PAGING RECEIVER HAVING CYCLING ECCENTRIC MASS

• US 3,623,064 A
• Filed: 10/11/1968
• Issued: 11/23/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sholly Kagan
• Original Assignee: Sholly Kagan
• Inventors: Kagan, Sholly
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US04/766,781
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 340/311,407,399,400
• US Class Current: 340/7.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A radio-operated paging receiver is fitted with an electrically driven vibrator which causes the receiver to vibrate at a subaudible frequency when a paging signal is received.

Claims

1. A personal paging device comprising a supporting structure, sensing means carried by said structure and responsive to spacetransmitted energy for providing an alerting signal comprising a train of regularly spaced electrical pulses, normally inactive vibrator means for vibrating said structure, said vibrator means including an eccentric mass supported for cyclic movement and electric motive means responsive to said alerting signal for driving said mass through a range of vibrational frequencies toward a steady-state frequency, each of said pulses in said alerting signal being of a length to endure for a period of time longer than a cycle of said signal at said steady state frequency of vibration.

2. A personal paging receiver intended to be carried on the clothing of a person, comprising a supporting structure, radio receiver means carried by said supporting structure for providing an alerting signal, a mass, means for constraining said mass to be movable cyclicly in a substantially linear path relative to said structure, electric motive means responsive to an alerting signal received from said radio receiver means for driving said mass in said path, and means coupling said mass to said structure for causing said structure to vibrate when said motive means is activated.

3. A personal paging device, comprising:

a casing;

sensing means disposed within said casing and being responsive to space-transmitted energy for developing an alerting signal in the form of a train of regularly spaced electrical pulses having a predetermined pulse frequency which is capable of being sensed tactually; and

vibratory means within said casing and coupled thereto, comprising;

a mass supported for cyclic movement, and electric motive means responsive to an alerting signal developed by said sensing means for accelerating said mass periodically at said pulse frequency, the periodic acceleration of said mass by said motive means producing by reaction forces acting on said motive means tactually sensible vibration of said casing at a vibrational frequency which corresponds to said pulse frequency.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said electric motive means has rotor means including said mass which is accelerated periodically at said pulse frequency.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein said mass is accelerated from an initial velocity in a time interval which is short relative to the time required for said mass to decelerate to the initial velocity after a pulse in said alerting signal has ceased.

6. A personal paging receiver, comprising:

a casing;

sensing means disposed within said casing and being responsive to space-transmitted energy for developing an alerting signal in the form of a train of regularly spaced electrical pulses having a predetermined pulse frequency which is capable of being sensed tactually;

vibratory alerting means within said casing and coupled thereto, comprising;

a mass supported for cyclic movement, electric motive means responsive to an alerting signal developed by said sensing means for periodically accelerating said mass at said pulse frequency, the periodiC acceleration of said mass by said motive means producing by reaction forces acting on said motive means tactually sensible vibration of said casing at a vibrational frequency which corresponds to said pulse frequency, said mass being in a state of imbalance so that when it is accelerated it produces readily sensible vibrations in said casing in a range of frequencies depending on its velocity, the frequencies in said range of frequencies being substantially above and tactually distinguishable from said vibrations at said pulse frequency.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein said electric motive means is an electric motor having rotor means including said mass which is accelerated periodically at said pulse frequency.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said mass has an eccentric center of gravity to create said state of imbalance.

9. The apparatus defined by claim 2 wherein said electric motive means includes a solenoid coil for receiving said alerting signal, wherein said mass is composed of a ferromagnetic material and is disposed within said coil, and wherein said means for constraining said mass includes spring means interconnecting said mass and said supporting structure.