Control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12005477-B2
Application number	US-201917298054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a control device capable of reducing cost and thickness by using an electromagnetic actuator, and capable of efficiently generating a thrust suitable for a haptic feeling feedback to an operator who touches and operates thereto. The control device controls the electromagnetic actuator that drives an operation device supported to be elastically vibrated in one direction of a vibrating direction thereof; includes a current pulse supply unit configured to supply a plurality of drive current pulses to a coil of the electromagnetic actuator as a drive current for driving the operation device in response to a touch operation of the operation device; and an interval between peaks for each of the drive current pulses is in a range of ½ times to 1 times a vibration period of an elastic vibration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vibration presenting device comprising:
an operation device;
an electromagnetic actuator that supports the operation device, and includes:
a core assembly formed by winding a coil around a core,
a yoke disposed to face the core assembly and formed in a shape surrounding the coil, and
an elastic support part configured to connect between the core assembly and the yoke; and

a control device configured to control the electromagnetic actuator to vibrate the operation device in a vibration direction along a first direction by driving the operation device to one direction of the vibration direction, the first direction being a direction orthogonal to a winding axis of the coil,
wherein the control device includes a current pulse supply unit configured to supply a plurality of drive current pulses to the coil as a drive current for driving the operation device in response to a touch operation of the operation device, and
wherein an interval between peaks for each of the drive current pulses is in a range of ½ times to 1 times a vibration period of an elastic vibration of the operation device.

2. The vibration presenting device according to claim 1 , the control device further includes a voltage pulse application unit configured to intermittently apply a plurality of control voltage pulses for respectively generating the plurality of drive current pulses to the current pulse supply unit.

3. The vibration presenting device according to claim 2 , wherein the voltage pulse applying unit is configured to apply a leading control voltage pulse until a current value of a corresponding drive current pulse reaches V/R, where an input voltage to the coil is V and a coil resistance of the coil is R.

4. The vibration presenting device according to claim 3 , wherein a current value at a beginning of a control voltage pulse other than the leading control voltage pulse is equal to a current value at an end of the leading control voltage pulse, and
the voltage pulse applying unit is configured to apply the control voltage pulse other than the leading control voltage pulse until an increase in a current value of a corresponding drive current pulse reaches V/R.

5. The vibration presenting device according to claim 4 , wherein the current pulse supply unit is configured to intermittently supply a plurality of drive current pulse trains each including the plurality of drive current pulses.

6. The vibration presenting device according to claim 5 , wherein an interval between maximum peaks for each of the drive current pulse trains is 50 to 250 msec.

7. The vibration presenting device according to claim 5 , wherein the current pulse supply unit is configured to lower a maximum peak value in a subsequent drive current pulse train with respect to a maximum peak value in a leading drive current pulse train.

8. The vibration presenting device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the current pulse supply unit is configured to supply the plurality of drive current pulses such that a displacement of the movable part is in a range of 0.03 mm to 0.3 mm after supplying a last drive current pulse.

9. The vibration presenting device according to claim 2 , wherein a leading control voltage pulse and a subsequent control voltage pulse have a same pulse width,
a start timing of the subsequent control voltage pulse is when the operation device is located between positions from a first position to a second position; the first position being where the operation device starts moving in the one direction again by the elastic vibration after the operation device driven by the supply of the leading control voltage pulse is displaced in the one direction and then the operation device is displaced in a direction opposite to the one direction; and the second position being where the operation device starts moving in the direction opposite to the one direction again after the operation device is displaced in the one direction again.

10. The vibration presenting device according to claim 1 , wherein both ends of the core is extended out of the coil,
the yoke is disposed to face the both ends with a gap therebetween in the first direction,
the elastic support part is disposed between the core assembly and the yoke, and configured to elastically support the core assembly and the yoke each other so that at least one end of the both ends and the yoke are relatively movable in the first direction.

Assignees

• Takahashi Yuki
• Ishitani Tomoya
• Irie Takahiko
• Kitamura Yasutaka
• Minebea Mitsumi Inc

Inventors

• Takahashi Yuki
• Ishitani Tomoya
• Irie Takahiko
• Kitamura Yasutaka

Classifications

• H02P25/032

  Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating motors · CPC title

• H02K33/02 Primary

  with armatures moved one way by energisation of a single coil system and returned by mechanical force, e.g. by springs · CPC title

• B06B1/0207

  Driving circuits (specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclass, e.g. G01; circuits for steering transducer arrays G10K11/34; basic circuits H03) · CPC title

• G06F3/016

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

• B06B1/045 Primary

  using vibrating magnet, armature or coil system · CPC title