GB2095884A - Route indicators - Google Patents

Abstract

A curtain type destination sign for display from a bus or like vehicle has two parallel spaced apart roller reels 11, 12 having a display curtain 15 reeled thereon and extending therebetween, a plurality of destination displays arranged longitudinally on the curtain, a motor and drive mechanism 16 for rotating the reels in a forward or backward direction with means for maintaining a uniform tension in the curtain portion extending therebetween, discrete index means 17 on the curtain associated with each destination display, a stationary sensor 21, 22 adapted to operate a discrete pulse responsive to each discrete index means sensed thereby, a manually operable numerical switch 35 and means energizing the motor until the switch communicates a pulse relative to an index corresponding to the number manually entered on the numerical switch to arrest the motor when a specific display is displayed. The index means may be metal foil strips 17 which are sensed by contact fingers 21, 22; alternatively the index means may be markings which are sensed by an optical reader. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Automatically arrestable route indicator This invention relates to a vehicle destination indicating sign particularly of the curtain and roller type that is operated to run and seek out and stop a specified destination indication.

Destination signs having a curtain means with route names and numbers that is moveablytrans- ported between two rolls to show sequential segments of the curtain as well known on vehicles such as buses. The routes marked on the sign appear in rotation and are visible from the outside of the bus through a window in the frame casing surrounding the mounting forthe curtain and rolls on the front or sides of the bus.

These known destination signs are manually operated by the bus drive who must roll the curtain at the end of each route to seek the proper marking on the curtain for his next or return trip. There are usually a series of visual markings on the curtain visible by the operator through a small window on the back of the sign which he must watch to select the desired destination mark or name.

When vehicles such as city or provincial buses are to be used on many routes it is desirable to have a destination sign which will include all possible routes for all buses but such a sign would have a curtain with many hundreds of routes marked on it which would give the driver a most tedious task of changing the route name after every run. The lost man time therefore becomes prohibitive and a need has arisen for a destination sign with many hundreds of route names any one of which can be selected quickly and automatically.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved destination display with a means for automatically counting the destination indications so as to display in the window of the vehicle a desired destination indication.

According to the present invention there is provided a display device for displaying a destination indication from a bus or like vehicle comprising a moveable display surface, a plurality of different indication markings on the display surface, drive means for moving the display surface so as to present a desired indication marking for display, index means on the display surface associated with each indication marking, a sensor for sensing the index means and generating a signal for each indication marking sensed thereby, and an input for isolating a desired indication marking for display, the drive means being arranged to be energised so as to move the display surface until the desired indication marking is presented for display, the position of the desired indication being determined by the signals generated by the sensor with reference to a predetermined datum on the display surface.

More particularly the invention includes a curtain type destination sign for display from a bus or like vheicle comprising in combination; two parallel spaced apart roller reels having a display curtain reeled thereon and extending therebetween; a plurality of destination displays arranged longitudinally on the curtain; a motor and drive mechanism for rotating the reels in a forward or backward direction with means for maintaining a uniform tension in the curtain portion extending therebetween; discrete index means on the curtain associated with each destination display; a stationary sensor adapted to operate a discrete pulse responsive to each discrete index means sensed thereby; a manually operable numerical switch; and means energizing the motor until the switch communicates a pulse relative to an index corresponding to the number manually entered on the numerical switch to arrest the motor when a specific display is displayed.

In a preferred embodiment a curtain and roller type destination display for vehicles and the like has a first switch means for actuating the motor for transport of the curtain on the rollers either forward or backward. The curtain is divided into parallely spaced apart segments and each segment has associated with it a conductive metallic strip or patch which will complete a circuit in a pick-off means fixed to said display means adjacent the passage of the curtain. As a current is created by the pick-off means a signal is sent to a memory device where it is stored and counted. A pre-select switch having a plurality of settings corresponding to the number of segmented curtain destination markings is associated with the memory means and manually set by an operator.When the destination segment on the curtain is reached during movement over the rollers the signal from it will be matched by the switch select means and the roll motor circuit will be closed to arrest movement in the rolls thereby displaying the desired destination at a window located at the position of arrest.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear of a preferred destination sign in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a block diagram of the components of the electronic switching circuits of the invention.

In Figure 1 a destination sign 10 as used on a city bus has set of rollers 11, 12, 13, 14, rotatable and held between frame members 18, 18'. The rollers 11, 12, 13, 14 carry a sign curtain 15 which is movable over them in either of two directions as shown by arrow "A". By suitable gearing means, not shown, a reversible electric motor 16 causes one of rolls 11, or 12, respectively to wind curtain 15 in one direction or the other.

The curtain 15 is divided into longitudinal segments across its width and each is displayable in sequence as the curtain is wound from one roll to the other. A destination symbol such as a name or number is marked across the front face of the segment to be displayed on the front of the sign in the usual manner.

Associated with each segment is a metal foil strip 17 situated in series over the length of the curtain. A proximity switch or other electric sensing means 15 is attached to the sign frame 18 adjacent the moving curtain carrying the foils 17. The sensing means is arranged to send a signal to a processor 36 and a storage memory 20 to which it is connected by a count input iine, as each foil 17 passes it during movement of the curtain. In the sensor shown a pair of fingers 21,22 of conductive metal of spring like character ride along the curtain back as it moves and will complete a circuit whenever the foil 17 passes between them.The count circuit is energized and will therefore send a pulse to the memory and processor whenever the curtain 15 carries a foil across the sensing fingers 21, 22. The processor 36 counts each pulse and stores the counting the memory 20. The number position of the segment and display shown on the curtain and the "count" of the memory will correspond at all time.

The reversible motor 16, is connected to a D.C.

battery such as battery 40 eg the battery of the bus and a live connection is also made between the processor and the battery. The current required by the processor 36, the memory 20 and the manually operable thumbwheel set switch 35 is of a very low orderto insure that very little drainage is made on the battery when the vehicle is not being run. Since the memory will loose its count if the current in the batteryfails provision must be made to reset the sign position when the power fails to the processor to insure that the sign count position and the storage count correspond.

A run light 41 is provided to indicate to the operator that the processor is under power. To reset the store count to correspond to the sign count it is necessary to bring the curtain back to "0" and to wind it up to the required display segment to allow the processor to count and store the proper number.

After a power failure the operator will actuate a reset switch 25 which will have the motor bring the curtain 15 back to "0" and then reverse and count pulses from the sensing fingers until the comparator in the processor arrives at the count set on the thumbwheel switch 35 when the curtain will be arrested to show the sign corresponding to the setting on 35.

The counts on the switch 35, the storage 20 and the actual curtain will be all the same and the operation will stop and await a new setting for 35 before resumption of movement.

To change a destination displayed on the sign face of the curtain the operator resets the thumbwheel switch 35 which is connected to the processor. The switch 35 has units, tens and hundreds positions which are manually set by the operator and displayed by numerals on a dial for his observation. Each setting has a connection to the processor and suitable comparator lines to the memory. Let us say for example thatthe storage has a count of 55 and the switch shows 055 prior to the resetting with the curtain displaying a destination marking corresponding to 55. The thumbwheel switch is then setfor 012 and the start switch 27 actuated which starts the motor.At the time of switching on of the motor the processor is alerted that 012 position is back of the 055 position the motor is alerted to reverse rather than to proceed to the end of curtain and then reverse. When reversing the storage will substract the "counts" of the pulses until a count of 012 corresponding to the reading of 35 is arrived at when a signal to arrest the curtain is sent to the motor which is switched off upon displaying the 12 position on the sign. Since there are 999 plus a 0 position or segment possible on the sign it is a great saving in time to have the processor seek the segment of the curtain required by the shortest route.

Since for speed of operation the motor must wind the curtain at the fastest time allowed by the materials available and to change for example from position 12 to 875, it must wind much faster than would be possible manually. A means is provided to brake the momentum of the curtain and to allow over-run of the display required and then for reversal to the required position to protect the curtain from destruction which an instantaneous arrest of the motor and curtain roll may cause. Upon arrival at the designated segment of the curtain, therefore a signal is sent to the motor by the processor for reversal.

Upon over-run of the position the motor will slowly reverse the curtain until the position to be displayed is centred upon the front of the sign when it finally stops the curtain. The curtain and rolls dissipate their momentum during the arrest and reversal motion of the motor and the said action is controlled by the processor by the signals from the proximity switch 19.

The ends of the curtain have an end of curtain proximity switch similar to switch 19 to protect the curtain from over-ride and to signal the motor to reverse. On the block diagram the end of curtain signal is shown as an input to the processor where the signal is directed to the motor control for reversing the motor.

Atensing means (not shown) is provided to maintain a uniform tension in the portion of the curtain extending between the roller reels.

Although a preferred form of sensor has been described by way of example discrete markings may be provided on the curtain with such markings being different for each destination and having the sensor in the form of an optical reader which reads the markings at each station on the curtain and senses and sends a pulse reading of the destination thus optically sensed and read.

Claims (8)

1. A display device for displaying a destination indication from a bus or like vehicle comprising a movable display surface, a plurality of different indication markings on the display surface, drive means for moving the display surface so as to present a desired indication marking for display, index means on the display surface associated with each indication marking, a sensor for sensing the index means and generating a signal for each indication marking sensed thereby, and an input for isolating a desired indication marking for display, the drive means being arranged to be energised so as to move the display surface until the desired indication marking is presented for display, the position of the desired indication being determined by the signals generated by the sensor with reference to a predetermined datum on the display surface.

2. A curtain type destination sign for display from a bus or like vehicle comprising in combination: two parallel spaced apart roller reels having a display curtain reeled thereon and extending therebetween; a plurality of destination displays arranged longitudinally on the curtain; a motor and drive mechanism for rotating the reels in a forward or backward direction with means for maintaining a uniform tension in the curtain portion extending therebetween; discrete index means on the curtain associated with each destination display; a stationary sensor adapted to operate a discrete pulse responsive to each discrete index means sensed thereby; a manually operable numerical switch;; a means energizing the motor until the switch communicates a pulse relative to an index corresponding to the number manually entered on the numerical switch to arrest the motor when a specific display is displayed.

3. A curtain type destination sign as claimed in claim 2 having a storage means connected electrically to the sensor to count and store each of the discrete pulses signaled by the sensor, and having addressing means connected to switch the comparator logic associated therewith to control the direction of travel of the curtain on the reels according to the numerical order of its storage count in relation to any change in the manual setting of the manual switch, thereby allowing the sensor to seek out the display required by the changed setting by the shortest distance on the curtain.

4. A curtain type destination sign as claimed in claim 2 or 3 having an end of curtain detect means on either end of the curtain to alert a motor control means to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor.

5. A curtain type destination sign as in claim 3, having a manual settable switch means to return the curtain to a start position and to run the curtain and sensors to the display position on the curtain corresponding to the numerical setting on the switch means to provide the count in the storage means whenever the storage count becomes erased due to power failure to the storage means.

6. A curtain type destination sign as in claim 1 wherein the switch is a thumbwheel switch.

7. A curtain type destination sign as in claim 2 wherein the sensor is an optical reader and each discrete marking is different for each destination display.

8. A curtain type destination sign substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.