Control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11728756-B2
Application number	US-202017065518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Oct 9, 2019
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a control device for controlling an electromagnetic actuator that vibrates an operation device by driving the operation device supported by an elastic support part so as to be elastically vibrated in one direction in a vibrating direction thereof, the control device comprising: a current pulse supply unit configured to supply a driving current pulse to a coil of the electromagnetic actuator as a driving current for driving the operation device in accordance with a touch operation of the operation device, wherein the current pulse supply unit supplies the drive current pulse capable of starting the elastic vibration as a main driving current pulse, and then supplies the drive current pulse capable of adjusting attenuation period of the elastic vibration as a sub-driving current pulse.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic actuator comprising:
control circuitry configured to act as a current pulse supply unit operable to, in accordance with a touch operation of an operation device supported so as to be elastically vibrated, supply a main driving current pulse and a sub-driving current pulse, both of which are driving current pulses for driving the operation device in one direction in a vibrating direction thereof, to a coil of an electromagnetic actuator, the main driving current pulse being capable of starting an elastic vibration, and the sub-driving current pulse being capable of adjusting attenuation period of the elastic vibration after the starting the elastic vibration;
a core assembly including a core formed from a magnetic material and a coil wound around the core, the driving current pulses being supplied to the coil from the control device, and both ends of the core being projected from the coil in a direction of winding axis;
a yoke formed from a magnetic material and disposed to face the both ends with a gap therebetween in an opposing direction perpendicular to the direction of the winding axis; and
an elastic support part fixed between the core assembly and the yoke, and configured to support the core assembly and the yoke so as to be elastically vibrated in the vibration direction along the opposing direction.

2. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 ,
the current pulse supply unit is configured to supply the sub-drive current pulse during the elastic vibration after turning off the main drive current pulse.

3. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 ,
the current pulse supply unit is configured to supply the sub-drive current pulse when the elastic vibration of the n-th period (n is a natural number) after turning off the main drive current pulse, and
a supplying timing of the sub-drive current pulse is in the range from T(n−1) to T(n−1)±½T after the main drive current pulse is turned off,
where, in the elastic vibration, the mass of the yoke is m, the spring constant of an elastic support part configured to support the operation device so as to be elastically vibrated is Ks, and the vibration period is T=2π√(m/K(s).

4. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 ,
the current pulse supply unit is configured to supply the sub-drive current pulse when the elastic vibration of the n-th period (n is a natural number) after turning off the main drive current pulse, and
a supplying timing of the sub-drive current pulse is in the range from T(n−1)+½T to T(n−1)+T after the main drive current pulse is turned off,
where, in the elastic vibration, the mass of the yoke is m, the spring constant of an elastic support part configured to support the operation device so as to be elastically vibrated is Ks, and the vibration period is T=2π√(m/K(s).

5. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 3 ,
a pulse width of the sub-drive current pulse is ½T or less.

6. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 3 ,
a supply timing of the sub-drive current pulse is in the range from T(n−1) to T(n−1)+½T after a predetermined delay time has elapsed after the main drive current pulse is turned off.

7. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 4 ,
a supply timing of the sub-drive current pulse is in the range from T(n−1)+½T to T(n−1)+T after a predetermined delay time has elapsed after the main drive current pulse is turned off.

8. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 ,
a shape of the magnetic material of the core is a flat shape extending in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the vibration direction, and
a shape of the coil is a flat shape extending along with the flat shape of the core.

9. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 8 ,
a shape of the magnetic material of the yoke and a shape of the elastic support part are a plate shape extending in the orthogonal direction.

Assignees

• Ishitani Tomoya
• Takahashi Yuki
• Minebea Mitsumi Inc

Inventors

• Ishitani Tomoya
• Takahashi Yuki

Classifications

• H02P25/032 Primary

  Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating motors · CPC title

• H02K33/14 Primary

  wherein the alternate energisation and de-energisation of the two coil systems are effected or controlled by movement of the armatures · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

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