Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2072427
-- 1 --
MAGNIFYING DISPLAY DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENT~ON
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnifying display
device which displays characters, photographs, pictures and
so forth contained in books, newspapers and the like on a
CRT such as a monitor TV in a magnified scale, and thus
wh}ch is useful particularly for those persons who are weak
in eyesight, e.g., amblyopic people.
Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there have been known magnifying displaY
devices under the trade name represented by "Magnifying
Reading Units for the Weak-Sighted" which help weak-sighted
persons (amblyopic people) in reading. One prior example
of such devices is arranged such that, as shown in Fig. 12,
reading means B having a similar function to a TV camera
and illumination means C are mounted to direct downwardly
in the upper portion of a stand A in the form of box-l ike
frame with the height of about 30 cm, and a document D such
as a book to be read is put in the lower portion of the
stand A. The reading means B partially senses characters
and so forth contained in the document D by printing or the
like, and the sensed Images are displayed on the screen of
2072427
a monitor TY E in a magnified scale.
The monitor TV E providing the magnified display plane
is divided into the type that is rested on the stand A and
the type that is placed separately. In either type of the
magnifying display device, however, the entire device is
designed and manufactured as the desk top type, which leads
to a problem that it cannot be easily transported.
Also, in the prior magnifying display of the desk top
type, because of the reading means B being fixed in posi-
tion, when the distance from the reading surface of the
document D to the reading means B is slightly variable as
experienced when the document D to be read is relatively
thin like newspapers and normal books, focusing can be made
by manual~y operating a lens of a TV camera as a main
component of the reading means B. But, in the case of
thick books such as handbooks and dictionaries, the dis-
tance between the reading means and the document is too
small to properly operate the lens and, therefore, the
focus~ng may not be achieved depending on the thickness of
the document D. Thus, a problem has been encountered that
the contents of so thick document cannot be clearly dis-
played in a magnified scale.
Further, in the prior magnifying display device, when
the document D is partially imaged by the reading means B
like a TV camera, a paper surface P of the document D is
2072~2~
illuminated by the illumination means C, as shown in Fig.
11. But, since the paper surface P is usually white in a
large part, Illumination of the paper surface P causes the
reflected light C1 to enter eyes E of a user M and some
users may not endure the reflected light when they are weak
in eyesight. More specifically, some of the weak-sighted
are those persons who cannot see bright light, for example,
who suffer from the retina pigmentary degeneration. In
view of those persons, the above problem has been dealt
with by processing the image displayed on the monitor TV E
such that the monochromatic image on the moni tor TV is
reversed in color to reduce the amount of light emitted
from a CRT. This has accompanied a problem that it is
inevitable for even a user who suffers from the retina
pigmentary degeneration to see the paper surface P or the
screen of the monitor TV E at the time of reversing the
image in color and thus feel an intolerable pain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above-mentioned state of art in mind, an
object of the present ~nvention is to provide a magnifying
display device which is constituted to be portable in part
except for a ~onitor TV, which has reading means capable of
always keeping a fixed distance up to the reading surface
of a document regardless of a thickness of the document to
2~72427
be read, and further which makes the light illuminated and
then reflected by the document surface less likely to enter
eyes of a user.
According to an aspect of the first invention made
w~th a view of solving the above object, an upper frame on
which reading means such as TV camera is mounted and which
is substantially rectangular in a plan view and a document
rest on which a document to be read is p]aced and which is
substantia11y rectangular in a plan view are supported
through leg members such that said frame and said rest are
substantially parallel to each other with an appropriate
vertical spacing kept said frame and said rest, and said
frame, said rest and said leg members are interconnected in
such a manner as able to be folded into a laminated state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side view of one example of a magnifying
display device according to the present invention in use.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the divice of Fig. 1 in a
folded state.
Fig. 3 is a side view showing a first stage of the
folding process.
Fig. 4 is a side view showing a second stage of the
folding process.
Fig. 5 is a front view, partially broken away, of the
2072~27
device of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a front view of one example of the device
shown in Fig. 1 equipped wlth one example of distance meas-
uring means.
Flg. 7 is ~ right slde view of the device of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a side view of another example of the device
according to the present invention which is constituted to
be portable.
Fig. 9 is a side view of the device of Fig. 8 in a
folded state.
Fig. 10 is a front view showing the principles of a
device of the present invention in which the reflected
light is less likely to enter eyes of a user.
Fig. 11 is a front view for explainlng the reflected
light in a prior device.
Fig. 12 is a front view of one example of prior de-
vices.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM80DIMENTS
The following is a description about an example of the
first invention with reference to the drawings, as well as
a description about the constitution of the second and
subsequent inventions. Fig. 1 is a side view of one exam-
ple of a magnifying display device according to the present
invention in use which is constituted to be portable, Fig.
2072427
2 is a side view of the device of Fig. 1 in a folded state,
Figs. 3 and 4 are side views showing the folding process in
successive stages, Fig. 5 is a front view, partially broken
away, of the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a front view of
one example in which a monitor TV is placed on the devlce
of Fig. 1 equipped with one example of range measuring
means, Fig. 7 is a right side view of the device of Fig. 6,
Fig. 8 is a side view of another example of the device
according to the present invention which is constituted to
be portable, Fig. 9 is a side view of the device of Fig. 8
in a folded state, Fig. 10 is a front view showing the
principles of a device of the present invention in which
the reflected light is less likely to enter eyes of a user,
Fig. 11 is a front view for explaining the reflected light
in a prior device, and Fig. 12 is a front view of one
example of prior devices.
In Figs. 1 to 7, denoted by reference numeral 1 is an
upper frame substantially rectangular in outer configura-
tion as viewed from above, and principally comprises an
upper panel la and a pair of left and right side walls lb.
In the foremost side (i.e., the left side in Fig. 1) of the
upper frame 1, reading means 2 constructed into one unit is
mounted to the lower surface in such a manner that it is
suspended to be slidable in the vertical direction and
fixedly supported at a slid position. lc is a rear wall
2072~27
disposed between the left and right side walls lb, and is
provided with an input and output terminal group EP con-
nected to the reading means 2 explained in detail later.
The reading means 2 is in the form of a camera unit CU
constituted by containing, in a housing 2e, a T~ camera 2c
which comprises an optical system 2a consisted of a lens,
with or without a zooming function, and so forth, and an
optical path changing mirror 2d for changing an optical
path of the optical system 2a. The camera unit CU is
attached in such a manner that set screws 2f provided on
the lateral sides of the housing 2e and having operating
knobs 2g are engaged in oblong holes le, lf which are
formed, as supporting members, through the left and right
side walls lb and a front wall ld in the forward side of
the upper frame 1. Specifically, the camera unit CU is
fixed in place bY turning the knobs 2g to loosen the screws
2f, sliding the camera unit CU to select its vertical
position, and then fastening the screws 2f at the selected
position.
In the camera unit CU, as shown in Fig. 5, a light
source 9 such as a glow lamp for illuminating the surface
of a document rest, over which a document is to be placed,
is provided facing the lower surface of the housing 2e and
a color filter member 10, which allows only infrared rays
and light in a red region to pass therethrough, but cuts
2072~27
-- 8 --
off all or most of visible light, is detachably attached to
the front side of the light source 9. 11 is a filter
holder for holding the filter member 10 in a detachable
manner.
Denoted by 3 is a lower frame of which outer conflgu-
ratlon in a plan view is formed substantially commensurate
with the upper frame 1. On the upper surface of the lower
frame 3, a document table 4 serving as a rest, over which a
document like a book to be read is placed, is disposed on
the upper surface of a slide base 4B in such a manner that
the document table can freely slide forwardly and backward-
ly (i.e., in the lateral direction in Fig. 1), as well as
to the left and right (i.e., in the lateral direction in
Fig. 5)~ the slide base 4B being mounted to be slidable
forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the lower frame 3.
More specifically, guide pins 3b, 3c each having an operat-
ing knob 3a are projected on each of the left and right
side walls of the lower frame 3, the slide b&se 4B has a
pair of left and right slide guides 4a each formed with
oblong guide holes 4b, and further the pins 3b, 3c are
loosely fitted in and supported by those oblong gulde holes
4b in the left and right guides 4a. The document table 4
is then disposed on the slide base 4B to be slidable for-
wardly and rearwardly as well as to the left and right,
whereby the document table 4 is mounted with respect to the
2072427
lower frame 3 in such a manner that it can freely slide
forwardly and backwardly (i.e., in the lateral direction in
Fig. 1), as well as to the left and right (i.e., in the
lateral direction in Fig. 5).
Note that the document table 4 used in the present
invention is not necessarily slidable forwardly and rear-
wardly as well as to the left and right. The document
table 4 may be slidable in any one direction, or not slida-
ble In any directions. In the latter case, the lower frame
3 is formed to double as the document table 4.
Denoted by 5 is a leg member disposed on the left and
right sides at the rear ends of the upper and lower frames
l, 3 (i.e., on the right side in Figs. l and 2) to support
both the frames with a predetermined vertical width there-
between. The left and right leg members 5 have hinges 5a,
Sb provided at their upper and lower ends for supporting
the upper and lower frames 1, 3 in a foldable and reassem-
bled manner, thereby constituting the stand of the magnlfy-
ing display device. The construction to make the stand
foldable and reassembled will now be described.
In the illustrated embodiment, the upper hinges Sa
comprise support screws 6 with knobs 6a which are screwed
to the outer side surfaces of the left and right leg mem-
bers 5, 5 for fastening and locking those leg members
through locked notches 7 formed in the 10wer sides of the
2072~27
~o --
left and right side walls lb of the upper frame 1 at their
rear end portions, so that the upper frame 1 is held almost
perpendicular to the left and right erected leg members 5,
5 and supported in a horizontal posture. 7' is a notch
whlch is formed forwardly of the notch 7 in the side wall
lb and used to support the upper frame 1 therethrough under
a folded state. As an alternative, the hinge 5a may be
arranged to make the stand foldable and reassembled by
pivotally coupling the upper end portion of the leg member
5 to the lower right end portlon of the upper frame 1 by a
shaft, connecting the intermediate portion of the leg
member 5 and the lower side of the upper frame 1 at its
intermediate portion by a foldable arm member (not shown),
and bringing the foldable arm member into a folded or
extended state.
On the other hand, the lower hinges Sb each comprise a
small rectangular hinge plate 8 of which upper portion in
the forward side is fixed to the lower end portion of the
leg member 5 as indicated by 8a, while the lower frame 3 is
pivotally supported at its rear end to the lower portion of
the hinge plate 8 in the rearward side as indicaied by 8b.
Therefore, the lower frame 3 can be rotated 270 degrees
counterclockwise from an assembled state of Fig. 1 so that
it is folded into a posture substantially parailel to the
leg member 5 in side by side relation. Additionally, 8c in
2072~27
Fig. 1 is a circular hole which is formed in the hinge
plate 8 to provide a clic~ in operation at the time when
assembling and folding of the lower frame 3 are completed.
A steel ball 3d normally biased by a spring (not shown)
from the back slde of the drawlng sheet is disposed in the
lower frame 3 at a position corresponding to hole 8c such
that the steel ball 3d is slightly projected from the
surface. The device of the present invention is thus
constituted.
One example of the device of the present invention
constituted as explained abo~e operates as follows. In the
assembled state shown in Fig. 1, by loosening the attach-
ment screws 2f and lowering them in the oblong holes le,
lf, the camera unit CU constituting the reading means 2 is
slid downwardly and properly positioned relative to the
upper frame 1. On the other hand, a document (not shown)
to be displayed in a magnified scale for reading is placed
on the upper surface of the document table 4. While slid-
ing the document table 4 in the X and Y directions on the
slide base 4B which is withdrawn to the forward side of the
lower frame 3, a position of the document surface to be
read i5 aligned with an optical axis 2L of the camera 2c.
At the same time, the light source 9 is directed to the
document surface for illuminating the same.
Characters and so forth on the document read by the TV
2072427
- 12 -
camera 2c are displayed in a magnified scale on the display
plane DP of a monitor TV in the form of a CRT or the like,
so that the weak-sighted can read the displayed contents of
the document while being magnified using the device of the
present invention. At this time, although the light emlt-
ted from the light source 9 and reflected by the document
surface enters eyes of the user, the reflected light will
not detrimentally affect the user because the filter 10,
which allows only infrared rays and the like to pass there-
through, but cuts off visible light, is attached to the
front side of the light source 9. Additionally, the filter
lO for cutting off visible light is also suitable when
applied to the prior display device in which the stand A is
not of the fo]dable structure as shown in Fig. 12. This
application will now be described with reference to Figs.
lO and 11.
With the prior magnifying display device as shown in
Fig. 11, the normal weak-sighted can clearly see the docu-
ment in a magnified scale. However, when viewers are
particular types of amblyopic penple, e.g., those patients
suffering from the retina pigmentary degeneration who
cannot see bright light, there arises a problem that when
the illumination light source C illuminates the paper
surface P of the document D such as a book, the reflected
llght from the paper surface P directly enters the eyes E,
20~2427
disabling those people to see the screen of the monitor TV
E. Another problem is in that even when the monochromatic
image is reversed in color, they must direct their eyes E
toward the paper surface P being illuminated by the illumi-
nation light source C upon pages of the document being
turned over, forcing them to feel a pain due to the
presence of the reflected light C1.
In the present invention, therefore, a visible-light
cutting and infrared-ray transmitting filter 10, which cuts
off vislble light, but allows infrared rays to pass there-
through, can inserted between the document D and the paper
surface P in a detachable manner to be disposed near the
illumination light source 9, as shown in Fig. 10. Thus, in
the case of the weak-sighted using the device, the filter
10 is located between the light source 9 and the paper
surface P, whereby the paper surface P is Illumlnated wlth
only infrared rays to prevent the reflected l;ght in a
vlsible range from reachlng the eyes E.
As another example of the device of the present inven-
tion shown in Flg. 10, besides the detachably inserted
structure of the filter 10, a TV camera having sensitivity
in a infrared range is employed instead of the above-stated
usual TY camera 2c. This enables that characters and so
forth are clearly imaged even with no illumination by
visible light and the screen of the monitor TV DP is viewed
2~72427
without feelIng the light dazzled.
In Flg. 10, denoted by lOa is a holder for the fllter
10, the holder belng formed at the front end of a lamp
housing 9a. The Infrared filter 10 can be posit~oned at
and out of the front surface of the llght source 4 by a
slidably holding mechanism of the holder lOa. Incidental-
ly, lOb is a through hole where not filter is present. As
an alternatlve, the filter 10 may be inserted into and
removed from between the light source 9 and the paper
surface P by any other desired mechanism such as the swing
type. Further, the color filter 10 may be of a filter
which allows light in a red or orange range to pass there-
through. In other word, it is only re~uired for the color
filter to cut off the reflected light in a visible range.
Then, one example of the device of the present Inven-
tion explained above with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 is
achieved by modifying the prior magnifying display device
of the desk top type such that the stand comprising, as
main parts, the reading means 2 and the document table 4
serving as a rest of the document to be read is of the
freely folded and reassembled structure to be carrying it
easily. The device having this portable type stand is
carried to other place where an existing monitor TV or the
like can be utilized as the disp~ay plane.
Considering thls aspect of the present invention, it
2~2427
- 15 -
will be apparent that the foldable structure of the stand
according to one example of the device of the present
invention ls not limited to the structure explained above
with reference to Figs. 1 to 7. As another example, though
not shown, the upper frame 1, the lower frame 3 and the
document table 4 may be constructed in such a manner as
able to join with and separate from each other and, in no
use, those components are separated and put together into
the laminated form. Alternatively, the foldable structure
shown in Figs. B and 9 may be adopted. Moreover, though
not shown, the freely folded and reassembled structure may
be achieved by a combination of the pivotal structure of
the components in the foregoing embodiment and the freely
joined and separated structure. The foldable structure
shown in Figs. 8 and 9 will be next described.
In another example of the device of the present inven-
tion ~hown in Figs. 8 and 9, the lower frame 3 is consti-
tuted by a front member 31 and a rear member 32 which are
interconnected via a hinge 33 at a position near the rear
end of the lower frame 3 and can be folded to posltion one
above the other. On the other hand, in order that a hinge
5a~ provided at the upper end of a leg member 5' can be
changed in its vertical attachment position in three
stages, for example, the upper frame 1 housing the camera
unit CU therein is provided in the left and right sides
2~72~
- 16 -
with a plurality of attachment holes 101 to 10~ for the
hinge 5a', the holes being separated into three lines in
the illustrated example which are arranged in the to-and-
fro or horizontal direction and each include three holes In
the vertical direction. Alternatively, each llne may
include balls in two or four or more stages.
The hinge 5a' provided at the upper end of the leg
member 5' has, on a plate-like hinge body 51a at positions
corresponding to the attachment holes 101 to 103, pins (not
appearing in the drawings) which are projected on the inner
surface thereof and fitted into the attachment holes 101,
103, and a screw 52a with a knob which is screwed into the
threaded hole 102 from the outer side. Also, two parallel
inverted-L-shaped bar members 51, 52 jointly constituting
the leg member 5' are pivotally supported at their front
end pins 53a, 54a to the outer surface of the hinge body
51a. Additionally, there are provided stopper pins 55a,
56a for limiting rotation of the bar members 51, 52 at a
predetermined angle.
Meanwhile, the lower ends of the bar members 51, 52
are pivotally supported by one pivot retainer 51b to the
upper surface of the rear member 32 of the lower frame 3,
thereby constituting a lower hinge 5a'. It will be noted
that, in Figs. 8 and 9, the same reference numeral as those
in Figs. 1 to 7 denote the same members.
2072427
- 17 -
The upper and lower frames 1, 3 interconnected by the
foldable leg member 5' of the structure as explained above
are assembled Into a state shown In Flg. 8. In thls assem-
bled state, after removing the document table 4 out of the
lower frame 3 or keeping it placed over the front member
31, the front member 31 is first turned countercloc~wise in
Fig. 8 about the hinge 33 to be folded over the back or
lower side of the rear member 32. Next, the upper frame I
is turned clockwise in Fig. 8 about the hinges 5a', 5b~
respectively provided at the upper and lower ends of the
bar members 51, 52. As a result, the device can be folded
into a state shown in Fig. 9.
Furthermore, the device of the present invention can
also be arranged as described below Ior the purpose of
adding more preferable functions from the viewpoint of
practical use to the reading means 2 and the document table
4 of the magnifying display device in which the stand is
constituted to be portable as has been previously ex-
plained. This arrangement will be next described.
In one example of the device of the present invention
shown in Figs. l to 7, the reading means 2 mainly compr~s-
lng the camera unit CU is provided such that it can be
changed in its vertical position with respect to the upper
frame 1. More specifically, when a thick document P' to be
read, such as a dictionary, is placed on the document table
2072427
- 18 -
4, the distance from the document surface to the focused
point V in the camera unit CU, i.e., Ll ~ L2 = WD, is
changed. Thus, the distance WD is reduced by ~Wd corre-
sponding to the thickness of the document. This change of
~Wd, namely, the dlstance Ll reduced by the amount ~Wd,
can be compensated for by loosening the knobs 2g of the
attachment screws 2f, adjusting/correcting the vertical
position of the reading means 2 upwardly through the sup-
ports or oblong holes le, lf in the side and front walls,
and then fixing the reading means 2 again.
In view of the same purpose, the device shown in Figs.
l to 7 can also achieve the same result by being so ar-
ranged as to slide the TV camera 2c within the housing 2e
in the to-and-fro direction and change the distance L2 from
the focus point Y to the optical path changing mirror 2d,
to thereby compensate for the above distance change ~Wd.
The sliding operation of the camera unit CU in the rearward
direction corresponding to the distance ~Wd may be manual-
ly performed, or automatically performed by utilizing a
drive source such as a motor or small cylinder. The actu-
ating mechanism may be of any desired driving type. Also,
in the device of Figs. 8 and 9, the TY camera is properly
positioned by selecting the vertical position of the hinge
body 51a with respect to the upper frame 1 corresponding to
the thic~ness of the document D.
2Q72~27
To automatically hold the distance WD from the docu-
ment surface P to the focused point Y of the TV camera 2c
constant at all times regardless of the thickness of the
document and ensure a magnifying display function as ex-
plained above with reference to F~g. 7, the devlce of the
present Invention may be arranged to provlde distance
measuring means, using any of mechanical, optical, magnet-
lc, electrlc and ultrasonic means, at a position in the
camera unit CU corresponding to the document surface P, and
utilizes the difference ~Wd between the actual distance llp
to the document surface P detected by the distance measur-
ing means and the reference distance WD as a command varia-
ble based on which the reading means 2 is moved upwardly or
the T~ camera 2c is slid rearwardly.
Figs. 6 and 7 show an example of the device of the
present invention adopting the simplest ~echanical distance
measuring means. A distance bar 12 of the effective length
WD is suspended from the housing 2e of the camera unit CU
in a foldable manner by commonly using the attachment screw
2f for the reading means 2, and the reading means 2 is
vertically moved so that the lower end face of the bar 12
comes into contact with the document s~rface P or P'. Note
that 12a is a shaft about which the bar 12 can be folded.
This permits the distance Ll between the document surface P
or P' and the mirror 2d to be kept constant regardless of
2072~27
- 20 -
the thickness of the document. In the case where the
camera unit CU is vertically moved by utilizing the driving
force of a motor or the like, a contact (not shown~ of an
actuator swltch for the driving source may be provided on
the lower end face of the bar 12 and the driving source
such as a motor for moving the camera unit CU upwardly may
be actuated until the contact is apart from the document
surface P or P'.
As fully described above, while in prior magnifying
display devices of the desk top type the stage comprising
the reading means and the document rest could not be folded
into a compact size for easy transportation, the device o~
the present invention is of the structure capable of being
folded into a compact size, which is very convenient in
that even at such locations as intrinsically equipped with
no magnifying display devices, documents to be read can be
displayed in a magnified scale if only the display plane
given by a monitor TV or the like is present.
With the device of the present invention, since the
reading span distance between the reading means and the
document can be manually or automatically corrected to be
held constant at all times regardless of the thickness of
the document, any documents ranging from thin ones such as
newspapers to thick ones such as dictionaries can be freely
displayed in a magnified scale in spite of changes in the
2072A27
thickness of the documents while quickly responding to such
changes.
Also, slncç the light source for Illumlnating the
document surface is associated with the fllter member In a
detachable manner which cuts off most of vlsible light, but
allows only light that is necessary and sufficient for
illuminating the document to sense its image, such as
infrared rays, to pass therethrough, there will not occur a
drawback that the light illuminated and reflected by the
document may enter eyes of a user, making it hard to see
the displayed image.
