Automated Artwork-generating System

Abstract

This invention relates to an automated artwork-generating system which has two drafting tables which are connected to a computer unit and the computer unit is connected with two teleprinter units. A teleprinter unit is associated with each drafting table. One of the drafting tables is utilized as a coordinate readout table and has a dotting mechanism positioned on a slide mechanism which sends signals into the computer unit to be directed to either the second automatic drafting table or to its associated teleprinter to produce a tape for future use. The second teleprinter unit is utilized to read the tape produced by the first teleprinter unit and feed the information into the computer unit so that the artwork can be reproduced by the second drafting table by a rotary tool mechanism provided on its slide mechanism. The artwork is produced on a peel coat master mat by a knife member which is oriented to be substantially aligned with the direction of the cut movement the rotary tool mechanism must follow during performance of its function on the peel coat master mat.

Description

The present invention relates to an automated artwork-generating system and more specifically to drawing tables computerized for reproduction of artwork from paper drawings to master mats by a rotary tool mechanism.

The electronics industry has experienced a tremendous revolution through the innovations now permitted by integrated and printed circuits and transistorized systems. Many of the present electronic integrated and printed circuits are very small and miniature as final products.

The production of these miniature electronic circuits require several steps in transposing them from the engineered and designed circuit to the production equipment circuit to the production equipment circuit. In many applications the circuits are produced through a photographic process and reduced in size from the original master mat. The masters are often produced on synthetic master mat material with the original circuit concept being provided on drafting paper. These operations in the past have required training skilled personnel and this reproduction method has been both costly in dollars and in the time it consumes. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an automatic system for producing artwork on master mats initially provided by sketches or drawings illustrating the various desired layouts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a layout reproduction system from paper drawings which can be programmed onto tape for reproduction at various later dates by automated drafting tables.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system of reproducing sketches and drawings from paper material onto plastic master mats which are cut into the mat by a knife edged tool which is programmed to change its cutting edge as the directional movement is changed.

A still further object is to provide a means for minimizing the dimensional error in the mat to be produced by permitting a proportionate distribution of the dimension changes in the original paper drawing.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention, then, consists of various features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a typical overall layout of the automated artwork-generating system utilizing a digital computer to perform the features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rotary tool mechanism assembly illustrating the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the rotary tool mechanism assembly as illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the rotary tool mechanism assembly showing the principles of the present invention and taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a portion of the rotary tool mechanism assembly taken generally along line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view illustrating the principles of the present invention and showing an original drawing layout on an coordinate readout table which is to have its artwork reproduced upon a master mat on an automatic layout drafting table.

Referring to the drawings, an automated artwork-generating system is illustrated in FIG. 1 and generally referred to by numeral 10. This system is composed of five basic elements including a coordinate readout table 11, its associated teleprinter 12, an automatic layout drafting table 14 and its associated teleprinter 15 and a digital computer 16. In most operations the digital computer 16 can be a small capacity type which will give ample flexibility to meet the needs of the automated artwork-generating system 10.

The coordinate readout table 11 is provided with a dotting mechanism 17 which controls the input information fed into the digital computer 16 as will be explained in more detail below. The automatic layout drafting table 14 is provided with a rotary tool mechanism 18 which reproduces the artwork information, as supplied from the data mechanism 17, on the master mat provided on the automatic layout drafting table 14 as will be explained in more detail below.

A general description of the system will be beneficial at this time to better understand the overall principles of operation so that the detailed discussion will have more meaning as the disclosure proceeds.

The artwork information will be fed from the coordinate readout table 11 via its dotting mechanism 17 into the digital computer 16. The computer 16 can receive this information and directly send it to the automatic layout drafting table 14 to have it reproduced on the master mats by the rotary tool mechanism 18 as one method of transferring the information. Another method of producing the artwork information and probably the most used is to feed the artwork information from the coordinate readout table 11 into the digital computer 16 and have the digital computer 16 pass the information back to the teleprinter 12 where it is programmed on a tape. This artwork information can be stored until a master mat is desired or it can be immediately applied to the teleprinter 15, and the teleprinter 15 can pass the data into the digital computer 16 which will then transfer the material to the rotary tool mechanism 18 of the automatic layout drafting table 14 for producing the artwork on the master mat.

This automated artwork-generating system 10 provides a flexibility of having one operation being performed on the coordinate readout table 11 with a tape for reproduction being produced on the teleprinter 12 and a prior artwork layout being produced on the automatic layout table 14 by having a tape working in the teleprinter 15 with the two teleprinters 12 and 15 sharing the time of the digital computer 16.

Referring generally to FIG. 6, a partial view of tabletop 21 of the coordinate readout table 11 is shown. A layout drawing 22 is provided on the tabletop 21 and has shown artwork in the form of an electrical circuit 23 which it is desired to have reproduced on a master mat provided on the automatic layout drafting table 14. The dotting mechanism 17 is mounted on a slide mechanism 18. The dotting mechanism 17 is provided with a dotting point 25 which is moved into zero contact position with the layout drawing 22 when the operator is to start sending information to the computer 16. Any desired zero position can be appropriate in the present illustration, however, the center of the sheet is used in some cases to spread the paper change as will be explained. The zeroing point will be indicated as 26. At this point the dotting mechanism 17 will be zeroed with the computer 16 and this will be the original point of reference. This establishes the locations of the X and Y axes for the layout drawing 22 and these are referred to, respectively, by numerals 28 and 29.

A control box 30 controls the input information from the dotting mechanism 17 to the digital computer 16. The control box 30 is provided with three control buttons in the present illustration. One control button illustrated as 31 is referred to as the move button. Each time the move button 31 is pushed it will send a signal to the computer 16 telling it the rotary tool mechanism 18 should be moved from the prior position without contacting the master mat. Another button indicated as 32 is provided and is referred to as the draw button. Each time the draw button 32 is pushed it will send a signal to the computer 16 telling it the rotary tool mechanism 18 should be moved from the prior position with contact being made with the master mat. A third button indicated as numeral 33 is referred to as the error button. Each time the error button 33 is pushed it will cancel the last signal sent to the computer 16.

After the zero point 26 has been established the dotting point 25 will be moved to the initial point 35. At this stage the operator will push the move button 35. The full function of this will be explained in more detail later. The next operation will be to move the dotting point 25 from the initial point 35 to the second point 36. The operator then will push draw button 32. The next step will be to move the dotting point 25 to the third point 37 and again the draw button 32 will be pressed. The operator will then move the dotting point 25 to the fourth point 38 and again push the draw button. The operator will then move from the fourth point 38 to the fifth point 39 and the draw button will be pressed again. At this point the operator will move from the fifth point 39 back to the fourth point 38 and depress the move button 31. Then the operator will move from the fourth point 38 to the sixth point 41 and again the draw button 32 will be pressed. The operator then will move the dotting point 25 from the sixth point 41 to the seventh point 42 and the draw button 32 will be again pressed. Then the operator will move the dotting point 25 to the sixth point 41 and depress the move button 31 and this type of operation will continue as the electrical circuit 23 is followed. As can be easily appreciated, no one sequence of point order is required and in many applications the dotting point 25 may mark the drawings so the operator will know what steps have been made.

The automated artwork-generating system 10 numbers its computer programmed to represent various grid positions, which could be of various increments. A typical grid increment could be 0.050 inch to any accuracy dictated by systems requirement. The computer will read a specific grid intersection as long as the dotting point 25 is within one-half grid of the actual grid intersection. This permits quick positioning of the dotting point by the operator. It also permits the operator to move back to a prior point, for example, from point 39 to point 38 without being required to locate the exact location he selected originally.

When the operator was at the fifth point 39, if he had moved inadvertently to the sixth point 41 and the pushed the draw button, this would digitize the computer. The signal storage can be arranged in various manners but for the present illustration a one signal storage provision is provided so that when the operator inadvertently moved from the fifth point 39 to the sixth point 41 and pushed either the move button 31 or the draw button 32, he would wish this to be removed from the program. Therefore, he would push the error button 33 and then move the dotting point 25 back to the fifth point 39 and continue the sequence as explained as if the error had not been committed.

If the automated artwork-generating system 10 has the digital computer 16 programmed in a manner that it would provide storage of one signal before sending it out, this would be sufficient in most applications, but it is easily understood that this could be programmed so that there could be two, three, etc. signals stored before transfer of the signals either to the automatic layout drafting table 14 or sent to the teleprinter 12 for production of a tape.

After the invention has been programmed into the digital computer 16 and for the present illustration we will say a tape was produced by teleprinter 12, the tape is then transferred from the teleprinter 12 to the teleprinter 15 to reproduce a master mat by the automatic layout drafting table 14. The master mat material can be of various types, generally referred to in the art as a peel coat. This would comprise a mylar base with an adhesive coating. The artwork or the electronic circuitry referred to as electrical circuit 23, as viewed in FIG. 6, is to be reproduced on the peel coat generally referred to by numeral 46 which will require this design to be cut into the material. As can be viewed from the configuration of the electrical circuit 23, it will be important that the cutting edge be reoriented so that the cutting edge will be as close as possible to the angle of travel the rotary tool mechanism 18 will be required to follow.

In the present embodiment a clamshell cutter is provided and it is generally referred to as knife member 48. The knife member 48 has a cutting edge 49. The cutting edge 49 must be initially oriented during setup. The knife member 48 must be permitted to be rotated in a controlled manner so that the cutting edge 49 can be so positioned as to be in substantial alignment with the path of cut. This will require various angles of orientation. For example, when moving from initial point 35 to the second point 36, the cutting edge will be in one direction and at this time substantially in line with the Y axis 29. When moving from the second point 36 to the third point 37, the cutting edge must be reoriented 90.degree. to be in line with the X axis 28. The rotary tool mechanism 18 must have its cutting member 48 elevated when reorienting the cutting edge 49 to perform the next cutting function. The rotary tool mechanism must also elevate cutting member 48 when moving from, for example, the fifth point 39 back to the fourth point 38 to continue the cut from the fourth point 38 to the sixth point 41. The rotary tool mechanism 18 must be so constructed as to provide quick changing of the cutter member 48 and also quick replacement of the knife assembly unit 50. Both must be done to hold them in proper orientation.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2 through 5, detailed discussion will now be given discussing the rotary tool mechanism 18. The rotary tool mechanism 18 is made up of various elements including a mounting flange 51 which connects it to the slide mechanism 52 which is controlled by the computer and moves the rotary tool mechanism 18 in the various X and Y directions. Each pulse of the computer will move the rotary tool mechanism. 0.0005 inch in either the X or Y direction. This type of structure and signal is well known and practiced in the computer art.

The mounting flange 52 connects to and supports the rotary tool mechanism 18 at the rotary assembly 54. A step motor 55 is mounted at the top of the rotary assembly 54. A step motor 55 has a pulse input signal which will be explained in more detail below.

A support frame 56 is mounted on the mounting flange 51 and supports a rotary solenoid 58. The knife assembly unit 50 is supported at the bottom of the rotary assembly 54. The rotary assembly 54 has a body member 61 and a top cap member 62 mounted at its upper end in a usual manner well known in the art and a pin support sleeve 63 mounted at its bottom end. The step motor 55 can be mounted to the top cap member 62 by various means, the means illustrated in the present case is securing bolts 65.

A positioning shaft 67 is provided in and is permitted to float in body member 61 as will be explained below. The positioning shaft 67 is provided with guide flanges 68 and 69. Bushing surfaces are provided in the body member 61 to act in conjunction with the guide flanges 68 and 69. In the present case separate guide bushings 72 and 73 are provided to act with the guide flanges 68 and 69, respectively. A slotted flange 75 is provided on the positioning shaft 67 and in the present illustration is positioned between the guide flanges 68 and 69. The slotted flange 75 is utilized to initially position the knife member 48 so that the cutting edge 49 is oriented with the computer so that it can be taken from its zero point to the initial position in an oriented manner as will be explained in more detail below.

Step motor 55 has a drive shaft 77 which extends into a receiving bore 78 in the upper end of positioning shaft 67 as viewed in FIG. 4. The receiving bore 78 has a slot 79 which receives a drive pin 81. The drive pin 81 is secured in the drive shaft 77 and as the step motor 55 rotates the drive shaft 77 this rotary motion will be transferred to the positioning shaft 67 by the drive pin 81 acting with the slot 79.

The rotary solenoid 58 has an eccentric shaft 83 with a cam member 84 secured to it. Guide rings 86 and 87 are secured to the positioning shaft 67 by set screws 88. The guide rings 86 and 87 are positioned from each other just far enough to receive the cam member 84. When the rotary solenoid 58 is activated it will move the positioning shaft 67 to an up position thus moving the knife member 48 to an elevated position and out of contact with the master mat. When the rotary solenoid 58 is deactivated the rotary solenoid will rotate the eccentric shaft 83 to a lower position moving the knife member 48 into contact with the master mat.

The knife assembly unit 50 has a rod member 90. The rod member 90 has a threaded flange 91 at the one end, which is connected to a stem 92, and a ball member 93 at its opposite end and connected to the stem 92. The ball member 93 is provided with a positioning bore 94. The lower end of the floating positioning shaft 67 is provided with a stem-receiving opening 96. The rod member is positioned in the stem-receiving opening 96 and a securing pin 97 passes through an opening in the floating positioning shaft 67 and acts in the positioning bore 94. The positioning bore 94 and securing pin 97 arrangement permits a limited amount of movement of the rod member 90 in the stem-receiving opening 96 because the ball end 93 has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the stem-receiving opening 96 and the stem 92 has a smaller diameter.

Three positioning pins are located near the mouth of the stem-receiving opening 96. Only one pin, which is referred to as 98, is illustrated but in actual practice there would be three pins equally spaced around the positioning shaft 67 permitting adjustable securing of the rod member 90. This is required so that the knife member 48 can have its cutting edge 49 positioned substantially at the center axis of the floating positioning shaft 67.

The knife assembly unit 50 has a cap member 101 which is in threaded engagement with the threaded flange end 91. A support end 102 is positioned inside the cap member 101 and extends out from it. A spacer 103 is positioned between a portion of the cap member 101 and support end 102. The knife member pressure pin 105 forms part of the support end 102. The knife member 48 passes into an opening in the end of support end 102 and has a tang end in the form of a wedge end 106. The pressure pin 105 acts on the wedge end 106 to orient and secure the knife member 48 into the support end 102. A release opening 107 is provided through cap member 101, spacer 103 and support end 102. A tool can be positioned through this opening to act on the tip of wedge end 106 forcing its release out of support end 102 by releasing the action of pressure pin 105.

Pin support sleeve 63 has an internal diameter substantially the same size as the outside diameter of body member 61 and is slipped on the lower end of it. Lock screws 109 are provided to secure the relationship between the body member 61 and the pin support sleeve 67. A zeroing pin assembly 110 is provided on the pin support sleeve 63 and it is aligned with slotted flange 75. The zeroing pin assembly 110 has a housing member 111 which is connected with the pin support sleeve 67. The housing member 111 has a central bore which receives pin member 112. The pin 112 has a control flange 113. A retaining cap 114 is positioned on the free end of housing member 111. A spring member 116 is provided inside the housing member 111 and acts on the flange 113 tending to force the pin member 112 away from the slotted flange 75 of the positioning shaft 67. The retaining cap 114 controls the extreme position that the spring member 116 can move the pin member 112 away from the slotted flange 75. The slotted flange 75 is provided with a zero slot 118.

The purpose of this arrangement is to utilize the zeroing pin assembly 110 during the initial setup before a master mat is to receive the artwork When the rotary tool mechanism 18 is being set up to start initial performance on another master mat, the step motor can be manually operated and the operator will act on the outer end of pin member 112 pushing it toward the slotted flange 75. When the zero slot 118 arrives at actual zero position the pin member 112 will pop into the zeroing slot 118 and the operator will know that the rotary tool mechanism 18 is then positioned so the computer will know the actual location of the cutting edge 49. Thus we have illustrated a rotary tool mechanism 18 which is provided with a step motor 55 to radially rotate a cutting knife 48 so that the cutting edge 49 can be positioned substantially in the direction of the cut to be made.

The correct position for the initial cut will be determined in the computer as the program movement is fed into the computer and signals of movement are given to the automatic layout drafting table 14. If the rotary tool mechanism 18 is not to cut during a movement the rotary solenoid 58 will be activated to raise the knife member 48 to an up position generally indicated as up position 120 as viewed in FIG. 2. When the knife member 48 arrives at the next cut position, the rotary solenoid will be deactivated to move it to a down or cut position. During initial setup the zero pin assembly 110 is provided so that the operator will have the knife member 48 in a known location so that proper programming can be received as stated above.

It may be seen from the foregoing that simple and inexpensive yet practical and endurable means have been disclosed for obtaining the desired ends. Attention is again invited, however to the possibility of making variations within the spirit and scope of the invention set forth. Therefore, the embodiments shown in the drawings are to be considered as merely setting forth for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention herein described and shown.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the apparatus herein disclosed, provided the features stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

Claims

I therefore particularly point out and distinctively claim as my invention:

1. An automated artwork-generating system including in combination:

a. a data reader unit,

b. a computer to receive signals from said data reader unit,

c. an automatic reproduction drafting table,

d. a slide mechanism movably supported on said automatic reproduction drafting table,

e. a rotary tool mechanism supported on said slide mechanism,

f. said computer controlling the movement and position of said slide mechanism on said automatic reproduction drafting table,

g. a knife assembly unit having a cutting edge for moving along a path of cut controlled by said computer,

h. said knife assembly unit secured in said rotary tool mechanism to have its cutting edge in a predetermined oriented position,

i. a first means to position said knife member in a lower position and in an elevated position,

j. a second means to position said knife member in an angular position with said cutting edge in substantial alignment with said path of cut, and

k. said computer sending the signals to control said first and second means.

2. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 1, having:

a. a rotary assembly as part of said rotary tool mechanism,

b. a positioning shaft as part of said rotary assembly,

c. a step motor as part of said second means,

d. said knife assembly unit secured to said positioning shaft, and

e. said step motor angularly locating said positioning shaft.

3. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 2, having:

a. at least two guide flanges on said positioning shaft,

b. guide bushing surfaces as part of said rotary assembly to act on said guide flanges,

c. a solenoid member as part of said first means, and

d. said solenoid is connected to said positioning shaft to control its movement in moving said knife member between said lower position and said elevated position.

4. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 3, having:

a. a rodmember as part of said knife assembly unit,

b. said rod member having a stem with a ball member on one end and a threaded flange on the other end,

c. a stem-receiving opening in one end of said positioning shaft and said opening having a diameter substantially the same as said ball member's diameter,

d. said stem having a diameter smaller than said stem-receiving opening,

e. positioning pins in said positioning shaft adjacent the mouth of said stem-receiving opening, and

f. said positioning pins act on said stem member to securely locate it in said stem-receiving opening so the cutting edge is substantially at the axis of said positioning shaft.

5. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 4, having:

a. a coordinate readout table,

b. a manual slide mechanism movably supported on said coordinate readout table,

c. a dotting mechanism supported on said manual slide mechanism,

d. a dotting point as part of said dotting mechanism,

e. a control box as part of said coordinate readout table,

f. said dotting mechanism having a signal-sending means to send signals to said computer, and

g. said dotting mechanism signal-sending means controlled by said control box.

6. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 5, having:

a. a data writer unit,

B. said data writer unit to receive signals from said computer to produce a program for said data reader unit,

c. said control box having a move button to indicate when the knife assembly unit is to be moved from a present point to a next point in the elevated position, and

d. said control box having a draw button to indicate when the knife assembly unit is to be moved from a present point to a next point in the lower position.

7. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 4, having:

a. a pin support sleeve secured to said rotary assembly,

b. a zero pin assembly mounted on said pin support sleeve,

c. a pin member in said zero pin assembly,

d. a slotted flange as part of said positioning shaft,

e. said slotted flange having a zero slot, and

f. said pin member is aligned with said zero slot when said cutting edge is located at its initial zero position.

8. An automated artwork-generating system including, in combination:

a. a data reader unit,

b. a computer to receive signals from said data reader unit,

c. an automatic reproduction drafting table,

d. a slide mechanism movably supported on said automatic reproduction drafting table,

e. a rotary tool mechanism supported on said slide mechanism,

f. said computer controlling the movement and position of said slide mechanism on said automatic reproduction drafting table,

g. a knife assembly unit having a cutting edge for moving along a path of cut controlled by said computer,

h. said knife assembly unit secured in said rotary tool mechanism to have its cutting edge in a predetermined oriented position.

i. a first means to position said knife member in a lower position and in an elevated position,

j. a second means to position said knife member in an angular position with said cutting edge in substantial alignment with said path of cut,

k. said computer sending the signals to control said first and second means,

1. an automatic layout drafting table,

m. a manual slide mechanism movably supported on said automatic layout drafting table,

n. a dotting mechanism supported on said manual slide mechanism,

o. a dotting point as part of said dotting mechanism,

p. a control box as part of said automatic layout drafting table,

q. said dotting mechanism having a signal-sending means to send signals to said computer, and

r. said dotting mechanism signal-sending means controlled by said control box.

9. An automated artwork-generating system as defined in claim 8, having:

a. a data writer unit,

b. said data writer unit to receive signals from said computer to produce a program for said data reader unit,

c. said control box having a move button to indicate when the knife assembly unit is to be moved from a present point to a next point in the elevated position, and

d. said control box having a draw button to indicate when the knife assembly unit is to be moved from a present point to a next point in the elevated position.