摘要 |
2123113 9308990 PCTABS00021 A pen cap raising and lowering mechanism (20) for use in a pen plotter having a pen station for holding a pen (10) prior to use and a pen cap raising and lowering mechanism (20) for capping and uncapping a writing tip of the pen to allow a shipping cap (12) of a pen (10) to be employed within the pen plotter to cap and uncap the pen (10). There is pen cap raising and lowering apparatus carried by the pen plotter moving between a raised position and a lowered position to cap and uncap, respectively, a pen (10) operably located at the pen station. There are also gripping fingers (22) carried by the pen cap raising and lowering apparatus (20) for positioning, gripping and holding a shipping cap of a pen (10) when the pen (10) is initially inserted into the pen station and during use of the pen (10) and for releasing the shipping cap (12) in combination with the pen (10) when the pen is removed from the pen station for replacement. The pen cap raising and lowering apparatus (20) retains the gripping fingers (22) in the raised position when a pen (10) is initially inserted into the pen station and when the pen (10) is removed from the pen station for replacement. There is an adaptor cap (26) for using pens not provided with the shipping cap as well as an optional vent seal (38) to seal the pen against temperature and pressure change effects.
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