JP2965993B2 - 3D information processing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional information processing apparatus, and more particularly to a three-dimensional information processing apparatus that outputs input three-dimensional information as tactile information.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a display device of Braille or characters for a visually impaired person, a display pin is projected from a display surface by using a driving force of a piezoelectric element to display Braille, characters, and other three-dimensional information. Display devices are known.

In this type of apparatus, a method is used in which a piezoelectric element is used as a means for obtaining an output displacement as described above, and the output is expanded to an amount that can be touched by a blind person or the like via a displacement expansion mechanism.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional display devices as described above, a piezoelectric element is often used as an actuator of a display pin, but in the case of a piezoelectric element, the mechanical displacement obtained is very small. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for expanding the displacement of the element, and it is difficult to display multi-dimensional three-dimensional information by changing the amount of protrusion of the display pin.
In many cases, only a binary display of protruding or non-protruding can be performed. In addition, there is a problem that the operation sound is large in the device using the conventional piezoelectric element.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to output a multi-valued three-dimensional information with a large displacement amount, and to realize a quiet 3D information.
It is to provide a three-dimensional information processing apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, the pressure chambers are arranged in a matrix and connected to independent pressure chambers each filled with a predetermined liquid. A plurality of output shafts capable of projecting at independent multi-step projection amounts in accordance with the internal pressure of the plurality of input shafts; an input means for inputting a plurality of three-dimensional position information; An output shaft arranged at a position corresponding to the horizontal position information is selected from the plurality of output shafts, and drive energy for heating the liquid in the pressure chamber connected to the selected output shaft is set at each vertical position. Calculating means for calculating based on the information; and the drive energy calculated by the calculating means for each of the liquids in each of the pressure chambers in a state where the plurality of pressure chambers are isolated from the atmosphere. Heated to raise the internal pressure,
By projecting the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber with a multi-step projection amount according to each drive energy, a three-dimensional shape is formed by the plurality of output shafts, and the inside of the pressure chamber is brought into contact with the atmosphere. And a control unit for returning the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber to the initial position.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples shown in the drawings. Here, a three-dimensional information processing apparatus that reads three-dimensional information and outputs it as tactile information is exemplified.

1 and 2 show the structure of a three-dimensional display device employing the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the control system of the apparatus, and FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the apparatus.

 First, the output system will be described.

In both figures, reference numeral 101 denotes a housing of the output device, and an output displacement shaft group 110 is arranged in a matrix on the outer surface thereof. The output shaft 110 can independently control the height displacement of each output shaft. In the figure,
i and j indicate the positions of the rows and columns of the matrix formed by the output shaft 110.

The output shaft 110 is the object 20 input from the housing 201 of FIG.
It is driven by a control system described later to display three-dimensional information on the shape of No. 5.

Two operation means are provided on the housing 101 of the output shaft 110. First, reference numeral 102 denotes a reset button,
Are simultaneously returned to the initial position.
Further, reference numeral 104 denotes a mode switch for switching a display mode, which will be described later, and includes a slide switch and the like.

 Next, the input system will be described.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes input means (reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1).
00), a Z encoder 204 for reading the shape of the object 205 is provided. The Z encoder 204 is supported by the arm 203 so as to be slidable in the Z-axis direction, and reads three-dimensional information on the height direction of the object 205.

The arm 203 is supported on the housing 201 via an XY table 202, and at the time of input, the arm 203 is moved in the X and Y axis directions according to a predetermined pattern, whereby the object 205 is moved by the Z encoder 204. It is scanned and its height information is entered.

The control system shown in FIG. 1 is housed inside the housings 201 to 101 shown in FIG.

As shown, the control system includes an arithmetic unit 11 and a control unit 12 between the input unit 200 and the display output unit 100. Reference numeral 103 in FIG. 2 denotes a cable including a signal line between the arithmetic device 11 and the input device 200 or between the control device 12 and the output device 100.

The arithmetic unit 11 is composed of a microprocessor or the like, and receives address information (information on the scanning position of the Z encoder 204 along the X and Y axes directions in FIG. 2) from the input device 200 according to a control program stored in the ROM 11a. The level information (height, that is, information on the Z-axis direction in FIG. 2) of the Z encoder 204 at that address is input, and the output device 10 is converted into controllable information.
To enter.

The control device 12 controls the output shaft 110 of the output device 100 based on the input information from the arithmetic device 11, and displays and outputs the input three-dimensional information.

 Next, the structure of the output system will be described in detail.

In this embodiment, as the output shaft 110, a driving unit using a pressure change according to a temperature change of the liquid is used instead of a driving unit using a conventional piezoelectric element. Fig. 3 (A)-
(C) shows the drive mechanism of the output shaft 110 in detail.

3 (A) to 3 (C), reference numeral 2 denotes a substrate for supporting a driving mechanism, on which a heating element 2a which generates heat by energization from a terminal 2c is provided. The surface is covered by the layer 2b.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a structure having a concave portion 3a, a part of which has a hole.
3c and 3d, the upper end of which is inserted into the hole 1a of the upper structure 1. The output shaft 110 is fitted in the hole 1a so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The output shaft 110 is urged downward by a spring 8 in the figure.

The upper structure 1, the substrate 2, and the structure 3 have their joints kept hermetically sealed, and the concave portion 3a is filled with a liquid 1 such as oil up to the position indicated by the symbol L in the figure, and is movable. Even when the members (output shaft 110, control plate 4) and the like are operated, the gas is not leaked from portions other than the insertion holes.

The output device is used in the positions shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, and the upper portion of the liquid 1 in the concave portion 3a is an air chamber 3b as shown.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a control plate, which guides 5 and 6 against a spring 9.
3 (C), and the position of the control plate 4 is determined by a position where the holes 4a and 4b are aligned with the holes 3c and 3d and a position where the holes 4a and 4b are in a sealing relationship with each other. Controllable between.

When the heating element 2a is energized, the liquid boils and bubbles are generated, the internal pressure of the air chamber 3b rises, and the output shaft 110 moves from the position of 7A to the position of 7B against the urging force of the spring 8. (FIG. 3B).

When resetting the output shaft, the control plate 4 is displaced leftward in FIG. 3C against the spring 9 using a solenoid (not shown) or the like, and the holes 3c and 4a and the holes 3d and 4b communicate with each other. By doing so, the internal pressure of the air chamber 3b is reduced to the atmospheric pressure, and the air chamber 3b returns to the initial position from 7B to 7A. At the same time, the sealed liquid communicates with the surrounding liquid and exchanges heat.

The magnitude of the output displacement of each output shaft 110 (i, j) depends on the amount of energy supplied to the heating element 2 a (i, j) corresponding to each output shaft. For example, if the voltage is constant, The energization time can be controlled by the amount of data to the corresponding timer.

As will be apparent from the configuration of the output system, the arithmetic unit 11 shown in FIG. 1 has an output shaft 11 to be output according to the address information in the X and Y directions input from the input device 200.
0 is selected, and an operation is performed to determine the drive energy (drive time or drive power) of each heating element of the output shaft 110 according to the level information (information on the Z-axis direction) corresponding to the height of the arm 203. In addition, the control device 12 performs actual heating element driving in accordance with given selection information of the output shaft 110 and information on driving energy.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 4 (A) shows the first
The figure shows a control program for the arithmetic unit 11, and the illustrated procedure is stored in the ROM 11a connected to the arithmetic unit 11.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4B, (0, 0) to
An input area having a coordinate range of (m, n) is set, and the driving condition of the heating element 2a of the output shaft 110 corresponding to the coordinates (i, j) is determined according to the Z coordinate read by the Z encoder 204. Shall be determined.

Input / output is started when the reset button 102 is pressed. Thereby, first, in step S1 of FIG. 4A, the X and Y addresses are made to correspond to the numbers i and j in the row and column directions of the output shaft 110, and then in step S2 the output value of the Z encoder 204 is Is input, and the energizing time T to the heating element 2a of the output shaft 110 corresponding to the position (i, j) is determined in step S3.

In steps S4 to S6, the XY table 202 is moved in the X direction by a distance corresponding to a predetermined resolution by a motor (not shown). The movement amount at this time is controlled by closed loop control.

That is, after moving the XY table 202 in step S4, the moving amount in the X direction is detected by an encoder provided inside the XY table 202 in step S5,
Next, in step S6, it is determined whether a predetermined amount of movement has been performed.

When the movement in the X-axis direction is completed, in step S7, Z
The height of the object 205 in the Z-axis direction is detected by the encoder 204.

In step S8, the drive time T of the heating element of the output shaft 110 corresponding to the row and column (i, j) corresponding to the currently read X, Y coordinates is determined.

In step S9, the output of the X encoder of the XY table 202 is read, and in step S10, this value is set to a predetermined value m.
Then, it is determined whether or not the scanning has been performed at a predetermined distance in the X-axis direction by comparing with.

If step S10 is denied, the process returns to step S4 and repeats the above operation.

When step S10 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step S11, and the XY table 202 is moved to the next scan line. That is, the XY table 202 is moved in the Y-axis direction by an amount corresponding to the predetermined resolution. At this time, the closed loop control may be performed using an encoder as in the case of the X-axis direction.

In step S12, it is determined whether or not scanning has been performed for a predetermined distance (n) in the Y-axis direction. If this step is denied, the control from step S4 is repeated.

As described above, (j + 1, j), (j + 2, j).
Each timer data is set according to the Z encoder input when the encoder data changes. If the coordinates are (m,
After reaching (j), the X and Y motors are driven, and scanning is sequentially performed in the same manner from (i, j + 1) to obtain Z data, and the X and Y coordinates become (m,
Stop input when n) is reached.

In this way, the input three-dimensional coordinate data is associated with the output data.

The output processing by the output shaft 110 may be performed sequentially during the above scanning, or, after the data corresponding to each address (i, j) is temporarily stored in the memory, all the output group axes are collectively simultaneously processed. You may make it output. In this case, the sequential / collective mode switching may be performed by the changeover switch 104. Also, as described above, the output shaft 110
To set the initial position of (i, j), operate the reset button 102,
This is performed by driving the control plate 4 of each output shaft group via an interlock mechanism (not shown).

According to the above embodiment, the output means in which the liquid in the pressure chamber is heated and the output shaft is displaced by the pressure change in the pressure chamber and arranged in a matrix is used for the output of the three-dimensional information. A multi-valued three-dimensional information can be output by a large displacement of the shaft, and a quiet three-dimensional information processing apparatus can be provided. Also,
By combining with the means for inputting the three-dimensional information related to the shape of the object as in the above embodiment, the read three-dimensional information can be output.

Although an input device for reading the shape of an object has been described above, the output device of the present invention can also be used for outputting three-dimensional information input via a medium such as a magnetic disk or a communication line. Not even.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the three-dimensional information processing apparatus is connected to independent pressure chambers, each of which is arranged in a matrix and is filled with a predetermined liquid. A plurality of output shafts, each of which can be projected at an independent multi-step projection amount in accordance with the internal pressure of the plurality of input shafts; an input means for inputting a plurality of three-dimensional position information; An output shaft arranged at a position corresponding to the horizontal position information is selected from the plurality of output shafts, and drive energy for heating the liquid in the pressure chamber connected to the selected output shaft is set at each vertical position. Calculating means for calculating based on the information; and heating the liquid in each of the pressure chambers with the driving energy calculated by the calculating means for each of the liquids in the pressure chamber while keeping the inside of the pressure chamber from the atmosphere. Is raised, and the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber is protruded with a multi-step protruding amount according to the respective drive energy, so that the plurality of output shafts form a three-dimensional shape, and the inside of the pressure chamber is formed. And a control unit for returning the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber to the initial position by bringing the output shaft into contact with the atmosphere.

Thus, from among a plurality of output shafts arranged in a matrix and connected to independent pressure chambers each filled with a predetermined liquid, each of a plurality of input three-dimensional position information, An output shaft disposed at a position corresponding to the horizontal position information is selected, and drive energy for heating the liquid inside the pressure chamber connected to the selected output shaft is calculated based on the respective vertical position information. In a state where the inside of the pressure chamber is isolated from the atmosphere, the liquid in each pressure chamber is heated by the drive energy calculated for each to increase the internal pressure, and the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber is driven. Since the projections are made to protrude in multiple stages according to the energy, a three-dimensional shape can be formed by projecting the plurality of output shafts in multiple stages. There is an effect that.

Further, in a state where the inside of the pressure chamber is shielded from the atmosphere, the liquid in each pressure chamber is heated by the drive energy calculated for each to increase the internal pressure, and the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber is driven by each. Since the projection is made in multiple steps according to the energy, it is possible to easily obtain a multi-step, variable output shaft projection that is larger than that of conventional piezoelectric elements at low cost and with low noise. it can.

Further, since the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber is returned to the initial position by bringing the inside of the pressure chamber into contact with the atmosphere, the output shaft can be returned to the initial position at high speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a three-dimensional information processing apparatus adopting the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the appearance of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 (A) is the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 (B) is a sectional view of the static pressure actuator of FIG. 3 (A).
FIG. 3 (C) is a side view of the hydrostatic actuator of the apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 (A) is a flowchart showing an input / output sequence of the apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing correspondence between input and output data. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Upper structure, 2 ... Substrate 2a ... Heating element, 3 ... Structure 3a ... Depression, 4 ... Control plates 3b-3d, 4b-4d ... Hole 5 ... Guide member, 6 ... … Guide members 8, 9… Spring, 11… Computing device 12… Control device, 100… Output device 101, 201… Case 102… Reset button 103… Cable, 104… Mode switch 110… … Output shaft, 202… XY table 203… Arm, 204… Z encoder 205 …… Object

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hitoshi Kishino 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Satoshi Kiyomatsu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-58-88776 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04R 23/00 G09B 21/00-21/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of pressure chambers arranged in a matrix and each filled with a predetermined liquid;
A plurality of output shafts, each of which can project in an independent multi-step projection amount according to the internal pressure of the pressure chamber; an input means for inputting a plurality of three-dimensional position information; An output shaft arranged at a position corresponding to each horizontal position information is selected from the plurality of output shafts, and drive energy for heating the liquid in the pressure chamber connected to the selected output shaft is respectively determined. Calculating means for calculating based on the vertical position information of the plurality of pressure chambers, and in a state where the plurality of pressure chambers are shielded from the atmosphere, the liquid in each of the pressure chambers is heated by the drive energy calculated by the calculating means for each. By increasing the internal pressure and projecting the output shaft connected to the pressure chamber with multi-stage protrusion amounts according to the respective drive energies, a three-dimensional shape is formed by the plurality of output shafts. Rutotomoni,
A three-dimensional information processing apparatus, comprising: a control unit configured to bring an inside of the pressure chamber into contact with the atmosphere and return an output shaft connected to the pressure chamber to an initial position. 2. The input means scans a three-dimensional object,
The three-dimensional information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein three-dimensional position information of a plurality of points on the surface of the object is input.