Stamp-making apparatus, as well as function changeover mechanism, exposure system and stamp-making object material-detecting device therefor

A stamp-making object material-detecting device comprising:

• a plurality of switches;
• a stamp-making object material having an abutment surface having a width corresponding to at least one of said plurality of switches, portions of said abutment surface of said stamp-making object material corresponding to said at least one of said plurality of switches each being either a hole portion formed with a hole for escaping abutment of a corresponding one of said at least one of said plurality of switches or a no-hole portion for receiving abutment of a corresponding one of said at least one of said plurality of switches, said abutment surface being formed with an alternative combination of at least one of said hole portion and said no-hole portion, said combination being selected depending on said width of said abutment surface;
• and
• discriminating means for discriminating a combination of signals indicative of hole portions and signals indicative of no-hole portions each generated when said plurality of switches are caused to moved toward said abutment surface for abutment thereon;
• whereby said type of said stamp-making object material can be detected in an alternative manner.

A stamp-making object material-detecting device for a stamp-making apparatus, comprising:

• n (n.gtoreq.2) switches each operating by being moved to said stamp-making object material for abutment thereon;
• first stamp-making object material having an abutment surface corresponding to all of said n switches;
• second stamp-making object material having an abutment surface corresponding to some of said plurality of switches, a remainder of said plurality of switches being moved toward said stamp-making object only to miss said stamp surface;
• type-detecting holes selectively formed in said first stamp-making object material and said second stamp-making object material in a manner corresponding to respective ones of said n switches to thereby escape abutment of said respective ones of said n switches,
• wherein discriminating patterns of n bits of data are formed based on a relationship between said n switches and "presence or absence" of said type-detecting hole corresponding to each of said n switches, a state of said remainder of said plurality of switches being moved toward said stamp-making object only to miss said stamp surface being defined as "presence" of said type-detecting hole, ones of said discriminating patterns each including said "presence" of said type-detecting hole being assigned to said second stamp-making object material, and remaining ones of said discriminating patterns being assigned to said first stamp-making object material.

A stamp-making object material detecting device comprising:

• a pocket for receiving a stamp body;
• a plurality of switches disposed adjacent said pocket, each of said switches including a detecting projection retractably projecting into said pocket for detecting mounting of said stamp body in said pocket and determining a type of stamp body according to at least one type of detecting hole formed in a surface of said stamp body detected by said detecting projection,
• a lid disposed proximate said pocket and movable between an open position providing access to said pocket and a closed position preventing access to said pocket;
• and
• a lid link interconnecting said lid and said plurality of switches such that said detecting projections are retracted from said pocket when said lid is in said open position and are projected into said pocket when said lid is in said closed position.