Abstract: The present invention relates to a library apparatus capable of enhancing the coupling accuracy and the positioning accuracy among a plurality of lockers to bring up the traveling accuracy and positional accuracy of an accessor within a passage penetrating the lockers so that the accessor can surely accomplish the insertion/extraction of a cartridge into/from a storage rack or a deck. For this purpose, a supporting member which holds a rail for guiding the accessor along a direction of coupling the plurality of lockers within the passage is installed in the coupling direction for each of the lockers, and a positioning groove in which a bar-like tool is fitted when positioning the adjacent lockers with respect to each other is made in an end portion of the supporting member in the coupling direction. This invention is applicable to a large-capacity external memory system storing a large number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges.

Abstract: A library apparatus is capable of enhancing the dimensional accuracy of locker frame structures to allow an accessor to surely carry out the insertion/extraction of a cartridge into/from a storage unit or a deck. Each of the locker frame structures is made up of a top board, a base and sheet metal columns vertically standing between corner portions of the top board and the base. Each of the sheet metal columns is fixedly welded to the top board and the base from the inside of the locker. The library apparatus is applicable to a large-capacity external storage system storing a large number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges.

Abstract: The present invention is for realizing the improvement of the cartridge storage efficiency and size reduction of a library apparatus by installing relative flags using cells of a storage rack to suppress the increase in the installation area or volume of a locker resulting from the installation of the relative flags, and further for shortening the time required for the initial operation of an accessor. For these purposes, a positional correction relative-flag structure of the cartridge storage rack is equipped with a body section which is inserted into the cell of the storage rack to be brought closely and fixedly into contact with the cell, and a relative flag to be read out by an sensor on the accessor side for the correction of the position of the storage rack is attached to an end surface of the body section. This invention is applicable to a large-capacity external storage memory storing a large number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges.

Abstract: The present invention provides a library apparatus which is capable of ensuring the specification accuracy of a reference flag and a diagnostic cell to make sure the error correction at the initial stage (initial operation) while facilitating the accuracy adjustment of the reference flag and the diagnostic cell, thus allowing the certain insertion/extraction of a cartridge into/from a storage unit or a deck by an accessor. In the library apparatus according to this invention, the reference flag to be read out by a sensor on the accessor side to detect the absolute position of the accessor is disposed close to and integrated with the diagnostic cell into and from which a diagnostic cartridge is inserted and extracted by the accessor to verify the operation of the accessor. This invention is applicable to a large-capacity external storage system storing a large number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges.

Abstract: A library apparatus having components permitting accurate and straightforward assembly. The library apparatus includes respective cell, drive, accessor and passage units, each having box shaped housings including a connection mechanism. A coupling couples the housings of the passage units with the other units. Other features of the library apparatus include a reference mark on the accessor unit which permits a transport mechanism in the passage unit to correct positional errors of the transport mechanism to other components.