VIBRATION GENERATOR

• US 20120153748A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wauke, Tomokuni
• Application Number:
  US13/327,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/25
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system

Abstract

An elastic support member that supports a vibrator includes a first elastic deformation portion and a second elastic deformation portion that are integrally formed from a leaf spring material. When the first elastic deformation portion bending-deforms in an X direction, the vibrator vibrates in the X direction. When the second elastic deformation portion bending-deforms in a Z direction, the vibrator vibrates in the Z direction. The elastic modulus of the second elastic deformation portion is higher than the elastic modulus of the first elastic deformation portion. A magnetic core and a coil are provided in the vibrator, and a magnet is provided on the case side. Driving signals of different frequencies are applied to the coil, and the vibrator resonates at a low vibration frequency in the X direction that is a first direction and resonates at a high vibration frequency in the Z direction that is a second direction.

Claims

1. A vibration generator comprising:

a case;

a vibrator supported by the case via an elastic support member; and

a magnetic driving portion that applies a vibration force to the vibrator, wherein

the elastic support member has a first elastic modulus that vibrates the vibrator in a first direction, and a second elastic modulus that vibrates the vibrator in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the second elastic modulus and the first elastic modulus are different from each other, and

by the magnetic driving portion, the vibrator is driven in the first direction at a first vibration frequency or driven in the second direction at a second vibration frequency different from the first vibration frequency.

2. The vibration generator according to claim 1, wherein the elastic support member includes a first elastic deformation portion that generates a bending strain with the first elastic modulus, and a second elastic deformation portion that generates a bending strain with the second elastic modulus.

3. The vibration generator according to claim 2, wherein

the first elastic deformation portion comprises a leaf spring portion of which a thickness direction is directed to the first direction and which extends in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction,

the second elastic deformation portion comprises a leaf spring portion of which a thickness direction is directed to the first direction and which extends in the first direction, and

a bending direction of the second elastic deformation portion is a shear direction of the first elastic deformation portion.

4. The vibration generator according to claim 3, wherein a notch for setting a length of the second elastic deformation portion in the first direction is provided in the elastic support member.

5. The vibration generator according to claim 1, wherein

the second elastic modulus is higher than the first elastic modulus, and

the second vibration frequency is higher than the first vibration frequency.

6. The vibration generator according to claim 1, wherein a driving circuit that switches and applies a driving signal of a first frequency to drive the vibrator at the first vibration frequency or a driving signal of a second frequency to drive the vibrator at the second vibration frequency, is provided to a coil provided to the magnetic driving portion.

7. The vibration generator according to claim 6, wherein

the vibration generator is mounted in a portable device having a telephone function,

when there is reception of the telephone function, the driving signal of the first frequency is applied to the coil, and

when an operation section provided in the portable device is operated, the driving signal of the second frequency is applied to the coil.