Haptic actuator including flexure bearing having diverging arms each with a reduced size medial portion and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11305182-B2
Application number	US-201716320345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2017
Priority date	Feb 16, 2017
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one coil carried by the housing, and a field member having opposing first and second sides. The haptic actuator may also include a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil. Each flexure bearing may include two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing. The two diverging arms may each have a reduced size medial portion relative to respective proximal and distal ends.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A haptic actuator comprising:
a housing;
at least one coil carried by the housing;
a field member having opposing first and second sides; and
a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil;
each flexure bearing comprising two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing, the two diverging arms each having,
a respective length extending between a respective proximal end and a respective distal end; and
a respective reduced size medial portion relative to the respective proximal end and the respective distal end; wherein,
the respective reduced size medial portion is transverse to the respective length.

2. The haptic actuator of claim 1 wherein each flexure bearing further comprises a spacer member between the proximal ends of the two diverging arms.

3. The haptic actuator of claim 2 further comprising a weld joint joining together the spacer member and the proximal ends of the two diverging arms.

4. The haptic actuator of claim 1 wherein each diverging arm comprises first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

5. The haptic actuator of claim 4 wherein each diverging arm comprises proximal and distal end spacers between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

6. The haptic actuator of claim 5 further comprising respective weld joints joining together the proximal and distal end spacers and adjacent portions of the spaced apart blades.

7. The haptic actuator of claim 4 wherein each diverging arm further comprises a filler body between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

8. The haptic actuator of claim 1 wherein each flexure bearing has a wishbone shape.

9. The haptic actuator of claim 1 wherein each flexure bearing comprises at least one mechanical stop adjacent the proximal ends.

10. The haptic actuator of claim 1 wherein each flexure bearing comprises at least one mechanical stop between the spaced distal ends.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
wireless communications circuitry carried by the housing;
a haptic actuator carried by the housing and comprising
an actuator housing,
at least one coil carried by the actuator housing,
a field member having opposing first and second sides, and
a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil,
each flexure bearing comprising two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing, the two diverging arms each having,
a respective length extending between a respective proximal end and a respective distal end; and
a respective reduced size medial portion relative to the respective proximal end and the respective distal end; wherein,
the respective reduced size medial portion is transverse to the respective length; and

a controller coupled to the wireless communications circuitry and the haptic actuator and configured to perform at least one wireless communications function and selectively operate the haptic actuator.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein each flexure bearing further comprises a spacer member between the proximal ends of the two diverging arms.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the haptic actuator further comprises a weld joint joining together the spacer member and the proximal ends of the two diverging arms.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein each diverging arm comprises first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 wherein each diverging arm comprises proximal and distal end spacers between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

16. The electronic device of claim 14 wherein each diverging arm further comprises a filler body between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

17. A method of making a haptic actuator comprising:
positioning a respective at least one flexure bearing to mount each of first and second sides of a field member to be reciprocally movable within a housing responsive to at least one coil, each flexure bearing comprising two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing, the two diverging arms each having,
a respective length extending between a respective proximal end and a respective distal end; and
a respective reduced size medial portion relative to the respective proximal end and the respective distal end; wherein,
the respective reduced size medial portion is transverse to the respective length.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein each flexure bearing further comprises a spacer member between the proximal ends of the two diverging arms.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein each diverging arm comprises first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein each diverging arm comprises proximal and distal end spacers between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein each diverging arm further comprises a filler body between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hajati Arman
• Harrison Jere C
• Law Jason C
• Ames Logan M

Classifications

• A63F13/25 Primary

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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