FLEXURE ASSEMBLIES AND FIXTURES FOR HAPTIC FEEDBACK

• US 20120206248A1
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Inventors: Biggs, Silmon James
• Application Number:
  US13/502,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/85 characterised by tactile feedback features
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/05 electromechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/063 Forming interconnections, e.g. connection electrodes of multilayered piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/50 having a stacked or multilayer structure
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/503 having a non-rectangular cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the stacking direction, e.g. polygonal or circular in top view
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/802 Circuitry or processes for operating piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. drive circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/857 Macromolecular compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and devices directed to the use of flexure assemblies to assist components driven by actuators, including but not limited to electroactive polymer transducers for providing sensory feedback. The present invention may be employed in any type of user interface device including, but not limited to, touch pads, touch screens or key pads or the like for computer, phone, PDA, video game console, GPS system, kiosk applications, etc.

Claims

1. A device for providing haptic feedback to a user, the device comprising:

a base frame;

at least one electroactive polymer actuator coupled to the base frame, the electroactive polymer actuator having an electroactive polymer film adapted to move in response to an activation signal being applied to the electroactive polymer transducer to provide the haptic feedback;

an actuation frame coupled to the electroactive polymer film, such that movement of the electroactive polymer film causes movement of the actuation frame; and

at least one mechanical flexure member coupling a portion of the base frame to a portion of the actuation frame such that the flexure member suspends the actuation frame relative to the base frame and allows relative movement between the base frame and the actuation frame.

2. The feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical flexure member comprises a plurality of separate mechanical flexure members.

3. The feedback device according to claim 1 further comprising a user interface component, the where actuation frame is coupled to or forms a part of the user interface component.

4. The user interface device according to claim 3, wherein the user interface component comprises an interface device selected from the group consisting of a button, a key, a gamepad, a display screen, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a keyboard, and a gaming controller.

5. The feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical member comprises a planar bar.

6. The feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical flexure member is configured to limit relative movement between the base frame and the actuation frame in a plane parallel to the base frame.

7. The feedback device according to claim 1, wherein a first portion of the mechanical flexure member is rigidly affixed to the base frame and a second portion of the mechanical flexure member is rigidly affixed to the actuation frame, and such that an unconstrained third portion of the mechanical flexure member being located between the first and second portions deflects in response to relative movement between the base frame and the actuation frame.

8. The feedback device according to claim 7, wherein the unconstrained third portion of the mechanical flexure member limits movement of the electroactive polymer film to less than a maximum displacement of the electroactive polymer film.

9. The feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the actuation frame includes at least one actuation tab and the base frame includes at least one base tab, where the actuation tab and base tab are non-planar with the actuation frame and base frame and where at least one mechanical flexure member is secured between the actuation tab and the base tab.

10. The feedback device according to claim 1 further comprising a stop assembly, the stop assembly comprising a projection on the base frame and a slot in the actuation frame, where the slot is configured to receive the projection and where the slot is sized larger than the projection to limit movement of the base frame.

11. The feedback device according to claim 1 further comprising a stop assembly, the stop assembly comprising a projection on the actuation frame and a slot in the base frame, where the slot is configured to receive the projection and where the slot is sized larger than the projection to limit movement of the base frame.

12. The user interface device of claim 1, where the activation signal produces a haptic feedback force from the electroactive polymer that is associated with the output signal.

13. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electroactive polymer actuator comprises an inertial mass to produces the haptic feedback force.

14. The user interface device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electroactive polymer actuator is coupled to a structure of the user interface device such that upon displacement the electroactive polymer actuator moves the structure to generate an inertial force.

15. The user interface device according to claim 13, wherein the structure comprises a structure selected from a weight, a power supply, a battery, a circuit board and a capacitor of the user interface device.

16. The user interface device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one bearing between the actuation frame and the base frame where the bearing reduces friction therebetween.

17. The user interface device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one bearing comprises a plurality of bearings mounted in a guide rail.

18. The user interface device according to claim 15, wherein at least two guide rails are positioned respectively along a first and second side of a user interface component.

19. A method of manufacturing a feedback device, the method comprising:

affixing an electroactive polymer transducer to a first frame, where the electroactive polymer transducer includes an electroactive polymer film configured to displace upon the application of a voltage to provide the feedback;

coupling the electroactive polymer film to a second frame; and

suspending the first frame relative to the second frame by affixing the first frame to a first portion of a mechanical flexure member and affixing the second frame to a second portion of the mechanical flexure member, where a third portion of the mechanical flexure member is unconstrained and deflects to allow relative movement of the first and second portions.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein suspending the first frame relative to the second frame comprises affixing the first and second frames to a plurality of discrete mechanical flexure members.

21. The method of claim 20, where the first or second frame comprises a user interface component.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the user interface component comprises an interface device selected from the group consisting of a button, a key, a gamepad, a display screen, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a keyboard, and a gaming controller.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein suspending the first frame relative to the second frame comprises affixing a first portion of a planar bar to the first frame and affixing a second portion of a planar bar to the second frame, where the planar bar facilitates parallel movement of the first and second frames.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the third portion of the mechanical flexure member is selected to deflect by an amount that prevents the electroactive polymer film from reaching a maximum displacement.

25. The method according to claim 19 further comprising creating a first stop surface in the first frame and creating a second stop surface on the second frame such that the first and second stop surfaces interfere to limit movement of the first frame relative to the second frame to prevent the electroactive polymer film from reaching a maximum displacement.

26. A method for controlling displacement between moveable components in a device, the method comprising:

providing a device having;

a first frame component suspended relative to a second frame component by a mechanical flexure which allows for relative movement between the first and second frame components, the first frame component and second frame component having a rest position and a displaced position;

an electroactive polymer transducer having an electroactive polymer film configured to displace upon application of a voltage, where the electroactive polymer transducer is coupled to the first frame component and where the electroactive polymer film is coupled to the second frame component;

activating the electroactive transducer to cause displacement of the electroactive polymer film, where displacement of the electroactive polymer film results movement of the first and second frame components to the displaced position creating a mechanical stress in the mechanical flexure;

reducing the signal to the electroactive transducer to allow the stress in the mechanical flexure to assist returning the first frame component and second frame component towards the rest position while maintaining a suspension between the first and second frames.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein suspending the first frame relative component to the second frame component comprises affixing the first and second frames to a plurality of discrete mechanical flexures.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first or second frame components comprise or are part of a user interface component.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the user interface component comprises an interface device selected from the group consisting of a button, a key, a gamepad, a display screen, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a keyboard, and a gaming controller.