JPS6246699A - Method of controlling exchange of recording pen for automatic drawing instrument - 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] [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 there is mutual communication between the pens and the drawing head. The present invention relates to a recording pen exchange control method for an automatic drafting machine for exchanging recording pens.

[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 lead writing instrument of the first order and draws. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-91768.

This device holds a plurality of lead writing instruments on a drum rotatably disposed on 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.

As the lead of a writing instrument wears out during drawing, the lead may run out. For example, during the Pence 1-Tourker,
There are 11 lead writing instruments of the same type (A type) and 4 lead writing instruments of the same type (B type) that are different from these and are arranged side by side. It is assumed that the first three writing instruments are in a state without a lead. Now, when a pen change command is input to the controller and a type A lead writing instrument is selected, the controller will first change the type A lead writing instrument, even if the first three A type lead writing instruments have no lead. Select the single-core writing instrument that ranks first.

Then, after detecting the lack of a lead, a writing instrument with a lead of the first order is selected. In this way, you have to select the lead writing instruments in order and check each time whether there is any lead cloth. Therefore,
In this case, the drawing time becomes long. In this case, even if the first type A lead writing instrument is selected by the pen change command, it is desirable that the first 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 holds a plurality of recording pens each having a built-in consumable writing lead in a pen stocker disposed on the machine body side, and mutually exchanges the recording pens between the pen stocker and the drawing head. In a white 1JJ drawing machine controlled by a computer, which is designed to perform exchange, before the start of drawing operation, the state of the recording pen on the drawing side with a lead is stored in the memory of the computer, and the initial state of the memory is A recording pen that is updatable, causes a drawing head to hold a recording pen of a desired order number in the pen stocker by a pen change command, and is held by one drawing head before the drawing head shifts to a drawing operation by a drawing command. When the amount of lead remaining in the recording pen is less than the specified amount, the computer confirms that there is no lead and returns the leadless recording pen to the original position of the pen 1-picker. Then, after remembering in memory that the recording pen at that position is without a lead, the computer selects the recording pen in the next rank, which is stored in the drawing head as having a lead in the pen stocker. The computer checks whether there is a core cloth in the recording pen held, and if there is a core, it moves to the drawing operation based on the first drawing command, and when processing the next pen change command, the computer Based on the contents of the memory that stores the presence/absence state, it is determined whether the recording pen in the pen stocker specified by the pen change command has a lead, and if it has a lead, the ranking number specified by the pen change command is determined. The recording pen in the pen stocker is supported by the drawing head, and in the case of no lead, the computer causes the drawing head to hold the recording pen in the pen stocker that is stored as having a lead with the next rank number. This is what I did.

[Effect]

In the above control method, each recording pen holding section of the pen stocker is associated with a memory that stores the lead presence/absence state of the recording pen held by each holding section. When one recording pen in the pen stocker is selected by a pen change command, the computer selects a memory corresponding to the selected recording pen and uses the memory to determine whether or not the selected recording pen has a lead. , when the recording pen has a lead, the recording pen is held by the drawing head, and the presence or absence of the actual lead of the recording pen held by the drawing head is checked. When 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 performs a core cloth check for each drawing operation by one drawing command, and if the core is found to be absent in the check, it sets the memory corresponding to the coreless recording pen to the coreless state. , the computer checks whether the recording pen in the next rank has a core cloth or not using the memory corresponding to the recording pen in the next rank in the pen stocker, and if the recording pen has a core, it records the recording pen with the core in one drawing head. Hold the pen. 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 memory corresponding to the recording pen determines whether or not the recording pen has a core cloth, and If so, the computer determines whether or not the recording pen has a core cloth based on the memory corresponding to the recording pen of the first order of pens.

The drawing head can directly pick up a recording pen with an actual lead held in a pen stocker.

〔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 attached to the elevating body 10 against the table 4 surface. A pen holder 16 is provided, which is rotatably supported in a plane parallel to the pen holder 16 and is biased toward the open end side toward the pen holder frame 12. Does it have a built-in automatic feeding mechanism? ! L! A recording pen 18 is detachably held. The elevating body 10 is slidably inserted into a guide shaft 20 fixed to the base plate of the head 8, and the elevating body 10 is urged upward by a coil spring 22. 24 is a solenoid fixed to the base plate of the head 8, and its output shaft is connected to the protrusion L formed on the elevating body 10.
It faces Oa. The solenoid 24 is connected to a pen up/down control circuit 32 of a controller consisting of a microcomputer CPU 30 (see FIG. 2). 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 linked to an XY motor (not shown) controlled by a motor control circuit 35, and are driven to a predetermined position on the table 4. 38
is a pen stocker in which a plurality of recording pens 18 are held; the drawing head 8 is moved to an empty holding portion 38a of the pen stocker 38 by a pen change command programmed in the computer; 16 in the holding part 38a, and then, when the printing head 8 is separated from the holding part 38a,
A known pen exchange mechanism built into the pen stocker 38 (
(not shown), the recording pen 18 held in the pen holder 16 is moved to the holding portion 38a, and the pen is replaced. Also, by a pen change command, the drawing head 8 that does not hold a recording pen is replaced with the pen stocker 38 that holds a recording pen.
When the pen holder 16 is moved to the holding part 38b and the pen holder 16 is positioned in the holding part 38b, and then the drawing head 8 is separated from the holding part 38b, it is held in the holding part 38b by the pen exchange mechanism. The recording pen is held in a pen holder 16 of the printing head 8, and the pen is configured to be replaced. 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. At the center of the block 44 is a consumable writing lead 4 made of lead.
A shaft hole for slidably holding 6 is provided through the shaft hole. A tapered surface 42a whose diameter increases downward is formed on the lower inner wall surface of the guide tube 42. 48.50 is a pair of lead chucks, and a curved surface 4 is provided at the bottom of these so that the width of the lead chucks 48.50 increases downward.
8a and 50a are formed. The tapered surface 42a
A plurality of steel balls 52 are provided between the curved surfaces 48a and 50a.
is located. The pair of core chucks 48 and 50 are urged upward by the elastic force of the coil spring. 54 is a bottomed cylinder fixed to the lower part of the holder cylinder 40.

The outer circumferential surface of the flange of the core holding tube 56 is slidably fitted into the inner circumferential surface of this tube. The lower half of the holding tube 56 protrudes downward from a hole formed in the bottom of the cylindrical body 54. A coil spring is compressed and disposed between the upper surface of the flange of the holding tube 56 and the lower surface of the core chuck 48.50. Reference numeral 57 denotes an annular rubber body, which is fixed to the upper end of the holding tube 56 , and the diameter of the shaft hole of the rubber body 57 is formed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the core 46 . The shaft hole of the block 44, the core chucks 48, 50. One core 46 is inserted into the shaft hole of the rubber body 57 and the holding tube 56 . 7
0 is a pen type discriminator classified by the lead diameter or lead color.

It is composed of a detector that reads a barcode 72 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the recording pen 18. In Figure 2,
60 is an interface circuit, which is connected to the host computer. 62 is a pen type memory, and 64 is an X counter, in which a predetermined preset value is set for each drawing operation, and the counter 64 is connected to a pen NO0 designation circuit 66. The X counter 64 is set to return to 1 when it counts 1 after counting a predetermined number (for example, 8 pens installed in 1 pence - deer 38). 80a to 80h are core clothless memories, and these are attached to each recording pen holding section NO, 1, N of the pen stocker 38.
O, 2, No.

3, N004. No, 5. No, 6. No.

7, No., and 8, respectively.

The output end of each memory is connected to the pen NO2 designation circuit 66. A memory selection circuit 82 is connected to each output gate 1- of the memories 80a to 80h. 7
Reference numeral 2 denotes a pen presence/absence determination circuit for inputting the pen attachment state of the pen stocker 38, that is, 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 has a pen detector or a pen detection switch provided for each pen holding portion of the pen stocker 38, and inputs an output signal from the pen detector etc. to the CPU 30 through a data in switch. , the pen mounting state of the pen stocker 38 may be input to the CPU 30.

The head block 44 and other components of the recording pen are made of transparent material, and are configured 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 amount of protrusion of the core 46 is set so that its lower end exactly coincides with the lower end of the core holding tube 56. Place the recording pen 18 with a new lead into each holding part No. of the pen stocker 38.
.

Installed on 1.2.3.4, 5, 6, 7.8.

Next↓This operator inputs all pen attachment signals to the CPU 30 using the pen presence/absence determination circuit 72. Next, when the remote switch 74 is pressed, the CPU 30 all memory 80a-
Set the 80h to the cored state (step 1). Next, a command is input to the CPU 30 from the host computer (step 2), and the CPU 30 determines whether the command is a pen change command or not (step 3). It is analyzed to determine which recording pen in the holding section of the pen stocker 38 is the object of the pen change (step 4). As shown in FIG. 9, each holding part of the pen stocker 30 is assigned a number X from N001 to No. 8, and the pen change command specifies the number X. The CPLI 30 presets the X counter 64 to the same numerical value X based on the number X specified by the pen change command. As a result, the X counter 64 outputs the preset value
It is input to both the designation circuit 66 and the memory selection circuit 82.

Now, assume that the above X is 1.

The memory selection circuit selects the coreless memory 80a corresponding to the NO and L pens, opens the output gate of the memory, and inputs the output of the memory 80a to the pen NO0 designation circuit 66. When the memory is in the cored state, it outputs a high level signal.
The signal is 1", and when there is no core, the low level is 0'".
Output. When the memory 80a has a core cloth, the pen No.
The AND at the input end of the designation circuit 66 is established, and the X counter 6
The output numerical value 1 of 4 is input to the CPU 30 (step 5
).

If the memory 80a is in a coreless state, the CPU 30 inputs one pulse to the X counter 64, and the X counter is
At x+1 (step 6') 2 is output, thereby selecting the memory 80b, and when the memory 80b is in the leaded state, the pen selection value 2 is input to the CPU 30. still,
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 controls the motor control circuit 35 based on the designation number X designated by the Ben No. 5 designation circuit 66.
It outputs forward and reverse drive pulses to drive the print head 8, controls the movement of the print head 8 in pen change mode, and causes the print head 8 to be held in the recording pen holder with the number corresponding to the output of the pen NO0 designation circuit 66. The recording pen 18 is held 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 above 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 Confirm the drawing command (step 8), and instruct the drawing head 8 to perform a center check operation. This core checking operation is performed as follows (
Step 9), the CPU 30 outputs a pen down signal to the control circuit 32. As a result, the solenoid 24 is energized, and the rod of the solenoid 24 is lowered in FIG. 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 is brought into pressure contact with both papers, the core 46 tends to rise relative to the core chuck 48, 50 due to the pressure from both papers. In the core chuck 48.50, when the core 46 attempts to rise, the steel ball 52 bites tightly between the curved surface 48a and the tapered surface 42a, and the chucks 48.48a are pressurized by the steel ball 52 in a direction toward each other. This pressing force causes the core 46 to move into the chuck pieces 48 and 4.
Movement in the upward direction relative to 8a is prevented.

When the lower end of the core 46 comes into pressure contact with both sheets of paper on the table 4, that is, the drawing surface, the descent of the elevating body IO 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 has decreased by F@ and is in a state just before the lead is lost as shown in FIG. 8, when the pen down signal is supplied from the CPU 30 to the solenoid 24, The elevating body 10 descends 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 presence of a core is confirmed by the core check operation described above (step 10), a pulse is supplied to the motor control circuit 35 based on the drawing command, the XY motor is driven, and the printing head 8 is moved against the table 4. is moved in a predetermined direction within a parallel plane, and drawings are made on both sheets of paper (step 1).
1).

During this drawing, the lead 46 remains fixed in the lead chuck 48, 50 and its tip is worn away.

As the tip of the lead 46 wears out, the elevating body 10 and pen holder 16 are lowered by the excitation force of the solenoid 24, and the lead 46 is lowered by the excitation force of the solenoid 24.
Maintain constant pressure with the bottom edge of 6. Due to the wear of the lower end of the core 46, the holding tube 56 rises relative to the cylinder 54 by the same amount as the amount of wear of the core 46 against the elasticity of the coil spring, and the lower end of the flange of the holding tube 56 rises. is separated from the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cylindrical body 54. - When the drawing operation is completed, C
PU30 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 in one drawing operation of the core 46 is y, then - 2x>y.
The line length of one drawing operation by the drawing command is set. When the pen up/down control circuit 32 is driven by the pen up signal and the power supply to the solenoid 24 is cut off, the elevating body 10 is raised to a predetermined position by the elastic force of the coil spring 22. 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 relative to the cylindrical body 54 until the flange of the holding tube 56 is locked to the bottom wall of the cylindrical body 54 by the elastic force of the coil spring S1. to descend. By lowering the holding tube 56 relative to the cylindrical body 54, the core 46 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. As the core 46 descends, the core 46 is pulled in the downward direction relative to the chuck 48.50, but the direction in which the core 46 is pulled is
Since the tightening force of and 50 acts in the direction of loosening, the core 46 is
The chuck 48 works in conjunction with the holding tube 56 by the amount of wear.
．． It will slide between 50 and be drawn out downward.

In this way, 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, one drawing command is 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 the lead check operation in step 9 detects that there is no lead, the CPU 30 sets the memory corresponding to the recording pen held by the drawing head 8 to a state where there is no lead (step 12). In this case, the CPU 30 stores the entire memory 80a.
If ~80h is not memorized as having no center (step 13), control the printing head 8.

The printing head 8 returns the recording pen 18 currently held to the original empty holding section of the pen stocker 38, and outputs one pulse to the X counter 64 (step 15).
. The next ranking number is input to the CPU 30 from the pen type comparison circuit 66, and the recording pen on the pen stocker 38 side corresponding to the designated number is held by the printing head 8 (step 16).

When the drawing head 8 holds the next pen 18, 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 the previous step 7. In step 1, the pen type comparison circuit 69 compares the type of pen held when
7) If the pens are of the same type, the process returns to step 9 and 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 a leadless state, a buzzer (not shown) sounds under the control of the CPU 30, and the one-stroke head 8 is currently held. The recording pen 18 is returned to its original position in the pen stocker 38 and stopped at a predetermined position, and 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 it (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 and removes the leadless recording pen 18 from the holder of the pen stocker 38. Remove it and insert a new long lead into the recording pen 18, set the recording pen in the corresponding recording pen holder of the pen stocker 38, and then press the local switch 85 to bring the CPU 30 into the local state. Press the remote I-switch 74 to
If the CPU 30 is in the remote 1~ state, all the memories 80a
~80h is set to the centered state, and the automatic drafting machine can continue the drafting operation.

Note that the CPU 30 does not need to be brought into the local state.

All memories 80a to 8 can be updated using a separately provided update switch.
It may be configured such that 0h can be set to the cored state.

〔effect〕

As described above, when one of the recording pens held in a plurality of recording pen holders on the pen stocker side is specified by a pen change command, the present invention provides a method for detecting whether or not there is a lead in the recording pen at the specified position. is determined based on the contents of the memory corresponding to the recording pen holder, and the computer outputs a signal to the drawing head to hold the recording pen in the lead-equipped state, thereby omitting the unnecessary operation of replacing the lead of the drawing head. There are effects that can be achieved.・

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show preferred embodiments of the present invention, in which Figure 1 is a flowchart, Figure 2 is a block circuit diagram, Figure 3 is a sectional view, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view.
5 is a side view, 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... Aircraft, 4... Table, 6...
Y rail, 8...printing head, 10...
Elevating 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... Core,
48.50...core chuck, 56...
Lead holding tube, 70...Pen type discriminator patent applicant
Muto Kogyo Co., Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Nishi
Shima Aya ta, 1, 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A computer in which a pen stocker disposed 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. In an automatic drawing machine controlled by , before the drawing operation starts, the state of the recording pen on the pen stocker side with a lead is stored in the memory of the computer, and the initial state of the memory can be updated, and drawing is started by a pen change command. The recording head is made to hold the recording pen of the desired order number in the pen stocker, and before the drawing head shifts to the drawing operation by the drawing command, the presence or absence of the lead of the recording pen held by the drawing head is checked, and the recording pen is When the remaining amount of lead is less than the specified amount, the computer confirms that there is no lead, returns the leadless recording pen to its original position in the pen stocker, and stores in memory that the recording pen at this position is leadless. After that, the computer causes the drawing head to hold the recording pen of the next rank stored as having a lead in the pen stocker, checks whether or not the held recording pen has a lead, and determines if there is a lead. The computer shifts to the drawing operation based on the drawing command, and when processing the next pen change command, the computer moves to the pen stocker specified by the pen change command based on the contents of the memory that stores the recording pen lead presence/absence state. It is determined whether or not the recording pen has a lead, and if it has a lead, the printing head supports the recording pen in the pen stocker with the order number specified by the pen change command, and if it does not have a lead, A recording pen exchange control method for an automatic drafting machine, characterized in that the computer causes the drawing head to hold the recording pen in the pen stocker which is stored as having a lead of the next rank number.