Offline dual-array optical disc data storage device

Abstract

The present invention discloses an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device, comprising a rack, the rack being provided with an offline library for storing optical discs, an online library for reading and writing optical discs, and a robotic device for transporting optical discs. The offline and online libraries are located on either side of the robotic device. The offline library is provided with a plurality of offline optical disc storage units, and the online library is provided with a plurality of optical disc drives for online reading optical discs. Each optical disc storage unit in the present application is a completely independent unit body and is detachably mounted on the rack, enabling offline storage. This maximizes the data storage capacity of the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device within a limited space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical disc storage technology, in particular to an off-line dual-array optical disc data storage device. Background Art

[0002] Optical discs are a medium suitable for long-term data storage. They have the advantages of large capacity, low cost, and high standardization. They can store data for a long time and are generally stored in an optical disc library through optical disc storage units. However, the storage capacity of optical discs in an optical disc library is limited. In order to reduce storage costs and improve system performance, data that is not frequently accessed but is important and must be preserved intact can be stored offline instead of near-line.

[0003] Currently, optical disc storage units are integrated into optical disc libraries. This makes them difficult to quickly disassemble and restore, preventing the rapid offline and online storage of data that has not been used for a long time. This reduces the library's data storage capacity and utilization. Furthermore, existing optical disc storage units are large and lack a high degree of automation. Reading and writing optical discs often requires manual intervention, such as transferring disc cartridges from an offline library to an online library. This makes offline storage and online reading and writing of optical discs inconvenient and costly.

[0004] Therefore existing technology still needs to be improved and improved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention aims to provide an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device, aiming to solve the problems in the prior art where the optical disc storage unit cannot achieve offline storage and the optical disc storage device has a small data storage capacity.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] An offline dual-array optical disc data storage device includes a rack, on which is provided an offline library for storing optical discs, an online library for reading and writing optical discs, and a robotic arm device for taking optical discs from the offline library and transporting them to the online library. The offline library and the online library are located on both sides of the robotic arm device. The offline library is provided with a plurality of offline optical disc storage units, and the online library is provided with a plurality of optical disc drives for online reading optical discs.

[0008] The optical disc storage unit includes a shell with an open end and an optical disc tray slidably arranged in the shell for placing the optical disc, a sliding connection is provided between the shell and the optical disc tray, and the sides of the shell and the optical disc tray are respectively provided with a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove for matching the sliding connection.

[0009] The sliding connection comprises cylindrical rollers and a retaining frame, wherein the cylindrical rollers are arranged crosswise at 90 degrees to each other on the retaining frame.

[0010] A clamping assembly for preventing the optical disc cartridge from falling off is arranged inside the shell. The clamping assembly comprises a rotating shaft, a clamping plate and a rotating plate. The clamping plate and the rotating plate are respectively located on both sides of the rotating shaft.

[0011] The manipulator device includes dual X-axis slides, a support frame and a Z-axis slide. The dual X-axis slides are arranged on the support frame. The Z-axis slide is slidably arranged on the dual X-axis slides through an X-axis slide. A dial assembly for toggling the optical disc cartridge open and close is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide.

[0012] The dial assembly includes a rotating paddle, a paddle motor for driving the rotating paddle to rotate, and a support plate for supporting the paddle motor. The support plate is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide rail through the Z-axis slide. The rotating shaft of the paddle motor is connected to one end of the rotating paddle through the support plate. The Z-axis slide rail drives the paddle assembly to slide along the dual X-axis slide rails and the rotating paddle rotates to open and close the optical disc magazine.

[0013] A disc grabbing assembly for picking up and placing discs is also provided on the side of the dial assembly. The disc grabbing assembly includes a grabbing part, a grabbing motor for driving the grabbing part to pick up and place discs, and a fixing plate for fixing the grabbing motor. The fixing plate is located on the side of the dial assembly, and the rotating shaft of the grabbing motor is connected to the grabbing part through the fixing plate.

[0014] A displacement sensor for controlling the moving distance of the gripping portion is provided on the side of the gripping portion.

[0015] The rack is provided with a grid for placing the optical disc storage unit and the optical drive, one end of the grid is provided with a fixing block for fixing the optical disc storage unit and the optical drive, and the other end of the grid is provided with a stop bar for limiting.

[0016] The bottom of the frame is provided with four Forma wheels.

[0017] Compared to the prior art, the present invention provides an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device, comprising a rack equipped with an offline library for storing optical discs, an online library for reading and writing optical discs, and a robotic device for transporting optical discs. The offline and online libraries are located on either side of the robotic device. The offline library is equipped with a plurality of offline optical disc storage units, and the online library is equipped with a plurality of optical drives for online reading optical discs. Each optical disc storage unit in the present application is a completely independent unit body and is detachably mounted on the rack, enabling offline storage. This maximizes the data storage capacity of the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device within a limited space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1This is a schematic structural diagram of the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the housing in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of an optical disc storage unit without a top board in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of an optical disc cartridge in an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the side panel in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of a rack of an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a robot device in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a structural schematic diagram from another angle of the robot device in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Enlarged view of part A.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of a dial assembly and an optical disc grabbing assembly in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the capture unit in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device provided by the present invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and effect of the present invention clearer and more specific, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being “mounted on,” “fixed on,” or “disposed on” another component, it may be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is referred to as being “connected to” another component, it may be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component.

[0031] It should also be noted that the directional terms such as left, right, up, and down in the embodiments of the present invention are merely relative concepts or are based on the normal use status of the product and should not be considered as restrictive.

[0032] The present invention provides an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device, please refer to Figure 1 , including a rack 100, on which is provided an offline library for storing optical discs, an online library for reading and writing optical discs, and a manipulator device 1 for taking out optical discs from the offline library and moving them to the online library, the offline library and the online library are located on both sides of the manipulator device 1, the offline library is provided with a number of offline optical disc storage units 2, and the online library is provided with a number of optical drives 3 for reading optical discs online. In the present application, each optical disc storage unit 2 is a completely independent unit body and is detachably provided on the rack 100, which can realize offline storage, so that the data storage capacity of the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device can be maximized within a limited space. In addition, in the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device of the present invention, the manipulator device 1 takes out the optical disc from the optical disc storage unit 2 in the offline library and transfers it to the optical drive 3 in the online library for reading and writing the optical disc. After reading and writing are completed, the optical disc can be placed back into the optical disc storage unit 2, realizing the automation of optical disc reading and writing, and transfer between the online library and the offline library, and having a simple structure.

[0033] See also Figure 1-Figure 5 The optical disc storage unit 2 includes a housing 21 with an open end and an optical disc tray 22 slidably disposed within the housing 21 for receiving an optical disc. A sliding connector 23 is disposed between the housing 21 and the optical disc tray 22. The sides of the housing 21 and the optical disc tray 22 are respectively provided with a first slide groove 210 and a second slide groove 220 for matching the sliding connector 23. The sliding connector 23 includes cylindrical rollers 230 and a retaining frame 231. The cylindrical rollers 230 are arranged on the retaining frame 231 at a 90-degree angle to each other.

[0034] Furthermore, the housing 21 includes two side panels, an upper and lower panel, and a rear panel corresponding to the opening, which are secured to each other by screws. This structure is simple and easy to assemble and disassemble. A pull ring 211 is provided on the rear panel of the housing 21 for pulling the optical disc storage unit 2. The pull ring 211 facilitates the removal and placement of the optical disc storage unit 2 on the optical disc data storage device. The retaining frame 231 is provided with multiple through-holes, allowing the cylindrical roller 230 to be secured to the retaining frame 231 by welding. In this application, two sliding connectors 23 are provided for each optical disc cartridge 22, one located on each side of the cartridge 22. The sliding connectors 23 support the cartridge 22, while the cylindrical roller 230 and retaining frame 231 form a sliding connector 23 with low friction, good stability, and easy installation and use. The contact area with the first and second slide grooves 210 and 220 is large, resulting in minimal elastic deformation. The first and second chutes 210, 220 are V-shaped grooves, with the V-shaped angles forming 90°. Cross-arranged cylindrical rollers 230 reciprocate in the V-shaped grooves, bearing loads in all directions and achieving high-precision, smooth linear motion, making the opening and closing of the disc tray 22 smoother. The disc tray 22 is provided with a limiting groove 221 on its side, and a limiting block 212 is provided on the side wall of the housing 21 to match the limiting groove 221. Each side of a single disc tray 22 is provided with a limiting groove 221, and each disc tray 22 is provided with four limiting blocks 212. Two limiting blocks 212 are used to limit the disc tray 22 after it is pulled out of the housing 21, and the other two limiting blocks 212 are used to limit the disc tray 22 to a fixed position within the housing 21.

[0035] Furthermore, both ends of the first chute 210 are open. One end of the first chute 210 is provided with a limit screw 2100 for preventing the sliding connector 23 from falling, and the other end of the first chute 210 is provided with a limit bar 2101 for preventing the sliding connector 23 from falling. In this application, the open end of the housing 21 is regarded as the front end. The front end of the first chute 210 is provided with the limit screw 2100, and the rear end of the first chute 210 is provided with the limit bar 2101. The limit bar 2101 and the limit screw 2100 limit the sliding connector 23, preventing the optical disc cartridge 22 from falling when being pulled out of the housing 21. At the same time, it also facilitates the robot device 1 to push the optical disc cartridge 22 into the housing 21 for reset.

[0036] See also Figures 1-6The rack 100 is provided with a slot for placing the optical disc storage unit 2 and the optical drive 3. A fixing block 101 for fixing the optical disc storage unit 2 and the optical drive 3 is provided at one end of the slot, and a stop bar 102 for limiting the position is provided at the other end of the slot. The optical disc storage unit 2 is detachably arranged in the slot. The slot is composed of a rack 100 and a plurality of support bars 103. The support bars 103 are engaged with the rack 100 and fixed to the rack 100 by screws. The optical disc storage unit 2 and the optical drive 3 are arranged on the support bars 103. A fixing block 101 is provided at one end of the slot away from the manipulator device 1. The fixing block 101 is T-shaped and fixed to the rack 100 by screws. The fixing block 101 is rotated around the screw as the axis. By rotating the end of the fixing block 101, the optical disc storage unit 2 and the optical drive 3 are fixed, thereby preventing the optical disc storage unit 2 and the optical drive 3 from falling from the slot. A baffle 102 is provided at one end of the grid close to the robot device 1. The baffle 102 is fixed on the frame 100 and is at the same horizontal height as the lower plate of the shell 21. By providing the baffle 102, the position of the optical disc storage unit 2 can be pushed and placed more accurately when it is manually placed, and it is convenient for the subsequent robot device 1 to grab the optical disc.

[0037] Please refer again Figure 1-Figure 5The housing 21 includes a latch assembly 213 disposed within the housing 21 to prevent the optical disc cartridge 22 from falling out. The latch assembly 213 includes a rotating shaft 2130, a latch plate 2131, and a rotating plate 2132. The latch plate 2131 and rotating plate 2132 are located on either side of the rotating shaft 2130. Two gripping ears 222 are provided at one end of the optical disc cartridge 22 to mate with the robotic arm 1. The robotic arm 1 can pull out optical disc cartridges 22 on either side without requiring an additional robotic arm 1, thus saving costs. A bent portion 223 is provided at the other end of the optical disc cartridge 22 to engage with the latch plate 2131. A return spring 2133 is provided at the upper end of the rotating shaft 2130. A latch block 2102 is provided on the rear plate of the housing 21 to engage with the rotating plate 2132. The latch block 2102 has a latching groove having the same thickness as the rotating plate 2132. The locking assembly 213 is mainly used to prevent the optical disc cartridge 22 from slipping out and falling from the optical disc storage unit 2 when the optical disc storage unit 2 is removed from the optical disc data storage device. Specifically, the locking assembly 213 is lifted by the rotating plate 2132 and rotated clockwise. At this time, the return spring 2133 at the upper end of the rotating shaft 2130 is in a compressed state. The rotating plate 2132 is rotated to above the locking groove of the locking block 2102, and the rotating plate 2132 is released. Under the action of the elastic force of the return spring 2133, the rotating plate 2132 is locked with the locking groove. At this time, the locking plate 2131 is in contact with the bent portion 223 of the optical disc cartridge 22, and the locking assembly 213 realizes the locking of the optical disc cartridge 22. When the optical disc storage unit 2 is placed on the rack 100 , the rotating plate 2132 is lifted from the engaging slot and rotated counterclockwise so that the bent portion 223 of the optical disc tray 22 is perpendicular to the engaging assembly 213 , preventing the engaging assembly 213 from affecting the drawing of the optical disc tray 22 .

[0038] See also Figure 1 、 Figure 4 as well as Figure 7-Figure 9The manipulator device 1 includes dual X-axis slides 11, a support frame 12, and a Z-axis slide 13. The dual X-axis slides 11 are mounted on the support frame 12. The Z-axis slide 13 is slidably mounted on the dual X-axis slides 11 via an X-axis slide 14. A dial assembly 4 for opening and closing an optical disc magazine 22 is slidably mounted on the Z-axis slide 13. The Z-axis slide 13 slides horizontally along the dual X-axis slides 11, while the dial assembly 4 slides vertically along the Z-axis slide 13, enabling the opening and closing of optical disc magazines 22 at different heights and horizontal positions. The manipulator device 1 superimposes rotational motion and linear motion to open and close optical disc magazines 22 on both sides, avoiding the problem of the conventional manipulator device 1 occupying a large space when opening and closing the optical disc magazine 22. The support frame 12 serves as a transmission shaft, with the dual X-axis slides 11 positioned at either end of the transmission shaft. This configuration allows the X-axis slide 14 on the dual X-axis slides 11 to drive the Z-axis slide 13 for synchronous movement. The Z-axis slide 13 maintains a vertical position during movement, ensuring that the dial assembly 4 remains horizontal, facilitating subsequent opening and closing of the optical disc magazine 22 by the dial assembly 4. Drag chain mechanisms 15 are provided on one side of the dual X-axis slides 11 and one side of the Z-axis slide 13 to protect the cables on the manipulator 1. In this embodiment, both the dual X-axis slides 11 and the Z-axis slide 13 utilize the WDT4545 module, which is conventional technology, and the specific driving principles are not detailed here.

[0039] See also Figures 1-11 The dial assembly 4 includes a rotating paddle 41, a paddle motor 42 for driving the rotating paddle 41 to rotate, and a support plate 43 for supporting the paddle motor 42. The support plate 43 is slidably set on the Z-axis slide rail 13 through the Z-axis slide 16. The motor shaft of the paddle motor 42 is connected to one end of the rotating paddle 41 through the support plate 43. The Z-axis slide rail 13 drives the paddle assembly to slide along the dual X-axis slide rails 11 and the rotating paddle 41 rotates to open and close the optical disc magazine 22.

[0040] Specifically, the paddle motor 42 is located above the support plate 43, and the rotating paddle 41 is located below the support plate 43. The support plate 43 is connected to the Z-axis slider, and the pin shaft 410 at the end of the rotating paddle 41 cooperates with the grab ear 222 on the optical disc magazine 22. The paddle motor 42 drives the rotating paddle 41 to rotate parallel to the support plate 43. The paddle assembly moves up and down along the Z-axis slide rail 13 to match the optical disc magazines 22 of different heights. The Z-axis slide rail 13 slides horizontally along the double X-axis. On the one hand, it adapts to the optical disc magazines 22 of the same height and different horizontal positions. On the other hand, it cooperates with the paddle motor 42 to drive the rotating paddle 41 to pull the optical disc magazine 22 out of the shell 21.

[0041] Furthermore, a disc grabbing assembly 5 for picking up and placing discs is provided on the side of the dial assembly 4. The disc grabbing assembly 5 includes a grabbing portion 51, a grabbing motor 52 for driving the grabbing portion 51 to pick up and place discs, and a fixing plate 53 for fixing the grabbing motor 52. The fixing plate 53 is located on the side of the dial assembly 4, and the motor shaft of the grabbing motor 52 is connected to the grabbing portion 51 through the fixing plate 53. A displacement sensor 54 is provided on the side of the grabbing portion 51 for controlling the moving distance of the grabbing portion 51. The disc grabbing assembly 5 is provided on the support plate 43 via an L-shaped plate. The grabbing motor 52 and the grabbing portion 51 are provided perpendicular to the horizontal portion of the L-shaped plate. A displacement sensor 54 is fixed to the vertical portion of the L-shaped plate. The displacement sensor 54 determines the distance the grabbing portion 51 has descended, thereby determining the number of discs grabbed. In this embodiment, there are 12 optical discs in the single optical disc cartridge 22 and there are 12 optical disc drives 3 in the online library. After the grabbing unit 51 grabs all 12 optical discs in the optical disc cartridge 22 , it places the 12 optical discs in the 12 optical disc drives 3 respectively. The grabbing portion 51 in this embodiment is a disc shaft, which includes a first disc shaft 510 and a second disc shaft 511. The first disc shaft 510 is a long axis and the second disc shaft 511 is a short axis. The upper ends of the first disc shaft 510 and the second disc shaft 511 are connected to a driven gear set 515, which is engaged with a driving gear 514. The driving gear 514 is connected to the rotating shaft of the grabbing motor 52. The lower ends of the first disc shaft 510 and the second disc shaft 511 are respectively provided with a first hook support 512 and a second hook support 513. The thickness of the second hook support 513 gradually increases from a sharp edge. The first hook support 512 and the second hook support 513 are arranged in back to back. That is, when the first hook support 512 turns to the outside, the second hook support 513 turns to the inside. There is a height difference of one optical disc between the first hook support 512 and the second hook support 513. When grabbing a disc, the motor drives the first and second disc shafts 510 and 511 to rotate via the driving gear 514 and the driven gear set 515. The first hook support 512 grabs the disc and, after completing the grabbing, continues to rotate. The sharp edge of the second hook support 513 rotates between the two discs. As the second hook support 513 rotates, it supports the upper disc. The disc between the first and second hook supports 512 and 513 falls during the rotation of the first hook support 512. The above steps are repeated to complete the grabbing and dispensing of discs in the disc tray 22. It should be noted that the grabbing and dispensing of discs is a prior art and will not be described in detail in this application.

[0042] The bottom of the rack 100 is provided with four Forma wheels 6. By installing the Forma wheels 6 at the bottom of the rack 100, the height of the rack 100 can be adjusted to facilitate the transportation of the optical disc storage unit 2, and the assembly and transfer of the equipment is convenient and flexible.

[0043] In summary, the present invention provides an offline dual-array optical disc data storage device comprising a rack, the rack being provided with an offline library for storing optical discs, an online library for reading and writing optical discs, and a robotic device for transporting optical discs, the offline and online libraries being located on either side of the robotic device. The offline library is provided with a plurality of offline optical disc storage units, and the online library is provided with a plurality of optical drives for online reading optical discs. Each optical disc storage unit in this application is a completely independent unit body and is detachably mounted on the rack, enabling offline storage. This maximizes the data storage capacity of the offline dual-array optical disc data storage device within a limited space.

[0044] It is understandable that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, and all these changes or substitutions should fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to the present invention.

Claims

1. An offline dual-array optical disc data storage device, comprising a rack, characterized in that: The rack is provided with an offline library for storing optical discs, an online library for reading and writing optical discs, and a manipulator device for taking out optical discs from the offline library and transporting them to the online library. The offline library and the online library are located on both sides of the manipulator device. The offline library is provided with a plurality of offline optical disc storage units, and the online library is provided with a plurality of optical disc drives for reading optical discs online. The optical disc storage units are detachably provided on the rack. The optical disc storage unit comprises a housing with an open end and an optical disc cartridge slidably arranged in the housing for placing the optical disc; a locking assembly is provided inside the housing to prevent the optical disc cartridge from falling off, the locking assembly comprises a rotating shaft, a locking plate and a rotating plate, the locking plate and the rotating plate being respectively located on either side of the rotating shaft; The other end of the optical disc cartridge is provided with a bent portion that engages with the card plate; the upper end of the rotating shaft is provided with a return spring; the rear plate of the housing is provided with a locking block that engages with the rotating plate, and the locking block is provided with a locking groove with the same thickness as the rotating plate; A sliding connection is provided between the shell and the optical disc cartridge; the sliding connection includes a cylindrical roller and a retaining frame, and the cylindrical rollers are arranged crosswise at 90 degrees to each other on the retaining frame; a plurality of through holes are provided on the retaining frame, and the cylindrical rollers can be fixed on the retaining frame.

2. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sides of the housing and the optical disc cartridge are respectively provided with a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove for matching the sliding connection member.

3. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The manipulator device includes dual X-axis slides, a support frame and a Z-axis slide. The dual X-axis slides are arranged on the support frame. The Z-axis slide is slidably arranged on the dual X-axis slides through an X-axis slide. A dial assembly for toggling the optical disc cartridge open and close is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide.

4. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The dial assembly includes a rotating paddle, a paddle motor for driving the rotating paddle to rotate, and a support plate for supporting the paddle motor. The support plate is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide rail through the Z-axis slide. The rotating shaft of the paddle motor is connected to one end of the rotating paddle through the support plate. The Z-axis slide rail drives the paddle assembly to slide along the dual X-axis slide rails and the rotating paddle rotates to open and close the optical disc magazine.

5. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A disc grabbing assembly for picking up and placing discs is also provided on the side of the dial assembly. The disc grabbing assembly includes a grabbing part, a grabbing motor for driving the grabbing part to pick up and place discs, and a fixing plate for fixing the grabbing motor. The fixing plate is located on the side of the dial assembly, and the rotating shaft of the grabbing motor is connected to the grabbing part through the fixing plate.

6. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A displacement sensor for controlling the moving distance of the gripping portion is provided on the side of the gripping portion.

7. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rack is provided with a grid for placing the optical disc storage unit and the optical drive, one end of the grid is provided with a fixing block for fixing the optical disc storage unit and the optical drive, and the other end of the grid is provided with a stop bar for limiting.

8. The offline dual-array optical disc data storage device according to claim 1, wherein: The bottom of the frame is provided with four Forma wheels.

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