Control device and vibration presenting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12334256-B2
Application number	US-202318369603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2023
Priority date	Sep 20, 2022
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a control device controlling an electromagnetic actuator that drives an operation device, supported in an elastically vibratable manner by an elastic support part, in one direction of a vibration direction of the operation device to vibrate. The control device includes a circuit that applies a main driving signal to a coil of the electromagnetic actuator to start vibration of the operation device in response to a touch operation on the operation device, then applies a sub-driving signal to the coil to adjust an attenuation period of the vibration. The sub-driving signal has a variable voltage varying with an offset voltage, as a center value, offset from a zero voltage, and a waveform that indicates a variation in the variable voltage is a sine function curve or a cosine function curve. The circuit applies the sub-driving signal while changing the offset voltage for each cycle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device that controls an electromagnetic actuator, the electromagnetic actuator driving an operation device in one direction of a vibration direction of the operation device to vibrate the operation device, the operation device being supported in an elastically vibratable manner by an elastic support part, wherein
the control device includes a circuit, the circuit configured to apply a driving signal to a coil of the electromagnetic actuator to drive the operation device in the one direction to vibrate the operation device in response to a touch operation on the operation device, the driving signal being a combination of a main driving signal applied first and a plurality of sub-driving signals applied after the main driving signal, the plurality of the sub-driving signals being applied during an attenuation period to extend or shorten a length of the attenuation period, and the attenuation period being a period in which the vibration started by applying the main driving signal continues while being attenuated, wherein
the plurality of the sub-driving signals have an offset voltage and a wave train, the offset voltage being offset from a zero voltage, each of the cycles of the wave train having a variable voltage, the variable voltage varying with the offset voltage as a center value, a waveform that indicates a variation in the variable voltage being a sine function curve or a cosine function curve, and the circuit applies the plurality of the sub-driving signals while changing the offset voltage for each of the cycles.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit lowers the offset voltage stepwise for each of the cycles.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes:
a first waveform generating part that generates a first waveform while changing the offset voltage of the first waveform for each of the cycles, the first waveform serving as the sub-driving signal having an odd-numbered cycle;
second waveform generating part that generates a second waveform while changing the offset voltage of the second waveform for each of the cycles, the second waveform serving as the sub-driving signal having an even-numbered cycle; and
a synthesizing part that synthesizes the first waveform and the second waveform to generate the plurality of the sub-driving signals.

4. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the first waveform and the second waveform are sine waves or cosine waves, the sine waves or the cosine waves having the variable voltage that varies in a range in which a polarity of the variable voltage does not change.

5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the first waveform and the second waveform are the sine waves or the cosine waves, the sine waves starting from an initial phase of 3/2π, the cosine waves starting from an initial phase of π.

6. A vibration presenting apparatus, comprising:
the electromagnetic actuator; and
the control device according to claim 1 .

7. The vibration presenting apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein:
the electromagnetic actuator includes an electromagnet and a yoke, the electromagnet includes the coil, the yoke being formed of a magnetic material, and
the electromagnetic actuator drives the operation device in the one direction with magnetic attraction between the electromagnet and the yoke, the magnetic attraction being generated by application of a driving signal to the coil.

Assignees

• Dan Toru
• Nguyen Thi Hong Thu
• Mitsumi Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Dan Toru
• Nguyen Thi Hong Thu

Classifications

• H01F7/081

  Magnetic constructions · CPC title

• B06B1/045

  using vibrating magnet, armature or coil system · CPC title

• B06B2201/53

  with vibrating magnet or coil · 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

• H02P25/032

  Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating motors · CPC title