US3400478A - Composite character display device - Google Patents

Composite character display device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3400478A
US3400478A US588395A US58839566A US3400478A US 3400478 A US3400478 A US 3400478A US 588395 A US588395 A US 588395A US 58839566 A US58839566 A US 58839566A US 3400478 A US3400478 A US 3400478A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
display
fluid
elements
fluid pressure
passages
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US588395A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert F O'keefe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pitney Bowes Inc
Original Assignee
Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pitney Bowes Inc filed Critical Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority to US588395A priority Critical patent/US3400478A/en
Priority to GB46304/67A priority patent/GB1210412A/en
Priority to DE19671623800 priority patent/DE1623800A1/de
Priority to CH1467367A priority patent/CH457887A/de
Priority to FR125263A priority patent/FR1544255A/fr
Priority to SE14431/67A priority patent/SE350350B/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3400478A publication Critical patent/US3400478A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
    • F15C—FLUID-CIRCUIT ELEMENTS PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR COMPUTING OR CONTROL PURPOSES
    • F15C1/00—Circuit elements having no moving parts
    • F15C1/007—Circuit elements having no moving parts for indicating devices for fluid signals
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F9/00—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements
    • G09F9/30—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements
    • G09F9/37—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements
    • G09F9/377—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements the positions of the elements being controlled by pneumatic means

Definitions

  • a display device comprising a body including a plurality of fluid passages each having a display element freely movable therein between a forward position wherein it is viewable and a retracted position wherein it is normally hidden from view and fluid control means for controlling the positions of the said display elements between each of said positions whereby the display elements may be made to a desired character to be visibly defined.
  • This invention relates to a fluid operated display device. More particularly the invention relates to a novel arrangement of display elements and the fluid operated control therefor.
  • the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved display device wherein the individual display elements are arranged so as to be capable of moving into and out of their respective display positions at a very rapid rate.
  • Another object of the instant invention is to provide an improved fluid operated display device wherein fluid pressure is utilized to drive each display element both towards and away from a display position.
  • Another object of the instant invention is to provide a novel fluid operated display device wherein fluid pressure is supplied to a selected group of a plurality of display elements so that the elements in said group may be urged to their respective display positions and so that a portion of said fluid pressure is conducted past the display elements so as to urge the remaining display elements to their respective retracted positions.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a novel fluid operated display device having a plurality of display elements which are continuously biased toward their normal retracted positions and which may be selectively displaced to their display positions against this biasing action.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a novel fluid operated display device wherein a plurality of individual display elements may all be simultaneously reset to their retracted positions when desired by the timed application of fluid pressure to the forward ends of said elements.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the instant display apparatus.
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevation view taken in partial section along section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and diagrammatically illustrates a first fluid control means for the instant invention.
  • FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are fragmentary sectional elevational views each corresponding to FIG. 2 and each illustrating the construction and arrangement of a second, third, and fourth embodiment respectively of the instant invention.
  • the display device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a main body 10 having a plurality of cylindrical bores or passages 11 formed therein, said passages each being substantially circular in cross section and extending in substantially mutual parallel relation from the l ft side (as seen in FIG. 2) of the main body 10.
  • the right hand end of said passages respectively communicate with tubular fittings 13 that are secured in suitable bores formed in said main body 10, each fitting in turn being respectively connected, through suitable tubing or the like 14, to a fluid control unit 15.
  • control units or devices 15 are similar and each preferably comprises a laminantubulent flow type of fluidic device that includes a collector 16, an emitter 17 and a control means 20; each emitter being connected to a common fluid pressure source 21, and each collector being connected to the associated tubing or line 14.
  • Conventional type turbulent amplifiers may be used here as the units 15.
  • each of said passages 11 Slidably disposed in each of said passages 11 is a cylindrical cross sectional display element 22 that is axially movable between a rearward retracted or right hand position (as seen in FIG. 2) and a forward display or left hand position.
  • the retracted position is determined by engagement of each display element with the bottom or right hand end (as seen in FIG. 2) of its associated bore 11 while the said display position is determined by engagement of each display element with the inner surface of a transparent cover plate 23 that is sealingly secured by any suitable means against the marginal area 24 of the adjacent left hand face of th main body 19, this main body face being centrally recessed as at 25 so that all of the said forward ends of said passages 11 communicate with each other.
  • each display element 22 is slightly less than that of the respectively associated passage 11, this dimensional relation thus affifording a slight clearance between the walls defining each passage and its associated display element thereby permitting a fluid pressure bleed or bypass from one end of each passage 11 to the other end thereof to take place when a pressure differential therebetween exists.
  • the array of passages and display elements define a 7 by 5 type of display matrix wherein various characters may be successively represented by the sequential advancing of selected groups of display elements to their display positions against said transparent cover plate 23 while the remaining display elements are located in their respective normal retracted non-visible positions.
  • One selected group of display elements which has been moved to display position is shown in FIG. 2 as defining the numeral 1.
  • numeral 1 As will be apparent many other alpha and/or numeric characters may be similarly defined by advancing appropriate other selected groups of elements 22 to display position.
  • a fluid exhaust connection 26 is provided for the instant device, this connection including a laterally elongated chamber 27 formed in the lower left hand portion of said main body.
  • the forward end of chamber 27 communicates with the said recess 25 while the rearward end thereof communicates with the tubular fitting 28 that is constructed and arranged in a manner similar to that of said fittings 13.
  • Fitting 28 is connected through suitable tubing or the like 29 to a conventional type variable fluid flow restriction means 30 that may be manually set to establish different effective exhaust conditions.
  • a first predetermined set of control units 15 are operated to their respective eflective on conditions so that fluid flows into the rearward ends of the associated passages 11 and displaces the related elements 22 to their respective display positions Where they are visible through the transparent cover plate 23 and thereby collectively define a predetermined character such as the character 2 illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • These selected and forwardly displaced elements 22 are held in their display positions by the continued operation of the associated fluid elements.
  • Said means 30 is set so that the exhaust back pressure is high enough to readily bias the said non-selected display elements to their retracted positions while not being high enough to interfere with the pressure action holding the selected elements 22 in their display positions. It will thus be seen that the operation of the selected fluidic control devices 15 serves not only to move the selected display elements 22 to display positions but also to maintain the non-selected display elements in their respective retractive positions.
  • the corresponding fluidic control devices 15 When the next character is to be displayed the corresponding fluidic control devices 15 are operated to their effective on conditions so that the respective selected display elements are moved to display positions, or are retained therein if already in the display position from the previous displayed character. By this action all the remaining display elements are again urged toward their retracted positions or are displaced thereto if they were in their display positions from the previously displaced character. Thus the sequential operation of selected groups of control devices 15 will cause successive characters to be visibly displayed.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 may be collectively used in close proximity and simultaneously operated so as to visibly display multi-letter words and/or multi-digit numbers.
  • FIG. 3 An alternate embodiment of the control means for the instant invention is illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • an additional tubular fitting 31 is provided on the main body, this fitting communicating with said recess '27 through a suitable conduit line 32.
  • Fitting 31 is connected through a line 33 to the upper portion of an air motor 34, the latter including a piston 35 and piston rod 36.
  • the piston is adjustably spring biased to an upper position and is displaceable downwardly against the spring bias action by the application of fluid pressure through the line 33.
  • the piston rod 36 is connected to the variable restriction means 30 so as to control the setting of the latter, this arrangement constituting a feed back control means for the setting of said restriction means.
  • FIG. 3 The operation of the apparatus of FIG. 3 is similar to that described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 but with the added feature that the effective exhaust back pressure in said recess 27 is con- ,tinually monitored and controlled by the pressure responsive o eration of the air motor 34.
  • a relatively constant fluid pressure may be maintained in the said recess 25 and in the forward ends of said passages 11 thus operatively insuring at all times the application of a proper force on the various display elements in their forward and retracted positions regardless of the particular number of control units 15 that happen to be operated during any given character display action.
  • a suitable adjusting means 37 may be provided for the air motor 34 so that the unit may be manually adjusted to afford the desired operative fluid pressure level for chamber 25.
  • FIG. 4 A third modification of the control means of the instant invention is illustrated in FIG. 4.
  • the construction and arrangement of all the parts of the FIG. 4 apparatus are similar to that illustrated and described in connection with FIG. 3 except that a different fluid connection is made to the line 33.
  • the line 33 is operatively connected to a supplementary source 39 of fluid supply pressure and the only connection to the variable restriction means 30 is through line 29.
  • fluid pressure from the supplementary source 39 continuously supplies fluid pressure to the forward ends of said passages 11 through line 33, fitting 31, line 32 and recesses 27 and 25.
  • This supplemental supply of uniform fluid pressure serves to continuously bias all of said elements towa'rds normal retracted positions, some of the fluid flow exhausting thru the by-pass for each element 22 and remaining fluid flow exhausting through the restriction means 30.
  • variable restriction means 30 is here set so as toattord an exhaust back pressure such that when the control devices 15 of a selected group are operated to their effective on conditions the fluid pressure exerted on the respectively associated display elements will be great enough to overcome the normal rearwardly biasing exhaust back pressure created by source 39 under the control of restriction means 30 and to move said selected elements to their display positions; the same type of fluid by-pass or bleeding occurring here past the various display elements as previously described.
  • a supplemental fluid pressure at a relatively low uniform pressure level continuously biases the display elements to their retracted positions while a relatively high fluid pressure is selectively applied to displace selected elements to their display positions against said continuous biasing action.
  • FIG. 5 A fourth embodiment of the control means for the instant invention is illustrated in FIG. 5.
  • Line 29 is connected so as to be controlled by a fluid control unit 15a that is similar to the previously described control units 15, and line 33 is connected to the control 20a of the unit 15a, the latter being supplied with fluid pressure from a supplemental fluid pressure source 38.
  • fluid pressure is mormally supplied from unit 15a, to line 29, fitting 28, and recesses 27 and 25 so as to normally bias all the display elements 11 to their retracted positions in the same manner similar to that explained in connection with FIG. 4.
  • this fluid biasing pressure exceeds a predetermined level the fluid pressure in line 33 will cause the control 20 of unit 1511 to initiate a signal which in turn will shift the unit 15a to its etfective off condition therebycausing the said biasing pressure for elements 11 to drop until the pressure in line 33 decreases to a level which terminates the control signal so as to permit the unit 15a to be restored to its effective on condition.
  • a fluid operated display device comprising a main body defining a plurality of passages
  • a display element operatively disposed in each of said passages for movement between a forward display position and a retracted position
  • said fluid pressure applied by the last mentioned means being greater than atmospheric pressure to cause said elements to be urged to their respective display and retracted positions.
  • Apparatus as defined by claim 1 additionally comprising back pressure regulating means for regulating the fluid pressure applied to the passages associated with said remaining display elements.
  • Apparatus as defined by claim 1 additionally com-- prising means for simultaneously and continuously biasing all of said display elements to their retracted positions.
  • a fluid operated display device comprising a main body:
  • said main bodv having a plurality of passages formed therein, the forward end of each of said passages terminating adjacent a display region of said main body;
  • each display element slidably disposed in each of said passages, each display element being movable in its associated passage between a display position adjacent the forward end of the passage and a retracted position adiacent the rearward end of said passage;
  • each of said elements and its associated passage being provided with a fluid by-pass whereby fluid introduced into one end of a passage may bleed to the other end of said passage;
  • Apparatus as defined by claim 4 additionally comprising back pressure regulating means for regulating the fluid pressure applied to the passages associated with said remaining display elements by the fluid bleed past said selected display elements.
  • Apparatus as defined by claim 5 additionally comprising feed back control means operated in response to the fluid pressure in said passages associated with said remaining elements for controlling said regulating means.
  • Apparatus as defined by claim 4 additionally comprising supplementary means for applying fluid pressure simul taneously to the forward ends of all of said display elements so as to uniformly urge the same toward their retracted positions.
  • Apparatus as defined by claim 7 additionally comprising feed back control means responsive to the pressure in the forward ends of said passages for controlling said supplementary means.
  • a fluid operated display device comprising a body means defining a plurality of passages
  • a display element mounted in each of said passages for movement between display and retracted positions; biasing means for continuously biasing all of said display elements to one of said positions;
  • control means for applying fluid pressure so as to displace selected ones of said display elements to the other of said positions against the action of said biasing means thereby causing a desired character to be visibly defined
  • body means defining a plurality of passages
  • each of said passages and its associated display element being provided with a fluid by-pass;
  • fluid control means selectively operable to successively displace predetermined groups of said display elements to display positions
  • a fluid operated display device comprising body means defining a plurality of passages; a display element mounted in each of said passages for movement between display and retracted positions;
  • fluid pressure biasing means adapted to apply fluid pressure to one end of all said passages for continuously biasing all said display elements to one of said positions;
  • fluid pressure control means for applying fluid pressure to the other ends of selected ones of said passages so as to displace selected ones of said display elements to the other of said positions against the action of said fluid pressure biasing means thereby causing a desired character to be visibly defined.
  • a fluid operated display device comprising
  • body means defining at least one passage therein;
  • a display element mounted in said passage for movement between display and retracted positions
  • fluid pressure biasing means adapted to apply fluid pressure to one end of said passage for continuously biasing said display element to one of said positions; and fluid pressure control means operable upon actuation to apply fluid pressure to the other end of said passage so as to displace said display element to the other of its s'aid positions against the action of said fluid pressure biasing means thereby causing a desired unit of information to be visibly defined.
  • said fluid pressure biasing means applies a fluid pressure above atmospheric pressure and urges said element to its said retracted position, and wherein said fluid pressure control means upon actuation causes said element to be displaced to its said display position.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
  • Special Spraying Apparatus (AREA)
  • Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)
US588395A 1966-10-21 1966-10-21 Composite character display device Expired - Lifetime US3400478A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US588395A US3400478A (en) 1966-10-21 1966-10-21 Composite character display device
GB46304/67A GB1210412A (en) 1966-10-21 1967-10-10 Display device
DE19671623800 DE1623800A1 (de) 1966-10-21 1967-10-18 Anzeigevorrichtung
CH1467367A CH457887A (de) 1966-10-21 1967-10-19 Anzeigevorrichtung
FR125263A FR1544255A (fr) 1966-10-21 1967-10-20 Dispositif d'affichage
SE14431/67A SE350350B (de) 1966-10-21 1967-10-20

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US588395A US3400478A (en) 1966-10-21 1966-10-21 Composite character display device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3400478A true US3400478A (en) 1968-09-10

Family

ID=24353672

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US588395A Expired - Lifetime US3400478A (en) 1966-10-21 1966-10-21 Composite character display device

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3400478A (de)
CH (1) CH457887A (de)
DE (1) DE1623800A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1210412A (de)
SE (1) SE350350B (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3530606A (en) * 1968-10-28 1970-09-29 Pitney Bowes Inc Large scale fluidic character display
US4536980A (en) * 1982-09-24 1985-08-27 Ward Fleming Pin screen
US4654989A (en) * 1983-08-30 1987-04-07 Ward Fleming Vertical three-dimensional image screen
US4864752A (en) * 1985-10-03 1989-09-12 Kent Roger S Display member
US20030130817A1 (en) * 2002-01-09 2003-07-10 Page Derrick John Reconfigurable surface
US9142105B1 (en) 2012-06-01 2015-09-22 Jonathan M. Crofford Haptic device capable of managing distributed force
US9858774B1 (en) 2012-06-01 2018-01-02 Jonathan M. Crofford Haptic device capable of managing distributed force

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4186394A (en) * 1978-09-18 1980-01-29 Tadeusz Bobak Automatic display system and process
US5103977A (en) * 1990-01-02 1992-04-14 Douglas Frank A Portable container for elongated elements
GB2317490B (en) * 1996-09-19 2000-05-03 Ivan Nicholas White Display apparatus
AT412133B (de) * 1999-10-15 2004-09-27 Grasmann Josef Vorrichtung zur darstellung von zeichen
US7404408B2 (en) * 2004-11-18 2008-07-29 General Motors Corporation Washer-jet verification apparatus
AT505447B1 (de) * 2007-07-05 2009-09-15 Grasmann Josef Einstellvorrichtung
KR102085124B1 (ko) * 2012-03-27 2020-03-05 케이 에이 애드버타이징 솔루션즈 엘티디 반사형 동적 컬러 디바이스

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3249302A (en) * 1963-01-21 1966-05-03 Romald E Bowles Visual readout device

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3249302A (en) * 1963-01-21 1966-05-03 Romald E Bowles Visual readout device

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3530606A (en) * 1968-10-28 1970-09-29 Pitney Bowes Inc Large scale fluidic character display
US4536980A (en) * 1982-09-24 1985-08-27 Ward Fleming Pin screen
US4654989A (en) * 1983-08-30 1987-04-07 Ward Fleming Vertical three-dimensional image screen
US4864752A (en) * 1985-10-03 1989-09-12 Kent Roger S Display member
US20030130817A1 (en) * 2002-01-09 2003-07-10 Page Derrick John Reconfigurable surface
US6903871B2 (en) * 2002-01-09 2005-06-07 Derrick John Page Reconfigurable surface
US9142105B1 (en) 2012-06-01 2015-09-22 Jonathan M. Crofford Haptic device capable of managing distributed force
US9858774B1 (en) 2012-06-01 2018-01-02 Jonathan M. Crofford Haptic device capable of managing distributed force

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1623800A1 (de) 1970-04-16
CH457887A (de) 1968-06-15
GB1210412A (en) 1970-10-28
SE350350B (de) 1972-10-23

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3400478A (en) Composite character display device
KR840001348A (ko) 공기제어 시스템
GB1252183A (de)
US3226530A (en) Fluid controlled device
US3270932A (en) Fluid controlled capstans with brakes
KR930014238A (ko) 표시장치
GB1292105A (en) Jet entrainment control for a fluidic device
US3719952A (en) Flueric readout system
US3191611A (en) "and" gate
US3372501A (en) Pneumatic display sign
US3005533A (en) Fluid keyboard using jet-pipe valves
US3174497A (en) Fluid power amplifier not-gate
US2600144A (en) Remote-controlled plural registering apparatus
US2956576A (en) Device for sensing the rate of change of flow of liquids
PT70168A (en) Temperature actuated multiple function fluid control valve
GB928078A (en) Hydraulic reversing control
US2211692A (en) Hold-down system
US3159099A (en) Fluid pulsing means for print hammers
US3552048A (en) Display device
US2982293A (en) Pressure signal amplifier
GB1407307A (en) Device for moving and positioning an element of a machine
US3752193A (en) Pneumatic two-position controller
US3413744A (en) Visual readout device
US3405892A (en) Pneumatic feel trim control
US3263921A (en) Binary to decimal converter