IMPROVED TACTILE DISPLAY AND OPERATING SYSTEM THEREFOR

摘要

A tactile display includes a base; movable pins having free ends for tactile sensing by a user, the pins arranged in rows and columns and movable between an extended position and retracted position with respect to the base so as to selectively display tactilely sensible data; a resilient element for supporting each pin in the extended position when at rest, and further operative to urge the pin from the retracted position to the extended position in the presence of an opposing force; one or more reset elements for lowering the pins from the extended position to the retracted position; row stoppers for lockably engaging rows of pins when in the second position; and column stoppers for lockably engaging columns of pins when in the second position, such that each pin remains in the second position, even after disengagement therefrom by one of the row stoppers or one of the column stoppers.