Vibration generation device

Abstract

This vibration generation device includes: a fixed body having a housing; a movable body housed in the housing; a permanent magnet provided on one of the fixed body and the movable body; a coil that is provided on the other of the fixed body and the movable body and moves the movable body in a first direction by power supply; and a roller disposed between the fixed body and the movable body such that the upper and lower surfaces of the roller with a peripheral surface disposed therebetween are oriented in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, wherein the movable body and the fixed body each have a bottom surface in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller and a protruding portion that protrudes from the bottom surface, and the roller is disposed between the movable body and the fixed body such that the upper and lower surfaces of the roller are opposed respectively to at least the side surface of the protruding portion of the movable body and the side surface of the protruding portion of the fixed body.

Description

Vibration generating device

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

[0002] In a vibration generating device that vibrates a movable body using magnetic force inside an outer box serving as a housing, a configuration in which wheels are provided on the movable body and the movable body is arranged to be vibratable by these wheels is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-107778

[0004] However, when using wheels to enable the movable body to vibrate inside the housing, there is a problem that it is necessary to pivotally support the wheels, and the assembly process becomes complicated.

[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 capable of simplifying the assembly process.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention includes a fixed body having a housing, a movable body housed in the housing so as to be movable in a first direction with respect to the fixed body, a permanent magnet provided on one of the fixed body and the movable body, and provided on the other of the fixed body and the movable body, arranged to face the permanent magnet in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a coil that moves the movable body in the first direction in cooperation with the permanent magnet when power is supplied, and a roller having a cylindrical shape or a circular tube shape, and upper and lower surfaces sandwiching the peripheral surface face a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction, and is arranged between the fixed body and the movable body, the movable body and the fixed body each have a bottom surface against which the peripheral surface of the roller abuts and a protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface, and the roller is arranged between the movable body and the fixed body such that the upper and lower surfaces of the roller face at least the side surfaces of the protruding portion of the movable body and the side surfaces of the protruding portion of the fixed body, respectively.

[0007] According to the present invention, the assembly process can be simplified.

[0008] This is an external perspective view of the vibration generator in the first embodiment. This is an external perspective view showing the configuration with the housing removed from the vibration generator shown in Figure 1. This is an exploded perspective view of the configuration shown in Figure 2. This is a diagram showing the detailed configuration of the lower case. This is a diagram showing the detailed configuration of the upper case. This is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. This is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. This is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the rollers and the permanent magnets. This is a diagram for explaining the operation of the vibration generator in this embodiment. This is a diagram for explaining the operation of the vibration generator in this embodiment. This is a diagram for explaining the movement of the movable body due to the current flowing through the coil. This is a diagram for explaining the movement of the movable body due to the current flowing through the coil. This is a diagram for explaining the movement of the movable body due to the current flowing through the coil. This is a diagram for explaining the movement of the movable body due to the current flowing through the coil. This is a diagram showing another embodiment of the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. This is a diagram showing another embodiment of the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. This is a diagram showing another embodiment of the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. This is a diagram showing another embodiment of the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. This is an external perspective view of the vibration generator in the second embodiment. Figure 15 is an external perspective view showing the configuration of the vibration generator with the housing removed. Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of the configuration shown. Figure 15 shows a detailed configuration of the lower case shown. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C shown in Figure 15. Figure 20 is an external view of the vibration generator in the third embodiment. Figure 20 shows the internal configuration of the vibration generator with the housing and outer yoke removed. Figure 21 is an exploded view of the configuration shown. Figure 20 shows the internal configuration of the lower case shown. Figure 20 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of rollers inside the vibration generator. Figure 20 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the vibration generator in this embodiment. Figure 30 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the vibration generator in this embodiment.

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

[0010] (First Embodiment) <Overall and Internal Configuration of the Vibration Generator> First, the overall and internal configuration of the vibration generator in the first embodiment will be described.

[0011] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the vibration generator in the first embodiment. Figure 2 is an external perspective view showing the configuration with the housing HS removed from the vibration generator 1 shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the configuration shown in Figure 2.

[0012] In Figures 1 to 3, X1 represents one direction of the X-axis in the 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 the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, and Y2 represents the other direction. Likewise, Z1 represents one direction of the Z-axis in the 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 first direction, and the Z-axis direction is an example of a third direction.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the vibration generator 1 in this embodiment has a housing HS, and the housing HS houses yokes 20a, 20b, permanent magnets 40a, 40b, holding members 50a, 50b, a core 31, a coil 32, and a roller 70. Of these, the housing HS, yokes 20a, 20b, and permanent magnets 40a, 40b constitute a fixed body NV, and the holding members 50a, 50b, the core 31, and the coil 32 constitute a movable body MB. The movable body MB, composed of the holding members 50a, 50b, the core 31, and the coil 32, is movable in the Y-axis direction relative to the fixed body NV, composed of the housing HS, yokes 20a, 20b, and permanent magnets 40a, 40b. Connecting members 60a, 60b are attached to the housing HS, and the vibration generator 1 is electrically connected to the control unit 2 via the connecting members 60a, 60b. The connecting members 60a and 60b are each formed from an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) and have wiring sections 61a and 61b, and terminal sections 62a and 62b formed by widening both ends of the wiring sections 61a and 61b.

[0015] The core 31 is made of a roughly rectangular metallic magnetic material, and a coil 32 is wound around it to cover its four sides. One terminal portion 62a is attached to one end of the coil 32 by soldering or the like, and this terminal portion 62a is electrically connected to the other terminal portion 62a via a wiring portion 61a, and the other terminal portion 62a is electrically connected to the control unit 2. Similarly, one terminal portion 62b is attached to the other end of the coil 32 by soldering or the like, and this terminal portion 62b is electrically connected to the other terminal portion 62b via a wiring portion 61b, and the other terminal portion 62b is electrically connected to the control unit 2.

[0016] At one end of the core 31 around which the coil 32 is wound, the retaining member 50a, the permanent magnet 40a, and the yoke 20a are arranged in this order.

[0017] The retaining member 50a is made of a non-magnetic material, and may be made of resin, for example. The retaining member 50a is plate-shaped with a certain thickness and has an outer surface 55a and an opening 53a that penetrates from front to back in the X-axis direction. The core 31 is positioned so as to fit into this opening 53a, and the core 31 is fixed to the retaining member 50a by adhesive or the like. The retaining member 50a also has a bottom surface 51a and a protruding portion 52a that protrudes from the bottom surface 51a on the side opposite to the side into which the core 31 fits. The bottom surface 51a is roughly rectangular in shape with the Y-axis direction as its longitudinal direction, and there are a total of four bottom surfaces 51a: two at the Z1 end of the retaining member 50a arranged in the Y-axis direction, and two at the Z2 end of the retaining member 50a arranged in the Y-axis direction. The Z1-axis and Z2-axis ends of the retaining member 50a are formed with an outer surface 55a that extends continuously from the bottom surface 51a. There is no projection 52a above the upper bottom surface 51a, and no projection 52a below the lower bottom surface 51a. A recessed portion is formed by the step between the bottom surface 51a and the projection 52a, and the rollers 70 are arranged so that one roller fits into each recessed portion. The rollers 70 are cylindrical or circular pipes with a circumferential surface and upper and lower surfaces sandwiching the circumferential surface. The circumferential surface of the roller 70 faces the bottom surface 51a, and one of the upper and lower surfaces of the roller 70, the one closer to the center of the retaining member 50a in the Z-axis direction, faces the Z-axis oriented side surface 54a (a surface parallel to the XY plane) of the projection 52a.

[0018] The permanent magnet 40a is a roughly rectangular plate when viewed from the front, and is positioned so that one of its planes faces the holding member 50a. Here, since the core 31 fits into the opening 53a of the holding member 50a, the permanent magnet 40a faces one end of the core 31. The permanent magnet 40a is not fixed to the holding member 50a. Therefore, the holding member 50a is movable in the Y-axis direction relative to the permanent magnet 40a. The yoke 20a is attracted by magnetic force to the surface of the permanent magnet 40a opposite to the surface facing the holding member 50a.

[0019] The yoke 20a is made of a plate-shaped metal, and is positioned so that one of its planes faces the permanent magnet 40a, and is attracted to the permanent magnet 40a by magnetic force. The permanent magnet 40a and the yoke 20a are positioned between the two rollers 70 in the Z-axis direction such that their respective lengths in the Z-axis direction are shorter than the distance between the two rollers 70 in the Z-axis direction, and they do not overlap with the rollers 70.

[0020] On the other end of the core 31 around which the coil 32 is wound, the retaining member 50b, the permanent magnet 40b, and the yoke 20b are arranged in that order.

[0021] The retaining member 50b is the same part as the retaining member 50a, and is made of the same shape and material. The retaining member 50b is made of a non-magnetic material, and may be made of resin, for example. The retaining member 50b is plate-shaped with a certain thickness and has an outer surface 55b and an opening 53b that penetrates from front to back in the X-axis direction. The core 31 is positioned so as to fit into this opening 53b, and the core 31 is fixed to the retaining member 50b by adhesive or the like. The retaining member 50b also has a bottom surface 51b and a protruding portion 52b that protrudes from the bottom surface 51b on the side opposite to the side into which the core 31 fits. The bottom surface 51b is approximately rectangular in shape with the Y-axis direction as its longitudinal direction, and there are a total of four bottom surfaces 51b: two arranged in the Y-axis direction at the Z1 end of the retaining member 50b and two (not shown) arranged in the Y-axis direction at the Z2 end of the retaining member 50b. The Z1-axis and Z2-axis ends of the retaining member 50b are formed with a continuous outer surface 55b from the bottom surface 51b. There is no projection 52b above the upper bottom surface 51b, and there is no projection 52b below the lower bottom surface 51b. A recessed portion is formed by the step between the bottom surface 51b and the projection 52b, and the rollers 70 are arranged so that one roller fits into each recessed portion. The rollers 70 are cylindrical or circular pipes with a circumferential surface and upper and lower surfaces sandwiching the circumferential surface. The circumferential surface of the roller 70 faces the bottom surface 51b, and one of the upper and lower surfaces of the roller 70, the one closer to the center of the retaining member 50b in the Z-axis direction, faces the Z-axis oriented side surface 54b (a surface parallel to the XY plane) of the projection 52b. The upper and lower surfaces of the roller 70 may be flat or slightly flattened. Furthermore, the upper and lower surfaces of the roller 70 may be slightly inclined rather than perpendicular to the circumferential surface of the roller 70.

[0022] The permanent magnet 40b is the same component as the permanent magnet 40a, having the same shape and material. The permanent magnet 40b is a roughly rectangular plate when viewed from the front, and is positioned so that one of its planes faces the holding member 50b. Here, since the core 31 fits into the opening 53b of the holding member 50b, the permanent magnet 40b faces the other end of the core 31. The permanent magnet 40b is not fixed to the holding member 50b. Therefore, the holding member 50b is movable in the Y-axis direction relative to the permanent magnet 40b. The yoke 20b is magnetically attracted to the surface of the permanent magnet 40b opposite to the surface facing the holding member 50b.

[0023] The yoke 20b is the same part as the yoke 20a, having the same shape and material. The yoke 20b is made of a plate-shaped metal, with one of its surfaces facing the permanent magnet 40b, and is attracted to the permanent magnet 40b by magnetic force. The permanent magnet 40b and the yoke 20a are positioned between the two rollers 70 in the Z-axis direction, with their respective lengths in the Z-axis direction being shorter than the distance between the two rollers 70 in the Z-axis direction, so as not to overlap with the rollers 70.

[0024] <Configuration of Housing HS> Next, the configuration of the housing HS of the vibration generating device 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the housing HS has a lower case 10a and an upper case 10b.

[0025] Figure 4 shows a detailed configuration of the lower case 10a, and is an external perspective view taken from diagonally above the rear.

[0026] The lower case 10a shown in Figure 1 is formed as a single unit and, as shown in Figure 4, has a bottom wall portion 15a, a top wall portion 14a, two side wall portions 16a, and a front wall portion 17a.

[0027] The bottom wall portion 15a is a plate-like structure made of resin or the like, with side wall portions 16a and a front wall portion 17a continuous along three of its edges. Two protrusions 12a are provided on the edges of the bottom wall portion 15a where the two side wall portions 16a and the front wall portion 17a are not continuous.

[0028] The front wall portion 17a is a plate-like material made of resin or the like, and is provided rising in the Z1 direction from the end edge of the bottom wall portion 15a in the X1 direction. The front wall portion 17a has an opening 11a that penetrates through both sides in the X-axis direction, and on the surface facing the region opposite the bottom wall portion 15a (the surface in the X2 direction), there are two grooves 18a above and below the opening 11a. The bottom surface 81a of these grooves 18a becomes the bottom surface on the fixed body side, and the area on the surface facing the region opposite the bottom wall portion 15a where grooves 18a are not provided becomes the protruding portion 82a on the fixed body side. The grooves 18a have a substantially rectangular shape with the Y-axis direction as the longitudinal direction, and are provided so as to face the bottom surface 51a of the holding member 50a when the vibration generating device 1 is assembled as shown in Figure 1.

[0029] The top wall portion 14a is a plate-like structure made of resin or the like, and is connected to the front wall portion 17a at the end opposite to the end of the front wall portion 17a that is connected to the bottom wall portion 15a, and is positioned opposite the bottom wall portion 15a. The length of the top wall portion 14a in the X-axis direction is shorter than the length of the bottom wall portion 15a. Two recesses 13a are provided on the end of the top wall portion 14a opposite to the end of the front wall portion 17a that is connected to the front wall portion 17a.

[0030] The two side wall portions 16a are plate-like structures made of resin or the like, and are provided so as to be upright in the Z1 direction from both ends of the bottom wall portion 15a in the Y-axis direction and facing each other. The length of the side wall portion 16a in the X-axis direction differs between the upper and lower halves. The length of the lower half of the side wall portion 16a in the X-axis direction is the same as the length of the bottom wall portion 15a. The length of the upper half of the side wall portion 16a in the X-axis direction is the same as the length of the top wall portion 14a. The lower half of the side wall portion 16a is provided with a protrusion 12a at its end in the X2 direction. The upper half of the side wall portion 16a is provided with a recess 13a at its end in the X2 direction.

[0031] Figure 5 shows a detailed configuration of the upper case 10b, and is an external perspective view taken from the front and slightly below. Note that the upper case 10b is the same part as the lower case 10a, and has the same shape and material.

[0032] The upper case 10b shown in Figure 1 is formed as a single unit and, as shown in Figure 5, has a top wall portion 14b, a bottom wall portion 15b, two side wall portions 16b, and a rear wall portion 17b.

[0033] The top wall portion 14b is a plate-like structure made of resin or the like, with two side wall portions 16b and a rear wall portion 17b continuous along three of its edges. Two protrusions 12b are provided at the edges of the top wall portion 14b where the side wall portions 16b and rear wall portion 17b are not continuous.

[0034] The rear wall portion 17b is a plate-like material made of resin or the like, and is provided so as to hang down in the Z2 direction from the edge of the top wall portion 14b in the X2 direction. The rear wall portion 17b has an opening 11b that penetrates through both sides in the X-axis direction, and on the surface facing the region opposite the top wall portion 14b (the surface in the X1 direction), there are two grooves 18b above and below the opening 11b. The bottom surface of these grooves 18b becomes the bottom surface 81b on the fixed body side, and the area on the surface facing the region opposite the top wall portion 14b where grooves 18b are not provided becomes the protruding portion 82b on the fixed body side. The grooves 18b have a roughly rectangular shape with the Y-axis direction as the longitudinal direction, and are provided so as to face the bottom surface 51b of the holding member 50b when the vibration generating device 1 is assembled as shown in Figure 1.

[0035] The bottom wall portion 15b is a plate-like structure made of resin or the like, and is connected to the rear wall portion 17b at the end opposite to the end of the rear wall portion 17b that is connected to the top wall portion 14b, and is positioned opposite to the top wall portion 14b. The length of the bottom wall portion 15b in the X-axis direction is shorter than the length of the top wall portion 14b. Two recesses 13b are provided on the end of the bottom wall portion 15b opposite to the end of the rear wall portion 17b that is connected to the rear wall portion 17b.

[0036] The two side wall portions 16b are plate-like structures made of resin or the like, and are provided so as to hang down in the Z2 direction from both ends of the top wall portion 14b in the Y-axis direction and face each other. The length of the side wall portion 16b in the X-axis direction differs between the upper and lower halves. The length of the upper half of the side wall portion 16b in the X-axis direction is the same as the length of the top wall portion 14b. The length of the lower half of the side wall portion 16b in the X-axis direction is the same as the length of the bottom wall portion 15b. The upper half of the side wall portion 16b is provided with a protrusion 12b at its end in the X1 direction. The lower half of the side wall portion 16b is provided with a recess 13b at its end in the X1 direction.

[0037] In the configuration described above, the lower case 10a and upper case 10b have a combined length such that the sum of the X-axis length of the bottom wall portion 15a of the lower case 10a and the X-axis length of the bottom wall portion 15b of the upper case 10b is the same as the sum of the X-axis length of the top wall portion 14a of the lower case 10a and the X-axis length of the top wall portion 14b of the upper case 10b. Furthermore, the sum of the X-axis length of the lower half of the side wall portion 16a of the lower case 10a and the X-axis length of the lower half of the side wall portion 16b of the upper case 10b is the same as the sum of the X-axis length of the upper half of the side wall portion 16a of the lower case 10a and the X-axis length of the upper half of the side wall portion 16b of the upper case 10b. As a result, as shown in Figure 1, the housing HS can be constructed by fitting the protrusion 12a of the lower case 10a with the recess 13b of the upper case 10b, and also by fitting the recess 13a of the lower case 10a with the protrusion 12b of the upper case 10b. Alternatively, the lower case 10a and the upper case 10b may be integrated by applying adhesive between the end faces of the lower case 10a and the upper case 10b that face each other in the X-axis direction.

[0038] Then, when the internal structure shown in Figure 2 is housed in the housing HS, the yoke 20a and permanent magnet 40a fit into the opening 11a of the lower case 10a, as shown in Figure 1, and the yoke 20b and permanent magnet 40b fit into the opening 11b of the upper case 10b (not shown), and the yokes 20a and 20b are fixed to the openings 11a and 11b by means of adhesive, for example.

[0039] <Arrangement of Rollers 70> The arrangement of rollers 70 is described below.

[0040] Figures 6A and 6B illustrate the arrangement of the rollers 70 within the vibration generating device 1. Figure 6A is a schematic diagram showing the main internal structure near the holding member 50b as viewed from the Z1 direction, and Figure 6B is a schematic diagram showing the main internal structure near the holding member 50b as viewed from the Y2 direction. In the following description, the structure of the holding member 50b will be explained, but the structure of the holding member 50a is similar.

[0041] As described above, the roller 70 is positioned so that it fits into the recessed portion created by the step difference between the bottom surface 51b and the protruding portion 52b of the holding member 50b. In addition, the groove 18b formed in the rear wall portion 17b of the upper case 10b is provided so as to face the bottom surface 51b of the holding member 50b when the vibration generating device 1 is assembled.

[0042] Therefore, when the vibration generator 1 is assembled, as shown in Figure 6A, the roller 70 fits into the recessed portion created by the step between the bottom surface 51b and the protrusion 52b of the holding member 50b, and into the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b. At this time, the roller 70 is positioned so that its upper and lower surfaces, which sandwich its circumferential surface, face the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, because the diameter of the roller 70 is greater than the sum of the step between the bottom surface 51b and the protrusion 52b of the holding member 50b and the depth of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, as shown in Figure 6A, the circumferential surface 71 of the roller 70 comes into contact with the bottom surface 51b of the holding member 50b and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b. In other words, a gap is provided in the X-axis direction between the movable body MB, which is the holding member 50b or core 31, and the fixed body NV, which is the upper case 10b or permanent magnet 40b, allowing the roller 70 to be positioned in a slightly compressed state. Furthermore, even if the roller 70 is positioned in a slightly compressed state, it is arranged so that the holding member 50b and the upper case 10b and permanent magnet 40b, or the core 31 and permanent magnet 40b, do not come into direct contact. The diameter of the roller 70 may be, for example, 1 mm. In that case, the step difference between the bottom surface 51b of the holding member 50b and the protrusion 52b, and the depth of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, may each be 0.5 mm or less, which is 1 / 2 of the diameter of the roller 70. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6B, for the roller 70 positioned on the upper side in the Z-axis direction, the upper surface 72 faces the side surface 82b1 (side surface 82b1 of the protrusion 82b) of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, and the lower surface 73 faces the side surface 54b of the protrusion 52b of the holding member 50b and the side surface 82b1 (side surface 82b1 of the protrusion 82b) of the groove 18b. Furthermore, for the roller 70 positioned on the lower side in the Z-axis direction, the upper surface 72 faces the side surface 54b of the protrusion 52b of the holding member 50b and the side surface 82b1 (side surface 82b1 of the protrusion 82b) of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, and the lower surface 73 faces the side surface 82b1 (side surface 82b1 of the protrusion 82b) of the groove 18b.

[0043] Incidentally, the internal configuration near the holding member 50a is equivalent to the internal configuration near the holding member 50b. In the description of the internal configuration near the holding member 50b described using FIGS. 6A and 6B, since the description will be the same as that with reference sign b replaced by reference sign a, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a main part showing the positional relationship between the roller 70 and the permanent magnet 40b, and is a view of the internal configuration near the holding member 50b as seen from the Z1 direction.

[0045] As described above, the grooves 18b formed in the upper case 10b are provided in two each above and below, sandwiching the opening 11b formed in the upper case 10b. Then, the yoke 20b and the permanent magnet 40b are inserted into the opening 11b. Therefore, when the roller 70 enters the groove 18b of the upper case 10b as described above and the peripheral surface abuts on the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b, as shown in FIG. 7, an overlapping portion 3 where the permanent magnet 40b and the roller 70 overlap in the Z-axis direction is formed.

[0046] Similarly, the grooves 18a formed in the lower case 10a are provided in two each above and below, sandwiching the opening 11a formed in the lower case 10a. Then, the yoke 20a and the permanent magnet 40a are inserted into the opening 11a. Therefore, when the roller 70 enters the groove 18a of the lower case 10a as described above and the peripheral surface abuts on the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a, an overlapping portion where the permanent magnet 40a and the roller 70 overlap in the Z-axis direction is formed.

[0047] Thus, in each of the lower case 10a and the upper case 10b, grooves 18a and 18b into which the rollers 70 enter are disposed adjacent to the openings 11a and 11b into which the permanent magnets 40a and 40b enter in the Z direction. As a result, in each of the lower case 10a and the upper case 10b, the regions adjacent to the permanent magnets 40a and 40b that have entered the openings 11a and 11b in the Z direction can be effectively utilized. Also, since the rollers 70 are not disposed in the region where the permanent magnets 40a and 40b face the core 31, and the rollers 70 are disposed in the regions outside the region where the permanent magnets 40a and 40b face the core 31, it becomes possible to dispose the core 31 and the permanent magnets 40a and 40b close to each other. Thereby, it becomes possible to generate a large magnetic force and improve the acceleration performance of the movable body MB.

[0048] <Operation of the vibration generator 1> The operation of the vibration generator 1 configured as described above will be described below.

[0049] FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the vibration generator 1 of the present embodiment, and are schematic diagrams showing the main part of the internal configuration in the vicinity of the holding member 50b viewed from the Z1 direction. Although only the configuration on the holding member 50b side is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the configuration on the holding member 50a side will also be described below.

[0050] As described above, the movable body MB composed of the holding members 50a and 50b, the core 31, and the coil 32 is movable in the Y-axis direction with respect to the fixed body NV composed of the housing HS, the yokes 20a and 20b, and the permanent magnets 40a and 40b.

[0051] Therefore, as will be described later, according to the attractive and repulsive forces acting on the ends of the core 31 by the current flowing through the coil 32 with respect to the permanent magnets 40a and 40b, the movable body MB moves in the Y-axis direction with respect to the fixed body NV. That is, when power is supplied to the coil 32, the coil 32 cooperates with the core 31 and the permanent magnets 40a and 40b to move the movable body MB in the Y-axis direction.

[0052] As shown in Figure 8, when the movable body MB attempts to move relative to the fixed body NV in the Y2 direction (direction A in the figure), the roller 70 rotates while its circumferential surface 71 is in contact with the bottom surfaces 51a, 51b of the holding members 50a, 50b and the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, or the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, respectively, sandwiched between them. At this time, the upper and lower surfaces of the roller 70 are held in place so as to not move in the Z-axis direction by being sandwiched between the two opposing side surfaces 82b1 of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, or the two opposing side surfaces 82a1 of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, respectively, and by being in contact with the side surfaces 54a, 54b of the protrusions 52a, 52b of the holding members 50a, 50b.

[0053] Therefore, the rotation of the roller 70 guides the movement of the movable body MB in the Y2 direction relative to the fixed body NV.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, even when the movable body MB attempts to move relative to the fixed body NV in the Y1 direction (direction B in the figure), the roller 70 rotates while its circumferential surface 71 is in contact with the bottom surfaces 51a, 51b of the holding members 50a, 50b and the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, or the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, respectively, sandwiched between them. At this time, the upper and lower surfaces of the roller 70 are held in place so as to not move in the Z-axis direction by being sandwiched between the two opposing side surfaces 82b1 of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, or the two opposing side surfaces 82a1 of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, respectively, and by being in contact with the side surfaces 54a, 54b of the protrusions 52a, 52b of the holding members 50a, 50b.

[0055] Therefore, the rotation of the roller 70 guides the movement of the movable body MB in the Y1 direction relative to the fixed body NV.

[0056] Here, we will explain in detail the movement of the movable body MB due to the current flowing through coil 32.

[0057] Figures 10 to 13 are diagrams illustrating the movement of the movable body MB due to the current flowing through the coil 32.

[0058] In this embodiment, the permanent magnets 40a and 40b are arranged in such a way that the surfaces facing the core 31 in the X-axis direction are different in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, in the region of permanent magnet 40a facing one end of the core 31, the left half in the figure in the Y-axis direction is magnetized as the south pole, and the right half is magnetized as the north pole. In the region of permanent magnet 40b facing the other end of the core 31, the left half in the figure in the Y-axis direction is magnetized as the north pole, and the right half is magnetized as the south pole. The core 31 is positioned at the center of the coil 32 with both ends facing in the X-axis direction, and the polarity of the ends is controlled by an alternating current such as a sine wave or a square wave supplied to the coil 32 so that the polarity of the ends are different.

[0059] In the vibration generator 1 with this configuration, when no alternating current flows through the coil 32 that constitutes the movable body MB, no magnetic poles are generated in the core 31, and it maintains a state where it is located in an intermediate position in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction in the figure) due to the magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnets 40a and 40b.

[0060] Furthermore, in the vibration generating device 1 of this embodiment, an alternating magnetic field is generated around the coil 32 by passing an alternating current through the coil 32 that constitutes the movable body MB, thereby magnetizing both ends of the core 131 such that the ends of the core 31 have opposite polarities.

[0061] For example, as shown in Figure 10, when a current flows through the coil 32 in one direction, one end of the core 31 is magnetized to the north pole, and the other end of the core 131 is magnetized to the south pole. In this case, one end of the core 31 experiences an attractive force to the left half of the south pole of the permanent magnet 40a and a repulsive force to the right half of the north pole of the permanent magnet 40a. At the same time, the other end of the core 31 experiences an attractive force to the left half of the north pole of the permanent magnet 40b and a repulsive force to the right half of the south pole of the permanent magnet 40b.

[0062] As a result, as shown in Figure 10, a force acts on the movable body MB including the core 31 in the Y2 direction (leftward in the figure), as indicated by the arrow, causing it to move in the Y2 direction as shown in Figure 11. Subsequently, the attractive force between one end of the core 31 and the left half of the S pole of the permanent magnet 40a, and the attractive force between the other end of the core 31 and the left half of the N pole of the permanent magnet 40b, restricts its movement in the Y2 direction (leftward in the figure).

[0063] Furthermore, when no current flows through the coil 32, no magnetic poles are generated in the core 31, and they move to the intermediate position in the Y-axis direction as shown in Figure 12.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, for example, when a current flows through the coil 32 in the opposite direction, one end of the core 31 is magnetized to the south pole, and the other end of the core 31 is magnetized to the north pole. In this case, one end of the core 31 experiences an attractive force to the right half north pole of the permanent magnet 40a and a repulsive force to the left half south pole of the permanent magnet 40a. Simultaneously, the other end of the core 31 experiences an attractive force to the right half south pole of the permanent magnet 40b and a repulsive force to the left half north pole of the permanent magnet 40b.

[0065] As a result, as shown in Figure 12, a force acts on the movable body MB including the core 31 in the Y1 direction (to the right in the figure), as indicated by the arrow, causing it to move in the Y1 direction as shown in Figure 13. Subsequently, the attractive force between one end of the core 31 and the right half of the N pole of the permanent magnet 40a, and the attractive force between the other end of the core 31 and the right half of the S pole of the permanent magnet 40b, restricts its movement in the Y1 direction (to the right in the figure).

[0066] In this way, by controlling the current flowing through the coil 32 with the control unit 2, the movable body MB moves in the Y-axis direction, and vibration is generated in the vibration generator 1. The movement of the movable body MB can then be guided by the roller 70 along the direction of its movement.

[0067] As described above, in this embodiment, a roller 70 is provided between the holding members 50a, 50b and the housing HS such that the upper and lower surfaces 72, 73 sandwiching the circumferential surface 71 are oriented in the Z-axis direction, and the holding members 50a, 50b and the housing HS each have bottom surfaces 51a, 51b, 81a, 81b that the circumferential surface 71 of the roller 70 abuts against, and protruding portions 52a, 52b, 82a, 82b that protrude from the bottom surfaces 51a, 51b, 81a, 81b. The roller 70 is positioned between the movable body MB, which is made up of the holding members 50a, 50b, and the fixed body NV, which is made up of the housing HS, such that the upper and lower surfaces 72, 73 of the roller 70 face the side surfaces 54a, 54b of the protruding portions 52a, 52b of the holding members 50a, 50b and the side surfaces 82a1, 82b1 of the protruding portions 82a, 82b of the housing, respectively. This eliminates the need for a support shaft, simplifying the assembly process, while still guiding the movement of the movable body MB, which consists of the holding members 50a, 50b, core 31, and coil 32, in the Y-axis direction relative to the fixed body NV, which consists of the housing HS, yokes 20a, 20b, and permanent magnets 40a, 40b.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower case 10a and upper case 10b constituting the fixed body NV are each provided with grooves 18a and 18b, which have bottom surfaces 81a and 81b facing the circumferential surface 71 of the roller 70 and side surfaces 82a1 and 82b1 facing the upper and lower surfaces 72 and 73 of the roller 70. This makes it easier to assemble the roller 70 into a predetermined position and improves work efficiency. In addition, among the members constituting the movable body MB, the upper and lower ends of the holding members 50a and 50b in the third direction are formed so that the outer surfaces 55a and 55b of the holding members 50a and 50b are continuously formed from the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b. As a result, it becomes unnecessary to provide a protruding portion facing the outside of the roller 70 (the upper surface for the upper roller 70 and the lower surface for the lower roller 70), which makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the holding members 50a and 50b in the Z-axis direction, which makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the movable body MB in the Z-axis direction, which also makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the housing HS that houses the movable body MB in the Z-axis direction, and as a result, the dimensions of the vibration generating device 1 in the Z-axis direction can be reduced.

[0069] The roller 70 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber or sponge. By making the roller 70 out of an elastic material, as described above, when the roller 70 rotates to guide the movement of the movable body MB, which is composed of the holding members 50a, 50b, the core 31 and the coil 32, vibrations are less likely to be transmitted and noise is less likely to be generated. Furthermore, by making the roller 70 out of an elastic material, even if there are irregularities on the bottom surfaces 51a, 51b of the holding members 50a, 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, the elastic material absorbs the irregularities, suppressing the roller 70 from moving in the X-axis direction and thus suppressing vibrations. Furthermore, by constructing the roller 70 from an elastic material, gaps are less likely to form between the circumferential surface 71 of the roller 70 and the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b of the retaining members 50a and 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b. As a result, collision noise is reduced when the roller 70 comes into contact with the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b of the retaining members 50a and 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b. In addition, if the roller 70 is made of an elastic material, cushioning can be expected when it falls, so the impact from the housing HS to the movable body MB is less likely to occur. Furthermore, by constructing the roller 70 from an elastic material, the roller 70 can more easily adhere to the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b of the holding members 50a and 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b. As a result, the roller 70 can rotate more easily without slipping on the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b of the holding members 50a and 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b. If the roller 70 were to slide on the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b of the holding members 50a and 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, or the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, a large frictional force would be generated. However, because the roller 70 rotates easily, a reduction in frictional force can be expected.

[0070] Furthermore, if the roller 70 is made of an elastic material, it may be placed between the movable body MB and the fixed body NV in a compressed state. With such a configuration, the roller 70 will be in closer contact with the bottom surfaces 51a and 51b of the holding members 50a and 50b, the bottom surface 81a of the groove 18a formed in the lower case 10a, and the bottom surface 81b of the groove 18b formed in the upper case 10b, thereby slowing down movement in the Y-axis direction. This corresponds to an increase in the damper coefficient in the vibration of the mechanical system, and therefore the resonance frequency can be lowered. The elastic material may be made of a rubber elastic material, in which case an elastic roller 70 can be easily formed.

[0071] (Other Embodiments) Figures 14A to 14D show other embodiments of the arrangement of the rollers 70 within the vibration generating device 1, and are views of the internal structure near one of the two holding members as seen from the Y2 direction, corresponding to Figure 6B.

[0072] Figure 14A shows the side surfaces of the retaining member 250 that contact the upper and lower surfaces 72 and 73 of the roller 70 facing outwards. As shown in Figure 14A, the upper surface 72 of the upper roller 70 may be configured to face the side surface 254b of the projection 252b provided on the retaining member 250b and the side surface 82b1 of the groove in the upper case 10b, and the lower surface 73 of the upper roller 70 may be configured to face the side surface 82b1 of the groove in the upper case 10b. Alternatively, the upper surface 72 of the lower roller 70 may be configured to face the side surface 82b1 of the groove in the upper case 10b, and the lower surface 73 of the lower roller 70 may be configured to face the side surface 254b of the projection 252b provided on the retaining member 250b and the side surface 82b1 of the groove in the upper case 10b.

[0073] Furthermore, Figure 14B shows a configuration in which the sides that contact the upper and lower surfaces 72 and 73 of the roller 70 of the upper case 310b are arranged only on the outside. As shown in Figure 14B, the upper surface 72 of the upper roller 70 may face the side surface 382b1 of the groove 318b of the upper case 310b, and the lower surface 73 of the upper roller 70 may face the side surface 54b of the projection 52b provided on the holding member 50b. Alternatively, the upper surface 72 of the lower roller 70 may face the side surface 54b of the projection 52b provided on the holding member 50b, and the lower surface 73 of the lower roller 70 may face the side surface 382b1 of the groove 318b of the upper case 310b.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14C, the height of the protrusion 52b of the retaining member 50b may be set to such an extent that the protrusion 52b fits into the groove 318b of the upper case 310b, compared to the one shown in Figure 14B.

[0075] Furthermore, Figure 14D shows an example in which the sides of the roller 70 of the upper case 410b that contact the upper and lower surfaces 72 and 73 are positioned only on the inside, compared to the example shown in Figure 13A. As shown in Figure 14D, the upper surface 72 of the upper roller 70 may face the side surface 254b of the projection 252b provided on the holding member 250b, and the lower surface 73 of the upper roller 70 may face the side surface 482b1 of the projection 482b provided on the upper case 410b. Alternatively, the upper surface 72 of the lower roller 70 may face the side surface 482b1 of the projection 482b provided on the upper case 410b, and the lower surface 73 of the lower roller 70 may face the side surface 254b of the projection 252b provided on the holding member 250b.

[0076] (Second Embodiment) Figure 15 is an external perspective view of the vibration generator in the second embodiment. Figure 16 is an external perspective view showing the configuration with the housing HS removed from the vibration generator 101 shown in Figure 15, and Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of the configuration shown in Figure 16.

[0077] As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the vibration generator 101 in this embodiment differs from the vibration generator 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 in that the lower case 110a is different, and the shapes of the connecting members 160a and 160b are different. Specifically, the shapes of the wiring sections 161a and 161b and terminal sections 162a and 162b provided on the connecting members 160a and 160b are different. However, the shapes of the connecting members 160a and 160b can be arbitrarily changed and set according to the application, so a detailed explanation is omitted. The reason why the vibration generator 101 in this embodiment has a different effect than the vibration generator 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is that the lower case 110a is different, and the roller 70 is not arranged on the holding member 50a side of the holding members 50a and 50b.

[0078] In the vibration generator 101 of this embodiment, the holding member 50b is arranged such that, similar to the vibration generator 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3, one roller 70 fits into each recessed portion created by the step between the bottom surface 51a and the protruding portion 52a. However, no rollers 70 are arranged on the holding member 50a side.

[0079] Figure 18 is a diagram showing the detailed configuration of the lower case 110a shown in Figure 15, and is an external perspective view taken from the rear, diagonally downwards.

[0080] In this embodiment, the lower case 110a differs from the lower case 10a shown in Figure 4 in that it does not have a groove 18a on its front wall portion 17a, and instead has two stoppers 118 that sandwich the opening 11a. The stoppers 118 are provided in a strip shape along the end edge of the opening 11a that extends in the Y-axis direction. The stoppers 118 are provided on the surface of the front wall portion 17a where the groove 18a of the lower case 10a shown in Figures 1 to 3 is formed, and protrude in the X2 direction.

[0081] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C shown in Figure 15, illustrating the state in which an impact is applied to the vibration generator 101.

[0082] As described above, the vibration generator 101 in this embodiment has a stopper 118 protruding in the X2 direction from the front wall portion 17a of the lower case 110a. The stopper 118 is provided to sandwich the opening 11a instead of the groove 18a shown in Figure 4. When the internal structure shown in Figure 16 is housed in the housing HS, which is composed of the lower case 110a and the upper case 10b, the gap between the other end of the core 31 and the permanent magnet 40b is set to be smaller than the gap in the X-axis direction between one end of the core 31 and the permanent magnet 40a. Therefore, the magnetic force between the other end of the core 31 and the permanent magnet 40b is stronger than the magnetic force between one end of the core 31 and the permanent magnet 40a, and in the vibration state, a small gap is created between the holding member 50a and the stopper 118, so that frictional resistance is suppressed. When an impact in the X1 direction is applied to the vibration generator 101 due to a fall or other event, the retaining member 50a comes into contact with the stopper 118, as shown in Figure 19. At this time, the end of the core 31 on the retaining member 50a side is positioned at a distance from the permanent magnet 40a facing this end. Therefore, when the stopper 118 comes into contact with the retaining member 50a, the retaining member 50a side of the core 31 is prevented from approaching the permanent magnet 40a facing this end.

[0083] In this embodiment, the roller 70 is positioned on the holding member 50b side of the holding members 50a and 50b to guide the movement of the movable body MB in the Y-axis direction. This makes it possible to guide the movement of the movable body MB while reducing the number of rollers 70 compared to the vibration generating device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3.

[0084] In this embodiment, of the holding members 50a and 50b, the roller 70 is placed on the holding member 50b side, and the stopper 118 is provided on the holding member 50a. However, the roller 70 may be placed on the holding member 50a side, and the stopper 118 may be provided on the holding member 50b side.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the fixed body NV is composed of the housing HS, yokes 20a, 20b and permanent magnets 40a, 40b, and the movable body MB is composed of the holding members 50a, 50b, core 31 and coil 32. However, since vibration is generated by the relative movement between the yokes 20a, 20b and permanent magnets 40a, 40b and the core 31 and coil 32, the yokes 20a, 20b and permanent magnets 40a, 40b may be provided on the movable body side, and the core 31 and coil 32 may be provided on the fixed body side.

[0086] (Third Embodiment) <Overall and Internal Configuration of the Vibration Generator> First, the overall and internal configuration of the vibration generator in the third embodiment will be described.

[0087] Figure 20 is an external view of the vibration generator in the third embodiment. Figure 21 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the vibration generator 501 shown in Figure 20 with the housing HS and outer yoke 520a removed, and Figure 22 is an exploded view of the configuration shown in Figure 21. In Figure 20, the upper side in the diagram indicates the upper side in the explanation of the vibration generator, and the lower side in the diagram indicates the lower side of the vibration generator.

[0088] As shown in Figures 20 to 22, the vibration generating device 501 in this embodiment has a housing HS, and two coils 532, holding members 550a and 550b, inner yokes 520b and 520c, and a permanent magnet 540 are housed within the housing HS and outer yoke 520a. Of these, the housing HS, outer yoke 520a, and coils 532 constitute a fixed body NV, and the holding members 50a and 50b, inner yokes 520b and 520c, and permanent magnet 540 constitute a movable body MB.

[0089] The housing HS consists of a lower case 510a and an upper case 510b. The lower case 510a and the upper case 510b are bottomed cylindrical shapes with the same diameter, one end being a closed bottom wall and the other end being open, and the open ends are arranged to face each other. The lower case 510a and the upper case 510b may be made of resin. Four grooves 511a and 511b extending in the axial direction are formed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the lower case 510a and the upper case 510b, respectively.

[0090] The outer yoke 520a is a cylindrical object made of metal, positioned between the lower case 510a and the upper case 510b such that its central axis CL is at the same position relative to the lower case 510a and the upper case 510b on a plane perpendicular to the central axis CL. It is attached to the lower case 510a and the upper case 510b by adhesive or the like. Thus, the lower case 510a, the outer yoke 520a, and the upper case 510b form a cylindrical fixed body NV with both ends closed.

[0091] The two coils 532 are attached to the inner circumferential surface of the outer yoke 520a. One coil 532 may be attached to the upper end of the outer yoke 520a and the other to the lower end of the outer yoke 520a. The outer diameter of the coil 532 may also be the same as the inner diameter of the outer yoke 520a. This allows the coil 532 to be fixed to the outer yoke 520a with an adhesive or the like.

[0092] The retaining members 550a and 550b are cylindrical in shape, and each has four grooves 551a and 551b extending in the axial direction formed on its circumferential surface. These four grooves 551a and 551b are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the retaining members 550a and 550b, and a roller 570 fits into each of the four grooves 551a and 551b. The retaining members 550a and 550b have upper and lower surfaces that sandwich the cylindrical circumferential surface, with the lower surface of retaining member 550a and the upper surface of retaining member 550b facing each other via the inner yokes 520b and 520c and the permanent magnet 540, and are arranged so that the central axis CL is at the same position on a plane perpendicular to the central axis CL. The retaining members 550a and 550b may be made of metal.

[0093] The inner yokes 520b, 520c and the permanent magnet 540 are arranged between the retaining member 550a and the retaining member 550b, in the direction of the central axis CL, in the order of inner yoke 520b, permanent magnet 540, and inner yoke 520c, starting from the retaining member 550a side.

[0094] The inner yoke 520b is cylindrical and made of metal, with its upper surface attached to the lower surface of the retaining member 550a. If the retaining member 550a is made of metal, the inner yoke 520b can be held in place by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 540.

[0095] The permanent magnet 540 is cylindrical, and its upper surface is magnetically attracted to and fixed to the lower surface opposite to the surface to which the retaining member 550a of the inner yoke 520b is attached.

[0096] The inner yoke 520c is cylindrical and made of metal. One of its upper and lower surfaces is attracted and fixed by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 540 to the surface opposite to the surface on which the inner yoke 520b is attracted and fixed.

[0097] The retaining member 550b has its upper surface attached to the lower surface opposite to the surface on which the permanent magnet 540 of the inner yoke 520c is attracted and fixed. If the retaining member 550b is made of metal, the retaining member 550b can be held to the inner yoke 520c by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 540.

[0098] The retaining members 550a, 550b, inner yokes 520b, 520c, and permanent magnet 540 described above have outer diameters smaller than the inner diameters of the lower case 510a, upper case 510b, and outer yoke 520a. Furthermore, the length from the upper surface of the retaining member 550a opposite to the surface to which the inner yoke 520b is attached to the lower surface of the retaining member 550b opposite to the surface to which the inner yoke 520c is attached is shorter than the distance between the inner bottom surface of the lower case 510a and the inner top surface of the upper case 510b. As a result, the movable body MB is housed within the fixed body NV and is movable relative to the fixed body NV in the direction of the central axis CL of both the movable body MB and the fixed body NV. Note that the outer diameters of the retaining members 550a, 550b, inner yokes 520b, 520c, and permanent magnet 540 may be the same as each other.

[0099] In this embodiment, the central axis CL direction of the fixed body NV and the movable body MB is an example of the axial direction, which is a first example of the first direction; the radial direction of the fixed body NV and the movable body MB is an example of the second direction; and the circumferential direction of the fixed body NV and the movable body MB is an example of the third direction.

[0100] <Arrangement of Rollers 570> The arrangement of rollers 570 is described below.

[0101] Figure 23 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the lower case 510a shown in Figure 20, and is a view from diagonally above. Figure 24 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the rollers 570 inside the vibration generator 501, and is a view of the lower case 510a and the holding member 550b from the upper case 510b side. In the following, the holding state of the rollers 570 in the lower case 510a and the holding member 550b will be described, but the holding state of the rollers 570 in the upper case 510b and the holding member 550a is similar.

[0102] As shown in Figure 23, the four grooves 511a formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower case 510a are positioned opposite the four grooves 551b of the retaining member 550b when the cylindrical movable body MB is housed in the cylindrical fixed body NV. That is, the four grooves 511a are also provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface of the lower case 510a. Furthermore, the axial length of the grooves 511a may be the same as that of the grooves 551b of the retaining member 550b.

[0103] As shown in Figure 24, the roller 570 is positioned between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b. In this position, the circumferential surface 571 of the roller 570 positioned between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b is in contact with the bottom surface of the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the bottom surface of the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b. Furthermore, the upper and lower surfaces 572 of the roller 570 positioned between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b are in contact with the two opposing sides of the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the two opposing sides of the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b, respectively, with the circumferential surface 571 in between. In other words, in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the groove 511a of the lower case 510a is an example of the bottom surface on the fixed body NV side of the present invention, and the bottom surface of the groove 551b of the holding member 550b is an example of the bottom surface on the movable body MB side of the present invention. Furthermore, the area on the inner circumferential surface of the lower case 510a where the groove 511a is not formed is an example of the protruding portion on the fixed body NV side of the present invention, and the area on the outer circumferential surface of the holding member 550b where the groove 551b is not formed is an example of the protruding portion on the movable body MB side of the present invention.

[0104] <Operation of the vibration generator 501> The operation of the vibration generator 501 configured as described above will be explained below.

[0105] Figures 25 to 27 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the vibration generator 501 of this embodiment, and are cross-sectional views taken along line D-D in Figure 20.

[0106] When the cylindrical movable body MB, which consists of retaining members 550a, 550b, inner yokes 520b, 520c, and permanent magnet 540, is housed in a cylindrical fixed body NV, which consists of a lower case 510a, an upper case 510b, and an outer yoke 520a, as shown in Figure 25, the roller 570 fits between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b, and also fits between the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and the groove 551a of the retaining member 550a.

[0107] In this state, the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 540 crosses the circumferentially wound coil 532 radially, so supplying power to the coil 532 causes a current to flow in one direction, generating a Lorentz force. The movable body MB is then able to move within the fixed body NV in the axial direction of both the movable body MB and the fixed body NV. As a result, as shown in Figure 26, the movable body MB moves within the fixed body NV in the direction E in the figure. At that time, the circumferential surface of the roller 570, which is positioned between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the holding member 550b, is in contact with the bottom surface of the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the bottom surface of the groove 551b of the holding member 550b. As a result, the roller 570, which is positioned between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b, rotates with its circumferential surface 571 in contact with the bottom surface of the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the bottom surface of the groove 551b of the retaining member 550b. Also, the circumferential surface 571 of the roller 570, which is positioned between the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and the groove 551a of the retaining member 550a, is in contact with the bottom surface of the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and the bottom surface of the groove 551a of the retaining member 550a. As a result, the roller 570, which is positioned between the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and the groove 551a of the retaining member 550a, rotates with its circumferential surface 571 in contact with the bottom surface of the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and the bottom surface of the groove 551a of the retaining member 550a.

[0108] In this way, the rotation of the roller 570 guides the axial movement of both the movable body MB and the fixed body NV relative to the movable body MB.

[0109] In this configuration, the roller 570, which is positioned between the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and the groove 551b of the holding member 550b, has its upper and lower surfaces 572, with their circumferential surface 571 in between, in contact with two opposing sides of the groove 511a of the lower case 510a and two opposing sides of the groove 551b of the holding member 550b, respectively. Similarly, the roller 570, which is positioned between the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and the groove 551a of the holding member 550a, has its upper and lower surfaces 572, with their circumferential surface 571 in between, in contact with two opposing sides of the groove 511b of the upper case 510b and two opposing sides of the groove 551a of the holding member 550a, respectively. This ensures that the roller 570 is held in place so as not to move in the circumferential direction of the movable body MB and the fixed body NV.

[0110] Furthermore, when current is passed through coil 532 in the reverse direction, the Lorentz force causes the movable body MB to move within the fixed body NV in the direction F in the figure, as shown in Figure 27. In this case as well, the rotation of roller 570 guides the axial movement of both the movable body MB and the fixed body NV relative to the fixed body NV.

[0111] Thus, in this embodiment as well, the rotation of the roller 570 eliminates the need for a support shaft, simplifying the assembly process, while still guiding the axial movement of the cylindrical movable body MB, which is composed of the holding members 550a, 550b, inner yokes 520b, 520c, and permanent magnet 540, relative to the cylindrical fixed body NV, which is composed of the lower case 510a, upper case 510b, and outer yoke 520a.

[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, four grooves are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surfaces of the lower case 510a and the upper case 510b, and correspondingly, four grooves 551a and 511b are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surfaces of the holding members 550a and 550b. However, the number of grooves is not limited to four, and three or more are preferable. However, if multiple grooves are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, multiple rollers 570 will be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the fixed body NV and the movable body MB, and the rollers 570 can guide the movement of the movable body MB in a balanced manner.

[0113] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-212109, filed on December 5, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0114] 1, 101, 501 Vibration generator 2 Control unit 3 Overlap portion 10a, 110a, 510a Lower case 10b, 510b Upper case 11a, 11b, 53a, 53b Opening 12a, 12b Protrusion 13a, 13b Recess 14a, 14b Top wall portion 15a, 15b Bottom wall portion 16a Side wall portion 17a Front wall portion 17b Rear wall portion 18a, 18b, 318b, 511a, 551a, 551b Groove 20a, 20b Yoke 31 Core 32, 532 Coil 40a, 40b, 540 Permanent magnet 50a, 50b, 550a, 550b Holding member 51a, 51b, 81b Bottom surface 52a, 52b, 252b Protruding parts 54b, 82b, 254b, 382b, 482b Side surfaces 55a, 55b Outer surfaces 60a, 60b, 160a, 160b Connecting members 61a, 61b, 161a, 161b Wiring sections 62a, 62b Terminal sections 70, 570 Rollers 71, 571 Circumferential surfaces 72 Top surface 73 Bottom surface 118 Stopper 520a Outer yoke 520b, 520c Inner yoke 572 Top and bottom surfaces HS housing NV Fixed body MB Movable body

Claims

1. A vibration generating device comprising: a fixed body having a housing; a movable body housed in the housing so as to be movable in a first direction relative to the fixed body; a permanent magnet provided on one of the fixed body and the movable body; a coil provided on the other of the fixed body and the movable body, positioned opposite the permanent magnet in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and supplied with power to move the movable body in the first direction in cooperation with the permanent magnet; and a roller having a cylindrical or circular tube shape, positioned between the fixed body and the movable body such that its upper and lower surfaces, sandwiching its circumferential surface, face a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, respectively, wherein the movable body and the fixed body each have a bottom surface in contact with the circumferential surface of the roller and a protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface, and the roller is positioned between the movable body and the fixed body such that its upper and lower surfaces face at least the side surface of the protruding portion of the movable body and the side surface of the protruding portion of the fixed body, respectively.

2. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the rollers are provided in multiple quantities in the first direction and the third direction, the fixed body has a groove formed by the bottom surface and the side surface of the protruding portion, the bottom surface of the groove faces the circumferential surface of the roller, and the two opposing side surfaces of the groove in the third direction face the upper and lower surfaces of the roller, respectively.

3. The vibration generating device according to claim 2, wherein the upper and lower ends of the movable body in the third direction are formed continuously from the bottom surface to the outer surface of the movable body.

4. The vibration generating device according to claim 3, wherein the permanent magnet is provided on the fixed body, and the roller overlaps with the permanent magnet in the third direction, with its circumferential surface facing the bottom surface of the groove.

5. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the roller is made of an elastic member.

6. The vibration generating device according to claim 5, wherein the roller is positioned between the movable body and the fixed body in a compressed state.

7. The vibration generating device according to claim 6, wherein the roller is made of a rubber elastic body.

8. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the coil is provided on the movable body and is positioned at the center of the coil such that both ends face in the second direction, and the polarity of both ends is controlled to be opposite to that of the other by the power supplied to the coil, and a plurality of permanent magnets are arranged facing each of the ends of the core such that the surfaces facing the ends of the core have opposite magnetic poles in the first direction.

9. The vibration generating device according to claim 8, wherein the core is positioned such that one of its two ends is spaced apart from the permanent magnet facing that end, and the fixing body has a stopper that prevents the one end of the core from approaching the permanent magnet facing that end.

10. The vibration generating device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed body is formed in a cylindrical shape, the movable body is formed in a cylindrical shape housed within the fixed body, the first direction is the axial direction of the fixed body and the movable body, the second direction is the radial direction of the fixed body and the movable body, the third direction is the circumferential direction of the fixed body and the movable body, and a plurality of rollers are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the fixed body and the movable body.

Images