Manipulation apparatus

• US 10,013,080 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Tachiiri, Motoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mercedes, Dismery
• Application Number:
  US14/912,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 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 Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

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.

Claims

1. A manipulation apparatus comprising:

magnets;

a manipulation portion to which a manipulation force is inputted;

a movable body that retains the manipulation portion and the 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, an entering button on the 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

performs a determination as to whether the cursor is on the entering button, and

adjusts a magnitude of the repulsive force to provide a predetermined amount of sliding resistance to the movable body in response to the determination that the cursor is not on the entering button.

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. The manipulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the repulsive force adjustment portion applies a current to the coils to move the manipulation portion to a position corresponding to a center of the entering button, when at least a part of the cursor is positioned over the entering button.

5. A manipulation apparatus comprising:

magnets; and

a manipulation portion to which a manipulation force is inputted;

a movable body that retains the manipulation portion and the 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.

6. The manipulation apparatus according to claim 5, 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.

7. The manipulation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the repulsive force generation portion is a magnet that is provided to each of the movable body and the retaining body.

8. The manipulation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

at least either the magnet to the movable body or the magnet to the retaining body is an electromagnet.

9. A manipulation apparatus comprising:

magnets;

a manipulation portion configured to receive a manipulation force;

a movable body configured to retain the manipulation portion and the 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 configured to retain 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 configured to generate a repulsive force between the movable body and the retaining body;

an image display portion configured to display an image that indicates a position of the movable body; and

a repulsive force adjustment portion configured to adjust 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, an entering button on the 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 is further configured to

perform a determination as to whether the cursor is on the entering button, and

adjust a magnitude of the repulsive force to provide a predetermined amount of sliding resistance to the movable body in response to the determination that the cursor is not on the entering button,

wherein the repulsive force adjustment portion applies a current to the coils to move the manipulation portion to a position corresponding to a center of the entering button, when at least a part of the cursor is positioned over the entering button.