Method and apparatus for producing embossed images

• US 5,823,691 A
• Filed: 05/15/1997
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oregon State University (Oregon University System)
• Original Assignee: Oregon State University (Oregon University System)
• Inventors: Langner, Peter S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US08/857,475
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 101/18, 101/19, 101/21, 101/12, 101/13, 101/15, 101/16, 101/17, 101/26, 101/32, 400/120.01, 400/118.2, 400/127, 400/129, 400/130, 400/131, 400/132, 400/134, 400/135, 434/113, 434/114, 434/115
• US Class Current: 400/127
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/32 for printing in Braille or with keyboards specially adapted for use by blind or disabled persons
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/38 for embossing, e.g. for making matrices for stereotypes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/02 Devices for Braille writing typewriters for Braille B41J3/32

Abstract

An embossing device, which can produce traditional braille cells and crisp, well-defined, raised images of graphical subjects is disclosed. Embossing of sheet material is accomplished using punches which have embossing faces shaped to mate with recessed areas on the surface of a platen.

Claims

1. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen having a surface which includes an array of elevated and depressed regions;

an embossing head that is movable relative to the platen and that bears at least one punch mechanism comprising an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while the face of the tool is located opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet and to the platen such that the embossing face is positioned opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen to emboss the sheet at a desired location.

2. The embosser of claim 1 wherein the positioning apparatus is adapted to move the platen, the embossing head and the sheet.

3. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen having a surface which includes an array of elevated and depressed regions which comprise a first set of multiple evenly-spaced parallel channels and a second set of multiple evenly-spaced parallel channels;

an embossing head bearing an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while the face of the tool is located opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet such that the embossing face is positioned to emboss the sheet at a desired location.

4. The embosser of claim 3 wherein the parallel channels of the first set intersect the parallel channels of the second set at right angles.

5. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen having a surface which includes an array of elevated and depressed regions;

an embossing head having embossing tools which have embossing faces that form dots, vertical line segments, and horizontal line segments, and having at least one actuator to selectively move the tools toward the platen while the face of the tool being moved is located opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet such that the embossing faces are selectively positioned to emboss the sheet at desired locations.

6. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen having a surface which includes an array of elevated and depressed regions;

an embossing head having a tool with an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while the face of the tool is located opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head, the embossing face being shaped to produce a raised line segment when the tool is forced into the sheet; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet such that the embossing face is positioned to emboss the sheet at a desired location.

7. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen having a surface which includes an array of elevated and depressed regions;

an embossing head having a tool which comprises a wheel punch which has an embossing wheel that has an embossing face and that is mounted to rotate about an axis and having an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while the embossing face is located opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet such that the embossing face is positioned to emboss the sheet at a desired location and such that the embossing wheel rotates about the axis while the embossing head is moved in relation to the platen and the tool is in contact with the sheet.

8. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

a cylindrical embosser platen having a surface which includes an array of elevated and depressed regions, the depressed regions being a first set of multiple parallel channels and a second set of multiple parallel channels, the first set of channels intersecting the second set of channels at right angles; and

an embossing head bearing at least one punch mechanism comprising an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to move the embossing head to a location, relative to the embosser platen, at which the face of the tool is located opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen.

9. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen;

an embossing head bearing at least one punch mechanism comprising an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head, the face of at least one such embossing tool having an elongated edge such that a raised line segment is produced when the edge is forced into the sheet; and

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet such that the embossing face is positioned to emboss the sheet at a desired location.

10. The embosser of claim 9 wherein the tool having an elongated edge comprises a wheel punch which has an embossing wheel that is mounted to rotate about an axis while the embossing head is moved in relation to the platen and the tool is in contact with the sheet.

11. An embosser for forming raised areas in a planar sheet, the embosser comprising:

an embosser platen;

an embossing head bearing at least one punch mechanism comprising an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen while a sheet to be embossed is located between the platen and the head;

a positioning apparatus which includes a motor to vary the location of the embossing head relative to the sheet such that the embossing face is positioned to emboss the sheet at a desired location; and

an actuator control mechanism to adjust the amount of force at which the face presses into the sheet so that the height of an embossed raised area can be altered from location to location along the sheet by adjusting the amount of the force applied by the actuator at that area.

12. A method for embossing raised areas into a sheet of material, the method comprising:

providing an embosser including (a) an embosser platen having a surface which comprises an array of elevated and depressed regions, (b) an embossing head bearing at least one punch mechanism comprising an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen, and (c) a positioning mechanism to vary the position of the embossing head relative to both the platen and to a sheet of material to be embossed;

positioning a sheet of material to be embossed between the platen and the embossing head;

positioning the embossing head, the platen, and the sheet relative to one another such that the face is located at a position which is opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and which is where embossing of the sheet is desired; and

operating the actuator to supply sufficient force to press the face into the sheet and press a portion of the sheet into the depressed region which is opposite the face.

13. A method for embossing raised areas into a sheet of material, the method comprising:

providing an embosser including (a) an embosser platen having a surface which comprises an array of elevated and depressed regions, (b) an embossing head bearing multiple embossing tools with each of at least two of the tools having different faces which emboss raised areas which are different in shape or texture and bearing at least one actuator to selectively move the tools toward the platen, and (c) a positioning mechanism to adjust the position of the embossing head relative to a sheet of material to be embossed;

positioning a sheet of material to be embossed between the platen and the embossing head;

positioning the embossing head, the platen, and the sheet relative to one another such that the face of one of the tools is located at a position which is opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and which is where embossing of the sheet is desired; and

selectively moving the tools toward the platen at different locations along the sheet to press the tool faces into the sheet, press portions of the sheet into the depressed regions which are opposite the faces, and produce an embossed graphic image comprised of multiple raised areas, at least some of the raised areas being different in shape or texture than other of the raised areas so that a person can tactually sense a difference between the raised areas.

14. A method for embossing raised areas into a sheet of material, the method comprising:

providing an embosser including (a) an embosser platen having a surface which comprises an array of elevated and depressed regions, (b) an embossing head bearing at least one punch mechanism comprising an embossing tool having an embossing face and an actuator to move the tool toward the platen, and (c) a positioning mechanism to adjust the position of the embossing head relative to a sheet of material to be embossed;

positioning a sheet of material to be embossed between the platen and the embossing head;

positioning the embossing head, the platen, and the sheet relative to one another such that the face is located at a position which is opposite one of the depressed regions of the platen and which is where embossing of the sheet is desired;

operating the actuator at multiple such positions along the sheet to produce an embossed image comprised of multiple raised areas, the amount of force applied by the actuator being adjusted from location to location such that at least some of the raised areas are of a height that is different than the height of other of the raised areas produced by the same punch mechanism.