WO1987005140A1

WO1987005140A1 - An indicating arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO1987005140A1
Application number: PCT/SE1987/000065
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wojciech Piotr Janczewski
Original assignee: Euroband Ab
Priority date: 1986-02-14
Filing date: 1987-02-11
Publication date: 1987-08-27
Also published as: AU7030287A; SE8600652L; EP0258378A1; SE8600652D0

Abstract

An indicating arrangement for information boards, panels and the like including a plurality of indicating points or indicating locations, where each such point or location is intended to be formed by an individually actuable indicating element (1), the indicating elements forming a flexible substantially belt-like body (2), or some similar elongated body, having a longitudinal extension and a transverse extension and at least one side surface (3) which extends substantially in the directions of the aforementioned extensions and which is intended to be viewed, and to include indicating areas formed by means of the indicating elements (1). The arrangement is particularly characterized in that preferably each indicating element (1) is pivotable about a pivot axis (5) extending in the aforesaid transverse directions, so that the elements can be moved or flipped between two mutually different positions or states. Each element includes two surface components (6, 7) which are arranged so that the element (1) forms, irrespective of the state in which the element is positioned, a given part of the aforementioned side surface (3), the elements (1) being so arranged as to form a substantially continuous surface (3) when the belt-like body (2) is in a substantially straight position. The belt-like body (2) is intended to be curved, guided, around at least one guide roller (8) or the like having a radius which is so small that the elements (1) when guided around the roller are moved apart to an extent such that the elements can be flipped or moved between the aforementioned states. Devices (9) are provided adjacent the guide roller (8) for pre-determined manipulation of the elements (1).

Description

An Indicating Arrangement.

The present invention relates to an indicating arrangement- for information display boards and the like, which include a plurality of indicating points or indicating locations, where each indicating point is intended to be formed with an individually actuable indicating element arranged to take a pre-determined indicating state consist¬ ing of one of at least two mutually different states, where signs or characters, such as alphabetical letters, are intended to be formed by movement of pre-determined elements to said indicating states, wherewith devices are provided for pre-determined manipulation of said elements, and in which arrangement indicating elements are arranged in a belt-like body or the like and caused to pass at least one updating station or location.

Indicating arrangements substantially of this kind are previously known to the art. These known indicating ar¬ rangements, however, are incumbered with serious drawbacks, inter alia, represented by high manufacturing costs, high assembly costs and high maintenance costs, due to, among other things, the complicated construction of such ar¬ rangements.

The present invention relates to an indicating arrangement which is of particularly simple construction and therewith beneficial from a manufacturing, assembly and maintenance aspect.

Accordingly, the invention comprises an indicating arrange¬ ment for information display boards and the like, arranged to include a plurality of indicating points or locations, where each point is intended to be formed by an individual¬ ly actuable indicating element arranged to take a pre-de- termined indicating state consisting of one of at least two mutually different states, in which primarily signs or ^^"a^~rae-fee-rs---su^l _as-_alp_habetical letters, are intended to be formed by movement of pre-determined elements to said indicating state, and where indicating elements form substantially a flexible, substantially belt-like body or corresponding body having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and at least one side surface which extends substantially in said direction and which is intended to be viewed and which includes indicating areas formed by means of said indicating elements, said indicat¬ ing elements being arranged to pass at least one updating station, devices being provided for pre-determined manip¬ ulation of said elements.

The arrangement is particularly characterized in that preferably each indicating element is rotatable about an axis which extends in said transverse direction, thereby enabling the indicating element to be moved or flipped between two mutually different positions, states, and in- eludes two surface components arranged, irrespective of the state to which an element is moved, so that the element forms a given part of said side surface, the elements being so arranged as to form a substantially continuous surface when the belt-like body is substantially straight; and in that the belt-like body is intended to be curved, guided, around at least one guide roller or the like having a radius which is so small that the elements during passage around the roller are mutually separated from each other to an extent such that the elements can be moved or tripped between said positions; and in that devices for said pre-determined manipulation of said elements are located adjacent the guide roller.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof, and to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 illustrates schematically an embodiment of an in¬ ventive arrangement and shows the arrangement from one side parallel with the plane of the illustrating surface and therewith perpendicular to the direction in which it is viewed;

Figure 2 illustrates schematically an indicating element and holders seen in the rotational direction of the element; and

Figure 3 is a schematic end view of a belt-like body formed, inter alia, from said elements and included in the arrange¬ ment.

In Figure 1 the reference 1 designates indicating elements which form part of the indicating arrangement and which are intended to be manipulated individually to a pre-determined indicating state, which constitutes one of at least two mutually different states. The elements 1 are arranged to co-act with one another to form a flexible, substantially belt-like body 2, or some similar elongated body, having a longitudinal extension and a transverse extension at right angles thereto, and at least one side surface or display surface 3 which is intended to be viewed and which extends essentially in the directions of said extensions, the viewing direction being indicated by the arrow 4 in Figure 1 , and which side surface incorporates indicating areas formed with the aid of the indicating elements 1.

Each indicating element 1 is preferably rotatable or pivot- able about an axle 5, which extends in said transverse di¬ rection, such as to be movable between two different posi- tions or states, as will be clear from the Figures, and in¬ corporates two surface components 6, 7 so arranged that each element will form a specific part of said side surface 3, irrespective of the indicating state of the element, the elements being arranged so as to form a substantially continuous surface when the belt-like body 2 is in a sub- statantially straight or non-flexed state.

The belt-like body 2 is intended to be curved, guided, around at least one guide roller 8 or like device having a radius which is so small that the elements 1 when passing around the roller 8 are moved mutually apart to an extent such that the elements can be flipped between said posi¬ tions or states. ' Manipulating means 9 are provided ad¬ jacent the roller 8 for effecting said pre-determined manipulation of the indicating elements.

The belt-like body 2 of the illustrated embodiment com- prises an endless driven belt which is arranged to be guided around two mutually spaced guide rollers 8, 10 or corresponding devices, the axes of which extend substan¬ tially parallel with one another.

Located adjacent a separate guide roller 10 are restoring devices 11, which restore preferably all elements to preferably a non-indicating position or state.

The indicating element 1 comprises a prism-like element which extends in said transverse direction, Figure 3, and which has a substantially right-angled corner part 12 extending in said transverse direction, and two mutually perpendicular, preferably square surfaces 6, 7 of mutual¬ ly different appearance and movable between two different positions in which either one or the other of said sur¬ faces 6, 7 is parallel with said longitudinal and trans- verse__lirectiohs and therewith intended to be viewed. In the illustrated embodiment the elements 1 are arranged adjacent one another on holders 13 which extend in said transverse direction. According to one preferred embodi¬ ment, the element holders 13, when seen in cross-section, have substantially the shape of a ridge, preferably shaped substantially as a right-angled corner 14 which carries a bead 15 of substantially circular cross-section in said transverse direction, said element 1 presenting on the under surface 1 * thereof a groove 1 " which has a cross- sectional shape corresponding to that of the bead 15 and into which the bead is intended to snap, so as to pivotally connect the element firmly to said holder.

According, to one preferred embodiment, Figure 2, the ele¬ ments 1 are arranged to be held in one adopted position with the aid of permanent magnets, wherewith either the element and the holder incorporate suitably distributed permanently-magnetic and ferromagnetic parts 16, 17, the holder preferably incorporating parts 16 which extend along the holder whereas the elements 1 include discreet parts 17.

According to one preferred embodiment of the holder 13, two mutually perpendicular flanks 18, 19 of the holder are arranged to co-act with parts of the undersurface 1 ' of the element to define said positions. It is also preferred that the arrangement includes at least one carrier belt 22, a toothed belt 22, which is provided with tooth-like parts 20 and recesses 21 and which carries the elements 1 preferably via the holders, said recesses 21 being intended for co-action with corresponding teeth or cogs 23 on the guide rollers 10, 12. The belt 22 is only indicated in Figure 1. The embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 includes two belts, which are arranged parallel to each other.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 , the devices for pre-determined manipulation of the indicating elements have the form of manipulating arms 9 ' which engage the corners 12 of respective elements as said elements pass thereby. The restoring devices 11 also preferably have the form of arm-like elements. The arms 9¹ of the illus¬ trated embodiment are moved into and out of engagement withthei nd icati ng elements by means of electromagne ic de- vi ces 9".

The manner of operation of the inventive arrangement will be understood essentially from the aforegoing. The indicating elements can thus be moved between preferably two positions, of which one is an indicating position, and the switch from one position to another is effected as the indicating elements are moved around the guide roller and the elements are released, updating locations or stations being provided adjacent the rollers 8,

10.

Suitable indicating elements are manipulated by suitable guide and control units with the aid of the arms 9 ^• when the belt-like body 2 passes the manipulators 9. The body 2 is illustrated schematically in Figure 1. Suitable information, primarily in the form of signs or characters, is applied to the side surface 3. When the text, signs, or the like on the side surface 3 is to be changed, the belt-like body is caused to pass by the restoring arrange¬ ment 11,whereafter the presentation side surface of said body can be caused to present fresh information.

It will be seen from the aforegoing that the invention provides a particularly simple, reliable and inexpesive indicating device.

Although the invention has been described in the aforegoing with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the embodiment does not limit the scope of the invention and that other embodiments and minor modi¬ fications are conceivable within the scope of the invention.

For example, the indicating elements may have a cross- sectional shape other than prismatic, e.g. a cross-section¬ al shape with rounded contours. The element holders may also have a form different to those illustrated and described while retaining their function.

The elements are suitably provided with a dull, black area or panel 6 and an area or panel 7 coated with a fluorescent substance. The elements may have mutually different sizes but are interconnected by means of the same snap-in fasten¬ ing arrangement.

Both the indicating elements and the holders may be extruded in a plastics material.

The indicating elements 1 are preferably arranged in mutu¬ ally parallel rows.

Claims

1. An indicating arrangement for information boards, panels or the like, incorporating a plurality of indicat¬ ing points or indicating locations, where each point is intended to be formed by an individually actuable indicat¬ ing element arranged to be moved to a pre-determined indicating state comprising one of at least two different states, where primarily characters or signs, such as alphabetical letters, are intended to be formed by moving said elements to said individual states, and in which arrangement indicating elements form a flexible substanti¬ ally belt-like body, or corresponding elongated body, having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, and at least one side surface which extends substantially in said directions and which is intended to be viewed and in which the indicating elements form indicating areas or fields and are arranged to pass by at least one updating station, where devices for pre-determined manip¬ ulation of said elements are located, characterized in that preferably each indicating element (1) is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis (5) which extends in said transverse direction, such that said element can be moved or flipped between two mutually different positions, states, and comprises two surface components (6, 7) so arranged that the element (1), irrespective of its state, forms a given part of said side surface (3) ; in that the elements(1) are so arranged as to form a substantially continuous surface (3) when the belt-like body (2) is in a substantially straight position; and in that the belt-like body (2) is intended to be curved around, guided around, at least one guide roller (8) or the like having a radius which is so small that the elements (1) when passing around the roller are moved apart to an extent such as to enable said elements to be moved or flipped between said positions; and in that devices (9) are arranged adjacent the guide roller (8) for manipulating said elements (1) in a pre¬ determined manner.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the belt-like body (2) comprises an endless belt arranged to be driven, guided, around two guide rollers (8, 10) or the like of the aforesaid kind, said rollers being spaced one from the other with the axes of respective rollers extending parallel to one another.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, character¬ ized in that restoring devices (11) for restoring prefer¬ ably all elements to a preferably non-indicating position are arranged adjacent a separate guide roll (10).

4. An arrangement according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, charac- terized in that preferably each indicating element (1) comprises a prism-like element which extends in said trans¬ verse direction and which has a substantially right angled corner part (12) which extends in said transverse direction; and in that the indicating element includes two mutually perpendicular, preferably square surfaces (6, 7) of mutual¬ ly different appearance and can be moved or flipped between two mutually different positions in which one or the other of said surfaces is parallel with the aforesaid longitudi¬ nal and transverse directions and is therewith intended to be viewed.

5. An arrangement according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, charac¬ terized in that the indicating elements (1) are arranged adjacent one another on respective element holders (13) arranged in said transverse direction.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 5, characterized in that said element holders (13) when seen in cross-section have the form essentially of a ridge, preferably compris¬ ing substantially a right-angled corner (14) which carries a bead (15) which extends in said transverse direction and which is of substantially circular cross-sectional shape, said bead (15) being intended to snap into a corresponding groove or channel (16) provided on the under side (1¹) of respective elements, thereby pivotally con¬ necting said elements to said holders.

7. An arrangement according to Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the indicating elements(1) are ar¬ ranged to be held in a given position by means of perma¬ nently magnetic devices (16, 17).

8. An arrangement according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, characterized in that two mutually perpendicular flanks (18, 19) of said holder (13) are arranged to co-act with parts on the under surface (1) of respective elements to form said positions.

9. An arrangement according to Claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the arrangement further in¬ cludes at least one support belt (22) or the like which carries the elements (1), preferably via holders (13), and which has provided thereon tooth-like parts (20) and recesses (21), said recesses (21) being intended to co-act with corresponding tooth-like parts (23) located on re¬ spective guide rollers (8, 10).

10. An arrangement according to Claim 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or

9, ^"characterized in that the devices (9) for pre-determin¬ ed manipulation of the indicating elements include operat- ing arms (9') which are intended to co-act with the corner parts (12) of said elements during passage of the elements past the manipulating devices.