Vehicle Haptic Feedback Motor with Sensor-Controlled Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicle operating systems with touch-sensitive panels lack effective haptic feedback due to the absence of movable parts, leading to unsatisfactory user experience, as existing solutions like unbalance motors often result in inconsistent vibration duration.
Innovation Solution
An operating apparatus with an electric motor having an unbalance mass, coupled to a sensor and control unit, which detects contact and limits rotor rotations to a predefined number for precise haptic feedback, ensuring reliable and short vibration duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a touch-sensitive operating panel is used without movable parts, then the device complexity is reduced, but haptic feedback quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration by using an unbalance motor that generates controlled vibrations through an eccentric rotor. The rotor's unbalanced mass creates periodic vibrations when rotated, providing tactile feedback to the user without requiring movable buttons or mechanical switches on the operating panel surface.
2Device complexity
If the electric motor runs for a predefined time, then the device complexity is reduced, but the precision of vibration duration control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using a sensor (such as a Hall sensor or optical sensor) to detect the rotor's position and rotation count. The control unit continuously monitors the feedback signal and compares it with the target number of revolutions, then adjusts the motor's energization to achieve the precise desired vibration duration, compensating for variations in motor speed or load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces time-based mechanical control with sensor-based detection. Instead of relying on a timer or mechanical stop mechanism, the system uses an electronic sensor to detect rotor position and provides feedback to the control unit, which precisely controls the motor's operation based on the detected number of revolutions.
3Device complexity
If environmental conditions and age variations are not compensated, then the device complexity is reduced, but the consistency of rotor revolutions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism continuously monitors the actual rotor revolutions and compares them with the target value. The control unit adjusts the motor's energization in real-time to compensate for variations caused by environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) and age-related changes in motor performance, ensuring consistent vibration duration across different operating conditions and product lifecycles.
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 provides reliable and controlled haptic feedback with a consistent number of rotor revolutions, enhancing user experience by avoiding prolonged or inconsistent vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor with an unbalance mass, i.e. either a rotor which has an unbalance or a separate unbalance mass coupled to the rotor
Implementation Method 2
a sensor for determining the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor
Implementation Method 3
piezoelectric actuators produce pulses
Data Source
AI summary
An operating apparatus for a vehicle component comprises an operating panel (12) as well as an electric motor (34) mechanically coupled thereto with an unbalance mass. A detector (20) can capture the contact of the operating panel (12) by a user. A sensor (46) is provided in order to set exactly the number of revolutions of the electric motor in response to the contact of the operating panel by a user. The number of revolutions of the rotor is determined via this sensor.