Vibration device

• US 20060157632A1
• Filed: 01/04/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Vibration Corporation
• Original Assignee: Coactive Drive Corporation
• Inventors: Delson, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,683,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/550
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/1615 Armatures or stationary parts of magnetic circuit having permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/02 with armatures moved one way by energisation of a single coil system and returned by mechanical force, e.g. by springs

Abstract

The present invention pertains to vibration devices that do not require a rotating mass. In accordance with aspects of the invention, a coil causes a plunger to move linearly. A spring device is coupled to one end of the plunger. Activation of the coil causes the plunger to move in a first direction relative to a body and coil deactivation enables the spring device to move the plunger in an opposite direction relative to the body. Activating the coil at a predetermined frequency causes vibration of the plunger. Vibratory forces are transferred via the spring device and coil onto the body at predetermined locations. Opposing spring devices may be affixed to either end of the plunger. Spring devices may be linear or non-linear. Such spring devices may be used in conjunction with magnetic spring devices. A controller and a driver circuit may be used to control system operation.

Claims

1. A vibration device, comprising:

a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body;

a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil; and

a spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body;

wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves.

2. The vibration device of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic end piece coupled to the first end of the coil and to the body adjacent to the first end of the coil, wherein the magnetic end piece is operable to increase magnetic efficiency of the coil and to limit vibration amplitude of the moveable mass.

3. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the spring device comprises first and second spring devices, the first spring device being coupled at the first end thereof to a first end of the moveable mass and affixed at the second end thereof to a first portion of the body, the second spring device being coupled at the first end thereof to a second end of the moveable mass and affixed at the second end thereof to a second portion of the body, the first and second spring devices being compression fit with the first and second ends of the moveable mass.

4. The vibration device of claim 3, wherein the moveable mass has a length greater than a length of the coil.

5. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the spring device is a nonlinear spring device.

6. The vibration device of claim 5, wherein the nonlinear spring device is selected so that a resonant frequency of the vibration device varies according to an amplitude of vibration.

7. The vibration device of claim 6, wherein the resonant frequency varies according to the amplitude of vibration so as to simulate a vibratory force of a rotating vibration device.

8. The vibration device of claim 5, wherein the nonlinear spring device is a hardening spring device.

9. The vibration device of claim 5, wherein an angle of alignment of the spring device relative to the moveable mass varies based on positioning of the moveable mass.

10. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the spring device comprises a pair of nonlinear spring devices, a first one of the nonlinear spring devices is coupled at the first end thereof to a first end of the moveable mass and at the second end thereof to a first location on the body, and a second one of the spring devices is coupled at the first end thereof to the first end of the moveable mass and at the second end thereof to a second location on the body.

11. The vibration device of claim 10, further comprising an aligned spring device, a first end of the aligned spring device being coupled to a second end of the moveable mass opposite the first end thereof, and a second end of the aligned spring device being coupled to a third location on the body.

12. The vibration device of claim 1, wherein the spring device is an aligned spring device positioned along a plane of movement of the moveable mass and coupled to a first end of the moveable mass, and the vibration device further comprises a magnetic spring device in operative communication with a second end of the moveable mass opposite the first end thereof.

13. A vibratory system, comprising:

a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body;

a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil;

a spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body; and

a driving circuit coupled to the coil and being operable to generate a modulation signal for directing operation of the coil;

wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil based upon the modulation signal and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves.

14. The vibratory system of claim 13, further comprising a controller operatively connected to the driving circuit, wherein the controller is operable to specify at least one of an amplitude of vibration and a frequency of vibration of the vibratory system.

15. The vibratory system of claim 14, wherein the controller issues signals to the driving circuit based upon a state in a computer simulation.

16. The vibratory system of claim 13, further comprising a resonance circuit coupled to the driver circuit for increasing resonance of the vibratory system.

17. The vibratory system of claim 13, wherein the spring device is a nonlinear spring device.

18. The vibratory system of claim 17, wherein the nonlinear spring device is selected so that a resonant frequency of the vibratory system varies according to an amplitude of vibration.

19. A method of controlling a vibration device having a coil for generating an electromagnetic field and affixed to a body, a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil, a spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body, and a driving circuit coupled to the coil and operable to generate a modulation signal for directing operation of the coil, the method comprising:

selecting an activation frequency of the coil to approximate a natural frequency of the moveable mass;

generating a control signal;

supplying the control signal to the driving circuit; and

varying current in the coil with the driving circuit to modulate the activation frequency.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the natural frequency varies based on an amplitude of vibration.