JP4381633B2 - Elevator operation panel - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an elevator operation panel, and more particularly to an elevator operation panel that can be easily operated even by a visually impaired person who cannot read Braille.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The conventional operation panel is provided with operation buttons for registering instructions such as elevator destination floor and door opening / closing, and characters indicating the function of the operation buttons are displayed on each operation button. Numbers such as “1”, “2”, “3”... Representing the number of floors are also displayed on the button surface of the “floor” operation button indicating the floor, and “open” operation button for opening the elevator door. The “open” kanji was only displayed in a two-dimensional manner on the “close” operation button to close the door.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, an operation button in which only characters are represented in a plane is not readable by a visually impaired person and cannot be selected.
As means for solving this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-62181 proposes to attach braille indicating the function to the operation button.
However, it takes a long learning period before Braille can be read, and it is common for visually impaired people whose vision has deteriorated due to aging or other reasons to be unable to understand Braille.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide an operation panel of an elevator that can be easily operated even by a visually impaired person who cannot read Braille.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A first aspect of the present invention is an operation panel provided with operation buttons for registering instructions such as opening and closing of elevator destination floors, doors, etc., except for the operation buttons for registering destination floor instructions among the operation buttons. A symbol that represents the meaning of the character in the vicinity of the character on the surface of the button on which the character representing the function of the operation button is displayed and excludes characters such as kanji, numbers, and braille Is provided as a convex object, and one convex object composing one symbol or two convex objects composing one symbol oppose each other with the character on the button surface as the center 2 It is arranged at one position .
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiment 1 FIG.
Embodiment 1 is an operation panel provided with operation buttons for registering instructions such as elevator destination floors and opening / closing doors, except for the operation buttons for registering destination floor instructions among the operation buttons. In this operation button, a symbol representing the meaning of the character is provided as a convex object in the vicinity of the character on the surface of the button on which the function of the operation button is represented.
This will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a plan view of the operation panel, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the “open” operation button, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the “open” operation button, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the “close” operation button.
[0009]
The symbol in this specification refers to a figure excluding characters such as kanji, numbers, and braille. In addition, the convex object is formed by projecting the symbol into a three-dimensional shape on the button surface, as long as it can be recognized by touching it, and its specific form is not limited, but it is symbolized. A simple form is preferred because it is a form that allows the object to be recognized in a straight line and that it is provided in a relatively narrow space.
[0010]
The operation panel 11 shown in FIG. 1 has 10 floor “floor” operation buttons “1”, “2”... “10” on which the floor number of the destination floor is displayed, and an elevator door (hereinafter, both doors). "Open" operation button 12 and "close" operation button 13 for opening and closing, and "open extension" operation button 14 for extending the opening of the door.
[0011]
Of the above-described operation buttons, the operation buttons 12 to 14 are buttons for registering commands such as opening, closing, and opening / extending of doors, and necessary characters representing functions are displayed on the surface of the operation buttons. Has been.
For example, when the operation buttons 12 to 14 are touched, the backlight is turned on, characters are clearly indicated, and it can be confirmed that the operation button specified by the lighting is the selected button. The operation buttons are not limited to such so-called touch buttons, and may be other buttons.
[0012]
2 and 3, the “open” operation button 12 will be described as an example.
The “open” operation button 12 is operated when the elevator door (not shown) is opened, that is, touched by the hand, and only the strokes constituting the “open” characters are formed to be translucent. A light display surface member 121 is overlaid on the translucent substrate 122. When the operation button 12 is touched, a backlight as a light source (not shown) is turned on, and the letters “open” are displayed on the button. The structure is clearly shown on the surface, that is, the upper surface side of the display surface member 121 in this example. These configurations are the same for other operation buttons.
[0013]
In the vicinity of the character “open” on the button surface of the “open” operation button 12, in this example, in the upper left corner on the button surface, the illustrated symbol 123 indicating the meaning of the character “open” is shown. It is provided as a convex so as to protrude from the button surface. The position where the symbol 123 is formed is not limited to this, but may be an arbitrary position. However, it is desirable that the symbol 123 be provided in the vicinity of the character in order to show a close relationship with the corresponding character.
[0014]
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the “close” operation button 13, which is provided with the illustrated symbol 123 representing the meaning of the character “close”. Similarly, an appropriate symbol may be provided on the “open extension” operation button 14.
[0015]
Such an operation button provided with the symbol 123 as a convex object is not necessarily provided for all operation buttons except for an operation button in which a destination floor command is registered, that is, a “floor” operation button. For example, what is necessary is just to provide in the operation button provided with the basic function indispensable for elevator operation.
In this example, as described above, operation buttons to which commands such as “open”, “close”, and “open extension” are registered and kanji characters with a relatively large number of strokes and complicated shapes are displayed on the button surface. It may be provided for the operation buttons.
In this case, the “floor” operation button in which the number of the destination floor is represented on the button surface is not provided with the symbol 123 as described above, but the “floor” operation button in which the destination floor instruction is registered is Since they are generally arranged according to the order, a desired “floor” operation button is searched by groping.
[0016]
The figure adopted as the symbol 123 is ideally a figure that can be recognized by everyone, but it is generally difficult to devise a figure that can be reliably recognized as such, so a figure that can be recognized as much as possible. There is no other way to devise and adopt. Therefore, when installing the elevator, it will be necessary for the user to explain the meaning of the symbol 123 provided on the operation button, that is, the function of the operation button. There is no other way than asking the nearest person or recognizing the meaning of the symbol 123 provided on the operation button by trial and error.
[0017]
In any case, once the relationship between the symbol and the operation button is recognized, a visually handicapped person who cannot distinguish braille by using the symbol provided as a convex object as a clue quickly And it can be easily selected.
Note that the “floor” operation buttons arranged according to the order of the floors are generally arranged so as to form a group, so that it is felt on the destination floor display panel that they are “floor” operation buttons. It is relatively easy to obtain, and a desired destination floor can be recognized by searching for “floor” operation buttons in order. This “floor” operation button will be described in the third embodiment.
[0018]
According to the first embodiment, the meaning of the character and the function of the operation button are expressed on the operation button on which the characters other than the number representing the floor number, such as opening / closing and extension of the elevator door, are represented on the button surface. By forming the symbol as a convex object on the button surface, it is possible to easily recognize the function of the operation button by touching the convex object with a visually impaired person who cannot distinguish Braille. The operation buttons can be selected quickly and easily.
[0019]
Embodiment 2. FIG.
The second embodiment relates to a convex object as a symbol formed in the first embodiment, and includes two convex objects constituting one symbol or two convex objects constituting one symbol. The object is arranged at two positions facing each other with the character shown on the button surface as the center. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 is a plan view of the “open” operation button, FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the “open” operation button, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of the “close” operation button.
[0020]
In the “open” operation button 12 of FIG. 6, two convex objects constituting one symbol are separated and arranged at opposite positions, and the “open” function of the operation button 12 or “open” is provided. Two convex triangles 123A and 123B configured as one symbol representing the meaning of the symbol are divided into left and right with the “open” character at the center, and the bottom of each triangle is the center at the center It is arranged to face the “closed” character.
[0021]
Similarly, in the “close” operation button 13 of FIG. 7, two convex objects constituting one symbol are separated and arranged at opposite positions, and the “close” function of the operation button 13 or Two convex triangles 123C and 123D configured as one symbol representing “closed” are divided into left and right with the “closed” character in the center, and the vertices of each triangle are It is arranged so that it faces the character “closed”.
[0022]
In the second embodiment, an example is shown in which two convex objects constituting one symbol are separated into two and arranged at two positions. However, two convex objects as one symbol are two You may arrange | position according to a position.
Further, the positions at which the two convex objects are arranged may be arranged not only in the left-right direction of the character represented on the button surface, but also at two positions separated in the vertical or diagonal direction.
[0023]
In this way, by arranging at least two convex objects (123A and 123B or 123C and 123D) at two positions on the button surface with the corresponding characters in the center, the following effects are produced.
That is, in the first embodiment, only one convex object is arranged for each operation button, and therefore, the operation buttons provided with the convex objects are adjacent to each other or arranged in a dense state. If so, there may be a case where a user is at a loss to confirm which operation button the convex object belongs to, or an action to be confirmed.
In such a case, as in the second embodiment, if two convex objects per operation button are arranged at opposite positions with the character on the button surface as the center, two convex objects Since the desired operation button is selected only by pressing (touching) between the two, it is possible to select the desired operation button more easily and quickly than in the first embodiment.
[0024]
Embodiment 3 FIG.
The third embodiment relates to a “floor” operation button in which a destination floor command is registered. Of the group of “floor” operation buttons, a specific “floor” operation button corresponding to the reference floor is on the button surface. As in the case of the first embodiment, a symbol indicating that the operation button is a specific “reference floor” is provided as a convex object.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 is a plan view of the “floor” operation button indicating the first floor, FIG. 9 is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 10 is a plan view of the “floor” operation button indicating the 10th floor, and FIG. 11 is a “floor” operation indicating the 20th floor. It is a top view of a button.
[0025]
Here, the standard floor is, for example, “first floor”, “10th floor”, “20th floor”, or “first floor”, “5th floor”, “10th floor”, etc. When a user searches for a desired floor by touching his or her hand with a row or group of operation buttons, the specific floor is used as a reference for the first floor of the floor.
[0026]
The “floor” operation button 14 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 is a button on the first floor which is the reference floor in the third embodiment, and the basic configuration of the operation button 14 has been described in the first embodiment. This is the same as the “open” operation button 12. A reference numeral 123E in the figure is provided with one small cylinder as a convex object of a symbol representing the first floor as a reference floor.
[0027]
The “floor” operation button 15 in FIG. 10 is a button on the 10th floor as the reference floor in the third embodiment, and the “floor” operation button 16 in FIG. 11 is the 20th floor as the reference floor in the third embodiment. It is a button.
The convex object of the symbol 123F has two small cylinders representing the tenth floor as the reference floor, and the convex object of the symbol 123G has three small cylinders representing the twentyth floor as the reference floor. A small cylinder is provided.
[0028]
In the third embodiment, the first floor, the 10th floor, the 20th floor, and the 10th floor are set as the reference floor, but may be arbitrarily set, for example, every 5th floor.
In addition, the convex objects as the symbols of the reference floor are provided as small cylinders or a combination of a plurality of small cylinders, but of course not limited to this, it is a quadrangular prism, triangular prism, quadrangular pyramid or triangular It may be a cone, and its specific form is not limited.
The symbols and convex objects in the third embodiment are substantially the same as those described in the first embodiment.
[0029]
According to the third embodiment, among a large number of “floor” operation buttons in which destination floor instructions are registered, the operation buttons corresponding to arbitrarily specified reference floors are convex as symbols representing their meanings. By providing an object on the button surface, a visually handicapped person who cannot discriminate Braille once recognizes the relationship between the symbol and the operation button, and the "floor" operation button corresponding to the desired destination floor is Rather than searching one by one by hand, you can find it quickly and reliably.
Further, by applying the third embodiment together with the first and second embodiments to the destination floor display panel, the time required for the elevator destination operation can be further reduced, and the driving efficiency is improved. Can be made.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first invention, by providing a convex object as a symbol on the button surface of the operation button, a visually handicapped person who cannot discriminate Braille easily recognizes the function of the operation button, and is quick and reliable. Desired operation buttons can be selected.
In addition, this makes it possible to shorten the destination operation time and improve the operation efficiency of the elevator.
Furthermore, by arranging convex objects as symbols at two positions, a visually impaired person who cannot discriminate Braille can select a desired operation button quickly and reliably with certainty.
[0032]
In addition, among the many “floor” operation buttons, a specific operation button is provided with a convex object as a symbol indicating that it is a specific reference floor, so that the Braille cannot be distinguished. A disabled person can easily and quickly find a desired “floor” operation button.
Further, this makes it possible to shorten the time for destination operation and improve the operation efficiency of the elevator.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an operation panel.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an “open” operation button according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an “open” operation button according to the first embodiment.
4 is a plan view of a “close” operation button according to Embodiment 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an “open” operation button according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an “open” operation button according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a “close” operation button according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a “floor” operation button indicating the first floor.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a “floor” operation button indicating the first floor.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a “floor” operation button indicating the 10th floor.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of a “floor” operation button indicating the 20th floor.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 operation panel, 12 “open” operation button, 13 “closed” operation button, 14, 15, 16 “floor” operation button, 121 display surface member, 122 substrate, 123, 123A to 123G symbol.

Claims (1)

In the operation panel where operation buttons for registering instructions such as opening and closing of elevator destination floors and doors are arranged,
The meaning of the character in the vicinity of the character on the surface of the button on which the character representing the function of the operation button is displayed on any operation button other than the operation button in which the destination floor command is registered. Symbol, which consists of figures excluding characters such as kanji, numbers and braille, is provided as a convex object,
One convex object composing one symbol or two convex objects composing one symbol are arranged at two positions opposite to each other with the character at the center on the button surface. Elevator operation panel.

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