JPS621598A - X-y plotter - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an X-Y plotter in which recording pens are exchanged between a storage pen holder that holds a plurality of recording pens and a movable pen holder provided on a carriage. Regarding.

[Conventional technology]

Various XY plotters equipped with this type of pen exchange mechanism have been proposed in the past.

By using such a large number of recording pens, it is possible to perform multicolor recording or recording using a combination of various types of radiation.

Incidentally, such a pen exchange operation is automatically controlled by a predetermined program stored in advance in an external control device or an internal control device.

Therefore, in order to obtain smooth pen exchange operations and appropriate drawing quality, 1. It is necessary to determine whether or not the storage pen holder and the movable pen holder hold a pen, as well as their types. Although it is effective to use sensors for this type of discrimination, there is a conventional method for this type of discrimination in which sensors are provided in all the pen holders of the storage pen holder and the moving pen holder.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In this case, the device had the disadvantage of requiring a large number of sensors. In addition, these sensors must be attached to each pen holder, which complicates the manufacturing process.

This invention is intended to improve these points.

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, in the present invention, a sensor is provided at the end of the Y bar for detecting the presence or absence of a pen and identifying the pen.

C action] The presence or absence of a pen in the storage pen holder is detected by scanning the Y bar in the X-axis direction.

The presence or absence of a pen in the movable pen holder is detected by moving it in the Y direction along the Y bar.

Pen type detection involves providing a physical structure on the recording pen and reading this physical structure.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 are configuration explanatory diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention.

In these figures, 1 is the X-Y plotter main body, 2 is the recording surface, 3 is the recording pen drive mechanism, 4 is the carriage, 5 is the recording pen, 6 is the housing pen holder, 7 is the operation unit, and 8 is the front box. be.

The X-Y plotter 1 uses a large number of recording pens to plot a predetermined plot on the recording surface 2 in response to plotting commands and pen exchange commands from an external control device (see FIG. 1).

Detection of the presence or absence of a pen in the storage pen holder section 6 is performed when the power is turned on or when initial settings are made. See Figure 2. In FIG. 2, the pen presence/absence detection sensor 32 of the storage pen holder section 6 is connected to the Y bar 3 of the recording pen drive mechanism 3.
1 is provided at the end of the pen holder 6 side. When the power is turned on or initial settings are made, the Y bar 31 is set to
It is scanned in the axial direction (the parallel direction of the storage pen holders 6).

At this time, it is detected by the pen presence/absence detection sensor 32, and this detection output is stored in the memory of the internal electric circuit.
(not shown) and used as information for drawing. FIG. 4 is a front view of the end of the Y-bar 31. Here, 33 is a Y-axis guide shaft, and 34 is a pulley of a wire 35 that transmits the driving force for driving the carriage 4 in the Y-axis direction. Reference numerals 36 and 37 indicate pen presence/absence and pen type detection sensors of the moving part pen holder 41, which will be described later, and which are mounted in upper and lower stages. Note that in this embodiment, this detection sensor 32.
36 and 37 utilize optical sensors.

This detects when the movable pen holder 41 mounted on the carriage 4 passes through the Y-axis guide shaft 33 and crosses the pen presence/absence and pen type detection sensors 36 and 37 for pen exchange. Based on the result of this detection output, the following determination can be made.

Sensor 36 Sensor 37 Pen presence/absence and output Type 0 0
No pen 0 1 First pen 1 0 Second pen 1
1 Third pen You can select the optimal writing pressure and drawing speed according to this output.

Now, the physical structure of the recording pen 5 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) that responds to these sensors 32, 36 and 37 will be described.

The sensor 32 corresponds to the belly portion of the recording pen 5, that is, the band portion 51 covered with a magnetic material. Sensors 36 , 37 correspond to the head 52 of the recording pen 5 . In this case, when a sensor that detects reflected light is used, in this embodiment, unevenness is provided in the non-reflective portion to cause diffuse reflection. In FIG. 3, the upper half of the head 52 is formed with diffused reflection.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention has the advantage of being able to efficiently detect the presence or absence of a pen and the type of pen using three sensors.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 are configuration explanatory diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention. 6-Storage pen holder, 32.36.37-Sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an X-Y plotter that automatically exchanges recording pens between a storage pen holder holding a plurality of recording pens and a movable pen holder provided on a carriage, a sensor detects the presence or absence and type of a recording pen in the movable pen holder. Y
An X-Y plotter characterized by being installed on a bar.