Input device including a restricted from varying electromagnetic force

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146328-B2
Application number	US-201615531745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

An input device includes: an input unit; a supporting unit supporting the input unit; a first actuator; a second actuator; and a magnetic path forming body forming a magnetic circuit that guides a magnetic flux generated by a first magnetic pole forming unit to pass through a second coil and that also guides a magnetic flux generated by a second magnetic pole forming unit to pass through a first coil. A magnetic resistance to be a resistance in the magnetic circuit is disposed at a middle location along a first connection part that connects an end of a first coil side part to an end of a second coil side part, and a second connection part that connects the other end of the first coil side part to the other end of the second coil side part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
an input unit for input of an operating force in a direction along an imaginary operation plane;
a supporting unit supporting the input unit such that the input unit is movable along the operation plane in response to the input of the operating force;
a first actuator including a first magnetic pole forming unit and a first coil, wherein the first magnetic pole forming unit forms a magnetic pole and generates a magnetic flux passing through the first coil such that an electromagnetic force generated by applying current to the first coil acts on the input unit as an operation reaction force in a first direction along the operation plane;
a second actuator including a second magnetic pole forming unit and a second coil, wherein the second magnetic pole forming unit forms a magnetic pole and generates a magnetic flux passing through the second coil such that an electromagnetic force generated by applying current to the second coil acts on the input unit as an operation reaction force in a second direction along the operation plane and the second direction is nonparallel to the first direction; and
a magnetic path forming body forming a magnetic circuit that guides the magnetic flux generated by the first magnetic pole forming unit to pass through the second coil and that also guides the magnetic flux generated by the second magnetic pole forming unit to pass through the first coil, wherein
the magnetic path forming body includes
a first coil side part corresponding to the first coil,
a second coil side part corresponding to the second coil, and
a first connection part that connects an end of the first coil side part to an end of the second coil side part, and a second connection part that connects the other end of the first coil side part to the other end of the second coil side part, and

a magnetic resistance to be a resistance in the magnetic circuit is disposed at a middle location along the first connection part and the second connection part.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the magnetic resistance is an air gap by which the middle location is in a disconnected state.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the magnetic resistance is a throat part formed by partially cutting the middle location.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Hatanaka Shinji
• Tachiiri Motoki

Classifications

• H01H36/02

  actuated by movement of a float carrying a magnet · CPC title

• H01H2231/026

  Car · CPC title

• G06F3/0338 Primary

  with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks · CPC title

• H02K41/0354

  Lorentz force motors, e.g. voice coil motors · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title