US3600834A

US3600834A - Display apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3600834A
Application number: US837293A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael E Stamer
Original assignee: Teletype Corp
Current assignee: AT&T Teletype Corp
Priority date: 1969-06-27
Filing date: 1969-06-27
Publication date: 1971-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-24

Abstract

Blowing forces are directed through selected compressed air openings toward films of ink held in a regularly perforated carrier, such as an endless mesh, for rupturing selected films and unblocking corresponding interstices to form a succession of characters, outlined in the carrier by the optical contrast between blocked and unblocked interstices.

Description

United States Patent 1111 3,600,834

[72] Inventor Michael E. Stamer [56] I References Cited Chicago. IIL UNxTED STATES PATENTS {2'} APP" No' 837293 1,581,322 4/1926 Reed 118/325 x [22] Filed June 27, 1969 l 8 456 2 939 G h [45] Patented Aug. 24,1971 2 4 /l rossa lOl/169 [73] Assignee Teletype Corporation 3,247,825 4/1966 Johnson l 18/637 Skokie, L 3,377,598 4/1968 Borman 346/74 Primary Examiner- Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-'Richard Carter Attorneys-J. L. Landis, and R. P. Miller [54] DISPLAY APPARATUS cbimss'nrawing Flgs' ABSTRACT: Blowing forces are directed through selected 52] U.S. Cl 40/32, compressed air openings toward lms of ink held in a regularly 40/106.21, 118/325 perforated carrier, such as an endless mesh, for rupturing [51] InLCl 1 G09f11/32 selected tlms and unblocking corresponding interstices to [50] Field of Search 40/37, 39, form a succession of characters, outlined in the carrier by the 40, 326, 106.21, 32; lOl/1, 167, 169 optical contrast between blocked and unblocked nterstices.

The present invention relates to displays. More particularly it relates to an apparatus for temporarily displaying information characters on an endless moving strip.

Attendent this present era of burgeoning knowledge has been g a growth of improved information display techniques. Even independent of the informational expansion, the desire for ever increasing the speed of all levels of communications has been responsible for the channelling of vast resources into a quest for continuously improving data transmission and display. The past efforts have been exceedingly fruitful in creation of novelties in consequence of the application of sophisticated technology to solving problems. For the most part costs have increased with increase in complexity of the technology.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved display apparatus.

It is another object of the inventor that the cost of the display be relatively inexpensive.

, It is a further object of the invention that the apparatus be relatively easily maintained.

A yet further object of the invention is to conserve materials in display apparatus.

SUMMARY oF THE INVENTION To effect the foregoing and other objects according to the invention, a process for a display comprises loading a carrier with a light blocking fluid and then blowing toward the fluid to form a character outline in the carrier. To carry' out the process according to the invention, preferred apparatus comprises a thin carrier having interstices and means for loading the interstices with a liquid to form films occluding all of the openings. Means are provided for rupturing the films in selected interstices, as by blowing at the films, to form a character outline in the carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a scheme in perspective of apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a display section of a carrier comprising the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of a blower jet mount also comprising the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIG. l, the display apparatus shown comprises a carrier l which may be a mesh to provide a plurality of uniformly arranged interstices l2 (only some of which have reference numerals in FIG. 2). The carrier may be endless, as illustrated, and fashioned from a plurality of normally crossed strands 14 (only exemplary of which have reference numerals applied). Each strand of the illustrated carrier has a diameter of 0.015 inch, andis spaced from an adjoining parallel strand a distance of 0.057 inch, to the end that each interstice is a square 0.057 inch on a side.

Each of exemplary strands 14 comprises a bundle of glass fibers coated with polyvinyl chloride. However, a wide range of materials, such as screening of suitable metal or plastic mesh can be employed. The exemplary fabric imparts good antifatigue characteristics and bending properties enabling carrier l0 to be curved about a radius of less than one-half inch.

A container 16 for a liquid composition, such as an ink 18, or the like, has an opening 20 which is arranged in operative association with carrier l0. The opening is shown as upwardly directed and is proportioned and disposed for entrance of the carrier into the container for ink loading and exit thereof from Said container after it has been loaded.

Ink 18 is a composition which can be held as occluding liquid films 22 (only some of which are numbered) by adhe sive attraction in interstices 12. Inasmuch as the optimum tenacity of the ink for the fabric of carrier l0 will vary according to the character of the use for which the display is inY tended, the composition of the ink may vary widely. While such composition is not critical in the present invention, a composition fordisplays which will retain integrity of films 22 for in excess of three months comprises about 72 percent by weight of a mineral oil having a rating in Saybolt seconds of 82 to 90, and about 28 percent by weight of Azo Oil Black.

Other factors which will affect the choice of composition of the ink will be the level of wettability of the material from which the carrier is fabricated, magnitude of the cohesive forces of the composition, the adhesive forces between the composition and the carrier, and the surface tensions of the materials. Under circumstances which will be manifest to technicians knowledgeable in the art, surfactants may be added to the ink or coated on or applied to strands 14 for aiding formation of films 22 and insuring retention of film integrity.

Means, generally designated 32, for driving the carrier in a circuitous path relative opening 20 to enable loading of interstices l2 with ink 18 comprises a drive roller or pulley 24 and an idler roller or pulley 26. They are vertically spaced apart with the drive roller in superimposed aspect. Driving means 32 also includes a prime mover such as motor 34. It has an output shaft 44 which is coupled to pulley 24 through the agency of a pulley Vbelt 36, the latter being frictionally entrained about a pair of

sheaves

38 and 40 secured, respectively, to an axis member 42 of pulley 24 and said output shaft.

In the illustrated embodiment, carrier 10 is formed in a loop and frictionally entrained about

pulleys

24 and 26. Thereby, there is provided a vertically oriented display section 56 which is disposed downstream of the container but which changes as the carrier is driven. However, a sprocket drive or other forms of drive transmission (not shown) may be equivalently employed in place of the illustrated frictional drive.

Pulley 26 has an axis member 28 which is journaled in opposed sidewalls 30 of container 16. The arrangement and proportion of parts and the depth of ink in the container is such that said last pulley is disposed between sidewalls 30 at a level which will cause immersion of carrier 10 in the ink when the latter is maintained at an operative level in container 16.

Means for blowing towardv and rupturing the liquid films in selected interstices to form successive outlines of characters, or other patterns to be displayed, of which character S8 is exemplary, by breaking films 22 is generally designated 46. Said means comprises blower 48 disposed outside the loop formed said loop from the air supply source toward the carrier 52.

These ducts are in fluid communication with the ducts in blower 48 and are equally spaced, each from an adjoining thereof. The dimensions of the openings are governed by the dimensions of interstices 12 and the distance of plate 50 from carrier l0.

Control of fluid from source 54 through selected openings 52 is through the Vagency of generally conventional character generating circuitry generally designated 60. The latter may be arranged for causing air to be blown from selected jet openings as an analog function of a programmed input. That is to say, the circuitry conditions the valves in said ducts for blocking or passing air, and it may be of the type used to control the actuation of print wires, hammers, or other dot forming elements in'a conventional dot matrix printing device (not shown). The Acircuitry also may be connected operatively to motor 34 for effecting intermittent operation thereof in a manner such that drive to the carrier l is interrupted following the formation of successive characters. The details of construction of said circuitry are not critical to the present invention and further description thereof is therefore omitted.

In the illustrated embodiment, openings 52 are oriented and aligned adjacent the carrier, being spaced therefrom about 0.0125 inch. Each opening 52 is rectangular, being about 0.185-inch wide and about 0.0l4-inch high. The arrangement of the openings is such that each opening 52 is centered with respect to three horizontally aligned interstices l2. ln consequence, when air is moved out of openings 52 at the rate of about 1/4 cubic foot per minute with carrier 10 moving at the rate of 690 vertically aligned successive interstices per second, the force will be adequate to break all of the films 22 in successive vertical characters, each covering a carrier section 30 interstices long and 2l interstices wide.

For forming successive characters, having the exemplary dimensions, longitudinally of the carrier, with the single horizontal line of jet openings 52, the carrier was continuously moved in a downstream direction according to arrow 70, at the rate of about 39.33 inches per second. Particularly, the character generator was programmed to generate ten signal increments for each character. When the illustrated character was formed, during the first increment, an air jet was blown from all of openings 52 for the time required for three horizontal rows of apertures to pass said openings 52, to form the upper leg 62. A similar condition prevailed during the tenth increment to form lower leg 64. During the fifth increment an air jet was generated only from the four openings at the right of plate 50 (as seen in FIG. 3) to form middle leg 66. At all other increments only the extreme right opening was active.

By providing only a single line of openings 52, savings in the equipment can be obtained over a condition in which a matrix plate has a plurality of openings arranged not only horizontally, but also vertically, to enable unitary formation of whole characters rather than incremental formation. Furthermore,

by increasing the number of horizontal openings, a horizontal line of characters can be printed incrementally and simultaneously, the length of the line being limited by the width of the carrier andthe numberof openings.

A light transmissive housing having therein a light source (not shown) comprises illuminating means 68. It is supported within the loop of the carrier behind and adjacent display section 56, downstream of jet openings 52. The illuminating means enables effective display of the characters outlined by films 22 about the interstices in which films have been broken.

To minimize the likelihood of ink running back on section 56, a wiper blade 72 is mounted within the loop of the carrier with its wiping edge arranged for stripping excess ink from pulley 24 and guiding the stripped ink away from section 56.

Within the capability of the technology as presently developed, ten horizontal lines of characters, each having a height of about 3.6 inches with a carrier having interstices of about 0.057 inches on a side, can be printed each second according to the present invention. The present deterrent to more rapid printing is the responsiveness of the valves (not shown) controlling flow through openings 52.

In consequence of the present device an almost unlimited range in contrast between character and background and of display effect can be achieved in any apparatus merely by varying the color of the illuminating means.

inasmuch as many changes can be made in the illustrated embodiment and the described process, it is intended that the drawings and the description thereof be considered as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Iclaim: 1. Display apparatus for temporarily displaying a succession of intelligence characters and comprising:

a carrier having a plurality of interstices; a container for liquid having an opening; means for driving said carrier relative to said container opening for loading said interstices with films of the li uid; mealns for blowing compressed air and having a plurality of aligned openings disposed in alignment with a plurality of said interstices and; means for moving compressed air through any selected openings to form successive outline of characters of intelligence by rupturing the films in the interstices aligned with said openings. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carrier is endless, being formed in a loop and arranged for movement in a circuitous path, said apparatus characterized in that said blowing means is disposed adjacent said carrier outside of said loop, and has a region disposed downstream of said container and said blowing means in which the formed characters of intelligence are displayed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said carrier, when driven, has a changing display section of vertical orientation disposed in said region and-above said blowing means, and said driving mean is arranged for moving said display section upwardly through said region.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 further characterized by means for preventing liquid downstream of and above said region from flowing upstream onto said display section.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized by illuminating means for highlighting character outline 4 and disposed adjacent the face of the carrier within said loop downstream of and above said blowing means.

6. Apparatus for temporarily displaying a succession of intelligence characters, comprising:

an endless mesh carrier having a plurality of intersecting strands defining a rectangular matrix of rectangular openings of such size that a film of liquid can be held across each opening;

means for applying a light-blocking liquid ink to the carrier to deposit films occluding each of the openings;

means for blowing streams of compressed air at selected openings of the carrier to vrupture the films in said selected openings and form a succession of characters in the carrier delineated by the presence or absence of ink films; and

` means for advancing the carrier such that successive portions pass the ink-applying means, the blowing means, a display area downstream of the blowing means, and then return to the ink-applying means.

Claims

1. Display apparatus for temporarily displaying a succession of intelligence characters and comprising: a carrier having a plurality of interstices; a container for liquid having an opening; means for driving said carrier relative to said container opening for loading said interstices with films of the liquid; means for blowing compressed air and having a plurality of aligned openings disposed in alignment with a plurality of said interstices and; means for moving compressed air through any selected openings to form successive outline of characters of intelligence by rupturing the films in the interstices aligned with said openings.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carrier is endless, being formed in a loop and arranged for movement in a circuitous path, said apparatus characterized in that said blowing means is disposed adjacent said carrier outside of said loop, and has a region disposed downstream of said container and said blowing means in which the formed characters of intelligence are displayed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said carrier, when driven, has a changing display section of vertical orientation disposed in said region and above said blowing means, and said driving mean is arranged for moving said display section upwardly through said region.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized by illuminating means for highlighting character outline and disposed adjacent the face of the carrier within said loop downstream of and above said blowing means.

6. Apparatus for temporarily displaying a succession of intelligence characters, comprising: an endless mesh carrier having a plurality of intersecting strands defining a rectangular matrix of rectangular openings of such size that a film of liquid can be held across each opening; means for applying a light-blocking liquid ink to the carrier to deposit films occluding each of the openings; means for blowing streams of compressed air at selected openings of the carrier to rupture the films in said selected openings and form a succession of characters in the carrier delineated by the presence or absence of ink films; and means for advancing the carrier such that successive portions pass the ink-applying means, the blowing means, a display area downstream of the blowing means, and then return to the ink-applying means.