Electronic device having a tuned resonance haptic actuation system

• US 10,556,252 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tsang, Lok Pui Calvin, Chen, Yu, Zhao, Qingguo, Fu, Weiqiang, Wang, Hong Feng, Au, Chung Yin
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eustaquio, Cal J
• Application Number:
  US15/846,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20190084005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/12 operating with systems involving reciprocating masses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units

Abstract

An electronic device includes an enclosure, a display positioned with the enclosure and defining a front face of the electronic device, and a haptic actuator positioned within the enclosure. The haptic actuator includes a housing comprising a wall and a movable mass positioned within the housing and configured to move within the housing to cause the haptic actuator to produce a vibrational response. The vibrational response includes a first component within a frequency range and a second component outside of the frequency range and providing a haptic output portion of the vibrational response. The haptic actuator also includes a tuning feature incorporated with the wall and configured to reduce the first component of the vibrational response while substantially maintaining the haptic output portion of the vibrational response.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure;

a display positioned with the enclosure and defining a front face of the electronic device; and

a haptic actuator positioned within the enclosure and comprising;

a housing comprising a wall having a thickness between about 100 microns and about 500 microns;

a movable mass positioned within the housing and configured to move within the housing to cause the haptic actuator to produce a vibrational response including;

a first component within a frequency range; and

a second component outside of the frequency range and providing a haptic output portion of the vibrational response; and

a tuning feature incorporated with the wall and configured to reduce the first component of the vibrational response while substantially maintaining the haptic output portion of the vibrational response, the tuning feature defined by a recess having a depth between about 5 microns and about 10 microns into the wall.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the movable mass is movably coupled to the housing via an elastic member; and

the movable mass is configured to move substantially linearly along a direction that is substantially parallel to the wall.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is from about 1 kHz to about 5 kHz.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the second component of the vibrational response is below about 1 kHz.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the tuning feature is configured to reduce the first component of the vibrational response by about 10 dBA as compared to a haptic actuator without the tuning feature.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the recess is defined by a pair of opposing sidewalls having scalloped surfaces.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure;

a display positioned with the enclosure and defining a front face of the electronic device; and

a haptic actuator comprising;

a housing comprising a wall;

a movable mass positioned within the housing and configured to move relative to the housing to impart a force on the housing, thereby causing the haptic actuator to produce a haptic output that is part of a vibrational response of the haptic actuator; and

a channel formed in an exterior surface of the wall and comprising a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion extending along a second direction different than the first direction, the channel having a width between about 100 microns and about 2.0 mm.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the channel is configured to reduce an amplitude of a subset of frequencies present in the vibrational response while substantially maintaining the haptic output.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the wall defines at least two additional channels.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the channel is defined by a pair of opposing sidewalls having scalloped surfaces.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein:

a first surface of the wall faces the movable mass; and

the channel is laser etched into a second surface of the wall that is opposite the first surface.

19. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein:

the vibrational response comprises an audio component in a frequency range from about 1 kHz to about 5 kHz; and

the haptic output is below about 1 kHz.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the channel is configured to reduce the audio component of the vibrational response by about 10 dBA as compared to a haptic actuator without the channel.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure;

a display positioned with the enclosure and defining a front face of the electronic device; and

a haptic actuator attached to an internal structure of the electronic device and configured to produce a vibrational response including at least an audible first component within a frequency range between about 1 kHz and about 5 kHz and a haptic second component below about 1 kHz, the haptic actuator comprising;

a movable mass; and

a housing at least partially enclosing the movable mass and comprising a tuning feature configured to attenuate the audible first component of the vibrational response.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the housing comprises a wall defining an exterior surface of the housing; and

the tuning feature comprises a protrusion extending from the exterior surface.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the housing comprises a wall defining an exterior surface of the housing; and

the tuning feature comprises a plate secured to the exterior surface.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein:

the plate comprises metal; and

the plate is secured to the exterior surface with an adhesive layer between the plate and the exterior surface.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the housing comprises a wall defining an exterior surface of the housing;

the tuning feature comprises a recess in the exterior surface; and

the electronic device further comprises a layer between and in contact with the exterior surface and the internal structure.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the tuning feature is configured to reduce the audible first component of the vibrational response without substantially reducing the haptic second component of the vibrational response.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the housing comprises a wall having a thickness between about 100 microns and about 500 microns; and

the tuning feature is at least partially defined by a recess having a depth between about 5 microns and about 10 microns into the wall.