Tactile braille or graphic display

• US 4,772,205 A
• Filed: 04/22/1987
• Issued: 09/20/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hellinger, Leopold, Kauer, Christian, Chlumsky, Lubomir
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Welsh, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/041,215
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 434/113, 434/114, 340/407
• US Class Current: 434/114
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

A tactile braille or graphic display with a laminar display carrier with pattern points which are raised in their tangible positions and are formed by the hemispherical surfaces of feeler balls projecting through openings in the top of the display carrier which feeler balls are selectively brought into their tangible position by adjustment of associated locking balls. A locking armature which can be slid into the underside of the display carrier is provided to adjust each locking ball. This armature can firstly be slid into the locking position by means of a setting armature of a moving setting device and secondly can be released from the locking position by the setting armature after the latter is magnetized. The locking ball is spring-loaded and in the locking position is moved under the feeler ball against the pressure of the spring by the locking armature in order to hold the feeler ball in its tangible position, and preferably a further filling ball serving as a spacer is disposed between the feeler ball and the locking ball. The locking armature is provided with a shoulder which partially grips around the locking ball in the locking position, producing an easily releasable clamping connection, and holds the locking armature in the locking position. The setting armatures for a plurality of pattern points, in particular for the pattern points of a line of shapes, are disposed together with their magnetizing windings on a common setting device which is disposed so as to be displaceable at right angles to the direction of the line of shapes on rails provided at both sides of the display carrier and is adjustable in relation to the display carrier with the aid of eccentrics for the purpose of adjusting the tangible positions of the pattern points of this line of shapes.

Claims

1. A tactile braille or graphic display comprising:

a laminar display carrier having a plurality of openings in a top surface thereof;

a plurality of display elements having a hemispherical upper surface movable within said display carrier to selectively project said hemispherical surface through said openings in a tangible position;

a plurality of locking elements for moving said display elements into said tangible position;

a locking armature slidable into the underside of said display carrier to adjust each locking element against resilient pressure;

a movable setting device including a setting armature and a magnetizing winding;

said locking armature being firstly slidable into a locking position by means of said setting armature which is moved by a mechanical means and being secondly movable out of the locking position by said setting armature after said setting armature is magnetized.

2. A display according to claim 1, wherein said locking element is a spring-loaded locking ball which is moved under the feeler ball by the locking armature against a spring pressure in the locking position in order to hold the feeler ball in its tangible position.

3. A display according to claim 1, wherein a further filling ball serving as a spacer is disposed between the feeler ball and the locking ball.

4. A display according to claim 1, wherein the locking armature is provided with a shoulder which partially grips around the locking ball in the locking position, forming an easily releasable clamping connection.

5. A display according to claim 1, wherein the setting armatures for a plurality of pattern points, in particular for the pattern points of a line of shapes, are disposed together with their magnetizing windings on a common setting device.

6. A display according to claim 5, wherein the setting device provided for a line of shapes is disposed so as to be displaceable at right angles to the direction of the line of shapes on rails provided at both sides of the display carrier and is adjustable in relation to the display carrier with the aid of eccentrics for the purpose of adjusting the tangible positions of the pattern points of this line of shapes.

7. A display according to claim 6, wherein the eccentrics are disposed so as to be slidable on the rails but are prevented from rotating in relation to the rails by means of a longitudinal groove.

8. A display according to claim 1, wherein said display elements comprise feeler balls.

9. A tactile braille or graphic display comprising:

a laminar display carrier having a plurality of openings in a top surface thereof;

a plurality of feeler balls movable within said display carrier to selectively project an upper hemispherical surface through said openings in a tangible position;

a plurality of locking elements comprising spring loaded locking balls for moving said display elements into said tangible position;

a locking armature slidable into the underside of said display carrier to adjust each locking element by moving the locking ball under the feeler ball against a spring pressure in the locking position in order to hold the feeler ball in its tangible position;

said locking armature being provided with a shoulder which partially grips around the locking ball in the locking position, forming an easily releasable clamping connection;

a further filling ball functioning as a spacer between each feeler ball and locking ball;

a moving setting device including a setting armature and a magnetizing winding;

said locking armature being firstly slidable into a locking position by means of said setting armature which is moved by a mechanical means and being secondly movable out of the locking position by said setting armature after said setting armatur is magnetized.