JPH0375871B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a bistable display device.

In one embodiment, the display device of the present invention includes a housing having a chamber filled with an opaque liquid and a viewing surface, and a first position where one surface of the bulletin board is in surface contact with the viewing surface; movable within the chamber between a surface of the rear surface leaving contact with the viewing surface and a second position in which the other surface is in surface contact with a rear surface spaced behind the viewing surface;
A notice member is disposed, and includes a drive device including a first magnetic device provided on the housing and a second magnetic device provided on the notice member, the first magnetic device and the second magnetic device being connected to the housing. an attractive and/or repulsive force can be generated between the signage members, thereby moving the signage member from the first position or the second position to the other position; axially spaced electromagnetic coils and a permanent magnet, and the second magnetic device includes a ferromagnetic material having low residual magnetism, and the sign member moves between a first position and a second position. When the second magnetic device is disposed close to one or the other electromagnetic coil, and the bulletin board member is in both the first position and the second position, the second magnetic device A magnetic device is disposed in sufficient proximity to the permanent magnet to be magnetically attracted to the permanent magnet, such that movement of the sign member between the first position and the second position is controlled by one of the permanent magnets. the retention force of the sign member in its distal position, which can be effectively controlled by the selection of actuation of one coil or the other, and even if both coils are not actuated in the first or second position; The display device is characterized in that the driving device does not need to hold the bulletin board member in the first position or the second position.

Furthermore, a preferable feature of the present invention is that a plug-like object supporting the second magnetic device is formed on the other surface of the bulletin board member, and the plug-like object accommodates the first magnetic device of the housing. It is slidably housed in the part where the

Furthermore, a preferred feature of the invention is that the first magnetic device is attached to the aforementioned portion surrounding the plug.

Furthermore, a preferred feature of the invention is that the plug is axially slidable within the aforementioned section;
It is constructed so that it cannot rotate around its axis.

Furthermore, a preferred feature of the invention is that the chamber supports a plurality of notice members arranged in parallel.

Furthermore, a preferred feature of the invention is that the bulletin board members are independently movable relative to each other.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of specific embodiments. The drawings will be explained below.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a display device according to an embodiment not in a display stage, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a display device according to an embodiment in a display stage.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 concerns a display device 10 with a housing 14 having a transparent front viewing surface 16 and a rear viewing surface 15. The embodiment shown in FIG. A groove 18 is defined extending axially from the angular chamber 12 of substantially square cross-section as well as from the rear face 15. A plurality of layered notice members 24 are provided within the chamber 12.

Signage members 24 (only one shown) have a display surface 26 adjacent the front viewing surface 16 of the chamber 12.
and a rear surface 25 adjacent to the rear surface 15.
A plug-like object 20 is formed on the back surface of the bulletin board member 24, located in the direction of its central axis. Plug-like object 20 is groove 18
Plug 20 moves through groove 18 as sign member 24 moves between front viewing surface 16 and rear viewing surface 15 of chamber 12.

A tubular ferromagnetic member 19 having low residual magnetic properties is housed outside the plug 20 . A pair of axially spaced electromagnetic coils 21 and 22 are connected to a DC power source via three terminals 27, 28 and 29 in the portion of the housing 14 where the groove 18 is defined.
is connected. One terminal 27 is common to both coils, the only other terminal being connected to the other one of the coils.

Fill chamber 12 with an opaque liquid. When the sign member 24 moves to the rear surface 15 of the chamber 12, the display surface 26 cannot be seen through the front viewing surface 16. The bulletin board member 24 has a rear surface 15 and a front viewing surface 1 by electromagnetic coils 21 and 22.
Move between 6 and 6. As a result, one or the other of the coils is activated, and the bulletin board member 24 is moved through the magnetic attraction of the ferromagnetic member 19 to the activated coil.

When the sign member 24 is moved and engaged with the front viewing surface or rear surface 15 of the chamber 12, frictional forces as well as surface tension and/or cohesive forces are created between the sign member and plug and the housing. The resulting attractive force between the two surfaces serves to securely hold the sign members 24 in their respective end positions.

As a result, there is no need to keep the electromagnetic coil active to hold the sign member 24 in the end position.
The retention force at both ends of the sign member 24 is further increased by attaching permanent magnets 30 to the housing 14 between the coils. The permanent magnet attracts the soft iron material to the housing, increasing the frictional force therebetween.

As described above, since the first magnetic device provided in the housing includes a pair of axially spaced electromagnetic coils, the movement of the sign member between the first position and the second position is controlled by one side. By selecting the activation of one coil or the other, the movement of the sign member can be effectively controlled via the ferromagnetic member of the second magnetic device.

The first magnetic device provided in the housing may further include a permanent magnet, and the second magnetic device may include a ferromagnetic material having low residual magnetism, so that even if both coils are in the first or second position, Coupled with surface tension and/or cohesive forces that occur on both sides of the sign member (i.e. between the front side of the sign member and the viewing surface, and between the back side of the sign member and the rear side of the chamber), even when not in operation, The holding force of the sign member in its distal position is increased (by the magnetic attraction of the aforementioned permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic member of the second magnetic device). Furthermore, this has the effect that there is no need for the drive device to hold the notice member in the first position or the second position.

According to the embodiments described above, a display device is created which is bistable and requires only power to change the display state. If desired, this display device may take the form of a stand-alone display device, with the bulletin board member 24 holding a desired single display or message, or it may take the form of a unit module of an array of display modules;
Some of the modules can be used to create meaningful patterns, for example, in a stadium to show the results of a competition.
and/or patterns may be provided, such as in the form of diagrammatic representations of scenes or events.

If desired, the opaque liquid may be replaced by a gas and/or an opaque or colored fluid with fluorescent capabilities.

It should be recognized that the scope of the invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiments described above.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a display device according to an embodiment not in a display stage, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a display device according to an embodiment in a display stage. 10...display device, 12...chamber, 14
... Housing, 15 ... Rear surface, 16 ... Front view surface, 18 ... Groove, 19 ... Ferromagnetic member, 20 ... Plug-like object, 21, 22 ... Electromagnetic coil, 24 ... Notice Member, 25... Back, 26...
Display surface, 27, 28, 29... terminal, 30... permanent magnet.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A housing having a chamber filled with an opaque liquid and a viewing surface, and a first position where one surface of the bulletin board is in surface contact with the viewing surface, and a first position where one surface of the bulletin board is in contact with the viewing surface; movable within the chamber between leaving contact with the viewing surface and a second position in which the other surface is in surface contact with a rear surface spaced behind the viewing surface;
A notice member is disposed, and includes a drive device including a first magnetic device provided on the housing and a second magnetic device provided on the notice member, the first magnetic device and the second magnetic device being connected to the housing. an attractive and/or repulsive force may be generated between the signage members, thereby moving the signage member from the first position or the second position to the other position; The device comprises a pair of electromagnetic coils spaced apart in the direction, and a permanent magnet disposed near one or both of the electromagnetic coils, and the second magnetic device includes a ferromagnetic material having low residual magnetism. , when the bulletin board member moves between the first position and the second position, the second magnetic device is disposed in proximity to one or the other electromagnetic coil, and
the second magnetic device is disposed sufficiently close to the permanent magnet to be attracted to the permanent magnet when the sign member is in both the first and second positions; Movement of the sign member between the first position and the second position can be effectively controlled by selection of activation of one coil or the other coil, and even if both coils are in the first position or Even when not actuated in the second position, retention of the sign member in its distal position is facilitated by the magnetic attraction of the second magnetic device to the permanent magnet, and the drive device A display device characterized in that there is no need to hold the display device in a first position or a second position. 2 A plug-like object supporting the second magnetic device is formed on the other surface of the bulletin board member, and the plug-like object is slidable into a portion of the housing that accommodates the first magnetic device. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is housed in a display device. 3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the first magnetic device is attached to the aforementioned portion surrounding the plug-like object. 4. Claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the plug-like object is configured to be able to slide in the axial direction within the aforementioned portion, but not to rotate about the axis. The display device described in . 5. The display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the chamber supports a plurality of bulletin board members arranged in parallel. 6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the bulletin board members are mutually movable independently.