Abstract: A tactile pin display apparatus comprises: tactile pins 20 for braille display; a support housing 30 for supporting and allowing the tactile pins 20 to move forward and backward; cams 40 for raising ends of the tactile pins 20 to a desired height (ON-state) from a tactile surface 35; compression coil springs 10 for biasing the tactile pins 20 against the cams 40; shape memory wires 60 to be heated by current for pivoting the cams 40 forward to bring the tactile pins to the ON-state; and a cam return plate 50 for pivoting the cams backward to lower the tactile pins 20 back to a level (OFF-state) of the tactile surface 35. Even if in the ON-state the tactile pins 20 are strongly pressed by a user, or the current to the shape memory wires 60 is disconnected, the tactile pins 20 are not lowered back because upper surfaces of the cams 40 support lower surfaces of the tactile pins 20. All the tactile pins 20 can be lowered back to the OFF-state by a single reciprocal movement of the cam return plate 50.

Abstract: Rotational member (310) with plural tactile pins (301) movable up-and-down for displaying characters is rotated by rotation driving means. Elastic O-rings (370) are provided in the rotational member (310) for pressing and holding the pins (301). Actuators (320) brought to contact the pins (301) are provided nearby the rotational member (310) for positioning the pins (301) at desired heights from a tactile surface. Cam (330) brought to contact with the pins (301) is provided also nearby the rotational member (310) for positioning the pins (301) at the reset position or height. Furthermore, selectively actuating means is provided for selectively actuating the actuators (320). Owing to such arrangement, a continuous tactile pin display apparatus can be reduced in size, weight and cost.

Abstract: Internet text information, e-mails or the like is continuously displayed as braille text of arbitrary length without being divided on a row-by-row basis. A structure includes a rotating braille display section for continuously displaying braille by moving a plurality of pins forward and backward over a touch-and-sense surface of a rotating disk, the pins corresponding to 8 to 36 characters, a key input section, an external interface section, a memory file memory section, and a control section for controlling these sections using software. Also included are a unit for connecting an external control device like a personal computer to the external interface section, and a unit for instructing the external control device by operating the key input section to load Internet text information or the like and store the information in the memory file memory section or display the information on the rotating braille display section as braille.

Abstract: Rotational member (310) with plural tactile pins (301) movable up-and-down for displaying characters is rotated by rotation driving means. Elastic O-rings (370) are provided in the rotational member (310) for pressing and holding the pins (301). Actuators (320) brought to contact the pins (301) are provided nearby the rotational member (310) for positioning the pins (301) at desired heights from a tactile surface. Cam (330) brought to contact with the pins (301) is provided also nearby the rotational member (310) for positioning the pins (301) at the reset position or height. Furthermore, selectively actuating means is provided for selectively actuating the actuators (320). Owing to such arrangement, a continuous tactile pin display apparatus can be reduced in size, weight and cost.

Abstract: An apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine which comprises: a rope starting device including a rope provided with a knob, a reel around which the rope is wound and a clutch adapted to transmit the rotation of the reel to an engine crank shaft; and a decompression device including a cam adapted to forcibly open an exhaust valve by pushing one end of a valve lever associated with the exhaust valve and a shaft on which said cam is fixed to be biased resiliently and rotatively in one direction, the pushing amount of the end of the valve lever by the cam being set to be smaller than the pushing amount of the same effected by a push rod of a valve actuating mechanism for the exhaust valve. When the end of the valve lever is pushed by the cam, the cam engages the valve lever while keeping the exhaust valve in the opened state, whereas when the push rod pushes the end of the valve lever, the cam is disengaged from the valve lever.