CALL PANEL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CALL PANEL

Abstract

A call panel of an elevator system includes at least one touch-sensitive display. On the surface of the touch-sensitive display are embossed marks, e.g. Braille characters, and embossed lines connecting them, as well as function buttons associated with the embossed marks.

Claims

1. A call panel of an elevator system, the call panel comprising: at least one touch-sensitive display, wherein on the surface of the touch-sensitive display is a plurality of embossed marks, embossed lines connecting the embossed marks, and at least one function button associated with at least one of the plurality of embossed marks.

2. The call panel according to claim 1, wherein in at least one corner of the call panel is the starting point of at least one of the embossed lines, and by following the embossed line, at least one of the plurality of embossed marks can be found.

3. The call panel according to claim 1, wherein the function button is essentially above the one or more embossed marks designating the function button.

4. The call panel according to claim 1, wherein the call panel comprises one or more Braille characters from the plurality 0, 1, 2 . . . 9 with function buttons for giving destination calls.

5. The call panel according to claim 1, wherein the call panel comprises one or more personalized function buttons, associated with which is one or more embossed marks designating the function button.

6. The call panel according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display can be detached and replaced with another touch-sensitive display without breaking the fixing of the touch-sensitive display.

7. A method for manufacturing a call panel of an elevator system, which call panel comprises at least one touch-sensitive display, said method comprising the step of: printing a plurality of embossed marks and embossed lines connecting them with a 3D printer onto the surface of a touch-sensitive display according to a desired layout.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein ink cured with UV light is used for printing the embossings.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the printing of the embossings at least one ink is used with which the printed embossings are essentially colored.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the printing of the embossings an ink is used with which the printed embossings are essentially transparent.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein at least a part of the embossed lines are printed as dashed lines.

12. The call panel according to claim 2, wherein the function button is essentially above the one or more embossed marks designating the function button.

13. The call panel according to claim 2, wherein the call panel comprises one or more Braille characters from the plurality 0, 1, 2 . . . 9 with function buttons for giving destination calls.

14. The call panel according to claim 3, wherein the call panel comprises one or more Braille characters from the plurality 0, 1, 2 . . . 9 with function buttons for giving destination calls.

15. The call panel according to claim 2, wherein the call panel comprises one or more personalized function buttons, associated with which is one or more embossed marks designating the function button.

16. The call panel according to claim 3, wherein the call panel comprises one or more personalized function buttons, associated with which is one or more embossed marks designating the function button.

17. The call panel according to claim 4, wherein the call panel comprises one or more personalized function buttons, associated with which is one or more embossed marks designating the function button.

18. The call panel according to claim 2, wherein the touch-sensitive display can be detached and replaced with another touch-sensitive display without breaking the fixing of the touch-sensitive display.

19. The call panel according to claim 3, wherein the touch-sensitive display can be detached and replaced with another touch-sensitive display without breaking the faille of the touch-sensitive display.

20. The call panel according to claim 4, Wherein the touch-sensitive display can be detached and replaced with another touch-sensitive display without breaking the fixing of the touch-sensitive display.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0017] FIG. 1 presents a call panel according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] FIG. 1 presents a call panel 1 according to the invention, which is connected to the control system of an elevator system via a data transfer connection (not presented in FIG. 1) that is suited to the purpose. The call panel 1 comprises a touch-sensitive display 2, onto the surface of which embossings have been printed with a 3D printer, such embossings being e.g. embossed lines 16, 17, 18, 14 (14a, 14b) and embossed marks 33, 40 (33a, 33b, 40a, 40b). The call panel is fixed e.g. to the wall of the waiting lobby or of the elevator car or is on a pedestal in the waiting lobby.

[0019] Marked with the reference number 13 is a circle that comprises a circle element 13a (an embossed circle) as an embossing. The circle 13 is situated on the bottom right-hand side of the touch-sensitive display, where a visually impaired person can find it easily. From the circle 13 embossed lines 17, 16 lead to the Braille character 5, which is marked in FIG. 1 with the reference number 40a. The function button 5 (marked with the reference number 20a) is associated with the Braille mark. The embossed lines 14a and 14b leave from the Braille character 40a. By following the embossed line 14a a visually impaired person can find the Braille characters 40 corresponding to the function buttons 6, 7, 8, 9 and by following the embossed line 14b the Braille characters 40 corresponding to the function buttons 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. The embossed line 18 leads, for its part, to the Braille characters 33 (33a, 33b) associated with the personalized function buttons 50 (50a, 50b). The area marked with a dashed line 30 in FIG. 1 can be used e.g. for presenting to sighted people function buttons and information related to call-giving.

[0020] If a visually impaired person wants to travel e.g. to the parking floor, he/she moves to the call panel 1 and seeks the embossed circle 13a on the call panel. Since the embossed circle 13a is situated on the touch-sensitive display 2 essentially in the bottom right-hand corner of the touch-sensitive display 2, a visually impaired person easily finds it by feeling the area on the right at the bottom of the touch-sensitive display. When the visually impaired person has found the embossed circle 13a, he/she starts to follow the embossed line 17 going to the left from the embossed circle 13a. At the branching point X of the embossed line 17 the visually impaired person starts to follow the embossed line 18, by following which he/she finds the text 33a, e.g. PARKING, formed by the Braille characters, indicating the car park. The visually impaired person moves his/her finger to the function button 50a associated with the text PARKING, which function button according to FIG. 1 is situated above the text 33a. Pressing or touching the function button 50a generates for the elevator system a destination call to the car parking level. The elevator system allocates an elevator car for the use of the visually impaired person and announces the allocated elevator car e.g. auditively with audio means (not presented in FIG. 1) that are in connection with the call panel 1.

[0021] If a visually impaired person wants to travel e.g. to floor 15, he/she moves to the call panel 1 and seeks the embossed circle 13a on the call panel. When the visually impaired person has found the embossed circle 13a, he/she starts to follow the embossed line 17 going to the left from the embossed circle 13a. At the branching point X of the embossed line 17 the visually impaired person starts to follow the embossed line 16, by following which he/she finds the Braille character 40a associated with the function button 20a (call pushbutton 5) and onwards by following the embossed line 14b the Braille character 40b associated with the function button 20b (call pushbutton 1). The visually impaired person presses or touches the call pushbutton 1 after finding the Braille character 40b, returns by feeling the embossed line 14b back to the Braille character 40a and presses the call pushbutton 5 (function button 20a) associated with it, in which case a destination call to floor 15 is generated for the elevator system.

[0022] Inside the embossed circle 13a is a function button 13b, pressing or touching which activates a special visual impairment mode, in which the functions of the call panel 1 are optimized for a user with impaired vision. In the visual impairment mode the call-giving panel can auditively guide a visually impaired user of the call panel, e.g. when the user touches the text 33a formed by Braille characters, the call-giving panel gives the auditive message parking.

[0023] The function buttons 50, 20 of the call panel can be framed with embossed lines to make it easier to find the function buttons.

[0024] The call panel according to FIG. 1 can be manufactured by printing with a 3D printer the necessary embossings onto the surface of the touch-sensitive display 2. The printing can take place onto the touch-sensitive display 2 before fixing the touch-sensitive display 2 to the call panel 1, which considerably facilitates the manufacturing of the call panel. A layout file, specifying the layout of the desired embossing, is formed for 3D printing. The file can be a file made e.g. with CAD software and the file can be made by the call panel manufacturer, end customer or some other party. The file is delivered to an embossing manufacturer who has 3D printing apparatus suited to the purpose.

[0025] The touch-sensitive display 2 can be a fixed part of the call-giving panel 1 or it can be easily detached and replaced with a new one without breaking the fixing elements of the touch-sensitive display. Replaceability enables easy changing of the embossing layout in call panels that have already been installed. For example, if changes affecting the layout occur in a building, a new embossing can be printed onto a new touch-sensitive display and the old touch-sensitive display of a call panel can be replaced with the new touch-sensitive display. Since the shape and size of embossings are not limited, but instead can be designed freely, a call panel can easily be personalized to be specific to a building, even to be specific to floor.

[0026] The size of the embossing must be adequate for a visually impaired person to feel the embossing with his/her fingertip with ease and to read e.g. the Braille characters. The embossed lines are e.g. 0.2 mm . . . 4 mm in width and 0.1 mm . . . 2 mm in height. It is also possible to print with a 3D printer a membrane onto the touch-sensitive display, said membrane having apertures at least at the point of the function buttons. Printing embossings onto the aforementioned membrane produces a strong structure and fixing surface for the embossings. Preferably UV light (ultraviolet light) is used for curing the ink in printing embossings. The color of the ink can be changed, if necessary also during the printing, enabling color coding of the embossings for sighted users. In this case e.g. the embossings 18, 33 associated with personalized function buttons can be printed with a first color and the other embossings with some other color. Color coding makes it easier for sighted passengers to give calls. If the embossings are printed with transparent ink, the color of any embossing whatsoever, or of a part of any embossing whatsoever, can be changed dynamically by dynamically changing the color of that part of the touch-sensitive display under the embossing.

[0027] The touch-sensitive display 2 is preferably a capacitive touch-sensitive display.

[0028] The invention is not only limited to be applied to the embodiments described above, but instead many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive concept defined by the claims.