JPH0353998A - Detecting method for residual quantity of writing material is automatic drafting equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To recognize a state, where writing is impossible, even in the case of a writing material, of which the residual writing quantity cannot be physically detected by a sensor, by detecting the drawing quantity on the drawing surface of a writing material and by indicating the residual writing quantity of the writing material from the drawing quantity and the writing quantity data at the time of setting the writing material. CONSTITUTION:An operator uses a writing quantity-setting switch 16 to set writing quantities Al-An for a writing material retained by the writing material holder of a writing material storage 10. These writing quantities Al-An are indicated in a residual writing quantity display part 16 by a controller. A pulling device 8 is judged to move in X, Y directions. If so, the controller starts a writing quantity detector. Then, the writing material is judged to be descending. If so, the controller judges the writing material to be stopped. If so, the writing quantity detector is stopped and the controller detects the present writing quantity D. The residual writing quantity an of the wiring material 8 used presently is calculated subsequently. In this case, An is equal to An-D. Then, the residual writing quantity An of the writing material 8 used presently is indicated in the residual writing quantity display part 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for detecting the remaining amount of writing on a writing instrument in an automatic drawing machine using a consumable writing lead.

[Description of prior art]

In an automatic drawing machine using a conventional automatic drawing machine pencil, lead loss is detected when the lead of the pencil runs out.

In addition, an automatic drafting machine using a hollow pen detects the amount of ink remaining. The above-described coreless detection and ink remaining amount detection are performed by providing sensors, respectively, and the state in which printing is not possible is detected based on the output of the sensor.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in automatic drafting machines using pen cartridges such as ballpoint pens, fiber pens, ceramic pens, etc., the remaining amount of the pen cannot be quantitatively detected by the sensor, and therefore the remaining amount of ink cannot be detected.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above defects.

[Means to solve problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic drawing machine in which a writing instrument is controlled relative to the drawing surface in the X and Y directions on the drawing surface to draw a predetermined drawing on the drawing surface.
The drawing amount of the writing instrument on the drawing surface is detected, and the remaining writing amount of the writing instrument is displayed from this drawing amount and the writing amount data when the writing instrument is set.

〔Example〕

The structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

2 is a table of an automatic drafting machine, and both ends of Y rails 4 are movably supported on both sides of the table. The Y rail 4 is driven by an X motor (not shown), and the table 2
It is configured to move in parallel on the top in the X direction. A play line head 6 is movably attached to the Y rail 4, and the head 6 is configured to move in the Y direction along the Y rail 4 by driving a Y motor (not shown).

The body of the automatic drawing machine is provided with a writing instrument stocker IQ that detachably holds a plurality of writing instruments 8. The writing instrument stocker 10 and the writing instrument holder 12 of the drawing head 6 are arranged so that writing instruments can be exchanged automatically. An operation panel 14 is provided on the top surface of the machine, and a writing amount setting switch 1 is provided on this.
6 is provided. A remaining writing amount display section 163 is provided on the upper surface of the writing instrument stocker 8 for displaying the remaining writing amount of the writing instruments 8 held for each writing instrument holder. As the writing instrument, a pen power cartridge such as a ceramic pen, a fiber pen, or a ballpoint pen is used. An output end of a writing amount detector is connected to the controller of the automatic drawing machine, and the writing amount detector is configured to output the amount of movement of the drawing head 6 in the X and Y directions to the controller.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the operator starts the remaining written amount detection program. The operator uses the writing amount setting switch 16 to set the writing amounts Al, A2, A3...A for the writing instrument held by the writing instrument holder of the writing instrument stocker 10.
Set n. This amount of writing A1, A2, A3...
...An is displayed on the remaining writing amount display section 16 by the controller in block 2.

Next, the controller receives plotting data from the host computer in block 3 and starts plotting in block 4. Next, the controller enters block 5, which is the writing instrument currently being used (
No. 8 of the writing instrument held by the writing instrument holder 412 of the drawing head 6. Look at n.

This writing instrument 8 No. are numbered in order according to the storage position of the writing instrument stocker 8. is set.

Next, the controller determines at decision block 6 whether the writing instrument is lowered. If an affirmative determination is made, the controller resets the writing amount detector in block 7 . Next, the controller determines in decision block 8 whether or not the writing instrument 8 held by the drawing head 6 is being lowered. If an affirmative determination is made, then it is determined in determination block 9 whether or not the writing instrument 8 is moving in the X and Y directions. When determining the affirmative, the controller starts the writing amount detector. Next, the controller determines whether the writing instrument is descending in decision block E1. If the controller determines the affirmative, the controller executes decision block 1.
In step 2, it is determined whether the writing instrument is stopped. If an affirmative determination is made, the controller stops the writing amount detector in block 13, and detects the current writing amount D in block 14. Next, the controller is block 15, which is the writing instrument 8 currently being used.
The remaining writing amount An is calculated. Here, A n = A
n et al.-D. Next, in block l6, the controller displays the remaining writing amount An of the writing instrument 8 currently being used on the remaining writing amount display l.
Display on 6. The controller then determines at decision block 17 whether A n =O. If an affirmative determination is made, it is determined in decision block l8 whether writing is possible with another writing instrument. When determining the negative, the controller temporarily stops the drawing operation of the automatic drawing machine. Next, in block 20, the controller displays an indication that drawing is not possible by means of a buzzer, lamp, or the like. Next, the operator manually replaces the writing instrument 8 of the drawing head 6 with another writing instrument.

Next, the operator resets the writing amount of the replaced writing instrument in block 22, and the controller resets the writing amount in block 22.
The writing amount of the writing instrument replaced in step 3 is displayed on the corresponding remaining writing amount display section 16. Next the controller is block 4
Return to If an affirmative determination is made in decision block 18, the controller automatically exchanges the writing instrument between the drawing head and the writing instrument stocker 10 in block 24, and returns to block 5. If the controller makes a negative decision in block 6, it makes a decision in block 25 as to whether or not drawing has ended, and if affirmative, it ends the drawing operation. If a negative decision is made, it is determined in decision block 26 whether or not the writing instrument should be replaced.If a negative decision is made, the process moves to block 6, and if an affirmative decision is made, the process moves to block 5. Further, if a negative determination is made in the decision block 11, the writing amount detector is stopped in a block 27. Next, in decision block 28, the controller decides whether or not the writing instrument should be replaced, and if it decides in the affirmative, it moves to block l4. If a negative determination is made, it is determined in decision block 29 whether or not drawing has been completed, and if an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to block 14. If negative, decision block 3
If the answer is 0, it is determined whether or not the writing instrument is descending, and if the determination is negative, the process returns to block 27. Block 1 if judged affirmative
Return to 0.

In the above embodiment, the remaining writing amount of each writing instrument is displayed on the remaining writing amount display section 16, but a method may also be used in which the cumulative writing amount Ln of each writing instrument is calculated and compared with a preset initial writing amount An. . In this embodiment, a block 7 lock 32 is added to the part A next to block 4 in FIG. 1, and L n =O. and the lth
Part B of the flowchart in the figure is changed as shown in the third @. In FIG. 3, the controller at block 33
=Ln+D, and the cumulative writing amount Ln is displayed in block 34. The controller then determines at decision block 35 that A n =
It is determined whether or not Ln, and if the determination is negative, it is determined in decision block 31 whether or not drawing is completed. If a negative determination is made in decision block 31, the process returns to decision block 5. Judgment block 3
If the controller determines that step 1 is affirmative, the controller ends the drawing operation.

If the decision block 35 makes an affirmative decision, the process moves to block 18.

〔effect〕

As described above, the present invention allows the operator to set the amount of writing in advance, so that even a scribe who cannot physically detect it with a sensor can recognize the state where it is impossible to write. There is an effect of being able to display the amount.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure ↓ is a flowchart, Figure 2 is a flowchart, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram, and Figure 4 is an external view. 2 is a table of an automatic drafting machine, 4 is a Y rail, 6 is a head, 8 is a writing instrument, 10 is a writing instrument stocker l2 is a writing instrument holder, 14 is a panel, and 6 is a writing amount setting switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic drawing machine in which a writing instrument is controlled relative to the drawing surface in the X and Y directions on the drawing surface to draw a predetermined drawing on the drawing surface, the amount of drawing of the writing instrument relative to the drawing surface is controlled. A method for detecting a remaining writing amount of a writing instrument, characterized in that the remaining writing amount of the writing instrument is displayed based on the drawing amount and the writing amount data when the writing instrument is set.