Manipulation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016195937-A1
Application number	US-201414912934-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 30, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A manipulation apparatus that generates a manipulation reaction force on a manipulation knob by energizing a coil disposed between a coil-side yoke and a magnet. A permanent magnet is disposed on a contact portion for a housing of a knob base on which the manipulation knob is mounted. An electromagnet is disposed on a support portion of the housing that supports the contact portion. The electromagnet is energized to generate a repulsive force between the support portion and the contact portion. This reduces a friction force exerted between the support portion and the contact portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A manipulation apparatus comprising:
a manipulation portion to which a manipulation force is inputted; a movable body that retains the manipulation portion and magnets, the movable body being movable together with the manipulation portion and the magnets; coils that are spaced from a movement path of the magnets that move due to movement of the movable body; a yoke that is disposed opposite the magnets with respect to the coils and used to direct magnetic field lines generated by the magnets to the coils; a retaining body that retains the coils and the yoke, the retaining body supporting the movable body by making contact with the movable body to cause the movable body to face the coils and the yoke retained in the retained body; a repulsive force generation portion that generates a repulsive force between the movable body and the retaining body; an image display portion that displays an image that indicates a position of the movable body; and a repulsive force adjustment portion that adjusts a magnitude of the repulsive force generated by the repulsive force generation portion based on a screen-view that is displayed by the image display portion, wherein when the image display portion displays a map and a cursor that is displayed over the map, the cursor being placed at a position corresponding to a position of the movable body, the repulsive force adjustment portion adjusts a magnitude of the repulsive force to provide a predetermined amount of sliding resistance to the movable body.

2 . The manipulation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the repulsive force generation portion is a magnet that is provided to each of the movable body and the retaining body.

3 . The manipulation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
at least either the magnet to the movable body or the magnet to the retaining body is an electromagnet.

4 . (canceled)

5 . (canceled)

6 . A manipulation apparatus comprising:
a manipulation portion to which a manipulation force is inputted; a movable body that retains the manipulation portion and magnets, the movable body being movable together with the manipulation portion and the magnets; coils that are spaced from a movement path of the magnets that move due to movement of the movable body; a yoke that is disposed opposite the magnets with respect to the coils and used to direct magnetic field lines generated by the magnets to the coils; a retaining body that retains the coils and the yoke, the retaining body supporting the movable body by making contact with the movable body to cause the movable body to face the coils and the yoke retained in the retained body; a repulsive force generation portion that generates a repulsive force between the movable body and the retaining body; an image display portion that displays an image that indicates a position of the movable body; and a repulsive force adjustment portion that adjusts a magnitude of the repulsive force generated by the repulsive force generation portion based on a screen-view that is displayed by the image display portion, wherein when the image display portion displays
an instruction region used to input an instruction,
a cursor movement region containing the instruction region and larger than the instruction region, and
the cursor placed at a position corresponding to the position of the movable body within the cursor movement region,
the repulsive force adjustment portion adjusts the magnitude of the repulsive force to produce a greater sliding resistance to the movable body at least when the cursor is positioned at a center of the instruction region than when the cursor is positioned outside the instruction region.

7 . The manipulation apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a coil control portion that provides the coils with a current that applies a Lorentz force to the magnets when the cursor is positioned in the instruction region, causing the movable body to move to permit the cursor to move to the center of the instruction region.

8 . The manipulation apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the repulsive force generation portion is a magnet that is provided to each of the movable body and the retaining body.

9 . The manipulation apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
at least either the magnet to the movable body or the magnet to the retaining body is an electromagnet.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Tachiiri Motoki

Classifications

• G06F2203/015

  Force feedback applied to a joystick · CPC title

• G06F3/0383

  Signal control means within the pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/016

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

• G05G9/047

  the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks {(for switches H01H25/04)} · CPC title

• G06F3/033

  Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user {, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks}; Accessories therefor (digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041) · CPC title