초록 ▼

A retrieval and sequencing system, preferably in the form of a tape cassette library is disclosed for automatically playing magnetic tape cassettes, such as video cassettes in regular television programming as well as spot broadcasting. The system includes a rotary cassette carousel for supporting,

A retrieval and sequencing system, preferably in the form of a tape cassette library is disclosed for automatically playing magnetic tape cassettes, such as video cassettes in regular television programming as well as spot broadcasting. The system includes a rotary cassette carousel for supporting, guiding and releasably receiving cassettes of the same or different size within cassette pockets. A multi-axis cassette transfer robot with a multi-axis cassette arm and associated gripper elements operates to automatically select and transfer cassettes from the rotary cassette carousel to a video cassette machine for playing or recording on cassettes, all of which are controlled and operated by a computer based programmable control system. One cassette is carried by one of the cassette gripper elements for loading into a video tape machine. The other cassette gripper element is used to remove a cassette from a video tape machine so as to allow the loaded cassette gripper element to then insert a cassette into an empty video cassette machine. The loading and unloading of the video cassette machine takes place in the immediate area of the video cassette machine, thus minimizing the time required for changeover and maximizing the time the video cassette machine can operate. The unloaded cassette is then inserted into the rotary cassette carousel into its assigned position. A mobile cassette storage rack may also be used with the aforementioned equipment to enhance up-dating of the rotary cassette carousel. A separate cassette loading port is included to allow for last minute cassette insertions into the system. The entire system is sufficiently flexible and adaptable to accommodate one or more rotary cassette carousels, mobile cassette storage racks, and video cassette playing machines.

대표청구항 ▼

A video cassette library, retrieval and sequencing system comprising: at least one rotary cassette carousel containing a plurality of cassettes; a multi-axis cassette transfer robot having a cassette transfer arm and associated pair of cassette gripper elements, each cassette gripper element being a

A video cassette library, retrieval and sequencing system comprising: at least one rotary cassette carousel containing a plurality of cassettes; a multi-axis cassette transfer robot having a cassette transfer arm and associated pair of cassette gripper elements, each cassette gripper element being at least partially independently operable from each other and from the multi-axis robot, said pair of cassette gripper elements being angularly offset from one another and being operatively mounted on said robot by means providing rotary movement thereof along a predetermined arcuate path and further including means to facilitate cassette unloading with one of said cassette gripper elements and cassette loading with said other cassette gripper element; at least one video cassette machine for playing cassettes inserted therein; and control means for operating said aforementioned components to transfer cassettes from said carousel to said at least one video cassette machine through said robot and cassette transfer arm.