Vibrator, vibration unit equipped therewith, and controller

Abstract

To provide a vibrator, a vibration unit including the same, and a controller, the vibrator being configured to suppress cracks generated when a thin-film vibrating element is attached to an attachment surface including a curved surface, while maintaining desired vibration characteristics.SOLUTION: A vibrator 10 is attached to an enclosure including a curved surface and applies a voltage to apply predetermined vibration, the vibrator including a flexible substrate 12, a vibration application area A1, and thin-film vibrating elements 11a, 11b, 11c. The vibration application area A1 is provided on the flexible substrate 12, which is touched by a finger of a user. The thin-film vibrating elements 11a, 11b, 11c are arranged in the vibration application area A1 of the flexible substrate 12 and apply vibration when electric power is supplied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibrating body that imparts a desired vibration when electricity is applied, and a vibration unit and a controller that include the vibrating body. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, devices that use vibrators to impart vibrations to the part that a user touches with their fingers have become widespread, including operation devices such as game controllers, communication devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, and various other electronic devices. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an input device that applies vibrations to a part touched by a finger by supplying a drive signal to a thin sheet-shaped (thin film-shaped) actuator (vibration element) such as a piezoelectric actuator. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-339298 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned conventional input device configuration has the following problems. That is, the input device disclosed in the above publication has a problem that a thin sheet-shaped (thin film-shaped) actuator (vibration element) such as a piezoelectric actuator is easily cracked when attached to a housing or the like that includes a curved surface.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a vibrating body that can suppress the occurrence of cracks and maintain desired vibration characteristics when a thin-film vibration element is attached to a mounting surface that includes a curved surface, and a vibration unit and controller that are equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vibrator according to the first invention is attached to a housing part including a curved surface, and imparts a desired vibration when electricity is applied, and includes a flexible substrate, a vibration imparting area, and a thin-film vibration element. The vibration imparting area is provided on the flexible substrate and is touched by a user's fingers. A plurality of thin-film vibration elements are arranged on the vibration imparting area of ​​the flexible substrate, and impart vibration when electricity is applied.

[0007] Here, in a vibrator that is attached to the curved surface of a housing and applies vibrations to a vibration applying area that is in contact with a user's fingers, a plurality of thin film vibration elements are arranged relative to the vibration applying area. Here, the thin film vibration element is, for example, a sheet-like vibration element having a thickness of about 10 μm. The vibration applying area is, for example, a region having an area of ​​about 8 mm square that can be touched by one finger of the user, and a plurality of thin film vibration elements are arranged in each of the plurality of divided areas.

[0008] As a result, even when the thin film vibration element is attached along a surface that includes a curved surface, by using multiple thin film vibration elements in which a single vibration-imparting area is divided into multiple parts, the stress applied to the thin film vibration element when attached can be reduced, thereby suppressing the occurrence of cracks. Furthermore, even when a thin film vibration element divided into a plurality of parts is arranged in the vibration application area, it is possible to provide vibration characteristics that are approximately the same as those when a single thin film vibration element is arranged. As a result, when the thin film vibration element is attached to a mounting surface including a curved surface, the occurrence of cracks can be suppressed and desired vibration characteristics can be maintained.

[0009] The vibrator according to the second invention is the vibrator according to the first invention, wherein the thin film vibration element has a substantially rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction aligned in a direction intersecting the R direction of the curved surface. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of cracks in the thin film vibration elements when attaching the thin film vibration elements to the vibration imparting area by arranging multiple approximately rectangular thin film vibration elements in a desired vibration imparting area.

[0010] A vibrator according to a third aspect of the present invention is the vibrator according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the thin film vibration elements are arranged in an n×n matrix. This makes it possible to arrange multiple n x n matrix-shaped thin film vibration elements in a desired vibration-imparting area, thereby preventing cracks from occurring in the thin film vibration elements when they are attached to the vibration-imparting area.

[0011] A vibrator according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the vibrator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the vibration imparting area is an area that is in contact with one finger of a user. This allows the desired vibration to be applied to the area touched by one of the user's fingers.

[0012] A vibrating body according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the vibration applying area is 15 to 30 mm 2 This is the area. As a result, for example, assuming that the contact area when the tip of a user's finger performs a touch operation is a minimum of R7 mm, the contact area can be covered by the vibration application area, and the desired vibration can be applied to the touching finger.

[0013] The vibrator of the sixth invention is a vibrator of the first or second invention, wherein the thin film vibrating element has a first thin film vibrating element and a second thin film vibrating element adjacent to each other, and further comprises a partition member disposed between the first thin film vibrating element and the second thin film vibrating element, and suppresses transmission of vibrations generated in the first thin film or the second thin film vibrating element to the adjacent second thin film vibrating element or the first thin film vibrating element.

[0014] With this, since the partition member is disposed between the adjacent thin film vibration elements (first and second thin film vibration elements), it is possible to suppress transmission of vibration (crosstalk) to the adjacent thin film vibration elements. Therefore, in a plurality of thin film vibration elements arranged in a plurality of divisions in a desired vibration application area, it is possible to vibrate only the thin film vibration element to which vibration is to be applied without being affected by adjacent thin film vibration elements.

[0015] A vibrating body according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, wherein the partition member is a vibration absorbing material having a property of absorbing vibrations. As a result, since a partition member having a vibration absorbing effect is disposed between adjacent thin film vibration elements (first and second thin film vibration elements), the transmission of vibration to the adjacent thin film vibration elements can be effectively suppressed.

[0016] The vibrator of the eighth invention is a vibrator of the first or second invention, wherein the thin film vibrator element has a first thin film vibrator element and a second thin film vibrator element adjacent to each other, is arranged between the first thin film vibrator element and the second thin film vibrator element on the flexible substrate, and further includes a slit portion that suppresses transmission of vibrations generated in the first thin film or the second thin film vibrator element to the adjacent second thin film vibrator element or the first thin film vibrator element.

[0017] As a result, since a slit is arranged between adjacent thin film vibration elements (first and second thin film vibration elements) on the flexible substrate, it is possible to suppress the transmission of vibration to adjacent thin film vibration elements (crosstalk). Therefore, in a plurality of thin film vibration elements arranged in a plurality of divisions in a desired vibration application area, it is possible to vibrate only the thin film vibration element to which vibration is to be applied without being affected by adjacent thin film vibration elements.

[0018] The vibrator of the ninth invention is a vibrator of the first or second invention, wherein the thin film vibrator element has a first thin film vibrator element and a second thin film vibrator element adjacent to each other, and is arranged between the first thin film vibrator element and the second thin film vibrator element, and further comprises a partition member that suppresses transmission of vibrations generated in the first thin film or the second thin film vibrator element to the adjacent second thin film vibrator element or the first thin film vibrator element. As a result, by positioning the slit formed in the flexible substrate and the partition member between adjacent thin film vibration elements, it is possible to more effectively suppress the transmission of vibrations to adjacent thin film vibration elements.

[0019] A vibrating body according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the housing has a groove, and the vibrating body is disposed along the groove. As a result, for example, by arranging thin-film vibration elements on a three-dimensional surface such as a groove in a grip portion, when multiple thin-film vibration elements vibrate, a three-dimensional sound effect can be obtained due to phase difference, beats, etc.

[0020] A vibration unit according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention includes the vibrator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, and a control unit that applies a voltage to each of two of the plurality of thin film vibration elements. Thereby, for example, when it is detected that a user's finger has touched a desired vibration application area, the control unit can apply a predetermined voltage to the thin film vibration element to generate vibration.

[0021] A vibration unit according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the vibration unit according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, wherein the control unit applies voltages to adjacent thin film vibration elements so as to generate vibrations of opposite phases. As a result, the control unit can impart vibrations of the opposite phase to the thin film vibration element generating the vibration to the thin film vibration element adjacent to the thin film vibration element generating the vibration, making the user feel as if the thin film vibration element adjacent to the thin film vibration element generating the vibration is not vibrating.

[0022] The vibration unit of the 13th invention is the vibration unit of the 11th invention, wherein the control unit has an oscillator circuit that vibrates the thin film vibration element, and performs anti-phase control by reverse wiring so that adjacent thin film vibration elements generate vibrations of opposite phases using a single oscillator circuit. As a result, the control unit can impart vibrations of the opposite phase to the thin film vibration element generating the vibration to the thin film vibration element adjacent to the thin film vibration element generating the vibration, making the user feel as if the thin film vibration element adjacent to the thin film vibration element generating the vibration is not vibrating.

[0023] A controller according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention includes the vibration unit according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, and a housing portion including a curved surface to which a vibrating body is attached. This makes it possible to provide a controller for a game, PC (Personal Computer), etc., that can impart the desired vibration according to the progress of the game or the operation status on the PC, while maintaining the desired vibration characteristics while suppressing the occurrence of cracks in the thin-film vibration element.

[0024] A controller according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the controller according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, further comprising a contact detection sensor that detects contact of a user's finger with the vibration application area. When the contact detection sensor detects contact of a finger with the vibration application area, the control unit applies electricity to the thin film vibration element.

[0025] This allows the contact detection sensor to detect that the user has touched a specific vibration application area on the controller, and vibrations can be applied to the vibration application area. As a result, vibrations can be applied to the user's fingers at the timing when the fingers touch the vibration application area, depending on the control content (game content, etc.) using the controller. Effect of the Invention

[0026] According to the vibrating body of the present invention, when the thin film vibration element is attached to a mounting surface including a curved surface, the occurrence of cracks can be suppressed and desired vibration characteristics can be maintained. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing the configuration of a controller equipped with a vibration unit including a vibrating body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of a vibrator of a vibration unit included in the controller of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the vibrating body of FIG. 1 is placed on a vibration applying area including a curved surface. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram for explaining the size of a vibration imparting area to which vibration is imparted by the vibrating body in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] (a) is a vibration distribution diagram when a single thin film vibration element is provided in the vibration application area as a comparative example. (b) is a vibration distribution diagram when the vibration body of Fig. 3 is installed. (c) is a vibration distribution diagram when the thin film vibration element of the vibration body of Fig. 3 is further divided to provide 3 × 3 thin film vibration elements. [Figure 6] (a) is a graph showing the results of a simulation regarding the relationship between the displacement and magnitude of vibration in the comparative example of Fig. 5(a). (b) is a graph showing the results of a simulation regarding the relationship between the displacement and magnitude of vibration when the vibrating body of Fig. 3 is installed. (c) is a graph showing the results of a simulation regarding the relationship between the displacement and magnitude of vibration when the vibrating body of Fig. 5(b) is installed and slits are provided in the flexible substrate. (d) is a graph showing the results of a simulation regarding the relationship between the displacement and magnitude of vibration when the 3 × 3 thin film vibration elements of Fig. 5(c) are installed. [Figure 7] 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration in which a partition member is provided between adjacent thin film vibration elements in the vibration body of FIG. 3. [Figure 8](a) is a perspective view showing the configuration of the vibrating body in Fig. 3 and its vibration distribution diagram. (b) is a perspective view showing the configuration in which the partition member in Fig. 7 is provided and its vibration distribution diagram. (c) is a perspective view showing the configuration in which the partition member in Fig. 7 is provided to restrain the back side of the thin film vibration element and its vibration distribution diagram. (d) is a perspective view showing the configuration in which the partition member in Fig. 7 is provided and a slit is provided in the flexible substrate in the part of the partition member and its vibration distribution diagram. [Figure 9] 8(a) to 8(d) are graphs showing the results of a simulation of the relationship between the displacement and the magnitude of vibration corresponding to Figs. 8(a) to 8(d), respectively. [Figure 10] 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which the vibrating body shown in FIG. 3 is placed on a curved surface such as a groove. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration in which the vibrator shown in FIG. 3 is installed on a curved surface of a controller such as a grip. [Figure 12] (a) is a diagram showing a vibrating body including thin-film vibration elements arranged in a 3 x 3 division according to another embodiment of the present invention, and its vibration distribution diagram; (b) is a diagram showing a vibrating body in which slits formed in a flexible substrate are added to the configuration of (a), and its vibration distribution diagram; (c) is a diagram showing a vibrating body in which the corners of the thin-film vibration elements are constrained at multiple points to the flexible substrate in the configuration of (a), and its vibration distribution diagram; [Figure 13] 12(a) to 12(c) are graphs showing the results of a simulation regarding the relationship between the displacement and the magnitude of vibration corresponding to FIGS. 12(a) to 12(c). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] A vibrating body 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention and a controller 1 including the same will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. FIG. In this embodiment, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or duplicate explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation from becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the applicant provides the accompanying drawings and the following description so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the present invention, and they are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0029] (1) Controller 1 Configuration The controller 1 of this embodiment is, for example, a game controller, and includes a vibration unit 30 including a vibrating body 10 and a control unit 20, and a contact detection sensor 15, as shown in FIG.

[0030] In the controller 1, the control unit 20 is connected to the contact detection sensor 15, and depending on the detection result of the contact detection sensor 15, current is passed through the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in the vibration imparting areas A1, A2, and A3, respectively, included in the vibrating body 10, to generate vibrations. Here, the contact detection sensors 15 are provided at positions corresponding to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c, respectively, which are placed in the vibration applying area A1 that includes a curved surface.

[0031] As a result, the control unit 20 controls the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in the vibration imparting areas A1, A2, and A3 included in the vibrating body 10 to be energized so that vibration is imparted to the areas where the contact detection sensor 15 detects that a finger has touched the areas.

[0032] (2) Configuration of vibration unit 30 As shown in FIG. 1, the vibration unit 30 according to this embodiment includes a vibrating body 10 and a control unit 20. The vibrating body 10 has a flexible substrate 12 and three thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c provided respectively for vibration application areas A1, A2, and A3 set on the flexible substrate 12. When a contact detection sensor 15 included in the controller 1 detects that a user's finger has touched the vibrating body 10, the vibrating body 10 is controlled by the control unit 20 so as to vibrate the thin film vibration elements 11a and the like arranged in the contacted area.

[0033] The detailed configuration of the vibrating body 10 will be described later. The control unit 20 energizes each of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c depending on the detection result of the contact detection sensor 15 or whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. As shown in Fig. 1, the control unit 20 has a control circuit 21, and oscillation circuits 22a, 22b, and 22c and amplifier circuits 23a, 23b, and 23c provided to correspond to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in the vibration application areas A1, A2, and A3, respectively.

[0034] The oscillation circuit 22a and the amplifier circuit 23a are provided to correspond to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c of the vibrating body 10 arranged in the vibration imparting area A1. The oscillation circuit 22b and the amplifier circuit 23b are provided to correspond to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c of the vibrating body 10 arranged in the vibration imparting area A2. The oscillation circuit 22c and the amplifier circuit 23c are provided to correspond to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c of the vibrating body 10 arranged in the vibration imparting area A3.

[0035] The oscillation circuits 22a, 22b, and 22c and the amplifier circuits 23a, 23b, and 23c are controlled by a single control circuit 21. The control circuit 21 is a processor that individually controls the vibration of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in each vibration application area A1, A2, and A3, and outputs a control signal that controls the vibration to the oscillator circuits 22a, 22b, and 22c corresponding to the vibration application areas A1, A2, and A3 to be vibrated.

[0036] The oscillator circuits 22a, 22b, and 22c output electrical signals having waveforms corresponding to the input control signals to the corresponding amplifier circuits 23a, 23b, and 23c. The amplifier circuits 23a, 23b, and 23c amplify the input electrical signals to generate drive signals for driving the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in each vibration imparting area A1, A2, and A3, and output the generated drive signals to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c in the corresponding vibration imparting areas A1, A2, and A3, respectively.

[0037] As a result, the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in the vibration applying areas A1, A2, and A3, respectively, generate vibrations according to the voltage of the waveform input as the drive signal. The waveform of the vibration generated in the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c is, for example, a sine wave, a sawtooth wave, a square wave, or other periodic waveform.

[0038] In addition, the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c can be vibrated with different waveforms for each vibration application area A1, A2, and A3 by controlling the vibration with the control unit 20. The amplitude of the vibration waveform of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c can also be controlled to be different for each vibration application area A1, A2, and A3. The frequency of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c is controlled between 50 and 500 Hz, and is preferably controlled at a frequency in the vicinity of 200 Hz.

[0039] Here, when the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are vibrated at different frequencies, the frequency difference between the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c is controlled to be, for example, between 1 and 50 Hz. When the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are vibrated at the same frequency, the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are controlled at different phases, and it is particularly preferable to control them at opposite phases.

[0040] For example, when the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c shown in Figure 2 are each controlled at 200 Hz, the thin film vibration element 11b and the adjacent thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c are connected to the oscillator circuit 22a in a reverse wiring manner, and are controlled to generate vibrations that are in opposite phase to each other. This makes it possible, for example, when vibrating the middle thin film vibration element 11b among the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c, to suppress transmission of the vibration to the adjacent thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c, thereby improving the S / N ratio. In the configuration shown in Figure 2, the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are connected in parallel, but the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c may be independently connected to the control unit 20.

[0041] (3) Configuration of vibrating body 10 The vibrating body 10 according to this embodiment applies vibration to a desired vibration application area A1 when electricity is applied, and includes a plurality of thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c, and a flexible substrate 12, as shown in FIG.

[0042] In the following description, of the three vibration application areas A1, A2, and A3 shown in FIG. 1, the simulation results for the vibration application area A1 will be described as an example, but the same applies to the other vibration application areas A2 and A3. As shown in FIG. 2, the thin-film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are substantially rectangular sheet-like members formed using piezoelectric elements having piezoelectric properties such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate), and vibrate when electricity is passed through them.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged in the vibration applying area A1 including the curved surface so that their longitudinal directions are aligned in a direction intersecting with the R direction of the curved surface. As a result, when the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are attached to an attachment position that includes a curved surface, the stress generated in the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c is smaller than when a single thin film vibration element is attached to the vibration imparting area A1, thereby suppressing the occurrence of defects such as cracks.

[0044] In addition, in the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, a wiring portion 13a is connected to the thin film vibrating elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged on the upper surface of the flexible substrate 12, as shown in FIG. The wiring portion 13a has a wiring electrode portion 13b at a first end where the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are provided, and a terminal portion 13c at a second end opposite thereto. The electrodes of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are electrically connected to the wiring electrode portion 13b by a conductive adhesive material (not shown) such as silver paste. Each terminal portion 13c is electrically connected to a control portion 20 that controls the vibration of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c.

[0045] The flexible substrate 12 has flexibility, and as shown in FIG. 1, a vibration applying area A1 for applying a desired vibration is provided on the upper surface thereof. In the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, a plurality of thin-film vibrating elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged adjacent to each other on a vibration imparting area A1 provided on the upper surface of a flexible substrate 12.

[0046] In this embodiment, the vibration application area A1 is set to be approximately the same size as the area touched by one finger of the user touching the controller 1, that is, the area pressed by one finger. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, when pressed by a finger, a finger (e.g., an index finger) having a maximum curvature equivalent to R7 is pressed against the element, and a thin-film vibration element having an approximately square shape of, for example, 8 mm on each side, is deformed by 1.26 mm.

[0047] Therefore, when three thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged corresponding to an area obtained by dividing the vibration application area A1 into three as in the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, for example, one short side is 2.67 mm, and the deformation amount is reduced to 0.13 mm. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of defects such as cracks when the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are attached to an attachment position including a curved surface.

[0048] The diameter of a human finger is said to be about R7 (ring size 4) to R9.5 (ring size 19). Therefore, when a roughly square thin-film vibration element with L=8 mm is pressed under the strictest condition (R7), the deformation amount is 1.26 mm. On the other hand, in the case of the thin-film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c divided into three parts as in this embodiment, the length of one short side is L=2.67 mm, so the deformation amount x is reduced to 0.13 mm from the following formula 1, and cracking of the thin-film piezoelectric element can be prevented.

number

[0049] <Vibration characteristics of thin-film vibration elements divided into multiple parts for the vibration application area> Here, we will use Figures 5(a) to 5(c) and Figures 6(a) to 6(d) to explain the change in vibration characteristics of vibration generated in a single vibration imparting area A1 when the above-mentioned thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c divided into three are used for the single vibration imparting area A1.

[0050] FIG. 5(a) shows, as a comparative example, the configuration of a vibrating body 510 in which one thin film vibrating element 511 is arranged for one vibration applying area A1. In the comparative example shown in FIG. 5(a), it is seen that vibration having a waveform with a maximum displacement of 90 μm is generated, as shown in FIG. 6(a). FIG. 5(b) shows a configuration in which three thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged for one vibration applying area A1, similar to FIG. 3 described above.

[0051] In the three-division configuration shown in FIG. 5(b), it can be seen that vibration having a waveform with a maximum displacement of 85 μm is maintained, as shown in FIG. 6(b). In addition, in the configuration shown in Figure 5(b), when a slit was added to the flexible substrate 12, it was found that, as shown in Figure 6(c), vibration was obtained in which the maximum displacement was maintained at approximately 90 μm while suppressing the transmission of vibration between adjacent thin-film vibration elements to a certain extent.

[0052] FIG. 5(c) shows a configuration in which nine thin film vibration elements 11aa, 11ab, 11ac, 11ba, 11bb, 11bc, 11ca, 11cb, and 11ca are arranged in one vibration imparting area A1. In the nine-division configuration shown in FIG. 5(c), it can be seen that the vibration having a waveform with a maximum displacement of μm is almost maintained, as shown in FIG. 6(c). From the above, in the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, even when multiple divided thin film vibration elements are provided for one vibration imparting area A1, it is possible to maintain vibration with the desired maximum displacement without a decrease in the vibration characteristics of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c, compared to a configuration in which a single thin film vibration element is provided.

[0053] <Suppression of crosstalk between adjacent thin-film vibration elements> In the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, as described above, a plurality of thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged adjacent to one vibration imparting area A1. Therefore, in the adjacent thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b and the adjacent thin film vibration elements 11b, for example, crosstalk occurs in which vibration generated in the thin film vibration element 11b is unintentionally transmitted to the adjacent thin film vibration element 11a, 11c.

[0054] Therefore, in the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, in a configuration in which a plurality of thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, and 11f are arranged adjacent to each other in the vibration imparting area A1 described above, as shown in, for example, FIG. 7, a partition member 31 may be provided in the adjacent portions. As a result, for example, when the thin film vibration element 11b shown in FIG. 7 is vibrated, the partition member 31 can suppress the vibration transmitted to the adjacent thin film vibration elements 11a, 11c, and 11e.

[0055] In addition to the partition member 31, the vibration suppression effect on adjacent thin film vibration elements can also be obtained by a configuration in which the back surface of the thin film vibration element is restrained to the flexible substrate 12, or by a configuration in which a slit is formed in the portion of the flexible substrate 12 where the thin film vibration elements are adjacent to each other. Here, for example, in Figure 8(a), three thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged adjacent to each other on a flexible substrate 12, and the upper part shows that thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c are driven to generate vibrations, and the lower part shows a vibration distribution diagram verifying whether vibrations are transmitted to thin film vibration element 11b in a stopped state.

[0056] In this case, since there is no partition member 31 or slit 32, it can be seen that a certain amount of vibration is transmitted to the central thin film vibration element 11b. Next, in Figure 8(b), the upper part shows that vibrations are generated by driving thin-film vibration elements 11a and 11c, which have a partition member 31 provided in an adjacent portion, and the lower part shows a vibration distribution diagram verifying whether vibrations are transmitted to thin-film vibration element 11b in a stopped state.

[0057] In this case, in comparison with the result of FIG. 8(a), it is found that the partition member 31 has a vibration suppressing effect on the central thin film vibration element 11b. The partition member 31 may be made of a vibration absorbing material having a vibration absorbing effect. In this case, vibrations from the adjacent thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c can be more effectively suppressed.

[0058] Next, in Figure 8(c), the upper part shows a configuration in which a partition member 31 is provided in the adjacent portion and the back surfaces of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are restrained by a flexible substrate 12, in which the thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c are driven to generate vibrations, and the lower part shows a vibration distribution diagram verifying whether vibrations are transmitted to the thin film vibration element 11b in a stopped state. In this case, compared with the result of FIG. 8(a), it is found that the effect of the partition member 31 and the rear surface constraint significantly suppresses the transmission of vibration to the central thin film vibration element 11b.

[0059] Next, in Figure 8(d), the upper part shows that vibrations are generated by driving thin-film vibration elements 11a and 11c, which have slits 32 provided at positions on the flexible substrate 12 corresponding to adjacent parts, and the lower part shows a vibration distribution diagram verifying whether vibrations are transmitted to the thin-film vibration element 11b in a stopped state. In this case, it is clear that the slits 32 suppress vibrations of the central thin film vibration element 11b, as compared with the result of FIG. 8(a).

[0060] As described above, in the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment, it has been found that the occurrence of crosstalk can be effectively suppressed by providing a partition member 31 or a slit 32 between adjacent thin film vibrating elements 11a, 11b, and 11c, or by binding the rear surfaces of the thin film vibrating elements 11a, 11b, and 11c to a flexible substrate 12. At this time, in the configurations of FIGS. 8(a) to 8(d), the change in the vibration displacement amount in each of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c will be described with reference to FIGS. 9(a) to 9(d).

[0061] In the graphs shown in Figures 9(a) to 9(d), the two peaks in each graph correspond to the vibrations in the thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c arranged on both sides, and the valley between the two peaks corresponds to the vibrations in the thin film vibration element 11b arranged in the center. In the configuration of Figure 8(a), as shown in Figure 9(a), although the displacement in the thin film vibration element 11b that does not generate vibration is smaller than the displacement (about 85 μm) in the thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c on either side of it, there is still a displacement of about 40 μm, indicating that vibration is being transmitted.

[0062] Next, in the configuration of Figure 8(b), as shown in Figure 9(b), due to the effect of the partition member 31, the displacement of the thin film vibration element 11b which does not generate vibration is suppressed to a displacement of about 35 μm, which is smaller than the displacement (about 80 μm) of the thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c on either side of it, and it can be seen that vibration is suppressed. Next, in the configuration of Figure 8(c), as shown in Figure 9(c), due to the effect of the partition member 31 and the rear surface constraint, the displacement of the thin film vibration element 11b that does not generate vibration is smaller than the displacement (approximately 35 μm) of the thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c on either side of it, and is suppressed to a displacement of almost 0 μm. However, it can be seen that the vibration displacement itself is small due to the movement restriction caused by the constraint.

[0063] Next, in the configuration of Figure 8(d), as shown in Figure 9(d), due to the effect of the slit 32, the displacement of the thin film vibration element 11b which does not generate vibration is smaller than the displacement (approximately 110 μm) of the thin film vibration elements 11a and 11c on either side of it, and is suppressed to a displacement of approximately 10 μm, thereby significantly suppressing vibration. From the above results, it can be seen that by providing the partition member 31 and the slits 32 in the portion where the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are adjacent to each other, it is possible to suppress the transmission of unintended vibrations without suppressing the displacement of vibrations.

[0064] On the other hand, although the rear surface constraint of the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c had a vibration transmission suppression effect, the vibration itself became small, and there was a risk that the desired vibration could not be imparted.

[0065] <Application Examples> An application example of the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. That is, the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment may be disposed along a groove portion 40 including an R-shape, as shown in FIG. In this case, when attaching the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b to the groove portion 40 including the curved surface, the approximately rectangular thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b are arranged so that their longitudinal direction runs along a direction intersecting the R direction of the curved surface, as shown in Figure 10, so that it is possible to prevent stress from being generated in the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b pressed by fingers, which would cause them to crack.

[0066] In addition, in a configuration in which a plurality of thin-film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are adjacently arranged in one vibration applying area A1, when a desired vibration is transmitted from the thin-film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c to a finger, the thin-film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c may be controlled to generate beats with vibrations having different phases or frequencies. Alternatively, the thin-film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c may generate vibrations that are linked to each other so as to generate vibrations with a time difference, thereby providing a sense of realism to a player of a game or the like.

[0067] Furthermore, the vibrating body 10 of this embodiment may be applied to a grip 50 used as a game controller, as shown in FIG. The grip 50 has a housing portion 50a including a plurality of projections and recesses in a portion that is to be gripped by the user's fingers (a portion corresponding to the five fingers). The thin film vibration elements 11a and 11b are arranged to sandwich the convex portion of the housing part 50a.

[0068] As a result, since the vibrating body 10 is provided at a position corresponding to each of the fingers of the hand gripping the grip 50, it is possible to impart a desired vibration to any or all of the fingers depending on the situation of the game, for example. In this case, vibration may be applied according to the progress of a game or the like, regardless of the detection result of the contact detection sensor 15.

[0069] <Major features> The vibrating body 10 of this embodiment is attached to a housing part including a curved surface and applies a desired vibration when electricity is applied, and includes a flexible substrate 12, a vibration applying area A1, and thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c as shown in Fig. 2. The vibration applying area A1 is provided on the flexible substrate 12 and is touched by the user's fingers. A plurality of thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are arranged on the vibration applying area A1 of the flexible substrate 12, and apply vibration when electricity is applied.

[0070] As a result, by using multiple thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c that divide a single vibration imparting area A1 into multiple parts, the stress applied to the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c when attached can be reduced, thereby suppressing the occurrence of cracks. Even when the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c divided into a plurality of parts are arranged in the vibration imparting area A1, it is possible to provide vibration characteristics that are approximately the same as those when a single thin film vibration element is arranged. As a result, when the thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c are attached to a mounting surface including a curved surface, the occurrence of cracks can be suppressed and desired vibration characteristics can be maintained.

[0071] [Other embodiments] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0072] (A) In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the vibration applying area A1 is divided into three thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c is provided is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the upper part of Figure 12(a), the vibrating body 110 may be provided with nine approximately square thin film vibrating elements 111aa, 111ab, 111ac, 111ba, 111bb, 111bc, 111ca, 111cb, and 111cc divided into vibration imparting area A1 on a flexible substrate 112.

[0073] In this case, the vibration displacement is greatest at the center and gradually decreases from the center toward the periphery, as shown in FIG. 13(a). Furthermore, as shown in the upper part of Figure 12(b), the vibrating body 210 may have nine divided, approximately square, thin film vibration elements 211aa, 211ab, 211ac, 211ba, 211bb, 211bc, 211ca, 211cb, and 211cc disposed in a vibration imparting area A1 on a flexible substrate 212, and slits 232 provided at positions corresponding to the spaces between the thin film vibration elements 211aa to 211cc on the flexible substrate 212.

[0074] In this case, as shown in the vibration distribution diagram in the lower part of Figure 12(b), compared to the lower part of Figure 12(a), when the thin film vibration element 211bb located in the center is vibrated, the vibration transmitted to the adjacent thin film vibration elements 211ab, 211bc, 211cb, and 211ba can be suppressed. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the maximum value of the vibration displacement is slightly smaller than that in FIG. 13(a), but it is clear that a sharp vibration can be imparted.

[0075] Therefore, in the configuration in which the flexible substrate 212 is provided with the slits 232, the maximum displacement of vibration does not decrease significantly, and the influence on the adjacent thin film vibration elements can be suppressed. Furthermore, as shown in the upper part of Figure 12 (c), the vibrating body 310 may be formed by providing nine substantially square thin film vibration elements 311aa, 311ab, 311ac, 311ba, 311bb, 311bc, 311ca, 311cb, and 311cc divided into nine parts in a vibration imparting area A1 on a flexible substrate 312, and restraining the four corners of each of the thin film vibration elements 311aa to 311cc against the flexible substrate 312.

[0076] However, in this case, as shown in the vibration distribution diagram in the lower part of Figure 12(c), it can be seen that the vibration transmitted to the adjacent thin film vibration element is not sufficiently suppressed compared to the lower part of Figure 12(a). In this case, as shown in FIG. 13(c), it is understood that the maximum value of the vibration displacement is significantly smaller than that in FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b).

[0077] (B) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the contact detection sensor 15 is provided for the vibration applying area A1, and when it detects that the user's finger touches the area, the vibrator 10 provided in the vibration applying area A1 applies vibration. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if a contact detection sensor is not provided and the device is applied to a game controller, the vibrator may be configured to impart vibration under desired conditions, such as the progress of the game.

[0078] (C) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a substantially rectangular thin-film vibration element or a substantially square thin-film vibration element is disposed adjacent to the vibration applying area A1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shape of multiple thin film vibration elements arranged adjacent to each other in the vibration imparting area is not limited to being approximately rectangular or approximately square in a planar view, but may be other shapes such as polygonal, triangular, circular, elliptical, etc., depending on the area and shape of the curved surface on which they are installed.

[0079] (D) In the above-described embodiments, the cases where the number of thin film vibration elements arranged adjacent to each other in the vibration applying area is three, six, and nine have been described as examples, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of thin film vibration elements arranged in the vibration imparting area is not limited to 3, 6, or 9, but may be other numbers such as 2, 4, or 8 depending on the area and shape of the curved surface on which they are installed.

[0080] (E) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a plurality of thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in one vibration applying area A1 are connected in parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0081] For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of thin-film vibration elements arranged for one vibration application area are connected to respective corresponding oscillation circuits and are individually controlled. However, when a plurality of thin film vibration elements are arranged for a vibration applying area including a curved surface, it is preferable to employ a configuration in which a plurality of thin film vibration elements are connected in parallel as in the above embodiment.

[0082] (F) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a plurality of thin film vibration elements 11a, 11b, and 11c arranged in one vibration applying area A1 are connected in parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be used in which a plurality of thin film vibration elements arranged for one vibration applying area are connected in series. However, when the vibration generation efficiency of the thin film vibration element is taken into consideration, it is more preferable to adopt a parallel connection configuration as in the above embodiment.

[0083] (G) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the configuration of the present invention is applied to the game controller 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the configuration of the present invention may be applied to other controllers such as a controller for a PC (Personal Computer).

[0084] <Additional Notes> The vibrating body according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises: A vibrator that is attached to a housing part including a curved surface and applies a desired vibration when electricity is applied, A flexible substrate; a vibration application area provided on the flexible substrate and touched by a user's fingers; a thin-film vibration element disposed in a vibration application area of ​​the flexible substrate and configured to apply vibration when energized; It is equipped with:

[0085] A vibrating body according to a second aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the first aspect of the present invention, The thin film vibration element has a substantially rectangular shape and is arranged such that the longitudinal direction is aligned in a direction intersecting the R direction of the curved surface. A vibrating body according to a third aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the first aspect of the present invention, The thin film vibration elements are arranged in an n×n matrix.

[0086] A vibrator according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a vibrator according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, The vibration application area is an area that is touched by one finger of the user. A vibrating body according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, The vibration application area is 15 to 30 mm 2 This is the area.

[0087] A vibrating body according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is a vibrating body according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, The thin film vibration element includes a first thin film vibration element and a second thin film vibration element adjacent to each other, The device further includes a partition member disposed between the first thin film vibration element and the second thin film vibration element, which suppresses transmission of vibrations generated in the first thin film or the second thin film vibration element to the adjacent second thin film vibration element or the first thin film vibration element.

[0088] A vibrating body according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the vibrating body according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, The partition member is a vibration absorbing material having vibration absorbing properties. A vibrator according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is a vibrator according to any one of the first to seventh aspects of the present invention, The thin film vibration element includes a first thin film vibration element and a second thin film vibration element adjacent to each other, The flexible substrate further includes a slit portion disposed between the first thin film vibration element and the second thin film vibration element, which suppresses transmission of vibrations generated in the first thin film or the second thin film vibration element to the adjacent second thin film vibration element or the first thin film vibration element.

[0089] A vibrator according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a vibrator according to any one of the first to eighth aspects of the present invention, The thin film vibration element includes a first thin film vibration element and a second thin film vibration element adjacent to each other, The device further includes a partition member disposed between the first thin film vibration element and the second thin film vibration element, which suppresses transmission of vibrations generated in the first thin film or the second thin film vibration element to the adjacent second thin film vibration element or the first thin film vibration element.

[0090] A vibrator according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is a vibrator according to any one of the first to ninth aspects of the present invention, The housing portion has a groove portion, The groove is disposed along the groove. A vibration unit according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention comprises a vibrator according to any one of the first to tenth aspects of the present invention; A control unit that applies a voltage to each of the thin film vibration elements; It is prepared.

[0091] A vibration unit according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is the vibration unit according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, The control unit applies the voltage to the thin film vibration elements adjacent to each other so as to generate vibrations of opposite phases. A vibration unit according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the vibration unit according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, The control unit has an oscillation circuit that vibrates the thin film vibration element, and performs anti-phase control by reverse wiring so that adjacent thin film vibration elements generate vibrations of opposite phases by the single oscillation circuit.

[0092] A controller according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention comprises: A vibration unit according to any one of the eleventh to thirteenth aspects of the present invention; a housing portion including a curved surface to which the vibrating body is attached; It is equipped with: A controller according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the controller according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, A contact detection sensor is further provided for detecting contact of a user's finger with the vibration application area, When the contact by the finger is detected by the contact detection sensor, the control unit applies electricity to the thin film vibration element. [Industrial Applicability]

[0093] The vibrating body of the present invention has the effect of suppressing the occurrence of cracks and maintaining desired vibration characteristics when the thin-film vibrating element is attached to a mounting surface including a curved surface, and therefore can be widely applied to vibrating bodies mounted on various devices, controllers, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1 Controller 10. Vibration body 11a thin film vibration element (second thin film vibration element) 11b thin film vibration element (first thin film vibration element) 11c Thin film vibration element (second thin film vibration element) 12 Flexible PCB 13a Wiring section 13b Wiring electrode part 13c Terminal section 15 Contact detection sensor 20 Control section 21 Control circuit 22a, 22b, 22c Oscillator circuit 23a, 23b, 23c Amplification circuit 30 Vibration Unit 31 Partition material (vibration absorber) 32 Slit 40 Groove 50 Grip 50a Housing 110 Vibration Body 111aa~111cc thin film vibration element 112 Flexible PCB 210 Vibration Body 211aa~211cc Thin film vibration element 212 Flexible PCB 232 Slit 310 Vibration Body 311aa~311cc Thin film vibration element 312 Flexible PCB A1, A2, A3 Vibration area

Claims

1. A vibrator that is attached to a housing part including a curved surface and applies a desired vibration when electricity is applied, A flexible substrate; a vibration application area provided on the flexible substrate and touched by a user's fingers; a thin-film vibration element arranged in a plurality of portions on the vibration applying area of ​​the flexible substrate, the thin-film vibration element applying vibration when energized; A vibrating body comprising:

2. The thin film vibration element has a substantially rectangular shape and is arranged such that its longitudinal direction is aligned in a direction intersecting with the R direction of the curved surface. The vibrating body according to claim 1 .

3. The thin film vibration elements are arranged in a matrix of n x n. The vibrating body according to claim 1 .

4. The vibration application area is an area that is touched by one finger of the user. The vibrating body according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The vibration application area is 15 to 30 mm ２ In the area of The vibrating body according to claim 4.

6. The thin film vibration element includes a first thin film vibration element and a second thin film vibration element adjacent to each other, The present invention further includes a partition member disposed between the first thin film vibration element and the second thin film vibration element, the partition member suppressing transmission of vibration generated in the first thin film vibration element or the second thin film vibration element to the adjacent second thin film vibration element or the first thin film vibration element. The vibrating body according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The partition member is a vibration absorbing material having a property of absorbing vibration. The vibrating body according to claim 6.

8. The thin film vibration element includes a first thin film vibration element and a second thin film vibration element adjacent to each other, The flexible substrate further includes a slit portion disposed between the first thin film vibration element and the second thin film vibration element, and configured to suppress transmission of vibration generated in the first thin film vibration element or the second thin film vibration element to the adjacent second thin film vibration element or the first thin film vibration element. The vibrating body according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The thin film vibration element includes a first thin film vibration element and a second thin film vibration element adjacent to each other, The present invention further includes a partition member disposed between the first thin film vibration element and the second thin film vibration element, the partition member suppressing transmission of vibration generated in the first thin film vibration element or the second thin film vibration element to the adjacent second thin film vibration element or the first thin film vibration element. The vibrating body according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The housing portion has a groove portion, Located along the groove portion, The vibrating body according to claim 1 or 2.

11. The vibrating body according to claim 1 or 2, A control unit that applies a voltage to each of the thin film vibration elements; Equipped with a vibration unit.

12. The control unit applies the voltage to the thin film vibration elements adjacent to each other so as to generate vibrations of opposite phases. A vibration unit according to claim 11.

13. The control unit has an oscillation circuit that vibrates the thin film vibration element, and performs anti-phase control by reverse wiring so that adjacent thin film vibration elements generate vibrations of opposite phases by the single oscillation circuit. A vibration unit according to claim 11.

14. A vibration unit according to claim 11; a housing portion including a curved surface to which the vibrating body is attached; A controller comprising:

15. A contact detection sensor is further provided for detecting contact of a user's finger with the vibration application area, The control unit applies electricity to the thin film vibration element when the contact by the finger is detected by the contact detection sensor. The controller of claim 14.

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