US4905015A — Apparatus and method for generating a variable li…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 179 words

An apparatus for drawing with an ink pen having a radially asymmetric nib, comprising: a. a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); and iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen substantially parallel to and at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axes and said pen is rotatable about said Z axis; and b. means for selectively varying the angular orientation of said pen nib with respect to said Z axis, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 179 words

An apparatus for drawing with an ink pen having a radially asymmetric nib, comprising: a. a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); and iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen substantially parallel to and at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axes and said pen is rotatable about said Z axis; and b. means for selectively varying the angular orientation of said pen nib with respect to said Z axis, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 68 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for selectively varying the angular orientation of said pen nib comprises: a. a means for position indexing having an output member that indexes through preselectable positions; and b. means for mechanically linking said output member of said indexing means with said rotatable pen such that a position of said output member corresponds to a predetermined angular orientation of said pen.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a digital computer which controls said means for selectively varying the angular orientation of said pen nib.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for indexing comprises a stepping motor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for mechanically linking said output member to said rotatable pen comprises a flexible sheathed cable.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 85 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said pen comprises: a. a first cylindrical tube connectable to said pen holder and maintainable at a fixed angular orientation with respect to said Z axis; and b. an elongate member concentric and inside of and rotatably mounted with respect to said first cylindrical tube; i. wherein said elongate member carries a pen nib; and ii. wherein said means for mechanically linking said output member to said pen is attached to said elongate member to effect the rotation thereof.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for selectively varying the pressure between said pen nib and said medium upon which said line is being drawn.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 169 words

An apparatus for drawing with an ink pen having a copperplate style nib, comprising: a. a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); and iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axes; and b. means for selectively varying the pressure between said pen nib and said medium upon which said line is being drawn, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 169 words

An apparatus for drawing with an ink pen having a copperplate style nib, comprising: a. a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); and iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axes; and b. means for selectively varying the pressure between said pen nib and said medium upon which said line is being drawn, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a digital computer which controls said means for selectively varying the pressure between said pen nib and said medium

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 87 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for selectively varying the pressure comprises: a. mounted to said pen holder, means for generating a selectively and variably energizable magnetic field; and b. mounted to said pen, a member upon which a force is applied in the presence of a magnetic field; such that energization of the magnetic field applies a force to the member mounted to said pen, thereby applying pressure to the pen in a direction toward the medium upon which the line will be drawn.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 10, said means for generating a magnetic field comprising an electromagnet.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 11, said electromagnet being an element of a solenoid and said member mounted to said pen being the core of said solenoid.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 55 words

The apparatus of claim 8, said copperplate style nib having a pair of separable leaves which, when under minimal pressure, join to print a dot on the drawing medium and a maximum leaf separation under operationally reasonable pressure of at least 10 times the diameter of the dot drawn by the pen under minimal pressure.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 195 words

An apparatus for drawing with an ink pen having a radially asymmetric nib, comprising: a. a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axis; and b. means for applying ink along a first line; and c. means for applying ink along at least one additional line closely adjacent a portion of said first line such that the ink along both lines is contiguous along a portion of said at least one additional line, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 195 words

An apparatus for drawing with an ink pen having a radially asymmetric nib, comprising: a. a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axis; and b. means for applying ink along a first line; and c. means for applying ink along at least one additional line closely adjacent a portion of said first line such that the ink along both lines is contiguous along a portion of said at least one additional line, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a digital computer for controlling said means for controlling the motion of the slider and the pen carrier.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for applying ink along a first line and along at least one additional line and the means for controlling the motion of the slider and the pen carrier comprises the digital computer.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 205 words

A method for drawing with an ink pen having a radially asymmetric nib, comprising: a. provides a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); and iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axes; and iv. means for controlling the motion of the slider and pen carrier; b. applying ink along a first line; and c. applying ink along at least one additional line closely adjacent a portion of said first line such that the ink along both lines is contiguous along a portion of said at least one additional line, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 205 words

A method for drawing with an ink pen having a radially asymmetric nib, comprising: a. provides a plotter having: i. a table for receiving medium upon which said pen will draw; ii. a pen slider translatable with respect to said table parallel a first axis (nominally designated the "X" axis); and iii. a pen holder for receiving said pen, mounted on said slider and translatable with respect to said slider parallel a second axis (nominally designated the "Y" axis), orthogonal to said first axis, said pen holder including means for maintaining said pen at a known angular orientation with respect to a third axis (nominally designated the "Z" axis) perpendicular said X and Y axes; and iv. means for controlling the motion of the slider and pen carrier; b. applying ink along a first line; and c. applying ink along at least one additional line closely adjacent a portion of said first line such that the ink along both lines is contiguous along a portion of said at least one additional line, thereby controlling said pen to apply ink of selectable and variable widths along a line independent of the shape of the line or its orientation with respect to the X and Y axes.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-02-26	1993-08-28	1994-02-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-02-26	1997-08-28	1998-02-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-02-26	2001-08-28	2002-02-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method for generating a variable line width

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