Button providing force sensing and/or haptic output

• US 10,691,211 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2018
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Amin-Shahidi, Darya, Lee, Alex M., Baugh, Brenton A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US16/146,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20200103968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0038 applying a pushing force
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0289 Transducers, loudspeakers, moving coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/066 Electromagnets with movable winding
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/14 Pivoting armatures H01F7/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/12 Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/042 Permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/05 electromechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/04 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/24 Devices for sensing torque, or actuated thereby H02K11/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system

Abstract

A module includes a permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine having a stator and a rotor; a constraint coupled to the stator and the rotor; and a force sensor at least partially attached to the permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine and configured to sense a force applied to the rotor. The constraint is configured to constrain closure of a gap between the rotor and the stator and bias the rotor toward a rest position in which the rotor is separated from the stator by the gap.

Claims

1. A module, comprising:

a permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine, comprising;

a first stator;

a second stator; and

a rotor sandwiched between the first stator and the second stator;

a constraint coupled to the first stator and the rotor; and

a force sensor at least partially attached to the permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine and configured to sense a force applied to the rotor;

wherein;

the constraint is configured to,

constrain closure of a pair of gaps between the rotor and the first stator, and between the rotor and the second stator, and bias the rotor toward a rest position in which the rotor is separated from the first stator and the second stator by the pair of gaps; and

cause the rotor to move about an axis of the constraint when the rotor is moved by the permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises:

a core;

at least one coil wound around the core; and

at least one permanent magnet on a surface of the core.

3. The module of claim 1, further comprising a button, mechanically coupled to the permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine.

4. The module of claim 3, wherein the button is mechanically coupled to the rotor.

5. The module of claim 3, wherein the constraint is attached to the permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine along the axis of the constraint, and the axis of the constraint is disposed on a same side of the rotor as the button.

6. The module of claim 3, wherein the constraint is attached to the permanent magnet biased electromagnetic haptic engine along the axis of the constraint, and the axis of the constraint is disposed on a side of the rotor opposite the button.

7. The module of claim 1, wherein the constraint comprises a metal flexure having rotor attachment portions on either side of a stator attachment portion.

8. The module of claim 1, wherein the constraint comprises an elastomer disposed between the first stator and the rotor.

9. The module of claim 1, wherein the force sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor.

10. The module of claim 1, wherein the force sensor comprises a strain sensor.

11. A module, comprising:

a haptic engine having a movable portion sandwiched between a first stationary portion and a second stationary portion, the movable portion configured to move non-linearly when the haptic engine is stimulated by an electrical signal;

a force sensor at least partially attached to the haptic engine and configured to sense a force applied to the module; and

a constraint configured to constrain movement of the movable portion relative to the first stationary portion and the second stationary portion and bias the movable portion toward a rest position in which the movable portion is separated from the first stationary portion and the second stationary portion by a pair of gaps.

12. The module of claim 11, wherein the constraint is configured to provide a first stiffness opposing the non-linear movement of the movable portion.

13. The module of claim 11, further comprising:

a button attached to the movable portion of the haptic engine;

wherein;

the force applied to the module comprises a force applied to the button; and

the constraint is configured to provide a second stiffness opposing a force applied to the button.

14. The module of claim 11, wherein the constraint constrains movement of the movable portion to movement about a pivot axis.

15. The module of claim 11, wherein the constraint comprises an elastomer.

16. The module of claim 11, wherein the constraint comprises a metal flexure.

17. A method of providing a haptic response to a user, comprising:

using a flexure attached to a haptic engine along an axis to,

constrain relative motion between a stationary portion and a movable portion of the haptic engine;

bias the movable portion toward a rest position in which the movable portion is separated from the stationary portion by a gap; and

constrain closure of the gap;

determining a force applied to a button using a force sensor, the button mechanically coupled to the movable portion;

determining the determined force matches a predetermined force;

identifying a haptic actuation waveform associated with the predetermined force; and

applying the haptic actuation waveform to the haptic engine;

wherein;

the application of the haptic actuation waveform to the haptic engine causes the movable portion of the haptic engine to move non-linearly about the axis along which the flexure is attached to the haptic engine.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the force sensor comprises at least two force sensing elements positioned at different locations relative to a user interaction surface of the button;

the force is determined using different outputs of the different force sensing elements;

determining the force comprises determining an amount of force; and

determining the determined force matches the predetermined force comprises determining the determined amount of force matches a predetermined amount of force.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the force sensor comprises at least two force sensing elements positioned at different locations relative to a user interaction surface of the button;

the force is determined using different outputs of the different force sensing elements;

determining the force comprises determining a force location; and

determining the determined force matches the predetermined force comprises determining the determined force location matches a predetermined force location.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

determining the force comprises determining a force pattern; and

determining the determined force matches the predetermined force comprises determining the determined force pattern matches a predetermined force pattern.