Pneumatically controlled haptic mechanisms for haptic feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11069207-B2
Application number	US-202016752528-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2020
Priority date	Aug 8, 2018
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus for creating haptic stimulations is provided. The apparatus includes one or more pods coupled to a garment, each pod including: (i) an internal structure, and (ii) an airtight bladder surrounding the internal structure, where the bladder is pneumatically coupled to a pneumatic device that is configured to control a pressurized state of the bladder. Each pod is configured to: (i) have a first degree of flexibility when the bladder of the pod is in a first pressurized state; and (ii) have a second degree of flexibility, less than the first degree of flexibility, when the bladder of the pod is in a second pressurized state different from the first pressurized state. Each pod provides a haptic stimulation to a wearer of the garment when the corresponding bladder is in the second pressurized state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for creating haptic stimulations, comprising:
an outer structure that defines an opening;
an inner structure disposed in the opening defined by the outer structure; and
a bladder, surrounding the inner and outer structures, the bladder fluidically coupled with a pressure source that is configured to control fluid pressure inside the bladder,
wherein a first surface of the inner structure extends away from a second surface of the outer structure when fluid pressure inside the bladder is increased from a first pressure to a second pressure.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the opening is a first opening; and
the inner structure defines a second opening with a largest dimension that is shorter than a largest dimension of the first opening.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the inner structure is a first inner structure; and
the device further comprises a second inner structure disposed in the second opening defined by the first inner structure.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein a third surface of the second inner structure extends away from first surface of the first inner structure when fluid pressure inside the bladder is increased from the second pressure to a third pressure.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein a surface area of the third surface is less than respective surface areas of the first and second surfaces.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer structure and inner structure are configured to:
have a first degree of flexibility when the bladder is at the first pressure; and
have a second degree of flexibility, less than the first degree of flexibility, when the bladder is at the second pressure.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the inner structure extends from the second surface of the outer structure to a first height when the fluid pressure inside the bladder is increased from the first pressure to the second pressure.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
when the bladder is at the first pressure, the first and second surfaces of the inner and outer structures are at respective first heights; and
when the bladder is at the second pressure, the first and second surfaces of the inner and outer structures are at respective second heights different from the respective first heights.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first surface of the inner structure extends from the second surface of the outer structure to a first height when the bladder is at the first pressure; and
the first surface of the inner structure extends from the second surface of the outer structure to a second height greater than the first height when the bladder is at the second pressure.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer structure and inner structure each includes two substrates connected through and separated by a material formed between the two substrates.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein:
the material is a spun filament mesh configured to:
make the inner structure take a first shape when the bladder is at the first pressure; and
make the inner structure take a second shape, different from the first shape, when the bladder is at the second pressure.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the pressure source is in communication with a remote computing device;
the pressure source is configured to change the fluid pressure inside the bladder from the first pressure to the second pressure in response to receiving one or more signals from the remote computing device; and
a user of the device experiences a haptic stimulation when the fluid pressure inside the bladder is increased from the first pressure to the second pressure.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein:
the remote computing device is in communication with a head-mounted display that presents content to the user, the head-mounted display including an electronic display; and
the one or more signals correspond to content displayed on the electronic display.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
when the bladder is at the first pressure, a user of the device experiences a haptic stimulation at a first portion of the user's body; and
when the bladder is at the second pressure, the user experiences a different haptic stimulation at a sub-portion of the first portion.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein:
the first portion of the user's body includes dorsal surfaces of a distal phalange of a finger and an intermediate phalange of the finger; and
the sub-portion of the first portion includes:
the dorsal surface of the distal phalange of the finger;
the dorsal surface of the intermediate phalange of the finger; or
a joint region between the dorsal surfaces of the distal phalange and the intermediate phalange of the finger.

16. A wearable device for creating haptic stimulations, comprising: a garment configured to be worn on a portion of a wearer's body; and
one or more pods coupled to the garment, each pod including:
(i) an outer structure that defines an opening;
(ii) an inner structure disposed in the opening defined by the outer structure; and
(iii) a bladder, surrounding the inner and outer structures, the bladder fluidically coupled with a pressure source configured to control a pressure inside the bladder, wherein a first surface of the inner structure extends away from a second surface of the outer structure when fluid pressure inside the bladder is increased from a first pressure to a second pressure.

17. The wearable device of claim 16 , wherein:
when a bladder of a respective pod is at the first pressure, the first and second surfaces contact a first portion of the wearer's body, the contact having a first surface area; and
when the bladder of the respective pod is at the second pressure, the first surface of the inner structure or the second surface of the outer structure contact a second portion of the wearer's body, the contact with the second portion of the wearer's body having a second surface area different from the first surface area.

18. The wearable device of claim 16 , wherein:
when a bladder of a respective pod is at the first pressure, the first and second surfaces of the inner and outer structures of the respective pod are at respective first heights; and
when the bladder of the respective pod is at the second pressure, the first and second surfaces of the inner and outer structures of the respective pod are at respective second heights different from the respective first heights.

19. A system for creating haptic stimulations, comprising: a computing device;
a pressure source in communication with the computing device;
a wearable device, in communication with the computing device, wherein the wearable device comprises one or more pods coupled to a garment of the wearable device, each pod comprising:
(i) an outer structure that defines an opening;
(ii) an inner structure disposed in the opening defined by the outer structure; and
(iii) a bladder, surrounding the inner and outer structures, the bladder fluidically coupled with the pressure source, the pressure source being configured to control fluid pressure inside the bladder, wherein a first surface of the inner structure extends away from a second surface of the outer structure when a pressure inside the bladder is increased from a first pressure to a second pressure.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein:
when a bladder of a respective pod is at the first pressure, the first and second surfaces of the inner and outer structures of the respective pod are at respec

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• West Zachary Daniel
• Ambuske Aaron Alan
• Martin John Dietrich
• Fletcher Brian
• Corson Nicholas Roy
• Cox Brian
• Stewart Charles
• Trutna Tristan Thomas

Classifications

• A63F13/211

  using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• A41D19/0024

  with accessories · CPC title

• A41D1/002

  adapted to accommodate electronic equipment (patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085) · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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