Machine-operator interface methods

• US 4,799,083 A
• Filed: 06/22/1987
• Issued: 01/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Knodt, Ruediger W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, A. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Ed
• Application Number:
  US07/064,726
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 200/308-314, 200/317, 200/11 TW, 200/5 A, 200/159 B, 355/14 R, 355/14 C, 355/3 R, 340/709, 364/518, 364/521
• US Class Current: 40/518
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/502 relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/022 Plasma display
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/064 Optical isolation of switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/002 integral with membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/048 Insertion moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/00 Applications

Abstract

The present invention is a membrane switch having first and second contacts, a graphic overlay, and a bezel combination, the graphic overlay molded to the bezel, the graphic overlay supporting a tactile actuator, the actuator being molded to the overlay and disposed in relation to the contacts for engagement of the contacts upon application of pressure to said actuator. A plasma, solid area illuminator behind an LCD display is also provided as well as a scrolling device to layer information presented to an operator.

Claims

1. In a reproduction machine, a control panel having a display area for displaying information for operating the machine comprising:

a housing supporting the control panel,

a plurality of rolls, the rolls being secured to the housing for rotating therein,

a scroll, the scroll being entrained about the rolls and having a plurality of segmented sections, each of the sections providing machine control information,

illuminating means disposed within the housing, the illuminating means being positioned to project light toward the display area, a portion of the scroll being disposed intermediate the illuminating means and the display area,

scrolling means connected to scroll to sequentially position each of the segmented sections in the display area to progressively and selectively prompt the operator in machine operation and

a take-up roll, said take-up roll cooperating with said plurality of rolls to expand the number of said segmented sections.