Patents by Inventor Edwin Mulkens

Edwin Mulkens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Apparatus and method utilizing bi-directional relative movement for refreshable tactile display
    Patent number: 6692255
    Abstract: A refreshable Braille reader apparatus and method are disclosed, the apparatus preferably utilizing a rotating cylinder having endless rows of openings defined therethrough to a display surface with a pin held in each opening and freely movable therein. Static actuators at least equal in number to the rows of openings through the cylinder are maintained at a station adjacent to the surface of the cylinder, and are configured and positioned so that the pins are selectively contactable at either of their ends by different ones of the actuators during cylinder rotation in either forward or reverse direction thereby selectively positioning first ends of the pins relative to the surface of the cylinder to allow streaming of Braille text across a display area in either forward or backward order depending upon selected direction of cylinder rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America
    Inventors: John W. Roberts, Oliver T. Slattery, David W. Kardos, Edwin Mulkens, Bretton Swope
  • Apparatus and method utilizing bi-directional relative movement for refreshable tactile display
    Publication number: 20020045151
    Abstract: A refreshable Braille reader apparatus and method are disclosed, the apparatus preferably utilizing a rotating cylinder having endless rows of openings defined therethrough to a display surface with a pin held in each opening and freely movable therein. Static actuators at least equal in number to the rows of openings through the cylinder are maintained at a station adjacent to the surface of the cylinder, and are configured and positioned so that the pins are selectively contactable at either of their ends by different ones of the actuators during cylinder rotation in either forward or reverse direction thereby selectively positioning first ends of the pins relative to the surface of the cylinder to allow streaming of Braille text across a display area in either forward or backward order depending upon selected direction of cylinder rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: John W. Roberts, Oliver T. Slattery, David W. Kardos, Edwin Mulkens, Bretton Swope