Vibration generation device

Abstract

The present invention comprises: a housing that is provided with a frame body, an upper lid, and a lower lid; and a mobile body that is provided with a permanent magnet and that is held within the housing so as to be able to vibrate, wherein the upper lid has an upper lid guide, the lower lid has a lower lid guide, the mobile body has a mobile body guide that is positioned between the upper lid guide and the lower lid guide, and the upper lid and the lower lid are provided with a positioning part that restricts the position with respect to the frame body, and are provided with a ferromagnet part that is formed from a ferromagnet in at least a portion of a flat part.

Description

Vibration generating device ,

[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration generating device.

[0002] In a vibration generating device that generates vibration using a magnet, a technique is known in which a housing incorporating a movable body or a coil is composed of a frame body and a lid body. In such a technique in which the housing is composed of a frame body and a lid body, conventionally, the frame body and the lid body have been integrated using an adhesive and screws (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] International Publication No. 2022 / 137975

[0004] However, when the frame body and the lid body are integrated using an adhesive and screws, there is a problem that the number of assembly steps and the like are generated.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional technology as described above, and an object thereof is to provide a vibration generating device that can hold a lid body on a frame body without complicating the assembly process in a vibration generating device in which a housing is composed of a frame body and a lid body.

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a housing comprising a frame with an open top and bottom surface, an upper cover having a flat portion that closes the top surface of the frame, and a lower cover having a flat portion that closes the bottom surface of the frame, with a coil disposed inside; a movable body comprising a permanent magnet, which is held within the housing so as to be vibrable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when the coil is driven, wherein the upper cover has a pair of upper cover guides provided to be spaced apart in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and along the second direction, which guide the vibration of the movable body in the second direction; the lower cover has a pair of lower cover guides provided to be spaced apart in the third direction and along the second direction corresponding to the pair of upper cover guides, which guide the vibration of the movable body in the second direction; and the movable body has a movable body guide located between the upper cover guide and the lower cover guide. The upper cover and the lower cover are provided with positioning portions that restrict their position in the second and third directions relative to the frame, and at least a portion of the flat portion is provided with a ferromagnetic portion made of a ferromagnetic material.

[0007] According to the present invention, in a vibration generating device whose housing is composed of a frame, an upper cover, and a lower cover, the upper cover and lower cover can be held to the frame without complicating the assembly process.

[0008] This is an external perspective view of the vibration generator. This is an exploded perspective view of the vibration generator shown in Figure 1. This is an exploded perspective view of the upper cover shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is a top view of the upper cover shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is an exploded perspective view of the lower cover shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is a top view of the lower cover shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is an external perspective view of the frame shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is a view of the frame shown in Figures 1 and 2 from the Y2 direction. This is an exploded perspective view of the movable body shown in Figure 2. This is a diagram illustrating the method of attaching the upper cover to the frame. This is a diagram illustrating the method of attaching the lower cover to the frame. This is a diagram illustrating the method of fixing the upper cover and lower cover. This is a diagram illustrating the holding structure of the movable body. This is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the upper cover guide and lower cover guide in the cross-section shown in Figure 10A. This is a diagram illustrating the vibration operation of the movable body. This is a diagram illustrating the vibration operation of the movable body. This is a diagram illustrating the vibration operation of the movable body. This is a diagram illustrating the restoring operation of the movable body. This is a diagram illustrating the restoring operation of the movable body.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] (Overall Configuration) First, let me explain the overall configuration of the vibration generating device.

[0011] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the vibration generator 1. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vibration generator 1 shown in Figure 1.

[0012] In Figures 1 and 2, X1 represents one direction of the X-axis in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and X2 represents the other direction of the X-axis. Similarly, Y1 represents one direction of the Y-axis in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and Y2 represents the other direction. Likewise, Z1 represents one direction of the Z-axis in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and Z2 represents the other direction of the Z-axis. In this embodiment, the X1 side of the vibration generator 1 corresponds to the front side of the vibration generator 1, and the X2 side of the vibration generator 1 corresponds to the rear side of the vibration generator 1. The Y1 side of the vibration generator 1 corresponds to the left side of the vibration generator 1, and the Y2 side of the vibration generator 1 corresponds to the right side of the vibration generator 1. The Z1 side of the vibration generator 1 corresponds to the top side of the vibration generator 1, and the Z2 side of the vibration generator 1 corresponds to the bottom side of the vibration generator 1. The same applies to the other figures.

[0013] Note that the X-axis direction is an example of a second direction, the Y-axis direction is an example of a third direction, and the Z-axis direction is an example of a first direction.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vibration generating device 1 has a housing HS, and a movable body 40, an upper coil body 30a, and a lower coil body 30b are arranged inside the housing HS. The housing HS is an example of a housing in the present invention and has an upper cover 10a, a lower cover 10b, and a frame 20. A connecting member 3 is attached to the frame 20, and the vibration generating device 1 is electrically connected to the control unit 2 via the connecting member 3.

[0015] (Upper cover 10a) Figure 3A is an exploded perspective view of the upper cover 10a shown in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 3B is a top view of the upper cover 10a shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0016] As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the top cover 10a has a frame portion 13a and a flat plate portion 12a. The frame portion 13a is an example of the first part in the present invention. The frame portion 13a is frame-shaped with an opening 14a in the center, and its upper surface is flat. The opening 14a is an example of the first opening in the present invention. The frame portion 13a has a portion extending in the X-axis direction and a portion extending in the Y-axis direction that surround the opening 14a, and top cover guides 16a are provided at the lower part of the portion extending in the X-axis direction. The pair of top cover guides 16a have the same shape as each other, protrude downward from the frame portion 13a, and are provided to extend continuously in the X-axis direction. As a result, the pair of top cover guides 16a are provided spaced apart in the Y-axis direction. A pair of upper cover guides 16a are provided in a position that allows them to enter (inside) the frame 20 when the upper cover 10a closes the opening 23 (see Figure 5A) of the frame 20 (see Figure 10A). The upper cover 10a is provided with support portions 17a that protrude from a part of the opening 14a. The support portion 17a is an example of a first support portion in the present invention. The lower surface of the support portion 17a is continuous with the lower surface of the frame portion 13a, and the upper surface is thinned by the thickness of the flat plate portion 12a. The frame portion 13a has a length L1 in the X-axis direction and a length L2 in the Y-axis direction. The frame portion 13a has notches 15a. The notches 15a are an example of a positioning portion in the present invention, and there are two notches in the portion of the frame portion 13a that extends in the X-axis direction and one notch in the portion that extends in the Y-axis direction. Each notch 15a has a width W1 and is formed by cutting off a depth A1 from the outer edge of the frame portion 13a.

[0017] The flat plate portion 12a is an example of the second part of the present invention. The flat plate portion 12a has the same shape as the opening 14a, and its thickness is the thickness of the frame portion 13a minus the thickness of the support portion 17a. The flat plate portion 12a is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, and therefore constitutes an example of a ferromagnetic material portion.

[0018] The top cover 10a, configured in this way, is placed in a position fixed in the XY direction by fitting the flat plate portion 12a into the opening 14a of the frame portion 13a. As described above, the outer shape of the flat plate portion 12a is the same as the outer edge of the opening 14a, so that the flat plate portion 12a can be fitted into the opening 14a of the frame portion 13a. Furthermore, since the thickness of the flat plate portion 12a is the thickness of the frame portion 13a minus the thickness of the support portion 17a, when the flat plate portion 12a is placed in the opening 14a of the frame portion 13a, the upper surface of the top cover 10a becomes flat without any step difference between the upper surface of the frame portion 13a and the upper surface of the flat plate portion 12a. Thus, the upper surface of the frame portion 13a and the upper surface of the flat plate portion 12a constitute an example of the flat portion of the present invention. Furthermore, a support portion 17a is provided in the opening 14a into which the flat plate portion 12a is fitted, so that the flat plate portion 12a fitted into the opening 14a is supported by the support portion 17a to prevent it from falling out downwards. The flat plate portion 12a is simply placed on the opening 14a of the frame portion 13a and is held in place by the magnetic force of the magnetic flux source 41, which will be described later, and is not fixed by adhesive or welding.

[0019] (Lower cover 10b) Figure 4A is an exploded perspective view of the lower cover 10b shown in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4B is a bottom view of the lower cover 10b shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0020] The lower cover 10b has the same shape as the upper cover 10a, and is positioned with the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover 10a reversed. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the lower cover 10b has a frame portion 13b and a flat plate portion 12b. The frame portion 13b is an example of the third part in the present invention. The frame portion 13b is a frame shape having an opening 14b, and its lower surface (the Z2 side surface) is flat. The opening 14b is an example of the second opening in the present invention. The frame portion 13b has a portion extending in the X-axis direction and a portion extending in the Y-axis direction that surround the opening 14b, and lower cover guides 16b are provided on the upper part (Z1 side) of the portion extending in the X-axis direction. The pair of lower cover guides 16b have the same shape as each other so as to correspond to the pair of upper cover guides 16a, and are provided so as to protrude upward from the frame portion 13b and extend continuously in the X-axis direction. As a result, the pair of lower cover guides 16b are provided spaced apart in the Y-axis direction. The pair of lower cover guides 16b are provided in a position that allows them to enter (inside) the frame 20 when the lower cover 10b closes the opening 23 (see Figure 5A) of the frame 20 (see Figure 10A). The lower cover 10b is provided with a support portion 17b that protrudes from a part of the opening 14b. The support portion 17b is an example of a second support portion in the present invention. The upper surface of the support portion 17b is continuous with the upper surface of the frame portion 13b, and the lower surface is thinned by the thickness of the flat plate portion 12b. The frame portion 13b has a length in the X-axis direction that is the same as the length L1 of the frame portion 13a in the X-axis direction (L3), and a length in the Y-axis direction that is the same as the length L2 of the frame portion 13a in the Y-axis direction (L4). The frame portion 13b has a notch 15b. The notches 15b are an example of positioning parts in the present invention, and are provided in two locations on the portion of the frame 13b extending in the X-axis direction and one location on the portion extending in the Y-axis direction. Each of the notches 15b has a width W2 and is formed by cutting away a depth A2 from the outer edge of the frame 13b.

[0021] The flat plate portion 12b is an example of the fourth portion in the present invention. The flat plate portion 12b has the same shape as the opening 14b, and its thickness is the thickness of the frame portion 13b minus the thickness of the support portion 17b. The flat plate portion 12b is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, and therefore constitutes an example of a ferromagnetic portion.

[0022] The lower cover 10b, configured in this way, is placed in a position fixed in the XY direction by fitting the flat plate portion 12b into the opening 14b of the frame portion 13b. As described above, the outer shape of the flat plate portion 12b is the same as the outer edge of the opening 14b, so that the flat plate portion 12b can be fitted into the opening 14b of the frame portion 13b. Furthermore, since the thickness of the flat plate portion 12b is the thickness of the frame portion 13b minus the thickness of the support portion 17b, when the flat plate portion 12b is placed in the opening 14b of the frame portion 13b, the lower surface of the lower cover 10b becomes flat without any step difference between the lower surface of the frame portion 13b and the lower surface of the flat plate portion 12b. Thus, the lower surface of the frame portion 13b and the lower surface of the flat plate portion 12b constitute an example of the flat portion of the present invention. Furthermore, a support portion 17b is provided in the opening 14b into which the flat plate portion 12b is fitted, so that the flat plate portion 12b fitted into the opening 14b is supported by the support portion 17b so that it does not move upward. The flat plate portion 12b is simply placed on the opening 14b of the frame portion 13b and is held in place by the magnetic force of the magnetic flux source 41, which will be described later, and is not fixed by adhesive or welding.

[0023] (Frame 20) Figure 5A is an external perspective view of the frame 20 shown in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5B is a view of the frame 20 shown in Figures 1 and 2 from the Y2 direction.

[0024] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the frame 20 has a frame shape with an opening 23 on its upper and lower surfaces, formed by a pair of side plate portions 21a facing each other in the X-axis direction and a pair of side plate portions 21b facing each other in the Y-axis direction. The frame 20 has a length L5 in the X-axis direction that is the same as the length L1 of the frame portion 13a and the length L3 of the frame portion 13b in the X-axis direction, and a length L6 in the Y-axis direction that is the same as the length L2 of the frame portion 13a and the length L4 of the frame portion 13b in the Y-axis direction. Each of the side plate portions 21a and 21b is provided with protrusions 22a and 22b. The protrusions 22a have a width W3 and are provided so as to protrude upward by a height A3, with one protrusion on each of the pair of side plate portions 21a and two protrusions on each of the pair of side plate portions 21b. The protruding portions 22b are provided in such a way that there is one on each of the pair of side plate portions 21a and two on each of the pair of side plate portions 21b, with a width W4 and protruding downward by a height A3. The protruding portions 22a are provided in such a position that they fit into the notch 15a of the upper cover 10a when the upper cover 10a closes the opening 23 of the frame 20. The protruding portions 22b are provided in such a position that they fit into the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b when the lower cover 10b closes the opening 23 of the frame 20. The width W3 of the protruding portion 22a is the same as the width W1 of the notch 15a of the upper cover 10a, and the width W4 of the protruding portion 22b is the same as the width W2 of the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b. Furthermore, the height A3 of the protruding portions 22a and 22b is the same as the thickness of the frame portions 13a and 13b. Also, the depth A1 of the notch 15a in the upper cover 10a is the same as the thickness of the side plate portions 21a and 21b. Also, the depth A2 of the notch 15b in the lower cover 10b is the same as the thickness of the side plate portions 21a and 21b. In addition, a connecting member 3 for electrically connecting the vibration generating device 1 to the control unit 2 is attached to each of the pair of side plate portions 21a.

[0025] (Movable body 40) Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the movable body 40 shown in Figure 2.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6, the movable body 40 has a magnetic flux source 41 and a frame portion 42.

[0027] The magnetic flux source 41 has four permanent magnets 41a to 41d. The permanent magnets 41a to 41d are flat plates and are arranged in line in the X-axis direction. For example, permanent magnets 41a and 41c are arranged so that their north poles face the Z1 direction and their south poles face the Z2 direction, while permanent magnets 41b and 41d are arranged so that their north poles face the Z2 direction and their south poles face the Z1 direction. Alternatively, the magnetic flux source 41 may be formed from a single permanent magnet that has been magnetized in four regions, each having the same magnetic poles as the four permanent magnets 41a to 41d.

[0028] The frame portion 42 is an example of a frame member in the present invention. The frame portion 42 has a frame shape with an opening 43, and has a portion extending in the X-axis direction and a portion extending in the Y-axis direction surrounding the opening 43, and the magnetic flux source 41 is held in the opening 43 with adhesive or the like. The frame portion 42 is provided with movable body guides 44. Two movable body guides 44 are provided on each of the portions of the frame portion 42 that extend in the X-axis direction. In addition, movable body guides 44 are provided on both ends of the movable body 40 in the Y-axis direction. As a result, multiple movable body guides 44 are provided at both ends in the Y-axis direction, spaced apart along the X direction. The movable body guides 44 are provided so as to protrude to the outside of the frame portion 42. Note that the number of movable body guides 44 is not limited to two on each of the portions that extend in the X-axis direction, as long as multiple locations are provided on each.

[0029] Furthermore, the movable body guide 44 is formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section in the YZ plane perpendicular to the X direction.

[0030] The movable body 40, configured as described above, is held within the housing HS so as to be able to vibrate in the X direction. The specific holding method and vibration operation will be described later.

[0031] (Attachment of upper cover 10a and lower cover 10b to frame 20) Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the method of attaching the upper cover 10a to the frame 20. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the method of attaching the lower cover 10b to the frame 20.

[0032] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the movable body 40 and coils 31a to 31f are arranged inside the frame 20. Coils 31a to 31c constitute the upper coil body 30a shown in Figure 2, and are arranged in the X-axis direction between the movable body 40 and the upper cover 10a. They are fixed by fixing the arc portions of each coil 31a to 31c to the lower surface of the frame portion 13a of the upper cover 10a with adhesive or the like. Coils 31d to 31f constitute the lower coil body 30b shown in Figure 2, and are arranged in the X-axis direction between the movable body 40 and the lower cover 10b. They are fixed by fixing the arc portions of each coil 31d to 31f to the upper surface of the frame portion 13b of the lower cover 10b with adhesive or the like. After the frame portion 13a, frame portion 13b and coils 31a to 31f are arranged in the frame 20, the flat plate portion 12a and flat plate portion 12b are placed. In Figures 7 and 8, the upper coil body 30a and the lower coil body 30b are positioned above and below the movable body 40, and the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed by the upper cover body 10a and the lower cover body 10b. However, in reality, the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed by the frame portion 13a to which the upper coil body 30a is fixed, the frame portion 13b to which the lower coil body 30b is fixed, and the flat plate portions 12a and 12b. In the vibration generating device 1, the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed by the upper cover body 10a and the lower cover body 10b.

[0033] When the opening 23 of the frame 20 is closed by the top cover 10a, the protruding portion 22a of the frame 20 fits into the notch 15a of the top cover 10a. This positions the top cover 10a relative to the frame 20 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. In other words, the notch 15a and the protruding portion 22a restrict the position of the top cover 10a relative to the frame 20 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Here, the protruding portion 22a of the frame 20 is positioned to fit into the notch 15a of the top cover 10a when the top cover 10a closes the opening 23 of the frame 20. Furthermore, the length L5 of the frame 20 in the X-axis direction is the same as the length L1 of the frame portion 13a in the X-axis direction, and the length L6 of the frame 20 in the Y-axis direction is the same as the length L2 of the frame portion 13a in the Y-axis direction. In this configuration, the width W3 of the protrusion 22a is the same as the width W1 of the notch 15a. Also, the depth A1 of the notch 15a in the frame portion 13a is the same as the thickness of the side plate portions 21a and 21b. Therefore, when the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed with the top cover 10a, the protrusion 22a of the frame body 20 can be fitted into the notch 15a of the top cover 10a. Furthermore, the outer circumference of the lower surface of the top cover 10a abuts against the Z1 side end faces of the side plate portions 21a and 21b of the frame body 20 where the protrusion 22a is not provided, thereby positioning the top cover 10a relative to the frame body 20 in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, while the positioning of the top cover 10a relative to the frame 20 in the X-axis direction was performed by fitting the six protrusions 22a into the six notches 15a of the top cover 10a as described above, it may also be performed using two opposing protrusions 22a and notches 15a in the X-axis direction. Moreover, positioning in the X-axis direction may be performed using two opposing protrusions 22a and notches 15a in the X-axis direction, and positioning in the Y-axis direction may be performed using four opposing protrusions 22a and notches 15a in the Y-axis direction. Positioning can be performed in the X-axis direction by restricting movement in the X-direction by facing faces of the frame portion 13a that form the protrusions 22a and notches 15a parallel to the YZ plane, and positioning in the Y-direction by restricting movement in the Y-direction by facing faces parallel to the XZ plane.

[0034] Similarly, when the opening 23 of the frame 20 is closed by the lower cover 10b, the protruding portion 22b of the frame 20 fits into the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b. This positions the lower cover 10b relative to the frame 20 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. In other words, the notch 15b and the protruding portion 22b restrict the position of the lower cover 10b in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the frame 20. Here, the protruding portion 22b of the frame 20 is positioned to fit into the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b when the lower cover 10b closes the opening 23 of the frame 20. In addition, the length L5 of the frame 20 in the X-axis direction is the same as the length L3 of the frame portion 13b in the X-axis direction, and the length L6 of the frame 20 in the Y-axis direction is the same as the length L4 of the frame portion 13b in the Y-axis direction. In this configuration, the width W4 of the protrusion 22b is the same as the width W2 of the notch 15b. Also, the depth A2 of the notch 15b in the frame portion 13b is the same as the thickness of the side plate portions 21a and 21b. Therefore, when the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed with the lower cover 10b, the protrusion 22b of the frame body 20 can be fitted into the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b. In addition, similar to the protrusion 22a, the outer circumference of the upper surface of the lower cover 10b abuts against the Z2-side end faces of the side plate portions 21a and 21b of the frame body 20 where the protrusion 22b is not provided, thereby positioning the lower cover 10b relative to the frame body 20 in the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, while the positioning of the lower cover 10b relative to the frame 20 in the X-axis direction was performed by fitting the six protrusions 22b into the six notches 15b of the lower cover 10b as described above, it may also be performed using two opposing protrusions 22b and notches 15b in the X-axis direction. Moreover, positioning in the X-axis direction may be performed using two opposing protrusions 22b and notches 15b in the X-axis direction, and positioning in the Y-axis direction may be performed using four opposing protrusions 22b and notches 15b in the Y-axis direction. Positioning can be performed by restricting movement in the X direction by facing the surfaces of the frame portion 13b that form the protrusions 22b and notches 15b parallel to the YZ plane, and positioning in the Y direction by restricting movement in the Y direction by facing the surfaces parallel to the XZ plane.

[0035] Furthermore, the length L5 of the frame 20 in the X-axis direction is the same as the length L1 of the frame portion 13a and the length L3 of the frame portion 13b in the X-axis direction, and the length L6 of the frame 20 in the Y-axis direction is the same as the length L2 of the frame portion 13a and the length L4 of the frame portion 13b in the Y-axis direction. As a result, when the opening 23 of the frame 20 is closed with the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b, the outer shapes of the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b will be aligned with the outer surface of the frame 20.

[0036] (Securing the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b) The method for securing the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b will be described below.

[0037] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the method of fixing the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b, and shows the A-A cross-section shown in Figure 1.

[0038] As described above, when the opening 23 of the frame 20 is closed by the top cover 10a and the protruding portion 22a of the frame 20 is fitted into the notch 15a of the top cover 10a, as shown in Figure 9, the flat plate portion 12a of the top cover 10a and the magnetic flux source 41 are facing each other via coils 31a to 31c. The flat plate portion 12a is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. Therefore, the flat plate portion 12a is attracted in the direction of arrow AR1 in Figure 9 by the magnetic force of the magnetic flux source 41.

[0039] On the other hand, when the opening 23 of the frame 20 is closed by the lower cover 10b and the protruding portion 22b of the frame 20 is fitted into the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b, as shown in Figure 9, the flat plate portion 12b of the lower cover 10b and the magnetic flux source 41 are facing each other via coils 31d to 31f. The flat plate portion 12b is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. Therefore, the flat plate portion 12b is attracted in the direction of arrow AR2 in Figure 9 by the magnetic force of the magnetic flux source 41.

[0040] Furthermore, since the flat plate portion 12a is supported by the support portion 17a of the frame portion 13a to prevent it from moving downward, when the flat plate portion 12a is attracted in the direction of arrow AR1 in Figure 9 by the magnetic force of the magnetic flux source 41, a force is also applied to the frame portion 13a in the direction of arrow AR1 in Figure 9. Also, since the flat plate portion 12b is supported by the support portion 17b of the frame portion 13b to prevent it from moving upward, when the flat plate portion 12b is attracted in the direction of arrow AR2 in Figure 9 by the magnetic force of the magnetic flux source 41, a force is also applied to the frame portion 13b in the direction of arrow AR2 in Figure 9. Note that cushioning material such as rubber may be provided on the surfaces of the support portions 17a and 17b that are in contact with the flat plate portions 12a and 12b. This allows the cushioning material to absorb the impact when an impact such as a fall occurs.

[0041] Furthermore, when the protruding portion 22a of the frame body 20 is fitted into the notch 15a of the upper cover body 10a, the portion of the lower surface of the frame portion 13a that follows the outer circumference of the frame portion 13a is in contact with the upper end surface of the frame body 20 in the portion excluding the notch 15a.

[0042] Furthermore, when the protruding portion 22b of the frame body 20 is fitted into the notch 15b of the lower cover body 10b, the portion of the upper surface of the frame portion 13b that follows the outer circumference of the frame portion 13b is in contact with the lower end surface of the frame body 20 in the portion excluding the notch 15b.

[0043] Therefore, the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b are biased to move towards each other via the frame 20. Furthermore, the protrusion 22a of the frame 20 fits into the notch 15a of the upper cover 10a, preventing the upper cover 10a from moving in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the frame 20. Similarly, the protrusion 22b of the frame 20 fits into the notch 15b of the lower cover 10b, preventing the lower cover 10b from moving in the X-axis and Y-axis directions relative to the frame 20. As a result, the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b are fixed to the frame 20.

[0044] In this way, the upper lid body 10a is fixed to the frame body 20 by using the action that the magnetic flux source 41 and the flat plate portion 12a constituting the upper lid body 10a are attracted by magnetic force. Similarly, the lower lid body 10b is fixed to the frame body 20 by using the action that the magnetic flux source 41 and the flat plate portion 12b constituting the lower lid body 10b are attracted by magnetic force. Thereby, the upper lid body 10a and the lower lid body 10b can be fixed to the frame body 20 only by magnetic force without using an adhesive or screws, and the upper lid body 10a and the lower lid body 10b can be held on the frame body 20 without complicating the assembly process.

[0045] In the present embodiment, the upper lid body 10a is composed of a frame portion 13a having an upper lid body guide 16a and a flat plate portion 12a that is held by being fitted into the frame portion 13a, and the flat plate portion 12a is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. The lower lid body 10b is composed of a frame portion 13b having a lower lid body guide 16b and a flat plate portion 12b that is held by being fitted into the frame portion 13b, and the flat plate portion 12b is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. However, each of the upper lid body 10a and the lower lid body 10b may be composed of one member made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. However, by configuring each of the upper lid body 10a and the lower lid body 10b with two members, namely the frame portions 13a, 13b and the flat plate portions 12a, 12b, the frame portions 13a, 13b can be made of materials not limited to ferromagnetic materials. For example, while the flat plate portions 12a, 12b are made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, the frame portions 13a, 13b may be formed of resin or non-magnetic metal. In that case, as the upper lid body guide 16a and the lower lid body guide 16b, materials with excellent sliding characteristics with the frame portion 42 of the movable body 40 can be selected. In addition, the support portions 17a, 17b provided on the frame portions 13a, 13b respectively prevent the flat plate portions 12a, 12b from moving in the direction of being attracted by the magnetic flux source 41, so that the flat plate portions 12a, 12b can be prevented from moving in the direction of being attracted by the magnetic flux source 41 with a simple configuration.

[0046] Also, in the present embodiment, the flat plate portion 12a and the frame portion 13a, and the flat plate portion 12b and the frame portion 13b are not fixed by an adhesive or welding. After the coils 31a to 31f are respectively arranged on the frame portions 13a and 13b, they are placed on the frame body 20. However, the flat plate portion 12a and the frame portion 13a or / and the flat plate portion 12b and the frame portion 13b may be fixed by an adhesive or welding to integrally form the upper lid body 10a and the lower lid body 10b, and after the coils 31a to 31f are respectively held, they may be arranged on the frame body 20.

[0047] (Holding of the movable body 40) Hereinafter, the holding structure of the movable body 40 will be described.

[0048] FIG. 10A is a diagram for explaining the holding structure of the movable body 40, and shows the B - B cross section shown in FIG. 1. Note that in FIG. 10A, a cross section at a position deviated from the movable body guide 44 is shown. FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the upper lid body guide 16a and the lower lid body guide 16b on the Y2 side of the cross section shown in FIG. 10A.

[0049] As described above, on the frame portion 13a of the upper lid body 10a, an upper lid body guide 16a is provided which is formed to project downward from the frame portion 13a on a portion extending in the X - axis direction of the frame portion 13a. And the upper lid body guide 16a is provided at a position where it enters the frame body 20 when the upper lid body 10a closes the opening 23 of the frame body 20. On the other hand, on the frame portion 13b of the lower lid body 10b, a lower lid body guide 16b is provided which is formed to project upward from the frame portion 13b on a portion extending in the X - axis direction of the frame portion 13b. And the lower lid body guide 16b is provided at a position where it enters the frame body 20 when the lower lid body 10b closes the opening 23 of the frame body 20.

[0050] Therefore, when the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed from above by the upper lid body 10a and the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed from below by the lower lid body 10b, as shown in FIG. 10A, the upper lid body guide 16a and the lower lid body guide 16b face each other. Note that the height of each of the upper lid body guide 16a and the lower lid body guide 16b is such that when the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed from above by the upper lid body 10a and the opening 23 of the frame body 20 is closed from below by the lower lid body 10b, they face each other through a gap.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10B, the upper cover guide 16a has a step 18a at its protruding end that is stepped in the Y-axis direction, with the height of the outer circumference of the step 18a being higher than the height inside it. Similarly, the lower cover guide 16b has a step 18b at its protruding end that is stepped in the Y-axis direction, with the height of the outer circumference of the step 18b being higher than the height inside it.

[0052] In this configuration, as shown in Figure 10A, the movable body 40 is in a state where the frame portion 42 is sandwiched between the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b.

[0053] In this case, the portion of the upper cover guide 16a whose height is reduced by the step 18a contacts the upper surface 45a of the frame portion 42. The end portion of the portion whose height is reduced by the step 18a adjacent to the step 18a becomes a contact portion 19a and contacts the upper surface 45a of the movable body guide 44. Furthermore, the portion of the upper cover guide 16a whose height is increased by the step 18a that is continuous with the contact portion 19a (the side surface on the opening 14a side of the portion whose height is increased by the step 18a) becomes a contact portion 19b and contacts the side surface 46 of the movable body guide 44. Note that the contact portion 19a is an example of a first contact portion in the present invention, and the contact portion 19b is an example of a second contact portion in the present invention.

[0054] Furthermore, the portion of the lower cover guide 16b whose height is reduced by the step 18b contacts the lower surface 45b of the frame portion 42. The end portion of the portion whose height is reduced by the step 18b adjacent to the step 18b becomes a contact portion 19c and contacts the lower surface 45b of the movable body guide 44. Also, the portion of the lower cover guide 16b whose height is increased by the step 18b that is continuous with the contact portion 19b (the side of the portion whose height is increased by the step 18b on the opening 14b side) becomes a contact portion 19d and contacts the side surface 46 of the movable body guide 44. Note that the contact portion 19c is an example of a third contact portion in the present invention, and the contact portion 19d is an example of a fourth contact portion in the present invention.

[0055] Figure 10B shows the vicinity of the upper cover guide 16a and lower cover guide 16b on the Y2 side. However, the Y1 side is also a symmetrical shape with respect to the ZX plane and is similar, so a detailed explanation of that side is omitted.

[0056] Furthermore, when the upper cover guide 16a is held in the frame 20 as explained with reference to Figures 10A and 10B, the contact portion 19a of the upper cover guide 16a is in contact with the upper surface 45a of the frame 42 at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the movable body 40, which has a rectangular cross-section in the YZ plane, and the contact portion 19b of the lower cover guide 44 is in contact with the side surface 46 of the movable body guide 44 at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the movable body 40. Similarly, when the upper cover guide 10a and the lower cover guide 10b are held in the frame 20, the contact portion 19c of the lower cover guide 16b is in contact with the lower surface 45b of the frame 42 at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the movable body 40, and the contact portion 19d of the lower cover guide 16b is in contact with the side surface 46 of the movable body guide 44 at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the movable body 40.

[0057] With this configuration, the movable body 40's movement in the Z-axis direction is restricted because the upper surface 45a of the frame portion 42 contacts the contact portion 19a of the upper cover guide 16a, and the lower surface 45b of the frame portion 42 contacts the contact portion 19c of the lower cover guide 16b. Furthermore, the movable body 40's movement in the Y-axis direction is restricted because the side surfaces 46 of the movable body guide 44 contact the contact portion 19b of the upper cover guide 16a and the contact portion 19d of the lower cover guide 16b at both ends in the Y-axis direction.

[0058] In this case, a thin movable body 40 with a thickness of about 1 mm may be used. Even in that case, as described above, the upper surface 45a, lower surface 45b, and side surface 46 of the movable body 40, which has a rectangular cross-section in the YZ plane, are in contact with the contact portions 19a, 19c, 19b, and 19d of the upper cover guide 16a and lower cover guide 16b, which have steps 18a and 18b, respectively, thereby restricting movement in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. As a result, the movable body 40 can be easily made thinner, and the entire vibration generating device 1 can also be made thinner. In other words, if steps 18a and 18b are not provided on the upper cover guide 16a and lower cover guide 16b, as in the technology disclosed in International Publication No. 2022 / 137975, which was disclosed as prior art, and contact portions 19a and 19c are not formed, it is conceivable to have a structure that restricts the movement of the movable body in the Z-axis direction while sandwiching a part of the movable body between the upper cover guide and the lower cover guide. However, in that case, it would be necessary to increase the thickness of the movable body, which would increase the overall thickness of the vibration generating device 1.

[0059] (Vibration of the movable body 40) The vibration of the movable body 40 will be described below.

[0060] Figures 11 to 13 are diagrams illustrating the vibration operation of the movable body 40, and show the vibration generating device 1 viewed from above with the top cover 10a removed.

[0061] As described above, the coils 31a to 31c constituting the upper coil body 30a are arranged in the X-axis direction between the movable body 40 and the upper cover 10a and are fixed to the lower surface of the upper cover 10a with adhesive or the like. The coils 31d to 31f constituting the lower coil body 30b are arranged in the X-axis direction between the movable body 40 and the lower cover 10b and are fixed to the upper surface of the lower cover 10b with adhesive or the like. The movable body 40 has a magnetic flux source 41 composed of four permanent magnets 41a to 41d arranged in the X-axis direction and generates a magnetic flux with a component in the Z-axis direction.

[0062] Therefore, when current flows through coils 31a to 31f, the current flows in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the magnetic flux, generating a Lorentz force in coils 31a to 31f. Since coils 31a to 31f are fixed, the movable body 40 receives a reaction force from the Lorentz force and moves in the X-axis direction perpendicular to the magnetic flux and current. By switching the direction of the current flowing through coils 31a to 31f, the movable body 40 can be made to reciprocate in the X-axis direction to generate vibrations.

[0063] When no current flows through coils 31a to 31f, no Lorentz force is generated in coils 31a to 31f. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, the movable body 40, which consists of the magnetic flux source 41 and the frame portion 42, is in a position where it is not moving in the X-axis direction. Specifically, the movable body 40 is located at the center of its range of motion in the X-axis direction.

[0064] From this state, if the control unit 2, via the connecting member 3, passes current counterclockwise in a top view to coil 31a constituting the upper coil body 30a, current passes clockwise in a top view to coil 31b, and current passes counterclockwise in a top view to coil 31c, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 12, a current in the same direction (e.g., Y1 direction) crosses the magnetic flux in the same direction (e.g., Z1 direction) of the permanent magnets 41a to 41d, and a current in a different direction (e.g., Y2 direction) crosses the magnetic flux in a different direction (e.g., Z2 direction), so that a force acts in the same direction on all coils 31a to 31c. Although a detailed explanation is omitted, current is also passed through coils 31d to 31f so that a force acts in the same direction on coils 31d to 31f as on coils 31a to 31c. Then, the movable body 40, which consists of the magnetic flux source 41 and the frame portion 42, moves in the direction indicated by arrow AR3 (X2 direction) in response to the reaction force of the Lorentz force. At this time, the frame portion 42 constituting the movable body 40 is sandwiched between the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b, which are provided to extend in the X-axis direction, as described above. As a result, the movable body 40 slides in the X2 direction while being guided by the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b.

[0065] Furthermore, from the state shown in Figure 11, if, for example, current is passed from the control unit 2 via the connecting member 3 to the coil 31a constituting the upper coil body 30a in a clockwise direction when viewed from above, current is passed to the coil 31b in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above, and current is passed to the coil 31c in a clockwise direction when viewed from above, including coils 31d to 31f, then the movable body 40, composed of the magnetic flux source 41 and the frame portion 42, moves in the direction indicated by arrow AR4 (X1 direction) due to the reaction force of the Lorentz force. At this time, the frame portion 42 constituting the movable body 40 is in a state where it is sandwiched between the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b, which are provided to extend in the X-axis direction, as described above. As a result, the movable body 40 slides in the X1 direction while being guided by the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b.

[0066] In this way, by passing current through coils 31a to 31f to drive them, the movable body 40 is slid in the X-axis direction while being guided by the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b, and by switching the direction of the current flowing through coils 31a to 31f, the movable body 40 can be moved back and forth in the X-axis direction to generate vibration.

[0067] In this case, the frame portion 42 of the movable body 40 may be formed from resin, and the frame portion 13a of the upper cover 10a having the upper cover guide 16a and the frame portion 13b of the lower cover 10b having the lower cover guide 16b may be formed from a non-magnetic metal. With such a configuration, smooth sliding can be expected when the movable body 40 slides between the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b. Furthermore, by forming the frame portion 13a of the upper cover 10a having the upper cover guide 16a and the frame portion 13b of the lower cover 10b having the lower cover guide 16b from stainless steel, which is a non-magnetic metal, the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b can be formed by die casting. As a result, the strength can be increased even though the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b have a long shape that extends in the X-axis direction.

[0068] Thus, the magnetic flux source 41 is used to move the movable body 40 back and forth in the X-axis direction. Therefore, the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b are fixed to the frame 20 by the attractive force between the magnetic flux source 41 and the flat plate portions 12a and 12b, respectively, so that the upper cover 10a and the lower cover 10b can be fixed to the frame 20 without using any new parts.

[0069] (Restoration operation of the movable body 40) The restoration operation of the movable body 40 will be described below.

[0070] Figures 14 and 15 are diagrams illustrating the restoration operation of the movable body 40, and show the A-A cross-section shown in Figure 1.

[0071] As the movable body 40 moves in the X2 direction as shown in Figure 12, a portion of the magnetic flux source 41 protrudes significantly in the X2 direction from the flat plate portions 12a and 12b, as shown in Figure 14. Here, since the flat plate portions 12a and 12b are made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, an attractive force acts between the magnetic flux source 41 and the flat plate portions 12a and 12b. Therefore, the portion of the magnetic flux source 41 that protrudes significantly in the X2 direction from the flat plate portions 12a and 12b is attracted by the flat plate portions 12a and 12b in the direction indicated by arrow AR5.

[0072] As a result, the movable body 40 having the magnetic flux source 41 is subjected to a force that attempts to move the movable body 40 in the direction indicated by arrow AR6. Then, as shown in Figure 14, when the force (electromagnetic force) attempting to move the movable body 40 in the X2 direction disappears, as explained using Figure 12, that is, when the current flowing through coils 31a to 31f disappears, the movable body 40 moves to the left due to that force (attraction force) and returns towards the center of the movable range.

[0073] Furthermore, as the movable body 40 moves in the X1 direction as shown in Figure 13, a portion of the magnetic flux source 41 protrudes significantly in the X1 direction from the flat plate portions 12a and 12b, as shown in Figure 15. Here, since the flat plate portions 12a and 12b are made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, an attractive force acts between the magnetic flux source 41 and the flat plate portions 12a and 12b. Therefore, the portion of the magnetic flux source 41 that protrudes significantly in the X1 direction from the flat plate portions 12a and 12b is attracted by the flat plate portions 12a and 12b in the direction indicated by arrow AR7.

[0074] As a result, the movable body 40 having the magnetic flux source 41 is subjected to a force that attempts to move the movable body 40 in the direction indicated by arrow AR8. Then, as shown in Figure 15, when the force (electromagnetic force) attempting to move the movable body 40 in the X1 direction disappears, as explained using Figure 13, that is, when the current flowing through coils 31a to 31f disappears, the movable body 40 moves to the left due to that force (attraction force) and returns towards the center of the movable range.

[0075] In this way, when the supply of current to coils 31a to 31f is stopped, the attractive force between the magnetic flux source 41 and the flat plate portions 12a and 12b acts as a magnetic spring, and the movable body 40, which is positioned off-center from the center of the range of motion, is returned to the center of the range of motion. In this way, by stopping the supply of current to coils 31a to 31f, the movable body 40, which had been moving in the X-axis direction, can be restored to a state where it is located at the center of the range of motion.

[0076] Furthermore, in the X-axis direction, which is the direction of vibration, the magnetic flux source 41 is formed to be longer than the flat plate portions 12a and 12b. Even when the movable body 40 is displaced to its maximum extent, it is formed to overlap at least 90% of the flat plate portions 12a and 12b in the X-axis direction, thereby providing a restoring force that can reliably and quickly return the body to its central position.

[0077] In this embodiment, the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b are each provided to extend continuously in the X-axis direction, and the movable body guide 44 is provided at two locations on each of the portions of the frame 42 that extend in the X-axis direction. However, the reverse is also possible. Specifically, the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b may each be provided at multiple locations in the X-axis direction, and the movable body guide 44 may be provided to extend continuously in the X-axis direction of the frame 42. Alternatively, the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b may each be provided to extend continuously in the X-axis direction, and the movable body guide 44 may also be provided to extend continuously in the X-axis direction of the frame 42.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, at both ends of the movable body 40 in the Y-axis direction, the upper surface and side surfaces of the movable body 40 are in contact with the upper cover guide 16a, and the lower surface and side surfaces of the movable body 40 are in contact with the lower cover guide 16b, thereby guiding the vibration of the movable body 40 in the X-axis direction by the upper cover guide 16a and the lower cover guide 16b. However, the vibration of the movable body 40 in the X-axis direction may also be guided by making the upper cover guide 16a contact only the upper surface of the movable body 40, and the lower cover guide 16b contact only the lower surface of the movable body 40. In that case, a recess may be provided on the upper surface of the movable body 40 in which the tip of the upper cover guide 16a fits into the portion in which the upper cover guide 16a contacts, and a recess may be provided on the lower surface of the movable body 40 in which the tip of the lower cover guide 16b fits into the portion in which the lower cover guide 16b contacts. Alternatively, the opposite may be provided: on the upper surface of the movable body 40, a protrusion projecting upward may be provided in the portion that contacts the upper cover guide 16a, and a recess may be provided in the upper cover guide into which the protrusion fits. On the lower surface of the movable body 40, a protrusion projecting downward may be provided in the portion that contacts the upper cover guide 16a, and a recess may be provided in the lower cover guide into which the protrusion fits. However, as in this embodiment, if the upper and side surfaces of the movable body 40 contact the upper cover guide 16a at both ends of the movable body 40 in the Y-axis direction, and the lower and side surfaces of the movable body 40 contact the lower cover guide 16b, the overall thickness of the vibration generating device 1 can be reduced.

[0079] The vibration generator 1 described above is used by being built into an electronic device such as a mobile phone. In this case, the vibration generator 1 is positioned in the housing of the electronic device with the upper cover 10a and lower cover 10b sandwiched in between, and can be fixed to the electronic device with adhesive, double-sided tape, etc., so that even if an impact greater than expected is applied, the upper cover 10a and lower cover 10b will not detach from the frame 20.

[0080] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-198980, filed on 14 November 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0081] 1 Vibration Generator 2 Control Unit 3 Connecting Member 10a Upper Cover 10b Lower Cover 12a, 12b Flat Plate Section 13a, 13b, 42 Frame Section 14a, 14b, 23, 43 Opening 15a, 15b Notch 16a Upper Cover Guide 16b Lower Cover Guide 17a, 17b Support Section 18a, 18b Step 19a-19d Contact Section 20 Frame Section 21a, 21b Side Plate Section 22a, 22b Protruding Section 30a Upper Coil Body 30b Lower Coil Body 31a-31f Coil 40 Movable Body 41 Magnetic Flux Source 41a-41d Permanent Magnet 44 Movable Body Guide 45a Top Surface 45b Bottom Surface 46 Side HS Housing

Claims

1. The housing comprises a frame with an open top and bottom surface, an upper cover having a flat portion that closes the top surface of the frame, and a lower cover having a flat portion that closes the bottom surface of the frame, with a coil disposed inside; and a movable body having a permanent magnet and held within the housing so as to vibrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when the coil is driven, wherein the upper cover has a pair of upper cover guides provided to be spaced apart in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and along the second direction, and guides the vibration of the movable body in the second direction; the lower cover has a pair of lower cover guides provided to be spaced apart in the third direction and along the second direction corresponding to the pair of upper cover guides, and guides the vibration of the movable body in the second direction; and the movable body has a movable body guide located between the upper cover guide and the lower cover guide. A vibration generating device wherein the upper cover and the lower cover are equipped with positioning parts that restrict their position in the second and third directions relative to the frame, and at least a part of the flat portion is equipped with a ferromagnetic part made of a ferromagnetic material.

2. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is formed in a rectangular cross-section, the movable body guides are provided at both ends of the movable body in the third direction, the upper cover guide has a first contact portion that contacts the upper surface of the movable body guide at both ends of the movable body in the third direction, and a second contact portion that contacts the side surface of the movable body guide at both ends of the movable body in the third direction, and the lower cover guide has a third contact portion that contacts the lower surface of the movable body guide at both ends of the movable body in the third direction, and a fourth contact portion that contacts the side surface of the movable body guide at both ends of the movable body in the third direction.

3. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the upper cover has a first portion on which the upper cover guide is provided, and a second portion made of a ferromagnetic material and attached to the first portion so as to be positioned in the second and third directions, and the lower cover has a third portion on which the lower cover guide is provided, and a fourth portion made of a ferromagnetic material and attached to the third portion so as to be positioned in the second and third directions.

4. The vibration generating device according to claim 3, wherein the movable body comprises the permanent magnet and a frame member formed of resin, equipped with a movable body guide and holding the permanent magnet, and the first and third parts are formed of a non-magnetic metal.

5. The vibration generating device according to claim 3, wherein the first part has a first opening into which the second part is fitted, and a first support part that supports the second part fitted into the first opening so as not to fall out downward, and the third part has a second opening into which the fourth part is fitted, and a second support part that supports the fourth part fitted into the second opening so as not to move upward.

6. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the upper cover guide and the lower cover guide are provided continuously along the second direction, and a plurality of the movable body guides are provided spaced apart along the second direction.

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