Hand mechanism in a cartridge library apparatus being associated with a buffer mechanism to allow the hand mechanism to hold a cartridge even when the hand mechanism is not positioned at an optimal, normal position

A hand mechanism included in an accessor of a library apparatus comprising a plurality of cartridges each containing a recording medium, a storage rack in which the plurality of cartridges is stored, at least one drive that records or reproduces data in or from the cartridge, and an accessor that holds the cartridge and transports the cartridge between the storage rack and the drive, the hand mechanism comprising:

• fingers that can hold the cartridge;
• a link mechanism that causes the fingers to hold the cartridge;
• and
• a crank mechanism that rotates to reciprocate the fingers and the link mechanism and to drive the link mechanism, the crank mechanism comprising:
• a buffer mechanism that even if the rotation of the crank mechanism is stopped halfway with the hand mechanism abutted against the cartridge, allows the crank mechanism to keep rotating,
• the buffer mechanism being equipped with a moving mechanism having a sliding portion that is pressed by compression springs,
• the sliding portion to compress the springs in accordance with an external force due to the rotation being stopped by the hand mechanism abutted against one of said cartridges to allow the hand mechanism to hold the cartridge.

A library apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of cartridges each containing a recording medium;
• a storage rack in which the plurality of cartridges are stored;
• a drive that records or reproduces data in or from the cartridges;
• and
• an accessor that holds the cartridges and transports the cartridges between the storage rack and the drive, the accessor comprising:
• a hand mechanism that advances, holds or releases the cartridges, or withdraws, including a buffer mechanism that, even when an advancement is stopped with the hand mechanism abutted against one of said cartridges within a predetermined range before reaching a normal position, allows the hand mechanism to hold the cartridge, the hand mechanism comprising:
• fingers that can hold the cartridge,
• a link mechanism that causes the fingers to hold the cartridge, and
• a crank mechanism that reciprocates the fingers and the link mechanism, drives the link mechanism, and incorporates the buffer mechanism, the crank mechanism including a crank arm having a proximal part coupled to the rotary shaft and a distal part having a crank pin, and a moving mechanism of the buffer mechanism provided between the distal part and the proximal part of the crank arm.

A hand mechanism included in an accessor of a library apparatus comprising a plurality of cartridges each containing a recording medium, a storage rack in which the plurality of cartridges are stored, a drive that records or reproduces data in or from the cartridges, and an accessor that holds the cartridges and transports the cartridges between the storage rack and the drive, the hand mechanism comprising:

• fingers that can hold one of said cartridges;
• a link mechanism that causes the fingers to hold the cartridge;
• and
• a crank mechanism that rotates to reciprocate the fingers and the link mechanism and to drive the link mechanism, the crank mechanism comprising:
• a buffer mechanism that even if a rotation of a crank mechanism is stopped halfway with the hand mechanism abutted against the cartridge, allows the crank mechanism to keep rotating,
• the link mechanism comprising two link rods, one end of each of the two link rods being supported by a bottom of a housing of the hand mechanism so that the link rod can freely pivot, and another end of each of the two links rods being joined by a pin so that the link rod can freely pivot,
• the fingers being attached outside the supported ends of the two link rods,
• the link rods are constrained to move in a direction, which permits the fingers to open, by a tension spring, and
• upon the crank arm rotating and the hand mechanism reaching a normal position, the two link rods being pressed by a crank pin included in the crank arm and opening the fingers.