FELMERI, Ian (The Pebbles, Douglas StreetCastletown, Isle of Man IM9 1BD, GB)
| Claims 1. An indicator (30) comprising at least one displayable tactile word (34) having a plurality of raised alphabetical characters (36) used in ordinary sight-readable text, at least the first alphabetical character (38) of the tactile word (34) being raised higher relative to a subsequent alphabetical character (40) of the tactile word (34), so that a beginning of the tactile word (34) and the shape of the first alphabetical character (38) can be determined by touch. 2. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first alphabetical character (38) is raised higher relative to at least the second alphabetical character (36). 3. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first alphabetical character (38) is raised higher relative to all the subsequent alphabetical characters (40). 4. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said subsequent alphabetical characters (40) are all raised to a uniform extent. 5. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first alphabetical character (38) includes a sharply defined uppermost edge. 6. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is devoid of Braille. 7. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one non-Braille tangible pip on at least the first alphabetical character (38). 8. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the tangible pip is on an upper surface (44) of the first alphabetical character (38). 9. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein a said tangible pip is on at least a further said raised alphabetical character (36). 10. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein said tangible pip is provided on a said raised alphabetical character (36) at or closest to a midpoint of the tactile word (34). 11. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the said raised alphabetical characters (36) subsequent to the said first alphabetical character (38) are all raised by the same or substantially same amount. 12. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a base (32) on which the said raised alphabetical characters (36) are provided. 13. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the base (32) is flexible. 14. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the base (32) includes a bonding element for adhering the base (32) to another surface. 15. An indicator (30) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the bonding element is water- resistant. 16. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tactile word (34) is water-resistant. 17. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the said first alphabetical character (38) is at least partially elastically deformable for promoting user-sensory feedback. 18. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an upper surface (44) of each said raised alphabetical character (36) and the respective side surface (46) have a tonal contrast to improve partially-sighted user recognition. 19. An indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the said first alphabetical character (38) and the subsequent raised alphabetical characters (36) of the said tactile word (34) have a tonal contrast to improve partially-sighted user recognition. 20. A bathroom or kitchen appliance having at least one user-operable control and an indicator (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the indicator (30) being provided on or adjacent to the said user-operable control. 21. A bathroom or kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 20, wherein the appliance is a water heater (10). |
The present invention relates to an indicator, particularly but not necessarily exclusively for a bathroom appliance, such as a shower-water heater.
As a person ages, ocular impairment or degeneration tends to increase leading in particular to reduced or impaired sight. Glasses or contact lenses can rectify this to an extent. However, these cannot typically or easily be worn when bathing or showering thus complicating discernment of user controls and their respective functions.
Furthermore, as a person ages, it becomes increasingly difficult to learn a new language. If a person's sight degenerates, the use of Braille becomes highly advantageous, but learning and/or retaining Braille when older and/or mentally infirm can be extremely difficult if not impossible.
The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an indicator comprising at least one displayable tactile word having a plurality of raised alphabetical characters used in ordinary sight-readable text, at least the first alphabetical character of the tactile word being raised higher relative to a subsequent alphabetical character of the tactile word, so that a beginning of the tactile word and the shape of the first alphabetical character can be determined by touch.
Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 19, inclusive.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a bathroom or kitchen appliance having at least one user-operable control and an indicator in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the indicator being provided on or adjacent to the said user-operable control. Preferably, the appliance is a shower-water heater.
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 shows part of a shower water heater controller interface having a first embodiment of an indicator according to the first aspect of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the upper left indicator shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a side elevational view of the indicator shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of an indicator according to the first aspect of the invention.
Referring to the drawings, there is shown part of a shower water heater 10 having a heater housing 12 and a user-control interface 14 on a front surface thereof. Although not shown, the shower water heater 10 will typically include a potable water inlet from a mains or header tank supply, and an outlet for connection with a shower head feed, such as a flexible shower hose. Although a shower water heater 10 is suggested, the invention is applicable to any controller of a bathroom or kitchen appliance, or indeed any item that requires an indication as to its function. However, the invention is particularly suited to a bathroom environment wherein a user would typically remove their vision compensation device, such as glasses or contact lenses.
The user-control interface 14 of the shower water heater 10 includes, but is not limited to, a temperature control module 16 which is controlled by two large buttons 18, 20 for increasing and decreasing temperature, and a flow control module 22 which is controlled by a further two large buttons 24, 26 for increasing and decreasing flow rate of discharged water. Each button includes a uniformly raised tactile symbol 28 indicating increase and decrease and/or the function.
To identify each module 16, 22, a module specific indicator 30 is provided on and/or adjacent to the control buttons 18, 20, 24, 26. The indicator 30 includes a, preferably flexible, base 32 on which is an embossed tactile word 34. The tactile word 34 includes a plurality of alphabetical characters 36 which are provided on and extend in a raised manner from the base 32. In this case, the tactile word 34 is from the English alphabet and thus utilises English alphabet letters, but the tactile word 34 could be from any language and could utilise any alphabet. In each case, however, the characters 36 are those used in normal sight-readable text, and thus are not Braille or other alphabet especially developed for sight-impaired users.
The first alphabetical character 38 of the tactile word 34 extends a first distance from the base 32, and the subsequent following alphabetical characters 40 are raised a second distance from the base 32 which is less than the first distance. For example, the first alphabetical character 38 may be 0.5 mm to 1 mm higher than the subsequent alphabetical characters 40, which themselves may be raised from the base 32 in the range of 1 mm to 3 mm. In this way, the first alphabetical character 38 at the beginning of the word 34 is raised higher than the second and following alphabetical characters 40. An uppermost edge 42, typically being a perimeter edge, of at least the first alphabetical character 38 may be sharply defined to aid a user when tracing the outline of the character 36. As such, preferably no chamfered or rounded edges are utilised.
Optionally, an uppermost interior edge or uppermost interior angle of the first or each alphabetical character 36 may be slightly raised relative to an uppermost outermost edge or uppermost exterior angle, again to aid differentiation and tracing an outline of the character 36 with a finger.
Preferably, at least the first alphabetical character 38 may be elastically deformable or compressible to a user's touch, allowing greater tactile and sensory feedback through a user's fingers. The degree or amount of deformability may be only slight or partial, or may be greater dependent on the user and the required installation environment. The tactile word 34 may be formed from moulded plastics, rubber or elastomer. More preferably, each alphabetical character 36 of the tactile word 34 is deformable or compressible.
To further allow a sight-impaired user to determine the beginning of the tactile word 34, one or more pips or protrusions may be provided on the first raised alphabetical character 36. The pip is generally provided on the raised upper surface 44, and beneficially centrally or substantially centrally thereon. However, the or another pip could be provided on one of the side surfaces or walls 46 to again aid sensory feedback when a user is feeling for the start of the word. The pip would typically be a small part-spherical protrusion, but other shapes can be considered. Additionally, the pip is preferably not part of Braille and does not of itself represent any alphabetical letter, character or sound.
In the present embodiment, the base 32 provides a perimeter flange 48 which surrounds the tactile word 34 and which interconnects the alphabetical characters 36. However, the base 32 may simply extend between the alphabetical characters 36, and thus the perimeter flange 48 may be dispensed with.
The tactile word 34 includes a tonal contrast, again to allow greater differentiation for the sight-impaired user. The tonal contrast is typically provided by the raised upper surface 44 of each alphabetical character 36 having a different colour to that of the side wall or walls 46 of the alphabetical character 36, and preferably furthermore having a different colour to the base 32. For example, the raised upper surface 44 of the tactile word 34 may be black or blue, and the side walls 46 and base 32 may be white.
Due to the bathroom or kitchen environment often being wet and/or humid, the indicator 30 is beneficially formed from water-resistant material, such as plastics or rubber. It may also include a fungicide to prevent or limit mould growth.
A bottom surface 50 of the base 32 of the indicator 30 may include a bonding element, such as a water-resistant self-adhesive layer. This would allow bonding to or adjacent to a user controller. However, in an alternative, the base may be part of a housing 12 of the user-controllable bathroom or kitchen appliance or device, and thus the tactile word 34 of the indicator 30 may be integrally formed as one-piece with the housing 12 or body of the user-controllable appliance or device, or a control unit or interface 14 thereof. In this latter case, the alphabetical characters 36 may not be deformable or compressible if formed of the same or similar material as part of the appliance or device. An alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 4, wherein a pip or protrusion 52 is provided on each distal free end 54 of the first raised alphabetical character 38 of the indicator 30. Similar pips or protrusions could be provided on one or more of the distal free ends of the subsequent lower alphabetical characters 40. One or more of the alphabetical characters 36 may be segmented to ease or facilitate touch interpretation. For example, a 'p' may have its straight back 56 separated from its curved front 58, as shown in Figure 1. Similarly, an Ό' may be bisected into two slightly-spaced curved portions 60. Again, the edges and corners of the separated portions will facilitate interpretation. In general, distinct curved portions may be separated from other portions of the characters.
Although, in these embodiments, only the first alphabetical character is raised higher than the following characters, one or more of the following characters may also be raised higher than at least one of the alphabetical characters of the tactile word. For example, the final alphabetical character of the tactile word may be raised to the same height as the first alphabetical character, thereby allowing a user to determine or recognise more easily the end of the word. It is also feasible that alternate alphabetical characters may be raised higher, thereby allowing a partially-sighted user to better differentiate the number of letters or characters the tactile word has. In a further example, orthographic processing of the tactile word can be facilitated by grouping character patterns or one or more phonemes off the tactile word. As such, one or more phonemes of the tactile word may be further raised relative to neighbouring raised alphabetical characters so that the user is assisted in recognising that part of the tactile word as being distinctive during pronunciation. It is thus possible to provide a user indicator for a sight-impaired user which identifies a user control of an appliance or device, which does not require the use of Braille or the learning of a new language. The indicator can be readily applied as a retro-fit to existing controls and/or can integrally formed as one-piece during the manufacture of the appliance or device. It is also possible for a user without optical correction to differentiate between different appliance or device controls, particularly in a bathroom environment such as when using a bath or shower, by the use of a displayable word rather than only non-alphabetical graphic symbols.
The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Next Patent: DEVICE FOR DEPLOYING A FLEXIBLE IMPLANT