Recording medium cartridge handling mechanism in library apparatus

A mechanical hand of an accessor for automatically exchanging a recording medium cartridge between a cell unit having a plurality of cells, each cell being configured to accommodate a recording medium cartridge, and a recording medium drive unit for performing read/write of data from/to said recording medium cartridge, said mechanical hand comprising:

• a base mounted swingably about a vertical axis;
• gripping means mounted on said base for gripping said recording medium cartridge, said gripping means being movable between an advanced position and a retracted position and adapted to be opened and closed about a vertical axis;
• first driving means for moving said gripping means along said base between said advanced position and said retracted position;
• second driving means for opening and closing said gripping means;
• a tray mounted on said base under said gripping means, said tray being movable between an advanced position projecting from said base and a non-projecting position;
• and
• third driving means for moving said tray along said base between said advanced position projecting from said base and said non-projecting position;
• a housing for accommodating said first and second driving means;
• first positioning means mounted on said base for defining a reference position of said recording medium cartridge when said gripping means is moved to said retracted position gripping said cartridge;
• second positioning means mounted on said base for elastically biasing said recording medium cartridge toward said first positioning means;
• and
• a block mounted on a side surface of said housing so as to extend in a moving direction of said gripping means, said block being adapted to contact said second positioning means during movement of said gripping means from said advanced position to said retracted position.

A mechanical hand of an accessor for automatically exchanging a recording medium cartridge between a cell unit having a plurality of cells, each cell being configured to accommodate recording medium cartridge, and a recording medium drive unit for performing read/write of data from/to said recording medium cartridge, said mechanical hand comprising:

• a base mounted swingably about a vertical axis;
• gripping means mounted on said base for gripping said recording medium cartridge, said gripping means being movable between an advanced position and a retracted position and adapted to be opened and closed about a vertical axis;
• first driving means for moving said gripping means along said base between said advanced position and said retracted position;
• second driving means for opening and closing said gripping means;
• a tray mounted on said base under said gripping means, said tray being movable between an advanced position projecting from said base and a non-projecting position;
• and
• third driving means for moving said tray along said base between said advanced position projecting from said base and said non-projecting position.
• cartridge gripped condition correcting means for pressing said recording medium cartridge against said tray when said gripping means is moved to said retracted position gripping said cartridge.