Cartridge forced exit station for a library apparatus

Details Cartridge forced exit station for a library apparatus Cartridge forced exit station for a library apparatus

1998-02-12

2001-03-06

Davis, David (Department: 2754)

Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval

Record transport with head stationary during transducing

Tape record

C369S178010

Reexamination Certificate

active

06198594

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a library apparatus which stores a number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disc cartridges, and transfers a cartridge to a drive unit through a transferring mechanism such as an accessor robot. The present invention more particularly relates to a library apparatus equipped with a cartridge forced exit station for forcibly discharging a defective cartridge from the library apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In general, a library apparatus such as a magnetic tape library apparatus includes a storage unit for storing a plurality of cartridges each accommodating a storage medium such as magnetic tape, a drive unit for carrying out recording and reproduction of data from the storage medium in the cartridge, and an accessor robot (accessor) for transferring the cartridge between the storage unit and the drive unit.
In response to a cartridge access request from a host apparatus, the accessor moves to the storage unit, searches for a desired cartridge, grasps the cartridge using a hand mechanism, and transfers it to the drive unit. After completion of the processing, the cartridge is removed from the processing section by the hand mechanism of the accessor and conveyed to the storage unit for storage.
The cartridge may, for example, be a magnetic tape cartridge
10
having magnetic tape as the storage medium, as shown in FIG.
10
. Moreover, the tape cartridge
10
may include a leader block
10
a
attached to the tip portion of the magnetic tape for pulling out a magnetic tape (not shown).
A cartridge
10
(
FIG. 11
) is inserted/removed from a magnetic tape drive unit (MTU)
5
a
by a hand mechanism
7
a
of an accessor
7
while being guided by right and left guides
5
a
-
1
. The magnetic tape is drawn out of the cartridge
10
into the MTU
5
a
by the leader block
10
a.
If the leader block is improperly seated within the cartridge, the library apparatus may experience difficulty in handling the cartridge and/or processing data from the cartridge. See, e.g. the two-dot chain line in FIG.
10
.
By manner of illustration,
FIG. 12
shows a cartridge
10
being taken out from the MTU
5
a
and grasped by the hand mechanism
7
a
. As shown, the cartridge is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the hand mechanism
7
a
. Notably, the inclination makes it difficult to insert the cartridge
10
into a given cell in the storage unit. Moreover, inclination of the cartridge may cause difficulty in inserting the cartridge
10
into the MTU
5
a.
A cartridge which can not be handled due to an improperly seated leader block or the like is treated as a defective cartridge. In a conventional system, defective cartridges are placed by the accessor in a pocket for storage within the library apparatus. Moreover, the intervention of a skilled technician is required in order to access the defective cartridges stored within the pocket.
To ensure reliable entry/exit of the cartridge
10
, a conventional library apparatus has been provided with a mechanism for delivery and reception of the cartridge. This mechanism is provided between the MTU
5
a
and the hand mechanism
7
a
in the accessor
7
. Recently, however, in order to reduce the overall size of the library apparatus, it has been desirable to design a library apparatus which does not use this delivering and receiving mechanism. In such a configuration, the accessor
7
has been designed to directly insert the cartridge
10
into the MTU
5
a
as shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12
. Direct entry of the cartridge by the accessor into the MTU
5
a
makes a size-reduction of the hand mechanism
7
a
essential. Accordingly, not only the hand mechanism
7
a
but also the accessor
7
have undergone a size-reduction.
However, the size-reduction of the hand mechanism
7
a
reduces the contact area in which the hand mechanism
7
a
grasps the cartridge
10
. This reduction may cause difficulty in grasping the cartridge
10
. In particular, there is a possibility that the hand mechanism
7
a
may be unable to grasp the cartridge
10
in a correct posture, making it difficult to insert the cartridge
10
into the MTU
5
a
(see FIG.
11
). Moreover, the cartridge will be judged defective if the hand mechanism
7
a
experiences difficulty in handling the cartridge; whereupon it will be transported to the pocket.
The present invention has been developed with a view to eliminating this problem, and it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a library apparatus with a simple and compact arrangement which is capable of immediately and forcibly discharging defective cartridges outside of the library apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above listed objects are met or exceeded by the present library apparatus having a cartridge forced exit station for forcibly discharging a defective cartridge outside of the library apparatus. The cartridge forced exit station of the present invention includes a storage rack for receiving a defective cartridge through the transferring mechanism from the operating space side in the interior of the library apparatus and for storing the received cartridge. As a result, a defective cartridge can immediately be discharged to an isolated area for safe removal from the library apparatus without requiring the intervention of a skilled technician.
The cartridge forced exit station can further be provided with a door for covering an opening section which establishes direct communication between a cartridge storage space in the storage rack and the external space around the library apparatus.
The cartridge forced exit station can be constructed such that the storage rack and the door are formed integrally with each other. In this manner, opening the door simultaneously moves the rack, thereby inhibiting access to the operating space for the transferring mechanism. An operator may gain access to a defective cartridge in the storage rack by opening the door. However, the safety of the operator is ensured as the operator is prevented from gaining access to the operating space when the door is in the open condition.
Furthermore, the cartridge forced exit station can be provided with a door locking mechanism for inhibiting an opening operation of the door when a defective cartridge is not stored in the storage rack and for allowing the door opening operation when the defective cartridge is stored therein. In this case, the cartridge forced exit station can be provided with a detecting mechanism for detecting the open/closed condition of the door as well as detecting the presence of a defective cartridge stored in the storage rack.
Moreover, in the case that the cartridge accommodates a magnetic tape and has a leader block for pulling out the magnetic tape, the storage rack may have a recess section made to facilitate the passage of a cartridge whose leader block is not properly seated. dr
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view showing an arrangement of a cartridge forced exit station (FES) of a library apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is perspective view showing an arrangement of the library apparatus according to one embodiment;
FIG. 3
is a front elevational view showing the FES in the door closed condition, where the door is omitted;
FIG. 4
is a side elevational view (a cross-sectional view taken along a line IV—IV of
FIG. 3
) showing the FES in the door closed condition;
FIG. 5
is a plan view (a cross-sectional view taken along a line V—V of
FIG. 3
) showing the FES in the door closed condition;
FIG. 6
is a side elevational view showing the FES in the door opened condition, corresponding to
FIG. 4
;
FIG. 7
is a side elevational view (a cross-sectional view taken along a line VII—VII of
FIG. 3
) showing the FES in the door closed condition, a door locking mechanism and a detecting mechanism;
FIG. 8
is a side elevational view showing the FES, the door locking mechanism and the dete

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