Perpendicular Vibration Actuator Cantilever Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vibration actuators in portable devices generate insufficient physically-felt vibration as they transmit vibrations along the body surface, limiting their effectiveness in providing a noticeable tactile experience to users.
Innovation Solution
A vibration actuator design featuring a movable part with a coil and a fixing part with a magnet, supported by an elastic structure that allows reciprocation, utilizing a configuration where two magnets with opposite magnetization directions are radially spaced from the coil, and a cantilevered elastic supporting part to enhance vibrational output and tactile feedback without increasing the device's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vibration actuators generate vibration in the direction along the body surface (conventional linear actuator design), then the device structure is simple, but the vibration is insufficient to be physically felt by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the vibration direction from parallel to the body surface (conventional) to perpendicular to the body surface (new dimension). This is achieved by configuring the movable part to vibrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main face of the portable device, allowing the vibration to be transmitted directly to the user's hand or body, significantly improving physical perception of vibration without requiring a fundamentally different actuator mechanism
2Ease of operation
If the vibration actuator is enlarged to provide sufficient vibration, then the vibrational output increases, but the portable device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the vibration transmission direction to perpendicular orientation, the patent achieves more efficient vibration transmission to the user with the same actuator size. The vibration is transmitted directly through the device body to the user's hand, eliminating the need to enlarge the actuator to achieve sufficient vibrational output
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the mounting orientation and vibration direction parameters of the actuator. By configuring the movable part to vibrate perpendicular to the main face and positioning it appropriately within the device, the system achieves enhanced vibrational output without increasing actuator volume, effectively changing the operational parameters rather than the physical size
3Ease of operation
If the movable part moves in a straight line along a shaft (conventional linear actuator), then the actuator structure is simple, but the vibration transmission to the user is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the linear motion of the movable part from horizontal (parallel to body surface) to vertical (perpendicular to main face). This dimensional change allows the vibration to be transmitted more effectively to the user's hand through the device body, improving vibration transmission efficiency while maintaining the simplicity of the linear actuator mechanism
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 the transmission of sufficient physically-felt vibrations to users without enlarging the vibration actuator or portable device, improving the tactile experience through amplified vibrational output and reduced noise, while maintaining reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
movable part is configured to reciprocate with respect to the fixing part in a vibrating direction by interaction between the coil and the magnet
Implementation Method 2
elastic supporting part configured to support the movable part such that the movable part is movable to the fixing part
Data Source
AI summary
A vibration actuator includes: a movable part including a coil; a fixing part including a magnet; and an elastic supporting part supporting the movable part such that the movable part is movable to the fixing part. The movable part reciprocates to the fixing part in a vibrating direction by interaction between the coil and the magnet. The magnet includes a first magnet and a second magnet joined to each other such that their magnetization directions are opposite to each other, and the magnet is disposed to be radially inwardly spaced apart from the coil. The elastic supporting part is fixed at its one end to the fixing part and at its other end to the movable part. The elastic supporting part has a structure for cantilevering the movable part. At least one of the first and the second magnets includes a depressed portion in its joining surface.