초록 ▼

A media handling unit is a selfcontained device which is capable of being moved to existing photoplotting structures to transport media sheets from a supply cassette housed within the unit and advanced into the plotter for conducting a plotting operation. The unit also retreives the scanned media fr

A media handling unit is a selfcontained device which is capable of being moved to existing photoplotting structures to transport media sheets from a supply cassette housed within the unit and advanced into the plotter for conducting a plotting operation. The unit also retreives the scanned media from the photoplotter returning it the unit in a light tight environment where the scanned film is deposited onto a collecting tray. The supply of film is provided in a cassette having a semi-cyldrical support surface causing the film to take on a preformed configuration which is generally coincident with the shape of the support surface on the plotter.

대표청구항 ▼

A media handling system for a photoplotter wherein sheets of media are exposed one at a time by bringing each sheet from a first station to an exposure station, by exposing each sheet while it remains at the exposure station, and by then removing each sheet from the exposure station to a second stat

A media handling system for a photoplotter wherein sheets of media are exposed one at a time by bringing each sheet from a first station to an exposure station, by exposing each sheet while it remains at the exposure station, and by then removing each sheet from the exposure station to a second station, with each sheet during its exposure being supported in a partially cylindric condition by engagement with an internal support surface of a support drum at the exposure station, which internal support surface is partially cylindric about a generally horizontal central axis of the drum and has a generally upwardly facing mouth, said media handling system comprising: a positioning carriage movable along a path positioned above the level of said horizontal central axis of said drum between said exposure station and at least one of said first and second stations, a media lifting means carried by said positioning carriage and movable vertically relative to said positioning carriage between a lowered position and a raised position, said lifting means having a plurality of vacuum openings arranged in a partially cylindric surface generally complementary to said support surface of said support drum and with said vacuum openings facing said support surface of said support drum when said positioning carriage is positioned at said exposure station and said lifting carriage is in said lowered position, a vacuum supply means, and a switching means for controllably switching said vacuum openings into and out of communication with said vacuum supply means to selectively supply or not supply vacuum pressure to said vacuum openings, whereby a media sheet can be releasably held by said vacuum openings to said lifting means in a partially cylindric shape conforming to said support surface and by vertical movement of said lifting means relative to said positioning carriage said media sheet can be moved vertically relative to said support surface while maintained in said partially cylindric shape by said vacuum openings.