Sealed Elastic Support Structure for Quiet Vibration Actuators

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vibration actuators generate noise due to gaps in the joint portions between the movable body and the elastic supporting bodies, leading to deformation and contact during vibration.

Innovation Solution

The vibration actuator incorporates a design where the movable body is supported by elastic supporting parts with a predetermined gap, and a sealing part is used to join the movable body to the elastic supporting parts without any gaps, preventing noise generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the movable body is supported by elastic supporting bodies with a gap in the joint portion, then the structure allows deformation and movement during vibration, but noise is generated due to contact via the gap

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration movementVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the gap from the joint portion between the movable body and elastic supporting bodies. By providing a joint structure that directly connects these components without gaps, the source of noise generation is removed while preserving the vibration functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a joint portion as an intermediary structure that connects the movable body and elastic supporting bodies. This joint portion serves as a mediator that eliminates the gap while allowing the necessary deformation and movement during vibration operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the movable body is firmly fixed to the elastic supporting bodies without gaps, then noise generation is suppressed, but the vibration output may be reduced due to restricted deformation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise suppressionVSAvoidvibration output
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the connection structure into distinct components (movable body, elastic supporting bodies, and joint portion) that are firmly connected without gaps. This segmentation allows the joint portion to be specifically designed to eliminate noise while the elastic supporting bodies maintain their deformation capability for vibration generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite structure combining the movable body, elastic supporting bodies, and joint portion into an integrated assembly. This composite design ensures firm connection without gaps for noise suppression while maintaining the overall vibration performance through the elastic properties of the supporting bodies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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

This design effectively suppresses noise and generates suitable vibrations with a stable high output, ensuring quiet and efficient operation of the vibration actuator.

Implementation Method 1

A magnetic field generator made of a yoke and a magnet is attached to one of the plate-like elastic bodies, and a coil is attached to the other plate-shaped elastic body. The coil is disposed within the magnetic field of the magnetic field generator.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

a pair of plate-like elastic bodies that are supported respectively on opening edge portions of a cylindrical frame such that the elastic bodies face each other

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

By applying currents of different frequencies to the coil while switching the currents through an oscillation circuit, a pair of plate-shaped elastic bodies selectively resonate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentEP4112191B1Vibration actuator and electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.04.02 MINEBEAMITSUMI INC
  • EP4112191B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4112191B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4112191B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This vibration actuator comprises a fixed body including a coil, a movable body disposed inside in the radial direction of the coil and including a magnet disposed so as to be relatively movable in the vibration direction orthogonal to the radial direction of the coil, and an elastic support part that supports the movable body so as to be freely moveable with respect to the fixed body, wherein the coil to which power is supplied and the magnet cooperate to cause the movable body to vibrate with respect to the fixed body. The elastic support part has an outer circumferential part bonded to the fixed body, an annular inner circumferential part disposed inside in the radial direction of the outer circumferential part and bonded to the movable body, and a deforming arm part that couples the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part and is elastically deformable. The elastic support part has a sealing part provided in a bonding part between the inner circumferential part and the movable body to seal the bonding part.