vibration actuator

Abstract

Provided is a vibration actuator that is easy to assemble a plate spring and a vibration-damping member and has excellent vibration characteristics. The vibration actuator has a cylindrical housing (2), a coil (3) provided to the housing (2), a movable member (4) that vibrates along a vibration axis (O) of the housing (2), a plate spring (5) whose inner peripheral portion is fixed to the movable member (4), and a frame portion (6) that fixes the plate spring (5) to the housing (2). The frame portion (6) is provided with a fixing portion (61) provided to an outer peripheral portion of the plate spring (5) and a vibration-damping portion (62) provided to a vibration portion of the plate spring (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vibration actuator, and more particularly to a vibration actuator in which a movable element is supported by a leaf spring. Background Technology

[0002] In the past, mobile phones and other communication devices have used vibration actuators (or vibration motors) to notify people of incoming calls or alarms. Furthermore, in recent years, vibration actuators have also been used in the fields of film, games, and virtual reality (VR), for example, as performance effects in action scenes or as a means of feedback to players, stimulating the sense of touch through vibration to enhance realism.

[0003] Vibration actuators also include those that use a motor to rotate an eccentric weight, thereby generating vibration through inertial force. However, the method of using a rotary motor to generate vibration through the inertial force of the eccentric weight has the disadvantage of being slow to respond from the start of the eccentric weight's rotation until the vibration is felt in the form of touch, which detracts from the realism of the vibration.

[0004] Therefore, as an actuator for obtaining a more realistic tactile feel, a voice coil actuator is sometimes used, as shown in Patent Document 1, for example. In this vibration actuator, a movable member with a magnet is arranged inside a cylindrical housing, and a coil fixed to the housing is arranged around the movable member. By energizing the coil, the movable member reciprocates within the housing. In this case, in order to support the movable member in a manner that allows it to reciprocate relative to the housing, a disc-shaped leaf spring including multiple arms is used. Furthermore, in the invention of Patent Document 1, a damping member is provided in the leaf spring to control its vibration characteristics.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2019-194223 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] In cases where a damping member is provided on a leaf spring, as in Patent Document 1, the damping member is formed to match the shape of the leaf spring, and is attached and fixed to the leaf spring using adhesives or the like, so that there is no misalignment between the leaf spring and the damping member. That is, if there is misalignment between the shape and fixation of the leaf spring and the damping member, the damping member, which protrudes from the arm of the leaf spring into a plane orthogonal to the vibration axis, will act as a drag, adversely affecting the amplitude of the movable part. Therefore, the damping member needs to be precisely formed along the arm of the leaf spring, and at the same time, accurate alignment between the leaf spring and the damping member is required when fixing the damping member to the leaf spring.

[0010] However, in the existing technology, the production cost of the damping component increases because it is formed to match the shape of the leaf spring's arm. Furthermore, the precise alignment or bonding of the leaf spring and the damping component leads to complex assembly operations.

[0011] In addition, in a vibration actuator in which the movable part is supported by a leaf spring, if the damping component is fixed to the inner circumference of the leaf spring, the amplitude stress of the movable part will be concentrated on the damping component. Due to the damage or peeling of the damping component, there may be problems such as deterioration of the acceleration performance or durability of the vibration actuator.

[0012] Furthermore, the movable member is supported by the fixed-side housing via the leaf spring. However, if there is a deviation in the fixed position between the housing and the leaf spring, or between the leaf spring and the damping member, the positional relationship between the housing, leaf spring, and movable member will vary for each product, resulting in uneven vibration characteristics of the leaf spring. Especially when the vibration axis of the movable member is used as a reference, if there is a positional offset or wobble in the direction of the vibration axis between the housing and the leaf spring, the axial force applied to the leaf spring becomes uneven, causing deviations in the leaf spring's deformation. Additionally, if the fixed position of the leaf spring relative to the housing in the circumferential direction is offset, the contact position of the damping member relative to the leaf spring will deviate, leading to problems such as the inability to obtain appropriate vibration characteristics of the leaf spring despite the presence of damping members.

[0013] This invention is proposed to address the problems of the prior art. The object of this invention is to provide a vibration actuator that facilitates the assembly of leaf springs and damping components and possesses excellent vibration characteristics.

[0014] Technical means to solve the problem

[0015] The vibration actuator of the present invention has the following structure.

[0016] (1) Shell.

[0017] (2) A coil disposed in the housing.

[0018] (3) A movable part that vibrates along the vibration axis of the housing.

[0019] (4) A leaf spring whose inner periphery is fixed to the movable member.

[0020] (5) Fix the leaf spring to the frame of the housing.

[0021] (6) The frame is provided with a fixing part disposed on the outer periphery of the leaf spring and a vibration damping part disposed on the vibrating part of the leaf spring.

[0022] The following structure can be adopted in this invention.

[0023] (1) The frame and the leaf spring are formed by molding.

[0024] (2) The fixing part is provided with a locking part that engages with the locking part on the housing side.

[0025] (3) The vibration damping part includes a protrusion that protrudes further into the inner circumference than the inner diameter of the housing, and the protrusion is provided in multiple ways.

[0026] (4) The leaf spring includes an annular inner periphery for mounting the movable member, an outer periphery mounted on the damping part, and a plurality of helical arms connecting the inner periphery and the outer periphery.

[0027] (5) The vibration damping part and the arm part are molded and fixed.

[0028] (6) The arm has a through hole or cut.

[0029] (7) The damping part is covered by the leaf spring.

[0030] (8) The frame includes the engaging portion that exposes a portion of the leaf spring, the exposed portion of the leaf spring abutting against the axially positioned portion of the housing.

[0031] (9) Knurling was performed on the surface and / or back of the frame.

[0032] The effects of the invention

[0033] This invention provides a vibration actuator that is easy to assemble with leaf springs and damping components and has excellent vibration characteristics. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of the first embodiment cut along the vibration axis.

[0035] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view showing the overall structure of the first embodiment.

[0036] Figure 3This is a perspective view of the inner side of the cover shell in the first embodiment.

[0037] Figure 4 This is an exploded perspective view of the shell body and the magnetic yoke in the first embodiment.

[0038] Figure 5 This is an exploded perspective view of the coil and coil frame in the first embodiment.

[0039] Figure 6 This is an exploded perspective view of the movable part in the first embodiment.

[0040] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of the leaf spring and frame in the first embodiment.

[0041] Figure 8 These are horizontal and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the leaf spring and frame in the first embodiment.

[0042] Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view showing the structure in the first embodiment where the leaf spring and frame are fixed to the housing body.

[0043] Figure 10 This is an exploded perspective view showing the coil, coil frame, and terminal disposed on the housing body in the first embodiment.

[0044] Figure 11 This is an exploded perspective view showing the overall structure of another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 12 These are horizontal and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the leaf spring and frame portion, illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 13 These are horizontal and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the leaf spring and frame, illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Explanation of symbols

[0048] 1: Vibration actuator

[0049] 2: Shell

[0050] 3: Coil

[0051] 4: Movable parts

[0052] 5: Leaf Spring

[0053] 6: Frame

[0054] 10: Shell Body

[0055] 101: Locking claw

[0056] 102: Flange portion

[0057] 102a: Stepped section

[0058] 103: Positioning Department

[0059] 105: Terminal fixing part

[0060] 106: Terminal

[0061] 11: Cover

[0062] 111: Locking hole

[0063] 20: Magnetic yoke

[0064] 21: Coil stand

[0065] 211: Terminal

[0066] 30: Magnet

[0067] 31: Extreme film

[0068] 311: convex part

[0069] 32: Weights

[0070] 321: concave part

[0071] 322: Frustum conical section

[0072] 323: Bottom

[0073] 324: Central axis

[0074] 50: Shaft hole

[0075] 51: Peripheral part

[0076] 52: Arm

[0077] 53: Through hole

[0078] 54: Inner Peripheral Region

[0079] 61: Fixing part

[0080] 61a: Stepped section

[0081] 611: concave part

[0082] 62: Vibration damping section Detailed Implementation

[0083] [1. First Implementation Method]

[0084] [1-1. Structure]

[0085] The following uses Figure 1 and Figure 2The vibration actuator 1 of the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the vibration actuator 1 is located at a position 1 / 2 of its vibration axis O along a plane of symmetry orthogonal to the central axis. Figure 1 The symbol S) represents components with the same shape set on the boundary. Therefore, for the structure of each component, only the structure of one of the symmetrical shapes is described, and for the other, the description is omitted by marking it with the same symbol unless there is a special need.

[0086] (1) Housing and coil

[0087] The vibration actuator 1 mainly includes a cylindrical housing 2 forming the outer shell, a coil 3 disposed inside the housing 2, a movable member 4 vibrating along the vibration axis O of the housing 2, a leaf spring 5 whose inner periphery is fixed to the movable member 4, and a frame portion 6 that fixes the leaf spring 5 to the housing 2.

[0088] The housing 2 includes a cylindrical housing body 10 and a cover 11 that closes the openings at both ends of the housing. For example... Figure 9 As shown, a flange portion 102 protruding radially inward is provided on the end face of the cylindrical housing body 10. The flange portion 102, matching the shape of the leaf spring 5 with its helical arm, includes a helical inner edge portion having three stepped portions 102a. Three locking claws 101, extending from the open end of the housing body 10 toward the vibration axis O, are provided at 120-degree intervals on the surface of the flange portion 102. The bases of the three locking claws 101 protrude inward more than the edge of the opening of the housing body 10, becoming the engaged portion for circumferential positioning of the frame portion 6.

[0089] like Figure 9 As shown, a positioning portion 103 along the axial direction of the frame portion 6 is provided on the surface of the flange portion 102. In this embodiment, the positioning portion 103 protrudes from the surface of the flange portion 102, close to the locking claw 101. Furthermore, the surface of the positioning portion 103 abuts against the bottom surface of the leaf spring 5.

[0090] like Figure 3 As shown, the cover 11 has three locking holes 111 on its outer periphery, which are fixed by engaging with three locking claws 101 protruding from the opening of the housing body 10.

[0091] In this embodiment, the housing body 10 and the cover 11 respectively contain resin materials such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), but are not limited to resin materials.

[0092] The coil 3 and the yoke 20 are inserted into the housing 2. For example... Figure 4As shown, a cylindrical magnetic yoke 20 made of soft magnetic material is disposed on the housing body 10 in a manner formed along its inner circumference. A coil 3 is disposed on the inner circumference of the magnetic yoke 20 in a state of electrical insulation from the magnetic yoke 20.

[0093] like Figure 5 As shown, the coil 3 is wound along the outer peripheral recess of the coil holder 21 and is arranged at a predetermined interval relative to the outer peripheral portion of the movable member 4. In the coil holder 21, to prevent contact between the movable member 4 and the coil 3 during vibration, an inner peripheral wall is provided on the inner periphery of the housing body 10 to cover the surface of the coil 3 on the movable member 4 side. A gap is provided between the inner peripheral wall of the coil holder 21 and the outer peripheral surface of the movable member 4. The coil 3 can generate a magnetic field by energizing the terminal 106. During assembly, the coil 3 can be temporarily fixed to the magnetic yoke 20 or the coil holder 21 using adhesives or the like.

[0094] (2) Movable parts

[0095] The movable member 4 is disposed within the housing body 10 such that it vibrates along the central axis direction of the cylindrical housing 2, i.e., the vibration axis O. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the movable member 4 has a circular plate-shaped magnet 30, a circular plate-shaped pole piece 31 disposed on the surface of the magnet 30, and a weight 32 disposed on the surface of the pole piece 31.

[0096] The magnetization direction of magnet 30 is along the vibration axis O. The pole piece 31 is formed of a soft magnetic material and is attached to magnet 30 using the magnetic attraction force of magnet 30 and adhesives. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the electrode 31 has a protrusion 311 formed in its central portion along the vibration axis O, and the corresponding weight 32 has a recess 321 formed in its central portion along the vibration axis O. The electrode 31 and the weight 32 are integrated by engaging the protrusion 311 of the electrode 31 with the recess 321 of the weight 32. Furthermore, this integration also includes a loose engagement where there is a gap between the protrusion 311 of the electrode 31 and the recess 321 of the weight 32, without requiring a gapless engagement, and the degree of engagement is not irrelevant. The integration of the magnet 30, the electrode 31, and the weight 32 is not limited to installation using magnetic attraction or adhesives; it can also be achieved by mechanical means such as pressing, screwing, or other methods of fixation.

[0097] like Figure 1 As shown, in the movable member 4, the shape of the magnet 30 is smaller in the radial direction than that of the pole piece 31 and the weight 32. That is, the outer periphery of the pole piece 31 and the weight 32 is located on the outermost periphery side in the movable member 4, and is closest to the inner peripheral wall of the coil frame 21.

[0098] like Figure 6As shown, the weight 32 comprises a non-magnetic body and includes a bell-shaped frustum portion 322 extending along the vibration axis O, and a disk-shaped bottom 323 extending from the bottom of the frustum portion 322 outward in a peripheral direction.

[0099] like Figure 6 As shown, a central shaft 324 protruding towards the vibration axis O is provided at the center of the front end of the truncated cone portion 322 of the weight 32. For example, the central shaft 324 of the weight 32 is circular and is inserted into the shaft hole 50 of the leaf spring 5 to fix the leaf spring 5 and the weight 32.

[0100] (3) Leaf spring

[0101] The leaf spring 5 comprises one or more metal leaf springs, such as leaf springs made from thin sheets of stainless steel used in this embodiment. The material of the leaf spring 5 is not limited to metal, but may also be a composite raw material containing resin or fiber. In addition, the material of the leaf spring 5 is ideally a material with excellent durability and flexibility.

[0102] like Figure 7 As shown, a circular shaft hole 50 is provided at the center of the inner circumference of the leaf spring 5 for the central shaft 324 of the weight 32 to fit into. The leaf spring 5 is connected to the weight 32 through the shaft hole 50. The central shaft 324, protruding from the surface of the leaf spring 5, is crushed by heating and pressing with a clamp, thereby being riveted together with the surface of the weight 32 overlapping the leaf spring 5. The means of fixing the leaf spring 5 and the weight 32 is not limited to riveting; as long as it includes the circular central shaft 324 and the shaft hole 50, it can also be fixed (connected) by other methods such as screwing or bonding.

[0103] like Figure 7 As shown, the leaf spring 5 has an annular inner peripheral portion 54 for mounting the movable member 4, an outer peripheral portion 51 mounted on the damping portion 62, and a plurality of helical arms 52 connecting the inner peripheral portion 54 and the outer peripheral portion 51. Each arm 52 is arranged at equal intervals of 120 degrees around the vibration axis O. The outer peripheral portion 51 of each arm 52 is connected to the frame portion 6 that fixes the leaf spring 5 to the housing body 10. Three through holes 53 are provided in the outer peripheral portion 51.

[0104] (4) Frame

[0105] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the frame portion 6 is provided with a fixing portion 61 for fixing the outer peripheral portion 51 of the leaf spring 5 to the housing 2, and a damping portion 62 provided on the vibrating portion of the leaf spring 5. The fixing portion 61 is shaped along the inner periphery of the housing body 10 and is approximately annular. A recess 611 is formed on the outer periphery of the fixing portion 61, recessed towards the inner periphery. Figure 9As shown, the recess 611 constitutes an engaging portion, that is, it engages with the engaging portion provided on the base of the three locking claws 101 of the housing body 10, thereby positioning the frame portion 6 in the circumferential direction. The shape of the engaging portion and the engaging portion is not limited to that of this embodiment as long as they engage, and the number can be increased or decreased as needed.

[0106] On the inner periphery of the fixing portion 61, similar to the flange portion 102 of the housing body 10, three stepped portions 61a are provided to match the shape of the leaf spring 5 with its helical arm portion 52, with a portion of the outer periphery 51 of the leaf spring 5 exposed to the stepped portions 61a. The exposed portion of the leaf spring 5 corresponds to the "exposed portion" in the claim. More specifically, as... Figure 9 As shown, a recess 611 located on the outer periphery of the frame portion 6 has an exposed portion that exposes a portion of the outer periphery portion 51 of the leaf spring 5. The exposed portion located in the recess 611 abuts against a positioning portion 103 located axially on the housing body 10.

[0107] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the vibration damping portion 62, which controls vibration characteristics, includes a protrusion that protrudes further inward than the inner diameter of the housing body 10. The shape, placement, and number of the protrusion are irrelevant as long as it protrudes further inward than the inner diameter of the housing body 10. In this embodiment, multiple vibration damping portions 62 are provided at equal intervals, with three portions matching the number of arms 52 of the leaf spring 5. The width or height of the vibration damping portion 62 is formed in the region where optimal vibration characteristics are obtained when mechanical resistance is applied to the leaf spring 5. Furthermore, the fixing portion 61 and the vibration damping portion 62 can be integrally formed by molding or formed separately.

[0108] like Figure 8 As shown, the frame portion 6 and the leaf spring 5 are integrally formed by compression molding. That is, the leaf spring 5 is placed in the mold and resin flows in to form the mold. The frame portion 6 is covered on both the upper and lower sides of the leaf spring 5. Therefore, the frame portion 6 and the leaf spring 5 are integrally formed when the leaf spring 5 is sandwiched between the upper and lower parts of the frame portion 6.

[0109] The damping part 62 and the arm part 52 of the leaf spring 5 are molded and fixed. The size or shape of the damping part 62, such as the wall thickness, the amount of protrusion from the frame part 6, the circumferential length, the number of parts, etc., are set to enable the leaf spring 5 to exhibit the desired vibration characteristics. For example, an opening that reaches the surface of the leaf spring 5 can be provided in the damping part 62, or an opening that passes through the gap between the arm parts 52 of the leaf spring 5 and extends from the surface of the damping part 62 to the back, or a structure in which multiple bracket-like members protrude from the inner periphery of the frame part 6 toward the center can be used.

[0110] In this embodiment, the front end of the damping part 62 enters the groove between the arm portions 52 and 52 of the leaf spring 5, and is fixed by clamping the surface and back of the arm portion 52. However, it is not necessarily limited to this structure, and it may also be a structure that only contacts one of the surface or the back of the leaf spring 5. Furthermore, when the damping part 62 clamps the surface and back of the arm portion 52, by providing a through hole or cut in the arm portion 52, the resin constituting the damping part 62 can smoothly flow from the surface of the arm portion 52 to the back, thereby improving the tightness of the connection between the damping part 62 and the leaf spring 5.

[0111] The frame portion 6 comprises at least one of polyethylene and an elastomer. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is an example of an elastomer, but there is no limitation thereto. Vibration damping of the leaf spring 5 is achieved through the elastic deformation of the frame portion 6, specifically through shear deformation of the polyethylene or bending deformation of the elastomer. The fixing portion 61 and the damping portion 62 can also contain the same resin material, but the fixing portion 61 can be made of a rigid resin with low elastic deformation, and the damping portion 62 can be made of an elastic material such as an elastomer. Alternatively, a metal or resin reinforcing member can be molded separately from the leaf spring 5 around the frame portion 6.

[0112] The leaf spring 5 configured in this way can elastically deform within a specified range in the direction of intersection with the vibration axis O and the perpendicular radial direction S orthogonal to the vibration axis O. Furthermore, this specified range corresponds to the amplitude range of the movable element 4 when typically used as a vibration actuator 1. Therefore, the specified range is at least the range where the leaf spring 5 does not contact the housing 2, and is a range that does not exceed the limit of the elastic deformation of the leaf spring 5. The leaf spring 5 has three helical arms 52, so that when the leaf spring 5 deforms to its maximum amplitude, the central portion of its cross-section forms a mountain shape that protrudes most prominently towards the vibration axis O, and the deformation is less towards the fixed portion of the leaf spring 5 and the frame 6, i.e., the outer periphery of the leaf spring 5. Therefore, even if the flange portion 102 of the frame 6 and the housing body 10 respectively has stepped portions 61a and 102a, and the inner periphery is helical, the leaf spring 5 will not contact the stepped portions 61a and 102a protruding towards the center (vibration axis O) of the housing 2 when it deforms.

[0113] (5) Terminal

[0114] like Figure 10As shown, in this embodiment, the terminals 211 connecting the leads of each coil 3 are integrally fixed to the coil frame 21 by molding. On the other hand, a flat terminal fixing portion 105 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the housing body 10, matching the position of the terminals 211, and a terminal 106 including a printed wiring board is fixed to the fixing portion 105. Regarding the fixing method between the terminal 106 and the fixing portion 105, the terminal 106 can be molded into the housing body 10 or fixed to the housing body 10 by ultrasonic welding. A recess 107 for a connector into which the terminal 211 is inserted is provided in the terminal 106, and a power line 108 for supplying power to the vibration actuator 1 is connected by means such as soldering. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide a terminal 106 including a printed wiring board; the terminals 211 connecting the leads of each coil 3 can be directly connected to the power line 108.

[0115] [1-2. The Role of the Implementation Method]

[0116] (1) Operation of vibration actuator 1

[0117] The vibration actuator 1 configured as described above, when not energized with coil 3, such as Figure 1 As shown, the movable member 4, supported by the leaf spring 5, is located in the center along the vibration axis O.

[0118] When the movable member 4 vibrates, alternating current is supplied to the coil 3 via the terminal 106 in the direction of alternately generating magnetic fields of opposite polarities. That is, the same polarity is generated in adjacent portions of the coil 3. For example, in the case of polarity, a thrust is generated on one side of the movable member 4 in the direction of the vibration axis O. If the current flowing to the coil 3 is reversed, a thrust is generated on the other side of the movable member 4 in the direction of the vibration axis O. Thus, when alternating current is supplied to the coil 3, the movable member 4 vibrates along the vibration axis O while being subjected to the applied force generated by the leaf spring 5 from both sides. The frame portion 6 dampens the leaf spring 5 through its elastic deformation, specifically through the shear deformation of polyethylene or the bending deformation of the elastomer.

[0119] The thrust generated by the movable member 4 is basically based on the thrust given by Fleming's left-hand rule. In this embodiment, since the two coils 3, which are arranged symmetrically, are fixed to the housing 2, the movable member 4, on which the magnet 30 is mounted, also generates a thrust as a reaction force to the force generated by the two coils 3.

[0120] (2) Assembly method

[0121] In the vibration actuator 1 of this embodiment with this structure, a coil frame 21 in which a coil 3 is installed is assembled inside the housing body 10, which integrates the magnetic yoke 20, and then a movable member 4 is inserted inside the coil frame 21. In this case, the leaf spring 5, which is molded into the frame portion 6, is fixed to the central axis 324 of the weight 32 of the movable member 4 by means of riveting or the like, and the movable member 4, which is fixed to the leaf spring 5, is inserted inside the coil frame 21.

[0122] The fixing portion 61 of the frame portion 6 overlaps the flange portion 102 of the housing body 10 such that the locking claw 101 of the housing body 10 is embedded into the recess 611 of the frame portion 6, thus embedding the frame portion 6 into the inner side of the housing body 10. In this way, the recess 611 and the base of the locking claw 101 engage as an engaging portion and a locked portion, thereby positioning the frame portion 6 in the circumferential direction. At the same time, the leaf spring 5 exposed to the recess 611 abuts against the positioning portion 103 provided on the flange portion 102, thereby positioning the leaf spring 5 in the axial direction.

[0123] Then, with the cover 11 placed over the opening of the housing body 10 and pressurized so that the three locking claws 101 are inserted into the three locking holes 111, ultrasonic welding is performed on the cover 11 and the housing body 10 to fix them together. In this case, by contacting the outer side of the cover 11 with the ultrasonic welding head and using vibrational heat to melt the three locking claws 101 or the fixing part 61 of the frame 6 around the circumference, the tightness between the frame 6 and the cover 11, and between the frame 6 and the housing body 10, can be ensured.

[0124] [1-3. Effects of the Implementation Method]

[0125] (1) In this embodiment, the vibration actuator 1 is pre-equipped with a leaf spring 5 and a frame 6 including a fixing part 61 and a damping part 62. Therefore, there is no need for operations such as temporarily fixing the leaf spring 5 to the housing body 10; the assembly of the three components relative to the housing 2 can be carried out simply by fixing the frame 6 to the housing body 10. Therefore, the assembly operation is simplified and the work efficiency is improved.

[0126] (2) In the vibration actuator 1 of this embodiment, the frame 6 and the leaf spring 5 are integrally formed by compression molding. Therefore, by simply placing the leaf spring 5 in the mold and performing compression molding, the positioning of the leaf spring 5 relative to the frame 6 and the positioning of the damping part 62 relative to the leaf spring 5 can be accurately and easily implemented. In addition, the damping member can be directly and firmly attached to the leaf spring 5, thereby preventing damage or peeling of the damping member.

[0127] (3) In the vibration actuator 1 of this embodiment, the fixing portion 61 of the frame portion 6 is formed facing the inner peripheral side, and a recess 611 is provided that engages with the base of the locking claw 101 of the housing body 10. In this embodiment, since the frame portion 6 including the damping portion 62 and the leaf spring 5 are pre-formed, the leaf spring 5 and the frame portion 6 including the damping portion 62 are simultaneously assembled to the housing body 10 by engaging the engaging portion of the housing body 10 with the recess 611 provided in the frame portion 6. Therefore, the positioning of the housing body 10 and the frame portion 6 can be carried out accurately and easily, and the assembly operation can be simplified.

[0128] (4) In the vibration actuator 1 of this embodiment, the damping section 62 protrudes further inward than the inner diameter of the housing body 10, and multiple sections are provided at equal intervals. Therefore, by adjusting the width or height of the damping section 62, it is easy to adjust the damping area to suit the size, weight, material, etc. of each component. In addition, by providing the damping section 62 at equal intervals, a stable damping effect can be achieved.

[0129] (5) In the vibration actuator 1 of this embodiment, the frame portion 6 is coated with resin and molded onto the arm portion 52 of the leaf spring 5, and the damping portion 62 is fixed to the outer periphery 51 of the leaf spring 5. Therefore, the mechanical resistance of the movable part 4 can be obtained by utilizing the loss components of the resin material, and the amplitude at the maximum acceleration frequency can be suppressed. In addition, the sharpness of the resonance peak can be suppressed, and the change in acceleration accompanying the change of the resonant frequency can be suppressed. As a result, damage or peeling of the damping component can be prevented, thereby improving the durability of the vibration actuator 1.

[0130] (6) In this embodiment, the vibration actuator 1 includes a recess 611 in the frame portion 6 that exposes a portion of the leaf spring 5, and the surface of the leaf spring 5 abuts against the axial positioning portion 103 of the housing body 10. Therefore, when performing axial alignment, the housing body 10, the leaf spring 5, and the frame portion 6 can be accurately aligned with the surface of the leaf spring 5 as a reference.

[0131] (7) In the vibration actuator 1 of this embodiment, the frame portion 6 is formed of polyethylene and an elastomer. Therefore, as the fixing portion 61 of the frame portion 6, the leaf spring 5 can be fixed to the housing body 10 while the vibration damping portion 62 is used to dampen the leaf spring 5 through shear deformation of polyethylene or bending deformation of the elastomer. Furthermore, the frame portion 6 is not limited to a component formed of polyethylene and an elastomer, and the same material can also be used.

[0132] (8) In this embodiment, by providing terminals 211 on the coil holder 21 to connect the leads of each coil 3, the operation of connecting the leads from the coil 3 to the terminal 106 is easily performed. In particular, in the small vibration actuator 1, the leads of the coil 3 are thinner than the metal rod constituting the terminal 211, requiring careful handling and easily resulting in poor connection or wire breakage. However, by connecting the coil 3 to the terminal 106 via the terminal 211, this problem can be solved.

[0133] [2. Other Implementation Methods]

[0134] As described above, several embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated, but this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. As listed below, the invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from its spirit, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications are possible. Furthermore, these embodiments, combinations thereof, and variations thereof are included within the scope or spirit of the invention, and are included within the scope of the claims and their equivalents. The following are examples of embodiments included in the present invention.

[0135] (1) For example, in the embodiment described above, the frame portion 6 and the leaf spring 5 are integrated by molding, but they can also be integrated by joining or fitting. In addition, the fixing portion 61 and the damping portion 62 of the frame portion 6 are not limited to the same material, and they can also be integrated after being made of different materials. Furthermore, the upper and lower parts of the frame portion 6 that holds the leaf spring 5 can be made of the same component or different materials.

[0136] (2) Regarding the engaging portion of the fixing portion 61 provided on the frame portion 6 and the engaged portion provided on the housing body 10, as long as the two are engaged and fixed, it is acceptable to provide a protrusion, a recess, or a cutout on either one. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the recess 611 is used as the engaging portion and also serves as the exposed portion of the leaf spring 5. However, the engaging portion for positioning the leaf spring 5 and the frame portion 6 in the circumferential direction and the exposed portion of the leaf spring 5 for positioning in the axial direction can also be provided in different locations.

[0137] (3) Alternatively, a locking claw 101 can be provided on the housing body 10 and a locking hole 111 can be provided on the cover 11, while a locking hole is provided on the housing body 10 and a locking claw is provided on the cover 11.

[0138] (4) The leaf spring 5 has three arms 52 and the number of damping parts 62 is three, but is not limited to the number mentioned above.

[0139] (5) The housing 2 of the embodiment is cylindrical and the movable part 4 is generally cylindrical, but the shape of the housing 2 and the movable part 4 is not limited to this, and may also be polygonal or other shapes.

[0140] (6) In the embodiment described, the leaf spring 5 supporting the movable member 4 has a helical arm 52, but other leaf springs may also be used. For example, unconventional helical, cross-shaped, or swastika-shaped leaf springs that combine curves and straight lines may also be used. In this case, it is ideal that the inner guide rod is also made to match the shape of the leaf spring.

[0141] (7) The central part of the front end of the frustum-shaped portion 322 of the weight 32 is not limited to the central shaft 324, and a central hole may also be provided. Alternatively, a pin may be inserted from the opening side of the housing body 10 into the stop hole and the shaft hole 50 of the leaf spring 5 to fix the leaf spring 5 and the weight 32. In addition, when the central shaft 324 is provided, it is not limited to a circle, and may also be a triangle, quadrilateral or other polygons.

[0142] (8) Figure 11 This is an exploded perspective view showing the overall structure of an embodiment where the coil 3 is not provided with the coil frame 21. The coil 3 is fixed to the magnetic yoke 20 using adhesive or the like, arranged at predetermined intervals relative to the outer periphery of the movable member 4. In this embodiment, since the coil frame 21 is not provided with the coil 3, a smaller design can be achieved.

[0143] (9) Figure 12 These are horizontal and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the leaf spring 5 and frame 6, showing an embodiment in which a through hole 53 is provided in the inner circumference 54 of the leaf spring 5. In this embodiment, a through hole 53 of approximately triangular shape with rounded corners is provided along the shape of the inner circumference 54 of the arm portion 52. Furthermore, the shape, number, and location of the through holes 53 are not limited thereto. In this embodiment, by providing a through hole 53 in the inner circumference 54, the load stress margin of the leaf spring 5 in the radial (horizontal direction) can be increased. Therefore, in this embodiment, stress concentration areas in the leaf spring 5 can be prevented, thereby achieving a stable vibration damping effect. Additionally, by providing a through hole 53 in the inner circumference 54, the load displacement margin of the leaf spring 5 in the amplitude direction (vertical direction) can be increased. Therefore, compared to the case where no through hole 53 is provided in the inner circumference 54, it is easier to reduce the rigidity of the leaf spring 5 itself, thereby enabling a wide range of vibration output designs.

[0144] (10) Figure 13 These are horizontal and longitudinal cross-sectional views of the leaf spring 5 and the frame 6, showing an embodiment in which knurling is applied to the surface and back of the frame 6. In this embodiment, the knurling process increases the friction on the surface and back of the frame 6. Therefore, compared to the case without knurling, when the frame 6 is fixed to the housing body 10 and the cover 11, slippage is prevented, making it less likely to fall off. Furthermore, in Figure 13The diagram shows a mesh-like pattern formed by knurling, but it is not limited to this. Multiple alternating ridges and valleys can also be formed by knurling, or multiple small protrusions can be provided. Alternatively, knurling can be used instead of knurling, such as wrinkling or sandblasting. Furthermore, knurling can be performed on only one of the surface or back of the frame portion 6, or on the outer periphery of the fixing portion 61 in the frame portion 6.

Claims

1. A vibration actuator, characterized in that, have: case; A coil is disposed in the housing; The movable part vibrates along the vibration axis of the housing; Leaf spring, the inner periphery of which is fixed to the movable member; as well as The frame section secures the leaf spring to the housing. The leaf spring includes an inner peripheral portion for mounting the movable member, an outer peripheral portion fixed to the frame portion, and a plurality of arms connecting the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion. The frame portion is provided with a fixing portion disposed on the outer periphery of the leaf spring and a vibration damping portion disposed on the vibrating portion of the leaf spring. The fixing part and the vibration damping part are integrally formed by molding. The damping portion is disposed at a position spaced apart from the base end of the arm portion of the leaf spring, and is formed by a protrusion that protrudes from the fixing portion toward the inner periphery of the leaf spring, and is disposed on the arm portion in such a way as to clamp the surface and back of the arm portion of the leaf spring.

2. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein, The frame and the leaf spring are formed by molding.

3. The vibration actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The fixing part is provided with a locking part that engages with the locking part on the housing side.

4. The vibration actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The vibration damping portion includes a protrusion that extends further inward than the inner diameter of the housing. The protrusion is provided in multiple parts.

5. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein, The vibration damping part and the arm part are molded and fixed.

6. The vibration actuator according to claim 5, wherein, The arm has a through hole or cut.

7. The vibration actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The damping section is covered by the leaf spring.

8. The vibration actuator according to claim 3, wherein, The frame includes a locking portion that exposes a portion of the leaf spring, the exposed portion of the leaf spring abutting against an axially positioned portion of the housing.

9. The vibration actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Knurling was performed on the surface and / or back of the frame.

Images