Tactile feedback actuator

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of electromagnetic actuators, in particular to a tactile feedback actuator which comprises a containing cavity defined by an upper cover and a lower shell of a housing. The vibration assembly is contained in the containing cavity and comprises a support and a magnetic part fixed to the center of the support. The coil is fixed to the side, facing the containing cavity, of the upper cover. The support comprises an outer ring, an inner ring and a supporting ring, the supporting ring is connected between the outer ring and the inner ring, at least three connecting protrusions are arranged on each of the inner wall and the outer wall of the supporting ring, and the connecting protrusions on the inner wall and the connecting protrusions on the outer wall are distributed in a staggered mode in the circumferential direction, so that radial component force in the vibration process is effectively resisted; inclination of the inner ring caused by insufficient local support is avoided, fluctuation of electromagnetic acting force is restrained, the stability of the amplitude and frequency of a tactile feedback signal is effectively guaranteed, the consistency of tactile feedback is improved, and the user experience is remarkably improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electromagnetic actuator especially relates to a haptic feedback actuator. BACKGROUND

[0002] As the core component of realizing man-machine haptic interaction, the haptic feedback actuator is widely applied to intelligent sofa, VR equipment, vehicle-mounted seat and the like scenes, and its core working principle is that through the synergistic effect of electromagnetic driving assembly and vibration assembly, electric energy is converted into controllable mechanical vibration, so as to transmit haptic signal to the user. The support is the key support structure of the vibration assembly, is used for connecting the vibration component and the actuator shell, and its performance directly influences the vibration stability and service life of the actuator.

[0003] In the prior art, the support of the haptic feedback actuator generally adopts the structural form of outer ring, inner ring and a plurality of connecting arms, the outer ring is fixed in the cover of the actuator, the inner ring is used for installing the magnetic piece, and the outer ring and the inner ring are integrally connected through the connecting arms uniformly distributed along the circumference.

[0004] However, since the connecting arm of the existing support is a multi-section structure, the inner ring is inclined in the vibration process, and the inclination of the inner ring directly leads to the relative position deviation of the magnetic piece and the coil, so that the working air gap between the two is uneven, and then electromagnetic force fluctuation is caused, the fluctuation is directly transmitted to the vibration output end of the actuator, leading to the instability of the amplitude and frequency of the haptic feedback signal, and finally seriously affecting the consistency of the haptic feedback and the user experience. UTILITY MODEL CONTENTS

[0005] The utility model provides a kind of haptic feedback actuator, which can effectively solve the problems in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the technical scheme adopted by the utility model is as follows:

[0007] A haptic feedback actuator, comprising:

[0008] a cover having a mating upper cover and lower shell, which forms a containing cavity;

[0009] a vibration assembly arranged in the containing cavity, the vibration assembly comprising a support and a magnetic piece fixed at the center of the support;

[0010] a coil fixed to one side of the upper cover facing the containing cavity, for driving the magnetic piece to reciprocate vertically;

[0011] The bracket includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a support ring. The support ring is connected between the outer ring and the inner ring. At least three connecting protrusions are provided on both the inner and outer walls of the support ring. The connecting protrusions on the inner wall and the connecting protrusions on the outer wall are staggered in the circumferential direction.

[0012] The outer ring is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the lower shell, and the inner ring is suspended in the cavity of the lower shell by the support ring.

[0013] Furthermore, the lower shell has an opening end facing the upper cover, and an annular groove is provided on the end face of the opening end;

[0014] The circumferential edge of the top cover is embedded in the annular groove.

[0015] Furthermore, a silicone sealing gasket is attached to the bottom or inner wall of the annular groove.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes PCB boards and wire harnesses;

[0017] The PCB board is fixed to the upper cover and is electrically connected to the coil;

[0018] A power interface slot is provided on the side wall of the lower shell. One end of the wire harness passes through the power interface slot, and the other end is electrically connected to the PCB board.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a temperature sensor, and the top of the cover has a mounting slot for accommodating the temperature sensor.

[0020] Furthermore, the outer surface of the upper cover is provided with several stiffening plates;

[0021] At least one heat dissipation hole is provided between two adjacent stiffeners.

[0022] Furthermore, the magnetic component includes a washer, a magnet, and a T-iron;

[0023] The T-shaped iron has a central column, and the magnet and the washer are sequentially sleeved on the central column and fixed by adhesive.

[0024] Furthermore, the lower end of the inner wall of the upper cover is provided with a first stepped groove, and the upper end of the inner wall of the lower shell is provided with a second stepped groove.

[0025] The first stepped groove and the second stepped groove are vertically aligned and together form an annular cavity, with the outer peripheral wall of the outer ring fitting into the annular cavity.

[0026] Furthermore, both the outer ring and the outer circumferential surface of the upper cover are provided with fixing parts for fixed connection to the lower shell.

[0027] Furthermore, the axial height of the outer ring is greater than the axial height of the inner ring, and the axial height of the inner ring is greater than the axial height of the support ring;

[0028] Furthermore, the thickness of the connecting protrusion is greater than the axial height of the support ring and equal to the axial height of the inner ring.

[0029] The following technical effects can be achieved through the technical solution of this utility model:

[0030] In this invention, a ring-shaped support ring is used, and the outer ring and inner ring are connected by staggered connecting protrusions, forming a multi-point distributed support in the circumferential direction. This disperses the force on the inner ring to multiple positions of the support ring, effectively resisting the radial component force on the magnetic component during vibration, avoiding tilting of the inner ring due to insufficient local support, suppressing fluctuations in electromagnetic force, thereby effectively ensuring the stability of the amplitude and frequency of the tactile feedback signal, improving the consistency of tactile feedback, and significantly improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a haptic feedback actuator;

[0033] Figure 2 A top view of the haptic feedback actuator;

[0034] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Sectional view of section AA;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the support structure;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the protrusions.

[0037] Reference numerals: 1. Cover; 11. Top cover; 111. Rib plate; 112. Heat dissipation hole; 113. First step groove; 12. Bottom shell; 121. Second step groove; 2. Bracket; 21. Outer ring; 22. Inner ring; 23. Support ring; 24. Connecting protrusion; 3. Magnetic component; 31. Washer; 32. Magnet; 33. T-iron; 4. Coil; 5. PCB board; 6. Wire harness; 7. Temperature sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0040] like Figures 1-5 As shown, this application provides a tactile feedback actuator, including: a housing 1, a vibration assembly, and a coil 4. The housing 1 has a matching upper cover 11 and a lower cover 12, which together form a receiving cavity. The vibration assembly is disposed in the receiving cavity and includes a support 2 and a magnetic element 3 fixed at the center of the support 2. The coil 4 is fixed to the side of the upper cover 11 facing the receiving cavity and is used to generate an alternating magnetic field when energized to drive the magnetic element 3 to reciprocate in the vertical direction.

[0041] The bracket 2 includes an outer ring 21, an inner ring 22, and a support ring 23. The support ring 23 is connected between the outer ring 21 and the inner ring 22. At least three connecting protrusions 24 are provided on both the inner and outer walls of the support ring 23. The connecting protrusions 24 on the inner wall and the connecting protrusions 24 on the outer wall are staggered in the circumferential direction. The outer ring 21 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the lower shell 12, and the inner ring 22 is suspended in the cavity of the lower shell 12 through the support ring 23.

[0042] The coil 4 is fixed on the top cover 11. When the coil 4 is energized, it generates an alternating electromagnetic field. This magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field provided by the magnet 32, with like poles repelling and unlike poles attracting, to drive the support 2 to reciprocate linearly in the vertical direction, thus generating vibration. The vibration of the support 2 is transmitted to the sofa surface through the cover 1 and finally reaches the user.

[0043] In this invention, the bracket 2 adopts an annular support ring 23, and the outer ring 21 and the inner ring 22 are connected by staggered connecting protrusions 24, forming a multi-point distributed support in the circumferential direction. This can disperse the force on the inner ring 22 to multiple positions of the support ring 23, effectively resist the radial component force on the magnetic component 3 during vibration, avoid the tilting of the inner ring 22 due to insufficient local support, suppress the fluctuation of electromagnetic force, thereby effectively ensuring the stability of the amplitude and frequency of the tactile feedback signal, improving the consistency of tactile feedback, and significantly improving the user experience.

[0044] like Figure 3As shown, the lower shell 12 has an open end facing the upper cover 11, and an annular groove is provided on the end face of the open end; the circumferential edge of the upper cover 11 is embedded in the annular groove.

[0045] During assembly, align the circumferential edge of the upper cover 11 with the annular groove at the opening of the lower shell 12, and press the upper cover 11 downwards in the vertical direction to achieve a fit between the upper cover 11 and the lower shell 12. Preferably, a silicone sealing gasket is attached to the bottom or inner wall of the annular groove. When the edge of the upper cover 11 is inserted, the silicone sealing gasket is compressed, achieving a sealing effect, effectively preventing external dust, liquids, and lint from entering the receiving cavity, protecting the cleanliness and working condition of the electromagnetic drive component and the vibration component, and extending the service life of the actuator.

[0046] In this scheme, the actuator also includes a PCB board 5 and a wiring harness 6; the PCB board 5 is fixed to the upper cover 11 and electrically connected to the coil 4; a power interface slot is provided on the side wall of the lower shell 12, one end of the wiring harness 6 passes through the power interface slot, and the other end is electrically connected to the PCB board 5.

[0047] Specifically, the PCB board is a rectangular rigid circuit board, and the side facing the cavity is soldered with the coil 4 driver chip and signal interface through SMT process; the external power supply transmits current to the PCB board 5 through the wire harness 6, and the driver chip on the PCB board 5 converts the DC power into alternating current and transmits it to the coil 4 through copper wire to drive the magnetic component 3 to vibrate.

[0048] The wiring harness 6 is inserted and fixed through the power interface slot of the lower shell 12, and the connection with the PCB board is made by a terminal connector. The connection with the power interface slot is sealed with hot melt adhesive, forming a neat layout with fixed ends and no gaps in the middle. This design avoids contact friction between the wiring harness 6 and the vibration component, and at the same time prevents the wiring harness 6 from shifting or falling off due to vibration, ensuring the continuity of power supply to the actuator.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the actuator further includes a temperature sensor 7, and a mounting slot for accommodating the temperature sensor 7 is provided on the top of the upper cover 11. The temperature sensor 7 monitors the temperature of the coil 4 and the PCB board 5 in real time. If the temperature exceeds the threshold, the PCB board actively cuts off or restores the current, eliminating the need for an external controller and achieving autonomous over-temperature protection for the actuator. This cuts off the energy input under over-temperature conditions at the source, reducing the failure rate of coil 4 burnout, while avoiding safety risks caused by high temperatures and improving the safety of the actuator.

[0050] In this utility model, the outer surface of the top cover 11 is provided with several stiffeners 111, and at least one heat dissipation hole 112 is provided between two adjacent stiffeners 111.

[0051] Specifically, several stiffeners 111 are evenly distributed radially along the center of the upper cover 11. When the coil 4 and the PCB board are working, part of the heat is conducted through the upper cover 11 body to the stiffeners 111 on the outer surface, and heat is dissipated through the contact between the stiffeners 111 and the air. Another part of the heat is discharged directly to the outside of the actuator through the air convection on the inner side of the upper cover 11 and the heat dissipation holes 112, forming a dual heat dissipation path of conduction and convection.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the magnetic component 3 includes a washer 31, a magnet 32, and a T-iron 33; the T-iron 33 has a central post, and the magnet 32 ​​and the washer 31 are sequentially sleeved on the central post and fixed by adhesive.

[0053] During assembly, magnet 32 ​​is first fitted onto the outside of the T-iron central column, then washer 31 is fitted onto the outside of the central column. Finally, the upper surface of the T-iron base and the lower end face of magnet 32, and the upper end face of magnet 32 ​​and the lower end face of washer 31 are bonded and fixed with adhesive. The constant magnetic field generated by magnet 32 ​​is conducted to the inner ring 22 of bracket 2 via washer 31, and then flows back to the central column via the T-iron base, completing the magnetic field closure. Preferably, the T-iron is made of low-carbon steel by one-piece stamping, magnet 32 ​​is a neodymium iron boron permanent magnet, and washer 31 is a silicon steel sheet.

[0054] Using the central column and base of the T-iron as a magnetic yoke, the magnetic field is guided to conduct along a preset path. The washer 31 serves as a magnetic guide pad. Through this closed-loop magnetic circuit design, the leakage magnetic rate is effectively reduced, which improves the electromagnetic driving force of coil 4 under the same current and ensures that the actuator can output sufficient vibration force.

[0055] like Figure 3 As shown, the lower end of the inner wall of the upper cover 11 is provided with a first stepped groove 113, and the upper end of the inner wall of the lower shell 12 is provided with a second stepped groove 121; the first stepped groove 113 and the second stepped groove 121 correspond vertically to each other and together enclose a ring cavity, and the outer peripheral wall of the outer ring 21 is adapted to be embedded in the ring cavity.

[0056] The central axis of the annular cavity is aligned with the central axis of the upper cover 11 and the lower shell 12. After the outer ring 21 of the bracket 2 is embedded in the annular cavity, the inner wall of the annular cavity constrains its circumference. The upper end face of the outer ring 21 is in contact with the bottom of the first stepped groove 113, and the lower end face of the outer ring 21 is in contact with the bottom of the second stepped groove 121. This controls the coaxiality of the magnetic component 3 and the coil 4, effectively avoiding electromagnetic force fluctuations caused by uneven air gaps and ensuring the stability of electromagnetic drive.

[0057] In this utility model, the outer ring 21 and the outer circumferential of the upper cover 11 are both provided with fixing parts for fixing the lower shell 12, which can ensure the connection stability of the bracket 2, the lower shell 12 and the upper cover 11, prevent the parts from loosening due to long-term vibration, and increase the service life.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the axial height of the outer ring 21 is greater than the axial height of the inner ring 22, and the axial height of the inner ring 22 is greater than the axial height of the support ring 23; the thickness of the connecting protrusion 24 is greater than the axial height of the support ring 23 and equal to the axial height of the inner ring 22.

[0059] The thickness design of the connecting protrusion 24 forms a rigid connection area, which improves the bending and shear strength of the connection and can stably bear the force transmission between the inner and outer rings 21. This prevents the support ring 23 from breaking at the connection between the connecting protrusion 24 and the inner and outer rings 21 due to excessive deformation during vibration, improves the support stability of the inner ring 22, and thus ensures the stability of the actuator's vibration performance.

[0060] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed utility model. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A haptic feedback actuator, characterized in that, include The casing has a matching upper cover and a lower shell, which together form a receiving cavity; A vibration assembly is disposed within the receiving cavity, the vibration assembly including a support and a magnetic component fixed at the center of the support; A coil is fixed to the side of the upper cover facing the receiving cavity, and is used to drive the magnetic component to reciprocate in the vertical direction; The bracket includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a support ring. The support ring is connected between the outer ring and the inner ring. At least three connecting protrusions are provided on both the inner and outer walls of the support ring. The connecting protrusions on the inner wall and the connecting protrusions on the outer wall are staggered in the circumferential direction. The outer ring is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the lower shell, and the inner ring is suspended in the cavity of the lower shell by the support ring.

2. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower shell has an opening end facing the upper cover, and an annular groove is provided on the end face of the opening end; The circumferential edge of the top cover is embedded in the annular groove.

3. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that, A silicone sealing gasket is attached to the bottom or inner wall of the annular groove.

4. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes PCB boards and wiring harnesses; The PCB board is fixed to the upper cover and is electrically connected to the coil; A power interface slot is provided on the side wall of the lower shell. One end of the wire harness passes through the power interface slot, and the other end is electrically connected to the PCB board.

5. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a temperature sensor, and the top of the cover has a mounting slot for accommodating the temperature sensor.

6. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the upper cover is provided with several stiffening plates; At least one heat dissipation hole is provided between two adjacent stiffeners.

7. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic components include a washer, a magnet, and a T-iron; The T-shaped iron has a central column, and the magnet and the washer are sequentially sleeved on the central column and fixed by adhesive.

8. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower end of the inner wall of the upper cover is provided with a first stepped groove, and the upper end of the inner wall of the lower shell is provided with a second stepped groove. The first stepped groove and the second stepped groove are vertically aligned and together form an annular cavity, with the outer peripheral wall of the outer ring fitting into the annular cavity.

9. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the outer ring and the outer circumferential surface of the upper cover are provided with fixing parts for fixed connection to the lower shell.

10. The haptic feedback actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axial height of the outer ring is greater than the axial height of the inner ring, and the axial height of the inner ring is greater than the axial height of the support ring. Furthermore, the thickness of the connecting protrusion is greater than the axial height of the support ring and equal to the axial height of the inner ring.

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