COMPLEX MASS TRAJECTORIES FOR IMPROVED HAPTIC EFFECT

• US 20170032631A1
• Filed: 08/20/2016
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vibrant Composites Inc. (Starry, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vibrant Composites Inc. (Starry, Inc.)
• Inventors: BAISCH, Andrew, KARPELSON, Michael, SREETHARAN, Pratheev Sabaratnam
• Granted Patent: US 10,315,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/045 using vibrating magnet, armature or coil system

Abstract

A haptic actuator includes mechanical links defining a first J-trajectory and mechanical links defining a second J-trajectory as well as a motor coupled to the mechanical links so as to synchronously accelerate a first mass over the first J-trajectory and a second mass over the second J-trajectory. During a first time interval, reactive forces of the first mass accelerating substantially balance reactive forces of the second mass accelerating and during a second time interval reactive forces of the first mass accelerating do not substantially balance reactive forces of the second mass accelerating. This un-balanced condition results in a tap signal being produced.

Claims

1. A haptic actuator comprising:

a first member, a second member, a third member and a fourth member, said first, second third and fourth members being coupled at respective first, second, third and fourth pivotal joints to define an Evans mechanism, said Evans mechanism being operable to accelerate a distal end of said fourth member through a substantially J-shaped trajectory.