Reactive Force Dome Stabilizing Contact Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reactive force generation devices experience unstable intensity and generation timing of reactive force, along with reduced durability due to excessive inclination of the dome section, leading to unstable landing actions and unwanted chattering in electronic contacts, particularly when considering complex stroke movements rather than single-pivot-axis designs.
Innovation Solution
A reactive force generation device with a dome section and opposed member that maintains a consistent virtual plane throughout the depression stroke, allowing for controlled angle variations between the dome section's axis and the opposed surface, stabilizing the reactive force generation and enhancing durability by ensuring the axis line intersects the opposed surface perpendicularly at specific points during the stroke.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the dome section is designed with a large inclination angle to increase stroke movement range, then the adaptability to complex stroke movements is improved, but the stability of reactive force generation deteriorates due to unstable landing action
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric design in the guiding mechanism where the movement path of the dome section's axis line is deliberately designed to pass through a specific point on the opposed surface. This asymmetric constraint ensures that despite variations in stroke movement complexity, the axis line maintains perpendicular intersection with the opposed surface at the critical moment of contact, thereby stabilizing reactive force generation while accommodating diverse movement patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-designing the guiding mechanism to constrain the axis line of the dome section to pass through a predetermined point on the opposed surface. This preliminary geometric constraint ensures that regardless of the complexity of the stroke movement, the perpendicular intersection condition is automatically satisfied, preventing unstable landing action before it occurs
2Length of moving object
If the dome section contacts the opposed surface with excessive inclination, then the stroke movement range is increased, but the durability of the device deteriorates due to unstable landing action and chattering
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding mechanism is pre-designed to constrain the axis line of the dome section to pass through a specific point on the opposed surface during movement. This preliminary geometric constraint ensures that the dome section always contacts the opposed surface in a perpendicular manner, preventing unstable landing action and chattering that would otherwise reduce durability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of inclined contact into a benefit by designing the guiding mechanism to utilize the movement trajectory. By ensuring the axis line passes through the predetermined point, the design transforms what could be an unstable inclined landing into a controlled perpendicular contact, eliminating chattering and improving durability while maintaining stroke range
3Device complexity
If conventional single-pivot-axis design is used to simplify the mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to complex stroke movements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding mechanism is designed with universal adaptability to accommodate various complex stroke movements while maintaining structural simplicity. By constraining only the critical parameter (axis line passing through predetermined point) rather than controlling the entire movement path, the mechanism can adapt to different stroke complexities without requiring complex multi-axis pivot designs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from controlling multiple movement parameters (as in single-pivot-axis designs) to controlling a single critical parameter - the position where the axis line intersects the opposed surface. This parameter change allows the mechanism to handle complex stroke movements while maintaining simplicity
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 stabilizes the intensity and generation timing of the reactive force while enhancing the durability of the device, preventing unwanted chattering and improving the reliability of the force generation mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
by a depressing force being applied to the dome section (reactive force generation member) in an axial direction of the dome section, the elastic member of the dome section elastically deforms to generate a reactive force to the applied depressing force
Data Source
AI summary
A to-be-depressed member includes an elastic dome. A sectional shape of the dome orthogonal to an axis line (X2) of the dome is line-symmetric about a symmetry axis (Ax). The dome has a three-dimensional shape that is symmetric with respect to a virtual plane (Sx) containing the symmetry axis and the axis line. During a swinging movement responsive to a depressing operation, an opposed surface of an opposed member relatively approaches and contacts a distal end of the dome to deform the dome so as to generate a reactive force. As for an angle defined between the axis line of the dome and a normal line (X1) of the opposed surface, the angle (θ0) in an initial state falls in a range from a first angle variation amount from the initial state to a first-contact state to a second angle variation amount from the initial state to a depression-completed state.