EP0288165A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic exchanging system of tape cassettes
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1988-03-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-25
Abstract
Abstract An automatic cassette exchanging system for performing cassette exchange between an information recording/reproducing device such as VTR and a cassette storage device. The automatic cassette exchanging system has a basic unit comprising a box and a fixing type cassette storage case which is placed in line in the box with the information recording/reproducing deive so that a robot moving space is formed in the front side portion of the box so as to face cassette entrance and exit ports of the fixing type cassette storage case. A cassette exchanging robot is provided in the robot moving space to be movable orthogonally for the cassette exchange therebetween. The automatic cassette exchanging system allows addition of a unit or units comprising a box which has a robot moving space and a rotatable type cassette storage case whose cassette entrance and exit ports can face the robot moving space. The basic unit box and the addition unit box can be coupled detachably to each other so that their robot moving spaces are coupled to each other, resulting in easy increase of the cassette storage capacity.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuichi Yamashita
- 👤 Teruhish Yokota
- 👤 Masaaki Notani
- 👤 Tsutomu Katsuta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:43
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B17/00; G11B17/22; G11B17/225; G11B15/00; G11B15/675; G11B15/68; G11B15/682; G11B15/6825; G11B15/6835
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
A cassette exchanging system for exchanging a cassette to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: basic unit means including a housing and a fixing type cassette storage case having a number of cassette encasing portions for encasing a number of cassettes and placed in said basic unit housing, said information recording/reproducing means being placed in said basic unit housing so as to be arranged in line with said fixing type cassette storage case to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of said basic unit housing, each of said number of cassette encasing portions having an entrance and exit port for said cassette which is positioned to face said robot moving space formed at the front side portion thereof; robot means movably provided in said robot moving space of said basic unit means so as to perform cassette exchanging operation between said information recording/reproducing means and said fixing type cassette storage case; and control means for controlling said robot means, wherein said basic unit means is arranged so as to be selectively and detachably coupled to addition unit means having a housing and at least one rotatable type cassette storage case placed in said addition unit housing so as to form a second robot moving space at the front side portion of said addition unit housing to establish a communication with said first-mentioned robot moving space of said basic unit means whereby said robot means is movable between said first and second robot moving spaces to allow the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and said fixing type cassette storage case or said rotatable type cassette storage case when said addition unit means is coupled to said basic unit means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
285 words
A cassette exchanging system for exchanging a cassette to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: basic unit means including a housing and a fixing type cassette storage case having a number of cassette encasing portions for encasing a number of cassettes and placed in said basic unit housing, said information recording/reproducing means being placed in said basic unit housing so as to be arranged in line with said fixing type cassette storage case to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of said basic unit housing, each of said number of cassette encasing portions having an entrance and exit port for said cassette which is positioned to face said robot moving space formed at the front side portion thereof; robot means movably provided in said robot moving space of said basic unit means so as to perform cassette exchanging operation between said information recording/reproducing means and said fixing type cassette storage case; and control means for controlling said robot means, wherein said basic unit means is arranged so as to be selectively and detachably coupled to addition unit means having a housing and at least one rotatable type cassette storage case placed in said addition unit housing so as to form a second robot moving space at the front side portion of said addition unit housing to establish a communication with said first-mentioned robot moving space of said basic unit means whereby said robot means is movable between said first and second robot moving spaces to allow the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and said fixing type cassette storage case or said rotatable type cassette storage case when said addition unit means is coupled to said basic unit means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means is placed in a space formed at the back of said fixing type cassette storage case.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
129 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a predetermined portion of said fixing type cassette storage case is used for the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and said rotatable type cassette storage case of said addition unit means, a predetermined cassette in one cassette encasing portion of said rotatable type cassette storage case being once transferred to said cassette encasing portion of said predetermined portion of said fixing type cassette storage case and then transferred to said information recording/reproducing means, and said predetermined cassette being transferred to said cassette encasing portion of said predetermined portion thereof after derived from said information recording/reproducing apparatus and then transferred so as to return to said cassette encasing portion of said rotatable type cassette storage case.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said first and second robot moving spaces of said basic unit means and addition unit means have respectively guide rails for guiding said robot means which are placed on bottom surfaces of said basic unit housing and addition unit housing and which are coupled to each other when said addition unit means is coupled to said basic unit means so that said robot means is movable between said first and second robot moving spaces along said guide rails thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
159 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: housing means in which said information recording/reproducing means are to be placed; cassette storage means placed in said housing means so that it is arranged to be in line with said information recording/reproducing means so as to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of the housing means; first robot means provided in said robot moving space so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a first cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is closer to said information recording/reproducing menas; and second robot means provided in said robot moving space so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a second cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is placed away from said information recording/reproducing means as compared with said first cassette encasing portion thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: housing means in which said information recording/reproducing means are to be placed; cassette storage means placed in said housing means so that it is arranged to be in line with said information recording/reproducing means so as to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of the housing means; first robot means provided in said robot moving space so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a first cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is closer to said information recording/reproducing menas; and second robot means provided in said robot moving space so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a second cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is placed away from said information recording/reproducing means as compared with said first cassette encasing portion thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second robot means are movable with they being guided along a common guide rail provided in said housing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
261 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: housing means in which said information recording/reproducing means are to be placed; cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions and being placed in said housing means so that it is arranged in line with said information recording/reproducing means so as to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of the housing means; robot means comprising a main robot and a subrobot which are provided in said robot moving space of said housing means so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing menas and said cassette storage means; checking means for checking whether said main robot is in the normal condition; and control means coupled to said robot means and said checking means for, when said main robot is in the normal condition, controlling said main robot to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a first cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is closer to said information recording/reproducing means and controlling said subrobot to effect the cassette exchange between a second cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means, which is away from said information recording/reproducing means as compared with said first cassette encasing portion, and a predetermined cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means and for, when said main robot is not in the normal condition, controlling said subrobot so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and the overall cassette storage means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
261 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: housing means in which said information recording/reproducing means are to be placed; cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions and being placed in said housing means so that it is arranged in line with said information recording/reproducing means so as to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of the housing means; robot means comprising a main robot and a subrobot which are provided in said robot moving space of said housing means so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing menas and said cassette storage means; checking means for checking whether said main robot is in the normal condition; and control means coupled to said robot means and said checking means for, when said main robot is in the normal condition, controlling said main robot to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a first cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is closer to said information recording/reproducing means and controlling said subrobot to effect the cassette exchange between a second cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means, which is away from said information recording/reproducing means as compared with said first cassette encasing portion, and a predetermined cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means and for, when said main robot is not in the normal condition, controlling said subrobot so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and the overall cassette storage means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said main robot and said subrobot are movable with they being guided along a common guide rail provided in said housing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
259 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: housing means in which said information recording/reproducing means are to be placed; cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions and being placed in said housing means so that it is arranged in line with said information recording/reproducing means so as to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of the housing means; robot means comprising a main robot and a subrobot which are provided in said robot moving space of said housing means so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing menas and said cassette storage means; checking means for checking whether said subrobot is in the normal condition; and control means coupled to said robot means and said checking means for, when said subrobot is in the normal condition, controlling said main robot to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a first cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is closer to said information recording/reproducing means and controlling said subrobot to effect the cassette exchange between a predetermined cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means and a second cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is away from said information recording/reproducing means as compared with said first cassette encasing portion and for, when said subrobot is not in the normal condition, controlling said main robot so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and the overall cassette storage means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
259 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes to be loaded to information recording/reproducing means, comprising: housing means in which said information recording/reproducing means are to be placed; cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions and being placed in said housing means so that it is arranged in line with said information recording/reproducing means so as to form a robot moving space at the front side portion of the housing means; robot means comprising a main robot and a subrobot which are provided in said robot moving space of said housing means so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing menas and said cassette storage means; checking means for checking whether said subrobot is in the normal condition; and control means coupled to said robot means and said checking means for, when said subrobot is in the normal condition, controlling said main robot to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and a first cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is closer to said information recording/reproducing means and controlling said subrobot to effect the cassette exchange between a predetermined cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means and a second cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means which is away from said information recording/reproducing means as compared with said first cassette encasing portion and for, when said subrobot is not in the normal condition, controlling said main robot so as to perform the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and the overall cassette storage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said main robot and said subrobot are movable with they being guided along a common guide rail provided in said housing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
247 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing cassette exchange between information recording/reproducing means and a cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions for encasing pluralities of first and second cassettes different in dimension, said first cassette being greater in dimension that said second cassette and each of said cassette encasing portions being formed so as to accommodate both said first and second cassettes, comprising: robot means movably placed at a robot moving space formed so that said robot means faces said information recording/reproducing means and said plurality of cassette encasing portions of said cassette storage means, said robot means having at least one manipulator for holding said cassette and means for reading data indicated at the front surface of each of said cassettes; and control means coupled to said robot means for reading the size information of said cassette and for, when said second small-sized cassette is encased in said cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means by means of said robot means, controlling said manipulator so that said second small-sized cassette is encased therein to cause its front surface to be coincident with that of said first large-sized cassette when encased and for, when said second small-sized cassette is inserted into a portion of said information recording/reproducing means by means of said robot means, controlling said manipulator so that said second small-sized cassette is inserted thereinto to cause its rear surface to be coincident with that of said first large-sized cassette when inserted.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
247 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing cassette exchange between information recording/reproducing means and a cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions for encasing pluralities of first and second cassettes different in dimension, said first cassette being greater in dimension that said second cassette and each of said cassette encasing portions being formed so as to accommodate both said first and second cassettes, comprising: robot means movably placed at a robot moving space formed so that said robot means faces said information recording/reproducing means and said plurality of cassette encasing portions of said cassette storage means, said robot means having at least one manipulator for holding said cassette and means for reading data indicated at the front surface of each of said cassettes; and control means coupled to said robot means for reading the size information of said cassette and for, when said second small-sized cassette is encased in said cassette encasing portion of said cassette storage means by means of said robot means, controlling said manipulator so that said second small-sized cassette is encased therein to cause its front surface to be coincident with that of said first large-sized cassette when encased and for, when said second small-sized cassette is inserted into a portion of said information recording/reproducing means by means of said robot means, controlling said manipulator so that said second small-sized cassette is inserted thereinto to cause its rear surface to be coincident with that of said first large-sized cassette when inserted.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said cassette encasing portions of said cassette storage means has positioning means for positioning said second small-sixed cassette so that the front surface thereof is coincient with that of said first large-sized cassette when encased.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
197 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes between information recording/reproducing means and cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions for encasing a plurality of cassettes, comprising: robot means having a pair of manipulators for holding said cassette to allow insertion and removal into and from said information recording/reproducing menas and said cassette storage means, said pair of manipulators being independent to each other; checking means for checking whether said pair of manipulators are in the normal conditions; and control means coupled to said robot means and said checking means for, when said pair of manipulators are is in the normal condition, controlling said main robot so that one of said pair of manipulators performs one of the insertion and removal of said cassette into and from said information recording/reproducing means and said cassette storage means and the other performs the remainder operation and for, when one of said pair of manipulators is not in the normal condition, controlling said main robot so as to perform all of the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and the cassette storage means by means of the other manipulator which is in the normal condition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
197 words
A cassette exchanging system for performing exchange of cassettes between information recording/reproducing means and cassette storage means having a plurality of cassette encasing portions for encasing a plurality of cassettes, comprising: robot means having a pair of manipulators for holding said cassette to allow insertion and removal into and from said information recording/reproducing menas and said cassette storage means, said pair of manipulators being independent to each other; checking means for checking whether said pair of manipulators are in the normal conditions; and control means coupled to said robot means and said checking means for, when said pair of manipulators are is in the normal condition, controlling said main robot so that one of said pair of manipulators performs one of the insertion and removal of said cassette into and from said information recording/reproducing means and said cassette storage means and the other performs the remainder operation and for, when one of said pair of manipulators is not in the normal condition, controlling said main robot so as to perform all of the cassette exchange between said information recording/reproducing means and the cassette storage means by means of the other manipulator which is in the normal condition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said pair of manipulators is arranged to have a pair of chuck arms which holds said cassette with said manipulator facing an entrance and exit port of said cassette encasing portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
A cassette exchanging system as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein said pairs of manipulators are arranged so that one is above another and each of said pair of manipulators having means for reading information indicated on said cassette when it is in oppossed relation to said cassette.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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