Dielectric elastomer-based flexible haptic actuator and haptic feedback device

Abstract

A dielectric elastomer-based flexible haptic actuator and a haptic feedback device. The dielectric elastomer-based flexible haptic actuator comprises at least one actuating membrane; the actuating membrane comprises an elastic dielectric layer, multiple electrode layers, and a limiting layer; and two electrode layers for being respectively electrically connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a power supply are respectively arranged on the inner and outer sides of the elastic dielectric layer. By providing the limiting layer on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer, when the elastic dielectric layer undergoes outward expansion, the actuating membrane generates bending stress under the action of the limiting layer, and lateral expansion and contraction of the elastic dielectric layer can be converted into a longitudinal protruding force under the bending stress, so that the actuating membrane undergoes longitudinal surface deformation and bends, thereby increasing the actuation deformation quantity and the actuation force; and upon removal of an electric field, the actuating membrane returns to a planar structure. The actuating membrane has a simple light and thin film-layer structure, so that when a high-frequency alternating electric field is applied to the actuating membrane, the actuating membrane can vibrate under the action of the alternating electric field, thereby generating a surface haptic actuation motion to form haptic feedback.

Description

Dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator and tactile feedback device Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of interactive electronic devices, and in particular to a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver and a tactile feedback device. Background Art

[0002] Current electronic devices primarily interact with humans through vision and hearing, leaving much of the human sense of touch unused during interaction. This lack of touch can actually diminish the user experience. Tactile feedback allows humans to experience the real physical properties of objects online or in virtual scenes while interacting with electronic products, enhancing the sense of immersion.

[0003] To achieve the sensation of touch, various haptic technologies are being researched. Currently, tactile actuators mainly include rigid and flexible types. Rigid tactile actuators, due to their rigid structure, are difficult to adapt to the flexible tissues of the human body and are bulky, reducing the naturalness of the interaction. Flexible tactile actuators, due to their inherent softness, can adapt well to the human body. Currently, flexible tactile actuators mainly include pneumatic tactile actuators, electromagnetic tactile actuators, piezoelectric tactile actuators, and dielectric tactile actuators. Pneumatic tactile actuators require an additional air pump as a pneumatic power source. This air pump is bulky and requires a separate air tube to inflate the actuator, which significantly restricts the flexibility of the tactile actuator. Electromagnetic actuators require an electromagnetic field to drive them. The external electromagnetic field is large, and the current in the coil used to generate the magnetic field is high, which will generate a lot of heat and limit the application of tactile actuators. Piezoelectric and dielectric tactile actuators have the advantage of being lightweight, but this also brings another problem: low driving force and a narrow bandwidth of tactile feedback.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of this application is to propose a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver and a tactile feedback device, aiming to provide a tactile driver that is light, thin, has a large driving capability, and can generate a wide range of tactile feedback bandwidth.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present application proposes a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver, wherein the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver comprises:

[0007] The device comprises at least one driving membrane, wherein the driving membrane comprises:

[0008] an elastic dielectric layer having an inner side and an outer side disposed opposite to each other in the thickness thereof;

[0009] a plurality of electrode layers, one electrode layer being disposed on the inner side and the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer, wherein one electrode layer is used to be electrically connected to the positive electrode of the power supply, and the other is used to be electrically connected to the negative electrode of the power supply; and

[0010] The restriction layer is provided on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer and on the side of the electrode layer facing away from the elastic dielectric layer. The restriction layer is used to restrict the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer from deformation when the two electrode layers are energized.

[0011] Optionally, the elastic dielectric layer is provided with multiple layers, an electrode layer is provided on the inner side and the outer side of each elastic dielectric layer, and the restriction layer is located on the side of the innermost electrode layer facing away from the elastic dielectric layer.

[0012] Optionally, an electrode layer is provided between every two adjacent elastic dielectric layers.

[0013] Optionally, a plurality of electrode layers for being electrically connected to the positive electrode of a power supply are arranged in parallel;

[0014] A plurality of electrode layers for electrically connecting to the negative pole of a power supply are arranged in parallel.

[0015] Optionally, the driving membrane further includes a protective layer arranged on the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer, and the protective layer is located on a side of the electrode layer facing away from the elastic dielectric layer.

[0016] Optionally, two driving films are provided, and the two restriction layers are arranged opposite to each other;

[0017] The dielectric elastomer flexible haptic actuator further includes an adhesive layer, which securely connects the two restriction layer portions.

[0018] Optionally, the bonding layer includes a plurality of bonding segments, and the plurality of bonding segments are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the restriction layer.

[0019] Optionally, the elastic dielectric layer is made of silicone or polydimethylsiloxane.

[0020] Optionally, the driving membrane is configured to be circular or polygonal.

[0021] The present application further provides a tactile feedback device, the tactile feedback device comprising a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver, the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver comprising:

[0022] The device comprises at least one driving membrane, wherein the driving membrane comprises:

[0023] an elastic dielectric layer having an inner side and an outer side disposed opposite to each other in the thickness thereof;

[0024] a plurality of electrode layers, one electrode layer being disposed on the inner side and the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer, wherein one electrode layer is used to be electrically connected to the positive electrode of the power supply, and the other is used to be electrically connected to the negative electrode of the power supply; and

[0025] The restriction layer is provided on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer and on the side of the electrode layer away from the elastic dielectric layer. The restriction layer is used to restrict the deformation of the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer when the two electrode layers are energized.

[0026] In the technical solution provided in the present application, two electrode layers are respectively arranged on both sides of the elastic dielectric layer, one of the electrode layers is used to be electrically connected to the positive pole of the power supply, and the other is used to be electrically connected to the negative pole of the power supply. When the power supply is connected to the electrode layers, a high-intensity electric field will be generated between the two electrode layers. The elastic dielectric layer will expand and swell under the action of the electric field, and its volume will increase in the direction perpendicular to the electric field. By arranging the restriction layer on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer, when the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer expands, the driving membrane generates bending stress under the action of the restriction layer. Under the action of the bending stress, the lateral expansion and contraction of the elastic dielectric layer can be converted into a longitudinal convex force, which will cause the driving membrane to produce longitudinal surface deformation and bend, thereby increasing the driving deformation and driving force. When the electric field is removed, the driving membrane will return to a planar structure. The driving membrane has a simple and thin film structure. When a high-frequency alternating electric field is passed through the driving membrane, the driving membrane will vibrate under the action of the alternating electric field, thereby generating surface tactile driving movement to form tactile feedback, thereby providing a tactile driver that is light, thin, has a large driving capability, and can generate a wide range of tactile feedback bandwidth. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0028] FIG1 is a perspective schematic diagram of an embodiment of a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator provided by the present application;

[0029] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of electrical connection of the electrode layers on both sides of the elastic dielectric layer in FIG1 ;

[0030] FIG3 is a side view of the driving membrane in FIG1 ;

[0031] Figure 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A in Figure 3;

[0032] FIG5 is a side view of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator in FIG1 ;

[0033] Figure 6 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point B in Figure 5;

[0034] FIG7 is a side view of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator in FIG1 when powered on;

[0035] FIG8 is a schematic plan view of the restricting layer and the adhesive layer in FIG1 .

[0036] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0037] The realization of the objectives, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present application involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0040] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present application, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or suggesting their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the meaning of "and / or" appearing throughout the text includes three parallel schemes. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or a scheme in which A and B are satisfied at the same time. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement it. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this application.

[0041] To achieve the sensation of touch, various haptic technologies are being researched. Currently, tactile actuators mainly include rigid and flexible types. Rigid tactile actuators, due to their rigid structure, are difficult to adapt to the flexible tissues of the human body and are bulky, reducing the naturalness of the interaction. Flexible tactile actuators, due to their inherent softness, can adapt well to the human body. Currently, flexible tactile actuators mainly include pneumatic tactile actuators, electromagnetic tactile actuators, piezoelectric tactile actuators, and dielectric tactile actuators. Pneumatic tactile actuators require an additional air pump as a pneumatic power source. This air pump is bulky and requires a separate air tube to inflate the actuator, which significantly restricts the flexibility of the tactile actuator. Electromagnetic actuators require an electromagnetic field to drive them. The external electromagnetic field is large, and the current in the coil used to generate the magnetic field is high, which will generate a lot of heat and limit the application of tactile actuators. Piezoelectric and dielectric tactile actuators have the advantage of being lightweight, but this also brings another problem: low driving force and a narrow bandwidth of tactile feedback.

[0042] To address the above-mentioned issues, the present application provides a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver. FIG1 is a perspective schematic diagram of an embodiment of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver provided by the present application; FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection of the electrode layers on both sides of the elastic dielectric layer in FIG1 ; FIG3 is a side schematic diagram of the driving membrane in FIG1 ; and FIG4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of point A in FIG3 ;

[0043] FIG5 is a side view of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator in FIG1 ; FIG6 is an enlarged schematic view of point B in FIG5 ;

[0044] FIG7 is a side schematic diagram of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator in FIG1 when powered on; FIG8 is a plan schematic diagram of the restriction layer and the adhesive layer in FIG1 .

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver 100 includes at least one driving membrane 10, and the driving membrane 10 includes an elastic dielectric layer 1, multiple electrode layers 2 and a restriction layer 3. The elastic dielectric layer 1 has an inner side and an outer side that are oppositely arranged in its thickness; the inner side and the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer 1 are respectively provided with an electrode layer 2, wherein one electrode layer 2 is used to be electrically connected to the positive pole of the power supply, and the other is used to be electrically connected to the negative pole of the power supply; the restriction layer 3 is provided on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer 1, and is located on the side of the electrode layer 2 away from the elastic dielectric layer 1. The restriction layer 3 is used to limit the deformation of the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer 1 when the two electrode layers 2 are energized.

[0046] It should be noted that the elastic dielectric layer 1 is generally an elastic film layer made of a dielectric material, and the dielectric material generally has a polarization effect. Dielectric material polarization refers to the process of separation and rearrangement of positive and negative charges in the dielectric layer under the action of an electric field. Because the molecules or atoms in the dielectric material are displaced under the action of the electric field, the positive and negative charges are separated. This separation will trigger the generation of an electric dipole moment, that is, the displacement of the centers of positive and negative charges inside the dielectric material. The generation of an electric dipole moment will cause the stress distribution inside the dielectric layer to change, thereby generating the effect of force. It is understandable that the direction and magnitude of these forces depend on the direction and intensity of the electric field, as well as the characteristics of the dielectric layer. If the force of the electric field is large enough, the dielectric layer will deform.

[0047] The electrode layer 2 may be a separately provided film layer, or may be a coating structure coated on the surface of the elastic dielectric layer 1 . The electrode layer 2 may change accordingly with the deformation of the elastic dielectric layer 1 .

[0048] It should also be noted that the restricting layer 3 refers to a film layer made of a flexible and non-stretchable material, which can be a PI tape, or of course a film layer made of other possible materials. The specific material can be determined according to actual conditions, and this specification does not limit this.

[0049] In the technical solution provided in the present application, two electrode layers 2 are respectively arranged on both sides of the elastic dielectric layer 1, one of the electrode layers 2 is used to be electrically connected to the positive pole of the power supply, and the other is used to be electrically connected to the negative pole of the power supply. When the power supply is connected to the electrode layer 2, a high-intensity electric field will be generated between the two electrode layers 2. The elastic dielectric layer 1 will expand and swell under the action of the electric field, and its volume will increase in the direction perpendicular to the electric field. By arranging the restriction layer 3 on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer 1, when the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer 1 expands, the driving membrane 10 generates bending stress under the action of the restriction layer 3. Under the action of the bending stress, the lateral expansion and contraction of the elastic dielectric layer 1 can be converted into a longitudinal convex force, which will cause the driving membrane 10 to produce longitudinal surface deformation and bend, thereby increasing the driving deformation and driving force. When the electric field is removed, the driving membrane 10 will return to a planar structure. The driving membrane 10 has a simple, thin membrane structure. When a high-frequency alternating electric field is passed through the driving membrane 10, the driving membrane 10 will vibrate under the action of the alternating electric field, thereby generating surface tactile driving movement to form tactile feedback, thereby providing a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver 100 that is thin, has a large driving capability, and can generate a wide range of tactile feedback bandwidth.

[0050] It is understandable that since the direction and magnitude of the force acting on the elastic dielectric layer 1 depend on the direction and strength of the electric field, as a tactile feedback element, the strength and direction of the electric field can be adjusted according to needs to achieve different undulation intensities to create different surface morphologies of touch.

[0051] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the elastic dielectric layer 1 is provided with multiple layers, and an electrode layer 2 is provided on both the inner and outer sides of each elastic dielectric layer 1. The restricting layer 3 is located on the side of the innermost electrode layer 2 facing away from the elastic dielectric layer 1. Thus, when an electric field is applied to the stacked connection of multiple elastic dielectric layers 1, each elastic dielectric layer 1 will experience corresponding polarization effects and deformation when exposed to the electric field. These deformation effects may be superimposed on each other between different elastic dielectric layers 1, resulting in greater deformation at the entire stacked connection. In addition, the stacked connection of multiple elastic dielectric layers 1 may also introduce boundary effects, where the interfaces between the elastic dielectric layers 1 will affect the deformation. These interfaces may cause stress concentration or uneven deformation, further increasing the degree of deformation.

[0052] In this embodiment, an electrode layer 2 is disposed between each two adjacent elastic dielectric layers 1. With this arrangement, each two adjacent elastic dielectric layers 1 can share one electrode layer 2, which simultaneously forms two electric fields with the two adjacent electrode layers 2 on both sides, simplifying the structure.

[0053] It is understood that the plurality of electrode layers 2 are sequentially formed along their thickness direction to form a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and so on, so that each electrode layer 2 is located in the electric field formed between the positive and negative electrodes on both sides. It is understood that each pair of adjacent electrode layers 2 can be electrically connected to a power source, and therefore, multiple adjacent electrode layers 2 need to be electrically connected to multiple power sources.

[0054] Preferably, in this embodiment, multiple electrode layers 2 for electrical connection to the positive pole of a power source are arranged in parallel; multiple electrode layers 2 for electrical connection to the negative pole of a power source are arranged in parallel. In this way, multiple electrode layers 2 that need to be electrically connected to a power source of the same polarity are connected in parallel using wires, and the positive and negative wires are led out from both sides of the structure, respectively, to avoid sparking and breakdown between the wires due to high voltage.

[0055] In this embodiment, the driving membrane 10 further includes a protective layer 4 disposed on the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer 1. The protective layer 4 is located on the side of the electrode layer 2 facing away from the elastic dielectric layer 1. The protective layer 4 can be configured as a film layer made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or other materials. The specific material can be determined based on actual conditions and is not limited in this embodiment. The protective layer 4 protects the driving membrane 10, preventing leakage when a person touches the driving membrane 10.

[0056] In another embodiment, referring to Figures 5 to 7 , two driving membranes 10 are provided, and the two restricting layers 3 are disposed opposite each other. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator 100 further includes an adhesive layer 5 that securely connects the two restricting layers 3. With this arrangement, when an electric field is applied, the central portions of the two driving membranes 10 bend away from each other, forming an arched structure. Thus, under the action of the electric field, the two driving membranes 10 increase the longitudinal deformation and driving force of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator 100, resulting in a more pronounced tactile feedback effect.

[0057] In this embodiment, referring to FIG8 , the adhesive layer 5 includes a plurality of adhesive segments 51, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the restricting layer 3. This arrangement allows each elastic dielectric layer 1 to drive the other film layers to have more free movement, reducing the restrictions on the movement of the upper and lower structures, and improving the output capacity of the dielectric elastomer flexible haptic actuator 100 in terms of deformation and driving force.

[0058] In order to enable the elastic dielectric layer 1 to deform under an electric field, in this embodiment, the elastic dielectric layer 1 is made of silicone or polydimethylsiloxane. Of course, other materials may also be used, such as polyurethane, nitrile rubber, polyethylene terephthalate, etc. The specific material can be determined according to actual conditions and is not limited in this embodiment.

[0059] In this embodiment, the driving membrane 10 is configured as a circle or a polygon. The polygon can be an equilateral triangle, a regular hexagon, or the like. Of course, the shape of the driving membrane 10 is not limited to the above examples. Those skilled in the art, inspired by the technical essence of the embodiments of this specification, may make other modifications. However, as long as the functions and effects achieved are the same or similar to those of the embodiments of this specification, they shall be covered by the scope of protection of the embodiments of this specification.

[0060] The present application also provides a tactile feedback device, which includes the above-mentioned dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver. The tactile feedback device also includes a control device and a power supply, etc. Since the tactile feedback device includes the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver, the specific structure of the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver refers to the above-mentioned embodiment. Since the dielectric elastomer flexible tactile driver of the tactile feedback device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0061] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present application description and drawings under the inventive concept of the present application, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator, characterized in that The invention comprises at least one driving film, wherein the driving film comprises: an elastic dielectric layer having an inner side and an outer side disposed opposite to each other in thickness; A plurality of electrode layers, one electrode layer is disposed on the inner side and the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer respectively, wherein one electrode layer is used to be electrically connected to the positive electrode of the power source, and the other electrode layer is used to be electrically connected to the negative electrode of the power source; and, The restriction layer is arranged on the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer and located on the side of the electrode layer away from the elastic dielectric layer. The restriction layer is used to restrict the inner side of the elastic dielectric layer from deforming when the two electrode layers are energized.

2. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic dielectric layer is provided with multiple layers, and an electrode layer is provided on the inner side and the outer side of each elastic dielectric layer. The restriction layer is located on the side of the innermost electrode layer away from the elastic dielectric layer.

3. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that, An electrode layer is disposed between each two adjacent elastic dielectric layers.

4. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, A plurality of electrode layers for being electrically connected to the positive electrode of a power source are arranged in parallel; A plurality of electrode layers for being electrically connected to the negative electrode of a power source are arranged in parallel.

5. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 1, wherein The driving film further includes a protection layer arranged on the outer side of the elastic dielectric layer, and the protection layer is located on a side of the electrode layer away from the elastic dielectric layer.

6. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The driving membranes are provided with two, and the two restricting layers are arranged opposite to each other; The dielectric elastomer flexible haptic actuator further includes an adhesive layer, which securely connects the two restriction layer portions.

7. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bonding layer includes a plurality of bonding segments, and the plurality of bonding segments are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the restriction layer.

8. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the elastic dielectric layer includes silicone and polydimethylsiloxane.

9. The dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that The driving film is configured to be circular or polygonal.

10. A tactile feedback device, characterized in that, The invention comprises a dielectric elastomer flexible tactile actuator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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