JPH11184369A - Actuator element for braille dot drawing and its usage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a smaller-size actuator element with a constitution simpler than a conventional actuator for a projection point being a minimum constitution unit of a display device for braille dot drawing, and to add an input function to the element. SOLUTION: In a cylindrical member 1, a movable member 2 which can reciprocate in the axial direction is provided and between one end part 1a in the cylindrical member 1 and the movable member 2, a shape memory coil spring A is arranged. The shape memory coil spring A is a driving source. The movable member 2 is provided with a rod part 3 which extends toward an end part 1c for projection to obtain the actuator element. To move the movable member 2 reciprocally only by external heating, a coil spring B is arranged on the opposite side from the shape memory coil spring A and the coil springs A and B are tensed. This element is use to constitute the display device for braille dot drawing display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for displaying and / or inputting Braille / Braille, which is particularly useful for visually impaired persons.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a device for outputting information for a visually impaired person, there are a Braille display device and a dot drawing display device. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the Braille display device arranges projection points on the display surface into three vertical points and two horizontal points to make this one character, and operates each of the projection points by an external signal input operation. This device is capable of automatically changing the concave state or the convex state, and freely changing the display content of Braille according to the combination of the concave and convex states. The above-mentioned arrangement of three vertical points and two horizontal points is an arrangement used in various countries in the world, and is adapted and used for Japanese in Japan.

In addition, a point drawing display device forms a display screen by arranging a large number of projecting points so as to be densely gathered, and automatically controls a concave state or a convex state for each projecting point by an external signal input operation. This is an apparatus that displays an image on a display screen based on a set of the concavo-convex state. The visually impaired can recognize images, characters, symbols, and the like drawn by the projections by touching the display screen with a finger.

Conventionally, in these display devices, a pneumatic actuator, an electromagnetic force actuator, an electrostrictive actuator, an actuator using a polymer gel, and the like are used as shown in FIG. Used. The pneumatic actuator uses compressed air, and the other actuators change the height of points by passing current through the electromagnetic coil, the electrostrictive element, and the polymer of the actuator unit.

[0005]

However, the structure of the device using the conventional actuator as described above is complicated. Further, it is difficult to reduce the size of the actuator itself, and the size of the projection point, which is the minimum constituent unit of Braille / dot drawing, increases. Therefore, there has been a problem that the size of the entire apparatus is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a smaller actuator element having a simpler structure than a conventional actuator for a projection point, which is the minimum structural unit of a display device for braille and dot drawing, An object of the present invention is to provide a Braille / dot drawing display device using an element. Also,
Another object of the present invention is to provide an input device using the main structure of the actuator element according to the present invention as it is, or an input / output device in which an input function is added to the actuator element.

[0007]

The actuator element according to the present invention has the following features. (1) A cylindrical member, a movable member axially movable inside the cylindrical member, and a shape memory coil spring disposed between any one end of the cylindrical member and the movable member ( A)
And the arrangement of the shape memory coil spring (A) is such that the operation of returning to the original shape by the shape memory effect moves the movable member, and that the moved movable member is at the original position. It is an arrangement that will be in a deformed state when returned to
The movable member is provided with a rod portion extending toward the protruding end, with one of the ends of the cylindrical member serving as the protruding end, and the length of the rod portion is set such that the movable member has the protruding end. An actuator element for writing Braille dots whose length is such that the distal end of the rod portion extends outside the cylinder from the protruding end portion when the rod portion moves to the side displacement limit.

(2) A coil spring (B) is further arranged on the opposite side of the movable member from the side on which the shape memory coil spring (A) is arranged, and the coil spring (B) is a coil spring (A).
The coil spring (A) and the coil spring (B) can reciprocate the movable member according to the presence or absence of the shape memory effect of the coil spring (A). The actuator element for Braille dot drawing according to the above (1), wherein the actuator elements are combined so as to antagonize each other.

(3) A shape memory coil spring (B) is further disposed on the opposite side of the movable member from the side on which the shape memory coil spring (A) is disposed, and the coil spring (A) and the coil spring (B) are mutually The return of one spring to its original shape
The other spring has a relationship of deformation from the original shape, and is combined with each other by opposing each other's forces so that the movable member can reciprocate according to the manifestation of each shape memory effect. ).

(4) A detecting device capable of detecting a change in the electric resistance value of the shape memory coil spring is connected to the outside, and can detect the state of displacement of the rod portion.
The actuator element for Braille dot drawing according to any one of (3).

(5) A plurality of actuator elements for Braille dot drawing according to any one of the above (1) to (4) are used, and each actuator element can express the concavo-convex state of each point of Braille. In the same direction,
The three vertical and two horizontal arrays are taken as one unit to form a Braille display block for one character, and the Braille display block for one character is one.
A Braille display device arranged as described above.

(6) A plurality of actuator elements for Braille dot rendering according to any one of the above (1) to (4) are used, and each actuator element can express the concavo-convex state of each pixel for dot rendering. Point drawing display device arranged so as to face in the same direction and to form a display screen.

[0013]

According to the present invention, an actuator element for drawing braille (hereinafter simply referred to as "element") is a combination of a tubular member (for example, a cylinder) and a movable member (for example, a piston). The shape memory coil spring returns to its original shape as a driving force for moving the movable member inside the device. By generating a driving force from a simple structure such as a coil spring, an element having a simple structure and a small size can be obtained. If there is at least one shape memory coil spring serving as a drive source for one direction, the movable member can be moved once to one side by an external temperature operation. In this minimum configuration, a reset operation for returning the moved movable member to the original position by pushing or pulling out the rod portion with a finger by a person may be performed.

In order to cause the movable member to reciprocate and to be automatically reset only by the temperature operation from the outside, a coil spring is arranged such that the force is opposed to the shape memory coil spring serving as the driving force via the movable member. Is good. The antagonism of these two coil springs is that the return of one coil spring to its original shape (natural length)
For the other coil spring, the relationship is a deformation from the original shape (natural length). The movable member can be freely reciprocated by combining these two springs so that the forces are antagonized and operating the appearance of the shape memory effect from the outside so that the antagonism is broken.

The shape memory coil spring disposed inside the cylindrical member has a different electrical resistance (conductivity) between the deformed state and the state returned to the original shape. By detecting the change in the resistance value, the state of expansion and contraction of the shape memory coil spring, that is, the unevenness of the rod portion can be known.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An element of the present invention has at least a tubular member 1, a movable member 2, and a shape memory coil spring A as shown in FIG. Movable member 2
Is housed inside the cylindrical member so as to be movable in the axial direction of the cylinder. The shape memory coil spring A is set between one end 1a inside the tubular member and the movable member 2.

Either one of the ends 1a and 1b inside the cylindrical member is called a projecting end 1c, and the movable member 2 has a rod-like shape extending toward the projecting end 1c. A rod part 3 is provided. In the example of FIG. 1, the end 1b opposite to the end 1a on which the shape memory coil spring A is set is the protruding end 1c.

The length of the rod 3 is such that when the movable member 2 moves to the displacement limit (forward limit) toward the protruding end 1c, the tip of the rod protrudes out of the cylinder from the protruding end. The length has become. By ensuring at least that length, the displacement of the movable member can be expressed as the displacement of the tip of the rod portion outside the tubular member. In the example of FIG. 1, even when the movable member 2 moves to the displacement limit (retreat limit due to the presence of the shape memory coil spring A) on the end 1a side, the length of the rod portion 3 is protruded. The length is outside the cylinder from the end.

In order to move the movable member back and forth only by operating the temperature from the outside, a coil spring B is disposed so as to antagonize the coil spring A via the movable member.
The movable member moved by the coil spring B is caused to act to be pushed back in the original direction by the coil spring B. FIG.
In the example, the coil spring B is positioned inside the tubular member 1 with respect to the coil spring A with the movable member therebetween, and is set between the end 1b and the movable member 2. Also,
The coil spring B is set so that the rod part 3 penetrates the inside thereof.

When the coil spring A serving as a driving source returns to its original shape, it may be freely selected whether it is used to expand or contract. However, it is preferable to use the coil spring A to expand in consideration of the connection structure related to tension. There is no need to do so, and the structure becomes simpler. In the example of FIG. 1, the coil spring A is
It is set in a state contracted from the original shape,
If a shape memory effect is developed by being heated by a heating means (not shown), the shape is extended, and the movable member can be pushed and moved by a return force to its original shape.

When a shape memory coil spring A that returns to the original shape in the contracting direction like a tension spring is used, the operation is reversed with respect to the case where the shape memory coil spring A is stretched to return to the original shape. To use the pulling force,
Coupling between the coil spring and the cylindrical member / movable member (hook,
Fixed, etc.)

The coil spring B may be a general coil spring as a simple elastic body or a shape memory coil spring.
The coil spring A and the coil spring B are combined as follows.

When the coil spring B is a simple elastic body. In relation to each other's deformation state, it is assumed that the return of the coil spring A to the original shape is a further deformation for the coil spring B from the set length. In terms of force, coil spring A
It is assumed that the restoring force due to the shape memory effect overcomes the restoring force due to the elasticity of the coil spring B. Conversely, coil spring A
At a temperature (normal temperature side) where does not show the shape memory effect, the coil spring B overcomes the coil spring A by the return force to the set length, moves the movable member in the opposite direction, and compresses the coil spring A. With this combination, it is possible to reciprocate the movable member by operating the temperature of the coil spring A.

The case where the coil spring B is a shape memory coil spring. In relation to each other's deformation state, it is assumed that one spring returns to its original shape and the other spring deforms from its original shape. In terms of force, the shape memory coil spring also exhibits a restoring force as a mere elastic body when subjected to tension and compression. . The temperature of the two springs is controlled to move the movable member back and forth.

As described above, in any case, the coil spring A and the coil spring B are combined so as to antagonize each other via the movable member, and a shape memory effect is exerted by operating the temperature from the outside so that the antagonism is broken, whereby the movable member is broken. Reciprocate freely.

The two coil springs A and B are not always
Need not be provided on both sides of the movable member. For example, two coil springs may be provided coaxially, one of which may be shape-memorized to extend to return to the original shape, and the other may be a tension spring or shape-memorized to contract to return to the original shape. Can be reciprocated freely even in a mode in which two coil springs are provided on one side of the movable member, for example, in a mode in which they are provided coaxially.

The cylindrical member may be any member as long as the movable member and the shape memory coil spring can be incorporated therein. The shape is arbitrary such as a cylinder or a prism. Further, an arbitrary opening may be provided on the side surface of the body, and the opening on the side surface of the body may be so large that it is difficult to regard it as an appearance or a cylinder. Therefore, the cylindrical member referred to in the present invention uses “cylindrical” for its name for convenience, but the form is not limited to a cylinder, and the end portion having an opening through which the rod portion protrudes, and the opposite end portion. The end on the side has a structure supported at a fixed interval, and the interval may be any as long as the movable member can be moved by the shape memory coil spring. From this point, the tubular member can also be called a case member and a housing. Further, the size of the cylindrical member is not limited, and a mode in which a plurality of actuator components are accommodated in one cylindrical member, that is, a mode in which a required number of rod portions can protrude from the protruding end portion. There may be. For example, in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of actuator elements are independently set on the display board. However, the display board is regarded as a tubular member and is commonly used, and a cylinder provided separately for each actuator element is provided. The shape member may be omitted.

An opening through which the rod portion of the movable member protrudes is provided at least on the end surface of the end surface of the cylindrical member that is to be the protruding end. The opening on the opposite end face may be provided as needed. When a portion that serves as a foothold (support portion) for setting the coil spring is required, it is preferable that the entire end face is not completely opened and a portion where the coil spring can be set is left.

The material of the cylindrical member is not limited and may be a metal, a plastic or the like. However, in terms of heat conductivity and strength, metal, particularly stainless steel, is preferable.

The movable member is only required to be movable inside the tubular member and to be large enough to set a coil spring. Although the rod portion extends from the movable member, in other words, the movable member can be said to be a coil spring setting flange provided on the rod. In the device of the present invention,
It is important that the shape memory coil spring displaces the rod in the longitudinal direction, and the movable member may function as an action point for transmitting the force generated from the shape memory coil spring to the rod portion.

The movable member may have an appropriate squeeze relationship with the cylindrical member so that the movable member can move smoothly inside the cylindrical member.
It may have an appropriate length in the axial direction of the cylinder.

When the movable member moves to the displacement limit toward the protruding end, the rod always has a length such that the tip of the rod protrudes out of the cylinder from the protruding end, that is, at least the movable member is at least short. Any length may be used as long as the movement of the rod portion appears to the outside as a displacement of the rod tip. The length of the rod portion in actual use is variously determined depending on how the actuator is fixed to a display panel or the like, and how much the tip of the rod portion projects from the display panel surface. The displacement limit of the movable member refers to a position at which the movable member cannot be further displaced structurally, that is, a position at the end of the stroke (forward limit, backward limit). For example, the displacement limit of the movable member toward the protruding end varies depending on the presence or absence of the coil spring B.

The distal end of the rod portion may be formed in various shapes so as to be easily touched by a finger, and various distal members may be separately attached. The movable member and the rod portion may be formed integrally with each other or may be formed as separate parts and assembled.

The shape memory coil spring may be made of any material that can be made of a material capable of storing shape, and can exhibit a shape memory effect by an external temperature operation (preferably heating) and can expand and contract in the axial direction. As a material, a shape memory alloy is preferable because it can be heated by energizing the shape memory coil spring itself, and a point that the force for returning to the original shape is large. Among them, Ti-Ni, copper, and stainless steel are preferable. Things are excellent.

When the shape memory coil spring is formed of a shape memory alloy, as a heating means, energization of the coil itself, juxtaposition of a heater wire, irradiation of heating light using an optical fiber, hot water or hot air are used. Heating and the like.

The range of the dimensions of the element is not limited on the maximum side, but the minimum side may be determined according to the minimum processing technology and assembly technology of each component at that time. For example, if the element shown in FIG. 1 is designed centering on the size of the shape memory coil spring, the size of the shape memory coil spring is the smallest one that is generally known at present and can be easily manufactured and has a wire diameter of 0.05 mm. , Coil inner diameter 0.
Some are about 15 mm. The number of turns of the coil, the stroke amount due to the shape memory effect, and the like are determined, and the diameter of the rod portion inserted through the coil, the inner diameter and the total length of the cylindrical member capable of storing these are sequentially determined, and the dimensions of the entire element Should be determined.

As described in the above description of the operation, the state of the displacement of the rod portion is detected through the deformation state of the shape memory coil spring by connecting the detecting device capable of detecting the change in the electric resistance value of the shape memory coil spring. be able to. As the detection device, a device (resistance meter) for actually measuring a resistance value can be used.

By detecting the state of displacement of the rod, it is possible to know which element's rod has moved or which element's rod has been moved by an external force. That is, it is possible to monitor the operation confirmation of itself, and it is also possible to detect which rod part the user such as the visually impaired has pushed with his finger.
That is, it can be used as an input key for inputting information from outside. If this element is provided with this input function and a display device is constructed using this element as described later, it is possible to simultaneously input from that part while displaying the picture shape and Braille on the display panel. This has the same function as, for example, a device that allows input from the display screen for a healthy person (a device configured with a transparent electrode switch on the screen of a CRT monitor).

The element of the present invention is so arranged that the tip of the rod part becomes a braille projection element / pixel for dot drawing (conversely, the tip of the rod part is fixed to a board or the like, and the cylindrical member on the opposite side is fixed). By arranging the required number of pixels (the end may be a pixel), the height of the rod portion changes in accordance with the temperature operation from the outside, and a device for displaying Braille / dot drawing can be obtained.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a Braille display device using the element of the present invention. The example of FIG.
-E6 are examples of the Braille display block E for one character in which three rods are arranged so that the tip ends of the rods are oriented in the same direction, and three rows and two columns are arranged as one unit. The Braille display device according to the present invention, in which one or more Braille display blocks are arranged, is used from a device that displays only one Braille character to a device that displays words and further a device that displays a long sentence. The number of Braille display blocks may be freely selected according to the application.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a configuration in which the number of braille display blocks shown in FIG. In the configuration example of FIG. 3, what characters are displayed in each braille display block is controlled by a control device (computer in the figure). The text input to the control device or the text stored in advance is output to, for example, a driver (not shown) provided in the display board, and heats a predetermined element in the Braille display block at the target position. Will be displayed as a Braille sentence on the display board. With such a configuration,
It is possible to display in real time information successively sent from the control device over time.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a point drawing display device using an actuator element according to the present invention. In the example shown in the figure, a large number of actuator elements are mounted on the display board so that the rod ends are aligned in the same direction. The individual elements form a display screen by being regularly arranged so as to be one pixel each. The image data sent from the control device is converted by a driver (not shown) provided in the display board so as to heat the actuator element at the target position. The point drawing corresponding to the image data is displayed depending on the presence or absence of. A visually impaired person can recognize the contents of displayed images and characters by touching with a finger.
Also, it is possible to express a moving image in accordance with the speed of recognition of an image by a fingertip.

[0043]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples. Example 1 In this example, an element having the structure shown in FIG. 1 was actually manufactured. The specification of the whole element is such that the length of the rod portion is such that the tip of the rod portion protrudes 2 mm from the outer end surface of the projecting end of the cylindrical member even when the movable member is at the retreat limit. , The stroke amount in the protruding direction was set to 1 mm. Heating of the shape memory coil spring from the outside was performed by energizing the coil spring itself.

The outline of the specifications of each part is as follows.
The coil springs A and B are both shape memory coil springs having the same specifications, and are made of a Ni-Ti alloy, a wire diameter of 0.4 mm,
The total length of the stored original shape was 4 mm. The movable member and the rod portion were each made of stainless steel, and these were joined to each other with an adhesive. As for the cylindrical member, a lid was attached to one end of a stainless steel tubular body, and a lid with a hole as a protruding end was attached to the other end with an adhesive. Coil springs A and B, movable members
By incorporating the joined product of the rod portion, an element was obtained in which the rod portion protruded to a maximum of 3 mm from a cylindrical member having an outer diameter of 1.7 mm and a total length of 18 mm.

When electric current was applied to the coil springs A and B of this element alternately, it was confirmed that the movable portion reciprocated in response to the heating operation and the amount of protrusion of the rod tip changed. did it.

Embodiment 2 In this embodiment, a braille display block for one character shown in FIG. 2 is constructed by using the elements of the first embodiment, and this braille display block is composed of 36 characters per line and 36 lines ( = 12 in total
24 characters can be displayed) to form a Braille display device shown in FIG. A computer was used as the control device, and a sentence input by a normal person using a hiragana from a computer keyboard was displayed on the board in braille. As an additional function, a control switch (not shown) arranged outside the text field allows scrolling of a Braille text line by line and a page break. According to this example, it was confirmed that a compact Braille display device with a simple structure can be provided.

Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, 10,000 elements of the embodiment 1 are used, and 100 lines × 170 mm × 170 mm board are used.
A point drawing display screen is configured by arranging 100 columns in a square matrix, and connected so that an image output from a computer (including Braille as a dot image) can be displayed, and the dot drawing display device of FIG. 4 is manufactured. did. Furthermore, it was connected to an ohmmeter so that the change of the resistance value of the shape memory coil spring of each element could be monitored, and connected so as to be able to simultaneously input from the display screen while displaying the dot drawing. According to the present embodiment, it has been confirmed that a point drawing display point device which can be input from a display screen with a simple structure can be provided.

[0048]

As described above, the element of the present invention has a simpler structure than the conventional actuator, and can control the projections and depressions of the projection points while being smaller. Therefore, by using this element, it is possible to provide a small-sized Braille / dot drawing display device with a simple configuration. Input from the display screen is also possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of the structure of an actuator element of the present invention. Only the tubular member is hatched to show a cross section.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a braille display device using the element of the present invention, showing an example in which a braille block for one character is used.

FIG. 3 is a configuration example of a braille display device in which the braille display blocks shown in FIG. 2 are arranged on a display board by a number capable of expressing text.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a point-drawing display device using the element of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a conventional Braille display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cylindrical member 1a One end inside cylindrical member 1b The other end inside cylindrical member 1c End for projection 2 Movable member 3 Rod part A Shape memory coil spring B Coil spring that antagonizes coil spring A

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical member, a movable member axially movable inside the cylindrical member, and a shape memory disposed between any one end of the cylindrical member and the movable member. The shape memory coil spring (A) has at least a coil spring (A), the operation of returning to the original shape by the shape memory effect moves the movable member, and the moved movable member returns to its original position. The movable member is provided with a rod portion extending toward the protruding end, with one end of the cylindrical member serving as a protruding end, and When the movable member moves to the limit of deformation toward the protruding end, the length of the rod portion is such that the tip of the rod protrudes outside the cylinder from the protruding end, and the actuator element for Braille dot drawing. 2. A coil spring (B) is further disposed on the opposite side of the movable member from the side on which the shape memory coil spring (A) is disposed, and the coil spring (B) is configured to move the movable member moved by the coil spring (A). The coil spring (A) and the coil spring (B) act on each other so that the movable member can reciprocate depending on the presence or absence of the shape memory effect of the coil spring (A). The actuator element for Braille dot drawing according to claim 1, wherein the actuator element is combined in an antagonistic manner. 3. The shape memory coil spring (B) is located on the opposite side of the movable member from the side on which the shape memory coil spring (A) is disposed.
The coil spring (A) and the coil spring (B) are in such a relationship that the return of one of the springs to the original shape is a deformation of the other spring from the original shape. 2. The actuator element for Braille dot drawing according to claim 1, wherein the actuator elements are combined by antagonizing each other so that the movable member can reciprocate according to the manifestation of the memory effect. 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a detecting device capable of detecting a change in an electric resistance value of the shape memory coil spring is connected to an external device and capable of detecting a state of displacement of the rod portion. Actuator element for drawing braille dots. 5. A plurality of actuator elements for Braille dot drawing according to claim 1, wherein each of the actuator elements has the same direction so as to express the concavo-convex state of each point of Braille. A braille display device in which three or more vertical and two horizontal arrays are arranged as one unit to form a braille display block for one character, and one or more braille display blocks for one character are arranged. 6. A plurality of actuator elements for Braille dot drawing according to claim 1, wherein each of the actuator elements has the same direction so as to express the concavo-convex state of each pixel for dot drawing. And a point drawing display device arranged so as to constitute a display screen.