METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FORMING CHARACTERS IN AN OUTPUT MATERIAL

Abstract: A method and a device for forming characters in an output material (2) by altering its shape, such as for creating Braille writing, by shaping the heated output material (2). The output material (2) is heated by directing a delimited beam of thermal radiation on the area to be heated and by forming a character of variable shape by pushing a pin-like member (4) into the heated area.

Description: Method and Device for Forming Characters in an Output Material The present invention relates to a method and device for forming characters in an output material and particularly to a method and device by means of which it is possible to create writing for the blind and other patterning in a new way and more graphically than before. Traditionally, so-called Braille writing is made on a cardboard-like base, in such a way that protruding characters that feel like points are made on one side of the board by pressing on the opposite side of the board with a suitable pin. This traditional type of writing is still used in most writing for the blind. Finnish patent 99101 discloses a method, by means of which Braille writing is created by heating particularly a plastic-based material with a jet of hot air and using the air pressure to create a Braille character, which can be felt with a finger. The characters can also be removed with the aid of heat. Though this method is indeed clearly more highly developed than the previous one, it has still not succeeded in becoming a commercial product. The present invention is intended to create a method for forming Braille writing in a manner that provides not only a different method of operation, but also the possibility to make the writing more graphical than before and also to form characters and patterns other than Braille writing. The intention is also to create a device for applying the method. The above and other purposes and advantages of the invention are achieved by means of a method and device, the characteristic features of which are stated in the accompanying Claims. The invention is based on using focussed thermal radiation to heat the output material to the desired forming temperature and making the characters in the location thus heated. In the following, the invention is examined mainly on a schematic level, while also referring to the accompanying schematic drawings. Thus: Figures 1a - 1d show the operating principle of the method and device according to the invention, as a series of four figures and Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the arrangement of Figure 1 ; and Figure 3 also shows, also on a schematic level, a device intended to implement the method according to the invention. In the following examination of the figures, reference is made to an apparatus and method according to one practical embodiment, i.e. the use of infrared light for heating. However, it should be noted that focussed thermal radiation can also be created in other ways. The same effect can be created using other sources of thermal radiation and at least laser light is known to have corresponding properties. Thus, the series of operations shown in Figures 1a - 1d depicts schematically one embodiment of the invention. Thus the figures show a device 1 , such as an IR diode, which emits light in the infrared range, and to which electrical energy can be lead in such a way that the device emits rays of IR light, which, preferably by using a suitable means such as a lens arrangement 5, are collected into a precisely focussed, aligned beam of energy, which heats the material, such as a sheet 2, on which the character or pattern is to be formed, to such a temperature that the output material 2 becomes sufficiently plastic at the location to be formed for the following stage to be carried out. Alternatively, alignment can take place, for example, with the aid of a suitable arrangement of mirrors. A third alternative is to use, for example, an IR LED, which is brought so close to the output material that the natural properties of the LED make a point-like heated area in the output material. On the other hand, the LED itself may have lens properties, which allow a corresponding effect to be created without separate mirrors or lenses. A sheet, web, or similar of output material is located on a base 3, in which is preferably arranged, for example, a suitable vacuum acting through holes or similar, or some other manner of holding the web in place for the subsequent formation of the point or character. The point is formed in the output material 2, which has been brought to a plastic state, by pressing the targeted heated location in the material with a pin-like device 4. The vacuum referred to above then acts as a counterforce, which holds the output material in place. Figure 1b shows the stage of forming the character. Figure 1c shows how the pin-like device 4 is withdrawn to its initial position after forming the character. At this stage, the temperature of the targeted heated location in the output material has dropped naturally, or with suitable assistance, to a point at which the formed character will no longer return to its original position, but will remain in the position into which it has been put using the pin-like device. Figure 1d in turn shows how, by using a certain kind of material, it is possible, thanks to the memory of the material, to return the formed location to its original shape for reuse. This takes place by simply reheating it to essentially the same temperature at which the formation was also originally carried out. The temperature can of course be different, the intention being to use the material's recovery property, no matter at what precise temperature it occurs. The vacuum referred to above that holds the material in place and acts as a counterforce when forming the character also assists at this stage, so that the recovery of the character or pattern is faster due to the vacuum than it would have been without using the vacuum. In this connection, it should be stated that although recovery can of course be carried out in order to reuse the output material, it can also be used to correct an incorrectly formed character, or to 'edit' a certain character or area. Thus, recovery can be carried out for any purpose whatever, without restriction of any kind. According to the basic idea of the invention, two advantageous properties can be achieved by applying the invention to form characters or patterns. Thus, the pins 4, which perform the forming, can be manufactured equipped with many different shapes of forming head. Figure 1 shows one traditional shape of head, i.e. a round head, by means of which a round-shaped protrusion is of course made in the material. However, it may be advantageous to also use an oval, sharp, or obviously angular shape of the point. This will make it possible to illustrate certain aspects graphically, for example, in the same way as bold or italic text is used in conventional writing. Similarly, by creating a specific system to express different colours it is also possible, according to the invention, to illustrate colours or other characteristics that could not be illustrated using the conventional technique. Points with different shapes can be formed using pins with a suitably shaped forming head, or alternatively by using pins forming a single character from several partial characters. Depending on the technique used, though a standard range of different pins can be used the whole time in a device suitable for the purpose, an arrangement of interchangeable pins can also be used. Another significant aspect is shown schematically in Figure 1b, in which vertical arrows are used to show that it is possible to adjust the distance that the pin rises, and thus the height of the character. Thus characters of varying height can be used to create graphicness can be achieved in the writing, or similar being formed. Though the characters can vary in height, for example, on only two levels, they can equally well also vary on several levels, or even steplessly. Figure 2 outlines a modified embodiment of the apparatus described above. This has the specific intention of demonstrating how the heating can also take place from the same side of the output material 2 as that from which the pin or similar forming the character performs its work. Thus in this embodiment, the pin 4 or similar is equipped with an optical fibre 9, through which heating energy is directed to the output material in a targeted manner. It is obvious that at least the head of the pin must be of a material penetrable by thermal radiation. Glass or plastic would thus be a suitable material for making the head of the pin 4. The glass or plastic head of the pin can, if necessary, be shaped so that it incorporates properties that gather or disperse radiation. A second optical fibre 8 entering the pin 4 can be for the purpose of measuring temperature, distance, or similar, for the control of the process. Both the optical fibres 8 and 9 can be formed of one or several individual fibres and, in fact, there can even be several such fibres/fibre groups, as required, in the pin 4, bringing or detecting IR light. Figure 3 shows an outline of a device for use according to the invention, without attempting any kind of exact description. Thus it is proposed that in this case the device could resemble a conventionally used printer, in which the output material 2 moves like the paper in a typewriter. The body component 6 and the device component 7 that forms the writing or characters are situated within the totality as a suitably shaped part in the front of the device. The arrows Y and X and used to illustrate the movements of the output material and the 'printing head' that forms the characters. By means of modern technology, both the output head and the output material can, of course, be moved quite freely in the desired direction and at the desired speed/in the desired steps. Various kinds of measurement, which are performed most easily by exploiting infrared light, can be added to form part of the arrangement according to the invention. The use of infrared light for measurement is, as such, known. In this case, the measurements to be performed can be of at least two types: measurements of temperature and of distance. Because the temperature of the location in the output material, at which it is intended to form the character, is highly significant, the measurement of the temperature of the point to be heated precisely can be connected to take place to determine, for instance, when the material is at an optimal temperature for forming the character. Another measurement that can be easily and simply performed using infrared light, is the measurement of the height of the character being formed. This is particularly important when patterns are being formed with a varying height from the surface of the output material, so that the final pattern is created by precisely formed areas or points of different height. Suitably arranged, height measurement can be used as an effective aid when creating a pattern, to control the pin or similar tool when manufacturing the pattern. It is obvious that the scope of protection of the invention is determined by the basic inventive idea and the accompanying Claims, and not by the simple description provided above. Many variations are possible, while remaining, however, within the scope of protection defined by the above. In any event, it is clear that the method and device according to the invention will open new and diverse dimensions to services for the visually impaired, allowing writing or other images to be presented in ways that are more comprehensive and detailed than those presently used. It is easy to vary either the writing being created, or the height differences within, or the details of an image. Similarly, as has already been stated above, the output material can be corrected and edited in many ways, by applying to it only the method and device according to the invention. It is also obvious that the source of thermal radiation, and/or the lens, or mirror, or similar arrangement used to focus it, can be used in a manner permitting adjustment, so as to always achieve the best result possible.

Claims: Claims 1. A method for forming characters in an output material by altering its shape, such as by shaping a heated output material (2) in order to create Braille writing, characterized in that the output material (2) is heated by directing a focussed beam of thermal radiation onto the area to be formed and forming a character that changes the shape of the material (2) in the heated area, with the aid of a pin-like member (4). 2. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the focussed beam of thermal radiation is created with the aid of infrared light. 3. A method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the infrared light is created with the aid of an infrared LED (1) and the light is directed as a focussed beam onto the area to be heated by using an arrangement that alters the direction of the rays of light. 4. A method according to Claim 3, characterized in that the arrangement altering the direction of the rays of light is a lens or mirror arrangement (5). 5. A method according to any of the above Claims, characterized in that the source of thermal radiation, and/or the arrangement for altering the direction of the radiation emitted by it, are adjustable. 6. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the characters are made to vary in height by altering the length of the movement of the pin-like member (4). 7. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the characters are made in different shapes by altering the shape of the head of the pin-like member (4). 8. A method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the output material (2) is held in place, at least while the characters are being made, by using the suction created by a vacuum against the material. 9. A method according to Claim 1 and 8, characterized in that the suction caused by the vacuum is used as a counterforce while making the characters and also as a force assisting the recovery of the characters. 10. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that in it an arrangement based on light, for example, infrared light, is also used for measuring the temperature of the point/area being heated, and/or the height of the character being formed. 11. A method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the focussed thermal radiation is also used in a targeted manner to heat the output material, with the intention of removing characters/patterns, in which case, if desired, the removal of the characters is also measured by means of a suitable measurement arrangement based on light. 12. A device for forming characters in an output material by altering its shape, such as creating Braille writing by shaping a heated output material (2), characterized in that it includes a source of thermal radiation (1), an arrangement for focussing a beam of thermal radiation on the area to be heated, and at least one pin-like member (4) for forming characters that change the shape of the material, in the heated area. 13. A device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the source of thermal radiation is a source (1) of infrared light. 14. A device according to Claim 13, characterized in that the source of infrared light is an LED (1) and the arrangement to be used, if necessary, for focussing the light on the area to be heated includes at least one lens (5) and/or mirror. 15. A device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the pin-like member (4) can be altered, in relation to both its point that forms the character and the height at which it forms the character. 16. A device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the device also includes a means for creating a vacuum to retain the output material, to act as a counterforce when forming the character, and/or to use the vacuum to assist in the recovery of the character. 17. A device according to Claims 12, characterized in that the pin-like member (4) is, at least in the case of its point that is closest to the output material (2), made of a transparent material, such as glass or plastic, and that it contains at least one optical fibre (9) for bringing thermal radiation through it to the area to be heated. 18. A device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the pin-like member (4) is, at least in the case of its point that is closest to the output material (2), made of a transparent material and that it includes at least one optical fibre (8) for performing the measurement, based on light, of temperature, distance, or a similar quantity. 19. A device according to any of Claims 12 - 18, characterized in that the source of thermal radiation and/or the arrangement for focussing it are adjustable. 20. A device according to any of Claims 12 - 19, characterized in that the source of thermal radiation and the radiation focussing arrangement together form an independent construction.

Inventors: VALKAS TIMO, VALKAS, TIMO
Applicants: VALKAS TIMO, VALKAS, TIMO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B41M3
IPC codes: B41M3