartridge transfer body is moved by the transfer belt. It may be a single cartridge transporter shared by the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices. Further, the transfer belt may be driven via a single motor that can be individually controlled by respective control units of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the library devices is provided with a stopper for stopping and holding the transfer body moved by the moving means at the predetermined access position. At least one of the stoppers of the library device is mounted so as to be position-adjustable. Further, an effective length of the transfer belt is set to be sufficiently longer than a separation distance between the library devices. Thus, the effective stroke of the transfer body can be adjusted by adjusting the mounting position of the at least one stopper within a range defined by the effective length of the transfer belt. Therefore, even if the separation distance between the library devices changes according to various installation conditions on the user side (for example, obstacles such as pillars at the installation location of the library devices, inclination between the library devices, and other conditions). Thus, it is possible to appropriately cope with such a change over a certain range.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire magnetic tape cartridge library system (that is, an MTL system) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the MTL system shown in FIG.
A plurality of MTLs 2A and 2B having the same configuration (though it will be described as two units for explanation, three or more units may be used)
Are provided adjacent to each other in parallel. Similar to the conventional MTL, each of the MTLs 2A and 2B includes a storage body 3 having a large number of storage cells 4 for storing the cartridge C (in FIG. 1, some storage cells 4 are omitted for simplicity). The cartridge 5 is not shown, and the drive 5 for reading and writing of the cartridge C and the inside of the MTL 2A or 2B while moving in a detachable manner while holding the desired cartridge C are vertically and horizontally. By
A transport unit 6 for transporting the cartridge C inside the MTL 2A or 2B is provided, and a control unit 8 configured by a microcomputer, for example, for controlling all operations of the MTL. In each of the MTLs 2A and 2B, each storage cell 4 has a cartridge entrance 4a on the side (front end side) of the transport body 6 facing the transport path.

In the illustrated example, the two MTLs 2A, 2B
Are provided parallel to and separated from each other in the direction in which their back sides (ie, the side opposite to the cartridge entrance 4a) face each other. As described above with reference to the related art, in a system in which two MTLs 2A and 2B are provided in this manner, even though the drive 5 in one MTU (for example, 2A) is always busy, the other MTU 2A and 2B are always busy. MTL
The drive 5 in (for example, 2B) tends to be in an idle state in many cases. In such a case, in order to increase the overall processing efficiency of the system, there is a demand that the particularly frequently used cartridge C can be freely transferred from the busy MTU 2A to the idle MTL 2B.

In order to cope with such a demand, in this embodiment, two MTLs 2A and 2B adjacent to each other are used.
Are interconnected by, for example, two (one, or three or more) transfer connecting portions 10 having the following configuration, and the adjacent MTL2A is connected via the transfer connecting portion 10. , 2B can be freely exchanged. In this specification, in order to make the description easy to understand,
Moving the cartridge C in the same MTL 2A or 2B by the carrier 6 in the vertical and horizontal directions is called "transport", and the two MTLs 2A and 2B
Moving the cartridge C in the left-right direction via the transfer connecting portion 10 between them will be referred to as “transfer”.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of each of the transfer connecting portions 10. The transfer connecting portion 10 includes a moving passage 11 that connects the MTLs 2A and 2B adjacent to each other in parallel with each other.
And a transfer belt 12 extending between the MTLs 2A and 2B along the moving path 11. The transfer belt 12 is, for example, an endless belt wound around a pair of pulleys at both ends thereof, and is driven by rotating one of the pulleys via a single (common) reversible motor M. It is supposed to be. The transfer belt 12
A desired cartridge C is stored and held at a predetermined location,
One substantially box-shaped cartridge tray 1 for transferring from one MTL 2A or 2B to the other MTL 2B or 2A
4 is fixed.

More specifically, a tray mounting member 15 is fixed to the transfer belt 12 so as to be adjustable in position, and the cartridge tray 14 is rotatably mounted on the tray mounting member 15. In this way, the cartridge tray 14 is rotatably mounted on the transfer belt 12 via the tray mounting member 15.

The cartridge tray 14 as a cartridge transfer body has a cartridge entrance 1 at one end thereof.
4a. In the stop state, the cartridge tray 14 is locked in a predetermined delivery direction, that is, an access direction, at a predetermined delivery position, that is, an access position in one of the MTLs 2A or 2B. According to the illustrated example, the cartridge tray 14 in the stopped state is located immediately above the container 3 of the one MTL 2A or 2B and the cartridge entrance 14 thereof.
a is on the same side as the cartridge entrance 4a of each storage cell 4 of the storage body 3 and is locked in a position and direction such that it is flush with (or aligned with) one storage cell 4 in one column in the left-right direction. Is done.

From one MTL (for example, 2A) to the other MTL
When the specific cartridge C is to be transferred to the TL (for example, 2B), the transporter 6 of the one MTL 2A takes out the specific cartridge C from the designated storage cell 4 of the storage 3 on its own side, and While holding the cartridge C, the cartridge C is moved to the position of the cartridge tray 14 waiting at the access position, and the operation of feeding the cartridge C into the cartridge tray 14 is performed. The cartridge tray 14 stores and holds the cartridge C sent from the carrier 6, and in this state, the motor M is rotated in a predetermined direction and the transfer belt 1 is rotated.
2 in a predetermined direction, the other MTL is driven.
It is moved toward a predetermined access position in 2B.

In the illustrated example, which is composed of two MTLs 2A and 2B provided with their respective back surfaces facing each other, the cartridge tray 14 having a cartridge entrance 14a only at one end is provided with the specific cartridge C. While being moved toward the MTL 2B so as to face the predetermined access direction at the other MTL 2B, ie, 18
0 ° needs to be inverted. For this purpose, in the illustrated example, when the cartridge tray 14 is moved toward the MTL 2B, the cartridge tray 14 is fixed to the transfer belt 12 while contacting a cam surface (not shown) having an arbitrary shape. By rotating by 180 ° with respect to the tray mounting member 15, the tray mounting member 15 is inverted by 180 °.

The 180 ° inversion causes the cartridge tray 14 to move to a predetermined access position of the other MTL 2B in a predetermined access direction. In this way, in the other MTL 2B, the transporter 6 takes out the specific cartridge C from the cartridge tray 14 moved as described above, and stores the specific cartridge C in the specified storage cell 4 while holding the specific cartridge C. I do.

In other words, the transport body 6 of each of the MTLs 2A and 2B is moved with respect to the cartridge tray 14 as if the cartridge tray 14 at a predetermined access position on its own side is one storage cell 4. Access (loading and unloading of cartridge C).

Contrary to the above, MTL2B to MTL2A
When the transfer of the cartridge C is performed, the motor M rotates in the opposite direction to drive the transfer belt 12 in the opposite direction, whereby the cartridge tray 14 holding the cartridge C is moved. , MTL
2B to MTL 2A. Of course, even in this case, the cartridge tray 14 is inverted by 180 ° during the movement from the MTL 2B to the MTL 2A.

Each of the MTLs 2A and 2B is provided with a tray stopper 16 for securely stopping and holding the tray 14 moved by the transfer belt 12 at the predetermined access position and direction. At least one tray stopper 1 of adjacent MTLs 2A and 2B
The mounting position of 6 is adjustable.

Further, according to this embodiment, the maximum effective length of the transfer belt 12 depends on various installation conditions on the user side (for example, an obstacle such as a pillar at the installation location of the MTLs 2A and 2B, the distance between the MTLs 2A and 2B). Slope and other conditions)
The distance L between the MTLs 2A and 2B, which differs depending on
MT to be able to cope with the change of
It is set to be slightly longer (for example, 2.5 m) than the maximum distance (for example, 2 m) between L2A and 2B. The transfer belt 1
The adjustment of the effective stroke of the cartridge tray 14 defined by the maximum effective length of
This can be realized by adjusting the mounting position of at least one of the tray stoppers 16 of 2A and 2B. Further, when the MTL system is newly installed, by moving the cartridge tray 14 at a relatively low speed via the motor M and the transfer belt 12, the control unit 8 of each of the MTLs 2A and 2B causes the control
2 can be initially learned.

The motor M for driving the transfer belt 12 is individually controlled by each of the control units 8 of the two MTLs 2A and 2B. For example, if it is desired to transfer the cartridge C from one MTL 2A to the other MTL 2B,
2A can control the common motor M to rotate in the predetermined direction.
When it is desired to transfer the cartridge C from B to the MTL 2A, the control unit 8 of the MTL 2B can perform control to rotate the common motor M in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

In the above embodiment, two MTLs 2
A and 2B are described in a state where the two MTLs 2A and 2B are opposite to each other.
2B may be provided in the front facing state. Alternatively, the two MTLs 2A and 2B may be provided side by side in the same direction (that is, the direction in which the front sides face rightward or leftward in FIG. 1). There is no need to flip 14 by 180 °.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the endless belt 12 is used as the moving means of the transfer connecting portion 10, but the transferring means includes a wheel mounted on the cartridge tray 14, a motor for driving the wheel, and the wheel. Or other suitable rails. Further, in the above embodiment, one cartridge tray 1 is used as the cartridge transfer body.
4, only one cartridge tray 14 is shared by a plurality of MTLs 2. However, the cartridge tray 14 may be provided for each MTL 2.

The present invention is also applicable to a system having three or more MTLs. In this case, a transfer connection as described above may be provided between each adjacent MTL. Through each transfer connection, the adjacent MTL
By sequentially transferring the cartridges between the MTLs, it is possible to exchange the cartridges among all the MTLs. Further, the present invention provides a plurality of MTLs as shown in the illustrated example.
The present invention can be applied not only to a system in which are installed in parallel, but also to a system in which they are installed in series. Further, the case where the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a magnetic tape cartridge library system has been described. However, the present invention is applied to a system including another library device which handles another recording medium cartridge such as an optical disk cartridge. You may.

[0028]

As described above, the present invention is constructed so that the recording medium cartridge can be accessed between the respective transporting bodies of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library apparatus, and is provided along a predetermined moving path. A cartridge transfer member movably provided between the library devices; and a desired recording medium cartridge can be transferred between the library devices via the cartridge transfer member. I have. With such a configuration, the present invention has an excellent effect that cartridges can be exchanged between a plurality of recording medium cartridge library devices.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view schematically showing an entire MTL system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a detailed configuration of the transfer connection unit of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

2A, 2B MTL (magnetic tape cartridge library device) C cartridge 3 storage unit 4 storage cell 5 drive 6 transport unit 8 control unit 10 transfer connection unit 11 movement passage 12 transfer belt (moving means) M motor 14 cartridge tray (cartridge transfer unit) ) 16 Tray stopper

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit having a large number of storage cells for storing a recording medium cartridge, a drive for reading and writing the recording medium cartridge, and a transfer unit for transferring the cartridge inside the apparatus are provided side by side. A plurality of recording medium cartridge library devices, and a transfer connection portion provided between each of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices, wherein each of the transfer connection portions is a respective one of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices. A cartridge transfer body configured to be able to transfer a recording medium cartridge to and from the transport body of each of the library devices at a predetermined access position in the above, and a predetermined movement passage extending between the library devices Along with the cartridge transfer body and the library device And a moving means for moving the cartridge between the recording medium cartridge library systems. 2. The recording medium cartridge library system according to claim 1, wherein at each of said access positions, said cartridge transporter is positioned so as to be aligned with a storage cell of said library device. 3. The moving means is a transfer belt disposed between the library devices along the moving path,
2. The recording medium cartridge library system according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge transporting body is a single cartridge transporting body attached to the transporting belt and shared by the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices. 4. The recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the transport belt is driven via a single motor that can be individually controlled by each control unit of the adjacent recording medium cartridge library device. Cartridge library system. 5. A stopper for stopping and holding the transfer body moved by the moving means at the access position in each of the library devices. 4. The recording medium cartridge library system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the stoppers is mounted so as to be adjustable in position. 6. An effective length of the transfer belt is set to be sufficiently longer than a separation distance between the adjacent recording medium cartridge library devices, and by adjusting a mounting position of the at least one stopper, the effective length of the transfer belt is adjusted. 6. The recording medium cartridge library system according to claim 5, wherein a change in a certain range in the separation distance between the library devices can be handled.