Thermally activated haptic output device

• US 10,444,838 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Khoshkava, Vahid, Alghooneh, Mansoor
• Primary Examiner(s): Azongha, Sardis F
• Application Number:
  US15/156,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20170336869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A haptic output device is configured to generate a deformation-based haptic effect and a vibration-based haptic effect. The haptic output device includes a shape memory material configured to change a shape thereof when heated and generate the deformation-based haptic effect, and a cooling device configured to cool the shape memory material and generate the vibration-based haptic effect.

Claims

1. A haptic output device configured to generate an overall haptic effect, the haptic output device comprising:

a shape memory material configured to change a shape thereof when heated and generate a deformation-based haptic effect; and

a cooling device configured to provide cooling air to cool the shape memory material via vibrations in the cooling device and to generate a vibration-based haptic effect via the vibrations in the cooling device, the cooling device being mounted on a suspension;

wherein the haptic output device is configured to generate the overall haptic effect including both the deformation-based haptic effect and the vibration-based haptic effect in response to a signal from a controller.

2. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the shape memory material comprises a shape memory alloy.

3. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the shape memory material comprises a shape memory polymer.

4. The haptic output device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device comprises:

a frame,

a first piezoelectric actuator supported by the frame, and

a second piezoelectric actuator supported by the frame, and spaced from and in parallel relation to the first piezoelectric actuator,

wherein the frame, the first piezoelectric actuator, and the second piezoelectric actuator define a volume, and the frame comprises at least one opening configured to allow the cooling air to flow out of the volume toward the shape memory material to cool the shape memory material.

5. A system comprising:

a sensor configured to sense an input of a user of the system;

a controller configured to

determine an overall haptic effect including a deformation-based haptic effect and a vibration-based haptic effect based on the input sensed by the sensor, and

output a signal configured to cause the overall haptic effect;

a haptic output device configured to generate the overall haptic effect including the deformation-based haptic effect and the vibration-based haptic effect in response to the signal output by the controller, the haptic output device comprising

a shape memory material configured to change a shape thereof when heated and generate the deformation-based haptic effect, and

a cooling device configured to provide cooling air to cool the shape memory material via vibrations in the cooling device and to generate a vibration-based haptic effect via the vibrations in the cooling device, the cooling device being mounted on a suspension.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the shape memory material comprises a shape memory alloy.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the shape memory material comprises a shape memory polymer.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the cooling device comprises:

a frame,

a first piezoelectric actuator supported by the frame, and

a second piezoelectric actuator supported by the frame, and spaced from and in parallel relation to the first piezoelectric actuator,

wherein the frame, the first piezoelectric actuator, and the second piezoelectric actuator define a volume, and the frame comprises at least one opening configured to allow the cooling air to flow out of the volume toward the shape memory material to cool the shape memory material.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the signal is a second signal and wherein the controller is further configured to receive a first signal from the sensor, determine the overall haptic effect to be generated based on the first signal, and output the second signal to the haptic output device to generate the deformation-based haptic effect and the vibration-based haptic effect.

10. A method for providing an overall haptic effect, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, an overall haptic effect including a deformation-based haptic effect and a vibration-based haptic effect;

outputting a signal configured to cause the overall haptic effect; and

in response to the signal, causing the overall haptic effect by

heating a shape memory material to generate a deformation-based haptic effect, and

cooling the shape memory material by providing cooling air via vibrations in a cooling device and generating a vibration-based haptic effect via the vibrations in the cooling device, the cooling device being mounted on a suspension.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the signal is a second signal, the method further comprising:

sensing, with a sensor, an input by a user of a system;

determining the overall haptic effect to be generated based on a first signal output by the sensor; and

outputting a second signal to haptic output device of the system to generate the deformation-based haptic effect and the vibration-based haptic effect.