ELECTROACTIVE POLYMER TRANSDUCERS FOR TACTILE FEEDBACK DEVICES

• US 20130207793A1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Materialscience AG (Covestro AG)
• Inventors: Weaber, Chris A., Zarrabi, Alireza, Hitchcock, Roger N.
• Application Number:
  US13/138,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20130207793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• 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 30/50 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 30/857 Macromolecular compositions
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/874 embedded within piezoelectric or electrostrictive material, e.g. via connections

Abstract

Electroactive transducers as well as methods of producing a haptic effect in a user interface device simultaneously with a sound generated by a separately generated audio signal and electroactive polymer transducers for sensory feedback applications in user interface devices are disclosed.

Claims

1. A user interface device comprising:

a chassis;

a user interface surface;

a first power supply;

at least one electroactive polymer transducer adjacent to the user interface surface, the electroactive polymer transducer further comprising an electrically conductive surface;

where a portion of the user interface surface and the electrically conductive surface form a circuit with the first power supply, such that in a normal state the electrically conductive surface is electrically isolated from the portion of the user interface surface to open the circuit causing the electroactive polymer transducer to remain in an unpowered state; and

where the user interface surface is flexibly coupled to the chassis such that deflection of the user interface surface into the electroactive polymer transducer closes the circuit to energize the electroactive polymer transducer such that a signal provided to the electroactive polymer transducer produces a haptic sensation at the user interface surface.

2. The user interface device of claim 1, where the first power supply comprises a high voltage supply.

3. The user interface device of claim 1, where the at least one electroactive polymer transducer comprises a plurality of electroactive polymer transducers, each adjacent to a user interface surface and each having respective electrically conductive surfaces such that deflection of one user interface surface into the conductive surface causes the respective electroactive polymer transducer and electrically conductive surface to form the closed circuit and where the remaining electroactive polymer transducers remain in the unpowered state.

4. The user interface device of claim 1, where the user interface device comprises a device selected from a group consisting of a keyboard, keypads, game controller, remote control, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a trackball, a stylus, a control panel, and a joystick.

5. The user interface device of claim 1, where the user interface surface comprises a button, a key, a game pad, and a display screen.

6. The user interface device of claim 1, where the first power supply comprises a low voltage power supply and where the user interface device further comprises a high voltage power supply coupled to a switch, such that deflection of the electroactive polymer transducer and the electrically conductive surface closes the switch allowing the high voltage power supply to energize the electroactive polymer actuator.

7. The user interface device of claim 1, where the deflection of the user interface surface occurs in a normal direction to the user interface surface.

8. The user interface device of claim 1, where the deflection of the user interface surface occurs in a planar direction with the user interface surface.

9. A user interface device comprising:

a chassis;

a first power supply;

a user interface surface;

at least one electroactive polymer transducer coupled to the user interface surface, the electroactive polymer transducer further comprising an electrically conductive surface, the electrically conductive surface forming a circuit with the first power supply, such that in a normal state the electrically conductive surface is electrically isolated from the circuit to open the circuit such that the electroactive polymer transducer remains in an unpowered state; and

where the electroactive polymer transducer is flexibly coupled to the chassis such that deflection of the user interface surface deflects the electroactive polymer transducer into contact with the circuit of the first power supply to close the circuit and energize the electroactive polymer actuator such that a signal provided to the electroactive polymer transducer produces a haptic sensation at the user interface surface.

10. The user interface device of claim 9, where the first power supply comprises a high voltage supply.

11. The user interface device of claim 9, where the at least one electroactive polymer transducer comprises a plurality of electroactive polymer transducers, each adjacent to a user interface surface and each having respective electrically conductive surfaces such that deflection of one user interface surface into the conductive surface causes the respective electroactive polymer transducer and electrically conductive surface to form the closed circuit and where the remaining electroactive polymer transducers to remain in the unpowered state.

12. The user interface device of claim 9, where the user interface device comprises a device selected from a group consisting of a keyboard, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a trackball, a stylus, a control panel, and a joystick.

13. The user interface device of claim 9, where the deflection of the user interface surface occurs in a normal direction to the user interface surface.

14. The user interface device of claim 9, where the deflection of the user interface surface occurs in a planar direction with the user interface surface.

15. A method of producing a haptic effect in a user interface device where the haptic effect mimics a bi-stable switch effect, the method comprising:

providing a user interface surface having an electroactive polymer transducer coupled thereto, where the electroactive polymer transducer comprises at least one electroactive polymer film;

displacing the user interface surface by a displacement amount to also displace the electroactive polymer film and increase a resistance force applied by the electroactive polymer film against the user interface surface;

delaying activation of the electroactive polymer transducer during displacement of the electroactive polymer film;

activating the electroactive polymer transducer to vary the resistance force without decreasing the displacement amount to create the haptic effect that mimics the bi-stable switch effect.

16. The method of claim 15, where delaying the activation of the electroactive polymer occurs after a pre-determined time.

17. The method of claim 15, where delaying the activation of the electroactive polymer occurs after a pre-determined displacement of the electroactive polymer film.

18. The method of claim 15, where the user interface device does not include a dome actuating mechanism.

19. A method of producing a pre-determined haptic effect in a user interface device, the method comprising:

providing a waveform circuit configured to produce at least one pre-determined haptic waveform signal;

routing a signal to the waveform circuit such that when the signal equals a triggering value, the waveform circuit generates the haptic waveform signal; and

providing the haptic waveform signal to a power supply coupled to an electroactive polymer transducer such that the power supply drives the electroactive polymer transducer to produce a complex haptic effect controlled by the haptic waveform signal.

20. A method of producing a haptic feedback sensation in a user interface device having a user interface surface, the method comprising:

transmitting an input signal from a drive circuit to an electroactive polymer transducer where the input signal actuates the electroactive polymer transducer and provide the haptic, feedback sensation at the user interface surface; and

transmitting a dampening signal to reduce mechanical displacement of the user interface surface after the desired haptic feedback sensation.

21. The method of claim 20, where the haptic effect sensation mimics a bi-stable key-click effect.

22. The method of claim 20, where the user interface device comprises a device selected from a group consisting of a keyboard, keypads, game controller, remote control, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a trackball, a stylus, a control panel, and a joystick.

23. The method of claim 20, where the user interface surface comprises a button, a key, a game pad, and a display screen.

24. A method of producing a haptic feedback in a user interface device, the method comprising:

providing an electroactive polymer transducer with the user interface device, the electroactive polymer transducer having a first phase and having a second phase, where the electroactive polymer transducer comprises a first lead common to the first phase, a second lead common to the second phase, and a third lead common to the first and second phases;

maintaining a first lead at a high voltage while maintaining the second lead to a ground; and

driving the third lead to vary from the ground to the high voltage to enable activation of the first or second phase upon the deactivation of the respective other phase.