Vibration Actuator Buffer Structure for Impact and Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vibration presenting apparatuses that provide feedback corresponding to pressing operations often experience excessive stress and noise due to strong impacts, leading to potential sensor failure and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A vibration actuator is designed with a load detecting part and a movement regulating part that includes a buffer member to absorb impacts, reducing stress on the sensor and minimizing noise by creating a gap between moving parts, thus enhancing impact resistance and sound reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a vibration actuator is designed to provide strong vibration feedback through direct collision of movable elements, then vibration intensity is improved, but impact resistance deteriorates and collision noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a buffer member that absorbs impacts before they reach the sensor. The buffer member is positioned to receive impacts from the movable element, preventing direct transmission of strong impacts to the sensor while still allowing vibration feedback to be generated. This resolves the contradiction by protecting the sensor from excessive stress during strong vibration operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a buffer member as a mediator between the movable element and the sensor. This buffer member absorbs and attenuates impact forces, preventing direct collision damage to the sensor while still enabling the vibration actuator to provide strong feedback. The intermediary element allows the system to achieve both strong vibration intensity and improved impact resistance.
2Power
If a vibration actuator is designed to provide strong vibration feedback through direct collision of movable elements, then vibration intensity is improved, but collision noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing impact energy before it can generate collision noise. The buffer member is positioned to receive impacts from the movable element, attenuating the impact forces that would otherwise create audible collision sounds. This allows the actuator to maintain strong vibration intensity while significantly reducing collision noise.
3Measurement precision
If a sensor is exposed to strong continuous impacts for detection, then detection capability is improved, but sensor durability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member implements beforehand cushioning by absorbing excessive impact forces before they reach the sensor. This protective measure allows the sensor to continue detecting pressing operations accurately over extended periods without suffering from impact-induced failures. The buffer member filters out damaging impact forces while still permitting the sensor to detect legitimate pressing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer member serves as an intermediary element between the impact source and the sensor. It selectively attenuates harmful impact forces while allowing the sensor to detect pressing operations. This intermediary protection enables the sensor to maintain both detection precision and durability over the long term by preventing impact-related failures.
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 effectively improves impact resistance and reduces noise, ensuring longer sensor durability and a more stable tactile feedback experience.
Implementation Method 1
a buffer member 80 made of an elastomer... capable of suppressing a collision... and capable of suppressing plastic deformation
Implementation Method 2
core assembly 20 including a coil 22... movable body 40... disposed to face the core assembly 20 with a gap G therebetween
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a vibration actuator including: a movable part that gives vibration to a vibration presenting part that receives a pressing operation; a vibration generating part that generates the vibration of the movable part in accordance with the pressing operation; a base part; and an elastic support part that supports the movable part with respect to the base part in a vibratable manner in an approaching/separating direction. The movable part includes: a load detecting part provided between a presentation-part side fixing part and a support-part side fixing part and detecting, as a load, strain due to the pressing operation; and a movement regulating part provided on a side of the presentation-part side fixing part rather than the load detecting part. The presentation-part side fixing part is fixable to the vibration presenting part. The support-part side fixing part is fixed to the elastic support part. The movement regulating part regulates movement of the movable part by engaging with an engaged part of the base part via a buffer member when the movable part moves in a direction separating from the base part.