JPH054918B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention has a pen stocker on the machine body side that holds a plurality of recording pens each having a built-in writing lead, and the recording pens can be mutually exchanged between the pen stocker and the drawing head. This invention relates to a recording pen exchange control method for an automatic drafting machine.

[Conventional technology]

A drawing device that holds a plurality of lead writing instruments, selects one of them to draw, and when it detects that the writing instrument has no lead, selects the next lead writing instrument and draws. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-91768. This device holds a plurality of lead writing implements on a drum rotatably disposed in a drawing head.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above-mentioned conventional device, when a plurality of different types of lead writing instruments are arranged on the drum, the leads of the lead writing instruments are worn out by drawing, so the leads may run out. For example, in a pen stocker, four writing implements of the same type (type A) and four writing implements of different types but of the same type (type B) are arranged side by side, and each of both types A and B is placed side by side. It is assumed that among the four lead writing instruments, the first three lead writing instruments are in a state without a lead. Now, when a pen change command is input to the controller and an A type lead writing instrument is selected, the controller will first select the A type lead writing instrument even if the first three A type lead writing instruments have no leads. Select the single-core writing instrument that ranks first. Then, after detecting the lack of a lead, the next ranked lead writing instrument is selected. In this way, it is necessary to select the lead writing instruments in order and check whether the lead is present or not each time. Therefore, the drawing time becomes long.
In this case, by using the pen-engine command,
Even if the first type A lead writing instrument is selected, it is desirable that the drawing head directly selects the fourth type A lead writing instrument.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned defects.

[Means to solve problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a pen stocker disposed on the machine body side that holds a plurality of recording pens each having a built-in consumable writing lead, and allows mutual exchange of recording pens between the pen stocker and the drawing head. In an automatic drawing machine controlled by a computer, the leaded state of the recording pen on the pen stocker side is stored in the memory of the computer before the drawing operation starts, and the initial state of the memory is updateable, The pen change command causes the drawing head to hold the recording pen of the desired order number in the pen stocker, and before the drawing head shifts to drawing operation according to the drawing command, the presence or absence of the lead of the recording pen held by the drawing head is determined. When the amount of lead remaining in the recording pen is less than the specified amount, the computer confirms that there is no lead, returns the leadless recording pen to the original position of the pen stocker, and returns the recording pen at the position to the original position of the pen stocker. It remembers in memory that it is coreless,
After that, the computer causes the drawing head to hold the recording pen of the next rank, which is stored as having a lead in the pen stocker, and checks whether or not the held recording pen has a lead, and if it has a lead, it issues a drawing command. When moving to drawing operation based on the pen change command and processing the next pen change command, the computer determines whether the recording pen in the pen stocker specified by the pen change command has a lead based on the contents of the memory that stores the lead presence/absence state of the recording pen. If there is a lead, the computer causes the drawing head to support the recording pen in the pen stocker with the order number specified by the pen change command, and if there is no lead, the computer moves the recording pen to the next order number. The recording pen in the pen stocker, which is stored as having a lead, is held in the drawing head.

[Effect]

In the above control method, each recording pen holding section of the pen stocker corresponds to a memory that records the presence or absence of a lead of the recording pen held by each holding section. When one recording pen in the pen stocker is selected by the pen change command, the computer selects the memory corresponding to the selected recording pen and uses the memory to determine whether the selected recording pen has a lead or not. If there is a lead, the recording pen is held in the drawing head, and the presence or absence of the actual lead of the recording pen held by the drawing head is checked. If lead presence is confirmed by this check, the memory corresponding to the recording pen maintains the lead presence state, and the drawing head shifts to drawing operation. If the above check confirms that there is no lead, the memory corresponding to the recording pen is set to the state without a lead. The automatic drafting machine checks the presence or absence of a core after each drawing operation by one drawing command.
When it is confirmed that there is no lead in the check, the memory corresponding to the leadless recording pen is set to the state without a lead, and the computer stores the next data using the memory corresponding to the next highest recording pen in the pen stocker. The presence or absence of a lead in the recording pen of the ranking is checked, and if the recording pen has a lead, the recording pen with a lead is held in the drawing head. In this way, when the recording pen held in the recording pen holder in the pen stocker is selected by the pen change command, the presence or absence of a lead in the recording pen is determined based on the memory corresponding to the recording pen, If there is no lead, the memory corresponding to the recording pen of the pen stocker in the next rank determines whether the recording pen has a lead or not, and the computer stores the record held in the pen stocker that actually has a lead in the drawing head. You can directly pick up the pen.

〔Example〕

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

In FIG. 9, 2 is the body of an X-Y plotter, and a Y rail 6 is disposed on a table 4 so as to be movable along the X coordinate axis direction, and a plotting head 8 is movably disposed on the Y rail 6. installed on. As shown in FIG. 3, the printing head 8 includes a pen holding frame 12 fixed to an elevating body 10 made of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum, and one end of which is connected to the elevating body 10.
A pen holder 16 is provided at the pen holder 16 and includes a pen holding arm 14 which is rotatably supported in a plane parallel to the 4th surface of the table and whose open end side is biased in a direction approaching the pen holding frame 12. A recording pen 18 having a built-in automatic lead feeding mechanism is removably held in the pen holder 16. The elevating body 10 has a guide shaft 2 fixed to the base plate of the head 8.
0, and the elevating body 10 is urged upward by a coil spring 22.
A solenoid 24 is fixed to the base plate of the head 8, and its output shaft faces the protrusion 10a formed on the elevating body 10. The solenoid 24 is the CPU 30 of the microcomputer (see Figure 2).
The pen up/down control circuit 32 of the controller is connected to the pen up/down control circuit 32 of the controller. 33 is a pen holding detector disposed on the elevating body 10, and is constituted by a limit switch. The Y rail 6 and the printing head 8 are controlled by a motor control circuit 35.
It is linked to XY motors (not shown) and is sent to a predetermined position on the table 4 by these drives.
38 is a pen stocker in which a plurality of recording pens 18 are held. The drawing head 8 is moved to the empty holding part 38a of the pen stocker 38 by means of a pen change command programmed into the computer, the pen holder 16 is positioned in the holding part 38a, and then the drawing head is moved. 8 away from the holding part 38a, the recording pen 18 held in the pen holder 16 is transferred to the holding part 38a by a known pen exchange mechanism (not shown) built in the pen stocker 38, and the pen stocker 38 moves the recording pen 18 to the holding part 38a. The exchange is configured to take place. In addition, by using the pen change command, the drawing head 8 that does not hold a recording pen can be moved to the holding section 38, and the pen stocker 38 that is holding a recording pen can be moved to the holding section 38.
b, and move the pen holder 16 to the holding part 38.
b, and then, when the printing head 8 is separated from the holding part 38b, the recording pen held in the holding part 38b is held in the pen holder 16 of the printing head 8 by the pen exchange mechanism. The device is configured so that the pen can be exchanged. Reference numeral 39 denotes a coreless detector consisting of a magnetic flux detector, which is fixed to the substrate of the head 8. It is fixedly installed opposite to the magnet 59.

Next, the internal structure of the recording pen will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

40 is a holder cylinder, and a guide cylinder 42 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the holder cylinder. A head block 44 has an annular collar 44a formed on its outer periphery, and the lower part of the block 44 is fixed to the upper part of the guide tube 42. A shaft hole is provided in the center of the block 44 for slidably holding a consumable writing lead 46 made of a lead lead. A tapered surface 42a whose diameter increases downward is formed on the lower inner wall surface of the guide tube 42. 48,
Reference numeral 50 denotes a pair of core chucks, and curved surfaces 48a, 50a are formed at their lower portions so that the widths of the core chucks 48, 50 increase downward. The tapered surface 42a and the curved surfaces 48a, 5
A plurality of steel balls 52 are arranged between 0a and 0a. The pair of core chucks 48, 50 are urged upward by the elastic force of the coil spring. Reference numeral 54 denotes a bottomed cylinder fixed to the lower part of the holder cylinder 40, and the outer peripheral surface of the flange of the core holding tube 56 is slidably fitted into the inner peripheral surface of this cylinder. The lower half of the holding tube 56 protrudes downward from a hole formed in the bottom of the cylindrical body 54. The upper surface of the flange of the holding tube 56 and the core chuck 4
A coil spring is compressed and arranged between the lower surfaces of 8 and 50. 57 is an annular rubber body;
The rubber body 57 is fixed to the upper end of the holding tube 56.
The diameter of the shaft hole is formed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the core 46. A core 46 is fitted into the shaft hole of the block 44, the core chucks 48 and 50, the shaft hole of the rubber body 57, and the holding tube 56. 70
is a pen type discriminator that is classified by core diameter or core color, and is composed of a detector that reads a barcode 72 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the recording pen 18. In FIG. 2, 60 is an interface circuit connected to a host computer. 62 is a pen type memory, 64 is an X counter, and a predetermined preset value is set for each drawing operation;
Connected to 6. The X counter 64 is set to a predetermined number (the number of pens installed in the pen stocker 38, for example, 8).
It is set so that when it counts 1 and then returns to 1. 80a to 80h are core presence/absence memories, and these are the pen stocker 3.
8 recording pen holding parts No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4,
They correspond to No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, and No. 8 in order. The output end of each memory is connected to the pen number designation circuit 66. A memory selection circuit 82 is connected to each output gate of the memories 80a to 80h. Reference numeral 72 denotes a pen presence/absence determination circuit for inputting the pen attachment state of the pen stocker 38, ie, the pen line section, to the CPU 30, and is constituted by a data input device consisting of a keyboard. The pen presence/absence determination circuit 72 is provided with a pen detector or a pen detection switch for each pen holding section of the pen stocker 38, and outputs the output signal of the pen detector etc. to the CPU 3 through a data in switch.
0 may be input to input the pen attachment state of the pen stocker 38 to the CPU 30. The head block 44 and other components of the recording pen are made of a transparent body, so that the remaining amount of the lead 46 in the recording pen 18 can be seen from the outside.

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

First, a new long lead 46 is set in the recording pen 18. The lower end of the core 46 is exactly connected to the core holding tube 56.
The amount of protrusion is set to match the bottom edge of. Hold the recording pen 18 with a new lead in each holding part No. 1, 2, 3, 4 of the pen stocker 38.
5, 6, 7, and 8, and then the operator outputs all pen installation signals using the pen presence/absence determination circuit 72.
Input to CPU30. Next, remote switch 7
When you press 4, the CPU 30 uses all memories 80a to 8
Set 0h to cored state (step 1). Next, a command is sent from the host computer to CPU30.
(Step 2). The CPU 30 determines whether the command is a pliers engine command (step 3), and if it is a pliers engine command,
The CPU 30 analyzes the pen change command and determines which recording pen in the holding section of the pen stocker 38 is the target of the pen change (step 4). As shown in FIG. 9, each holding portion of the pen stocker 30 is assigned a number x from No. 1 to No. 8, and the pen stocker command specifies the number x. The CPU 30 sets the x counter 64 to
Preset to the same number x as the number x. As a result, the x counter 64 outputs the preset value x, and inputs the x value to both the pen number designation circuit 66 and the memory selection circuit 82. Now, assume that the above x is 1. The memory selection circuit selects the lead presence/absence memory 80a corresponding to the No. 1 pen, opens the output gate of the memory, and transfers the output of the memory 80a to the pen.
Input to No. designation circuit 66. The memory outputs a high level signal "1" when the core is present, and outputs a low level signal "0" when the core is not present. When the memory 80a has a lead, the pen number designation circuit 66
The AND at the input terminal is established, and the output value 1 of the x counter 64 is input to the CPU 30 (step 5). If the memory 80a is in a coreless state,
The CPU 30 inputs 1 pulse to the x counter 64, and the x counter outputs 2 at x+1 (step 6'), thereby selecting the memory 80b.
When the memory 80b is in the leaded state, the pen selection value 2 is input to the CPU 30. Note that when the x counter 64 receives 1 pulse while counting 8, it returns to 1 and outputs this 1 (step 7',
8′). The CPU 30 outputs forward and reverse drive pulses to drive the motor control circuit 35 based on the designation number x designated by the pen number designation circuit 66, and controls the movement of the print head 8 in the pen engine mode. ,
The recording pen 18 held in the recording pen holder having the number corresponding to the output of the pen number designation circuit 66 is held in the printing head 8 as shown in FIG. 3 (step 6). At this time, the pen type discriminator 76 discriminates the type of the recording pen 18 from the barcode 72 of the recording pen 18, and inputs the discrimination signal to the CPU 30. The CPU 30 creates pen type data based on the discrimination signal and stores the data in the pen type memory 62 (step 7). Next, when a drawing command is input from the host computer,
The CPU 30 confirms the drawing command (step 8) and instructs the drawing head 8 to perform a center check operation.
This core check operation is performed in the following manner (step 9). The CPU 30 outputs a pen down signal to the control circuit 32. This causes the solenoid 24
is energized, and the third rod of solenoid 24
In the figure, it descends. As a result of this lowering, the elevating body 10 is lowered, and the recording pen 18 held in the pen holder 16 is lowered, so that the tip of the lead 46 inside the recording pen 18 is aligned with the image plane on the table 4, as shown in FIG. It comes into elastic contact with a predetermined pressure due to the excitation force of the solenoid 24. When the core 46 comes into pressure contact with the drawing paper, the core 46
The pressure from the paper tends to rise relative to the lead chucks 48,50. Core chuck 4
8, 50, when the core 46 tries to rise, the steel ball 52
is tightly wedged between the curved surface 48a and the tapered surface 42a, and the chucks 48, 48a are formed by the steel ball 52.
are pressurized in the direction of approaching each other. This pressing force prevents the core 46 from moving upward relative to the chuck pieces 48, 48a. When the lower end of the core 46 comes into pressure contact with the drawing paper, that is, the drawing surface on the table 4, the descent of the elevating body 10 is stopped. At this time, since the permanent magnet 59 is located above the coreless detector 39 by a predetermined distance, the coreless detector 39 does not output a coreless signal. As a result, if the pen-down signal is supplied to the drawing head but the lead-free detector 39 does not operate, the CPU 30 determines whether the lead is present. If there is no lead in the recording pen 18, or if the lead is worn out and on the verge of no lead as shown in FIG. The body 10 is lowered to a position where the permanent magnet 59 closely opposes the coreless detector 39, and as a result of the lowering, the coreless detector 39 outputs a coreless signal. The CPU 30 supplies the pen down signal to the solenoid 24 again, and when the coreless detector 39 outputs a coreless signal again, the CPU 30 determines that there is no core based on the signal. When the core presence state is confirmed by the core check operation described above (step 10), a pulse is supplied to the motor control circuit 35 based on the plotting command, the XY motor is driven, and the drawing head 8 is moved to the 4th surface of the table. The object is moved in a predetermined direction within a plane parallel to the object, and a drawing is drawn on the drawing paper (step 11). During this drawing, the core 46
are fixed to the core chucks 48, 50, and their tips are worn away. As the tip of the core 46 wears down,
The elevating body 10 and the pen holder 16 are the solenoid 2.
4, and the pressure between the lower end of the core 46 and the drawing surface is maintained constant. Due to this wear of the lower end of the core 46, the holding tube 56 rises relative to the cylinder 54 by an amount equal to the amount of wear of the core 46 against the elasticity of the coil spring, and the flange of the holding tube 56 rises by an amount equal to the amount of wear of the core 46. The lower surface is separated from the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cylindrical body 54. When one drawing operation is completed, the CPU 30 outputs a pen-up signal. If the initial setting interval between the permanent magnet 41 and the detector 30 is x, and the decrease length of the core 46 in one drawing operation is y, then the line length of one drawing operation by the one drawing command is set so that x>y. ing. When the pen-up-down control circuit 32 is driven by the pen-up signal and the power to the solenoid 24 is cut off, the elevating body 10 moves to the coil spring 2.
It rises to a predetermined position by the elastic force of 2. As the elevating body 10 rises, the recording pen 18 rises, and the tip of the lead 46 separates from the drawing surface. When the recording pen 18 rises, the holding tube 56 is moved by the elastic force of the coil spring S1.
is lowered relative to the cylindrical body 54 until the flange thereof is locked to the bottom wall of the cylindrical body 54. This holding tube 56
As the core 46 is lowered relative to the cylinder 54, the core 46, which is tightly fitted into the rubber body 57, is lowered in conjunction with the holding tube 56 due to the frictional force with the rubber body 57. This core 46
As the core 46 descends, the core 46 is pulled in the downward direction relative to the chucks 48 and 50;
Since the tightening force of 0 acts in the direction of loosening, the core 46
The chuck slides between the chucks 48 and 50 in conjunction with the holding tube 56 by the amount of wear, and is drawn out downward. In this manner, the pen-up operation causes the lead 46 to be drawn downward by the amount of wear. A core check operation command is issued to the CPU 30 for each drawing operation, and if the core is present, the drawing command is executed in the manner described above. In this way, the drawing commands are executed sequentially. In this case, if no core is detected in the core check operation, the states of the memories 80a to 80h do not change.

When a leadless state is detected by the lead check operation in step 9, the CPU 30 sets the memory corresponding to the recording pen held by the drawing head 8 to a state without a lead (step 12). In this case the CPU
30 controls the printing head 8 and returns the recording pen 18 currently held by the printing head 8 to its original empty state in the pen stocker 38, if all the memories 80a to 80h are not stored as having no lead (step 13). At the same time, one pulse is output to the x counter 64 (step 15). The following sequential numbers are input to the CPU 30 from the pen No. designation circuit 66, and the pen stocker 3 corresponding to the designated number
The recording pen on the 8th side is held by the printing head 8 (step 16). When the drawing head 8 holds the pen 18 in the next order, the pen type discriminator 76 detects the type of the held pen 18 and analyzes the type of the held pen 18 and the pen change command in step 7. The pen type comparison circuit 69 compares the type of the pen held when the pen is pressed (step 17), and if it is the same type of pen, the process returns to step 9.
A core check operation is performed. If the core check operation confirms that there is no core, the process moves to step 12, and the next recording pen in the pen stocker 38 is held in the printing head 8 in the manner described above. In step 17, if a different type of pen is confirmed, or if all the memories 80a to 80h are set to the coreless state, a buzzer (not shown) will sound under the control of the CPU 30, and the drawing head 8 will be The recording pen 18 to be held is moved to the pen stocker 38.
return to its original position and stop in place,
The CPU 30 shifts to a LOCAL state, that is, a state in which it receives data from the host computer but does not output data (step 14). Before all the memories 80a to 80h are set to the leadless state, the operator checks the state of the recording pen 18 in the pen stocker 38, removes the leadless recording pen 18 from the holder of the pen stocker 38, and inserts a new long one. Insert the lead into the recording pen 18, set the recording pen in the corresponding recording pen holder of the pen stocker 38, then press the local switch 85 to bring the CPU 30 into the local state, and then turn the remote switch 74. When the button is pressed to put the CPU 30 into the remote state, all memories 80a to 80h are set to the cored state, and the automatic drafting machine can continue drawing operations. Incidentally, even if the CPU 30 is not put into the local state, all the memories 80a to 80h may be set to the cored state by a separately provided update switch.

〔effect〕

As described above, when one of the recording pens held in a plurality of recording pen holders on the pen stocker side is designated by a pen change command, the core of the recording pen at the designated position is The presence or absence of a recording pen is determined based on the contents of the memory corresponding to the recording pen holding section, and the computer outputs a signal to the drawing head to hold the recording pen in a lead-enabled state, thereby eliminating the needless operation of replacing the lead in the drawing head. There are effects that can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a flowchart, FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram, FIG. 3 is a sectional view, FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view, FIG. 5 is a side view, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view, FIG. 7 is a sectional view, FIG. 8 is a sectional view, and FIG. 9 is a plan view. 2... Airframe, 4... Table, 6... Y rail, 8... Drawing head, 10... Lifting body, 12...
...Pen holding frame, 14...Pen holding arm, 16...
... Pen holder, 18 ... Recording pen, 20 ... Guide shaft, 22 ... Coil spring, 24 ... Solenoid, 30 ... CPU, 33 ... Pen holding detector,
34, 36... Motor, 38... Pen stocker, 40... Holder tube, 44... Head block, 42... Guide tube, 46... Lead, 48, 50...
...Lead chuck, 56...Lead holding tube, 70...Pen type discriminator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A pen stocker installed on the machine body holds a plurality of recording pens with built-in consumable writing leads, and the recording pens are mutually exchanged between the pen stocker and the drawing head, and is controlled by a computer. In an automatic drawing machine, before the drawing operation starts, the state of the recording pen on the pen stocker side is stored in the memory of the computer, and the initial state of the memory can be updated, and the pen stocker is stored in the drawing head by the pen change command. A recording pen with a desired order number among the recording pens is held, and before the drawing head shifts to a drawing operation in response to a drawing command, the printing head checks whether or not there is a core in the recording pen held by the drawing head. When the remaining amount is below the specified amount,
The computer confirms that there is no lead and returns the leadless recording pen to its original position in the pen stocker;
It is stored in the memory that the recording pen at the position is without a lead, and then the computer causes the drawing head to hold the recording pen of the next rank, which is stored as having a lead in the pen stocker, and the held recording pen Checks the presence or absence of a core, and if there is a core, shifts to plotting operation based on the plotting command,
When processing the next pen change command, the computer determines whether or not the recording pen in the pen stocker specified by the pen change command has a lead, based on the contents of the memory that stores the recording pen lead presence status. If the pen has a lead, the recording pen in the pen stocker with the order number specified by the pen change command is supported by the drawing head, and if it does not have a lead, the computer stores it in memory as having a lead with the next order number. 1. A recording pen exchange control method for an automatic drafting machine, characterized in that a recording pen in a pen stocker is held in the drawing head.