Vibration actuator and contact input device

Abstract

The invention can improve installation performance and obtain enough touch feeling. The invention relates to a vibration actuator and a contact-type input device including the same. A vibration actuator is provided with: a movable part having a coil, a core around which the coil is wound, both ends of the core protruding from the coil, and a weight fixed to the core; a base part which is formed of a magnetic body and which has yokes respectively facing the two end parts; an elastic part which supports the movable part on the base part in a manner that the movable part can elastically vibrate; and a cover that accommodates the movable part and the elastic part between the cover and the base part, forms a housing together with the base part, and vibrates the movable part by displacing the movable part toward the base part by a magnetic attraction force generated by energizing the coil.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration actuator and a contact input device having the vibration actuator. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a device that uses a vibration actuator to impart vibration as a touch operation feeling (a feeling of operation by contact) to the fingertips of an operator who touches an operation surface such as a touch panel (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a module comprising: a movable plate having an operation surface of a touch panel on one surface thereof; a support member having an opposing portion opposing the other surface of the movable plate; a damping member connecting the movable plate and the support member; and an actuator for vibrating the movable plate. In the module, the actuator comprises a coil and a magnet opposing each other, one of the coil and the magnet being fixed to the other surface of the movable plate, and the other being fixed to the opposing portion of the support member.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-067869 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, in the module disclosed in Patent Document 1, one of the coil and the magnet is fixed to the other surface of the movable plate, and the other of the coil and the magnet is fixed to the opposing portion of the support member. In Patent Document 1, the module is required to be miniaturized, but if it is miniaturized, the installation performance of the coil or the magnet becomes poor, and sometimes a sufficient touch cannot be obtained due to problems such as the installation position.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a vibration actuator and a touch input device that can improve the mountability and provide a sufficient tactile feeling.

[0010] Solutions to the problem

[0011] The vibration actuator of the present invention comprises:

[0012] A movable part having a coil, a core around which the coil is wound, and a weight fixed to the core, wherein both ends of the core protrude from the coil;

[0013] A base portion having yokes respectively opposed to the two end portions and formed of a magnetic body;

[0014] an elastic portion supporting the movable portion on the base portion in such a manner that the movable portion can elastically vibrate; and

[0015] a cover, which accommodates the movable part and the elastic part between the cover and the base part, and forms a housing together with the base part,

[0016] The movable portion is displaced toward the base portion by a magnetic attraction force generated by energizing the coil, thereby causing the movable portion to vibrate.

[0017] The contact input device of the present invention is provided with the above-mentioned vibration actuator on the back side of the operation surface.

[0018] The input device includes a control unit configured to energize the coil in response to a contact operation of an operator on the operation surface, thereby vibrating the movable portion and providing a tactile sensation to the operator.

[0019] Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, the mountability can be improved and a sufficient tactile feeling can be obtained. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is an external perspective view of a vibration actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of the appearance of the vibration actuator shown.

[0023] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the vibration actuator shown.

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The vibration actuator shown is a top view, and is a diagram showing the structure after the cover and the weight are removed from the vibration actuator.

[0025] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The vibration actuator shown is a bottom view, and is a diagram showing the structure after the magnetic substrate is removed from the vibration actuator.

[0026] Fig. 6A This is a diagram for explaining the operation of the actuator body and shows a non-excitation state.

[0027] Figure 6B This is a diagram for explaining the operation of the actuator body and is a diagram showing an excitation state.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of a drive circuit that drives the actuator body.

[0029] Figure 8 It is from Figure 7FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a voltage supplied to an actuator body by a drive circuit shown in FIG.

[0030] Fig. 9 It means having Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of a contact input device using a vibration actuator.

[0031] Fig.10 It means as Figure 1 to Figure 5 An exploded perspective view of a vibration actuator according to a modified example (modification 1) of the vibration actuator shown.

[0032] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 The vibration actuator shown is a top view, and is a diagram showing the structure after the cover and the weight are removed from the vibration actuator.

[0033] Fig.12 yes Fig.10 The vibration actuator shown is a bottom view, and is a diagram showing the structure after the magnetic substrate is removed from the vibration actuator.

[0034] Description of Reference Numerals

[0035] 10A, 10B: vibration actuator;

[0036] 20: hood;

[0037] 21: shock absorber;

[0038] 30: actuator body;

[0039] 40: base;

[0040] 41: magnetic substrate;

[0041] 42a, 42b: magnetic yoke;

[0042] 43: diaphragm;

[0043] 44: shock absorber;

[0044] 50: elastic part;

[0045] 51: Spring;

[0046] 60: movable part;

[0047] 61: magnetic core;

[0048] 62: bobbin;

[0049] 63: coil;

[0050] 64: heavy objects;

[0051] 70: Wiring section;

[0052] 100: contact input device;

[0053] 110: Plate body;

[0054] 120: Control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] For this embodiment, an orthogonal coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is used for description. In the figures described later, a common orthogonal coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is also used for representation. Below, the width direction, depth direction, and height direction (thickness direction) of the vibration actuators 10A, 10B and the contact input device 100 described later are respectively set as the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction.

[0057] In the present embodiment, the vibration actuators 10A and 10B and the touch input device 100 are described with the positive side in the Z direction as the upper side (or the front side) and the negative side in the Z direction as the lower side (or the back side).

[0058] [Structure of vibration actuator]

[0059] Reference Figure 1 to Figure 5 , a vibration actuator 10A according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0060] Figure 1 It is an external perspective view of the vibration actuator 10A according to the present embodiment. Figure 2 It is a side view of the appearance of the vibration actuator 10A. Figure 3 It is an exploded perspective view of the vibration actuator 10A. Figure 4 It is a top view of the vibration actuator 10A, and is a diagram showing the structure in which the cover 20 and the weight 64 are removed from the vibration actuator 10A. Figure 5 It is a bottom view of the vibration actuator 10A, and is a diagram showing the structure in which the magnetic base 41 is removed from the vibration actuator 10A.

[0061] The vibration actuator 10A is used, for example, as a vibration providing device in a contact input device (eg, a touch panel) that is an operating device that is operated by an operator, and provides vibration to the operator through an operating surface (vibration providing portion).

[0062] By vibrating the operation surface of the operation device as described above, the vibration actuator 10A can provide a touch operation feeling (also called "tactile feeling" or "force feeling") to the operator who touches the operation surface to perform an operation, according to the purpose or usage of the operation device.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the vibration actuator 10A is a box-type vibration actuator in which an actuator body 30 described later is accommodated inside a cover 20 described later.

[0064] The vibration actuator 10A includes a cover 20 and an actuator body 30. The actuator body 30 includes a base portion 40, an elastic portion 50, a movable portion 60, and a wiring portion 70 (see mainly Figure 3 ).

[0065] The cover 20 (a part of the housing of the present invention) is a box-shaped component having an opening 20a at the bottom. Here, as an example, the cover 20 is in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. A magnetic base 41 (a part of the housing of the present invention) described later is mounted on the opening 20a, and the actuator body 30 is accommodated inside the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41. A notch 20b is formed on one side of the cover 20, and the wiring section 70 can be arranged from the inside of the cover 20 to the outside through the notch 20b.

[0066] By accommodating the actuator body 30 inside the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41, it is possible to prevent interference with the actuator body 30 from the outside, and to protect the actuator body 30. This is particularly effective when the vibration actuator 10A is mounted on a product.

[0067] The base portion 40 includes a magnetic base 41 , magnetic yokes 42 a and 42 b , and a spacer 43 .

[0068] The magnetic base 41 is a member that forms a housing together with the cover 20 and covers the opening 20a. Here, the magnetic base 41 is a member that is rectangular in shape when viewed from above and corresponds to the shape of the opening 20a. The magnetic base 41 is formed of a magnetic body, such as a silicon steel plate or an electrogalvanized steel plate (SECC). As described later, Figure 6B As described in , the magnetic substrate 41 forms a magnetic circuit in an excited state.

[0069] The magnetic yokes 42a and 42b are components extending in the X direction and are mounted on the upper surface of the magnetic base 41. The magnetic yokes 42a and 42b are configured to correspond to the two core poles 61a and 61b of the magnetic core 61 described later, and are respectively opposed to the core poles 61a and 61b with a gap (air gap) in the Z direction. The magnetic yokes 42a and 42b are also formed of a magnetic body, for example, a silicon steel sheet or an electrogalvanized steel sheet (SECC). Figure 6B As described above, the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b also form a magnetic circuit in the excited state.

[0070] The magnetic base 41 and the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b can be made of magnetic metal plates. Therefore, the magnetic base 41 and the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b can be made of stacked metal plates, which makes it easy to assemble these components, and can reduce processing and assembly costs.

[0071] The spacer 43 is a member for adjusting the position of the elastic portion 50 in the Z direction to form the above-mentioned gap. In addition, by adjusting the thickness (height in the Z direction) of the spacer 43, the thickness of the spring 51 described later can also be adjusted without changing the height of the vibration actuator 10A.

[0072] The spacers 43 are disposed at both ends of the magnetic base 41 in the X direction, and are disposed at the center of the magnetic base 41 in the Y direction. The elastic portion 50 is attached to the magnetic base 41 via the spacers 43 .

[0073] The elastic portion 50 is formed of a pair of springs 51 having a shape that is line-symmetrical with respect to the center line C1 of the vibration actuator 10A along the Y direction (see FIG. Figure 4 , Figure 5 The springs 51 are arranged at both ends of the movable portion 60 (magnetic core 61 ) in a direction perpendicular to the winding axis of the coil 63 .

[0074] If the spring 51 is arranged in an area where the core poles 61a, 61b and the magnetic yokes 42a, 42b opposite to the core poles 61a, 61b are arranged, the size of the actuator body 30 becomes larger. Therefore, here, the spring 51 is arranged at both ends of the movable part 60 (magnetic core 61) in a direction orthogonal to the winding axis of the coil 63. Specifically, the space between the core pole 61a and the core pole 61b is effectively utilized, and the spring 51 in a meandering shape is arranged in the space. Thereby, the miniaturization of the actuator body 30 can be achieved, and then the miniaturization of the vibration actuator 10A can be achieved.

[0075] In the elastic part 50, each spring 51 is a flat or thin plate-shaped elastic member, for example, a leaf spring formed of a metal plate, and has a first connecting part 51a, a second connecting part 51b and an arm 51c (see Figure 4 , Figure 5 ).

[0076] The first connection portion 51 a is a portion that is disposed at the center of the spring 51 in the Y direction and is connected to the magnetic base 41 via the spacer 43 .

[0077] The second connection portions 51 b are disposed at both ends of the spring 51 in the Y direction and are connected to the ends of the core magnetic poles 61 a and 61 b ​​.

[0078] That is, in the Y direction, the first connection portion 51 a is fixed to the magnetic base 41 via the spacer 43 at the center of the spring 51 , and the second connection portion 51 b is fixed to the ends of the core poles 61 a and 61 b ​​at both ends of the spring 51 .

[0079] The arms 51 c extend from the first connection portion 51 a at the center of the spring 51 to the second connection portions 51 b at both ends thereof, and are portions that are elastically deformed when the movable portion 60 is displaced (vibrated).

[0080] The two arms 51c are formed in a line-symmetrical shape with respect to a center line C2 passing through the first connection portion 51a in the X direction (see Figure 4 , Figure 5 Here, as an example, the arm 51c is formed in a shape that extends inward in the X direction, outward in the Y direction, outward in the X direction, outward in the Y direction, and inward in the X direction from the first connection portion 51a to the second connection portion 51b, which is a so-called meandering shape. In other words, the arm 51c has a shape with more than one bend or curve.

[0081] The pair of springs 51 has a shape that is line-symmetrical about the center line C1, and each spring 51 has a shape that is line-symmetrical about the center line C2. Therefore, the pair of springs 51 can elastically support the movable part 60 in a well-balanced manner, thereby achieving stable displacement of the movable part 60.

[0082] Furthermore, by forming the arm 51 c in a meandering shape, the length of the arm 51 c (spring 51 ) can be increased, and stress caused by elastic deformation can be alleviated, thereby obtaining a spring 51 with high reliability.

[0083] In addition, by setting the arm 51c to a meandering shape, the length of the elastically deformed arm 51c can be set to a desired length even if the width and length of the elastic portion 50 as a whole are limited. By setting the length or thickness of the arm 51c (spring 51) to a desired value, the vibration of the movable portion 60 can be set to a desired resonant frequency.

[0084] Furthermore, by forming the arm 51 c in a meandering shape, the spring 51 can be arranged without ensuring a large space inside the cover 20 , and the vibration actuator 10A can be miniaturized.

[0085] The movable portion 60 is supported by the base portion 40 in a vibratory manner by the pair of springs 51 having such a structure.

[0086] The movable portion 60 includes a magnetic core 61 , a bobbin 62 , a coil 63 , and a weight 64 .

[0087] The magnetic core 61 is formed of a magnetic body, for example, a silicon steel sheet or an electrogalvanized steel sheet (SECC). The magnetic core 61 is formed in an H-shape when viewed from above, and has core poles 61a, 61b and a core body 61c (see below). Fig. 6A , Figure 6B ).

[0088] The core poles 61a and 61b protrude from the coil at both ends in the length direction (Y direction) of the core body 61c, and extend in a direction (X direction) perpendicular to the length direction (Y direction) of the core body 61c. In addition, the core poles 61a and 61b are arranged to be opposite to the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b with a gap in the Z direction. The core poles 61a and 61b become magnetic poles when excited (when the coil 63 is energized).

[0089] The core body 61c connects the center portions of the core poles 61a and 61b extending in the X direction. The coil 63 is wound around the core body 61c via the bobbin 62. The core body 61c serves as a winding axis of the coil 63, and the core poles 61a and 61b are disposed at both ends of the core body 61c.

[0090] Since the magnetic core 61 is H-shaped, the length of the core poles 61a and 61b in the X direction can be made longer than the length of the core body 61c around which the coil 63 is wound, thereby reducing magnetic resistance and improving the efficiency of the magnetic circuit.

[0091] The bobbin 62 is arranged on the outer periphery of the core body 61c (see Fig. 6A , Figure 6B The bobbin 62 has flanges (reference numerals omitted) at both ends, and the coil 63 is wound between the flanges at both ends. The bobbin 62 is formed of an insulating resin material, thereby ensuring electrical insulation of the coil 63, thereby improving reliability as a circuit.

[0092] The coil 63 is a solenoid having a winding wire wound around the outer periphery of the bobbin 62. When energized, the coil 63 generates a magnetic field as described later (see Figure 6B ) forms a magnetic circuit, causing the movable portion 60 to displace and vibrate relative to the base portion 40.

[0093] The weight 64 functions as a sinker that promotes the vibration of the movable part 60. Preferably, the weight 64 is made of a material with a high specific gravity.

[0094] The weight 64 is formed to correspond to the shape and size of the magnetic core 61, the bobbin 62, and the coil 63. For example, in a top view, a through hole 64a is formed in the center of the weight 64, and the upper sides of the bobbin 62 and the coil 63 are accommodated in the through hole 64a. Thus, compared with a case where the through hole 64a is not provided, the height of the movable part 60 in the Z direction can be reduced (the thickness can be made thinner), and the vibration actuator 10A can be miniaturized.

[0095] Here, a moving coil structure is used to move the coil 63, and the magnetic core 61 and the coil 63 also function as a pendant that promotes the vibration of the movable part 60 together with the weight 64. In other words, the weight of the movable part 60 can be increased. Therefore, even if the vibration actuator 10A is miniaturized, or even if the actuator body 30 is accommodated in the housing (cover 20 and magnetic base 41), the output based on the vibration can be increased, and the vibration that can obtain the desired tactile feeling can be generated.

[0096] The wiring section 70 is a device that connects the coil 63 to an external control device (for example, a control device described later) of the vibration actuator 10A. Fig. 9 The wiring section 70 is formed of, for example, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and electricity is supplied from the control device to the coil 63 via the FPC.

[0097] The base portion 40 , the elastic portion 50 , and the movable portion 60 are arranged so as to be accommodated in the housing, that is, in a space formed by the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41 .

[0098] [Operation of the vibration actuator]

[0099] Fig. 6A It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the actuator main body 30 and is a diagram showing a non-excitation state. Figure 6B It is a diagram for explaining the operation of the actuator main body 30 and is a diagram showing an excitation state.

[0100] Fig. 6A , Figure 6B This is a cross-sectional view of the actuator body 30 cut along the Y direction near the center of the actuator body 30 in the X direction.

[0101] In the initial state where the coil 63 of the actuator body 30 is not energized, the magnetic core 61 is in a non-excited state. The movable part 60 is supported on the magnetic base 41 by the spring 51 at a position (stationary position) where the elastic force of the spring 51 and the weight of the movable part 60 (magnetic core 61, bobbin 62, coil 63 and weight 64) are balanced.

[0102] When current flows through the coil 63 of the actuator body 30, the magnetic core 61 is excited to generate a magnetic field, and the core magnetic poles 61a and 61b at both ends of the magnetic core 61 become magnetic poles. Figure 6B When current flows in the direction shown, the core magnetic pole 61a becomes an S pole and the core magnetic pole 61b becomes an N pole, and a flow of magnetic flux (magnetic path) indicated by white arrows is formed in the magnetic core 61, the magnetic base 41, and the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b.

[0103] The magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit flows from the core pole 61b to the opposing magnetic yoke 42b, reaches the magnetic yoke 42a via the magnetic base 41, then flows from the magnetic yoke 42a to the opposing core pole 61a, reaches the core pole 61b via the core body 61c.

[0104] In the core poles 61a and 61b, according to the principle of the electromagnetic solenoid, a magnetic attraction force is generated in a direction perpendicular to the winding axis of the coil 63. Due to this magnetic attraction force, the core poles 61a and 61b and the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b attract each other.

[0105] Here, as an example, the magnetic base 41 is set as the fixed side, and the movable part 60 is movably supported by the spring 51 on the magnetic base 41. Therefore, the spring 51 is elastically deformed, so that the core poles 61a and 61b are attracted to the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b, and the movable part 60 moves downward (to the negative side in the Z direction) as shown by the black arrow.

[0106] After the core magnetic poles 61a and 61b are attracted to the magnetic yokes 42a and 42b, if the power supply to the coil 63 is stopped, the magnetic field disappears, the magnetic attraction disappears, and the force of the spring 51 elastically deformed toward the magnetic base 41 is released. That is, the reaction force of the spring 51 is generated. As a result, the movable part 60 moves in the direction Fig. 6A The movable part 60 moves upward (to the positive side in the Z direction) in a manner of returning to the position (reference position) of the initial state shown in the figure. At this time, the movable part 60 moves to a position farther away from the magnetic base 41 than the position (reference position) of the initial state due to the reaction force of the spring 51, and generates a strong vibration. This vibration is repeated free vibration, and the amplitude is attenuated as the force of the spring 51 is attenuated.

[0107] By repeatedly energizing and de-energizing the coil 63, the movable part 60 can be moved in the Z direction, thereby generating vibration in the vibration direction, i.e., the Z direction. In addition, by controlling the timing of energizing and de-energizing the coil 63, the vibration attenuation period can also be lengthened or shortened. By generating such vibration, a tactile sensation is generated and given to the operator.

[0108] [Drive circuit of vibration actuator]

[0109] Figure 7 1 is a diagram showing an example of a drive circuit for driving the actuator body 30 . Figure 8 It is from Figure 7 FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a voltage supplied to the actuator body 30 by the drive circuit shown in FIG.

[0110] The actuator body 30 of the vibration actuator 10A is controlled by an external control device (the control unit of the present invention, for example, Fig. 9 The control device 120 shown in the figure controls. The control device includes Figure 7 The driving circuit shown vibrates the movable portion 60 through the driving circuit, thereby providing a tactile sensation to the operator.

[0111] The driving circuit includes a MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) and resistors RG and RGS.

[0112] MOSFET is a switching element that supplies current pulses to the actuator body 30. The drive signal voltage from the control device is input from Port-1 and input to the gate G of the MOSFET via the resistor RG. The drain D of the MOSFET is connected to the actuator body 30, and the source S is grounded. In addition, a direct current voltage DC is applied to the actuator body 30 from a power supply unit (not shown).

[0113] By the drive signal voltage from the control device, for example, Figure 8 The rectangular wave driving signal voltage shown in FIG. 1 turns the MOSFET on or off. When the MOSFET is on, current flows, so that the coil 63 of the actuator body 30 is energized. Figure 8 In the figure, a rectangular wave is illustrated as an example, but the driving signal voltage is not limited to the rectangular wave, and a sine wave, a sawtooth wave, or the like may also be used.

[0114] Although not shown in the figure, the control device includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit, etc. The CPU reads a program and data corresponding to the processing content from the ROM, and generates a drive signal voltage based on the program, data, and other information.

[0115] [Structure of contact input device]

[0116] Fig. 9 1 is a diagram showing an example of a touch input device 100 including a vibration actuator 10A.

[0117] The contact input device 100 is, for example, a touch panel used as a pointing device instead of a mouse in a notebook computer, etc. The touch panel is arranged in a rectangular frame provided on a housing 130 of a notebook computer, etc.

[0118] The touch panel includes a plate-shaped panel body 110 for touch operation with a finger, a vibration actuator 10A disposed on the back of the panel body 110 , and a control device 120 for controlling the vibration actuator 10A. The control device 120 obtains information on the touch operation from the panel body 110 .

[0119] In the touch panel, when there is a contact operation such as drawing or tapping the panel body 110 by a finger, the vibration actuator 10A provides a vibration that becomes a tactile sensation. Specifically, the control device 120 supplies a drive signal voltage to the coil 63 of the vibration actuator 10A according to the operator's contact operation on the operation surface, i.e., the panel body 110, so that the movable part 60 is displaced to the lower side and starts to vibrate, thereby providing a tactile sensation to the operator.

[0120] The panel body 110 is fixed to the cover 20 of the vibration actuator 10A at the back side of the central portion thereof using double-sided tape or the like. The outer periphery of the panel body 110 is movably attached to a frame provided on a housing 130 of a notebook computer or the like via a cushioning member.

[0121] Here, the cover 20 is attached to the plate body 110 , but the magnetic base 41 may be attached to the plate body 110 .

[0122] The fixing method of the above-mentioned vibration actuator 10A is a suspension method in which one of the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41 is fixed to the plate body 110, while the other is not fixed. In such a fixed state, by making one of the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41 vibrate relative to the other, the vibration is indirectly transmitted to the plate body 110.

[0123] In addition, for the vibration actuator 10A, for example, a fixing method may be adopted in which one of the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41 is fixed to the plate body 110 and the other is fixed to the housing 130. In this case, the housing 130 including the plate body 110 is also vibrated.

[0124] In addition, although the contact type input device 100 including the vibration actuator 10A is shown here as an example, the contact type input device 100 may also be configured to include the vibration actuator 10B described later.

[0125] [Summarize]

[0126] As described above, the vibration actuator 10A includes: a base portion 40 formed of a magnetic body; an elastic portion 50; and a movable portion 60 including a magnetic core 61, a coil 63, and a weight 64. The vibration actuator 10A further includes a cover 20 that accommodates the elastic portion 50 and the movable portion 60 between the cover 20 and the base portion 40 and forms a housing together with the base portion 40.

[0127] With the above-described structure, the actuator body 30 is housed inside the housing (the cover 20 and the magnetic base 41 ), so that when the vibration actuator 10A is mounted on a product, mounting becomes easy and mounting performance is improved.

[0128] In addition, when the housing (cover 20 and magnetic base 41) is a rectangular parallelepiped, each surface of the housing can be mounted on the product except the surface where the wiring portion 70 is disposed, so the layout of the vibration actuator 10A relative to the product is improved. In addition, by changing the mounting surface of the housing, the vibration direction of the vibration actuator 10A can also be changed.

[0129] In addition, since the actuator body 30 is a moving coil type and the movable part 60 has a weight 64, the magnetic core 61 and the coil 63 also function as a sinker together with the weight 64 to promote the vibration of the movable part 60. Therefore, even if the vibration actuator 10A is miniaturized, or even if the actuator body 30 is accommodated in the housing (cover 20 and magnetic base 41), high vibration output can be achieved, and vibration that can obtain a desired tactile feeling can be generated.

[0130] That is, according to the vibration actuator 10A of the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the ease of mounting to a product and to allow the operator to obtain a sufficient sense of touch.

[0131] Furthermore, since the vibration actuator 10A can be miniaturized, the touch input device 100 can also be miniaturized, and the degree of freedom in design can be increased, and the designability can also be improved.

[0132] <Modification 1>

[0133] Fig.10 It is an exploded perspective view showing a vibration actuator 10B which is a modified example of the vibration actuator 10A. Fig.11 It is a top view of the vibration actuator 10B. Fig.12 It is a bottom view of the vibration actuator 10B.

[0134] The vibration actuator 10B has the same structure as the vibration actuator 10A except that it further includes the dampers 21 and 44. Therefore, in the vibration actuator 10B, the same structures as those of the vibration actuator 10A are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description is omitted, and mainly the differences are described.

[0135] The vibration actuator 10B further includes a shock absorber 21. The shock absorber 21 is mounted on the inner wall side of the cover 20 or on the upper side of the coil 63. It should be noted that, although one shock absorber 21 is configured here, a plurality of shock absorbers 21 may be configured. In this case, the plurality of shock absorbers 21 are configured so as to be oriented with respect to the above-mentioned center lines C1 and C2 (see Figure 4 , Figure 5 )symmetry.

[0136] The damper 21 (the suppression member of the present invention) serves as a hard stopper for the movable part 60 moving toward the positive side in the Z direction, and can suppress the displacement of the movable part 60. For example, when the movable part 60 is displaced to the positive side in the Z direction larger than necessary due to a strong impact such as a fall, the damper 21 can suppress the excessive displacement.

[0137] In addition, the shock absorber 21 is formed of a material with low elasticity and attenuation, such as silicone gel. In the case where the shock absorber 21 is formed of a high-rigidity material, there is a concern that knocking sound will be generated when it contacts the movable part 60, but the shock absorber 21 formed of a material with low elasticity and attenuation can prevent the knocking sound. In addition, by using the shock absorber 21 to make the vibration of the movable part 60 attenuated, residual vibration is suppressed, and a clear touch can be achieved.

[0138] The base 40 further includes a plurality of dampers 44. Here, the base 40 includes four dampers 44, which are respectively arranged at both ends of the magnetic base 41 in the X direction and at both ends in the Y direction. That is, the four dampers 44 are arranged about the above-mentioned center lines C1 and C2 (refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 )symmetry.

[0139] The four dampers 44 are configured so that the spring 51 that has been elastically deformed and displaced to the negative side in the Z direction can contact with them. In addition, the dampers 44 are also formed of a material with low elasticity and attenuation, such as silicone gel. By the dampers 44 contacting the springs 51, the tactile feeling based on the vibration of the movable part 60 can be improved, the vibration of the movable part 60 can be attenuated, and the residual vibration can be suppressed, thereby achieving a clear tactile feeling.

[0140] The above is a description of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that the above description is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. In other words, the description of the structure of the above device or the shape of each part is an example, and it is obvious that various changes and additions can be made to these examples within the scope of the present invention.

[0141] Industrial Applicability

[0142] The vibration actuator and the contact input device of the present invention improve the assemblability, achieve miniaturization, and have the effect of being able to vibrate appropriately. For example, they are useful as vibration providing devices in contact input devices such as touch pads and operation panels. In addition, the vibration actuator of the present invention is not limited to contact input devices, and is also useful as a vibration providing device that vibrates an object after installation, such as a housing of a device.

Claims

1. A vibration actuator, characterized in that: have: A movable part having a coil, a core around which the coil is wound, and a weight fixed to the core, wherein both ends of the core protrude from the coil; A base portion having yokes respectively opposed to the two end portions and formed of a magnetic body; an elastic portion supporting the movable portion on the base portion in a manner that enables the movable portion to vibrate elastically; as well as a cover, which accommodates the movable part and the elastic part between the cover and the base part, and forms a housing together with the base part, The movable portion is displaced toward the base portion by a magnetic attraction force generated by energizing the coil, thereby causing the movable portion to vibrate.

2. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic portion is formed of a leaf spring and has a shape having one or more bends or curves.

3. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic portions are respectively arranged at both ends of the movable portion in a direction perpendicular to the winding axis of the coil.

4. The vibration actuator according to claim 3, wherein: The elastic portion is a pair of leaf springs having a shape that is line-symmetrical about a line along the winding axis.

5. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein: The base portion has a damper disposed so as to be able to contact a portion of the elastic portion that is displaced together with the movable portion.

6. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein: A suppressing member is provided to suppress displacement of the movable portion toward the cover.

7. The vibration actuator according to claim 6, wherein: The suppression member is formed of a material having low elasticity and damping properties.

8. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein: The yoke and the base are formed of laminated magnetic metal plates.

9. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein: The base portion has a spacer for forming a gap between the two end portions and the yoke.

10. The vibration actuator according to claim 9, wherein: The elastic part has a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The first connecting portion is connected to the base portion via the spacer. The second connection portion is connected to the movable portion.

11. A contact input device, characterized in that: The vibration actuator according to claim 1 is arranged on the back side of the operation surface, The input device includes a control unit configured to energize the coil in response to a contact operation of an operator on the operation surface, thereby vibrating the movable unit and providing a tactile sensation to the operator.

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