Vibration actuator for use with wearable electronic devices

Abstract

This disclosure provides a vibration actuator for use with wearable electronic devices. The vibration actuator includes a ferrite material plate positioned between two magnetic material plates, and a conductive coil positioned around the ferrite material plate and electrically insulated. These three material plates and the coil are housed in a shell that protects and structurally supports the components of the vibration actuator, so that no adhesive or any other intervening material is required between the ferrite material plate and the two magnetic material plates. In response to a control voltage applied to the conductive coil that generates an electromagnetic field, a desired electromechanical response is induced in at least one of the material plates, such as a vibration pattern over a predetermined duration at a predetermined frequency, beat, and / or intensity.

Claims

1. A first plate located in a first plane and containing a magnetic material having a first polarity, A second plate comprising a magnetic material located in a second plane and having a second polarity, wherein the second plane is substantially parallel to the first plane and located at a distance from the first plane, and the first polarity is opposite the second polarity, and the second plate is A third plate having an outer circumference and containing a ferrite-based material located between the first plate and the second plate, within a first magnetic field created by the first plate and the second plate, A conductive coil located around the outer circumference of the third plate, the conductive coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, The first plate, the second plate, the third plate, and the shell enclosing the conductive coil, A vibration actuator comprising, The shell structurally supports the third plate by physically contacting it between the first plate and the second plate, and structurally supports the conductive coil at least around the outer circumference of the third plate. A vibration actuator wherein, in response to a current flowing through the conductive coil, the conductive coil induces a second magnetic field, and the second magnetic field induces an electromechanical response in at least one of the first plate, the second plate, or the third plate.

2. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first plate and the third plate are in direct physical contact substantially without any intervening material, and the second plate and the third plate are in direct physical contact substantially without any intervening material.

3. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the shell directly holds the first plate and the second plate with respect to the third plate.

4. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the third plate is a single continuous component of a ferrite material.

5. The vibration actuator according to claim 4, wherein the third plate is substantially free of any gaps, voids, or cracks.

6. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein both the first polarity and the second polarity have an N pole in contact with the third plate.

7. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a first support ring and a second support ring, wherein the first support ring and the second support ring are positioned around the conductive coil and are constructed to hold the conductive coil in a position around the third plate.

8. The vibration actuator according to claim 7, wherein the first support ring and the second support ring are made of plastic.

9. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the conductive coil is formed from an insulated wire, and the conductive coil is electrically insulated from the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate.

10. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a gap between the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate, wherein the conductive coil is sufficient to prevent electrical contact between the conductive coil and the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate.

11. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the conductive coil is wound once around the outer circumference of the third plate to achieve a single turn around the third plate.

12. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the conductive coil is wound multiple times around the outer circumference of the third plate, thereby achieving multiple turns around the third plate.

13. The vibration actuator according to claim 12, wherein the conductive coil is a conductive wire around which an insulating material is wound to electrically insulate each turn of the conductive coil from other turns within the conductive coil.

14. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the shell airtightly seals the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate.

15. The shell enclosing the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate is substantially waterproof. The vibration actuator according to claim 1.

16. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the conductive coil are accessible from outside the shell.

17. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the conductive coil are embedded in the shell and penetrate the shell.

18. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit and a power supply.

19. The vibration actuator according to claim 18, wherein the control circuit, which receives power from the power supply, is configured to apply control signals to the first terminal and the second terminal of the conductive coil.

20. The vibration actuator according to claim 18, further comprising a wireless communication circuit that electrically communicates with the control circuit.

21. The vibration actuator according to claim 18, wherein the power source is a battery.

22. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate exhibits a desired electromechanical response in response to one of a control voltage or control voltage pattern applied across the first and second terminals of the conductive coil.

23. The vibration actuator according to claim 22, wherein the desired electromechanical response is that at least one of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate vibrates at at least one of a pre-selected frequency, a pre-selected pitch, a pre-selected beat, a pre-selected pattern, or a pre-selected intensity for a pre-selected duration.

24. The vibration actuator according to claim 22, wherein the desired electromechanical response includes the vibration actuator vibrating at a frequency in the range of 10 Hz to 300 Hz.

25. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein the vibration actuator is configured to have a center frequency between 30 Hz and 40 Hz.

26. The vibration actuator according to claim 22, wherein the shell is configured to couple the desired electromechanical response to a material layer that is in direct physical contact with the vibration actuator.

27. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein all of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate are one of a square, rectangular, circular, elliptical, or irregular shape.

28. The vibration actuator according to claim 1, wherein a current is induced in the conductive coil in response to the movement of the third plate caused by external vibration.

29. A wearable electronic device including a vibration actuator, wherein the vibration actuator is A first plate located in a first plane and containing a magnetic material having a first polarity, A second plate comprising a magnetic material located in a second plane and having a second polarity, wherein the second plane is substantially parallel to the first plane and located at a distance from the first plane, and the first polarity is opposite the second polarity, and the second plate is A third plate having an outer circumference and located between the first plate and the second plate, comprising a ferrite-based material, A conductive coil located at least around the outer circumference of the third plate, wherein the conductive coil has a first terminal and a second terminal, A shell enclosing the first plate, the second plate, the third plate, and the conductive coil, wherein the shell structurally supports the third plate by physically contacting it with the first plate and the second plate, and structurally supports the conductive coil around the outer circumference of the third plate, Power supply and A control circuit is configured to receive power from the aforementioned power supply and to apply at least one of a control voltage or a control voltage pattern across the first terminal and the second terminal of the conductive coil, A fixing element configured to secure the wearable electronic device to the user and to transmit mechanical vibrations from the wearable electronic device to the user, Equipped with, A wearable electronic device wherein, in response to the control voltage applied across the first and second terminals, the vibration actuator exhibits a desired electromechanical response realized as mechanical vibration.

30. The wearable electronic device according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate exhibits a desired electromechanical response in response to one of a control voltage or control voltage pattern applied across the first and second terminals of the conductive coil.

31. The wearable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the desired electromechanical response is that at least one of the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate vibrates at at least one of a pre-selected frequency, a pre-selected pitch, a pre-selected beat, a pre-selected pattern, or a pre-selected intensity for a pre-selected duration.

32. The wearable electronic device according to claim 30, wherein the desired electromechanical response includes the vibration actuator vibrating at a frequency in the range of 10 Hz to 300 Hz.

33. The wearable electronic device according to claim 29, wherein the vibration actuator is configured to have a center frequency between 30 Hz and 40 Hz.

34. A wearable electronic device, A first module including at least one battery, A second module including a vibration actuator, A third module includes at least one power supply and control circuit that receives power from the first module and supplies an electrical input to the vibration actuator, A first flexible member connecting the first module and the second module, the first flexible member including a conductive element that provides a first electrical connection between the first module and the second module, A second flexible member connecting the second module and the third module, the second flexible member including a conductive element that provides a second electrical connection between the second module and the third module, Equipped with, A wearable electronic device wherein the second module is positioned between the first module and the second module, and the first flexible member and the second flexible member have sufficient flexibility to conform to a non-planar surface.

35. The system includes a vibration actuator, and the vibration actuator is A first plate located in a first plane and containing a magnetic material having a first polarity, A second plate comprising a magnetic material located in a second plane and having a second polarity, wherein the second plane is substantially parallel to the first plane and located at a distance from the first plane, and the first polarity is opposite the second polarity, and the second plate is A third plate having an outer circumference and located between the first plate and the second plate, comprising a ferrite-based material, A conductive coil located at least around the outer circumference of the third plate, wherein the conductive coil has a first terminal and a second terminal, A shell enclosing the first plate, the second plate, the third plate, and the conductive coil, wherein the shell structurally supports the third plate by physically contacting it with the first plate and the second plate, and structurally supports the conductive coil around the outer circumference of the third plate, Equipped with, The wearable electronic device according to claim 34, wherein the vibration actuator exhibits an electromechanical response realized as mechanical vibration in response to a control voltage applied across the first and second terminals.

36. The wearable electronic device according to claim 35, wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are configured to isolate the first module and the third module from vibrations generated by the second module.

Images