Plotter with automatic pen-changer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsRichard M. Kemplin, Richard N. Tverdoch, Larry W. Hennessee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An X-Y plotter is provided having an automatic pen changer comprising a pen repository, a memory for storing data identifying a pen selected by a user, a plot head for automatically fetching pens from and depositing pens into the repository, a processing means having a routine stored in a read-only-memory for providing head-movement coordinates, and a control means for moving the head to said coordinates, the pen-changing action (fetching and depositing) being performed solely by movement of the head to said coordinates. Deposited pens are automatically capped to prevent drying-out, fetched pens are automatically uncapped prior to use.
Claims17
Apparatus having a head means for fetching a member from a repository, the apparatus comprising:
- a repository having a predetermined number of stations, each station being configured to be engaged by the head means and to store one member;
- memory means for receiving and storing applied input data values, each data value representing a selected station from which a member is to be fetched;
- processing means coupled to the memory means for providing position coordinates to which the head means is to be moved for fetching a member from the selected station;
- control means coupled to the processing means for moving the head means to the position coordinates provided by the processing means;
- and
- head means coupled to the control means and configured to hold at least one member and to engage the selected station and a member stored in said station for fetching the stored member by movement of the head means to the position coordinates.
A method of changing a first member held by a head means for a second member stored in a selected station of a repository, the method comprising the steps of:
- depositing the first member into an unoccupied station of the repository;
- and
- fetching the second member from the selected station of the repository, the depositing and fetching operations being performed by movement of the head means to predetermined position coordinates of the selected station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.