Tactile Device Conversion Unit Amplifies Panel Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tactile sensation providing devices face challenges in delivering favorable tactile sensations due to limited panel displacement and insufficient vibration transmission, primarily attributed to the configuration of vibrators.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a conversion unit with a rotary member that rotates to displace the panel in response to actuator displacement, and a linear motion member with an inclined face, along with a sliding member, to enhance displacement and vibration transmission, utilizing a laminated-type piezoelectric element as the actuator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a conventional vibrator configuration is used to vibrate the panel, then the device structure remains simple, but the panel displacement amount is limited and vibration transmission is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conversion unit as an intermediary mechanism between the actuator and the panel. This conversion unit includes a rotary member with an inclined face that converts the actuator's linear motion into rotational motion, which then drives a sliding member to produce amplified linear motion of the panel. The intermediary conversion unit resolves the contradiction by enabling large panel displacement without directly coupling the actuator to the panel in a simple manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The conversion unit transforms the motion from one dimension to another: the actuator produces linear motion in one dimension, the rotary member converts this to rotational motion in a different dimensional space, and the sliding member on the inclined face converts it back to linear motion with amplified displacement. This dimensional transformation enables the system to achieve large panel displacement while maintaining a compact actuator size.
2Reliability
If the actuator displacement is increased to improve tactile sensation, then the tactile feedback becomes more pronounced, but the vibration transmission efficiency decreases due to insufficient coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary member in the conversion unit utilizes curved surfaces and rotational motion to improve the transmission of vibrational energy. The inclined face of the rotary member acts as a curved surface that efficiently couples the actuator's linear motion to the panel's vibration, maintaining high transmission efficiency even when actuator displacement varies. This curved geometry enables smooth energy transfer while providing variable tactile sensations.
3Manufacturing precision
If a laminated-type piezoelectric element is used as the actuator, then the displacement precision is improved, but the overall displacement amount remains limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic conversion mechanism where the rotary member rotates in response to the actuator's precise linear motion. This rotation is then converted into amplified linear motion of the panel through the sliding member on the inclined face. The dynamic nature of this conversion system allows the precise small displacements of the piezoelectric actuator to be transformed into larger panel displacements, resolving the contradiction between precision and displacement amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the displacement function into two stages: the actuator provides precise control in the first stage, while the conversion unit provides amplification in the second stage. This segmentation allows each component to optimize for its specific function - the piezoelectric element for precision and the mechanical conversion unit for displacement amplification - thereby resolving the contradiction between precision and overall displacement amount.
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 configuration significantly increases the displacement amount of the panel, providing a more pronounced tactile sensation and improving the transmission of vibrations, thus enhancing the overall tactile experience for users.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator may include a laminated-type piezoelectric element
Implementation Method 2
The conversion unit may include a rotary member that rotates to displace the panel in response to the displacement of the actuator
Implementation Method 3
The conversion unit may include a linear motion member, which has an inclined face extending to intersect with the displacement direction of the actuator and which linearly moves in the displacement direction of the actuator in response to the displacement of the actuator, and a sliding member, which slides on the inclined face to displace the panel
Data Source
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AI summary
The tactile sensation providing device 10 includes a panel 30, an actuator 50, and a conversion unit that engages with the panel 30 and the actuator 50 and that, in response to displacement of the actuator 50, converts a displacement direction and a displacement amount of the actuator 50 to a different displacement direction and a different displacement amount and displaces the panel 30 according thereto. The displacement direction of the panel 30 is a thickness direction of the panel 30, and the displacement direction of the actuator 50 intersects with the displacement direction of the panel 30.