Patent ID: 7097457

Claim:
A tactile pin holding apparatus comprising: a holding member having a tactile surface and a first number of holes, and being provided for supporting the first number of tactile pins in the holes, respectively, to be movable up-and-down therein relative to the tactile surface for displaying characters and/or graphics, the tactile pins being arranged in multi-row multi-column and in a second number of groups at the tactile surface; and elastic members, in the second number, respectively corresponding to the second number of groups of tactile pins and being arranged at the holding member for pressing and holding the tactile pins with the holding member in a manner that each of the tactile pins in each of the groups of tactile pins is pressed by the elastic member corresponding thereto can thereby be held at a desired height relative to the tactile surface, and that the each of the tactile pins is movable up-and-down when a force exceeding a given value is applied to the each of the tactile pins in up-and-down direction, characterized in that the second number is smaller than the first number, each elastic member presses simultaneously against the plurality of tactile pins in the group associated with the respective elastic member, and that each of the tactile pins is pressed at a side thereof by the respective elastic member.