JPH0120077B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an automatic recording device that replaces a plurality of recording pens, recognizes the types of the plurality of recording pens, and ensures that a desired recording pen is selected without error during the replacement operation. This relates to an automatic recorder that can be selected.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of an automatic recording machine for replacing recording pens. In the figure, 1 is the recording surface, 2 is the housing structure, 3 is the X-direction guide, 4 is the bracket, 5 is the Y-direction guide, 6 is the carriage, and 7
A pen holder is attached to the carriage 6 and holds the recording pen currently in use, and is temporarily referred to as a moving part pen holder 7. Reference numeral 8 is a pen holder for holding a recording pen that is not currently in use, temporarily referred to as storage pen holder 8, and 9 is a recording pen. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, three storage pen holders are integrally constructed and fixed to the housing structure 2, so that the position of each storage pen holder 8 is known and the position information is stored in this automatic recording machine. is stored in the storage device of the computer that controls it.

In the conventional method for identifying the type of recording pen, the type of recording pen 9 is associated with the number of the storage pen holder 8, and the recording pen 9 is always stored in the storage pen holder 8 with the number corresponding to the type. By specifying the number of the storage pen holder 8, the type of recording pen 9 can be selected.

However, in such a conventional method, if the type of recording pen 9 and the number of the storage pen holder 8 are incorrectly matched, inconveniences may occur, such as using a black pen where a red pen should be used. There was no way to prevent this. In addition, if there are more types of recording pens that you want to use than the number of recording pens that can be stored, the type of recording pen 9 and the number of the storage pen holder 8 are Since the correspondence is fixed, this correspondence must be changed in the above-mentioned manual exchange, and it is not easy to do this while recording is in progress.

The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional method by adding a physical structure capable of detecting an identification code to the recording pen itself, and using this identification code to identify the number of the pen holder in the housing. To provide a pen identification device in which the correspondence between the types of recording pens stored in the storage pen holder is stored in a storage device, and therefore there is no need to fix the correspondence between the number of the storage pen holder and the type of recording pen. The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic recording machine capable of pen exchange operation.

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2a is a side view and FIG. 82 and 83 are parts of the storage pen holder 8; 81 is an upper holding plate; 82 is a magnet;
3 is a lower holding plate. Further, 84 is a photoelectric element provided on the side of the storage pen holder 8, and 85 is a post that supports the three photoelectric elements 84. 91,92,
93 is a portion of the recording pen 9, 91 is a collar, 92 is a magnetic member, 93 is a recording tip, and 94 is each reflective mark provided on the recording pen 9 side. The reflective mark 94 is illuminated by a light source (not shown), and the reflected light enters the photoelectric element 84. Current does not flow through the photoelectric element 84 facing the reflective mark 94 with low reflectance, but current flows through the photoelectric element 84 facing the reflective mark 94 with high reflectance, so it depends on the type of recording pen 9. If the reflectance of each reflective mark 94 is changed accordingly, the output of the three photoelectric elements 84 will be 3 indicative of the type of recording pen 9.
It is a digital code of bits and can identify up to eight types. By adding one more reflective mark 94 and one more photoelectric element 84 to form a 4-bit digital code, it is possible to identify up to 16 types.

The number of each storage pen holder 8 is predetermined, and the code output from the photoelectric element 84 of the storage pen holder 8 is stored in the memory address corresponding to the code representing the number. A correspondence table is constructed between the digital code identifying the recording pen 9 and the number of the storage pen holder 8 in which the recording pen 9 is stored.

For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, when the recording pen 9 is not attached (that is, when the housing pen holder 8 is empty), light from a light source (not shown) hits the reflective mark 94. Since the current is incident on all the photoelectric elements 84 without being interrupted, the output digital code becomes a bit pattern such as "111". Therefore, the bit pattern "111" may be set in advance in the computer controlling the automatic recording machine to be recognized as an identification code indicating that no recording pen is attached. With this configuration, the computer reads the correspondence table of the storage device and can recognize that the recording pen 9 is not held in the storage pen holder 8 where the bit pattern "111" appears. In this specification, this recognition means is referred to as a first recognition means.

Next, the operation of selecting a designated type of recording pen will be described. If the types of recording pens are classified by color, for example, the pushbutton switch painted in each color is
When the user presses the pushbutton switch of the same color as the color of the recording pen he/she wishes to use, the digital code of the type of recording pen is output, and the digital code corresponding to this digital code is output. Recognize whether or not it is in the above correspondence table,
When this digital code is present, the number of the storage pen holder in which the recording pen is stored is read out according to the correspondence in this correspondence table, and the position information of the storage pen holder with this number is given to select the recording pen. The action program is activated. The above-mentioned desired recording pen recognition operation is performed by a computer that controls the automatic recording machine. This recognition means is referred to as second recognition means in this specification.

In the operation of storing the recording pen 9 attached to the movable pen holder 7 in the storage pen holder 8, the first recognition means gives the position information of the vacant storage pen holder 8 and stores the recording pen. The action program is activated.

Additionally, if the digital code indicating the type of designated recording pen does not exist in the above-mentioned correspondence table, and the second recognition means indicates that the recording pen is not attached to any storage pen holder. ,
Alternatively, when a storage operation is commanded, the first recognition means may be designed to issue an alarm if there is no vacant storage pen holder.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a common light source (not shown) is used to illuminate all the reflective marks 94, but a light emitting element may be used to illuminate each reflective mark 94 separately. Needless to say.

In addition to the combination of a reflective mark and a photoelectric element that utilizes the difference in light reflectance, for example, combinations of magnetic paint and a magnetic sensor, combinations of a protrusion structure and a pressure-sensitive element or a switch, etc. can be used. It is sufficient to provide a physical structure for identification on the recording pen side, and provide a detection device for detecting this physical structure on the pen holder side of each storage section.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which numeral 8 corresponds to the storage pen holder 8 in FIG. It shall be possible to rotate. Further, 87 indicates the housing pen holder 8 in which the recording pen 9 is not attached, and 88 indicates the position where the recording pen should be replaced. In this case as well, a correspondence table between the digital code representing the type of recording pen 9 and the number of the storage pen holder 8 is stored, and the rotation angle of the storage pen holder 8 with respect to the rotation axis 86 is also stored.

When the storage operation of the recording pen 9 is commanded, the empty storage pen holder 87 rotates to the position 88 and the storage operation is performed, and when the type of recording pen 9 is specified and the selection operation is commanded, The digital code representing the specified type is converted into the corresponding storage pen holder number according to the correspondence table, and the storage pen holder with that number is rotated to the position 88, and then the selection operation is performed.

As described above, the following effects can be obtained by this invention.

(a) Since the storage position of the recording pen is arbitrary, the pen attachment/detachment command has no relation to the storage position, and it is possible to prevent malfunctions such as selecting the wrong recording pen as in the conventional method.

(b) When storing the recording pen, it can be stored in the vacant storage pen holder located at the shortest distance.

(c) During recording operation, the recording pen attached to the storage pen holder can be freely replaced.

(d) When different pen pressures are required depending on the type of pen, if used in conjunction with a pen holding mechanism that controls pen pressure using electromagnetic force, the pen pressure can be automatically adjusted when replacing the pen. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of an automatic recording machine for replacing recording pens, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing one embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing another embodiment of this invention. It is. 8...Storage pen holder, 84...Photoelectric element,
9... Recording pen, 94... Reflective mark. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic device capable of pen exchange having a movable pen holder that selects and takes out a desired recording pen from a plurality of types of recording pens held in a plurality of storing pen holders whose positions are known. In the recording machine, a physical structure for identifying the pen type, which is provided in each of the plurality of types of recording pens, and a physical structure for identifying the pen type, which is provided in each pen holder of the plurality of storage pen holders, is provided in each of the plurality of types of recording pens. A pen identification device comprising a detection device that detects a physical structure and outputs a different digital code for each type of the plurality of types of recording pens, and a plurality of types of digital codes outputted by the pen identification device and the detection device. a storage device that stores a digital code representing the number of the storage pen holder to which the pen holder belongs in the form of a correspondence table; and when the storage pattern of the correspondence table stored in the storage device is a predetermined storage pattern, the detection device Input a first recognition means that recognizes that no recording pen is held in the storage pen holder to which it belongs, and a digital code representing the type of recording pen to be loaded into the movable pen holder, and refer to the above correspondence table. a second recognition means that outputs position information of a storage pen holder in which the recording pen is attached, and generates an alarm when a digital code corresponding to the input digital code is not in the correspondence table; means for activating a program to load a desired recording pen into the movable pen holder based on the position information recognized by the second recognition means, wherein the first recognition means is held in the movable pen holder. When receiving a command to hold a recording pen in an empty storage pen holder, if the empty storage pen holder is not recognized,
An automatic recorder with a replaceable pen, characterized in that it is equipped with a means for generating an alarm. 2. The physical structure for identification provided on the recording pen side consists of a reflective mark (single or plural) that allows binary signals to be detected by the difference in light reflectance, and is provided on the storage pen holder side. 2. The automatic recording machine capable of pen exchange according to claim 1, wherein the detection device includes photoelectric elements that receive reflected light from each of the reflective marks.