Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B21/00—Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute
  • G09B21/001—Teaching or communicating with blind persons
  • G09B21/003—Teaching or communicating with blind persons using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
  • B41J3/32—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing in Braille or with keyboards specially adapted for use by blind or disabled persons
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41M—PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING
  • B41M3/00—Printing processes to produce particular kinds of printed work, e.g. patterns
  • B41M3/16—Braille printing

Definitions

• This invention concerns a method and a device for producing symbols or shapes, and, more specificly but not exclusively, for producing writing for the blind, otherwise known as Braille.
• Braille can be produced in several different ways. At its most simple, a stylus is used to press a special writing paper into pits in a plate under the paper, thus forming raised dots. This method is slow and time- consuming because the text must be produced in a mirror image, as the writing is read on the other side of the paper from that on which the writing is produced.
• Mechanical typewriters need to apply great force to produce the raised dot patterns on the paper. Mechanical machines in particular are heavy and not easily portable.
• Another well-known system is a device in which the symbols are formed by protruding pins, which are directly identified in order to read the text. Editing is possible, but the disadvantages of the system are, for example, the expense of the device per symbol and the fact that no permanent output is created, even though such may be desired. Instead, the symbols are replaced by new ones as the writing progresses.
• the purpose of the current invention is to produce a method and a device capable of forming the desired symbols in the writing medium at a reasonable price and, if necessary, of erasing the symbols from the medium either continuously or automatically, or at specific points and in a variety of ways, after which the medium can be re-used for the same purpose.
• An additional purpose of the invention is to apply its concepts to the production of symbols, shapes and three- dimensional forms other than Braille.
• Figure 1 presents, in simplified plan view, the basic principle of the device developed to implement the method according to the invention.
• Figure 2 presents a schematic side view of the device according to Figure 1.
• the basic concept of the invention is that texts or shapes can be formed, by a method and a device according to the invention, on a thermoplastic material.
• An essential part of the basic concept is that the material can be made to change its form by heating it at specific places to approximately its softening temperature, and by subjecting the heated places to a force sufficient to fashion an identifiable raised symbol protruding from the surface of the material.
• An essential principle of one embodiment of the invention is that the plastic material is heated in precise places, most usually in points, particularly when Braille is produced by the method and device according to the invention.
• the method and device of the invention are used to make larger symbols or shapes, it may be advantageous to use a larger heating area than points.
• Hot air jets can be used for forming/heating, making it possible for the heating, the forming of the symbols and the subsequent cooling to take place in a very short period.
• the two first phases are carried out simultaneously and the third phase, cooling, takes place immediately afterwards.
• a third option is to use heated stylus devices, which are brought into contact with the particular output material, causing the material to soften at the points of contact. At the same time, the stylus devices press the material into the appropriate symbol. If so desired and when so needed, a cooling phase may be linked to the use of the stylus devices.
• FIG 1 showing a sheet-like material 1 on which symbols/shapes can be made, illustrates the principle of one embodiment of the invention.
• the sheet-like material 1 may be continuous (as shown in Figure 1 ) or cut into separate sheets (as normal-sized sheets of writing paper) and may be made of a suitable plastic material.
• the continuous material 1 travels from right to left, moving in the same manner as the ribbon in a normal typewriter, one symbol at a time.
• the symbol is formed in this case by a desired configuration of "nozzles" 3 making up the dot matrix 2 which are activated or not activated according to a given program. When the nozzles 3 are activated, they direct a jet of hot air against the sheet 1 for a desired time period.
• the nozzles can be configured as desired in such a matrix form that suits the purpose. The two by four dot matrix presented is one possibility.
• the task of the air jet is threefold. First, it heats the material to the softening temperature or somewhere near it. Second, the pressure of the air jet raises the softened point so as to form a Braille dot. Third, the heat of the air jet is stopped, after which the jet cools the plastic material until it reaches a state in which it keeps its shape. Naturally, cooling can be carried out in other ways as well. Thus, the area raised into dots forms tangible symbols that can be read with the fingers.
• a mobile writing head 2 containing a nozzle matrix 3, as described above, or some other suitable heating method If there is a need for writing on separate sheets of material, in the same manner as with a normal typewriter, it is possible to use a mobile writing head 2 containing a nozzle matrix 3, as described above, or some other suitable heating method.
• the symbols will be written in the same way as above, one character at a time from left to right, using the mobile writing head.
• the writing head 2 and the matrix can be moved in any suitable way whatsoever by using normal mechanisms known from matrix printers or typewriters, for example.
• the writing mechanism can be selected, as desired, to encompass any possibility ranging from one dot to a dot complex covering the entire output area. It is clear that the selection criteria are speed, price and suitability. The use of one "nozzle" is a slow, though inexpensive way of making characters or other symbols, whereas a nozzle system covering the entire sheet is an expensive, but quick way to solve the problem. The best end result is indeed somewhere between these two embodiments.
• FIG 2 a side view of a device according to this invention, in which a continuous sheet 1 passes through a chamber-like part 5 which has been added to the parts shown in Figure 1.
• Positive pressure which enters the chamber 5 by a connector, raises the heated points of the sheet material 1.
• negative pressure can be applied to the space above the material 1.
• Positive and negative pressure pulses do not need an air-tight container 5; rather a space with restricted air flows is sufficient. This being the case, the openings through which the material 1 travels do not need to be completely air-tight.
• thermoplastic material can be re-used. This characteristic is possible because an essential feature of thermoplastic material is a certain "memory" of its earlier state. Therefore, by heating the material, upon which symbols have already been produced, to a certain temperature, it reverts to its former state and can be re-used for writing. In Figure 1, this kind of
• the device 4 is marked with the reference number 4. If so desired, the device 4 can also contain rolls or corresponding equipment which can assist in the reversion process. The device 4 should be placed at the point of entry of the writing material 1.
• a second alternative is that the writing head itself carries out the heating of the material, enabling the retraction of the old symbols before it again heats the material in order to form symbols. If required, cooling can be carried out as an intermediate phase, so that the material is suitable for creating new symbols. Symbol removal can occur one dot at a time, or one Braille character at a time or in larger groups. When needed, it is possible to use the same equipment for removing the symbols as is used for creating new symbols. As described above, it is also possible, if necessary, to use mechanical devices to assist the removal of symbols or the reversion of the entire output material.
• thermoplastic types having a characteristic softening temperature are suitable for use as writing materials in accordance with the invention.
• softening temperature it is beneficial to use a material whose softening temperature is quite low, but not so low that the material changes its shape in ways that are not intended.
• the method and device according to the invention can also be applied to the production of other symbols than dots, for, depending on the control system, the same principle applies equally well to the production of shapes.
• the same system of hot air nozzles or other heating equipment is used to heat larger areas than points to the softening temperature, either at one time or in several phases, producing larger shapes than dots in the writing material.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Educational Administration (AREA)
• Educational Technology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Printing Methods (AREA)
• Printers Characterized By Their Purpose (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8540890

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

• 1994
  • 1994-06-10 FI FI942737A patent/FI99101C/sv active
• 1995
  • 1995-06-09 WO PCT/FI1995/000333 patent/WO1995034429A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1995-06-09 EP EP95920925A patent/EP0764087A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1995-06-09 AU AU26184/95A patent/AU2618495A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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