JPS5928200B2 - plotting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a drawing device that can draw figures of arbitrary dimensions.

In a conventionally known drawing device, a recording pen is mounted on a movable frame, and the movable frame is simultaneously driven in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction to draw a desired figure.

However, such conventional plotting devices have the disadvantage that a large plotting area cannot be obtained, and also have the disadvantage that the drive mechanism is complicated. Large-sized XY plotters with large moving frames have also been put into practical use, but they have the drawbacks of slow plotting speeds due to the large-sized frames being driven, and the need to supply large amounts of power to the drive motors. . The present invention aims to realize a drawing device that is free from the drawbacks of conventional devices and is capable of drawing figures of arbitrary dimensions with high precision.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a processor, 2 is an input device that gives X and Y position signals or pen up and down command signals, etc. to this processor, and 3 is a transmitter that inputs signals from the processor 1, and has a transmitting antenna 31. . 4 is a drawing table, on which the drawing or workpiece 41 to be drawn is placed.
is placed.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a drawing vehicle having a built-in drive means and capable of freely moving over a drawing or a workpiece 41 under its own power, which operates on the same principle as a radio-controlled car, for example, and a receiving antenna 52 that receives signals from the pen 51 and the transmitting antenna 31. and sound generating means 53.

Reference numerals 61 and 62 denote sound detection means for receiving the sound signal from the sound generation means 53, and here they are arranged approximately at the center of the adjacent round sides of the drawing table 4.

T is an arithmetic circuit which receives signals from the sound detection means 61 and 62 and calculates the position of the drawing wheel 5, and its output signal is applied to the processor 1. The operation of the apparatus configured in this way will be explained next.

The sound generating means 53 of the drawing wheel 5 generates sharp sound pulses created by, for example, electric discharge. Sound detection means 6
1 and 62 detect the sound from the sound generation means 53, and the arithmetic circuit □ detects the sound waves emitted from the sound generation means 53, respectively.
By calculating the propagation time until reaching point 62, the position of the drawing wheel 5 on the drawing table 4 is determined.
A signal Df related to the position of the drawing wheel 5 from the arithmetic circuit 7 is applied to the processor 1. The input device 2 is, for example, a computer or a tape input device, and includes information signals necessary for drawing mechanical designs, drafting, printed circuit board circuits, masks for integrated circuits, and various other figures, such as X for specifying coordinate positions. , Y are applied to the processor 1. The processor 1 inputs an information signal Di necessary for drawing a figure and a signal Df related to the position of the drawing wheel 5, and generates a control signal DO for moving the drawing wheel 5 to an accurate position based on the information signal Di. is calculated and transmitted to the drawing wheel 5 via the transmitter 3. The drawing wheel 5 has a built-in receiver, a small drive motor driven by signals from the receiver, a means for directing the drawing wheel in the X and Y directions, a power source, etc., and receives signals from the transmitter 3. This control signal D
It self-propels toward a predetermined position according to O. Also pen 51
moves up and down. In this way, the drawing wheel 5 can move on the drawing or the workpiece 41 according to the control signal DO, and can draw a desired figure with the pen 51. Here, assuming that the drawing wheel 5 is used to draw a figure with corners, its operation will be described in detail below. As mentioned above, the drawing wheel 5 has the same operating principle as the radio-controlled car, and its direction change is performed in a curved manner.
If the pen 51 is fixed to the drawing wheel, it is not possible to draw shapes with corners. In the device according to the present invention, the pen is configured to move up and down, that is, to record and not record, and
It has means for detecting the position of the drawing wheel 5 on the drawing table 4, and the drawing wheel, position detection means, and control means (processor) form a servo loop whose output is the position of the drawing wheel. . Therefore, the processor first lowers the pen 51 to make it ready for recording, and in this state moves it to a predetermined position (
The drawing wheel 5 is moved to a bending point (a corner) to draw a straight line or a curved line, then the pen 51 is raised to disable recording, and in this state the direction of the drawing wheel 5 is changed. The direction change of the drawing wheel 5 is performed by changing the direction of the drawing table 4 of the drawing wheel 5 in the same way as in the drawing state.
While detecting the position of the drawing on the top (corresponding to the position of the pen 51), the drawing wheel itself is turned to an appropriate direction by the signal from the processor 1, taking into account the moving direction of the next straight line or curve. . Next, the pen 51 moves to the bending point (
The position of the drawing wheel 5 is adjusted so that it coincides with the end point of the previous recording. Next, lower the pen 51 and make it ready for recording.
In this state, the drawing wheel 5 is moved again to the next bending point to draw a straight line or curve. In this way, the vertical movement of the pen 51,
In other words, the drawing wheel 5 is in a recording state and a non-recording state.
By moving, changing direction, and adjusting the position of the processor 1, and by combining these operations, various figures including corners can be drawn with high precision using signals from the processor 1. According to this embodiment device, the drawing wheel 5, which is relatively small and lightweight, is moved by its own power in response to an external control signal, so a large frame or complicated drive means is not required. You can draw large shapes.

Further, since the signal Df related to the position of the drawing wheel 5 is applied to the processor 1VC, and the drawing wheel is moved based on the control signal DO calculated from the information signals Di and Df necessary for drawing, the precision can be improved. Can draw tall shapes.
In addition, in this embodiment, the propagation time of the sound signal from the drawing wheel 5 was used to detect the position of the drawing wheel 5.
Position detection may also be performed using laser beam interference or the like.

Further, in this embodiment, the control signal D from the processor 1 is
It is designed to transmit O to the drawing vehicle wirelessly,
The processor 1 may be built into the drawing wheel 5, and the information signal Di necessary for drawing may be wirelessly transmitted. In this case, the sound generating means is arranged at the center of adjacent sides of the drawing table 4, and the sound detecting means and the calculation circuit 7 are provided on the drawing wheel 5 side. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the control signal DO from the processor 1 is
Alternatively, driving power is supplied to the drawing wheel 5 via, for example, a flexible wire 9. Further, the position of the drawing wheel 5 is detected by a digitizer 80 configured inside the drawing table 4.
The digitizer 80 is composed of detection coil groups 81 and 82 arranged in a mesh pattern in the X and Y directions, and a coil 83 wound around the tip of the pen 51. Pick up at 81, 82,
From this, the position of the pen 51 is accurately detected.
The position signal Df of the pen (drawing wheel) detected by the digitizer 80 is applied to the processor 1, and the drawing wheel 51 is moved in the same manner as in the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows another example of the structure of the drawing table 4.

In this example, a running plate 40 that moves the drawing table 4 in tandem with the drawing wheel 5 and an electrostatic adsorption plate 42 that electrostatically adsorbs the recording paper 41, for example.
It consists of Then, the traveling plate 40 and the electrostatic adsorption plate 42
A drawing car 5 moves by itself with the pen 51 facing the recording paper 41 side. This configuration has the advantage that the wheels of the drawing wheel 5 do not stain the recording paper 41 or the recording track, and therefore drawing can be performed even with ink or the like. If a magnet is attached to the drawing wheel 5, or if the wheels of the drawing wheel 5 are made of magnets and the running plate 40 is made of a magnetic material, the running plate 40 and the suction plate 42 can be moved up and down as shown in FIG. A reverse configuration is also possible. In each of the above-described embodiments, a pen is attached to the drawing wheel 5, but instead of the pen, a cutter or a light source (if the recording paper is photosensitive paper) may be used.

In addition, as a means for detecting the position of the drawing wheel 5, other means may be used in addition to using the propagation time of sound or using a digitizer. As explained above, according to the present invention of K1, there is no need for a large frame or complicated driving means such as a thread, so the overall configuration is simple and efficient, and it is possible to draw with high precision and any size. A drawing device that can perform this can be realized. The apparatus according to the present invention can be widely used for large-scale drawings such as taking materials for building boards and cutting iron plates, as well as small-scale drawings such as general XY plotters.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another example of a drawing table used in the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Processor, 2... Input device, 3... Transmitter, 4... Drawing table, 5... Drawing wheel, 51...
- Pen, 61, 62...Sound detection means, 7...Arithmetic circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A drawing vehicle having a recording means that can control recording and non-recording and configured to be self-propelled, a means for detecting the position of this drawing vehicle, and a signal and graphic output from this position detecting means. and a control means that receives a signal necessary for plotting and generates a signal for controlling recording or non-recording by the recording means and the position of the plotting wheel based on both signals, the plotting wheel, the position detecting means, and A plotting device characterized in that the control means forms a servo loop whose output is the position of the plotting wheel. 2 Claim 1 in which the control means is built into the drawing vehicle
Plotting device as described in section. 3. The plotting device according to claim 1, wherein the propagation time of sound is used as means for detecting the position of the plotting wheel.