DE3306261A1 - AUTOMATIC WRITER - Google Patents

Description

Hewlett-Packard GmbH

AUTOMATIC PEN SENSOR

The invention is based on a device according to the Genre of the main claim. Due to the developments in the micro and mini computer fields, in recent years Years ago the cost of computer accessories mostly outweighed the cost of the calculator itself. This is especially true for devices that work with electronic means. Because of this, a number of made of efforts to reduce costs, with the special philosophy going in the direction of to reduce the number of electromechanical parts required and as many as possible through passive elements to replace. This philosophy has been particularly prevalent in the development of devices for pen holding and pen replacement, whereby the associated development in the field of pen locating devices has not kept up Has.

Usually in high-volume pen writing systems it is important to identify the location of all pens in the JO device to avoid attempting to

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that a pen is selected which does not exist at all, i.e. an attempt is made without a pen write and that collisions from pen to pen are eliminated. The pen tracking problem is usually solved by using mechanical switches or optical detectors, Means that have considerable deficiencies. In the case of mechanical switches, each encoder requires a switch, Wire, solder joints and adjustment. They also tend to the switches themselves cause operational safety problems. Optical encoders also require a notable one Construction time, wire, solder joints and adjustment, whereby the cost of photodetectors is not insignificant. In addition, paper dust and other foreign particles are known to be on the surface of the photodetector precipitate, which leads to malfunctions in their function. These two are solvents to the location problem known to be expensive to install because they require a significant amount of hardware in addition to that required Grasping or holding a pen.

In contrast, the object of the invention is to provide a device for automatically locating pen positions to develop that does not have the disadvantages described above, with a minimum of electromechanical Sharing gets by and also enables the respective pen positions to be reliably located.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the characterizing features of the main claim. One of those Bi-directional pen changing mechanism does not require additional mechanical switches or optical switches Detectors to determine pen positions. the

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Device is based on two pen housings, each on one side of a pen transport rod is arranged to hold unused pens and it builds on one Pen holder, which is arranged between the two pen housings and a pen holds while writing. The pen holder is mounted on the pen transport rod and with equipped with two independent clamp arms, one each for interaction with each pen housing, creating a symmetrical device. Each pen housing has a fixed one Body and a single clamp arm to hold the pen close to the fixed body.

To grab a pen from the pen body, the empty pen holder is brought into contact with the housing with the pen holder clamp arm Slide the pen case clamp arm aside while taking control of the pen receives. The pen holder is then moved away from the pen housing and the normal Writes can be made. After finishing the typing, the pen holder is set the pen back into the pen housing in reverse order. In this reverse In order, however, the pen holder clamp arm is moved to the side by the pen case clamp arm pushed, the latter then clutching the pen, after which the pen holder is again from Pen housing removed. Due to the symmetry of the

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Pen holder it is possible to grab a pen from the side or reinsert it. The pen holder clamps are also designed in such a way that the pen body is always in the same position The position with regard to the clamping arms is when the pen holder holds a pen, regardless of from which side the pen was taken.

The information regarding the pen positions is supplied by means of a starting position diagram before with normal writing is started. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pen holder is and each pen housing designed such that when they cooperate, four independent and certain stopping points during their contact with each other with these four stop positions corresponding to the four possible positions on each side are achievable; for example, there is either a pen firstly in the pen holder as well as in the Pen housing or secondly, neither in the pen holder nor in the pen housing is a pen; or thirdly, a pen is in the pen housing but no pen is in the pen holder; or fourth, a pen is in the pen holder but no pen is in the pen case. These '' four StoppsteXLen correspond directly to the stopping points of a D.C. motor that drives the pen holder will.

At first, the pen holder becomes one Pen housing on one side of the pen transport bar pushed until it hits a stop

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and the D.C. engine stops. The pen holder is then relieved and is brought back into contact with the same pen housing until the D.C. motor starts holds second time. The pen holder then becomes the opposite end of the pen transport rod moves until the D.C. motor stops, setting the position for a first stop at the other Pen housing is determined. The pen holder is then relieved and is in contact with again brought this other pen housing, determining the relative position of a second stop point. The information about the relative locations of these four breakpoints obtained by this starting point method was obtained, together with an adapted algorithm, is sufficient to unambiguously identify the write control device to determine the starting positions of all pens in this system.

An embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawing and will be described below described in more detail. Show it

FIGS. 1 to 8 show the exemplary embodiment schematically in different functional positions,

9 to 13 an oblique top view of a schematic representation of the exemplary embodiment, Fig. 14 to 17 four defined starting positions,

18 is a schematic representation of the various Stop controls,

19 shows the various possible pen situations and
2o shows a functional diagram of the invention.

An overview of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is in operation in FIGS. 1 to 8 shown, namely from pen gripping to reinstallation. Figure 1 shows a pen housing 11, which has a section curved inward through sides Io and 2o, as a support for a pen 12 in a well defined position. In addition, a single clamp arm 13 is shown, which about a vertical axis Z. of the pen housing 11 is pivotable and the end 23 of which has the shape of a truncated barb. A rubber band or a spring (not shown) engages this clamping arm 13 in order to make it firmly in contact to hold with the pen 12 so that it is in the section through the sides Io and 2o of the inwardly curved section is held in a certain position. Also shown in Figure 1 is a pen holder 14 with which the pen 12 is tapped from the pen housing 11 and held while writing. The pen holder 14 is designed mirror-symmetrically to a plane P, which runs perpendicular to the direction of movement, and it has two clamping arms 16 and 17 which are opposite to each other (for example each on one side the plane P, in order to be able to grasp a pen from each side.) The ends 26 and 27 of the clamping arms 16 and 17 have a barb-shaped cross-section.

In Figure 2, the pen holder 14 is moved in the direction of the pen housing 11 to with its barb-shaped End 26 of the clamp arm 16 to move the clamp arm 13 and thus the pen 12 from the housing to grab. A rubber band or spring (not shown)

act as a restoring force on the clamping arm 16 in order to keep it close to the rest position shown in FIG. In FIG. 3 shows how the pen holder 14 has fully penetrated when the barbed end 26 encounters a stop 33 which is arranged on the clamping arm 13. In Figure 4, the pen 12 is in a nominal position shown, in which it is centered by an inner curvature 15 of the pen holder 14 after gripping.

In FIGS. 5 to 8, the process of reinserting the pen 12 into the pen housing 11 is shown. During this process, the pen holder 14 is shifted again in the direction of the pen housing 11. Of the Clamp arm 13 is arranged in such a way that, as long as it is not holding a pen, it assumes a nominal position, so that the clamp arm 13 slides on the inside of the clamp arm 16 and urges it to the side when the pen holder 14 comes into contact with the pen housing 11 (see Figure 6). The pen holder 14 sets its unlocking movement to the pen housing 11 continues until the pen 12 on the side 2o of the inner curvature layer of the pen housing 11, creating a well-defined stopping point for the movement of the pen holder 14 is given (see Figure 7). Once inside the clamp arm 16, the clamp arm 13 takes over the pen 12, and 5 the pen holder 14 moves empty away from the pen housing 11, as shown in FIG.

In the figures 9 to 13 this sequence is shown in the oblique plan view. As shown in Figure 9, the Pen holder 14 mounted on a transport rod 19

and is straight against the pen housing 11 by means of a conveyor belt 39 which is driven by a motor 35 and an optical encoder 37 has. The clamping arms 16 and 17 are rotatable about a horizontal axis in the direction of the extension arms 28 or 29. As shown in Figure Io, the clamping arm 13 is by the pen holder 14 to the side pushed when he grabs the pen and takes it away.

In the reverse process, as shown in Figures 11 to 13, the pen 12 is again in the Pen housing 11 inserted. If the pen holder 14 with a pen 12 is attached to the pen housing 11 approaches, the clamp arm 13 pushes the clamp arm 16 to the side, whereby the extension arm 28 in his Hinge is rotated. The clamping arm 13 then clasps the pen, this in firm contact with the Holding pen housing 11. Like gripping and reinserting on one side with the pen housing 11 was completed, the symmetry of the pen holder 14 allows the same sequence on the other side. To take advantage of this symmetry, there is a second pen housing 31 and a second Pen 22 opposite to pen housing 11

25- arranges, so that a two-pen system as in the Figures 9 to 13 is available in which the pen holder alternatively one and the other Uses pen.

The switches or optical detectors normally required to detect the pen position to eliminate becomes a starting point scheme according to the invention

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is used, where all pens that are present in the system are located before any Write operations are started. As shown in Figures 14-18, this scheme is based on the geometry and the interaction of the pen housing with the pen holder 14. The pen holder is designed in such a way that that it cooperates with each pen housing in a manner that four separate and distinct Stopping points are given, each stopping point corresponding to a standstill point of the D.C. motor 35, which is used to drive the pen holder 14. The stop point closest to the center of the pen transport 19 is obtained when pen housing 11 and pen holder 14 each have one Carry a pen. This case is shown in Figure 14, where the barb-shaped end 26 with the blunted End portion 23 of the clamping arm 13 collides. The stop point leading to the center of the pen transport rod 19 is closest, results when neither the pen housing 11 nor the pen holder 14 carry a pen, as shown in FIG. This stop point is further away from the center of the pen transport rod 19 as the stopping point shown in Figure 14 since the

> 5 clamp arm 13 describes an arc around its axis of rotation, which is not in line with the barb shaped end 26. I. E. the pen holder 14 moves slightly before the barb-shaped end 26 hits the clamp arm 23. Although this difference in distance is very great is narrow (1 mm), the optical angle encoder is chosen so that it gives a measurement result of almost 0.025 mm or even more precisely, in order to meet the requirements for writing systems. So it is not a problem

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to keep the two stop points apart in the test result. The stop point shown in Figure 16 is still away from the center of the pen transport rod 19 and corresponds to the situation shown in Figure 3, in which a pen in pen housing 11 and no Pen in pen holder 14 is. As above described, this stop occurs when the barb-shaped end 26 on the stop 33 of the Clamp arm 13 abuts. The stop point furthest from the center of the pen transport rod 19 is shown in Figure 17, for which a pen is first arranged in the pen holder 14 and this enters into an empty pen housing 11, as further described above for FIG. The relative positions of these stop points for the left as well as for the right side are shown schematically in FIG. 18, and the various possible pen configurations in FIG. 19.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the initial scheme begins as far as in the sequence of FIGS 13 described, wherein the control device 40 usually no information about the starting position of the pen or the position of the pen holder 14. As shown in the foot diagram of Figure 20, the Pen holder first pushed to the pen housing on the left, the pen housing 11, until penetration occurs, e.g. until the pen holder hits a stop and the D.C. motor stops, so that the system is set to the beginning and a starting point Y1 for the pen holder 14 is set as measured by the optical encoder. The pen holder is then released.

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give and moved until there is contact with the pen housing 14, which is then a new breakpoint is registered by the control unit 4o as Y2. The pen holder 14 is then completely to the right Page shifted to the pen housing 31, and a new stopping point Y3 registered. As before, the pen holder is released and then brought back into contact with the Pen housing 31 until penetration occurs.

This determines a new breakpoint Y4. As can be seen from Figure 2o, the information is relative Positions of Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 are sufficient to clearly determine the pen starting position, usually the writing system controller 4o includes a ROM 41, as shown in Figure 9, for implementation different writing processes. Thus, by replacing small parts in the ROM, the one shown in FIG simple logic can be easily performed to get the starting point scheme.

There are also further advantageous refinements of the invention. The arrangement of the various clamping arms can for example, be varied in many ways and yet have four separate stop posts, and there are two. For example, other distance measuring systems can also be used, other than the optical angle encoder. It could too a number of different algorithms can be developed. For example, instead of just the relative position Y3 and Y4 of the pen housing 31, the actual distances between these right-hand holding points of Y1 and Y2 serve as direct information whether a pen is arranged on the right side or not. In some

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In refinements, it can also be advantageous to change the logic sequence somewhat. For example, if the control unit determines when it first queries that there is a pen in the pen holder on the left, but is not in the pen housing, it can be advantageous to place the pen in the Insert pen housing 11 before the interrogation process begins on the right-hand side. The inventive one The concept can also be used in a system in which the pens are only on one side of the pen holder are provided as in a pen magazine device. In such a system, however something like a fixed stop may be required in order to have a start for the distance measurement.

It should also be understood that the concept of the invention is not limited to a starting point scheme, it can just as well be used to determine pen positions while writing. For example, if a pen needs to be swapped from a pen case for any reason during normal writing, the control system would report the non-existence when trying to pick up the non-existent pen because the D.C. engine would stop at a stop which does not correspond to the intended position.

Claims (9)

\\: \ ['/' - Γ ':.'': 330626 Int. Ref .: Case 1592 February 21, 1983 Hewlett-Packard GmbH PATENT CLAIMS [1.] Device for locating at least one pen in a writing system, in particular an electronic computer, characterized in that that the writing system has a pen housing (11) for receiving pens not currently in use (12), a pen transport device (19, 39) and a pen holder (14) for guiding a currently used pen (12) and that the pen holder (14) via the pen transport device movable with the pen housing (11) for receiving and Playback of pens (12) cooperates and it assumes defined stop points Y, which is detected as location information via a transmitter (37) and sent to a control unit (40) of the writing system. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that these stop points are Y starting positions define. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the pen housing (11) and Pen holder (14) are designed in such a way that four different stop points Y (positions) can be defined are, namely when a pen (12, 22) is arranged in the pen housing (11) and pen holder (14) is (Fig. 14), neither in the pen housing (11) nor in the pen holder (14) is a pen (Fig. 15), a pen (12) in the pen holder (14) but no pen in the pen housing (11) is arranged (Fig. 16) and if a pen (12) is arranged in the pen housing (11) and no pen in the pen holder (14) (Fig. 17). 4. Device according to one of claims 1-3, characterized characterized in that the pen transport device (19, 39) has a drive motor (35) and each stop point corresponds to a stop point of the motor. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the encoder (37) is designed as an optical angle encoder. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the location information with a starting position scheme for the writing pen holder (14) is compared and an adapted algorithm is provided in the control unit (40). 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second Pen housing which can be approached by the pen holder (14) via the pen transport device (19, 39) (31) is provided. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second pen housing (31) is arranged mirror-symmetrically to the first (11) and with ! 5 has defined stop positions corresponding to the pen holder (14), which are also used as information can be entered in the control unit. ·: 330626 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pen housing (11, 31) and pen holder (14) with Clamp arms (13, 26, 27) for holding a pen are provided, which are loaded by a clamping force (elastic band, spring) and on each other facing side have a stop or an inclined surface, so that when colliding with each other Pen holder (.14) and pen housing (11) of the pen holding clamp arm via a inclined surface is moved by the other clamping arm against the holding force, the pen is taken over by the other clamp arm.