Patent · US Expired

Tactile display apparatus

US4871992A · kind A · utility

105Cited by
19References
20Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 8, 1988
Grant dateOct 3, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG09B21/003
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus for providing a tactile display according to which a touch pin is selectively movable relative to a reference surface. An electromagnet distant from the reference surface has spaced poles of opposite, selectively reversible, polarity. A cam rotatable about an axis transverse to the reference surface has an integral permanent magnet with similarly spaced poles of opposite polarity equidistant from the axis of rotation. The cam is rotatable between an active position at which its respective poles are attacted to and positioned adjacent the poles of the electromagnet and an inactive position at which the reversed poles of the permanent magnet are attracted to and positioned adjacent the opposite poles of the electromagnet. A touch pin has a longitudinal axis transverse to the reference surface and includes a follower end engageable with the cam and a tip end distant from the follower end. The pin is movable on the cam between a first position raised above the reference surface when the cam is in the active position and a second position not projecting beyond the reference surface when the cam is in the inactive position. A plurality of touch pins and associated mechanisms ca…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.