WO2010067443A1 - Information storage device and cleaning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An information storage device is provided with a case; a storage shelf having a plurality of storage areas for storing an information storage medium; a recording/reproducing device whereupon the information storage medium is loaded so as to record and/or reproduce information; a moving mechanism for moving the information storage medium; and a cleaning machine for cleaning the storage area when stored in the storage area. The cleaning machine is provided with a cleaning machine case body having a port; a fan for sucking air from the port; and a filter which passes through the air sucked by the fan and removes unnecessary materials from the passing air.

Description

Information storage device and cleaning machine

This disclosure relates to an information storage device and a cleaner.

Conventionally, an information storage device in which a large number of information storage media represented by tape cartridges are stored on a shelf in a housing is known. The information storage device also includes a drive that accesses the information storage medium and reads and writes information in the housing. The information storage device is also provided with a robot that moves the information storage medium in the housing and mounts it from the shelf to the drive or unmounts the drive from the shelf. Such an information storage device as a whole has a very large storage capacity. This information storage device is used, for example, for storage of data concentrated on a server on the Internet, storage of program content for broadcasting, etc., and is referred to as a library device. Information storage devices for such applications are required to continue to operate stably over a long period of time such as monthly or yearly.

However, the information storage device takes in air from the outside with a fan or the like to cool the drive or the like. For this reason, dust is sucked in from the outside of the apparatus together with the air. The sucked dust floats in the information storage device and adheres to the shelf and the information storage medium while the information storage device is operated for a long time.

In addition, the shelves of the information storage device are often formed of resin, and the information storage medium and the shelves are formed by the information storage medium being removed from the shelves many times by the robot while the information storage device is operated for a long time. Rub and wear debris is generated. This wear litter also adheres to the shelf and the information storage medium.

If such dust and wear debris are left unattended, the inside of the drive may become dirty due to the loading of the information storage medium, which may cause abnormal operation. For this reason, cleaning work is regularly performed by maintenance personnel, and the floor surface of the apparatus housing, the filter provided on the air suction portion by the above-described fan, the above-described drive, and the like are cleaned. However, as for the shelf, since there are a large number of storage locations for the information storage medium, it takes time for the work, so that the actual cleaning is not performed. If such a shelf is cleaned by maintenance personnel, not only is it time-consuming, but also the service of the information storage device is stopped for a long time along with the cleaning work.

In view of this, a technique has been proposed in which a cleaning cassette that wipes dirt off with a waste cloth is automatically stored on a shelf by a robot (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-4-28053

However, the amount of wear debris and dust described above is not an amount that can be wiped off with a small number of cleaning cassettes. Therefore, the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above cannot be cleaned for a long period of time, and the operation of the information storage device cannot be stabilized for a long period of time. In addition, if the cleaning cassette is frequently replaced in order to maintain the cleaning power, it will end up requiring a lot of labor for maintenance personnel.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an information storage device that can continue to operate stably over a long period of time and a cleaning machine that can perform cleaning over a long period of time.

The basic form of the information storage device that achieves the above object includes a housing and a storage shelf provided in the housing. This storage shelf has a plurality of storage locations for storing information storage media for storing information. In addition, this basic form also includes a recording / reproducing device provided in the casing, which is loaded with the information storage medium and records and / or reproduces information on the information storage medium. Further, in this basic form, when the information storage medium is gripped and moved in the housing, and stored in the storage location that is gripped and moved by the movement mechanism in the same manner as the information storage medium. And a cleaning machine for cleaning the storage location. And in this basic form, the said cleaning machine is provided with the cleaning machine housing | casing with the hole, and the fan which is arrange | positioned in the said cleaning machine housing | casing and sucks air in the cleaning machine housing | casing from the said hole. Furthermore, this cleaning machine removes unnecessary matter from the air that passes through the air sucked in by the fan, which is built into a part of the cleaning machine casing, and is discharged out of the cleaning machine casing. And a filter.

The basic form of the cleaner that achieves the above object includes the cleaner casing, the fan, and the filter.

According to these basic forms, it is possible to perform stable cleaning over a long period of time by a type of cleaner that sucks air with a fan. For this reason, the operation of the information storage device is stable over a long period of time.

As described above, according to the basic mode, cleaning can be performed over a long period of time, and the operation of the information storage device can be stabilized over a long period of time.

It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the library apparatus corresponded in concrete 1st Embodiment with respect to the basic form of an information storage device. It is an internal block diagram of a library apparatus. It is a figure which shows the specific shape of a medium storage shelf and a cell. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of a robot. It is the figure where the state in which the hand mechanism was drawn out toward the medium storage shelf was shown. It is the figure where the state in which the hand mechanism was drawn in in the main-body part was shown. It is an external view of a cleaning medium. It is an internal block diagram of a cleaning medium. It is a figure which shows the detail about the bottom part removed in FIG. It is sectional drawing of a cleaning medium. It is a figure which shows the structure of a normal cell. It is a figure which shows the structure of a dedicated cell. It is a flowchart showing the movement operation | work at the time of receiving the instruction | indication from a host computer. It is a flowchart showing the movement work at the time of standby. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the cleaning medium in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the cleaning medium in 3rd Embodiment. It is an internal block diagram of the cleaning medium in 3rd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the cleaning medium in 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the operation timing of the cleaning medium in 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the exclusive cell in 3rd Embodiment.

Specific embodiments of the information storage device and the cleaning machine described above for the basic form will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the external appearance of a library apparatus corresponding to a specific first embodiment for the basic form of the information storage apparatus described above. FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the library apparatus.

The library device 1 is connected to a host computer via a LAN line or the like and accumulates a large amount of data. The library apparatus 1 includes a large case 10. A part of the housing 10 is a loading / unloading port 11 that can be freely opened and closed. The user of the library apparatus 1 can take out and put in the cartridge medium from the loading / unloading port 11 as necessary. The cartridge medium used in the first embodiment is a tape cartridge in which a magnetic tape is housed.

In the housing 10 of the library apparatus 1, a medium storage shelf 12 provided with a number of cells 13 each storing cartridge media 14 is provided. Of the large number of cells 13, a cell located on the back side of the loading / unloading port 11 of the housing 10 serves as a magazine portion in which the cartridge medium 14 is temporarily stored when the cartridge medium 14 is inserted and removed by the user. . This magazine part is called CAS (Cartridge Access Station).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing specific shapes of the medium storage shelf and the cell.

The medium storage shelf 12 is provided with a cell 13 having the shape shown in FIG. Each cell 13 has a bottom 131 partially protruding in front of the medium storage shelf 12 and a wall 132 that rises from the bottom 131 and surrounds the side and the back. The cartridge medium described above is placed on the bottom 131. The cartridge medium is stored in a space surrounded by the wall 132.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the description of the library device 1 is continued.

In the housing 10 of the library apparatus 1, a cartridge medium 14 is mounted, and a drive device 15 that records and reproduces information with respect to the cartridge medium 14 is provided. Recording information is sent to the drive device 15 from a server or the like to which the library device 1 is connected. The drive device 15 records this recording information on the cartridge medium 14. The reproduction information reproduced from the cartridge medium 14 by the drive device 15 is sent to a server or the like.

The housing 10 is also provided with a robot 18 that moves the cartridge medium 14 within the housing 10. The robot 18 can move up and down in the housing 10 along the vertical rail 17. The vertical rail 17 can move in the left-right direction in the drawing along the horizontal rail 16 fixed to the bottom of the housing 10. Therefore, the robot 18 can freely move in the housing 10 in the vertical and horizontal directions in the figure. As will be described in detail later, the robot 18 can grip the cartridge medium 14. Further, the grasped cartridge medium 14 can be inserted into and removed from the cell 13. The robot 18 is responsible for a discharge process for moving the cartridge medium 14 from the normal cell 13 to the input / discharge magazine section, and a load process for moving the cartridge medium 14 from the input / discharge magazine section to the cell 13. The robot 18 also performs a mounting process for moving the cartridge medium 14 from the cell 13 to the drive device 15 and an unmounting process for moving the cartridge medium 14 from the drive apparatus 15 to the cell 13.

The housing 10 is also provided with a controller 19 for controlling operations of the drive device 15 and the robot 18.

The case 10 described here corresponds to an example of the case in the basic form. The medium storage shelf 12 corresponds to an example of the storage shelf in the basic form. The cell 13 corresponds to an example of a storage location in the basic form. The cartridge medium 14 corresponds to an example of the information storage medium in the basic form. The drive device 15 corresponds to an example of a recording / reproducing device in the basic form. The horizontal rail 16, the vertical rail 17, and the robot 18 constitute an example of the moving mechanism in the basic form.

In such a library apparatus 1, dust floating in the housing 10 gradually accumulates in the cell 13. In addition, wear debris generated by sliding between the cartridge medium 14 and the cell 13 gradually accumulates in the cell 13. In order to remove such dust and wear debris from the cell 13, a cleaning medium 20 is prepared in the library apparatus 1. This cleaning medium 20 corresponds to the specific first embodiment of the cleaning machine described above with respect to the basic form. Further, the cleaning medium 20 is stored in a dedicated cell 13 'which will be described in detail later during non-cleaning. The cleaning operation by the cleaning medium 20 is activated when the cleaning medium 20 is stored in a cell 13 other than the dedicated cell 13 ′ by the robot 18.

Here, the configuration of the robot 18 will be described.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the robot.

The robot 18 has a printed circuit board 181 on the upper surface of the main body portion 184. Various control circuits are constructed on the printed circuit board 181. The printed circuit board 181 controls the operation of the entire robot 18 by these control circuits. A barcode reader 182 for reading the barcode of the barcode label 141 attached to the cartridge medium 14 is mounted on the printed circuit board 181. Further, an LED 183 that irradiates the barcode label 141 with light for reading when the barcode is read by the barcode reader 182 is also mounted on the printed circuit board 181. The robot 18 identifies each cartridge medium 14 by reading the barcode with the barcode reader 182.

In the main body portion 184 of the robot 18, a hand mechanism 185 for holding the cartridge medium 14 for taking the cartridge medium 14 into and out of the cell 13 is provided. The hand mechanism 185 has a structure that can be extended from the main body portion 184 toward the medium storage shelf 12 and pulled into the main body portion 184.

The robot 18 also incorporates a motor (not shown in FIG. 4). The motor is controlled by the printed circuit board 181 to realize the movement of the robot 18 along the vertical rail 17 shown in FIG.

5 and 6 are diagrams showing the cartridge medium gripping operation by the robot. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the hand mechanism is extended toward the medium storage shelf. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the hand mechanism is pulled into the main body.

When the robot 18 takes out the cartridge medium 14 from the cell 13, as described above, the robot 18 moves to a position where the main body portion 184 of the robot 18 faces the cartridge medium 14 recognized by reading the barcode. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the hand mechanism 185 is extended toward the medium storage shelf 12. One end of the cartridge medium 14 is gripped by the hand mechanism 185 that has been fed out.

The robot 18 holding the cartridge medium 14 with the hand mechanism 185 pulls out the cartridge medium 14 from the cell 13 by pulling the hand mechanism 185 into the main body portion 184 as shown in FIG. As a result, the cartridge medium 14 is taken out from the cell 13. The cartridge medium 14 taken out from the cell 13 is moved by the robot 18 while being held in the main body portion 184.

When the robot 18 stores the cartridge medium 14 in the cell 13, the cartridge mechanism 14 held in the main body 184 as shown in FIG. By inserting 185, the cell 13 is inserted. As a result, the cartridge medium 14 is stored in the cell 13.

The robot 18 can also insert / remove the above-described cleaning medium into / from the cell 13 in the same manner as the cartridge medium 14. Hereinafter, the structure of the cleaning medium will be described in detail.

FIG. 7 is an external view of the cleaning medium.

7 (A) shows the appearance of the cleaning medium 20 as viewed from the upper surface side. Further, part (B) of FIG. 7 shows an appearance of the cleaning medium 20 as viewed from the lower surface side (that is, the bottom surface side). The cleaning medium 20 is stored in the cell by being pushed upward by the robot in FIG. Further, the cleaning medium 20 is taken out from the cell by being pulled downward by the robot in FIG.

The casing 21 of the cleaning medium 20 has the same shape as the cartridge medium 14 described above. On the lower surface of the casing 21, there is a slit 211 extending in the vertical direction in this figure (that is, the insertion / removal direction of the cell by the robot). A filter 23 is incorporated in a part of the housing 21. The place where the filter 23 is incorporated is a place that faces the front side (that is, the robot side) when the cleaning medium 20 is stored in the cell.

The case 21 described here corresponds to an example of the cleaner case in the basic form described above. In addition, the slit 211 corresponds to an example of a hole formed in the cleaning machine housing in the basic form described above. The filter 23 corresponds to an example of the filter in the basic form described above.

The cleaning medium 20 is provided with a switch 22 at a position on the back side of the cell when stored in the cell. As will be described later, the switch 22 is pressed against the wall of the cell when the cleaning medium 20 is stored in the cell, and causes the cleaning medium 20 to start a cleaning operation.

Here, with respect to the basic mode, the cleaning machine includes a switch that operates the cleaning operation of the cleaning machine by contacting the inner wall of the storage part when the cleaning machine is stored in the storage part. The application form that there is is preferable.

According to this preferred application mode, the cleaning operation is automatically performed by storing the cleaner in the storage location by the moving mechanism. Therefore, even when the cleaning machine is introduced into the information storage device, it is not necessary to add an extra mechanism for operating the cleaning operation to the moving mechanism or the like.

The cleaning medium 20 shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to an example of a cleaning machine in such a preferred application form. The switch 22 provided in the cleaning medium 20 corresponds to an example of a switch in such a preferable application form.

FIG. 8 is an internal configuration diagram of the cleaning medium.

FIG. 8 shows a state where the bottom of the casing 21 of the cleaning medium 20 is removed. A battery 24 that is turned on and off by a switch 22 is incorporated in the cleaning medium 20. The switch 22 is a push button switch that is turned on when pressed. A fan 25 driven by the power of the battery 24 is also incorporated in the cleaning medium 20. The installation location of the fan 25 is a location corresponding to the inside of the slit 211 described above. The fan 25 is an axial fan having a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the drawing. When the fan 25 is driven, the cleaning medium 20 sucks air from the slit 211 described above. The fan 25 corresponds to an example of the fan in the basic form described above.

Here, an application mode in which the cleaning machine has a built-in power supply for performing a cleaning operation is preferable to the basic mode. According to this application mode, the cleaning machine can perform the cleaning operation independently without depending on the external power supply or the like. Therefore, even when the cleaner is introduced into the information storage device, it is not necessary to add an extra mechanism for supplying power to the moving mechanism or the like. The battery 24 described above corresponds to an example of a power source in this application mode. Further, the driving of the fan 25 described above corresponds to an example of the cleaning operation in this application mode.

Note that the filter 23 described above is a part of the casing 21 that surrounds the inside of the cleaning medium 20, as shown in FIG.

Further, more specifically, the above-described fan 25 is attached to the bottom of the casing 21 removed in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing details of the bottom portion removed in FIG.

FIG. 9 shows details of a portion corresponding to the inside of the slit 211 at the bottom of the casing 21.

A rectangular pedestal 213 to which the above-described fan is attached is provided on the inner surface of the bottom of the housing 21 at the position of the slit 211. The slit 211 passes through the housing 21 on the inner side surrounded by the pedestal 213, but is covered with the slit bottom 212 at a portion extending to the outer side of the pedestal 213. If the part covered with the slit bottom 212 is viewed from the outside of the housing 21, a groove is formed. The groove is connected to the space surrounded by the pedestal 213.

The air flow obtained by such a structure will be described below.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the cleaning medium.

As described above, the fan 25 is attached to the pedestal 213. This creates a space between the slit 211 and the fan 25. The presence of such a space stabilizes the air suction by the fan 25. Further, the air is efficiently sucked from the slit 211 by the fan 25 sucking the air in such a space.

Also, a flow of air is generated along the groove 214 formed by the slit bottom 212 toward the pedestal 213 side.

The wear lint and dust are sucked from the bottom of the cleaning medium 20 by the air flow. The air sucked into the cleaning medium 20 by the fan 25 flows toward the filter 23. Then, when the air passes through the filter 23, wear debris and dust are removed. As a result, the bottom of the cell in which the cleaning medium 20 is stored is cleaned. In addition, the structure that sucks in dust and dust together with air and filters it with the filter 23 can maintain the cleaning ability for a long period of time, so that the cell can be cleaned for a long period of time.

Here, the structure of the cell will be described again.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the structure of a normal cell.

As described above, the cell 13 has the bottom 131 and the wall 132. More specifically, the wall 132 includes a side wall 133 and a back wall 134.

As described in FIGS. 5 and 6, the robot described above inserts the cartridge medium 14 and the cleaning medium 20 from the lower side to the upper side when storing the cartridge medium 14 and the cleaning medium 20 in this cell. When the cleaning medium 20 is inserted to the back of the cell 13 by the robot, the above-described switch 22 hits the back wall 134 of the cell 13 and the fan of the cleaning medium 20 is automatically driven. Conversely, when the robot begins to pull out the cleaning medium 20 from the cell 13, the fan of the cleaning medium 20 automatically stops.

Further, as described in FIG. 7, the slit 211 of the cleaning medium 20 extends in a direction along the direction in which the cartridge medium 14 and the cleaning medium 20 are inserted by the robot. Wear debris and dust adhering to the bottom 131 of the cell 13 are likely to accumulate in each portion R extending in the vertical direction in FIG. 11 as the cartridge medium 14 is inserted and removed by the robot. Since the slits 211 of the cleaning medium 20 extend along the respective locations R, the wear debris and dust at the locations R are efficiently cleaned at the same time.

Here, the following application forms are preferable to the basic form. In this preferred application mode, the moving mechanism inserts and removes the information storage medium and the cleaner from the storage location. Further, in this preferred application mode, the cleaning machine includes a cleaning machine housing in which a slit-like hole extending along the insertion / removal direction by the moving mechanism is vacated at a bottom position when stored in the storage position. Yes. And the cleaning machine inhales air in the cleaning machine housing | casing from the hole.

According to this preferable application mode, it is possible to efficiently clean a place where wear debris and dust easily accumulate by sucking air from a slit-like hole extending along the insertion / removal direction.

The above-described cleaning medium 20 corresponds to an example of a cleaning machine in this preferred application mode.

Further, the following further application forms are preferable to this preferable application form. In this further application, the cleaning machine includes the cleaning machine casing and a fan that is disposed in the cleaning machine casing and sucks air into the cleaning machine casing from the hole. And this cleaning machine is also provided with the switch which contacts the back wall in the said insertion / removal direction among the inner walls of the storage location by operating the fan by storing the cleaning device in the storage location.

In such a further application, the fan will automatically operate when the cleaner is inserted all the way into the storage location. The switch 22 described above corresponds to an example of a switch in such a further application form.

Since the cleaning medium 20 is provided with such a switch 22, the dedicated cell 13 ′ shown in FIG. 2 is devised to avoid the fan operation.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the structure of a dedicated cell.

The dedicated cell 13 ′ has a bottom 131 having the same shape as that of the normal cell 13 and a side wall 133 similar to that of the normal cell 13. However, unlike the normal cell 13, the back wall 135 has a cut 136 formed at a location corresponding to the switch 22 described above. For this reason, when the cleaning medium 20 is stored in the dedicated cell 13 ′, the contact of the switch 22 with the back wall 135 is avoided, and the operation of the cleaning medium 20 is also avoided. Therefore, the robot can store the cleaning medium 20 in the dedicated cell 13 ′ by the same operation as the storage in the normal cell 13. This means that the following application form is suitable for the basic form. In this preferred application mode, the cleaning machine includes a switch that contacts the inner wall of the storage location and operates the cleaning operation of the cleaning device when the cleaning device is stored in the storage location. Furthermore, in this preferred application mode, the storage shelf has a dedicated storage location for storing the cleaning machine having an inner wall shaped to avoid contact of the switch. The dedicated cell 13 'described above corresponds to an example of a dedicated storage location in this preferred application mode.

Next, the moving operation of the cartridge medium 14 and the cleaning medium 20 by the robot 18 will be described.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a moving operation when receiving an instruction from the host computer.

The controller 19 receives an instruction to mount the cartridge medium 14 from the host computer (step S101). This mount processing instruction includes designation of the cartridge medium 14. Under the control of the controller 19, the robot 18 identifies the cartridge medium 14 designated by the host computer with a barcode as described with reference to FIG. Then, the robot 18 loads the identified cartridge medium 14 into the drive device 15 (step S102). In the drive device 15, writing or reading of information with respect to the cartridge medium 14 is started.

When the mounting process is performed in this manner, the cell 13 in which the cartridge medium 14 is stored becomes empty, so the robot 18 takes out the cleaning medium 20 from the dedicated cell 13 ′ and puts it in the empty cell 13. Store (step S103). By being stored in the cell 13 in this way, the cleaning medium 20 automatically cleans the cell 13 as described above. When the predetermined cleaning end time is reached, the robot 18 removes the cleaning medium 20 from the cell 13 and returns it to the dedicated cell 13 '(step S104). Thereafter, the robot 18 receives an instruction to unmount the cartridge medium 14 from the host computer (step S105). Then, the robot 18 takes out the cartridge medium 14 from the drive device 15 and stores it in the original cell 13 (step S106).

By the operation described above, the cleaning of the cell 13 in which the cartridge medium 14 is stored is executed without being obstructed by the cartridge medium 14. This is because, with respect to the basic mode, when the moving mechanism moves the information storage medium and mounts it on the recording / reproducing device, the cleaning machine is stored in the storage location where the information storage medium was stored. This means that the application form is suitable.

The robot 18 also moves the cleaning medium 20 during the so-called standby when the instruction from the host computer is interrupted.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the moving operation during standby.

The controller 19 waits for a mount processing instruction from the host computer (step S201). When the instruction waits for a predetermined time (step S202; Y), the cell 13 in which the cartridge medium 14 is not stored is cleaned by the control of the controller 19 (step S203). Specifically, the cleaning medium 20 is taken out from the dedicated cell 13 ′ by the robot 18 and stored in the cell 13 in which the cartridge medium 14 is not stored for a predetermined cleaning time. After the cleaning time has elapsed in one cell 13, the robot 18 moves the cleaning medium 20 to another cell 13. Such an operation is repeated until a mount processing instruction is received from the host computer (steps S203 and S204). When the mount processing instruction is received (step S204; Y), the robot 18 returns the cleaning medium 20 to the dedicated cell 13 '(step S205). Then, the moving work described in the flowchart shown in FIG. 13 is performed (step S206).

By such a standby operation, the cell in which the cartridge medium 14 is not stored is appropriately cleaned and kept clean. This means that, with respect to the basic mode, the moving mechanism moves the cleaning machine during standby when the instruction from the outside of the information storage device is interrupted, and stores it in a storage location where no information recording medium is stored. This means that the application form is preferable.

As a result of the moving operation described above, each cell 13 is automatically cleaned, and wear debris and dust are removed from each cell. Further, as described above, the cleaning capability of the cleaning medium 20 is maintained over a long period of time. Therefore, since the inside of the library apparatus 1 is kept clean for a long period of time, the operation of the library apparatus 1 is also stabilized for a long period of time.

Next, a second embodiment different from the above-described first embodiment will be described. This second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment described above except that the appearance of the cleaning medium is slightly different. In the following, the second embodiment will be described by focusing on the differences from the first embodiment, thereby omitting repeated explanation.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the appearance of the cleaning medium in the second embodiment.

FIG. 15A shows the appearance of the cleaning medium 20 ′ viewed from the upper surface side. Further, part (B) of FIG. 15 shows an appearance of the cleaning medium 20 ′ viewed from the lower surface side (that is, the bottom surface side).

The appearance of the cleaning medium 20 'is completely the same as the appearance of the cleaning medium 20 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The cleaning medium 20 'includes a switch 22 as well.

The casing 21 ′ of the cleaning medium 20 ′ is provided with a slit 211 ′ on the lower surface side. The direction in which the slit 211 'extends is the same direction as the slit 211' of the housing 21 in the first embodiment. However, as shown in FIG. 15, the length of the slit 211 ′ in the second embodiment is long or short. That is, of the four slits 211 ', two at both ends are long and two in between are short. The lengths of the slits 211 ′ are adjusted to the lengths of the portions R shown in FIG. 11 where wear debris and dust tend to accumulate. In this way, the length of the slit 211 ′ is adjusted to the length of each location R where wear debris and dust tend to accumulate, so that air suction by the cleaning medium 20 ′ is concentrated at those locations R. As a result, the cleaning efficiency is improved.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment described above except that the cleaning medium and the dedicated cell are different from the cleaning medium of the first embodiment described above. . Hereinafter, the details of the third embodiment will be described by paying attention to the differences from the first embodiment, and the duplicate description will be omitted. In addition, the same constituent elements as those in the first embodiment are appropriately referred to with the reference numerals used in the description of the first embodiment without particular notice.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the appearance of the cleaning medium in the third embodiment.

16 (A) shows an appearance of the cleaning medium 30 as viewed from the upper surface side. Further, part (B) of FIG. 16 shows the appearance of the cleaning medium 30 as viewed from the lower surface side (that is, the bottom surface side).

Also in the third embodiment, the cleaning medium 30 is stored in the cell 13 by being pushed upward by the robot 18 in FIG. Further, the cleaning medium 30 is taken out from the cell 13 by being pulled downward by the robot 18 in FIG.

The casing 31 of the cleaning medium 30 has the same shape as the cartridge medium 14 described above. A slit 311 extending in the left-right direction in this figure (that is, the direction intersecting with the insertion / removal direction of the cell by the robot) is vacant on the lower surface of the housing 31. A filter 33 is incorporated in a part of the housing 31. The part where the filter 33 is incorporated is a part which faces the front side (that is, the robot side) when the cleaning medium 30 is stored in the cell.

The case 31 described here corresponds to another example of the cleaner case in the basic form described above, which is different from the example described in the first embodiment. In addition, the slit 311 corresponds to another example of a hole formed in the cleaning machine housing in the basic form described above.

The cleaning medium 30 is provided with a switch 32 at a location on the side of the cell when stored in the cell. The switch 32 is pressed against the wall of the cell 13 when the cleaning medium 30 is stored in the cell 13 to cause the cleaning medium 30 to start a cleaning operation. In other words, the cleaning medium 30 of the third embodiment also includes a switch that “activates the cleaning operation of the cleaner by contacting the inner wall of the storage location when the cleaning device is stored in the storage location”. It is an example of a machine.

FIG. 17 is an internal block diagram of the cleaning medium in the third embodiment. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning medium in the third embodiment. Hereinafter, these drawings will be described together.

A battery 34 that is turned on and off by a switch 32 is incorporated in the cleaning medium 30. The switch 32 is a push button switch that is turned on when pressed. A fan 35 driven by the power of the battery 34 is also incorporated in the cleaning medium 30. The installation location of the fan 35 is a location corresponding to the inside of the slit 311 described above. When the fan 35 is driven, the cleaning medium 30 sucks air from the slit 311 described above. The fan 35 also corresponds to an example of the fan in the basic form described above. Further, as in the first embodiment described above, the third embodiment also corresponds to an application form in which the cleaning machine incorporates a power source for performing a cleaning operation with respect to the basic form. . That is, the battery 34 corresponds to an example of a power source in this application mode. The driving of the fan 35 corresponds to an example of the cleaning operation in this applied form.

The fan 35 will be described in more detail. The fan 35 is attached to the housing 31 at an angle. As a result, a triangular space is formed below the fan 35. The fan 35 is an axial fan. The air is efficiently sucked from the slit 311 when the fan 35 sucks the air in the triangular space formed in the lower part of the fan 35. Then, abrasion waste and dust are sucked from the bottom of the cleaning medium 30 by the air flow sucked in this way. The air sucked into the cleaning medium 30 by the fan 35 flows toward the filter 33. Then, when the air passes through the filter 33, wear debris and dust are removed. As a result, the bottom of the cell 13 in which the cleaning medium 30 is stored is cleaned. In addition, the structure that sucks in waste dust and dust together with air and filters it with the filter 33 can maintain the cleaning ability for a long period of time, so that the cell 13 can be cleaned for a long period of time.

Since the position of the switch 32 provided in the cleaning medium 30 is different from the position of the switch 22 in the first embodiment described above, the operation timing when the cleaning medium 30 is stored in the cell 13 is also the first embodiment. Is different.

FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining the operation timing of the cleaning medium in the third embodiment.

FIG. 19 shows the cleaning medium 30 immediately before being inserted into the cell 13 by the robot 18. The cleaning medium 30 is pushed upward from the position shown in FIG. 19 by the robot 18. Then, the switch 32 provided on the side of the cleaning medium 30 is immediately pushed by the side wall 133 of the cell 13 so that the cleaning medium 30 starts operating. At this time, the slit 311 shown in FIG. 16 is located on the near side on the cell 13. Then, as the cleaning medium 30 is pushed into the interior of the cell 13 by the robot 18, the slit 311 passes through the entire bottom 131 of the cell 13. As a result, wear debris and dust are sucked in from the entire bottom 131 of the cell 13.

Here, the following application forms are preferable to the basic form. In this preferred application mode, the moving mechanism inserts and removes the information storage medium and the cleaner from the storage location. Further, in this preferred application mode, the cleaning machine includes a cleaning machine housing having a slit-like hole extending along a direction intersecting with the insertion / removal direction by the moving mechanism. And the cleaning machine inhales air in the cleaning machine housing | casing from the hole.

According to this preferred application mode, the scraping dust and dust can be cleaned over a wide range by the moving mechanism inserting the cleaner into the storage location while the cleaner sucks air from the slit-shaped hole.

The cleaning medium 30 of the third embodiment corresponds to an example of a cleaning machine in this preferred application mode.

Further, the following further application forms are preferable to this preferable application form. In this further application, the cleaning machine includes the cleaning machine casing and a fan that is disposed in the cleaning machine casing and sucks air into the cleaning machine casing from the hole. And this cleaning machine is also provided with the switch which contact | abuts to the inner wall extended in the said insertion / extraction direction among the inner walls of a storage location by storing the said cleaning machine in the said storage location, and operates the said fan.

In such a further application mode, the fan automatically operates while the cleaner is being inserted into the storage location. The switch 32 in the third embodiment corresponds to an example of a switch in such a further application form.

Since the cleaning medium 30 is provided with such a switch 32, the following device is provided in the dedicated cell in the third embodiment in order to avoid the operation of the fan.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a structure of a dedicated cell in the third embodiment.

The side wall 137 of the dedicated cell 13 ″ in this third embodiment is lower than the height of the switch 32 of the cleaning medium 30. Thus, when the cleaning medium 30 is stored in the dedicated cell 13 ″ by the robot 18, The switch 32 is prevented from hitting the side wall 137 and the operation of the cleaning medium 30 is also avoided. Therefore, the robot can store the cleaning medium 30 in the dedicated cell 13 ″ by the same operation as the storage in the normal cell 13. In other words, the third embodiment also has the cleaning machine in the basic form. Is provided with the switch, and the storage shelf corresponds to an application form having a dedicated storage location for storing the cleaning machine, having an inner wall shaped to avoid contact of the switch.

According to the third embodiment described above, the bottom of each cell is entirely cleaned over a long period of time. As a result, the inside of the library apparatus 1 is kept clean for a long period of time, so that the operation of the library apparatus 1 is also stabilized for a long period of time.

This is the end of the description of each embodiment.

In the above description of each embodiment, a cartridge medium in which a magnetic tape is housed is shown as an example of the information storage medium in the basic form. However, the information storage medium in the basic form is not limited to such a cartridge medium, and may be, for example, a cartridge in which a disk is stored. However, since the outer shape of the information storage medium defines the outer shape of the cleaner, a certain amount of volume is required.

In the above description of each embodiment, a slit formed in the bottom of the casing is shown as an example of a hole formed in the cleaner casing in the basic form. However, the hole referred to in the basic form may be a dot-like hole. In addition, it is conceivable that the hole referred to in the basic form can be vacated on the side surface of the housing as long as wear litter and dust are likely to collect at the end of the storage location.

Also, in the above description of each embodiment, a so-called axial fan is shown as an example of the fan in the basic form. However, as a fan in the basic form, there may be a centrifugal fan represented by a sirocco fan.

Claims (17)

A housing,
A storage shelf provided in the housing having a plurality of storage locations for storing information storage media in which information is stored;
A recording / reproducing device provided in the housing, which is loaded with the information storage medium and records and / or reproduces information on the information storage medium;
A moving mechanism for gripping and moving the information storage medium in the housing;
A cleaning machine that is gripped and moved by the moving mechanism in the same manner as the information storage medium, and that cleans the storage location when stored in the storage location;
The cleaner is
A vacuum cleaner housing with holes,
A fan that is arranged in the cleaner case and sucks air into the cleaner case from the hole;
A filter incorporated in a part of the cleaning machine casing, and sucked out by the fan and exhausted to the outside of the cleaning machine casing; An information storage device characterized by being a thing. The information storage device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaner has a built-in power source for performing a cleaning operation. The said cleaning machine is provided with the switch which contact | abuts to the inner wall of this storage location, and operates the cleaning operation of this cleaning machine by storing this cleaning machine in the said storage location. The information storage device according to 1 or 2. The cleaning machine is provided with a switch that contacts the inner wall of the storage location by operating the cleaning operation of the cleaning device by storing the cleaning device in the storage location,
4. The storage shelf according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the storage shelf is provided with a dedicated storage location for storing the cleaner, the inner wall having a shape that avoids contact of the switch. The information storage device according to claim 1. The moving mechanism is to insert and remove the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to the storage location,
The said cleaning machine is equipped with the cleaning machine housing | casing in which the slit-shaped hole extended along the insertion / extraction direction by the said moving mechanism was vacated, and inhales air in this cleaning machine housing | casing from this hole, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. Item 5. The information storage device according to any one of Items 1 to 4. The moving mechanism is to insert and remove the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to the storage location,
The cleaner is
A cleaning machine housing having a slit-like hole extending along the insertion and removal direction by the moving mechanism;
A fan that is arranged in the cleaner case and sucks air into the cleaner case from the hole;
A switch for operating the fan by contacting the back wall in the insertion / removal direction of the inner wall of the storage location by storing the cleaning machine in the storage location. Item 6. The information storage device according to any one of Items 1 to 5. The moving mechanism is to insert and remove the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to the storage location,
The cleaning machine includes a cleaning machine housing having a slit-like hole extending along a direction intersecting with the insertion / extraction direction of the moving mechanism, and sucks air into the cleaning machine housing from the hole. The information storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the information storage device is characterized in that: The moving mechanism is to insert and remove the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to the storage location,
The cleaner is
A cleaning machine housing having a slit-like hole extending along a direction intersecting with the insertion / extraction direction by the moving mechanism;
A fan that is arranged in the cleaner case and sucks air into the cleaner case from the hole;
A switch for operating the fan by contacting the wall extending in the insertion / removal direction among the inner walls of the storage location when the cleaning machine is stored in the storage location. Item 8. The information storage device according to any one of Items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7. The moving mechanism stores the cleaner in a storage location where the information storage medium was stored when the information storage medium is moved and mounted on the recording / reproducing device. Item 9. The information storage device according to any one of Items 1 to 8. The moving mechanism moves the information storage medium in response to an instruction from outside the information storage device, and moves the cleaning machine during standby when the instruction is interrupted, so that the information recording medium is not stored. The information storage device according to claim 1, wherein the information storage device is stored in a place. A cleaning machine housing having an outer shape that is gripped similarly to the information storage medium by a moving mechanism that grips and moves the information storage medium in which information is stored;
A fan that is arranged in the cleaner case and sucks air into the cleaner case from the hole;
A filter incorporated in a part of the cleaning machine casing, and sucked out by the fan and discharged to the outside of the cleaning machine casing, and a filter for removing unnecessary substances from the passing air. A cleaning machine characterized by that. 12. The cleaning machine according to claim 11, further comprising a power source for performing a cleaning operation of the cleaning machine provided in the cleaning machine casing. The cleaning machine is stored in a storage location in which the information storage medium is stored, and is provided with a switch that abuts against an inner wall of the storage location and operates a cleaning operation of the cleaning machine. The cleaning machine according to claim 11 or 12. The moving mechanism is for inserting and removing the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to a storage location where the information storage medium is stored;
The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the cleaning machine casing has a slit-like hole extending along a direction of insertion / removal by the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism is for inserting and removing the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to a storage location where the information storage medium is stored;
The cleaning machine housing has a slit-like hole extending along the insertion / extraction direction by the moving mechanism,
15. The switch according to claim 11, further comprising a switch that operates the fan in contact with a back wall of an inner wall of the storage location by storing the cleaner in the storage location. A cleaning machine according to item 1. The moving mechanism is for inserting and removing the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to a storage location where the information storage medium is stored;
14. The cleaning according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the cleaner case has a slit-like hole extending along a direction intersecting with an insertion / removal direction by the moving mechanism. Machine. The moving mechanism is for inserting and removing the information storage medium and the cleaner with respect to a storage location where the information storage medium is stored;
The cleaning machine housing has a slit-like hole extending along a direction intersecting with the insertion / extraction direction by the moving mechanism,
13. A switch for operating the fan in contact with a wall extending in the insertion / removal direction of the inner wall of the storage location when the cleaner is stored in the storage location. A cleaning machine according to any one of claims 13 and 16.

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