GB2151553A

GB2151553A - Trensient-copy tactile computer output device

Info

Publication number: GB2151553A
Application number: GB08333809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Laurence Melto Chapman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-12-20
Filing date: 1983-12-20
Publication date: 1985-07-24
Also published as: GB2151553B; GB8333809D0

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus for forming indentations in a membrane (A) to produce tactile readable patterns thereon e.g. according to the Braille system and comprises means (B,C) for pressing indentations all in one direction followed by means (D with solenoids E,F,G) for reversing selected indentations to form the required patterns. The membrane then passes over a reading surface (H), before re-entering the system to have the indentations re-orientated before passing over surface (H) again. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transient-copy tactile computer output device The invention for which this application is made is a mechanism comprising mechanical and electrical components by which text, consisting of letters and/or numbers, derived from a computer or other source of electronic information, may be presented in the form of a coded pattern of upraised pimples in a web of polyester film or other suitable membrane.

Such pattern is adapted to allow a blind person to understood the content of the original text and in the preferred form this pattern would represent the coding system known as Braille. The function of the mechanism is not to emboss the pimples by non-elastic deformation of the web but, by appropriate selection within the mechanism, to set the elements of a previously embossed pattern into either the upraised or depressed condition.

The mechanism consists of a continuous web (letter A in Fig. 1) 25 millimetres wide and 0.005 millimetres thick of polyester film.

Upon this web is embossed a pattern of pimples comprising all six dots of the Braille system in each consecutive Braille cell location around the web. The web passes around a series of rollers, across a curved plate and is kept taut by an idle roller mounted on a swing arm and tensioned by a spring. Rollers B, C, D are driven by an electric motor in such fashion that, when in motion the web circulates in a counter clockwise direction.

Projection around the periphery of roller B mesh with depressions in roller C such that after passage of the web between these rollers all pimples in the web leaving the rollers B and C are set towards the inside of the circuit formed by the web. Roller D also has depressions in its surface in positions which match the positions of pimples in the web. The rotational position of roller D is sensed by optical switches which detect the presence of holes in a hollow cylindrical drum rigidly attached to the roller D. This drum and the optical switches together signal to the electronic assembly the rotational position of the roller D.

Adjacent to roller D are three solenoids lettered E, F, G whose axes respectively lie in planes corresponding to the centres of the three rows of pimples comprising the rows of Braille dots. The angular displacement of the axes of the solenoids relative to one another correspond with the angular pitch of successive Braille cells around roller D. Attached to the armature of each solenoid is a cylindrical pin with a spherical tip which, in the nonenergised condition rests just clear of the surface of roller D. When a solenoid is energised by the passage of an electric current at an appropriate instant of time the pinis driven towards the axis of roller D and causes a pimple of polyester to be set inward towards the axis of the roller D.The timing of such an event is controlled by an electronic circuit upon information from an external computer and the aforementioned optical switches which sense roller rotation. Pimples set by such action are convex towards the outside of the circuit formed by the web.

By forming a succession of patterns in the pre-formed pimples a Braille equivalent of alphabetic text, consisting of letters, numbers and punctuation, is formed in the web and by continued circulation of the web is moved across the curved plate H to a position where it may be read by a blind person. Upon the presentation of further information the message previously encoded passes away from the curved plate H and beyond reach of the blind person. This inaccessible pattern subsequently passes on between rollers B and C where all the pimples are reset and the information is lost.

Although the embodiment described relates to Braille code it is important that the principle and the general characteristics of the mechanism are equally applicable to the production of tactile coded material in any one of a number of different formats. In such alternative embodiment there might be a requirement for more than three solenoids, but such adaptation in no way departs from those characterisitcs of the device which are important to its successful operation in setting and resetting pimples by elastic deformation.

1. A membrane indenting apparatus comprising driven rollers for driving a membrane and indenting it with indentations all in one direction, a further roller over which the indented membrane passes, said further roller having depressions therein corresponding to the indentations, and indenting means coacting with said further roller to reverse the direction of selected indentations to result in the production of tactile coded material on the membrane.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driven rollers comprise a roller having indenting projections thereon meshing with depressions in an adjacent roller, the arrangement being such that the membrane passes between these two rollers.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein indenting means comprise a plurality of solenoid actuated pins.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the indenting means are actuated by an electronic circuit adapted to receive controlling information from an external computer and from switch means which sense rotation of said first roller, 5. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the arrangement is

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Transient-copy tactile computer output device The invention for which this application is made is a mechanism comprising mechanical and electrical components by which text, consisting of letters and/or numbers, derived from a computer or other source of electronic information, may be presented in the form of a coded pattern of upraised pimples in a web of polyester film or other suitable membrane. Such pattern is adapted to allow a blind person to understood the content of the original text and in the preferred form this pattern would represent the coding system known as Braille. The function of the mechanism is not to emboss the pimples by non-elastic deformation of the web but, by appropriate selection within the mechanism, to set the elements of a previously embossed pattern into either the upraised or depressed condition. The mechanism consists of a continuous web (letter A in Fig. 1) 25 millimetres wide and 0.005 millimetres thick of polyester film. Upon this web is embossed a pattern of pimples comprising all six dots of the Braille system in each consecutive Braille cell location around the web. The web passes around a series of rollers, across a curved plate and is kept taut by an idle roller mounted on a swing arm and tensioned by a spring. Rollers B, C, D are driven by an electric motor in such fashion that, when in motion the web circulates in a counter clockwise direction. Projection around the periphery of roller B mesh with depressions in roller C such that after passage of the web between these rollers all pimples in the web leaving the rollers B and C are set towards the inside of the circuit formed by the web. Roller D also has depressions in its surface in positions which match the positions of pimples in the web. The rotational position of roller D is sensed by optical switches which detect the presence of holes in a hollow cylindrical drum rigidly attached to the roller D. This drum and the optical switches together signal to the electronic assembly the rotational position of the roller D. Adjacent to roller D are three solenoids lettered E, F, G whose axes respectively lie in planes corresponding to the centres of the three rows of pimples comprising the rows of Braille dots. The angular displacement of the axes of the solenoids relative to one another correspond with the angular pitch of successive Braille cells around roller D. Attached to the armature of each solenoid is a cylindrical pin with a spherical tip which, in the nonenergised condition rests just clear of the surface of roller D. When a solenoid is energised by the passage of an electric current at an appropriate instant of time the pinis driven towards the axis of roller D and causes a pimple of polyester to be set inward towards the axis of the roller D.The timing of such an event is controlled by an electronic circuit upon information from an external computer and the aforementioned optical switches which sense roller rotation. Pimples set by such action are convex towards the outside of the circuit formed by the web. By forming a succession of patterns in the pre-formed pimples a Braille equivalent of alphabetic text, consisting of letters, numbers and punctuation, is formed in the web and by continued circulation of the web is moved across the curved plate H to a position where it may be read by a blind person. Upon the presentation of further information the message previously encoded passes away from the curved plate H and beyond reach of the blind person. This inaccessible pattern subsequently passes on between rollers B and C where all the pimples are reset and the information is lost. Although the embodiment described relates to Braille code it is important that the principle and the general characteristics of the mechanism are equally applicable to the production of tactile coded material in any one of a number of different formats. In such alternative embodiment there might be a requirement for more than three solenoids, but such adaptation in no way departs from those characterisitcs of the device which are important to its successful operation in setting and resetting pimples by elastic deformation. CLAIMS

4. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the indenting means are actuated by an electronic circuit adapted to receive controlling information from an external computer and from switch means which sense rotation of said first roller,

5. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the arrangement is such that the membrane is continuous and passes from the rollers over a reading support and over a smoothing roller which removes the depressions.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the depressions correspond to the Braille system.

7. A membrane indenting apparatus substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.