Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B21/00—Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B21/00—Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute
  • G09B21/001—Teaching or communicating with blind persons
  • G09B21/003—Teaching or communicating with blind persons using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of devices intended for transmitting tactile information to a user. It relates more particularly to a device comprising a tactile interface formed by a plate having a surface capable of being modified in a controlled manner, the plate comprising a set of elements for modifying the surface.
• Such plates are used in particular in touch panels or a touch interface for communicating information, for example in the automotive field or in that of communicating objects, for example mobile phones or computer mice, or even to the blind.
• the invention also applies in the field of virtual reality, for example to reproduce the sensation of a texture.
• US Patent 6,159,013 describes a portable optical sensor for the blind.
• the device comprises a touch plate provided with holes in which elements for modifying the surface of the plate • constituted in this case by rods are movable.
• the position of the rods is electromagnetically controlled.
• An addressing circuit associated with addressing control means receiving the tactile data to be displayed determines the circulation of currents in coils for controlling the position of the rods.
• a rod may or may not emerge from a touch surface of the touch plate. The control of each of the rods thus makes it possible to form patterns on the plate.
• Shape memory alloys are known per se. These are alloys capable of transforming thermal energy supplied to them into mechanical work. They can then restore deformations of the order of 6 to 8% and generate relatively large forces when they are heated.
• MFAs are generally inexpensive and the physical implementation of the actuation by heating can be carried out simply.
• AMF Shape memory alloys
• the present invention relates to a device comprising a tactile interface formed by a plate.
• the plate has a surface capable of being modified in a controlled manner, the plate comprises for this purpose a set of movable parts of elements for modifying the surface which is simple to produce and of a reduced bulk.
• the present invention also relates to a device comprising a touch interface having a high modification resolution.
• the plate When it is spoken of a plate, it does not necessarily mean that the plate has a planar shape. It may be a surface, for example cylindrical in the geometric sense. It can also be one or more layers deposited on a substrate by technologies used in microelectronics.
• the plate is made of shape memory material or comprises at least one under plate made of such material.
• the set of movable parts of plate modification elements consists of a set of one or more blades (s) monolithically secured to the plate by one or more arms monolithically secured to the blade and the plate, one or more recess (s) blade release (s) being present on a portion of a perimeter of the blade, the blade having a first position at a first temperature and a second position at a second temperature.
• the device includes means for controlling surface modification elements.
• the return to the first form is obtained by the fact that the plate has undergone a heat treatment allowing a double direction.
• a first heating of a part of the plate results in a change of form of this part from a first form to a second form.
• a cooling of this same part leads to the return to the first form.
• This first embodiment allows control of the exposure time of a pattern produced on the plate.
• the blade is connected to the plate by several arms.
• One (or more) first arm (s) has (have) a memorized shape, which they can recover by heating, and one (or more) second arm (s) have not undergone treatment local thermal.
• the plate is formed from two sub-plates assembled to each other for example by welding or gluing so as not to form only one plate.
• a first under plate is made of a material A with shape memory.
• a second under plate is made of an elastic material B.
• a heated part of the first sub-plate made of material A will cause this part to be deformed by deformation of the material A resulting in elastic deformation of the material B.
• the plate is made of shape memory material
• the plate is constituted by two sub-plates made of shape memory material, a material A and a material C, the same 'or different from the other, for example in the form of two welded plates or glued to each other to form a single plate.
• Parts of the sub-plate of material A have a first cold form and a second hot form.
• Corresponding parts of the sub-plate made of material C have a first cold form and a second hot form.
• the second hot form of the corresponding part of material C is such that in this form the sub-plate returns to its first form.
• the operation is as follows: Part of the sub-plate made of material A for example, is deformed by heating and regains its memorized shape.
• the deformation of the part made of material A leads to a mechanical deformation of the corresponding part of the sub-plate made of material C. If at this stage the alloy C is heated, the alloy C regains its memorized shape so that all of the two alloys return to the initial form.
• this third embodiment the two layers of material A and C are connected to each other by means of a layer of thermal insulation. It is thus possible to heat the layers of material A and C independently.
• This third embodiment allows, like the second embodiment, a control of the exposure time of a pattern produced on the plate.
• the means for controlling the means for transforming the elements for modifying the tactile sensation comprise one or more laser emitters, the radiation of each of which is used to effect the transformation of a or several means for transforming elements for modifying the tactile sensation.
• the control means also comprise, as in the prior art, a control circuit for selecting according to tactile data to be displayed at a given instant, the elements for modifying the tactile sensation on which it is necessary to act to obtain the display of the tactile data, and direct the radiation from the laser emitter to these selected elements.
• these control means comprise an addressing circuit, and a control circuit of the addressing circuit which directly controls the addressing circuit addressing the elements on which it is necessary to act.
• This same configuration of the control means can be found in one invention for cases where there are as many laser emitters as there are transformation elements, each transformation element being in one-to-one correspondence with a laser emitter.
• the control means act on means for displacing the radiation emitted by this laser emitter in order to successively apply the radiation to the transformation elements on which it is necessary to act. held touch data to display.
• the control circuit is in two stages, a first stage for selecting lasers whose radiation will be used to produce the display, for example in the form of an addressing circuit controlling the emission of 'radiation from laser emitters, these laser emitters being by means of radiation distribution means in correspondence with transformation means necessary for the formation of the projected display of tactile data, and a second stage acting on means of displacement of the radiation emitted by each laser, the radiation of which is used for the projected display, in order to successively apply the radiation to the transformation elements in correspondence with this laser emitter, on which action must be taken taking into account the tactile data to be displayed.
• control means relating to the selection of the radiations useful for a given display and for controlling the displacements of the radiation is within the reach of those skilled in the art and will not be discussed further in the present description.
• the means for controlling the elements for modifying the tactile sensation comprise a laser transmitter controlling a plurality of elements for modifying the tactile sensation and means for making the radiation mobile with one or more two degrees of freedom.
• the tactile sensation will be renewed at a frequency which is a function of the power of the laser, of the number of transformation means with which a laser is associated, of the application time necessary to pass from the rest position. at the working position, and the speed of movement made possible by the means for making the radiation mobile with one or two degrees of freedom.
• the radiation of a laser common for example to the means of transformation of the elements of modification of the tactile sensation of a line can be directed successively for example to each of the elements of modification of the tactile sensation of the line which must be modified.
• This command may be obtained by first means of translating the laser assigned to this line, or by a reflector controlled in rotation, receiving the radiation from the laser, the rotation of said reflector controlling the rotation of the radiation. received to send it to the line transformation means that require transformation.
• the radiation is made mobile with two degrees of freedom
• these two degrees are in a first embodiment constituted by both means of translation of the laser and a reflector controlled in rotation.
• the axis of rotation of the reflector is parallel to the translation vector.
• the translation or rotation means control the translation of the translation means or the rotation of the reflector respectively, to send the radiation to at least part of the modification elements of the display device.
• the second degree of freedom is obtained by the fact that a second means of translation is added to the first means of translation, or by the fact that the reflector is made to rotate in two axes which are not parallel to each other.
• the shape memory only concerns the arm or arms connecting the blade to the continuum of the plate, the arms having a first shape above a predetermined temperature and a second shape below this temperature.
• the elements for modifying the tactile sensation are thus each constituted by a blade and its connecting arm or arms.
• the blade is a movable member mechanically linked to the arm.
• the radiation emitted by the laser acts by heating the arm (s).
• the device according to the invention allows thermal actuation without electrical contact, which reduces the complexity of addressing and facilitates production.
• FIG. 1 represents a plate forming a tactile interface and comprising a set of elements for modifying the surface of the plate.
• FIG. 2 represents a first embodiment of one of the modification elements of the plate in top view on a part A and in view in cut along line BB of part A, in part B.
• Figure 3 shows a top view of a second embodiment of the invention
• Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a plate according to an alternative embodiment of the second embodiment of one invention.
• Figure 5 has parts A to F.
• Part A shows a cross-sectional view of a plate according to a third embodiment of the invention.
• Part B represents a top view of a first sub-plate of a third embodiment of one of the modification elements of the plate
• part C represents a bottom view of a second sub-plate of the third example of one of the modification elements of the plate
• part D represents a top view of the third embodiment of one of the modification elements of the plate, the first and second sub-plates being assembled.
• Parts E and F respectively represent sections along the lines EE and FF of parts B and C of the memorized form of the first and second under plates respectively.
• FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a device comprising a touch interface according The invention comprising laser control means in which the displacement of the laser radiation is obtained by a translation table,
• FIG. 7 shows an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a device comprising a touch interface according to the invention and comprising laser control means, in which the displacement of the laser radiation is obtained by rotation two axes of a mirror receiving the radiation emitted by the laser transmitter,
• FIG. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a device comprising a touch interface according to the invention, and comprising laser control means in which the laser emitters are in number equal to the number of elements touch plate modification,
• FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of an embodiment in which the elements for modifying the tactile sensation consist of a surface of a material which conducts heat.
• FIG. 1 represents a plate 10 having an upper surface 10a comprising a set of elements 25 for modifying the surface 10a of the plate 10.
• Each element 25 has been represented in the form of a part, for example. a rectangle, of the entire surface of the plate 10a. Examples of such elements will be discussed later.
• these elements 25 have been shown arranged in a matrix form in rows and columns. This provision is not compulsory.
• the plate 10 is a plate comprising at least one sub-plate of shape memory material. This plate is shown in solid lines. It will be seen later, during the description of the elements 25, that the plate 10 may for example comprise a layer 12 and a layer 11, each layer forming an under plate and the two under plates being integral with one another .
• FIG. 1 represents a plate 10 having an upper surface 10a comprising a set of elements 25 for modifying the surface 10a of the plate 10.
• Each element 25 has been represented in the form of a part, for example. a rectangle, of the entire surface of the plate 10a. Examples of such elements will be
• FIG. 2 comprises a part A and a part B.
• Part A represents a schematic top view of an element 25 for modifying the surface 10a of the plate 10.
• Part B represents a cross section of this same element along the line BB of part A.
• Element 25 is a rectangle-shaped part of a plate 10 made of a shape memory material having undergone a treatment to make it two-way.
• a blade 23 is obtained by cutting the plate 10 forming around the blade 23 a recess 14.
• This recess 14 is present on the entire perimeter of the blade 23, with the exception of a connection part of the blade 23 to an arm 13, connecting the blade 23 to the continuum of the plate 10.
• the arm 13 has in a first memorized form a direction parallel to the plane of the plate 10 as shown in solid lines in part B.
• a part of the arm shown diagrammatically at 21 When the temperature of a part of the arm shown diagrammatically at 21 is raised above a predetermined temperature, it takes a second memorized form shown in dotted lines in part B. In this second memorized form it forms a non-zero angle with the plane of the plate 10 so that the blade 23 is raised.
• the arm 13 is cooled, it returns to the first memorized shape and the blade 23 is again found in the plane of the plate 10.
• the arm 13 changes shape by bending.
• the arm 13 can also change shape by twisting.
• the blade 23 is movable by rotation about the axis BB.
• the arm 13 can also change shape by twisting and bending, which gives the blade a displacement with two degrees of freedom.
• the shape memory material will for example be a nickel-titanium or a copper alloy with shape memory, for example, CuZnAl or CuAlNi or CuAlBe.
• the shape memory material constituting the plate 10 is a one-way material.
• the blade 23 is connected to the continuum of the plate by first 13 and second 15 arms.
• first 13 and second 15 arms One, as shown in FIG. 3, or several first arms 13 have a first cold form and a second hot form.
• One or more second arms 15 undergo during the passage of the first arms 13 from their cold shape to their memorized shape, an elastic deformation. Due to this elastic deformation, a restoring force is created which contributes to bringing the blade 23 back to its first shape when it is cooled.
• an element 25 of the plate 10 a with a view to above the form commented above in relation to FIG. 2.
• the plate is formed from two sub-plates 16, 17 assembled to each other for example by welding or gluing so as to form only one single plate -as shown in FIG. 4.
• a first sub-plate 16 is made of a material A with shape memory.
• a second under plate 17 is made of an elastic material B.
• the material B can for example be spring steel or a beryllium copper alloy or else a harder material such as silicon used in microelectronics.
• the arm 13 and the blade 23 having a top view of the shape shown in FIG. 2 are like the rest of the plate 10 formed of two sub-plates 16, 17 superimposed on each other.
• the arm 13 thus comprises two superimposed parts 13a and 13b respectively.
• elements 25 for modifying the surface 10a of the plate 10 comprising the shape memory material, incorporate elastic elements 15, 13b mechanically connected on the one hand to the plate 10 and on the other hand to the element 25 for modifying the surface 10a of the plate 10 to which they belong, these elastic elements exerting a restoring force on the element 25 for modifying the surface of the plate to bring it back from the second to first form.
• the plate 10 is formed of two sub-plates 16, 19 assembled to each other for example by welding or gluing so as to form only a single plate 10.
• the two sub-plates 16, 19 are adherent, one to an upper face and the other to a lower face of an intermediate layer 18 of thermally insulating material.
• a first under plate 16 is made of a material A with shape memory.
• a second under plate 19 is made of a second material C with shape memory having a memorized form different from the memorized form of the first.
• An exemplary embodiment of a modification element 25 is shown in plan view in FIG. 5, part B.
• a blade 23a is obtained in the sub-plate 16 by means of two recesses 14, a first 14 having a U shape surrounding the blade 23a on three of its sides, and a second 14a having a circle shape located substantially on the side of the open part of the U.
• the recess 14a in the shape of a circle has a diameter less than the distance separating the two parallel arms of the U so that two arms 13a join the blade 23a to the rest of the continuum of the plate.
• FIG. 5 part C represents a bottom view of the element 25. In this view only a part 25 c of the element 25 produced in the sub-plate 19 is visible. A blade 23c is obtained by making a recess 14 all around the blade, with the exception of a central arm 13 ⁇ joining the blade 23c to the rest of the continuum of the plate. In Figures 5 part B and C, there are shown shaded parts a and c respectively on which the heating for change of shape is applied.
• the heating can be applied by any known means. It can also be applied by irradiation with a laser beam scanning the area to be heated on command.
• the assembly of parts 25a and 25c is shown in top view in FIG. 5, part D. It can be seen in this figure that the subpart 25a of an element 25 for modifying the surface 10a of the plate 10 formed in the subplate 16 has its recessed part 14a present above the solid sub-part 13 ⁇ forming in the case shown the arm 13c of the sub-part 25c of the other under plate 19.
• This arrangement is advantageous in the sense that it is possible with a single laser controlled by scanning, heat either the deformable part shown in a FIG. 5 part B of the upper subplate 16 or alternatively the deformable part 13c of the lower subplate 19.
• the operation is as follows: Part a of the sub-plate 16 made of material A for example, is deformed by heating and regains its shape ' memorized.
• FIG. 6 represents an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a device comprising a tactile interface in the form of a plate 10 according to the invention, in which control means 40 comprise laser means 42.
• the display device 1 comprises a touch plate 10, as described above in relation to FIG. 1.
• the touch plate can also in this case be a plate made of heat conducting material, which is in the form of a continuum.
• elements still exist. They are determined at all times, for example in the form of pixels, by the position of the radiation laser on the surface.
• the size of the pixels is in this case determined by the size of the minimum surface which is heated by laser radiation applied to a surface of the plate which is for example opposite the touch surface 10a, without being able to distinguish visually a delimitation of these elements.
• the modification of the tactile sensation then consists of a temperature difference between hot pixels and cold pixels.
• the device 1 also includes control means 40 for selectively addressing the means 28 for transforming the elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation, so as to produce at all times a determined tactile sensation at the level of the entire surface. 10a on the touch plate 10.
• the control means 40 of the elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation comprise one or more laser emitter (s) 42 the radiation of each of which is used to effect the transformation of one or more several elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation.
• a single laser 42 has been shown.
• the radiation from the laser 42 can be moved to each of the elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation.
• the laser transmitter 42 is mounted on a translation table 43 which can be a table with a translation axis and first translation means along this first axis, or a two-axis table further equipped with second means of translation according to this second axis, in itself known, in one or other of these forms.
• the table 43 is equipped with motor means not shown for moving the laser emitter and therefore the point of application of its radiation successively under transformation means 28 selected by a control circuit 41, receiving the tactile data to display.
• the circuit 41 controls on the one hand the motor means of the translation table 43 and on the other hand the emission or not of the laser transmitter 42, for example by action on a Pockel cell in optical series with the transmitter laser 42 and a polarizer. All these elements in themselves well known have not been shown.
• means for focusing the radiation for example in the form of a lens, have not been shown.
• the laser transmitter 42 does not have to be moved. It may be sufficient, as shown in FIG. 6, to move one end 45 of an optical fiber 44, the other end of which receives radiation from the laser emitter 42.
• control means 40 of the elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation comprise, in addition to the laser emitter (s) 42, the control circuit
• the operation is as follows.
• the laser radiation is successively displaced by means of the table 43, towards the elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation, which must be transformed in a working position, to form the image.
• the transformation can be obtained in a single pass, with a stop time on each element 25 for modifying the tactile sensation sufficient to cause the transformation of the element.
• the transformation can also be obtained in several successive passages, the sum of the successive stopping times on each element 25 for modifying the tactile sensation being sufficient to cause the transformation of the element.
• a next image following a previous image is applied in the same way after the time necessary for the return of the elements for modifying the tactile sensation in a rest position.
• FIG. 7 represents an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a device comprising a tactile interface in the form of a plate 10 according to the invention, in which control means 40 include laser means 42.
• control means 40 include laser means 42.
• the translation table 43 has been replaced by a movable mirror 47 movable along two axes perpendicular to each other.
• the laser emitter 42 emits its radiation directly or via an optical fiber (not shown) towards the movable mirror 47.
• the control circuit 41 receiving the tactile data to be displayed controls via means for changing position 48, 49 the rotational position of the mirror 47.
• Such means for rotating a reflector are known in themselves. The operation is the same as in the example shown in FIG. 6, the displacement of the radiation in this case, obtained by controlled rotation of the mirror 47.
• FIG. 8 represents an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a device comprising a tactile interface in the form of a plate 10 according to the invention, in which control means 40 include laser means 42. in in this third mode, the laser transmitters 42 are equal in number to the number of tactile modification elements 25 of the touch plate 10.
• the control means 40 includes a monolithic layer 30, preferably obtained by using collective manufacturing techniques, in particular microelectronics.
• This layer comprises a number of lasers 42 equal to the number of elements 25 for modifying the tactile sensation.
• the radiation from a laser transmitter 42 can be applied unequivocally to one and only one of the elements 25.
• the control circuit 41 is in this case a simple addressing circuit for the transmitters 42 which must transmit for the formation of a current image.
• this embodiment requires an addressing circuit which can become complex if the number of elements 25 to be addressed is large, it has the advantage of being able to be produced according to collective manufacturing techniques, as indicated above for the layer 30, but also for the touch plate 10, and the addressing circuit 41.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Educational Administration (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Educational Technology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Micromachines (AREA)
• Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=32472031

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (41)

Family Cites Families (26)

• 2003
  • 2003-04-09 FR FR0350092A patent/FR2849258B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-12-17 WO PCT/FR2003/050187 patent/WO2004059597A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2003-12-17 AU AU2003302292A patent/AU2003302292A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-17 EP EP03810851A patent/EP1573700A2/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-12-17 JP JP2005509714A patent/JP2006511898A/ja active Pending
  • 2003-12-17 KR KR1020057011184A patent/KR20050084375A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-12-17 US US10/540,118 patent/US20060154216A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events