Education and demonstration – Communication aids for the handicapped – Tactile reading aid
Patent
1997-01-29
2000-08-29
Cheng, Joe H.
Education and demonstration
Communication aids for the handicapped
Tactile reading aid
434113, 34082519, 40012414, G09B 2100
Patent
active
061099228
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for representing relief items which includes a perforated plate and at least one pin which is axially movable in one of the perforations in the plate to be detected. Such devices are used in particular as display devices which are detectable in a tactile manner, with the help of which blind persons can detect information. Generally, braille printing is used in which every letter of the alphabet is represented by a matrix of 2.times.3 or 2.times.4 dots which are placed or not placed. The placement of a dot occurs in such a way that the pertinent pin is moved out of the corresponding drilling, as a result of which it can be detected with the fingers. However, the invention relates similarly to graphical display devices with which random patterns, images or displays can be reproduced in a manner so as to be detectable in a tactile way. In such displays it is also possible to provide different positions of the pins, so that relief-like representations are possible. The important aspect is that the representation is transient, which means that the display can be changed at will.
STATE OF THE ART
Display devices are known in which the position of each pin is stable, which is effected in such a way for example that this pin is pressed by a spring against a stop. By activating an actuator such as an electromagnet it is possible to bring this pin into its other position, i.e. it can be extended. As long as this pin is extended it is necessary that the actuator exert pressure on the pin to hold it in this position. Such devices have a high power consumption and the occurring thermal problems cause a complex production and arrangement of these devices.
Furthermore, display devices are known which provide a locking device which holds the associated pin in its position which is not stable per se. Such devices are highly complicated from a mechanical viewpoint, complex in production and susceptible to faults.
It is the object of the present invention to avoid such disadvantages and to provide a device of the kind mentioned above which comes with a simple arrangement, provides a low power consumption and nevertheless guarantees sufficient holding forces for each pin, thus allowing detection with the finger without giving rise to the danger that individual pins are thus brought into another position, resulting in a falsification of the represented information.
BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION
These objects are achieved by a device wherein each pin is provided with a position in which the tip of the pin is substantially arranged in the plane of the surface of the perforated plate and a further position in which it projects outwardly to such an extent that it is clearly scannable by the finger of the user. If, as mentioned above, a relief-like display is necessary there are additional further positions in which the pin projects to a different extent. The important aspect is that the pin is held in each of the stable positions by magnetic forces of attraction. These can occur between a permanent magnet and a part of soft iron or also between two permanent magnets which are polarised correspondingly.
It has proved to be particularly advantageous to provide axially magnetisable segments in each pin. A pertinent perforated plate acts as a magnetic yoke in order to bring about a closed magnetic circulation. In this way it can be achieved that the pin is held in its stable positions only by the magnetic forces. Despite the stability of the position it is still provided with a certain resilient mobility in the axial direction. This has proved to be a feature which is particularly appreciated by users and enhances the operating convenience.
In a particularly preferable embodiment of the present invention it is provided that each pin is provided with at least two, preferably three segments which are permanently magnetised in the axial direction and are arranged flush behind one another in the axial direction and are separated from one another by soft iron segments. The ma
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IBM Technical Bulletin, Bd. 28, No. 3, Aug. 1985, "Seeing Eye Mouse." pages 1343 and 1344.
Litschel Dietmar
Schwertner Christoph
Caretec GmbH
Cheng Joe H.
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