ES2424566A1 - Braille embosser - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a braille embosser that can be used by blind people and is connected to a computer from which it receives a stamp to be embossed. It comprises an inlet/outlet tray (1) with a groove (2) via which the paper to be embossed is introduced and then removed once it has been embossed. Inside, there are presence sensors (3) that detect whether the paper has been introduced correctly, and if it has, a first motor (5) is activated in order to move rollers (4) that move the paper towards the inside. The paper is embossed by means of hammer pins (7) mounted on a head (6), and at the end of the process, the paper is ejected and the user can retrieve it. The invention comprises light leds and sound alarms for indicating to the user, at any time, whether the operations are being carried out correctly or whether an error has been made.

Description

Braille recorder.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be included in the technical field of braille recorders that can be used by blind people.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The latest reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) report that in the next 15 years the world population with blindness will be 180 million people. At present, every 5 seconds a person goes blind in the world.

Currently in any company administration, public body, association, commerce, etc. Millions of documents are stamped every day, which are used to give certainty of the concept, the expiration date, the amount, the management carried out, the date, etc. However, today there is no equivalence regarding specific ringing readable for blind people who must rely on the good faith of the document issuer since they have no way to verify that information.

Thus, there is a need to develop products that allow the stamping of official documents that can be accessed by blind people.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a braille recorder that is designed to be used by any person, even people with partial or total lack of vision.

The proposed Braille recorder is designed so that the person using it can complete the marking action without needing help. It does not require buttons for its activation, since it includes sensors that allow detecting if there is paper in the recorder and if it is folded. In addition, the recorder is provided with light LEDs and audible alarms that indicate to the user the start and end of the marking head of the recorder, that is, the beginning and end of the marking process.

In this way, regardless of the degree of vision that the user has, he will have certainty of the correct ringing, and can take out the sure document that the marking has been completed.

The braille recorder comprises an outlet and comprises a connection with a computer. The stamp to be printed with the braille recorder must be pre-programmed so that the device to which the recorder is connected must send the information to be printed already coded.

It has a single tray for entry and exit of the paper to be marked so that the person who wants to mark a document inserts the paper through the tray, waits for the end of the marking and removes the paper through the same tray through which it was inserted .

Inside the input tray there are at least two presence sensors, each located at one side of the input tray so that they can detect the presence or not of paper to be marked to send a light and sound signal to the user when it is detected that the paper has been inserted correctly. Likewise, it may be the case that the user has inserted the crooked paper, in which case one of the presence sensors detects that there is paper and the other does not, and an error light and sound signal is sent to the user to remove the paper and insert it well.

When the paper has been correctly inserted, a first motor that rotates rollers that move the paper into the recorder is activated until it is detected by position sensors, located at the rear end of the input / output tray which determine the position at which the marking begins.

The marking is carried out by means of percussors mounted on a moving head, driven by a second motor, on a belt arranged between two limit switches that mark the beginning and the end of the marking line. When the paper marking is finished, the first motor is activated to rotate the rollers and eject the paper, and a light and sound signal is sent to the user to inform that the marking has been carried out correctly.

This braille recorder allows the marking of fixed data with spaces reserved for variables, as well as any current seal where it would mark the center that issues the document, but that for example the date or number of input or output is variable. We introduce the paper or sheet document through the slot where a main roller is activated by presence sensor. From that moment, it automatically advances at the rate marked by programming the drive motor (step by step), which advances the document in the spaces of the solenoid head mechanism, which as a percussion act on the paper or sheet, drawing the precise reliefs with the swaps and variants transcribed by the specific software, as consecutive marks with the result of the braille text required for the stamping. During the ringing process, the light and sound LEDs that indicate the beginning and end of the process are activated.

The proposed Braille recorder is designed to give the possibility to millions of people with total or partial visual decline to be able to access the bell and compulsa information of official bodies in the same way that other citizens do. In this way it is possible to give certainty and veracity to any official document, commercial or not, in addition to its result (paid, pending, amount of the transaction, document number, date of entry or limit, etc.) for any blind person. Additionally, this represents an aid for blind people since the stamped documents will be easily located in their daily and domestic life and this leads to a significant saving of time in the search and documentary location.

The recorder of the present invention is very versatile and comfortable for users as it allows to record standard DIN A-4 common paper. It also allows you to work with both standard and special paper weights (70/80/90/100/120 office paper, recycled paper and cardboard).

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of the braille recorder.

Figure 2.- Shows a view of the distribution of the elements inside the braille recorder.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a braille recorder that can be used by people with normal vision, by people with reduced or blind vision. To mark a paper, the paper is inserted through a slot (2) arranged in the front of a casing (11) of the recorder, which communicates with an input / output tray

(1) inside said housing (11).

Inside said input / output tray (1) there are presence sensors (3), which are located at the same distance from the slot (2) and parallel to it so as to detect the presence of paper in the input / output tray (1) that determines the start of the paper marking process. Preferably the presence sensors (3) are arranged separated from each other so that they are close to the lateral ends of the input / output tray (1) and thus allow to detect if the paper that has been inserted is folded. In a preferred embodiment, the presence sensors (3) are located 1 cm from the slot (2).

In the situation where the paper that is inserted is folded, one of the presence sensors (2) will detect the presence of paper but the other presence sensor (2) will not detect it. In that case, certain sound and light signals will be activated so that the user, especially a blind person, is able to detect that he has misplaced the paper.

The braille recorder also includes rollers, arranged inside and parallel to the presence sensors (3). Said rollers are activated or stopped by a first motor (5), also located inside the recorder. In a preferred embodiment the first motor (5) is a stepper motor.

In order to ensure the use of the braille recorder by blind people, it has light LEDs (9) and audible alarms. The LEDs (9) and the audible alarms are connected to the presence sensors (3), the head (6), the limit switches and the power socket of the recorder. Preferably it comprises three LEDs (9) of different colors and sound alarms that allow different sounds associated with the different actions being performed.

When it is detected with the presence sensors (3) that the paper has been correctly inserted, the first motor (1) rotates the rollers (4) in a direction such that they move the paper into the recorder. When the presence sensors (3) detect a paper insertion failure, the first motor (5) rotates the rollers (4) in a direction such that they move the paper out of the recorder.

The recorder additionally comprises a head (6) with hammers (7). Inside the head there are electromagnets, each one associated with a firing pin (7) which are the elements intended to mark the paper. The head (6) moves on a belt (8) between two limit switches. The marking of the paper is done in different lines. The head (6) in the rest position is located at the end of the stroke that is left on the left side of the recorder. Each time the marking is started on a new line, the head (6) is placed at the end of the stroke that corresponds to the right side of the paper and moves along with the corresponding marking until the end of the stroke that corresponds to the left part of the paper, marking at the corresponding points according to the information it receives from a computer to which the braille recorder is connected.

The head (6) is driven by a second motor (10). In a preferred embodiment this second motor (10) is also step by step.

The recorder also includes position sensors that allow the exact position of the paper to be detected when it is already inside the recorder to determine which firing pin is activated for marking.

In a preferred embodiment, the braille recorder comprises three electromagnets related to three strikers (7). In this way, a stamp can be marked on the paper that allows to show the basic information of official documents, in public or private entities, to essentially show the date, the concept and the issuing entity of the document.

The braille recorder must be connected to a computer through which you enter the text or image that you want to mark on the stamp on the paper. During the development of the present invention it has been determined that the data will preferably be represented in three braille lines, so that preferably the recorder comprises three strikers (7). Of these three lines two of them will be fixed and one customizable so that all documents are marked the same and it is easier for blind people to recognize the format of the stamp with the information that appears on it.

When the last point of the last line is marked and the head (6) is at the corresponding limit switch, the first motor (5) rotates the rollers (4) in such a way that they eject the paper from the recorder through the input / output tray (1).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the braille recorder comprises three LEDs (9), when the recorder is turned on a first audible alarm is activated and a first LED (9) is illuminated. Preferably the audible alarm emits a simple beep and the LED (9) that turns on is green.

When a paper is inserted in the input / output tray (1), the presence sensors (3) detect if it has been correctly inserted or not, depending on whether all the sensors (3) detect the presence of paper or only one of them detects this presence.

If the presence sensors (3) detect that the paper is correctly positioned, the first motor (5) is turned by rotating the rollers (4) towards the inside of the recorder. At that moment, a second blue LED (9) is illuminated, and a second audible alarm that produces a double beep is activated. If the sensors detect that the paper has been twisted, the first motor (5) activates the rollers (4) by rotating them such that they eject the paper from the recorder. At that moment a third LED (9), of red color, turns on and a third audible alarm is activated that emits a continuous beep.

When the paper is completely inserted into the recorder, the end of the paper arrives, dragged by the rollers (4) to the rear end of the input / output tray where the position sensors detect it and the movement of the rollers stops (4). In that position the marking of the third line of the stamp on the paper will occur. If a third row in the seal to be marked has not been determined, the first motor (5) is activated again to make the rollers (4) slide the paper out until it is in the position corresponding to the second line of the seal, which will preferably be 1 cm from the third line. The same goes for marking the first line. During these operations the led (9) that remains lit is the second led (9), which in this embodiment is blue.

When the paper is finished marking, the first motor (5) rotates the rollers to eject the paper through the input / output tray (1). At this time the first LED (9) is activated, which is green in this embodiment, and a fourth audible alarm is activated to emit three consecutive beeps. These are the indicators that the marking was successful. The head (6), activated by the second motor (10), returns to its initial position, on the left side of the recorder.

Claims (4)

1.- Braille recorder that can be used by blind people to mark a paper with a stamp defined by a plurality of lines and that includes an outlet and a connection to a computer, and is of the type that includes a housing ( 11) inside of which there is an input / output tray (1) with a slot (2) in the front of the housing (11) intended for the introduction of the paper to be marked and the braille recorder is characterized in that understands:

-

at least two presence sensors (3), installed inside the input / output tray (1) parallel to the slot (2), designed to detect the presence of paper and its correct positioning,

-

rollers (4), located inside the recorder, parallel to the presence sensors (3), intended to move the paper,

-

a first motor (5) for driving the rollers (4),

-

a head (6) with hammers (7) intended for marking the paper, and movable on a belt (8) between two limit switches intended to detect the beginning and end of the marking,

-

a second head drive motor (10) (6),

-

light LEDs (9) outside the housing (11) connected to the presence sensors (3), the head (6), the limit switches and the power socket of the recorder,

-

sound alarms, connected to the presence sensors (3), to the limit switches and to the power socket of the recorder,

-

at least some position sensors located inside the recorder, at the rear end of the input / output tray (1), intended to detect the paper marking position.

2. Braille recorder according to claim 1 characterized in that a presence sensor (3) is arranged at the right side end of the input / output tray (1) and another presence sensor (3) is arranged at the side end left of the input / output tray (1). 3. Braille recorder according to claim 1 characterized in that the head (6) comprises three strokes (7), offset from each other, of which a first striker marks a first line of the seal, a second striker marks a second line of the seal and a third firing pin marks a third line of the seal. SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 201330669 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 09.05.2013 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: See Additional Sheet RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

TO

EP 0524641 A1 (TOYO HYBRID CO LTD) 27.01.1993, column 3, line 1 - column 4, line 55; column 6, line 53 - column 7, line 20; figures. 1-3

TO

US 4735516 A (GALARNEAU ROLAND) 05.04.1988, column 1, lines 7-26.56-65; column 2, line 35 - column 3, line 11; figures. 1-3

TO

GB 2235655 A (SINEY CHRISTOPHER JOHN) 13.03.1991, page 3, line 8 - page 5, line 13; figures. 1-3

TO

WO 2009136961 A1 (PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND et al.) 12.11.2009, the whole document. 1-3

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 18.09.2013

Examiner G. Villarroel Álvaro Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 201330669 CLASSIFICATION OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION B41J3 / 32 (2006.01) B41M3 / 16 (2006.01) B41K3 / 00 (2006.01) Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) G09B, B41J, B41M, B41K Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, terms of search used) INVENTIONS, EPODOC State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201330669 Date of Completion of Written Opinion: 18.09.2013 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 1-3 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 1-3 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 201330669  1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

EP 0524641 A1 (TOYO HYBRID CO LTD) 01/27/1993

D02

US 4735516 A (GALARNEAU ROLAND) 05.04.1988

D03

GB 2235655 A (SINEY CHRISTOPHER JOHN) 13.03.1991

D04

WO 2009136961 A1 (PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND et al.) 12.11.2009

 2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulation of execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement Documents related to Braille printing machines suitable for printing stamps are found in the state of the art, some of which are cited below: The D01 consists of a Braille printer comprising a horizontal slot for the introduction of paper (5), a stepper motor (7) for driving the pinion responsible for feeding it (6), a paper position sensor (9) consisting of a light emitter and a receiver, a rod (10) with pin-shaped termination for marking (10a) and a die (11) corresponding to said termination, a mechanism for its actuation (12) synchronized with the paper feed and another for the withdrawal (13). In addition, as seen in Figure 4 of this document, the printer contains a power button (21), another paper feed starter (22) and another indication of the print mode (23) (since in this if the printer prints on both sides, which can be previously selected), and a group of switches (20) indicating the number of sheets of paper. There are also control means (25) for the operation of the paper feed motor (7). In a particular embodiment of this invention a CPU is included which controls the two-sided printing mode switches (23), paper feed (22), and the paper presence indicator. This document is considered close to the object claimed in the application in that the Braille printer can be used to put stamps defined by a plurality of lines, it includes a connection to a computer, a housing with an input tray, presence sensors and also position of the paper, paper feeding mechanism by rollers with their corresponding motor, head with tips to mark as percussors and their actuation mechanism, as well as a set of selection switches and indication of working modes, however, Paper entry and exit is not carried out by the same tray as it is done in the printing machines, it does not include audible alarms to indicate the completion of printing and to facilitate the blind user the withdrawal of already printed paper, or the sensors of position included perform the function claimed in the application, therefore it cannot be deduced that the printer described in the doc ument D01 can be operated without help by a blind person. Another of the documents cited is the D02 whose memory describes a Braille printing machine consisting of a main body, paper advance means, head mounted on a rail for its movement, motor for head movement, an entry for connection with a computer to control the advance of the paper, the printhead and the braille characters to be printed. The printhead object of this invention performs three steps with the corresponding paper displacement between them, to achieve the marking of each of the Braille characters which, as is known, correspond to a 3 x 2 matrix. (See first claim of this document ). Document D03 consists of an apparatus for reproducing characters in Braille, which includes paper feed rollers, stepper motor for control of the advance, solenoid activated strokes that operate according to two columns for each character, and a computer that controls the necessary parameters through a predetermined program. As an example of a Braille typewriter that can be used by blind people, document D04 is cited, although it is not relevant to assess the patentability requirements of the application. According to all of the above, and although all the documents cited in the international search report share common elements for the purpose of the request, it is considered that the devices described therein are not likely to be used by a person who is blind to Obviously, so it follows that in front of them the invention has novelty and inventive activity, all according to articles 6.1 and 8.1, respectively, of patent law 11/1986. State of the Art Report Page 4/4