BRAILLE SIGN LOCATOR DEVICE USING A TACTILE POD MODULE WITH A SEMICIRCLE AND A STRIP PARALLEL TO THE WALL

Abstract

A Braille sign locator device (2), fixed to the floor adjacent to said wall, characterized in that it comprises: a semicircular body (3) whose straight base is contiguous with the wall; an inner protrusion (4) arranged concentrically to the semicircle, defining a semicircular groove suitable for scanning with the tip of a white cane; and an elongated strip (5) parallel to the wall and separated from it by a distance that allows the cane to slide longitudinally between the wall and the strip, so that the user, after detecting the strip (5), recognizes the semicircle (3) facing the vertical projection of the sign (1).

Description

BRAILLE SIGN LOCATOR DEVICE VIA MODULE Tactile paving with semicircle and strip parallel to the wall TECHNICAL OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a Braille sign locator device intended for blind or visually impaired persons, which is placed under Braille signs or posters to facilitate their location. Its use is extendable to any other non-Braille symbology whose recognition is necessary for blind or visually impaired persons (such as, for example, embossed words). TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES The invention falls under the section for everyday necessities of the International Patent Classification (IPC), specifically the subsection for furniture, articles, or appliances for domestic use. From an industrial perspective, it relates to the manufacture of decorative accessories for offices, studios, and private homes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Braille is the most widely used reading and writing system for people with visual impairments because its specific design allows for adapted reading of text. Braille signs provide written information to people with visual impairments in certain circumstances or locations. Therefore, it is common for public buildings and large organizations to display Braille signage on the exterior of some of their rooms. These are especially common on the outside of doors, where the room name is indicated. However, locating these signs is not always easy for blind people, which makes it difficult for their content to be properly understood. Various tactile paving solutions exist for guidance or warning on floors, such as raised tiles, tactile patterns, or audible elements activated with a cane. However, these solutions prioritize guidance to points of interest or alerts, but do not address the precise location of a wall sign. The present invention focuses specifically on assisting in the location of wall-mounted Braille signage using a module installed on the floor. The following are a series of records listed in the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office to give an idea of ​​possible solutions for floor signage for the blind. - ES-2292225_T3: Guidance tile for the blind - ES-1070920_U: Guidance device for the blind on public roads - ES-1036597_U: Improved tile for the blind - ES-1244554_U: Guidance system for people with partial or total visual impairment - ES-1039243_U: Improved signaling device for the blind. The invention ES-2292225_T3 describes a tile that emits a recognizable sound when it comes into contact with the cane of a blind person thanks to an elastic element and a cavity. The invention ES-1070920_U consists of a series of relief plates whose purpose is to be detected, thanks to the use of a cane, by the blind person to facilitate their guidance along the public road to points of interest such as bus stops. The invention ES-1306597_U describes a series of tiles with a wavy relief that contain two signaling channels on their surface. This series of channels is detected by blind people using a cane and facilitates their guidance through urban areas. The invention ES-1244554_U is based on a series of raised tactile paving patterns that are placed on the floor and whose function is to guide blind people through the interior of a house. The invention ES-1039243_U whose purpose is to facilitate road circulation for blind people by means of a flexible stepable element that allows the placement of a braille plaque where the street name is recorded. None of these records focuses on the aspects described in this document, for which there is no known precedent in the current state of the art, and therefore it is considered to have interesting novelties as indicated in the following sections. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As stated at the beginning of the document, the invention relates to a braille sign locator device (2) that facilitates the location of any sign or indication in braille (1). This device consists of a raised area placed on the floor beneath the sign to be located (Figure 1) and is composed of two distinct parts. First, a semicircle (3) with an inner raised section (4), which is positioned directly below the Braille information. Second, a side bar attached to the semicircle (5), which is parallel to the wall. This bar, which may be made up of one or more attachable sections, is designed to be easily detected by a visually impaired person's cane. Thus, detecting the side bar with the cane allows the user to locate the semicircle that indicates the exact position on the wall where the sign is located. The side bar can be positioned to the left or right of the semicircle, depending on the layout of elements in the room, such as doors or other obstacles.The elements described can be fixed to the ground by any known technical means, including adhesives and / or mechanical fasteners. It is also recommended that the exposed edges of these elements be rounded or chamfered to facilitate their detection. In the section of drawings included below, as an inseparable part of the document, the solution conceived by the inventor is shown schematically without prejudice to the possibility of introducing small modifications that do not alter the essence of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Two figures are included, which are considered sufficient for the correct interpretation of the invention. Figure 1 This figure shows a wall sign in braille alphabet (1) next to a door, complemented by the braille sign locator device (2). Figures 2-4 The braille sign locator device (2) is shown in enlarged form in different orthogonal views. The following elements have been indicated: outer semicircle (3), inner highlight of the semicircle (4), side bar (5). DETAILED EXPLANATION OF A WAY OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The presented design is a Braille sign locator device (2) that can be manufactured from polymer, resin, stone, marble, metal, wood, or other materials. This device is attached to the floor by means of an adhesive sheet incorporated on its underside, beneath any Braille sign or label (1). The Braille sign locator (2) consists of a raised semicircle (3), which is mounted to the wall perpendicular to the Braille sign to indicate its precise location. Within this semicircle is a raised circle (4) that creates a groove through which the tip of a cane moves in a semicircular motion, allowing the sign to be identified. Attached to its side (right or left) is a strip (5) with the same raised pattern. This strip is positioned parallel to the wall, leaving a gap that allows the cane tip to slide longitudinally left and right between the strip and the wall, enabling a blind person to locate the semicircle and thus the Braille sign. The strip's length can vary depending on architectural limitations, but a minimum length of 100 cm is recommended. It should be understood that the invention has been described according to a preferred embodiment, and therefore may be subject to modifications provided that such modifications do not affect or alter the fundamental nature of the invention. In other words, the terms in which this preferred description of the invention has been set forth should always be taken in a broad and non-restrictive sense.

Claims

1. A Braille sign locator device (2), fixed to the floor adjacent to said wall, characterized in that it comprises: a semicircular body (3) whose straight base is contiguous with the wall; an inner protrusion (4) arranged concentrically to the semicircle, defining a semicircular groove suitable for scanning with the tip of a white cane; and an elongated strip (5) parallel to the wall and separated from it by a distance that allows the cane to slide longitudinally between the wall and the strip, so that the user, after detecting the strip (5), recognizes the semicircle (3) facing the vertical projection of the sign (1).

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the strip (5) is arranged to the left or right of the semicircle (3).

3. A device according to any of the preceding claims, in a modular configuration in which the strip (5) is formed by one or more attachable sections. 4.A device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for fixing it to the ground, selected from adhesive and / or mechanical elements.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the exposed edges of the semicircle (3), the protrusion (4), and / or the strip (5) are chamfered or rounded.

6. A device according to any of the preceding claims, manufactured from polymeric, cementitious, ceramic, metallic, stone, wood, or rigid or semi-rigid composite material suitable for pedestrian traffic.