JP2006276559A - Braille display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a braille display device capable of reduction of power consumption, miniaturization, and cost reduction. <P>SOLUTION: A braille display device 10 includes a display plate 1, a plurality of braille display pins 3 vertically and horizontally arrayed so as to be able to project and withdraw through holes 1a formed in the display plate 1, a rotating plate 5 for causing the braille display pins 3 to project from and withdraw into the display plate 1, an actuator 7 for rotationally driving the rotating plate 5, and a control part for controlling the actuator 7. The rotating plate 5 has irregularities 5a formed along a circle having a revolving shaft 5a as a center, on one face thereof, and braille display pins 3 are disposed in at least two rows and two columns per square and are configured so as to individually project and withdraw by irregularities 5a of the rotating plate 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a braille display device in which braille display pins that move in and out of a display plate are arranged vertically and horizontally.

  Braille is one of means for displaying characters such as letters, numbers and symbols. In Japan, in general, one character is displayed by displaying six points, which are arranged in two vertical columns and three horizontal columns in a square, with unevenness. In the United States and the like, in addition to displaying one character with six points, for example, one character may be displayed with eight points in two columns vertically and four columns horizontally.

  Conventionally, as a Braille display device that displays Braille mechanically, there is a device that displays Braille by moving a Braille display pin in and out. As an actuator for driving the Braille display pin in and out, one using a shape memory alloy (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2), one using a solenoid (for example, see Patent Document 3), or one using a piezoelectric actuator (For example, see Patent Document 4) and the like are known.

However, in these braille display devices, power must be kept on in order to maintain the state of the displayed braille (the state in which the braille display pin is in the raised position). It was unsuitable for information terminals of the type.
Therefore, as a low power consumption type braille display device with reduced power consumption, a mechanism for converting the rotational motion of the motor into a linear motion is interposed as an actuator for driving the braille display pin in and out (for example, Patent Documents 5 and 6). (See, for example, Patent Document 7) or the like that uses a solenoid but has a mechanism for maintaining a braille display state.
JP 2000-112339 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-212446 JP-A-9-127659 JP-A-6-301335 JP-A-11-161153 JP 7-36376 A JP 2002-156898 A

  The conventional low power consumption type is advantageous in that it is not necessary to keep supplying power to maintain the display state. However, one actuator is provided for one Braille display pin, or one Braille display is not provided. Since there are two actuators per mass (in other words, one actuator for each row of braille display pins), practical problems still remain in terms of miniaturization and cost.

  As an example that needs to be reduced in size, for example, a watch for the visually impaired can be considered. Conventionally, there are two main types of watches for visually impaired people: touch-reading and voice-type watches, and deciphering watches touch the long and short hands of an analog watch with your finger, The method is to know the time from the positional relationship, and the voice type is a method of notifying the time by voice by pressing a button switch. The tactile reading type has a problem that it is difficult to know the exact time from the way of reading, and the voice type is difficult to use depending on the surrounding environment (noise, etc.). Therefore, if the time is displayed in braille, the time can be known accurately and can be used without being influenced by the surrounding environment. It was difficult to reduce the size to the level.

  In addition, many braille display devices have a braille display pin arranged in two rows vertically and three rows horizontally to form one square. In practice, the diameter of the braille display pin is about 1.4 mm, and the interval between adjacent pins in one square is set. About 2.4 to 3.0 mm, and the pin interval between adjacent masses needs to be about 3.5 to 4.0 mm, which is technically difficult to reduce in size and difficult in terms of cost. Of these conventional techniques, only a piezoelectric actuator is used.

  Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a braille display device capable of reducing power consumption, downsizing, and cost reduction.

  In order to solve the above problems, a braille display device according to the present invention includes a display plate, a plurality of braille display pins arranged vertically and horizontally so as to be able to protrude and retract from a through-hole formed in the display plate, and the braille display pin A rotary plate that moves in and out with respect to the display plate; an actuator that drives the rotary plate to rotate; and a control unit that controls the actuator; the rotary plate has a rotation axis as a center on one surface thereof Irregularities are formed along the circumference, and the braille display pins are arranged in at least two rows vertically and two rows horizontally, and each of the braille display pins is formed by the uneven portions of the rotating plate. It is configured to be moved up and down.

  When the four braille display pins in two vertical rows and two horizontal rows are arranged in one square, the concave portions of the concave and convex portions are arranged on the circumference so as to move the four braille display pins. It is preferable that they are arranged at a predetermined plurality of positions among the divided positions, and the number of equal divisions is 20, 24, 40 or 44.

  A small-diameter concavo-convex part and a large-diameter concavo-convex part are formed along two concentric circles having different diameters around the rotation axis of the rotating plate, and the two braille display pins are moved in and out by one of the concavo-convex parts. The remaining four Braille display pins are moved in and out by the other concavo-convex portion, and the six Braille display pins arranged in two vertical rows and three horizontal rows in one square are moved in and out. It can also be made to do.

  At this time, the two braille display pins are moved in and out by the large diameter uneven portion, the remaining four braille display pins are moved in and out by the small diameter uneven portion, and the concave portions of the small diameter uneven portion and the large diameter uneven portion are It can comprise so that it may arrange | position at the predetermined multiple position of the position which divided each circumference into 64 parts.

  The two braille display pins are moved in and out by the small-diameter uneven portion, the remaining four braille display pins are moved in and out by the large-diameter uneven portion, and the concave portions of the small-diameter uneven portion and the large-diameter uneven portion are It can also be configured so as to be arranged at a predetermined plurality of positions among the positions obtained by dividing the circumference into 72 parts.

  It is preferable that the braille display device further includes an elastic body that urges the braille display pin toward a side to be sunk from the display plate.

  In addition, the Braille display device may further include a support member in which the Braille display pin includes a collar portion, and supports the collar portion so that the Braille display pin can be removed from the concave portion of the uneven portion. .

  It is preferable that the Braille display pin has a large-diameter portion that protrudes and protrudes from a through-hole of the display plate and a small-diameter portion that comes into contact with the uneven portion of the rotating plate.

  According to the present invention, the display state of Braille is held by the uneven portion of the rotating plate, and power is consumed only when the rotating plate is rotated. Since only one actuator is required for displaying the square braille, and the number of other parts can be very small, the size can be reduced and the cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional one.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a braille display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1A is a plan view of the first embodiment and FIG. 1B is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ′. In the illustrated example, a structure corresponding to one cell is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the braille display device 10 includes a display plate 1, a braille display pin 3, a rotating plate 5, an actuator 7, an elastic body 9, and a control unit (not shown), and is configured as follows. ing. First, the display plate 1 is formed with through holes 1a through which braille display pins 3 arranged in two vertical rows and two horizontal rows can move. Here, when only numbers are displayed, all the numbers can be displayed with four points, so in this embodiment, description will be made with four braille display pins 3.

  The braille display pin 3 is divided into a large-diameter portion 3 a and a small-diameter portion 3 b, the large-diameter portion 3 a is inserted into the through hole 1 a of the display plate 1, and the small-diameter portion 3 b is in the concavo-convex portion 5 a of the rotating plate 5. It is in contact. In addition, when the small-diameter portion 3b of the braille display pin 3 enters the recess 5b, the braille display pin 3 is supported by the elastic body 9 so that the large-diameter portion 3a of the braille display pin 3 is always submerged from the through hole 1a of the display plate 1. Is biased from the display plate 1 to the side to be sunk. Here, a coil spring is used as the elastic body 9. The coil spring is externally fitted to the braille display pin 3, and one end thereof abuts on the back surface of the display plate 1 and the other end abuts on the collar portion 3c formed on the braille display pin 3, as described above. The braille display pin 3 is urged toward the side where the display plate 1 dies.

  The rotating plate 5 is rotated by a predetermined angle by an actuator 7. In the present embodiment, the actuator 7 is a stepping motor and is controlled to rotate by a predetermined angle by a control unit (not shown) such as a microcomputer. The actuator 7 is not limited to a stepping motor, and may be any actuator that can mechanically or electrically rotate the rotating plate 5 by a predetermined angle, such as a position control motor such as a servo motor. Further, the rotating plate 5 has a concavo-convex portion 5a formed along a circumference around the rotation shaft 5c, and the small-diameter portion 3b of the braille display pin 3 is in contact with the concavo-convex portion 5a. When the small diameter portion 3b of the braille display pin 3 is in contact with the recess 5b, the large diameter portion 3a of the braille display pin 3 is submerged from the through hole 1a of the braille display plate 1 by the elastic body 9, and the small diameter portion 3b. Is in contact with the convex portion, the large-diameter portion 3a is configured to protrude from the through hole 1a of the Braille display plate 1 against the elastic force of the elastic body 9. In addition, when the braille display device 10 is used on a horizontal plane, the braille display pin 3 is submerged from the through hole 1a of the display plate 1 by its own weight, so that the elastic body 9 can be omitted. is there.

  Next, a Braille display method of the Braille display device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A is a plan view showing the rotating plate 5 and the Braille display pin 3, FIG. 2B is a schematic developed cross-sectional view along the circumference on which the concave and convex portion 5a is formed, and FIG. It is a general | schematic expanded sectional view (c). In FIG. 2A, which is a plan view of the rotating plate 5, the convex portion 5d is represented by a white circle (◯) and the concave portion 5b is represented by a black circle (●) for easy understanding of the concave / convex state of the concave / convex portion 5a. .

  As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the rotating plate 5 has an uneven portion 5a formed on one surface thereof along the circumference around the rotating shaft 5c, and the recessed portion 5b has a circumference of 20%. It arrange | positions in the predetermined several position of the divided | segmented positions. In the state of FIG. 2, the braille display pins 31, 32 and 33 are submerged from the display plate 1 because they are located in the recess 5b, and the braille display pins 34 are located in the projection 5d. Projecting from the display plate 1. The braille display state in which only the upper left braille display pin 34 protrudes represents the number “1”.

  Next, the actuator 7 rotates the rotating plate 5 counterclockwise by a predetermined angle (18 degrees in this embodiment). Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the Braille display pins 31 and 34 protrude from the display plate 1 because they are located in the convex portion 5d, and the Braille display pins 32 and 33 are lost from the display plate because they are located in the concave portion 5b. The braille display state in which the upper right and upper left braille display pins protrude represents the number “3”. Thus, when the actuator 7 rotates the rotating plate 5 in units of 18 degrees, the uneven state of the uneven portion 5a of the rotating plate 5 with respect to the braille display pin 3 changes, and represents a number from “0” to “9”. be able to. A summary of this is shown in FIG. Note that the state indicated by the numeral “1” in FIG. 2 is used as a reference, and in order to make the Braille state easy to see, the state in which the Braille display pin 3 protrudes is different from FIGS. 2 and 3. The sunken state is indicated by white circles (◯).

  By adopting the configuration as described above, the Braille display device 10 according to the present invention requires only one actuator for displaying Braille of one square sentence, and the number of parts can be reduced. This enables downsizing and cost reduction.

  In practice, the diameter of the braille display pin needs to be about 1.4 mm. However, by dividing the braille display pin 3 into the large diameter portion 3a and the small diameter portion 3b, about 1.4 mm which is practically necessary has a large diameter. By securing the portion 3a while making the small diameter portion 3b smaller than about 1.4 mm, the concave and convex portion 5a with which the small diameter portion 3b abuts can be made small, and thus the rotating plate 5 can be made small, and the Braille as a whole. The display device 10 can be reduced in size.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this, A various change is possible unless it deviates from the meaning. In the above-described embodiment, the concave portion 5b of the concave and convex portion 5a formed on the rotary plate 5 is arranged at a predetermined position among the positions obtained by dividing the circumference around the rotary shaft 5c into 20 parts. It is not limited, and it may be arranged at a predetermined position among the positions divided into 20 or more. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the recess 5b can be arranged at a predetermined position among the positions divided into 24 parts. By dividing in this way, it becomes possible to sunk all the braille display pins 3 that were impossible with 20 divisions.

  Moreover, in the 20 divisions and 24 divisions, when rotated by 18 degrees or 15 degrees, the order of the numbers displayed in braille is represented randomly, but as shown in FIG. Numbers can be displayed in order from 0 to 9, and the rotational movement amount can be reduced. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, by dividing into 44 parts, it is possible to reduce the amount of rotational movement by being able to display numbers in order, and it is also possible to have a state where all the braille display pins 3 are sunk. .

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the uneven | corrugated | grooved part 5a is formed along one circumference on the rotation plate 5, it is a plurality of circles which are concentric on the same surface of the rotation plate 5 and whose diameters are changed. By forming along the circumference, the number of braille display pins can be increased.

  For example, a case where braille is represented by six braille display pins in two vertical rows and three horizontal rows will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the rotating plate 5 has a small-diameter concavo-convex portion 51a and a large-diameter concavo-convex portion 52a formed along two circumferences having different diameters around the rotation shaft 5c on one surface thereof. Each of the recesses 51b and the recesses 52b is formed at a predetermined plurality of positions among the positions obtained by dividing each circumference into 64 parts. The four braille display pins 3 are moved in and out by the small diameter uneven portion 51a, and the remaining two braille display pins 3 are moved in and out by the large diameter uneven portion 52a. Other configurations are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and are omitted. In this way, by forming the two uneven portions 51a and 52a having different diameters on the rotating plate 5, the six braille display pins can be moved in and out, and characters other than numerals can be displayed in braille. Is possible. The concave portions 51b and 52b are arranged at a predetermined plurality of positions divided into 64 or more so that all the braille can be displayed, and furthermore, the six braille display pins 3 are all immersed. You can also. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the two braille display pins 3 are moved in and out by the small diameter uneven portion 51a, and the remaining four braille display pins 3 are moved in and out by the large diameter uneven portion 52a. You can also. In this case, in order to make it possible to display all the Braille characters, and also to make the state where all the six Braille display pins 3 are immersed, the concavo-convex portions 51b and the concavo-convex portions 51b have their respective circumferences. What is necessary is just to arrange | position to the predetermined multiple position of the position divided | segmented into 72 or more.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, the braille display pin 3 can be configured such that the position of the tip of the small diameter portion 3b that contacts the concavo-convex portion is deviated from the axis of the large diameter portion 3a. By doing in this way, the location of the small diameter part 3b contact | abutted with an uneven | corrugated | grooved part can be made into a various position.

  Based on the principle described above, the number of braille display pins can be further increased.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, a support member 11 that allows the Braille display pin 3 to be removed from the recess 5 b can be further provided in a drive device that is not shown. In this example, first, the braille display pin 3 is lifted by the support member 11 via the flange 3c of the braille display pin 3, and the small diameter portion 3b of the braille display pin 3 is removed from the recess 5b. In this state, the rotary plate 5 is rotated by a predetermined angle by the actuator 7, and then the support member 11 is lowered to bring the small diameter portion 3b of the braille display pin 3 into contact with the uneven portion 5a. By adopting such a configuration, unlike the above-described embodiment, it is not necessary to take into consideration the catch between the boundary between the concave portion 5b of the concave and convex portion 5a and the convex portion 5d and the small diameter portion 3b of the braille display pin 3, For example, the concave and convex portion 5a can be easily processed, such as forming a hole as the concave portion 5b at a predetermined position on the circumference around the rotation shaft 5c. The same effect can be obtained by raising and lowering the rotating plate 5 and the actuator 7 instead of raising and lowering the support member 11 as described above.

It is the top view (a) and AA line fragmentary sectional view (b) of embodiment of the Braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the top view (a), B-B 'schematic expanded sectional view (b), and C-C' schematic expanded sectional view which showed the relationship between a rotating plate and a braille display pin. FIG. 2A is a plan view showing a relationship between a rotating plate and a braille display pin when rotated by 18 ° counterclockwise from the state of FIG. 2, a schematic developed sectional view taken along line BB ′, and a schematic developed sectional view taken along line CC ′. It is. It is the chart showing the number and braille corresponding to the rotation angle of a rotating plate. It is a top view which shows another embodiment of the rotation plate of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows another embodiment of the rotation plate of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows another embodiment of the rotation plate of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows another embodiment of the rotation plate of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows another embodiment of the rotation plate of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a side view which shows another embodiment of the braille display pin of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the top view (a) and A-A 'line partial sectional view (b) which show another embodiment of the braille display apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display plate 1a Through-hole 3 Braille display pin 3a Large diameter part 3b Small diameter part 3c Ridge part 5 Rotating plate 5a Uneven part 5b Recessed part 5c Rotating shaft 7 Actuator 9 Elastic body 10 Braille display device 11 Support member 51a Small diameter uneven part 52a Large diameter Uneven part

Claims (8)

A display plate;
A plurality of braille display pins arranged vertically and horizontally so as to be able to appear and retract from the through holes formed in the display plate;
A rotating plate for moving the braille display pin in and out of the display plate;
An actuator for rotationally driving the rotating plate;
A control unit for controlling the actuator,
The rotating plate has a concavo-convex portion formed on one surface thereof along a circumference around the rotation axis,
The braille display pins are arranged in at least two rows vertically and two rows horizontally, and each of the braille display pins is configured to be moved in and out by the uneven portion of the rotating plate. Braille display device.   The concave and convex portions of the concave and convex portions are arranged at predetermined plural positions among the positions obtained by equally dividing the circumference so that the four braille display pins arranged in two vertical rows and two horizontal rows are projected and retracted. The braille display device according to claim 1, wherein the number of equal divisions is 20, 24, 40, or 44.   Small diameter irregularities along two concentric circumferences with different diameters around the rotation axis of the rotating plate so that the six braille display pins arranged in two vertical rows and three horizontal rows in one square are projected and retracted And the large-diameter concavo-convex part is formed, the two braille display pins are moved in and out by one of the concavo-convex parts, and the remaining four braille display pins are moved in and out by the other concavo-convex part. The braille display device according to claim 1.   The two braille display pins are moved in and out by the large-diameter concavo-convex portion, the remaining four braille display pins are moved in and out by the small-diameter concavo-convex portion, and the respective concave portions of the small-diameter concavo-convex portion and the large-diameter concavo-convex portion The braille display device according to claim 3, wherein the braille display device is arranged at a predetermined plurality of positions among positions obtained by dividing the circumference into 64 parts.   The two braille display pins are moved in and out by the small-diameter uneven portion, the remaining four braille display pins are moved in and out by the large-diameter uneven portion, and the concave portions of the small-diameter uneven portion and the large-diameter uneven portion are formed in the circles. The braille display device according to claim 3, wherein the braille display device is arranged at a predetermined plurality of positions among positions obtained by dividing the circumference into 72 parts.   The braille display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an elastic body that biases the braille display pin toward a side to be immersed from the display plate.   The braille display pin includes a collar portion, and further includes a support member that supports the collar portion and allows the braille display pin to be removed from the concave portion of the uneven portion. Braille display device described in 1. 8. The Braille display pin according to claim 1, wherein the Braille display pin has a large-diameter portion that protrudes and protrudes from a through-hole of the display plate and a small-diameter portion that comes into contact with the uneven portion of the rotating plate. Display device.

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