JPS59146334A - Plotter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use a plotter not only for an ordinary writing operation but also as an input device of a digitizer by providing a position detecting means which outputs the position of a writing member as a digital signal. CONSTITUTION:In the ordinary writing operation, a pen holder 10 is moved in X and Y directions by pulse motors 6 and 12 to press the penpoint onto a bed 2 in a position where plotting is required. When the plotter is used as a digitizer, a sheet where information is written is set on the bed 2. A pattern or the like on this sheet is traced by a pen P. The movement of the pen P in the X direction at this time is outputted an electric signal, namely, a digital signal by a linear encoder 21 and a brush 23 which is slided on this linear encoder 21. The movement of the pen P in the Y direction is outputted as an electric signal by a linear encoder 22 and a brush 24. Pattern information on the sheet is inputted to a computer by these both outputs.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a plotter that controls the movement of a writing member such as a pen in the X-Y directions, and also has a function as a digitizer.

Usually, an X-Y printer is used as an output device when graphic information is processed by a computer. Further, a digitizer is used as a manual device for manually inputting graphic information to a computer. The X-Y plotter consists of a bed on which a recording sheet is placed, a writing member and a force for moving the pen, and a digitizer and a sensor for moving the pen. teI/)ru. Conventionally, an X-Y printer and a digitizer are separately provided as output devices for a CO input. Since both of the internal devices 1' require a large installation area, there is a drawback that space is wasted when the internal devices are installed together.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned two conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a plotter that can output the position of a writing member as a digital signal and has the function of a digitizer. There is.

The plotter according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes a position detection means for outputting the movement position of the slider on the bed as an electric signal, and a position detection means for outputting the movement position of the writing member on the slider as an electric signal. It is something.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plotter according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 in the figure is a main body, and a bed 2 is formed on the upper surface of the main body. A vapor holder 3 is provided at the end of the bed 2. A record sheet is attached to this bed 2,
The end portion of the sheet is clamped and fixed by the paper holder 3. A slider 4 is arranged above the bed 2. The slider 4 is installed so that it can reciprocate in the direction of arrow X on rails 5a and 5b provided in parallel on both sides of the bed 2.

A pulse motor 6 is installed inside the main body 1, and a drive/-97 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the pulse motor 6. Also, a pair of idle pulleys 8a are provided on the side of the main body 1.
and 8b are provided. A wire 9 is wound around the drive pulley 7, and both ends of the wire 9 are fixed to both side surfaces of the slider 4 by being hooked onto idle pulleys 8a and 8b, respectively. The rotational force of the pulse motor 6 is transmitted to the slider 4 via the wire 9, and the slider 4 is driven in the X direction.

On the other hand, the slider 4 is provided with a pen holder 10. The pen holder 10 is movable along a rail 11 on the slider 4 in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slider 4 (X direction). Further, a pulse motor 12 is installed at one end of the slider 4.
A drive pulley 13 is fixed to the rotating shaft of this pulse motor 12. Further, an idle pulley 14 is installed at the other end of the slider 4. The wire 1 is connected to the drive pulley 13.
5 is wound around the wire 15, and this wire 15 is connected to the idler pulley 1.
4, and both ends of a wire 15 are connected to the pen holder 10. The rotational force of the pulse motor 12 is transmitted to the pen holder 10 via the wire 15, so that the pen holder 10 is driven in the Y direction. Further, a pen P is held in the pen holder lO as a writing member. The pen P is held with the pen tip facing the bead 2. Further, a drive mechanism is built into the pen holder 10 to move the pen P up and down and press the pen P against and away from the recording sheet on the bed 2 as necessary. On the other hand, a driver circuit is built into the main body l, and this circuit controls the rotation of the pulse motor 6 and the pulse motor 12, as well as the vertical movement of the pen P by the drive mechanism inside the pen holder 10. It has become.

A linear encoder 21 is installed on the side of the bed 2 on the top surface of the main body 1.
is provided. Similarly, a linear encoder 22 is provided on the slider 4 as well. Linear encoder 21
extends in the X direction, and the other linear encoder 22 extends in the Y direction. Further, the slider 4 is provided with a brush 23 that slides on the linear encoder 21, and the pen holder 10 is provided with a brush 24 that slides on the linear encoder 22. Each of the brushes 23 and 24 is made of a conductive material. The sliding state of the brush 23 with respect to the linear encoder 21 is shown in a perspective view in FIG. Further, the configuration of the linear encoder 22 is shown in an enlarged view in FIG. The surface of the linear encoder 21 has three conductor patterns 21a, 21b and 21
c is formed by printing or the like. The central conductor pattern 21c is strip-shaped, but the two left and right conductor patterns 21a and 21b have continuous unevenness. brush 2
3 is in sliding contact with the linear encoder 22 in the size shown by the dashed line in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the output from this linear encoder 21. Diagram (I) shows the conductive state between conductor patterns 21a and 21C. It is turned on when both patterns 21a and 21C are electrically connected via the brush 23, and turned off when they are not electrically connected. Further, diagram (II) shows the electrically conductive state between the conductor patterns 21b and 21c. It is turned ON when both patterns 21b and 21c are electrically connected via the brush 23, and turned OFF when both patterns 21b and 21c are not electrically connected. The positions indicated by A, 口, C, and 2 in the diagram 1- of FIG.
It corresponds to The slider 4 moves, and the brush 23 moves to the linear encoder 21-1. 4, a pulse signal is obtained as shown in FIG. Since the moving distance of the slider 4 per pulse l-'') is known, the moving position of the slider 4 can be detected by counting the number of oscillated pulses with a pulse counter. The brush 23 forms position detection means for the slider 4. The linear encoder 22 provided on the slider 4 and the brush 24 provided on the pen holder 10 have the same configuration.

Next, the overall operation of the block with the above configuration will be explained.

When using a plotter as an output device and performing normal writing operations, both pulse motors 6 and 12 are controlled to move the pen holder 10 in the Press the tip against the recording sheet on bed z. As a result, the pen P draws figures etc. on the recording sheet according to the control of each motor 6.12.

Next, when using this plotter as a manual device, that is, as a digitizer, attach the sheet containing the information to be read to the bend 2-[-, and use the pen P to draw figures etc. on the sheet. trace. The movement of the pen P in the X direction at this time is output as an electric signal (digital signal) by the linear encoder 21 and the brush 23 sliding on it, and the movement of the pen P in the Y direction is
The linear encoder 22 and brush 24 output the same electric signal. Graphical information on the sheet is input to the computer by outputs from both linear encoders 21 and 22.

In the embodiment described in 1-1, a linear encoder and a brush were used as position detection means for outputting the moving position of the slider 4 and the moving position of the pen holder to, but instead of this, a resistor as shown in FIG. 5 was used. (Potentiometer) 25
It is also possible to use the brush 26 that slides on it.
It is Noh. A resistor pattern 25 is provided on the L side of the resistor 25.
a and conductor pattern 25b are formed in +i rows. The resistor pattern 25a is formed to have a resistance value proportional to its length, and the conductor pattern 25b is formed of a material with zero resistance value. The brush 26 is made of a conductive material and has a resistor pattern 25.
The conductor pattern 25a moves while contacting both the conductor pattern 25b and the conductor pattern 25b. The output from this resistor 25 is also taken out from the end (E) of the resistor pattern 25a and the conductor pattern 25b. When the brush 28 is in the position (E) shown in FIG. 5, a resistance value corresponding to the inversion of (E)-(E) of the resistor pattern 25a is output. By converting this change in resistance value using an A/D converter, the position of the brush 26 can be extracted as a digital signal. Therefore, this resistor 25 and brush 26 are connected to the linear encoders 21, 22 and brush 23.
．． If the plotter is installed as a position detection means instead of 24, the plotter can be used as a digitizer.

Further, the position detecting means is not limited to a linear encoder or a resistor, but other pulse generating means, or various linear encoders such as a magnetic scale and a head that moves in opposition to the scale can be used. Furthermore, the writing member is not limited to the pen P;
It may also be a thermal writing means, a wire don't-hand, or the like.

As described in -1- above, according to the present invention, the plotter L is provided with a position detecting means that outputs the position of the writing member in the slider as an electric signal, so that in addition to the normal writing operation, the digitizer It can also be used as an input device. Therefore, there is no need to separately install a plotter and a digitizer, and the number of system components can be reduced, leading to cost reductions. Additionally, the installation space for equipment can be saved, and system installation can be made more efficient.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show embodiments of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an example of a plotter according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a linear encoder and a brush as an example of position detection means, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the output of the linear encoder, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a resistor and a brush as another example of the position detecting means. 1... Main body, 2... Bed, 4... Slider, 10... Pen holder, P... Writing member (
pen), 21.22... linear encoder,

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A bed on which a recording sheet is placed, a slider that moves back and forth on the bed, and a writing member that moves on this slider in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slider.
A plotter comprising: a position detecting means for outputting the moving position of the slider using an electric signal; and a position detecting means for outputting the moving position of the writing member on the slider using an electric signal. Plotter. (2) The position detection means includes a linear encoder installed on the side of the bed next to the slider, and a holder for the slider and writing member.1. Adjustable near encoder l-
The plotter according to claim 1, further comprising a conductive brush that slides on the plotter. (3) The position detection means includes the side of the bed and the slider F.
- and a conductive brush that is installed on the slider and the holder of the writing member and slides on the resistor and the turn. A professional printer according to claim (1).