Apparatus for producing audible sounds in response to visual indicia

• US 5,803,748 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Publications International Limited
• Original Assignee: Publications International Limited
• Inventors: Maddrell, Richard, Maser, Thomas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US08/723,681
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 434/169, 434/178, 434/185, 434/307, 434/308, 434/317, 434/338, 345/901, 345/106, 462/17
• US Class Current: 434/317
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

An apparatus for producing audible sounds in response to visual indicia in the nature of an electronic book. The electronic book is constructed from a plurality of leaves which may be formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet or individual modular folded sheets joined back-to-back to form the pages of the book. During construction, a spacer is internally provided within each leaf to create at least one internal passageway opening at one end of the leaves at a location forming the book'"'"'s spine. An electronic circuit having pressure sensitive switches and conductive paths is provided on the surface of a dielectric substrate using conductive ink. The switches are arranged on elongated members which are inserted into a respective internal passageway within the leaves of the book. By activation of a switch by pressure applied to visual indicia on the leaves, audible sounds are produced by an on board electronic module.

Claims

1. An electronic book comprising a plurality of leaves forming pages of said book, at least one of said leaves including an internal passageway having an opening thereinto along an edge of said at least one leaf;

a flexible substrate having an elongated finger segment and a tail segment, said flexible substrate being arranged so that said elongated finger segment extends into said internal passageway through said opening in said one leaf and said tail segment is external of said internal passageway;

a switch circuit formed on said flexible substrate, said switch circuit having at least one switch located on said elongated finger segment in said internal passageway and operable in response to pressure applied to said at least one leaf overlying said switch, and said switch circuit having an external portion located on said tail segment of said flexible substrate; and

sound generating means operatively connected to said external portion of said switch circuit for generating an audible sound in response to operation of said switch.

2. The electronic book of claim 1, wherein said plurality of leaves forming pages of said book each include an internal passageway having an opening thereinto along an edge of said leaves;

wherein said flexible substrate includes a plurality of elongated finger segments each of which is arranged so as to extend into said internal passageway of one of said leaves; and

wherein said switch circuit includes a plurality of switches each of which is located on one of said elongated finger segments of said flexible substrate and each of which is operable in response to pressure applied to its respective overlying leaf to cause said sound generating means to generate an audible sound.

3. The electronic book of claim 2, wherein said switch circuit includes a plurality of individual circuit paths each of which includes one of said switches, and wherein said sound generating means is operable to generate a plurality of different audible sounds each of which is responsive to operation of one of said switches.

4. The electronic book of claim 3, wherein said edges of said leaves having said opening into said internal passageways are joined together to form a binding for said book, and wherein at least a portion of said tail segment of said flexible substrate extends along said binding of said electronic book.

5. The electronic book of claim 3, wherein said switch circuit is formed by conductive ink printed on said flexible substrate.

6. The electronic book of claim 5, wherein said flexible substrate comprises a sheet of dielectric material.

7. The electronic book of claim 3, wherein said bock includes at least one cover to which said plurality of leaves are attached, and wherein said sound generating means is mounted on said at least one cover and receives a portion of said tail segment of said flexible substrate.

8. The electronic book of claim 2, wherein said plurality of leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from individual folded sheets joined back to back, and wherein said book includes a plurality of spacers each of which is provided between a pair of adjacent pages forming one of said plurality of leaves, said spacers including cutouts providing said internal passageways.

9. The electronic book of claim 8, wherein said passageways within said leaves are staggered from one another.

10. The electronic book of claim 1, wherein said plurality of leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet.

11. The electronic book of claim 10, wherein said plurality of leaves are formed from at least two continuous accordion folded sheets joined together in end-to-end relationship.

12. The electronic book of claim 10, further including at least one spacer provided between a pair of adjacent pages forming said at least one leaf, said spacer including at least one cutout providing said internal passageway.

13. The electronic book of claim 1, wherein said plurality of leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from individual folded sheets joined back-to-back.

14. The electronic book of claim 13, further including at least one spacer provided between a pair of adjacent pages forming said at least one leaf, said spacer including at least one cutout providing said internal passageway.

15. The electronic book of claim 3, wherein said plurality of leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from a continuous sheet folded in accordion fashion, and a plurality of spacers respectively provided between pairs of adjacent pages forming said leaves, said spacers including cutouts providing said internal passageways therein.

16. The electronic book of claim 15, wherein said spacers include individual members, each of said members including said cutout providing said internal passageways.

17. The electronic book of claim 15, wherein said spacers include a pair of adjacent members formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet, at least one of said adjacent members including said cutouts providing said internal passageways.

18. The electronic book of claim 15, wherein said passageways within said leaves are staggered from one another.

19. The electronic book of claim 3, wherein each of said elongated finger segments has thereon first and second spaced apart elements forming one of said switches, and wherein each of said individual circuit paths include a first conductive path provided on one of said elongated finger segments in electrical connection with one of said first and second elements thereon.

20. The electronic book of claim 19, wherein each of said elongated finger segments is folded over onto itself such that said first and seconds elements thereon are arranged overlying each other.

21. The electronic book of claim 19, wherein said flexible substrate support is constructed of flexible dielectric material.

62. The electronic book of claim 19, wherein said plurality of elongated finger segments include one portion having said first element and a second portion separate from said first portion having said second element, said first and second portions being adhered together to maintain said first element overlying said second element.

63. The electronic book of claim 19, wherein each of said individual circuit paths include a second conductive path provided on said tail segment of said flexible substrate in electrical connection with said first conductive path provided on said elongated finger segments, and wherein said plurality of second conductive paths on said tail segment are in electrical contact with said sound generating means.

64. The electronic book of claim 63, wherein said first element of each of said switches provides an open electrical circuit in said first conductive path with which it is in electrical connection, and wherein said second element of each of said switches closes said open circuit in response to pressure applied to said respective overlying leaf.

22. An electronic book comprising a plurality of leaves forming pages of said book, a spacer within at least one leaf forming an internal passageway within said at least one leaf which has an opening thereinto, and a switch circuit having a first segment received within said passageway and a second segment extending outwardly through said opening of said passageway, said switch circuit including at least one switch in said first segment in electrical connection with at least one conductive path in said second segment, said switch including first and second spaced apart elements arranged overlying each other within said passageway and being adapted to create an electrical connection therebetween in response to pressure applied to said at least one leaf overlying one of said first and second elements and wherein at least one of said first and second elements in said first segment and said at least one conductive path in said second segment are formed on a common substrate.

23. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet.

24. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said spacer is arranged between a pair of adjacent pages forming said at least one leaf, said spacer including at least one cutout providing said internal passageway.

25. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from individual folded sheets joined back-to-back.

26. The electronic book of claim 25, wherein said spacer is arranged between a pair of adjacent pages forming said at least one leaf, said spacer including at least one cutout providing said internal passageway.

27. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from a continuous sheet folded in accordion fashion, and a plurality of said spacers respectively arranged between pairs of adjacent pages forming said leaves, said spacers including at least one cutout providing said internal passageway therein.

28. The electronic book of claim 27, wherein said spacers include individual members having said at least one cutout providing said internal passageways.

29. The electronic book of claim 27, wherein said spacers include a pair of adjacent members formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet, at least one of said adjacent members including said at least one cutout providing said internal passageway.

30. The electronic book of claim 27, wherein said passageways within said leaves are staggered from one another.

31. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said book includes a binding for binding said plurality of leaves together, and wherein said opening into said passageway extends through said binding so that said first segment of said switch circuit extends into said passageway.

32. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said common substrate includes a plurality of first segments having thereon said first and second spaced apart elements forming said switch, said first segments folded over themselves such that corresponding first and second elements are arranged overlying each other within a corresponding passageway for actuation in response to pressure applied thereto.

33. The electronic book of claim 22, further including visual indicia on said leaves overlying at least one of said first and second elements.

34. The electronic book of claim 22 further including sound generating means connected to said switch circuit by receiving said second segment having said at least one conductive path for generating audible sounds responsive to the operation of said switch.

57. The electronic book of claim 22, further including a cover for said book having said plurality of leaves attached thereto.

58. The electronic book of claim 57, further including a cover spacer arranged between said cover and one of said leaves attached to said cover, said spacer including an internal passageway between said cover and said one of said leaves attached to said cover for receiving a portion of said second segment therein.

59. The electronic book of claim 22, wherein said first segment includes one portion having said first element and a second portion separate from said first portion having said second element, said first and second portions being adhered together to maintain said first element overlying said second element.

35. An electronic book comprising a plurality of leaves forming pages of said book and having a binding, a spacer arranged between adjacent pages forming at least one of said leaves and providing an internal passageway having an opening accessible at said binding, a switch circuit on a flexible substrate having at least one elongated finger segment received within said passageway and a tail segment extending outwardly of said binding through said opening, said switch circuit including at least one switch provided on said elongated finger segment and a conductive path provided on said tail segment in electrical connection with said at least one switch, said at least one switch including first and second spaced apart elements arranged in overlying relationship on said elongated finger segment, visual indicia on a predetermined portion of said at least one leaf overlying one of said first and second elements, and generating means in electrical connection with said conductive path operative for generating audible sounds upon effecting an electrical connection between said first and second elements in response to a pressure applied to said visual indicia.

36. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said spacer includes an individual member having a cutout providing said internal passageway.

37. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said spacer includes a pair of adjacent members formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet, at least one of said adjacent members including said cutout providing said internal passageway.

38. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from a continuous sheet folded in accordion fashion having inside fold lines and outside fold lines, said inside fold lines forming said binding, said spacer including at least one cutout providing said internal passageway therein for receiving said elongated finger segment when folded over itself.

39. The electronic book of claim 38, wherein said spacer includes an individual member having said cutout.

40. The electronic book of claim 38, wherein said spacer includes a pair of adjacent members formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet, at least one of said adjacent members including said cutout.

41. The electronic book of claim 35, further including a spacer arranged between adjacent pages from each of said leaves and each of said spacers providing an internal passageway having an opening accessible at said binding, and wherein said passageways within said leaves are staggered from one another.

42. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said elongated finger segment includes a first portion having said first element thereon and a second portion having said second element thereon, and wherein said finger segment is folded over onto itself such that said first and second elements are in overlying relationship to one another.

43. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said elongated finger segment includes a first portion having said first element thereon and a second portion separate from said first portion and having said second element thereon, and wherein said first and second portions are adhered together to maintain said first and second elements in overlying relationship.

44. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein each of said elongated finger segments is folded over itself along a fold line, and has said first and second elements spaced apart on opposite sides of said fold line so as to be arranged in overlying relationship when said elongated finger segment is folded over itself.

46. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said plurality of leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet.

50. The electronic book of claim 35, wherein said leaves include pairs of adjacent pages formed from individual folded sheets joined back-to-back.

51. The electronic book of claim 50, wherein said spacer is arranged between a pair of adjacent pages forming said at least one leaf, said spacer including at least one cut-out providing said internal passageway.

60. The electronic book of claim 35, further including a cover for said book having said plurality of leaves attached thereto.

61. The electronic book of claim 60, further including a cover spacer arranged between said cover and one of said leaves attached to said cover, said cover spacer including an internal passageway between said cover and said one of said leaves attached to said cover for receiving a portion of said tail segment therein.

65. The electronic book of claim 41, wherein said flexible substrate has a plurality of elongated finger segments each received within one of said passageways and connected to said tail segment, and wherein said switch circuit includes a switch provided on each of said elongated finger segments, each of said switches including first and second spaced apart elements arranged in overlying relationship on said respective elongated finger segments.

66. The electronic book of claim 65, wherein said switch circuit includes a conductive path provided on said tail segment for each of said switches, wherein visual indicia is provided on a predetermined portion of each of said leaves overlying one of said first and second elements, and wherein each of said conductive paths is in electrical connection with said generating means for generating audible sounds upon effecting an electrical connection between one of said first and second elements in response to a pressure applied to its respective visual indicia on its respective leaf.

45. The electronic book of clam 35, wherein each of said elongated finger segments includes one portion having said first element thereon and a second portion separate from said first portion having said second element thereon, and wherein said first and second portions are adhered together to maintain said first and second elements in overlying relationship.

47. The electronic book of clam 46, wherein said leaves further include a plurality of said spacers respectively arranged between pairs of adjacent pages forming said leaves, said spacers including at least one cut-out providing said internal passageway therein.

48. The electronic book of claim 47, wherein said spacers include individual members having said at least one cut-out providing said internal passageways.

49. The electronic book of claim 47, wherein said spacers include a pair of adjacent members formed from a continuous accordion folded sheet, at least one of said adjacent members including said at least one cut-out providing said internal passageway.

52. A switch circuit for assembly in an electronic book having a plurality of leaves forming pages, said switch circuit comprising a flexible substrate having a plurality of elongated finger segments, a switch including first and second spaced apart elements arranged overlying each other provided on each of said elongated finger segments, and a conductive path for each of said switches provided on said flexible substrate in electrical connection with one of each of said first and second elements, and each of said elongated finger segments insertable within an interior region of said leaves so that each of said switches is responsive to pressure applied to said leaves.

53. The switch circuit of claim 52, wherein said flexible substrate comprises dielectric material.

54. The switch circuit of claim 52, wherein each of said first elements comprises a switch circuit grid and each of said second elements comprises a shorting pad.

55. The switch circuit of claim 52, further including a plurality of said switches provided on each of said elongated finger segments.

56. The switch circuit of claim 52, wherein said elongated finger segments are each folded over themselves such that said first and second elements are arranged overlying each other.