US3591939A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bistable display device with sequential actuator
Assignee: PERIPHERAL DATA MACHINES Inc
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Filing: 1969-08-04
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Granted: 1971-07-13
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Expires: 1989-08-04
Abstract
Abstract A display board comprising a mosaic of bistable magnetic elements is swept by a linear array of electromagnets pulsed selectively to form an image. Each magnetic element is a sealed humped duct containing magnetic powder pulled to the rear of the duct by a common magnetic erasing bar. Means are also disclosed for optically converting an image into electric pulses which are used to drive the electromagnets to reproduce that image upon the display board.
Inventors
- 👤 Errol G Payne
- 👤 Charles D Mcgregor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:57
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09F; G09F9/00; G09F9/30; G09F9/37; G09F9/375; G09G2300/00; G09G2300/04; G09G2300/0469; G09G2300/0473
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A display device comprising in combination: a. a board having 1. a light-transmitting front wall and a rear wall, 2. an array of closed, mutually isolated ducts of a given color humped along their longitudinal axes and extending through said board between said walls, and 3. a charge of material of a different color partially filling each of said ducts, the charge in each of said ducts being capable of flowing through said duct individually from one of said walls to the other; b. a linear array of actuators arranged in mutually staggered rows extending across the surface of said board in a first direction, each actuator moving when energized, the material in a different group of adjoining ducts relative to said front wall; c. means for causing said array to move along said board in a second direction; and d. means for sequentially energizing selected combinations of said actuators as said array moves in said second direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
A display device comprising in combination: a. a board having 1. a light-transmitting front wall and a rear wall, 2. an array of closed, mutually isolated ducts of a given color humped along their longitudinal axes and extending through said board between said walls, and 3. a charge of material of a different color partially filling each of said ducts, the charge in each of said ducts being capable of flowing through said duct individually from one of said walls to the other; b. a linear array of actuators arranged in mutually staggered rows extending across the surface of said board in a first direction, each actuator moving when energized, the material in a different group of adjoining ducts relative to said front wall; c. means for causing said array to move along said board in a second direction; and d. means for sequentially energizing selected combinations of said actuators as said array moves in said second direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
an array of closed, mutually isolated ducts of a given color humped along their longitudinal axes and extending through said board between said walls, and
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
an array of closed, mutually isolated ducts of a given color humped along their longitudinal axes and extending through said board between said walls, and
Claim 5
Independent Claim
183 words
A device for creating against a background of a given color a display of a different color comprising in combination: a. a display board having front and rear walls and an array of closed ducts of said given color humped along their longitudinal axes extending through said board between said walls and containing individual charges of magnetic powder of said different color; b. a writing bar extending across the front wall of said display board, said writing bar having at least one row of electromagnets extending along its length, each electromagnet moving the magnetic powder in at least one of said ducts toward said front wall; c. an erasing magnet extending across the backwall of said display board for concurrently moving the magnetic powder in a plurality of said ducts toward said rear wall; d. transporting means for moving said writing bar and said erasing magnet together along said display board; and e. commutator means for sequentially and cyclically applying control signals to successive groups of said electromagnets during a selected portion of the travel of said writing bar along said display board.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
183 words
A device for creating against a background of a given color a display of a different color comprising in combination: a. a display board having front and rear walls and an array of closed ducts of said given color humped along their longitudinal axes extending through said board between said walls and containing individual charges of magnetic powder of said different color; b. a writing bar extending across the front wall of said display board, said writing bar having at least one row of electromagnets extending along its length, each electromagnet moving the magnetic powder in at least one of said ducts toward said front wall; c. an erasing magnet extending across the backwall of said display board for concurrently moving the magnetic powder in a plurality of said ducts toward said rear wall; d. transporting means for moving said writing bar and said erasing magnet together along said display board; and e. commutator means for sequentially and cyclically applying control signals to successive groups of said electromagnets during a selected portion of the travel of said writing bar along said display board.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
112 words
a charge of material of a different color partially filling each of said ducts, the charge in each of said ducts being capable of flowing through said duct individually from one of said walls to the other; b. a linear array of actuators arranged in mutually staggered rows extending across the surface of said board in a first direction, each actuator moving when energized, the material in a different group of adjoining ducts relative to said front wall; c. means for causing said array to move along said board in a second direction; and d. means for sequentially energizing selected combinations of said actuators as said array moves in said second direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
112 words
a charge of material of a different color partially filling each of said ducts, the charge in each of said ducts being capable of flowing through said duct individually from one of said walls to the other; b. a linear array of actuators arranged in mutually staggered rows extending across the surface of said board in a first direction, each actuator moving when energized, the material in a different group of adjoining ducts relative to said front wall; c. means for causing said array to move along said board in a second direction; and d. means for sequentially energizing selected combinations of said actuators as said array moves in said second direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
227 words
A display device comprising in combination: a. a display board having front and rear walls and an array of closed ducts humped along their longitudinal axes extending through said board between said walls and containing individual charges of magnetic powder; b. a writing bar extending across the front wall of said display board in a first direction, said writing bar having at least one row of electromagnets extending along its length, each electromagnet moving the magnetic powder in at least one of said ducts toward said front wall; c. an erasing bar magnet attached to said writing bar and extending across the backwall of said display board parallel to said at least one row of electromagnets and displaced laterally therefrom, said bar magnet concurrently moving the magnetic powder in a row of said ducts toward said rear wall; d. transporting means for moving said writing bar and said bar magnet along said display board from one of its edges to the opposite one of its edges in the opposite direction in which said bar magnet is displaced from said row of electromagnets and then back across said display board toward said one of its edges; and e. means for sequentially and cyclically applying control signals to successive groups of said electromagnets while said writing bar is moved toward said opposite one of the edges of said board.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
227 words
A display device comprising in combination: a. a display board having front and rear walls and an array of closed ducts humped along their longitudinal axes extending through said board between said walls and containing individual charges of magnetic powder; b. a writing bar extending across the front wall of said display board in a first direction, said writing bar having at least one row of electromagnets extending along its length, each electromagnet moving the magnetic powder in at least one of said ducts toward said front wall; c. an erasing bar magnet attached to said writing bar and extending across the backwall of said display board parallel to said at least one row of electromagnets and displaced laterally therefrom, said bar magnet concurrently moving the magnetic powder in a row of said ducts toward said rear wall; d. transporting means for moving said writing bar and said bar magnet along said display board from one of its edges to the opposite one of its edges in the opposite direction in which said bar magnet is displaced from said row of electromagnets and then back across said display board toward said one of its edges; and e. means for sequentially and cyclically applying control signals to successive groups of said electromagnets while said writing bar is moved toward said opposite one of the edges of said board.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
178 words
A system for reProducing an image from a master sheet comprising in combination: a. a board honeycombed by an array of closed, humped ducts containing individual charges of magnetic powder having stable positions at opposite ends of said ducts; b. a linear array of photoelectric sensing means arranged in a plurality of mutually staggered rows for producing a plurality of electric signals collectively representing a portion of said image; c. a linear array of electromagnets arranged in mutually staggered rows equal in number to said rows of photoelectric sensing means, each said electromagnet moving the magnetic powder in a selected group, consisting of at least one of said ducts, from one of its stable positions to the other in response to a signal from a respective one of said photoelectric sensing means; d. commutator means for sequentially applying the outputs of successive groups of said photoelectric sensing means to corresponding groups of said electromagnets; and e. means for synchronously moving said master sheet relative to said array of photocells and said array of electromagnets relative to said board.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
178 words
A system for reProducing an image from a master sheet comprising in combination: a. a board honeycombed by an array of closed, humped ducts containing individual charges of magnetic powder having stable positions at opposite ends of said ducts; b. a linear array of photoelectric sensing means arranged in a plurality of mutually staggered rows for producing a plurality of electric signals collectively representing a portion of said image; c. a linear array of electromagnets arranged in mutually staggered rows equal in number to said rows of photoelectric sensing means, each said electromagnet moving the magnetic powder in a selected group, consisting of at least one of said ducts, from one of its stable positions to the other in response to a signal from a respective one of said photoelectric sensing means; d. commutator means for sequentially applying the outputs of successive groups of said photoelectric sensing means to corresponding groups of said electromagnets; and e. means for synchronously moving said master sheet relative to said array of photocells and said array of electromagnets relative to said board.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |