Curved Surface Vibratory Actuator for Wearable Ring Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vibratory actuators attached to ring-shaped devices are limited in size reduction, leading to increased device size and reduced vibration effectiveness when worn, as they require a specific planar shape that does not conform to curved surfaces, affecting the wearing experience and vibration transmission.
Innovation Solution
A vibratory actuator with a curved surface section that allows reciprocating movement along the curved surface, providing a vibratory stimulus to mechanoreceptors through a curved surface section, facilitating size reduction and improved vibration application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional planar-shaped vibratory actuator is attached to a ring-shaped device, then the actuator can be mounted on the device, but the device size increases and the wearing experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator housing is designed with a curved surface section that conforms to the curved surface of the ring-shaped device. This curvature allows the actuator to be mounted on the device without requiring additional space, as the curved design integrates seamlessly with the device's geometry. The curved surface section enables the actuator to adapt to the ring-shaped structure while maintaining a compact form factor that does not increase the overall device size.
2Device complexity
If a conventional planar-shaped vibratory actuator is used, then the actuator structure is simple, but the vibration transmission effectiveness decreases when worn
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surface section of the actuator housing enables effective vibration transmission by conforming to the curved surface of the ring-shaped device. This curvature ensures optimal contact between the actuator and the device, allowing vibrations to be transmitted efficiently to the user's finger. The curved design maintains simple internal actuator structures while improving external conformity and vibration transmission effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables a compact design that effectively applies vibrations to the user without increasing the device's external size, enhancing the wearing experience and vibration transmission by conforming to curved surfaces, thus improving user feedback and device usability.
Implementation Method 1
The coil and the magnet cooperate to linearly vibrate the movable body that is slidable against the shaft, in the vibrating direction with respect to the stationary body
Implementation Method 2
a movable body that is provided on the curved surface section to be reciprocatorily movable along the curved surface section with respect to the stationary body
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vibratory actuator the size of which can be reduced and which effectively produces vibrations felt by a user. The vibratory actuator has: a stationary body which has a curved surface section curved in a concave shape to be placed along the skin; and a movable body which is disposed on the curved surface section so as to be able to move with respect to the stationary body in a reciprocating manner along the curved surface section, thereby imparting a vibratory stimulus caused by the reciprocating motion to mechanoreceptors in the skin tissue via the curved surface section.