FR2842138A1 - Drawing aid for poorly sighted persons comprises mobile support for pencil having threaded rod allowing translation, nut on second support controls angular position of first support and third perpendicular support translated by threaded rod - Google Patents

Abstract

The drawing aid comprises a mobile support (S1) for a drawing pencil (10) able to move in the XY direction. A threaded rod (24) inserted through an opening (22) has a crank (26) fixed to its end allows translation of the support. A knurled nut (30) mounted on a second support controls the angular position of the first support. A second threaded rod (44) located in an opening (42) has a crank (46) at its end provides a second means of translation of the second support. A third support perpendicular to the others has a threaded rod (54) enabling its translation.

Description

DRAWING ASSISTANCE DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR PERSON

Visually impaired or blind

  The invention relates to a drawing aid device for

visually impaired or blind person.

  To draw lines, there are in particular rules or squares; to draw curves, there are for example pistols; and to draw circles or arcs, there are compasses, normographs or equivalent instruments. With such instruments, the blind or blind people have difficulties to overcome in order to be able to produce precise drawings, in particular to execute elementary geometric figures such as squares, rectangles, circles, portions of straight lines or circles, etc. Visually impaired or blind children are particularly affected by this problem because, like all

  as a child, they like to draw and represent or imagine their environment.

  The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution

  new and original to this problem.

  To this end, the subject of the invention is a drawing aid device, in particular for the visually impaired or blind person, comprising: - a mobile support for a tracing tool such as a pencil or a pen, movable in XY, - means for translational and / or rotational movement of said support, - manual control means for the displacement means, and tactile control means for determining the distance

  traversed by the tracing member during movement of the support.

  By displacement in XY is meant a displacement on a plane for example defined by a sheet placed under the tracing member, preferably perpendicular thereto, the displacement possibly being a

  displacement in translation and / or rotation.

  According to particular embodiments of the invention - the tactile control means are of the step-by-step type; - The manual control means are of the rotary type; the control means are constituted by the control means; the means for translational movement are of the type transforming a rotational movement into a translational movement of the support; - The means for translational movement of the support comprise first means for drawing oblique lines, second means for drawing lines along the X axis, and third means for drawing lines along the Y axis; each of the means for translational movement of the support is of the screw / nut type; 1 0 - each of the means for translational movement of the support comprises a threaded rod movable in rotation and a mobile support in translation along the corresponding threaded rod, and the means for controlling the means for translational movement of said supports are mounted on the 'end of the corresponding threaded rods; a turn of the threaded rod in a direction of rotation or in the opposite direction corresponds to a displacement of the support in translation by a constant distance in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of said threaded rod; the means for displacement in rotation comprise an axis of rotation fixed to a control member cooperating with a blocking member to maintain the means for displacement in rotation in a determined angular position; - The control member is a lever secured to the axis and the blocking member is a rod secured to the lever and cooperating with orifices passing through a fixed wheel freely traversed by the axis; - The control member is a rotary wheel secured to the axis and provided with a key cooperating with orifices passing through a wheel

  fixed freely traversed by the axis.

  - the orifices of the fixed dial are arranged every 15.

  According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the device comprises: - a first slide through which a first longitudinal slot extends along said first slide, - a first threaded rod extending inside the first slot and cooperating with a first threaded orifice of a first support, and - a first crank mounted at one end of the first threaded rod so as to be able to rotate it in order to move the first

  translational support along the first slot.

  Preferably, the device further comprises - an axis of rotation integral with the first slide and passing through a thumbwheel, - a second slide crossed by a second longitudinal slot extending along said second slide, - a second threaded rod s' extending inside the second slot and cooperating with a second threaded orifice of a second support, said second support also being crossed by the axis of rotation, and - a second crank mounted at one end of the second threaded rod to be able to rotate it to move the second

  translational support along the second slot.

  Advantageously, the device also comprises: - a third support on which the second slide is mounted, said third support being movable in translation inside a third longitudinal slot arranged along a third slide, said second slide being mounted perpendicular to the third slide relative to which it is capable of moving in translation, - a third threaded rod extending inside the third slot and cooperating with a third threaded orifice of the third support, and - a third crank mounted at one end of the third threaded rod to be able to rotate it to move the third

  translational support along the third slot.

  According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the pitch of each threaded rod is 1 mm so that a turn of the crank in one direction or the other causes a rectilinear displacement of one of the supports

  1 mm in the direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of said crank.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will appear on reading the following detailed description relating to a

  exemplary embodiment illustrated by the appended figures which respectively represent:

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  - Figure 1, a schematic perspective view of the drawing aid device according to the invention and comprising three longitudinal slides and three supports movable in translation and / or in rotation on said slides; - Figure 2, a sectional view of the first slide and the first support of the device; FIG. 3, a sectional view of the second slide and of the second support of the device, and FIG. 4, a detailed view in section of a third slide and of a third support of the device, - FIG. 5, a view of an alternative embodiment of a detail of FIG. 3, and

  - Figure 6, a perspective view of Figure 5.

  FIG. 1 represents a drawing aid device 1 particularly suitable for the blind or blind, knowing that it can also be used by sighted people wishing to draw with precision various geometric shapes and more

or less complex.

  This device firstly comprises a frame 2 forming a plane and under which it is possible to jam a sheet of paper in order to

draw on it.

  A tracing member 10, such as a pencil, is inserted into a first support Si mounted movable in translation along a first slide 20 parallel to the plane defined by the frame 2, as is

  also shown in more detail in Figure 2.

  As illustrated in Figure 2, the first slide 20 is in the form of an elongated profile provided with a first longitudinal slot 22 extending substantially over its entire length and passing through

  its thickness so as to be through.

  First means Tl for translational movement of the first support Si are provided on the first slide 20. These means Tl for translational movement are in the form of a first threaded rod 24 disposed inside the first slot 22 and extending substantially over its entire length and a tapped orifice 25 arranged in the

  first support Si and with which the first threaded rod 24 cooperates.

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  A first rotary crank 26 is firmly fixed, for example by welding, to one end 24a of the first threaded rod 24. This first crank 26 simultaneously plays the role of first means C1 for controlling the first displacement means TI and first non-visual control means Dl used to determine the distance traveled by the pencil 10 during a translational movement of the first support SI. For this, the pitch of the first threaded rod 24 is such that for a revolution of the first crank 26 in one direction or in the opposite direction, the first support Si always moves by a constant distance. Thus, to have sufficient precision without excessive manipulation of the first crank 26, the pitch of the first threaded rod 24 is 1 mm, that is to say that for one revolution of the first crank 26, the first support Si , and therefore the pencil 10, advances in

1 mm straight line.

  The first slide 20 is mounted at the lower end 15 of a vertical axis of rotation X1 on which is fixed a means Ri for rotationally moving the first support SI, as is also

shown in figure 3.

  This rotation displacement means Ri is constituted by an articulated lever 32 secured to the axis Xl and freely passing through both the second support S2 and a rotation locking member Bi in the form of a fixed knurled wheel 30 secured of said second support S2. The articulated lever 32 is equipped with a rod 33 which can be lowered into orifices 34 arranged on the upper surface of the notched wheel 30 and arranged for example every 15 0 to allow the first to be blocked.

  support If in a determined angular position.

  The wheel 30 therefore acts as a non-visual means of controlling the angular position of the first support Si of the pencil 10 thanks to the

holes 34.

  The thumbwheel 30 is mounted on a second mobile support S2 which can slide in translation along a longitudinal slot 42 extending over substantially the entire length of a second slide 40 crossing

  the latter in its thickness.

  Second means T2 for translational movement of the second mobile support S2 are provided and take the form of a second threaded rod 44 disposed inside the second slot 42 and extending substantially over its entire length. The second threaded rod 44 cooperates with

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  a threaded orifice 45 arranged in the second support S2 to form

  said second means T2 for translational movement.

  A second rotary crank 46 is fixed firmly, by

  example by welding, at one end 44a of the second threaded rod 44.

  This second crank 46 plays both the role of second means C2 for controlling the second means T2 for translational movement and for second non-visual control means D2 used to determine the distance traveled by the rod 10 during a translational movement of the second support S2. For this, the pitch of the second threaded rod 44 is such that for a revolution of the second crank 46 in one direction or in the opposite direction, the second support S2 always moves by a constant distance. Thus, the pitch of the second threaded rod 44 is 1 mm, that is to say that for one revolution of the second crank 46, the second support S2, and

  therefore the pencil 10, advances in a straight line by 1 mm.

  As shown in Figure 1 and in the detail view of Figure 4, the second slide 40 is mounted, at the location of a first end 40a, on a third mobile support S3 which can slide in translation the along a longitudinal slot 52 arranged through, but without opening, and substantially throughout the length of a third

slide 50.

  The third slide 50 is perpendicular to the second slide 40 and rests entirely on the frame 2 while the second slide 40 rests both on the third slide and on the frame 2, at

  the place of its other end 40b.

  Third means T3 for translational movement of the third support S3 are provided and take the form of a third threaded rod 54 disposed inside the third slot 52 and extending substantially over its entire length. The third threaded rod 54 cooperates with a threaded orifice 55 arranged in the third support S3 to form

  said third means T3 for translational movement.

  A third rotary crank 56 is firmly fixed, for example by welding, to one end 54a of the third threaded rod 54. This third crank 56 plays both the role of third means C3 for controlling the third means T3 for translational movement and 35 third non-visual control means D3 used to determine the distance traveled by the pencil 10 during a translational movement of the 7 't third support S3. For this, the pitch of the third threaded rod 54 is 1 mm and for one revolution of the third crank 56, the third support S3, and

  therefore the pencil 10, advances in a straight line by 1 mm.

  The operation of this drawing aid device 1 is very simple and very precise. The person, sighted, blind or blind who wishes for example to draw a rectangle of 27 mm by 16 mm, places a sheet of drawing under the frame 2, and inserts a pencil 10 in the first

support If.

  Then, the user turns for example the third crank 56 (arrow F1) 27 turns clockwise to draw a 27 mm straight line going from left to right. The user then turns the second crank 46 (arrow F2) 16 turns clockwise to draw a straight line perpendicular to the first measuring 16 mm and going from the rear to the front. Then he again turns the third crank 56 (arrow T1) 27 turns counterclockwise to draw a straight line perpendicular to the second line measuring 27 mm and going from right to left. Finally, the user turns the second crank 46 (arrow F2) 16 turns counter-clockwise to draw the 16 mm line that will complete the rectangle. The user

  can then, if desired, remove the pencil 10 from the first support Si.

  It is also possible to draw an oblique line 48 mm long to 300 in relation to a first line already drawn. For this, the user rotates the axis Xl of 30 in the desired direction (arrow F3) by means of the lever 32, which makes the first slide 20 of 30 pivot. The user then descends the rod 33 of the lever 32 in the orifice 34 of the wheel 30 in order to block the first slide 20 in rotation, then he turns the first crank 26 (arrow F4) by 48 turns in the desired direction to trace the line

  48 mm. The user can then remove the pencil 10 from the first support Si.

  It is also possible to draw a circle or a portion of a circle, in an arc of 15, by turning the lever 32 in the desired direction (arrow F3) and according to the desired number of degrees, leaving the pencil 10 in contact with the sheet. . The diameter of the drawn circle is determined by the position of the pencil 10 relative to the axis XI, that is to say that it is adjustable using the

first crank 26.

  Of course, a combination of different straight and curved geometrical figures can be achieved with a little habit in order

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  to make a more complex drawing, even when the person drawing is blind or blind, whether an adult or a child. This device can therefore be used in schools for the blind which currently do not have such tools. It can also be used by sighted people, in particular to draw in conditions of great darkness, even in complete darkness, the means of non-visual control of the movement of the pencil being perfectly adapted to this type of use. According to another embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the fixed wheel 30 is secured to the second support S2 by welding and has orifices 34 identical to those of FIG. 1. The axis Xl is secured to the second support S2 and it passes through the fixed wheel 30. A second rotary wheel 30 ', disposed above the wheel 30, is secured to the axis X1 for example by welding. It acts as a means for controlling the rotation Ri of the first slide 20. This second rotary wheel 30 'supports a blocking means Bi in the form

  a key 32 'cooperating with the orifices 34 passing through the fixed wheel 30.

  The first slide 20, that is to say the pencil 10, is controlled in rotation by releasing the key 32 'and turning the dial 30' which drives the axis Xl and the first slide 20. The blocking of the wheel 30 'in an angular position chosen by the user is produced by inserting the key 32' into one of the holes 34 of the fixed wheel 30. A tactile marker means 33 'in the form of notches arranged in the two 30 and 30 'rollers allow the user, even blind, to position

  angularly the knobs relative to each other.

  It should be understood, however, that these examples are given solely by way of illustration of the subject of the invention of which they do not in any way constitute a limitation. In particular, the cranks can be replaced by knobs or other similar means. The pitch of the threaded rods can be different from that presented depending on the desired drawing precision. It is the same for the pitch in rotation of the wheel 30 which can be finer, for example adjustable from 50 to 50, or even less.

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Claims (17)

  1. Device (1) for drawing aid, in particular for visually impaired or blind person, comprising at least: - a first movable support (Si) of a tracing tool (10) such as a pencil or a pen , movable in XY, - displacement means (T1; T2; T3; Xl) in translation and / or rotation of said support (Si), - manual control means (Cl; C2; C3; Rl) of displacement (T1; T2; T3; Xl), and - tactile control means (Dl; D2; D3) to determine the distance traveled by the tracing member (10) during a displacement of the support (Si).   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the   tactile control means (Dl; D2; D3) are of the step-by-step type.   3. Device according to any one of the claims   above, characterized in that the manual control means (Cl C2; C3; RI) are of the rotary type.   4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the control means (Dl; D2; D3) are constituted by the means of command (Cl; C2; C3).   5. Device according to any one of the claims   above, characterized in that the means for translational movement (Dl; D2; D3) of the support (S1) are of the type transforming a movement of   rotation in a translational movement of said support (SI).   6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the means for translational movement (Dl; D2; D3) of the support (Si) comprise first means (Dl) for drawing oblique lines, second means (D2) for draw lines along the X axis, and third means (D3) for drawing lines along the Y axis. 7. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that each of the means for translational movement (Dl; D2; D3) of the support (If) is of the screw / nut type.   8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that each of the displacement means in translation (Dl; D2; D3) of the support (S1) comprises a threaded rod (24; 44; 54) movable in rotation and a support '   (Si; S2; S3) movable in translation along the corresponding threaded rod (24; 44; 54), and in that the control means (Cl; C2; C3) means for translational movement (Dl; D2 ; D3) of said supports (Si; S2; S3) are mounted at the end of the corresponding threaded rods (24; 44; 54). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that a turn of the threaded rod (24; 44; 54) in a direction of rotation or in the opposite direction corresponds to a displacement of the support (Si) in translation by a distance constant in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of said threaded rod (24; 44; 54).   10. Device according to any one of the claims   above, characterized in that the means for moving in rotation (RI) comprise an axis of rotation (Xl) fixed to a control member (32; 30 ') cooperating with a locking member (B1) for holding the means for moving in rotation (Ri) in a determined angular position. 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the control member is a lever (32) secured to the axis (XI) and the locking member (B1) is a rod (33) secured to the lever ( 32) and cooperating with   orifices (34) passing through a fixed wheel (30) freely traversed by the axis (Xl).   12. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the control member is a rotary wheel (30 ') secured to the axis (Xl) and provided with a key (32') cooperating with orifices (34) crossing a   fixed wheel (30) freely traversed by the axis (X1).   13. Device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in   that the orifices (34) of the fixed wheel (30) are arranged every 15.   14. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that it comprises: - a first slide (20) crossed by a first longitudinal slot (22) extending along said first slide (20), - a first threaded rod (24) s' extending inside the first slot (26) and cooperating with a first threaded orifice (25) of a first support (Si), and - a first crank (26) mounted at one end (24a) of the first rod threaded (24) to be able to rotate it in order to move the   first support (Si) in translation along the first slot (22).   15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: - an axis of rotation (X1) integral with the first slide (20) and passing through a thumbwheel (30) ,.   - a second slide (40) crossed by a second longitudinal slot (42) extending along said second slide (40), a second threaded rod (44) extending inside the second slot (46) and cooperating with a second threaded orifice (45) of a second support (S2), said second support also being traversed by the axis of rotation (Xl), and - a second crank (46) mounted at one end (44a ) of the second threaded rod (44) so that it can be rotated in order to move the   second support (S2) in translation along the second slot (42).   16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises: - a third support (S3) on which the second slide (40) is mounted, said third support (S3) being movable in translation inside d 'a third longitudinal slot (52) arranged along a third slide (50), said second slide (40) being mounted perpendicular to the third slide (50) relative to which it is capable of moving in translation, - a third threaded rod (54) extending inside the third slot (56) and cooperating with a third threaded orifice (55) of the third support (S3), and - a third crank (56) mounted at one end (54a) of the third threaded rod (54) in order to be able to rotate it in order to move the   third support (S3) in translation along the third slot (52).   17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the pitch of each threaded rod (24; 44; 54) is 1 mm so that a crank turn (26; 46; 56) in one direction or in the the other causes a rectilinear displacement of one of the supports (Si; S2; S3) by 1 mm in the   direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of said crank (26; 46; 56).