JPH08244286A - Braille output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate easy output of braille on a printing tape at low cost if only input operation of a customary word processor is understood though the braille is entirely not known. CONSTITUTION: A braille output device is equipped with an input part 2 inputting a specific character data, a conversion part 3 with which the character data inputted to the input 2 is converted to a braille data, and a controller 5 wherein the braille data converted with the conversion part 3 is printed with a printing head. Besides, in printing a printing tape wherein capsule paper of coating a heat expandable microcapsule on a surface is formed in a tape 1-form is passed between the thermal printing head and a platen roller. The micro-capsule is expanded with the thermal printing head to form the braille in three dimensions on the surface of the printing tape.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a braille output device capable of automatically converting input from a keyboard into braille and outputting the braille to a printing tape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A Braille typewriter is known as this type of Braille output device. However, in addition to relying on volunteers to create Braille texts, Braille typewriters can only operate those who understand Braille. Therefore, it is not possible to increase the number of volunteers who create Braille, and because Braille guidance is not widely spread, people with visual impairment can know the location of station premises passageways, bus stops, elevators, toilets, etc. That is the main reason why difficult conditions are not improved.

On the other hand, a Braille conversion system and output machine using a computer are known, but since it is an expensive system that costs 10 million yen or more, a Braille library,
It could only be installed at the base of a welfare facility such as a blind school.

[0004]

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks and to output Braille to a printing tape easily and inexpensively even for a healthy person who does not know Braille at all, if he / she has knowledge of an input operation such as an ordinary typewriter or word processor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a braille output device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, a braille output device according to the present invention has an input section for inputting predetermined character data, and converts the character data input to the input section into braille data. Equipped with a conversion unit and a control device that prints the Braille data converted by the conversion unit with a thermal print head, and at the time of printing, the printing tape made by forming a capsule paper with thermo-expandable microcapsules coated on the surface into a tape is heat-sensitive. It is characterized in that it passes between a print head and a platen roller, and the microcapsules are expanded by the thermal print head to three-dimensionally form Braille characters on the surface of the print tape.

[0006]

According to the present invention, when a normal character or numeral such as kana or roman letters is input, this character data is converted into Braille data by the conversion unit, and at the time of printing, the thermal printing head and the platen roller are connected. A part of the microcapsules applied to the printing tape is expanded by the heat treatment of the printing tape passing through between the printing tape and the Braille is three-dimensionally embossed on the surface of the printing tape.

As described above, since Braille is output when a normal character is input, even a healthy volunteer who has no knowledge of Braille will only need to know the input operation of a normal typewriter or word processor. Braille can be output to a printing tape easily and inexpensively. Therefore, the environment of the visually impaired can be significantly improved.

[0008]

1 shows a Braille output device. This Braille output device outputs Braille to the printing tape 1, and an input unit 2 (keyboard) for inputting a predetermined character is provided outside, and an input unit 2 is provided inside the input unit 2 as shown in FIG. A conversion unit 3 that converts the input character data into Braille data, a printing unit 4 that prints the Braille data converted by the conversion unit 3, and a control device 5 that controls these units are provided.

The printing tape 1 is formed by forming a capsule paper in which hundreds of millions of heat-foaming microcapsules are coated on the surface of special paper into a tape shape. The heat-foaming microcapsules absorb light and heat energy. As a result, the capsule paper produced by Matsumoto Yushi-Seiyaku Co., Ltd. may be used as the capsule paper.

The control unit 5 is composed of a microprocessor, and as shown in FIG. 2, the characters (kana or Roman characters) input from the input unit 2 based on the control program stored in the storage unit (ROM) 6 are used as document data. Storage unit (RAM) 7
At the same time, the data is displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal display) 8 at the same time, the conversion unit 3 converts the above-mentioned characters into Braille, and the printing unit 4 outputs the Braille.

The conversion unit 3 is provided with conversion means (character conversion software) for converting characters into Braille.

As shown in FIG. 3, the printing section 4 comprises a thermal printing head 9, a platen roller 10 and a feeding mechanism for the printing tape 1. The thermal printing head 9 and the platen roller 10 are arranged so as to face each other, and the printing tape 1 is configured to be fed between the thermal printing head 9 and the platen roller 10 by a feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism rotationally drives one of the two rollers 11 and 12 whose peripheral surfaces are in contact with each other and inserts the printing tape 1 between the rollers 11 and 12 to feed the printing tape 1 along the rotation direction of the rollers. Configuration is sufficient.

In the above construction, the keys of the input unit 2 are tapped to input ordinary characters and numbers such as kana and Roman letters, and after confirming that they are input correctly on the display unit 8, printing is executed on the printing unit 4. Then, the conversion unit 3 converts the character data into Braille data, and the printing unit 4 prints on the print tape 1 passing between the thermal print head 9 and the platen roller 10 by a heating process by the thermal print head 9. Tape 1
A part of the microcapsules applied on the surface of the printing tape 1 expands so that Braille 13 is three-dimensionally embossed on the surface of the printing tape 1 as shown in FIG.

As described above, since Braille is output when a normal character is input, even a healthy volunteer who has no knowledge of Braille will only need to know the input operation of a normal typewriter or word processor. Braille can be output to the printing tape 1 easily and inexpensively. Therefore, the environment of the visually impaired can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a braille output device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of the braille output device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a printing unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printing Tape 2 Input Section 3 Conversion Section 5 Control Device 9 Thermal Print Head 10 Platen Roller 13 Braille

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input unit for inputting predetermined character data,
It is equipped with a conversion unit that converts the character data input to the input unit into Braille data, and a control device that prints the Braille data converted by the conversion unit with a thermal print head, and at the time of printing, heat-foamable microcapsules were applied. A printing tape made by forming capsule paper into a tape shape is passed between the thermal printing head and the platen roller, and the microcapsules are expanded by the thermal printing head to three-dimensionally form Braille on the surface of the printing tape. Braille output device characterized in that.