Dual purpose pen capping system for pen plotters

Abstract From the Canadian patent

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 …