JP2001088358A - Indication tape making unit and indication tape material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that the indication tape being made by a conventional indication tape making unit is limited to plane print character or Braille. SOLUTION: An opaque print layer 8 capable of plane character printing is provided on one half of one side of a transparent base sheet 7 in the widthwise direction to obtain a plane character print area 3A. A transparent adhesive layer 9 is provided in the other half on one side of the transparent base sheet 7 serving as a Braille print area 3B and a tape material 3 attached with a stripping paper 10 is used in the adhesive layer 9. While feeding the tape material 3 pitch by pitch through a tape traveling means, the plane character print area 3A is printed using a thermal head 84 and the Braille print area 3B is printed with three longitudinal points at a time using Braille heads 111, 112, 113. Upon finishing print, the tape is cut off and bonded while being folded into two in the widthwise direction to obtain an indication tape where the plane print character and Braille are indicated side by side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display tape producing apparatus and a tape material used for the same. For details, a display tape producing device for producing a display tape for printing the name of a person or an object and other display elements on a relatively small tape material and attaching the display element to a required place, in particular, printing a display element on a flat surface The present invention relates to a display tape producing device capable of printing both characters and braille, and a tape material used for the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, there are various display means for easily displaying the names of people and articles and information attached thereto, and one of them is a display tape with an adhesive. 2. Description of the Related Art Display tape producing apparatuses for manually or mechanically producing a tape have become widespread. In a simple type, there is a type in which a dial in which about 100 typefaces are arranged is used to select a target character or the like one by one, and then the lever is gripped to engrave the character or the like on a tape. . In addition, as a device that automatically performs, a device including a print data input unit, a printing mechanism, and a microcomputer that processes input print data and causes the printing mechanism to execute the printing is available. .

[0003]

The display tape for the visually impaired needs to be printed in Braille. However, the conventional Braille display tape producing apparatus prints characters and the like only in Braille. However, a display tape dedicated to the visually impaired cannot be used by those who cannot read Braille because they cannot understand the display contents. On the contrary, the visually impaired cannot understand the contents of the display tape printed only with the flat print characters. As described above, the display tape that can be produced by the conventional display tape producing device is limited to either one of flat printed characters or braille.

[0004] However, when a display tape is to be provided in a public facility or the like, it is often required to display both flat printed characters and braille. For this reason, in the past, it was necessary to separately create both display tapes using flat printed characters and display tapes using braille, and stick them side by side.However, such a method is costly and time-consuming. It takes twice as much, and the space for providing the display tape becomes large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is possible to prepare a display tape that enables both a person who can read Braille and a person who cannot read Braille to recognize the display contents. It is another object of the present invention to provide a display tape producing device which is easy to handle. Another object of the present invention is to provide a tape material for a display tape capable of producing a display tape in which a flat printed character and a Braille are provided in a superimposed manner with one tape material.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, a display tape producing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a half in a width direction is a flat character printing area and another half is a transparent braille printing area. Tape material loading section for loading the loaded tape material, tape running means for running the loaded tape material, flat character printing means for printing flat characters in the flat character printing area of the tape material, and braille of the tape material Braille printing means for printing Braille in a print area, input means for inputting print data and various commands to be printed on a tape material, and a control circuit for processing the input print data and causing the printing means to execute printing. It is provided.

Therefore, according to the present invention, with one device,
It is possible to automatically create a side-by-side display tape in which both flat print characters and braille are printed on one tape.

There are various forms of the tape material used in this apparatus. As in the tape material described in claim 5, a transparent base sheet and a half of the width of one side of the base sheet in the width direction are provided. By providing a print layer that can be printed by the flat character printing means, providing a transparent adhesive layer on the other half on the one side, and applying a release paper to this adhesive layer, the flat printed characters and braille are formed. A display tape in a form provided in an overlapping manner can be created. That is, since braille printing is performed on a transparent base sheet, after printing, folding in two in the width direction and bonding the braille printing area to the print layer, the transparent braille is positioned over the flat printed characters. Therefore, the function of two types of display tapes can be provided with a size of one sheet.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a tape material for parallel writing in which a half in the width direction is a plane character printing area and another half is a transparent braille printing area, or a tape material exclusively for braille, which consists only of a braille printing area, is selected. A tape material loading section, a tape running means for running the loaded tape material, a flat character printing means for printing a flat character in a flat character printing area of the parallel writing tape material, A braille printing means for printing braille on a braille printing area or a tape material exclusively for braille, an input means for inputting print data and various commands to be printed on the tape material, and processing the input print data and printing on the printing means. The control circuit to be executed and the printing mode by the printing unit include at least a printing mode by both the flat character printing unit and the braille printing unit and a printing mode by only the braille printing unit. Those having a print mode selection means for selecting one of the de.

According to the present invention, by simply selecting the tape material to be used and the print mode, at least one type of display tape in which both flat print characters and braille are printed on one tape, or print only in braille It is possible to selectively create a Braille display tape. When the tape material for braille is formed of a transparent material, the created braille display tape
It can be pasted on the existing display.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the display tape producing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the input means has a character input panel having a plurality of keytops on which printing elements such as characters and symbols are individually displayed. And a character switch pressing lever for pressing the key top, the key tops of the character input panel are arranged on a plurality of concentric circles, and the character switch pressing lever rotates about the arrangement center of the key top as a rotation center. A click stop that is freely provided and has arms that can expand and contract in the radial direction from the center of rotation. The arms have click portions that press the key tops at a plurality of positions separately facing a plurality of rows of the key tops. Means, and the control circuit includes voice output means for outputting voice reading of the printing element when the keytop is pressed.

Accordingly, at least the position of the row of key tops can be reliably recognized by the position of the arm of the character switch pressing lever, and the individual contents of the key top can be confirmed by voice, so that even a visually impaired person can print data without fail. Can be entered.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a display tape producing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a tape material used for the same will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a tape material used in the display tape producing device 1 and a tape cassette containing the tape material will be described, and then the display tape producing device 1 will be described.

[A. Two types of tape material] (FIGS. 12 and 1
3, FIG. 16, FIG. 17) In the display tape producing apparatus 1, the tape material 3 for parallel writing shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 or the tape material 5 for braille shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 is selectively used. Tape material for parallel writing 3
Is usually used to create a side-by-side display tape T1 (see FIG. 14) in a form in which flat-printed characters and braille are displayed in a superimposed manner. Is used to create the Braille display tape T2 (see FIG. 16). 13 and 17 show cross sections of the tape members 3 and 5 cut along the width direction, and the thicknesses are exaggerated in each case.

[A-1. Tape material for additional writing] (FIGS. 12 and 13) The tape material 3 for additional writing has a multilayer structure using a transparent base sheet 7 made of a synthetic resin as a base paper. On one surface of the base sheet 7 (the surface facing right in FIG. 13), a printing layer 8 formed by coating a thermosensitive coloring base material on the upper half in the width direction is formed, and an adhesive is formed on the lower half. A transparent adhesive layer 9 formed by applying an agent is formed, and a release paper 10 is attached to the adhesive layer 9. Further, another adhesive layer 1 is provided on the upper half in the width direction on the other surface of the base sheet 7.
A release paper 12 is also attached to the adhesive layer 11. As the base sheet 7, a sheet having relatively strong stiffness is used. The upper half of the tape material 3 is a flat character print area 3A, and the lower half is a braille print area 3B.

The printing direction for this tape material 3 is shown in FIG.
13 (A) (from the right side in FIG. 13 (A)).
That is, a thermal head, which will be described later, comes into contact with the print layer 8 to print characters and symbols on the flat surface.
With the release paper 10 still affixed, a stylus described below is hit in a predetermined print pattern, thereby forming a hemispherical transparent projection 13 shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The arrangement pattern of the projections 13 forms a predetermined Braille.

After the printing is performed in this manner, the release paper 10 is peeled off, and the tape material 3 is folded in two in the width direction as indicated by broken arrows in FIGS. 12 and 13A. 1
As shown in FIG. 3B, the flat character print area 3A and the braille print area 3B are bonded. As a result, as shown in FIG. 14, the side-by-side display tape T <b> 1 in which the transparent projection 13 (Braille) is positioned over the characters or the like printed on the print layer 8
Is created.

If the printing on the tape material 3 for parallel writing is performed only on the flat character printing area 3A,
Another form of display tape printed with only planar printing characters is created. In this case, the base sheet 7 in the braille printing area 3B functions as a cover sheet for characters and the like printed on the print layer 8.

[A-2. Braille tape material] (Fig. 16,
FIG. 17) The tape material 5 exclusively for Braille has a structure composed of only the Braille printing area 3B of the tape material 3 for parallel writing. That is, the tape material 5 for braille is also based on a transparent base sheet 7 ′ made of a synthetic resin, and a transparent adhesive layer 9 is formed on substantially one entire surface thereof. Is attached, and the width dimension is just half of the width of the tape material 3 for simultaneous writing. The base sheet 7 'is made of the same material as the base sheet 7.

The braille printing on the tape material 5 is also performed with a stippling pen described later while the release paper 10 is stuck, so that a hemispherical transparent projection 13 shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Formed. Thereby, the Braille display tape T2 shown in FIG. 16 is created.

A flat character printing area 3A of the parallel writing tape 3
The printing on the braille printing area 3B and the printing on the braille tape 5 are performed only in one line along the longitudinal direction of the tape material 3, 5, and the characters to be printed are arranged rightward when viewed from the printing direction. Go being.

[B. Braille striking method] (FIG. 18) As is known, in Braille, one character is made by combining two “basic six points” in which two rows of three vertical dots are arranged horizontally. It is made by combining two of these basic six points. The names of the basic six points are referred to as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 from the top in the left column, and No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6 from the top in the right column. When viewed from the direction in which braille is struck (so-called “concave surface”), the arrangement of the six points must be reversed in the left-right direction or the up-down direction. In this regard, in the present device 1, the braille printing area 3 of the tape material 3
Since the Braille printed on B is viewed upside down in the vertical direction, the arrangement order of the six points on the concave surface is reversed in the vertical direction. That is, the six points entitled "concave surface" in FIG. 18 are the same. In the left column, they are arranged in the order of 1, 2, and 3 from the bottom, and in the right column, they are the 4th and 5th from the bottom. , In the order of 6.

The braille printing method by the display tape producing apparatus 1 shown in this embodiment is based on one column of six basic points (vertical 3 points).
Dot). For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9, only three brushes 116 arranged in a vertical line are provided. The bottom one 116A is the first one, the middle one 116B is the second one, and the top one 116C is the third one. These three writing brushes 116
A, 116B and 116C are selectively driven according to the required points in the Braille. For example, Braille "i" is made of only 1 and 2 of the basic 6 points,
Only the first and second brushes 116A and 116B are driven, and the tape material 3 (or 5) is fed in the right column. In addition, since the braille “mo” is made of five points except for the first of the six basic points, first, the second and third writing brushes 116B,
After printing only the left row by driving only 116C, the tape material 3 (or 5) is fed by one row and the first to third writing brushes 116 are printed.
A, 116B and 116C are all driven to print the right column.

FIG. 12 shows an example of printing. A hiragana character string "Inaba Motoya" is printed in the flat character printing area 3A, and braille corresponding to this character string is printed in the braille printing area 3B. Is formed. In other words, a group of six points described in the braille printing area 3B in FIG. 6 indicates the basic six points on the concave surface, and the black points indicate the points that were struck in braille. Means a virtual point.
Below the hiragana character "i" is printed a braille "i" consisting of the first and second dots, and below the hiragana character "to" is composed of dots 2 to 5 Braille "G" is printed. When the braille printing area 3B is folded on the plane character printing area 3A, the transparent braille "Inabamotoya" overlaps the hiragana character "Inabamotoya" in the convex direction. Therefore, a person who can read Braille can recognize the character by touching the Braille, and a person who cannot read Braille can recognize the character by reading Hiragana through the transparent base sheet 7.

[C. Tape cassette] (FIGS. 4 to 8 and FIG. 15) Reference numeral 21 denotes a combined tape cassette (see FIGS. 6 to 8), and reference numeral 22 denotes a braille tape cassette (see FIG. 15). The parallel writing tape cassette 21 has the parallel writing tape material 3, and the braille tape cassette 22 has the braille tape material 5. These two types of tape cassettes 21,
22 has a cassette case 23 having the same structure. The cassette case 23 has a box shape that is substantially square in plan view, and has a reel base insertion hole 24
(See FIG. 6), and two of the holes 25 provided at the four corners are positioning holes.

A tapered recess 27 in the form of a shallow groove extending in the height direction is formed at a position closer to one end of the front wall 26 of the cassette case 23. A metal braille plate 28 (FIG. 9)
Are fixed three-dimensionally, and three small circular recesses 28 a are formed in a vertical line on the front surface of the braille plate 28. On both left and right walls of the tape-exposed recess 27, a slit-shaped tape through hole 29 extending in the vertical direction is formed, and a slit-shaped tape outlet 30 is provided at an end of another side wall closest to the tape-exposed recess 27. Are formed.

In the cassette case 23, a tape reel is rotatably stored. The tape reel 31 of the tape cassette 21 has a cylindrical reel hub 32 having an open upper end, and two upper and lower flanges 33 each having the upper and lower ends as central portions, which are integrally formed. The tape material 3 is wound. Further, the tape reel 31 ′ of the Braille tape cassette 22 has a cylindrical reel hub 32 having an open upper end, and three flanges 33 each having a central portion at each of the upper and lower ends and an intermediate portion. The lower two flanges 3 of the reel hub 32
The braille tape material 5 is wound around the portion between the three.

The winding of the tape materials 3 and 5 around the reel hub 32 is performed in such a manner that the printing surface of these tape materials 3 and 5, that is, the surface on which the print layer 8 and the release paper 10 are present faces the opposite side to the reel hub 32. Has been done. As shown in FIG. 4, these tape members 3, 5 are tape reels 31.
After being pulled out of the cassette case 23, once it is drawn out to the tape exposing recess 27 through one of the tape through holes 29, it enters the cassette case 23 through the other tape through hole 29, and finally enters the cassette case through the tape outlet 30. 23 has been pulled out. Braille printing area 3B of parallel writing tape 3
And the Braille dedicated tape material 5 extends so as to overlap the Braille plate 28 from the front side.

[D. Display tape making device] (FIGS. 1 to 1)
1) [D-1. Outer shell, operation surface] (FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 4 to FIG. 7) The outer shell 41 of the display tape producing device 1 is in a left-right direction (a direction going diagonally upward to the left in FIG. The direction toward the front is defined as a front side.) The shape of the box is long and rectangular, and the upper surface thereof is an operation surface 42 on which various operation members described later are arranged. The right rear corner of the operation surface 42 is slightly inclined forward and downward, and the screen 43 of the liquid crystal display device is arranged here.

A disc-shaped character input board 44 is arranged in a region deviated to the left end side of the operation surface 42, and a decision button 45 is arranged in the center thereof. Character input board 4
4 is an input means for inputting characters, symbols, etc.
Character strings 46 and 47 arranged in an inner and outer double ring are displayed on the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface. The outer character string 46 is
It is composed of katakana characters from "A" to "N", a voiced sound symbol and a semi-voiced sound symbol, and the inner character string 47 is composed of 26 letters of the alphabet and numerals from 1 to 0.
The character input panel 44 has a film switch structure having an open / close contact for each of the characters and the like, and a predetermined signal is input each time a character, a symbol, or a number is pressed.

In addition, on the operation surface 42, a sound emission hole 48 for a speaker, an "upper / lower case switching button" 49, an "cancel button" 50, a "scroll button" 51, a "space button" 52, a "kanji conversion button" 53, a "Hiragana conversion button" 54, a cursor button 55, a "print button" 56, a "print mode selection button" 57, a "print number setting button" 58, and the like. A part of the power / volume dial 59 protrudes from the right wall of the outer shell 41. "Confirmation button" 6 is displayed on the upper side of the screen of the liquid crystal display 43.
0 is arranged, and a “Braille data determination button” 61 and a “Braille data cancel button” 62 are separately arranged on both left and right sides.

[D-2. Character switch pressing lever] (FIGS. 1 and 6) Each film switch (characters, symbols, etc.) on the character input panel 44
Pressing may be performed with a fingertip or an appropriate stick,
Since the pressing surfaces of the individual film switches are relatively small, it is possible to prevent a pressing error, and in particular, the visually impaired person can use a
In order to be able to grasp the position of
A character switch pressing lever 65 is provided.

The character switch pressing lever 65 includes a boss 65a provided horizontally rotatable about the center of the character input panel 44, a lever 65b projecting horizontally from the boss 65a, and a tip end of the lever 65b. It comprises a grip 65c fixed to the upper surface, and a hemispherical pressing projection (not shown) attached to the lower surface of the tip of the lever 65b. The lever 65b has a “stretched position” (see FIG. 1) in which the pressing protrusion faces the outer character string 46 and a character string 4 in which the pressing protrusion is inside the character string 46.
7 and a click stop is applied at these two positions. Therefore, if the lever 65b is moved to the "extended position", it is understood that the position of the grip 65c is on the outer character string 46, and if the lever 65b is moved to the "compressed position", the grip 65c is moved. Is on the inner character string 47.

[D-3. Cassette Loading Unit, Loading of Tape Cassette] (FIGS. 2, 4 to 6) Inside the outer shell 41, a mechanical chassis 67 (see FIGS. 4 to 7) is provided in a horizontal posture. The mechanical chassis 67 is located to some extent below the top plate of the outer shell 41. A part of the bottom plate 68 of the outer shell 41 is a detachable cassette lid 69 (see FIG. 2), and a portion of the space below the mechanical chassis 67, which is opened and closed by the cassette lid 69, is attached to the cassette loading unit 70. Here, the above-described tape cassette 21 for combined writing or the tape cassette 22 for Braille is removably loaded. The cassette loading section 70 has a size such that the tape cassettes 21 and 22 can be accommodated with some margin, and is provided with a reel base 71 protruding downward from the mechanical chassis 67 and two cassette positioning pins 72. A brake mechanism for back tension is incorporated in the reel base 71.

The loading of the tape cassettes 21 and 22 is performed with the tape exposure concave portion 27 facing forward (see FIG. 4).
At this time, the positioning is performed so that the cassette positioning pins 72 are inserted into the positioning holes 25 of the cassette case 23. The tape cassettes 21 and 22 thus loaded are
The position of the cassette case 23 is defined in the height direction and the horizontal direction by the cassette positioning pins 72, and the state thus positioned is maintained by closing the cassette lid 69. Then, the tape reel 31 (or 3)
A reel base 71 is engaged with the reel hub 32 of 1 ′),
Thereby, an appropriate rotation load is applied to the tape reel 31 (or 31 ').

[D-4. Tape Guide, Tape Loading] (FIGS. 4 to 6) A vertically elongated tape-shaped tape outlet 74a is formed substantially in the front-rear direction of the left wall 74 of the outer shell 41, and the tape outlet 74a is connected to the left end. A tape guide 75 having a narrow passage is provided. When the tape cassette 21 or 22 is loaded into the cassette loading section 70, the tape outlet 30 is set to the tape guide 75.
Direction of the passage. From the tape cassette 21 or 22 loaded in the cassette loading section 70, the tape materials 3 and 5 are manually loaded. This tape loading is performed by pulling the ends of the tape members 3 and 5 which are partially protruded from the tape outlet 30 of the cassette case 23, and pulling out the appropriate length and inserting it into the passage of the tape guide 75. Do.

[D-5. Head Base, Thermal Head] (FIGS. 4, 5, 7, and 9) In the space below the mechanical chassis 67, the portion on the front side from the cassette loading section 70 mainly includes the tape members 3, 5,
Of the tape cassette 2 loaded in the cassette loading section 70.
The tape exposure concave portions 27 of 1 and 22 face this printer unit. A movable head base 81 is provided in the printer unit in a horizontal posture. Head base 81
A guide pin 83 projecting downward from the mechanical chassis 67 is slidably engaged with a long hole formed in the front-rear direction so as to be movable in the front-rear direction within a certain range. It is supported and has a certain distance from the mechanical chassis 67. A bent piece projects downward from the front end of the left edge of the head base 81, and a connecting pin 87 (see FIG. 8) is fixed to the bent piece.

A thermal head 84 is provided at substantially the middle of the rear end of the lower surface of the head base 81. The thermal head 84 is provided with its heat-generating surface facing rearward, and at a position opposed to the upper half of the tape exposed recess 27 of the tape cassette 21 (or 22) loaded in the cassette loading section 70. Are located in A base moving motor 85 for moving a Braille head control base, which will be described later, is fixed to a position near the right end on the lower surface of the head base 81.
A screw shaft 86 rotated by the base moving motor 85 is provided to extend in the front-rear direction.

[D-6. Tape running mechanism] (FIGS. 4 to 7 and 9) A capstan motor 91 is fixed to the upper surface of the left end of the mechanical chassis 67, and a capstan 92 protrudes downward from the rotor of the capstan motor 91. The tape material 3 (or 5) loaded from the tape cassette 21 (or 22) comes into light contact with the capstan 92 from the front side (see FIG. 4).

A pinch roller arm 93 is provided at the lower left end of the lower surface of the head base 81 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. A pinch roller 94 is rotatably provided at the tip of the rotation of the pinch roller arm 93. The pinch roller 94 is supported so as to face the capstan 92 from the front side. The pin roller arm 93 is urged by a tension spring 95 (see FIG. 4) extended between the pin roller arm 93 and the head base 81 to rotate the pinch roller 94 in a direction of pressing the pinch roller 94 against the capstan 92. Therefore, the loaded tape materials 3 and 5 are held by the pinch rollers 94.
Between the capstan 9 and the capstan 92.
2 is driven by rotation. This traveling direction is a direction in which the cassette case 23 is pulled out. The running of the tape members 3 and 5 during printing is performed by a pitch feed system.

[D-7. Movement of head base] (FIG. 2,
4 to 6) A head base moving lever 97 is provided on the bottom surface of the outer shell 41. The head base moving lever 97 is long in the front-rear direction, and its front end 97 a is supported in the outer shell 41 so as to be rotatable around the axis of the horizontal axis. It is rotatably connected to the connection pin 87. The head base moving lever 97 is connected to the bottom plate 68 of the outer shell 41 as shown by a solid line in FIG.
The head base 81 is at the forward position shown in FIG. When the head base moving lever 97 is raised from this state as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
Is moved to the retracted position, that is, the position whose front edge is shown by a dashed line in FIG.

When the head base 81 comes to the advance position with the tape cassette 21 or 22 loaded, the thermal head 84 is inserted into the upper half of the tape exposure recess 27 as shown in FIG. When the tape cassette is the parallel writing tape cassette 21, it contacts the print layer 8 of the tape material 3. Further, when the head base 81 moves to the retreat position, the thermal head 84 retreats from the tape exposure recess 27 by a certain distance.

As the head base 81 moves backward,
The pinch roller 94 moves away from the capstan 92. That is, a pinch roller arm control pin 99 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) protrudes from the left end of the lower surface of the mechanical chassis 67, and almost simultaneously with the head base 81 starting to retreat,
The left end of the pinch roller arm 93 contacts the pinch roller arm control pin 99 from the rear side, and is rotated clockwise as viewed from above. This rotation is performed up to the position shown by the dashed line in FIG. As a result, the pinch roller 94 is largely separated from the tape materials 3 and 5. Thus, when the head base 81 moves to the retreat position, the thermal head 84 and the pinch roller 94 retreat greatly. The attachment / detachment of the tape cassettes 21 and 22 to / from the cassette loading portion 70
Perform in this state.

[D-8. Braille Head Mechanism] (FIGS. 4, 5, 7 to 10) Reference numeral 110 denotes a Braille head mechanism. This Braille head mechanism 1
Numeral 10 is for executing braille on the tape materials 3 and 3
Braille heads 111, 112 and 113, a Braille head playing drum 131 for selectively playing the three Braille heads 111, 112 and 113, and a Braille head for controlling the positions of these Braille heads and Braille head playing drums It comprises a control base 121 and the like.

[D-8-1. Braille Head] (FIGS. 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10) Each of the Braille heads 111, 112, and 113 has substantially the same structure, and a head arm 115 formed by pressing a metal plate, and Braille pen 1 welded to head arm 115
16. The head arm 115 has a substantially U-shape that opens rearward when viewed from above, and has a rotation center hole 115a (see FIG. 10) at the rear end on the right side and left and right at the front end. Small, wall-like pieces 115b facing each other are formed. Further, from the middle position on the left side of the head arm 115, the pressed piece 115d at the time of retreat extends horizontally toward the left, and a spring hooking piece 115e is formed in the middle part in a cut-and-raised shape. A single stylus 116 is welded to the upper surface or the lower surface of the front end on the left side so as to project rearward.

These three Braille heads 111, 11
The heads 2 and 113 are rotatably supported by the head base 81 at a slight distance from each other vertically. That is, a Braille head support shaft 117 is provided at a position along the rear edge of the lower surface of the head base 81 so as to project downward, and the Braille heads 111, 112, and 113 have their rotation center holes 115a.
The braille head support shaft 117 is rotatably inserted into the bracket, so that the braille head is rotatably supported in a horizontal plane, and a spacer (not shown) attached to the braille head support shaft 117 allows the vertical spacing between the brushes 116 to be adjusted. It is regulated.

A tension spring 119 is hung between a spring hook 115 e of the head arm 115 and a spring hook pin 118 fixed to the head base 81, and by this tension spring 119, the Braille heads 111, 112,
The clockwise turning force as viewed from above is energized by the 113. The extension power is generated by the extension of the tension spring 119 only when the head arm 115 is rotated counterclockwise.

[D-8-2. Braille head control base)
(FIGS. 4, 5, 7-9) A braille head control base 121 is provided below the head base 81.
Are movably supported. The braille head control base 121 has a rectangular flat plate shape that is long in the left-right direction, and has guide pins 122 attached to the lower surface of the head base 81.
The nut 123 is fixed to the right end of the screw shaft 86, and the screw shaft 86 is screwed to the nut 123. Therefore, the Braille head control base 121 is moved in the front-rear direction by the driving of the head moving motor 85, and the movement is performed between a forward position shown in FIG. 4 and a backward position shown in FIG.

Two photo-interrupters 125a and 125b are mounted on the lower surface of the head base 81. The light-shielding piece 121a moves forward from the right rear corner of the braille head control base 121, and recedes from the middle part of the left edge. The hour light shielding pieces 121b protrude, respectively. The rearward movement of the Braille head control base 121 is stopped when the forward light shielding piece 121a is inserted into the rear photointerrupter 125a, and the forward movement of the Braille head control base 121 is caused by the backward light shielding piece 121b. It stops when it is inserted into the front photo interrupter 125b.

[D-8-3. Braille head playing drum)
(FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 7, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 18) The braille head playing drum 131 has a cylindrical body 132.
And a number of flip pins 133 provided to protrude from the outer peripheral surface of the body 132 in the radial direction. A driven gear 132a serving as an upper end of the body 132 is integrally formed with the body 132, and a center hole 132b penetrating the shaft center is formed. On the lower surface of the Braille head control base 121, a drum support member 134 having a U-shape as viewed from the side is fixed. The drum support member 134 is disposed substantially in front of the to-be-flung piece 115b of the Braille heads 111, 112, and 113, and is provided with a drum support shaft 135 extending in the up-down direction. The braille head playing drum 131 is provided rotatably in the direction around the axis by inserting the drum support shaft 135 into the center hole 132b.

The flip pins 133 are arranged in seven print patterns in the direction around the axis of the body 132. This printing pattern is shown in FIG. Reference numeral 132 ′ in the figure denotes a developed outer peripheral surface of the body 132.
The dashed lines in the matrix in 'constitute a coordinate composed of three horizontal axes x and seven vertical axes y. The bottom horizontal axis x1 corresponds to the first writing brush 116A, the middle horizontal axis x2 corresponds to the second writing brush 116B, and the top horizontal axis x3 corresponds to the third writing brush 116C. are doing. Also, the seven vertical axes y1 to y
7 indicates a “first print pattern”, a “second print pattern”,..., A “seventh print pattern” in order from the left. 7
The print patterns y1 to y7 are separately arranged at seven positions among eight positions obtained by equally dividing the outer peripheral surface 132 'into eight in the circumferential direction.

In the first print pattern y1, the flip pin 133 is arranged only at the intersection with the horizontal axis x1, and in the second print pattern y2, the flip pin 133 is arranged only at the intersection with the horizontal axis x2. In the print pattern y3, the flipping pins 133 are arranged only at the intersections with the horizontal axis x3. Also, in the fourth print pattern y4, a flip pin 133 is arranged at each intersection with the horizontal axes x1, x2, and in the fifth print pattern y5, a flip pin 133 is arranged at each intersection with the horizontal axes x1, x3, In the sixth printing pattern y6, the flipping pins 133 are arranged only at the respective intersections with the horizontal axes x2 and x3. And
In the seventh print pattern y7, flip pins 133 are arranged at all intersections of the horizontal axes x1, x2, and x3.

These seven types of printing patterns by the flip pins 133 correspond to all combinations of three vertical points in the basic six points of Braille. That is, as can be seen in comparison with the diagram of the basic six points shown in the figure, the first print pattern y1 is a pattern responsible for printing only at the first (or fourth) point, and the second print pattern y2 is two. Number (or 5
The third print pattern y3 is a pattern responsible for printing only at the third (or sixth) point. Similarly, the fourth print pattern y4 is a pattern responsible for printing at the first and second (or fourth and fifth) points, and the fifth print pattern y5 is a first and third (or fourth) pattern.
The sixth print pattern y6 is a pattern responsible for printing at points 2 and 3 (or 5 and 6). The seventh print pattern y7 is a pattern responsible for printing at points 1 to 3 (or 4 to 6).

A drum rotation motor 141 is fixed on the upper surface of the Braille head control base 121. As the drum rotation motor 141, a stepping motor is used.
The tip of the output shaft protrudes below the Braille head control base 121, and a drive gear 142 is attached to this portion.
31 is engaged with the driven gear 132a. Accordingly, when the drum rotation motor 141 is driven, the braille head playing drum 131 rotates. The direction of this rotation is a clockwise direction as viewed from above, and the rotation is controlled with one pitch equal to the central angle of adjacent print patterns y1 to y7.

The height relationship of the flipping pin 133 with respect to the Braille heads 111, 112, 113 is as follows. The flipping pin 133 on the horizontal axis x1 is the flipped piece 115 of the first Braille head 111.
b, the flipping pin 133 on the horizontal axis x2 is at the same height as the flipped piece 115b of the second Braille head 112, and the flipping pin 133 on the horizontal axis x3 is the third Braille head 113. At the same height as the struck piece 115b.

[D-8-4. Braille head retreat arm)
(FIGS. 4, 5, 7, and 9) A Braille head retreat arm 145 is attached to the Braille head control base 121. The Braille head retreat arm 145 has a pressing arm 145a extending downward from the tip of an arm horizontally projecting rearward from the Braille head control base 121, and this pressing arm 145a is used for the Braille heads 111 and 112, 113 is opposed to the pressed piece 115d at the time of retreat from the rear.

[D-8-5. Driving of Braille Head] (FIGS. 4 and 5) FIG. 4 shows a state where both heads are advanced, that is, the thermal head 84 and the Braille heads 111, 112 and 113 are all advanced with respect to the tape cassette 21 (or 22). Indicates a state in which In this state, the head base 81 and the Braille head control base 121 are both at the forward position,
The thermal head 84 and the writing brush 116
1 (or 22) is in light contact with the tape material 3 (or 5) protruding from the tape exposure recess 27. In the front-rear direction, the rotation locus of the flipping pin 133 of the braille head flipping drum 131 indicates the braille heads 111, 112, 1.
Thirteen hit pieces 115b,
In the direction around the axis, the sheet 115b comes to a stop position where the piece 115b is positioned between two adjacent print patterns. The stop position is a position where the print pattern selected as the next print pattern comes to the left of the to-be-flipped piece 115b.

From this state, the braille head playing drum 131
Is rotated by one pitch, the Braille heads 111, 112, 1
As for the number 13, only those corresponding to the flip pins 133 of the currently selected print pattern are flipped. For example, when the first print pattern y1 is selected, there is only one flipping pin 133 on the horizontal axis x1 of the printing pattern y1, so that this flipping pin 133 corresponds to the first Braille head 111.
Is kicked substantially rightward, and the first Braille head 111 is rotated counterclockwise while the extension spring 119 is extended. Then, when the flipping pin 133 is separated from the piece to be flipped 115b, the first Braille head 111 returns to the original position at a stretch by the resilience of the tension spring 119, and the writing brush 116A.
Strikes the tape material 3 (or 5), and forms one hemispherical concave portion therein. For example, when the seventh print pattern y7 is selected, since there are three flipping pins 133 of the printing pattern y7, the flipping pins 133 are all the first to third Braille heads 111, 112, and 113. It is flipped, and writing brushes 116A, 116B, 116C become tape material 3
(Or 5) Three hemispherical concave portions are formed vertically.

When the Braille head playing drum 131 rotates one pitch and the Braille head is played once, the head base moving motor 85 is driven to return the Braille head control base 121 to the retracted position. Thereby, as can be seen from FIG.
The braille head playing drum 131 is the braille head 111, 11
It is greatly separated from 2,113. In this state, the stop position of the braille head playing drum 131 is changed so that the next print pattern is selected, and then the braille head control base 121 is returned to the forward position to play the selected print pattern. The pin 133 faces the piece 115b to be flipped of the print head.

Immediately before the Braille head control base 121 moves from the forward position to the retracted position, the Braille head retreat arm 145 moves the Braille heads 111, 112, 1
13, the pressed piece 115d is pressed, and all three Braille heads are slightly rotated counterclockwise. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, the brushes 116A, 116B, 1
The tip of 16C is appropriately separated from the tape material 3 (or 5). In this state, the feeding of the tape material 3 (or 5) is performed.

[D-9. Tape cutter] (Figs. 2, 4
6 to 11) 151 denotes a tape cutter. This tape cutter 1
Reference numeral 51 denotes a main portion 152 having a long plate shape in the front-rear direction and a blade plate attached to a front end of the main portion 152 for cutting off a printed portion of the tape materials 3 and 5. The main part 152 is supported along the inner surface of the left side wall 74 of the outer shell 41 so as to move in the front-rear direction within a certain range. At a position near the tape outlet 74a of the tape guide 75, there is formed a slit-shaped cutter access hole 75a crossing the tape outlet 74a in the front-rear direction.

The tape cutter 151 includes the tension spring 1
In a state where the blade plate 54 is constantly urged rearward and is not pressed forward, as shown in FIG.
53 cutting edges have come to the standby position accommodated in the cutter access hole 75a, and are close to the tape material 3 (or 5) through which the tape guide 75 is passed. When the tape cutter 151 is pressed forward from this state, the blade plate 153 traverses the tape guide 75.
(Or 5) is disconnected. 155 is a tape cutter 15
1 shows a knob for advancing 1;

[D-10. Control Circuit] (FIG. 3) FIG. 3 shows a control circuit of the display tape maker 1. ROM is a read-only memory, RAM is a random access memory, and CPU is a central processing unit.
A microcomputer is configured by M and the CPU. The CPU is connected to input means including the character input panel 44, the enter button 45, and other input buttons, as well as a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a printer circuit 1.
62 and a sound circuit 163, the printer circuit 162 is connected to the thermal head 84 and the Braille head drive circuit 164, and the sound circuit 163 is connected to a speaker 165.

The basic program (BIOS) is stored in the ROM.
And the like, processing data and instructions input by the input means to create print data, outputting a “reading” to the sound circuit 163 each time a character or symbol is input, or printing print data. Is output to the screen 43 of the liquid crystal display device or to the printer circuit 162, and a data file such as a recording frame format for temporarily storing print data, kanji dictionary data, and voice data. It is remembered. In the RAM, data input by the input means, print data definitely created by the CPU, and other data are temporarily recorded in a recording frame read from the ROM. The print data is created by dividing it into “Braille data” for braille printing by the Braille heads 111, 112 and 113, and “flat character data” for flat printing by the thermal head 84.

The printer circuit 162 converts the created print data into a print signal by the thermal head 84 and outputs the print signal to the thermal head 84, or analyzes the created print data into the print patterns y1 to y7. A data conversion circuit is provided for converting the control data for the braille head playing drum 131 and the control data for the head base moving motor 85 and outputting the control data to the braille head drive circuit 164.
Then, in the Braille head driving circuit 164, the head base moving motor 85 is controlled according to the input control data.
And a drive signal is output to the drum rotation motor 141 to control the Braille heads 111, 112 and 113.

The voice data includes "reading" of all characters and symbols displayed on the character input panel 44 and a message output when the above-mentioned various command buttons are pressed. When a character, symbol, or number on the input panel 44 is pressed, the character, symbol, or number is displayed on the screen 43 of the liquid crystal display device, and the “read” is output from the speaker 165. Characters and the like displayed on the screen 43 of the liquid crystal display device become print data. Further, when the confirmation button 60 is pressed, the “read” of the print data currently displayed on the screen 43 of the liquid crystal display device where the cursor is currently located is displayed.
Is output from the speaker 165. Of the characters and the like on the character input panel 44 that have lowercase letters, each time the same one is continuously pressed, processing is performed by alternately switching between “uppercase” and “lowercase”. The display tape producing device 1 is configured as described above.

[E. Method of Use] Next, a method of using the display tape producing device 1 will be described. [E-1. Input of print data] Power / volume dial 59
Is turned on, the program in the program file starts up, and a message is output from the speaker 165 notifying that the print data can be input. From this state, necessary characters and the like are selected by grasping the grip 65c of the character switch pressing lever 65 and pressing characters and symbols on the character input panel 44. When this selection is made, the character or the like is displayed on the screen 43 and the "reading" of the character or the like is output as a voice, so that the visually impaired person listens to the voice and determines whether there is no mistake.
If the pressed character or the like is the desired one, the enter button 45 is pressed, and if incorrect, the operation is repeated until the target voice is answered. When the enter button 45 is pressed, the character or the like is written in the print data recording frame of the RAM. In this way, all necessary print data is input.

In order for the visually impaired person to confirm all the input print data again, the confirmation button 60 is pressed. Then
Since the "reading" of the character or the like at which the cursor is currently located is output as a voice, the cursor button 55 is operated to confirm each of the inputted characters and the like one by one. If an input error is found by this check, the cursor is moved to the character or the like, and the "cancel button" 50 is pressed to delete the character or the like. The above-described input operation is repeated until a correct character or the like is input.

After confirming that all necessary print data has been correctly input, the "Braille data determination button" 61
push. Then, a message that "Braille data has been determined" is output, and the print data is written in the braille data determination frame of the ROM as "Hiragana". To cancel this decision, click the "Cancel decision button"
Press 62. Then, a message "The decision of Braille data has been canceled" is output.

The kanji conversion (kanji mixed kana data) of the input print data, that is, the plane print character data for printing by the thermal head 84 is referred to as “kanji mixed kana”.
The conversion into the format is programmed by pressing the "Braille data determination button" 61. In other words, characters in Braille data must be processed as "Hiragana" data, so if the Braille data is converted to Kanji before it is determined and stored in the memory, the reading of the Braille data will be different. This is because there are cases. For this reason, even if the "kanji conversion button" 53 is pressed before the "braille data determination button" 61 is pressed, the kanji conversion is not executed.

In the kanji conversion, the input print data can be collectively performed. That is, when the "kanji conversion button 53" is pressed while the print data is displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display device 43, the print data is converted to kanji.
If there is a mistake in the conversion, move the cursor to the beginning of the erroneously converted character and press the "Kanji conversion button" 53 until the correct conversion is achieved. To return the kanji-converted data to Hiragana, the user presses the "Hiragana conversion button" 54.
The print data after the determination of the braille data is converted to the flat print character data regardless of the presence or absence of the kanji conversion, and the flat print character data is stored in the RAM by pressing the “print button” 56. It is stored in the recording frame.

[E-2. Selection of Print Mode] To print the print data input as described above, the "print button" 56 is pressed. Then, a message “Please select a print mode” is output. In the print mode, flat printing using the thermal head 84 and brush writing 11 are performed.
6, a "Braille printing mode" in which printing is performed in both Braille printing, a "Braille printing mode" in which only Braille printing is performed using the Braille brush 116, and a "Blank printing mode" in which only planar printing is performed using the thermal head 84. There are types, and one of them is selected by a “print mode selection button” 57. Each time this button 57 is pressed, the message "Prints in both flat and braille", the message "Prints only in braille", and the message "Prints only in flat text" alternates. After the message of the desired print mode is output, the user presses the “print button” 56 again to determine. When the loaded tape cassette is the parallel recording tape cassette 21,
If the user selects the "parallel printing mode" or the "flat character printing mode" and the tape cassette 22 is a braille tape cassette 22, the braille printing mode is selected.

When producing two or more display tapes T1 (or T2) using the same print data, the user presses a "print number setting button" 58 and inputs the number of prints. This button 5
8 is a message in which the number of sheets increases in ascending order, such as "one sheet" or "two sheets", every time the button is pressed, and is sequentially output up to seven sheets. When the "print button" 56 is pressed again after the message of the desired number is output, the printing flow of the program starts.

[E-3. Printing] [E-3-1. Printing in Parallel Printing Mode] When the printing flow starts, the Braille head control base 121 is moved to the retracted position, and the stop position of the Braille head playing drum 131 is controlled. That is, a print pattern y that matches the first “three vertical dots” pattern of the input braille data
Is controlled, the direction of the braille head playing drum 131 is controlled. Then, the Braille head control base 121
Moves to the forward position, where the drum 1
31 rotates one pitch to flip the Braille head. When the braille head is flipped, the direction of the braille head flipping drum 131 is controlled so that the braille head control base 121 moves backward to select the next "3 vertical" pattern, during which the tape material 3 (or 5) is used. Is sent for one pitch.

The printing by the thermal head 84 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), a position corresponding to the printing start point in Braille is started as the printing start point.

The above operation is repeated, and all of the print data is printed on the Braille printing area 3B of the tape material 3 or the tape material 5, and when the printing is completed, the tape material 3 (or 5) The length-fed, printed portion is taken out of the tape outlet 74a of the outer shell 41, and
Operation temporarily stops. Here, when the tape cutter 151 is advanced by operating the knob 155, the printed portion is cut off. The advance of the tape cutter 151 is detected by a sensor (not shown), and the next printing is automatically restarted by a signal of this detection as a trigger. Thus, in the case of the concurrent printing mode, the concurrent display tape T1 shown in FIG. 12 is created.

[E-3-2. Printing in Other Print Modes] In printing in the braille print mode, the braille head mechanism 1
10 is performed as described above, and FIG.
The Braille display tape T2 shown in FIG. In printing in the flat character print mode, the thermal head 84 is used.
Is executed only.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and there is a change in design without departing from the gist of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention. For example, the plane character printing means is not limited to the thermal head, and the method of braille printing is not limited to the method of performing three vertical dots at a time. Further, the form of the display tape created in the present invention is not limited to the form in which the flat printed characters and the braille are overlapped and overlapped, and in some cases, these two types of characters are printed in two vertical lines. May be used. The tape material in the present invention may be a cassette type or an open reel type.

[0079]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a single device is used to mechanically display a combined display tape in which both flat print characters and braille are printed on one tape. Can be created.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by simply selecting the tape material to be used and the print mode, at least one of the side-by-side display tape or the braille only form in which both the flat print characters and the braille are printed on one tape. A printed Braille display tape can be selectively created. When the braille tape material is formed of a transparent material, the created Braille display tape can be pasted on the existing display.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, at least the position of the row of key tops can be reliably recognized by the position of the arm of the character switch pressing lever, and the contents of the printing elements possessed by the key top can be confirmed by voice. Even a handicapped person can input a printing element to be printed without fail.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, both flat print characters and braille characters can be printed on one tape.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to produce a display tape in a form in which a flat printed character and a braille are provided in a superimposed manner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a display tape producing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the display tape producing device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed obliquely from below.

FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram of the display tape producing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view showing a main part of an internal structure in the display tape producing device of FIG. 1 in a Braille head advancing state.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view showing a main part of an internal structure in the display tape producing device of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear view showing the display tape producing device of FIG. 1 with a part of an outer shell cut away.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view showing a main part of an internal structure in the display tape producing device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a main part of an internal structure of the display tape producing device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing a braille head mechanism in the display tape producing device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a braille head and a braille head playing drum provided in the display tape producing device of FIG. 1;

11 is an enlarged perspective view of a tape cutter provided in the display tape producing device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a part of a concurrently used tape material used in the display tape producing apparatus of FIG. 1;

13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 12, wherein (A) shows a state before folding, and (B)
Indicates a folded state.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing an example of a combined display tape created by the display tape creating device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view showing a tape cassette exclusively used for Braille used in the display tape producing apparatus of FIG. 1 with a part cut away.

16 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the braille tape stored in the braille tape cassette of FIG. 15 in a state in which the braille is printed;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a braille printing method by the display tape creating device of FIG. 1;

[Description of Signs] 1 Display tape producing device 3 Tape material (tape material for parallel writing) 3A Flat character printing area 3B Braille printing area 5 Tape material (Tape material exclusively for Braille) 7 Base sheet 9 Adhesive layer 10 Release paper 44 Input means ( (Character input panel) 57 Print mode selection means 65 Character switch pressing lever 65b Arm (of character switch pressing lever) 70 Tape material loading part 84 Flat character printing means 92, 94 Tape running means 111, 112, 113 Braille printing means 163, 165 Voice output means ROM, RAM, CPU, 162, 164
Control circuit T1 Display tape T2 Display tape

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A tape material loading section for loading a tape material in which a half in the width direction is a plane character printing area and another half is a transparent braille printing area, and a tape running for running the loaded tape material. Means, flat character printing means for printing flat characters in the flat character printing area of the tape material, braille printing means for printing braille in the braille printing area of the tape material, and input of print data and various instructions to be printed on the tape material And a control circuit for processing input print data and causing the printing means to execute printing. 2. A tape material for parallel writing, in which a half in the width direction is a flat character printing area and another half is a transparent braille printing area, or a tape material exclusively for braille, which is composed only of a braille printing area, is selectively loaded. Tape material loading section, tape running means for running the loaded tape material, flat character printing means for printing flat characters in the flat character printing area of the parallel writing tape material, and braille printing area or braille of the parallel writing tape material A braille printing means for printing braille on a dedicated tape material, an input means for inputting print data and various commands to be printed on the tape material, a control circuit for processing the input print data and causing the printing means to execute printing At least, as the printing mode by the printing means, at least one of a printing mode by both the flat character printing means and the braille printing means or a printing mode by the braille printing means alone is selected. Display tape producing apparatus comprising the print mode selection means capable. 3. A display tape producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means comprises a character input panel having a plurality of key tops on which printing elements such as characters and symbols are individually displayed; A character switch pressing lever for pressing the character input board, the key tops of the character input panel are arranged on a plurality of concentric circles, and the character switch pressing lever is provided rotatably around the arrangement center of the key tops as a rotation center. The arm has a telescopic arm that can be extended and contracted in the radial direction from the rotation center, and this arm has click stop means that presses the key top at a plurality of positions that individually face a plurality of rows of the key top. A display tape producing device, characterized in that the control circuit has audio output means for outputting audio of reading of the printing element when the key top is pressed. 4. A display tape tape used in a display tape producing apparatus for producing a display tape in which display elements such as characters and symbols are printed by both flat character printing by a flat character printing means and braille printing by a braille printing means. A tape for display tape, wherein a half in the width direction is a flat character printing area where printing can be performed by the flat printing means, and another half is a braille printing area where printing can be performed by the braille printing means. Wood. 5. The tape material for a display tape according to claim 4, wherein the transparent base sheet and an opaque print layer which can be printed by a plane character printing means on one half of the width of one surface of the base sheet. A transparent adhesive layer is provided on another half of the one surface, and a release paper is attached to the adhesive layer.