WO2006025588A1

WO2006025588A1 - Display device for elevator

Info

Publication number: WO2006025588A1
Application number: PCT/JP2005/016363
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kyoichi Ikeda
Original assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2004-08-31
Filing date: 2005-08-31
Publication date: 2006-03-09
Also published as: JP2006069709A; JP4949613B2; CN101010248B; CN101010248A

Abstract

A display device for an elevator is provided for visually impaired people. The display device includes a panel unit (16) having a display panel (16a) capable of displaying information and a touch panel switch (16b) attached to cover a surface of the display panel (16a), for detecting an operator fs action to select a desired information from the information displayed on the display panel (16a), and a touch sheet (21) arranged close to the surface of the touch panel switch (16b). The touch sheet (21) is provided, in respective positions corresponding to the information displayed through the touch panel switch (16b), with a plurality of touchable letter members (21b) in the form of protrusions. Owing to the provision of the touchable letter members (21b) on the touch sheet (21) in front of the panel unit (16), a visually impaired person can push the touchable letter members (21b) against the surface of the touch panel switch (16b).

Description

DESCRIPTION

DISPLAY DEVICE FOR ELEVATOR

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device for an elevator.

2. Description of the Related Art

As for the display device, there is a panel device (i.e. so-called "touch panel") which includes a display panel capable of displaying information and a light-transmitting touch panel switch attached so as to cover the surface of the display panel to detect an operation to select desired information from the information on the display panel, allowing a variety of manipulations with a user's pushing the touch panel switch. Such a panel device is recently employed in an elevator, as well. For instance, the above-mentioned panel device is provided in an elevator control panel inside an elevator car, allowing various manipulations that have been executed by push buttons conventionally.

One example of an elevator control panel provided with the panel device will be described hereinafter.

An elevator control panel includes an interphone for allowing a passenger (user of elevator) to communicate with a person outside the elevator car, an emergency call button for calling out a person outside the elevator car in an emergency, a door opening switch, a door closing switch and a car-station panel unit for displaying and registering a selected floor. The car-station panel unit has the above-mentioned display panel and the above-mentioned touch panel switch formed integrally. The display panel is adapted so as to state a destination selected by a user in figures. The tough panel switch is attached so as to cover the display panel. In operation, the tough panel switch is activated with the user's manipulation to push panel's designated areas where the figures (numerals) of destination floors are displayed, so that the resultant selected floor is registered in the unit.

In assembly, these constituents, i.e., all of the interphone, the emergency call button, the opening switch, the closing switch and the panel unit are respectively attached to the backside of a face plate having openings formed so as to accord with respective contours of the constituents. The face plate is also provided, by means of welding, with a plurality of bolts projecting from the backside. These bolts are inserted into through-holes formed on both sides of the constituent elements and fastened by nuts, accomplishing the fixation of the constituents with the face plate.

It is noted that the panel unit is capable of displaying the destination floor or the other images and further detecting an operation selected by a user in compliance with the image on display, thereby providing the user with varied display/input functions. However, it should be noted that the panel unit requires a user's manipulation to push designated areas on the touch panel switch, which correspond to various information and images displayed on the panel unit. Therefore, for visually unimpaired people who can see the information and images on the display unit, it is easy to push the designated areas of the touch panel switch. While, for visually impaired people, such as weak-eyed person or totally blind person, it is difficult or impossible to push the designated areas of the touch panel switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Under the circumstances, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an elevator display device which allows not only visually unimpaired people but also visually impaired people to manipulate a touch panel switch with ease.

The object of the present invention described above can be accomplished by a display device for an elevator, comprising: a panel unit having a display panel capable of displaying information and a touch panel switch attached to cover a surface of the display panel, for detecting an operator's action to select a desired information from the information displayed on the display panel, the touch panel switch being made from a light transparent material; and touchable device arranged close to a surface of the touch panel switch and provided, in a position corresponding to the information displayed through the touch panel switch, with at least one touchable protrusion or at least one touchable recess, wherein: the touchable device is formed so as to allow an operator to push the touchable device against the surface of the touch panel switch.

Owing to the provision of the touchable device, visually impaired people can feel the presence of the touchable protrusion or the touchable recess and further push it. Thus, the provision of the touchable device makes it for such visually impaired people to manipulate the panel unit as similar to visually unimpaired people.

According to the second aspect of the invention, in the above display device, the touchable device is arranged so as to be exchangeable to another touchable device.

With the establishment of the exchangeable touchable device, it is possible to provide the display device of the invention with varied displaying and inputting functions. For instance, even if it is required to change the displaying form on the display unit, the display device could meet such a requirement with exchange of the touchable device.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the touchable device is arranged so as to be alterable of the position of either the touchable protrusion or the touchable recess, corresponding to an alteration of the information of the display panel to be displayed through the touch panel switch.

In this case, owing to the above-mentioned function of the touchable device, it becomes possible to construct the display device of the invention so as to meet such an alteration of the information of the display panel.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the touchable device has visible communicative means described thereon.

In this case, since the touchable device has visible communicative means, visually unimpaired people can obtain the information of a destination floor by the communicative means.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the display panel is formed so as to be selectable between an information-display state and an information-nondisplay state. If there is no need to either display an image on the panel unit or change an image to the other image, the display panel may be operated in the information-nondisplay state. Then, it becomes possible to save an energy consumption of the device and also possible to lengthen a life span of the device. According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the touchable device is equipped with an elastic body that provides an operator with a click feeling when the operator pushes the touchable device against the surface of the touch panel switch.

In this case, owing to the restoring force of the elastic body, a visually impaired person can recognize that the destination floor has been registered, by tactile sensation.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, the display device for the elevator further comprises a face panel interposed between the panel unit and the touchable device, wherein: the panel unit is attached to a backside of the face panel, while the touchable device is attached to a front side of the face panel.

Owing to the addition of the face panel as a constituent, it becomes possible to fit the display device to a return panel in an elevator car through the face panel. According to the eighth aspect of the invention, in the display device of the seventh aspect, the touchable device comprises a long touch sheet which is arranged so as to extend from the backside of the face panel to the front side of the face panel.

Consequently, it is possible to allow the display device to meet various modifications of the information on display.

According to the ninth aspect of the invention, there is also provided an elevator comprising: an elevator car for passengers; an inner control panel disposed in the elevator car; and a display device as claimed in any one of the first and seventh aspects, wherein: the display device is provided in the inner control panel.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a typical view of a car room of an elevator, showing an inner control panel provided with a display device of the first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the inner control panel provided with the display device of the first embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the inner control panel of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the inner control panel of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a touch sheet; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along a line 6-6 of the touch sheet of Fig.

5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an inner control panel provided with a display device of the second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a front view of the inner control panel of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a side view of the inner control panel of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a touch sheet related to the display device of the third embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in detail.

Fig. 1 is a typical view of a car room for an elevator, showing an arrangement where a display device of the first embodiment of the invention is arranged in an inner control panel. In Fig. 1 , the car room 1 is in the form of a substantial box surrounded by a ceiling 2, a car floor 3 and sidewalls 4. In the sidewalls 4 surrounding four sides of the car room 1 , one sidewall 4 is provided with doors 5 allowing a user (or passengers) to get on and off the elevator. A return panel 6 is arranged on the lateral side of the doors 5. An inner control panel 11 is fixed to the return panel 6 through screws 7. The control panel 11 is provided, on four corners thereof, with through-holes (not shown) for the screws 7.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the inner control panel 11. Fig. 3 is a side view of the inner control panel 11. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the inner control panel 11. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the inner control panel 11 includes an interphone 12 for allowing a passenger (user of elevator) to communicate with a person outside the elevator car, an emergency call button 13 for calling out a person outside the elevator car in an emergency, a door opening switch 14 for the doors 5, a door closing switch 15 for the doors 5 and a panel unit 16 for displaying and registering a selected floor. The panel unit 16 has a display panel 16a (see Fig. 6) capable of displaying information and a touch panel switch 16b (Fig. 6) attached to the display panel 16a so as to cover it. The display panel 16a and the touch panel switch 16b are integrated with each other in one body. Having a light transparent property, the touch panel switch 16b is formed so as to detect an operator's action to select a desired information from the information displayed on the display panel 16a. Thus, the panel unit 16 is constructed so as to enable display of the numerals of destination floors through the display panel 16a. In operation, the touch panel switch 16b is activated with the user's manipulation to push panel's designated areas where the numerals of destination floors are displayed and simultaneously, the resultant selected floor is registered in the panel unit 16.

These constituents, that is, the interphone 12, the emergency call button 13, the opening switch 14, the closing switch 15 and the panel unit 16 are respectively attached to the backside of a face plate 17. The face plate 17 has openings formed so as to accord with respective contours of the constituents. As shown in Fig. 3, the face plate 17 is also provided, by means of welding, with a plurality of bolts 18 projecting from the backside. In order to fix the constituents to the face plate 17, the bolts 18 are inserted into through-holes formed on both sides of the constituents elements and subsequently fastened by nuts 19.

According to the embodiment, a touch sheet 21 (as touchable device) having a light transparent property is overlaid on the surface of the above-mentioned touch panel switch 16b of the panel unit 16. Additionally, a sheet frame 22 is superposed on the periphery of the touch sheet 21. Both of the touch sheet 21 and the sheet frame 22 are provided, on respective four corners thereof, with attachment holes. By inserting screws 23 into these attachment holes and successively screwing them into the face plate 17, the touch sheet 21 is fixed on the face plate 17, together with the sheet frame 22. The touch sheet 21 is provided, on its surface, with protruded letters of the numerals of the destination floors. In the touch sheet 21 , these protruded letters are positioned at respective plan positions of the sheet 21 corresponding to the information about the destination floors displayed on the panel unit 16, respectively. Additionally, the touch sheet 21 is formed so that the user can depress the protruded letters against the touch panel switch 16b. The details of the touch sheet 21 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the touch sheet 21. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along a line 6-6 of Fig. 5. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the touch sheet 21 includes a sheet body 21a which is flexible in the direction of a thickness of the sheet 21 , touchable letter members 21b formed by protrusions in the form of raised numerals representing the destination floors, annular touchable guides 21c formed so as to surround the touchable letter members 21b and protrude from the sheet body 21a in view of informing the user of the presence of the touchable letter members 21b and brailles 21d in the form of projections in the vicinity of the touchable guides 21c, which represent the numerals of the destination floors.

As shown in Fig. 6, the touch sheet 21 is arranged on the surface of the panel unit 16 through a gap. Further, the sheet body 21a is provided, on the opposite surface to the panel unit 16, with guides 21e and projections 21f having rectangular sections at the opposite positions to the touchable letter members 21b in the direction of thickness of the touch sheet 21.

Note, the above-mentioned sheet body 21a, the touchable letter members 21b, the touchable guides 21c, the brailles 21d, the guides 21e and the projections 21 f are all made from a light transparent material, for example, transparent plastics, allowing visually unimpaired people to see the information of the destination floors on the panel unit 16 through the touch sheet 16.

With the display device equipped with the touch sheet 21 of the embodiment, a visually impaired person can know the information of the destination floors by means of the touchable letter members 21b or the brailles 21d formed on the surface of the touch sheet 21. Then, when a visually impaired person performs to push one touchable letter member 21b, the touch sheet 21 bents in the direction of thickness, so that the projection 2 If on the backside of the touchable letter member 21b comes into contact with the touch panel switch 16b on the surface of the panel unit 16, detecting the person's pushing manipulation corresponding to the resultant contact area on the panel unit 16. That is, owing to the provision of the touch sheet 21 on the surface of the panel unit 16, it is possible for even a visually impaired person to manipulate the panel unit 16. Additionally, since the constituents of the touch sheet 21 are formed by the material having a light transparent property, a visually unimpaired person can confirm the information displayed on the panel unit 16 visually through the touch sheet 21 and further manipulate the panel unit 16 in the same manner as the conventional display device. With modifications of the information on display, the panel unit 16 could have varied display functions and input functions. Then, it is desirable to change one touch sheet to another sheet, corresponding to plural information to be displayed. From this point of view, since the touch sheet 21 is attached, together with the sheet frame 22, to the face plate 17 by the screws 23 in the first embodiment of Figs. 2 to 6, detaching of the screws 23 allows the touch sheet 21 to be replaced with another sheet.

Provided that the touch sheet 21 is in the form of a long sheet, it may be formed so as to allow touching and pressing manipulations corresponding to plural information displayed on the panel unit 16. Then, in detail, such a long touch sheet is provided, along a longitudinal direction thereof, with plural patterns of the touchable letter members 21b corresponding to the plural information on the panel unit 16. In use, when the information on display is altered, the long touch sheet is moved so that a pattern of the touchable letter members 21b in accordance with the displayed information is laid on the surface of the touch panel switch of the panel unit 16. With the above-mentioned structure, the display device enables an operator to perform touching and pushing manipulations corresponding to the plural information displayed by the panel unit 16.

In connection, the second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to Figs. 7, 8 and 9. In the figures, Fig. 7 is a plan view of the inner control panel provided with the display device of the second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 8 a front view of the inner control panel of Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a side view of the inner control panel of Figs. 7 and 8. In Figs. 7 to 9, elements identical to those of Figs. 2 and 3 are indicated with the same reference numerals, respectively. Through the first and second embodiments, overlapping explanations will be eliminated in the following descriptions.

According to the second embodiment, a long touch sheet 31 (as the touchable device) made of material having a light transparent property is laid to overlap the surface of the touch panel switch on the panel unit 16. The long touch sheet 31 is also provided with touchable members that are similar to the touchable letter members 21b, the touchable guides 21c, the brailles 2 Id, the guides 2 Ie and the projections 21 f of the touch sheet 21 of Figs. 5 and 6. Additionally, the long touch sheet 31 includes plural patterns of touchable members, which correspond to plural kinds of information displayed on the panel unit 16.

In arrangement, the long touch sheet 31 is introduced into the backside of the face plate 17 through slits 17a formed near both sides of the panel unit 16. In the vicinity of each slit 17a, an upper support 32 and a lower support 33 are fixed on the backside of the face plate 17. Between the upper support 32 and the lower support 33, a spool shaft 34 is rotatably supported by the supports 32, 33. A motor 36 is fixed to the upper support 32 by screws 36. The upper end of the spool shaft 34 is connected to a rotating shaft of the motor 36. Thus, the spool shaft 34 is rotated by the motor 36. The margin of the long touch sheet 34 in the longitudinal direction is attached to the spool shaft 34. Under such a situation, the long touch sheet 34 is wound around the spool shaft 34. As a matter of course, on both sides of the panel unit 16, there are provided two motors 36 and two spool shafts 34 although Fig. 9 illustrates a single motor 36 and a single spool shaft 34. The above-mentioned display device of this embodiment operates as follows. When changing the information displayed on the panel unit 16, the motor 35 for one of the spool shafts 34 is driven to roll up the long touch sheet 31 around this spool shaft 34. While, the long touch sheet 31 is wound off from the other spool shaft 34. As a result, in an area above the touch panel switch of the panel unit 16, the long touch sheet 31 is shifted by a predetermined distance, so that the position of touching means formed on the long touch sheet 31 changes. In this way, since the display device of this embodiment includes the long touch sheet 31 capable of displacing to a position corresponding to the modified images and information, a visually impaired person can perform manipulations corresponding to various displaying functions of the panel unit 16.

In common with the above-mentioned embodiments, the touch sheet 21 or the long touch sheet 31 is made from a light transparent material and therefore, a visually unimpaired person manipulates the panel unit 16 based on the information visible through the touch sheet 21 or the long touch sheet 31. In a modification of the invention, visible communicative means (e.g. characters, letters, graphics, marks, signs etc.) may be formed on the touch sheet 21 or the long touch sheet 31, allowing the visually unimpaired person to manipulate the panel unit 16 by aid of information of the visible communicative means.

From the above point of view, Fig. 10 shows a touch sheet 41 in accordance with the third embodiment of the third embodiment. Similarly to the touch sheet 21 shown in Fig. 5, the touch sheet 41 includes a sheet body 41a which is flexible in the direction of a thickness of the sheet 41, touchable letter members 41b in the form of raised numerals of the destination floors and annular touchable guides 41c formed so as to surround the touchable letter members 41b and protrude from the sheet body 41a in view of informing the user of the presence of the touchable letter members 41b. The difference between the touch sheet 41 of this embodiment and the previous touch sheet 21 resides in the formation of numerals 41 g representing the destination floors, in the vicinity of the touchable guides 41c. These numerals 41 g are written down on the sheet body 41a by means of printing or the other notation means. In this way, according to the embodiment, a visually unimpaired person can know the information of the destination floor through the numerals 41g on the sheet body 41a. Thus, even if the other information except the destination floors is displayed on the panel unit 16, the visually unimpaired person could register the desired destination floor with the manipulation of the panel unit 16.

Again, in the third embodiment of Fig. 10, even when the panel unit 16 represents neither image nor information, a visually unimpaired person can register the destination floor by means of the numerals 41, while a visually impaired person can register the destination floor by means of the touchable letter members 41b. Therefore, the display device of the invention may be equipped with display means (display panel) that can select either one state displaying the information or another state displaying no information. In detail, if there is no need to either display an image on the panel unit 16 or change an image to the other image, then the display means selects the latter state displaying no information in view of energy saving and life lengthening. Even in such a situation, a user could manipulate the panel unit 16 by communicative means, such as the numerals 41g representing the destination floors, which are written down on the touch sheet 41.

The display device of the present invention may be equipped, as touching means, with elastic bodies providing a user with click feeling. For instance, in Fig. 6, the projection 21f opposite to the touchable letter members 21b may be formed by an elastic body. Then, since the projection 21b is formed by an elastic body having a rectangular section, the user's depression of one touchable letter member 21b causes the tip of the corresponding projection 21f to be bent, so that a reaction force at the deformation can produces a click feeling onto the user's fingertip. Additionally, if a user stops the pressing manipulation, then the projection 21f restores from the elastic deforming state to the original state. In this way, with the manipulation of buttons, the visually impaired person can recognize that the destination floor has been registered.

Note, throughout the above-mentioned embodiments, the display device is attached to the inner control panel inside the elevator car. The display device of the present invention is not limited to such an arrangement only. For instance, the display device may be utilized for a floor selector in each floor outside the elevator.

Finally, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing descriptions are nothing but three embodiments of the disclosed display device and various modifications and therefore, various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A display device for an elevator, comprising: a panel unit having a display panel capable of displaying information and a touch panel switch attached to cover a surface of the display panel, for detecting an operator's action to select a desired information from the information displayed on the display panel, the touch panel switch being made from a light transparent material; and a touchable device arranged close to a surface of the touch panel switch and provided, in a position corresponding to the information displayed through the touch panel switch, with at least one touchable protrusion or at least one touchable recess, wherein the touchable device is formed so as to allow an operator to push the touchable device against the surface of the touch panel switch.

2. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein: the touchable device is arranged so as to be exchangeable to another touchable device.

3. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: the touchable device is arranged so as to be alterable of the position of either the touchable protrusion or the touchable recess, corresponding to an alteration of the information of the display panel to be displayed through the touch panel switch.

4. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: the touchable device has visible communicative means described thereon.

5. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 4, wherein: the display panel is formed so as to be selectable between an information-display state and an information-nondisplay state.

6. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 1, wherein: the touchable device is equipped with an elastic body that provides an operator with a click feeling when the operator pushes the touchable device against the surface of the touch panel switch.

7. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 1 , further comprising a face panel interposed between the panel unit and the touchable device, wherein: the panel unit is attached to a backside of the face panel, while the touchable device is attached to a front side of the face panel.

8. The display device for the elevator as claimed in Claim 7, wherein: the touchable device comprises a long touch sheet which is arranged so as to extend from the backside of the face panel to the front side of the face panel.

9. An elevator comprising: an elevator car for passengers; an inner control panel disposed in the elevator car; and a display device for an elevator, including: a panel unit having a display panel capable of displaying information and a touch panel switch attached to cover a surface of the display panel, for detecting an operator's action to select a desired information from the information displayed on the display panel, the touch panel switch being made from a light transparent material; and a touchable device arranged close to a surface of the touch panel switch and provided, in a position corresponding to the information displayed through the touch panel switch, with at least one touchable protrusion or at least one touchable recess, wherein the touchable device is formed so as to allow an operator to push the touchable device against the surface of the touch panel switch, wherein the display device is provided in the inner control panel.