Magnetic Actuators for Haptic Response

• US 20190214895A1
• Filed: 03/13/2019
• Published: 07/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moussette, Camille, Morrell, John S., Kessler, Patrick, Weiss, Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 10,651,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/34 Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating parts of the magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/08 Structural association with bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/108 with friction clutches

Abstract

In an embodiment, an actuator or circuit includes elements moveably coupled via bearings positioned between curved grooves. The bearings and the curves may exert a restorative force to return the elements to an original position after movement and may be spherical, cubic, cylindrical, and/or include gears that interact with groove gears. In some embodiments, an electrical coil may be coplanar with a surface of an element and a hard magnet may be positioned in the center and be polarized to stabilize or destabilize the element with respect to another element. In various embodiments, a magnetic circuit includes an element with an electrical coil wrapped in multiple directions around the element. In some embodiments, an actuator includes attraction elements and exertion of force causes an element to approach, contact, and/or magnetically attach to one of the attraction elements.

Claims

1. A magnetic circuit, comprising:

a moveable body element including at least one first groove comprising a plurality of first gear elements;

at least one bearing including a plurality of bearing gear elements; and

a fixed body element including at least one second groove comprising a plurality of second gear elements;

wherein the moveable body element is moveably coupled to the fixed body element by at least one of the plurality of bearing gear elements interacting with at least one of the plurality of first gear elements or one of the plurality of second gear elements.

2. The magnetic circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one bearing is cylindrical.

3. The magnetic circuit of claim 1, wherein the magnetic circuit comprises a magnetic actuator.

4. The magnetic circuit of claim 1, wherein the moveable body element further comprises a first bar element that includes at least a first hard magnet and a second hard magnet and the fixed body element further comprises a second bar element that includes an electrical coil structure wound around the second bar element, wherein a first section of the electrical coil structure is wound in a first direction around a first area of the second bar element, and a second section of the electrical coil structure is wound in a second direction around a second area of the second bar element.

5. The magnetic circuit of claim 4, wherein the moveable body element further comprises at least one soft magnet that is separated from the fixed body element by at least one of the first hard magnet or the second hard magnet.

6. An actuator, comprising:

a fixed body element including a top structure, at least a first hard magnet and a second hard magnet, and at least a first side soft magnet coupled to the top structure and a second side soft magnet coupled to the top structure; and

a moveable body element that is moveably coupled to the fixed body element and including at least one electrical coil;

wherein the moveable body element moves to approach at least one of the first side soft magnet or the second side soft magnet in response to a lateral force exerted upon the moveable body element.

7. The actuator of claim 6, wherein the moveable body element magnetically attaches to at least one of the first side soft magnet or the second side soft magnet upon contact.

8. The actuator of claim 6, wherein applying the lateral force moves the moveable body element laterally to approach, contact, and magnetically attach to the first side soft magnet.

9. The actuator of claim 8, wherein the contact of the moveable body element and the first side soft magnet is utilized to produce a tactile output for a user.

10. The actuator of claim 9, wherein the tactile output is a tap.

11. The actuator of claim 8, wherein the moveable body element remains magnetically attached to the first side soft magnet after application of the lateral force.

12. The actuator of claim 11, wherein the moveable body element detaches from the first side soft magnet when at least one opposite lateral force is applied to the moveable body element.

13. The actuator of claim 6, wherein the top structure comprises at least one soft magnet.

14. An actuator, comprising:

a first magnetic attraction element;

a second magnetic attraction element; and

a moveable member that is moveably coupled to the first magnetic attraction element and the second magnetic attraction element and that includes at least one first hard magnet, at least one second hard magnet, and at least one electrical coil positioned at least partially around the at least one first hard magnet and the at least one second hard magnet;

wherein the moveable member moves such that at least one of;

the at least one first hard magnet approaches the first magnetic attraction element upon exertion of a force, or the at least one second hard magnet approaches the second magnetic attraction element upon exertion of the force.

15. The actuator of claim 14, wherein at least one of:

the at least one first hard magnet magnetically attaches to the first magnetic attraction element upon contact, or the at least one second hard magnet magnetically attaches to the second magnetic attraction element upon contact.

16. The actuator of claim 14, wherein applying the force causes the moveable member to move such that the first hard magnet contacts and magnetically attaches to the first side soft magnet.

17. The actuator of claim 16, wherein the contact of the first hard magnet and the first magnetic attraction element is utilized to produce a tactile output for a user.

18. The actuator of claim 14, wherein the first magnetic attraction element and the second magnetic attraction element comprise at least one of hard magnets of soft magnets.

19. The actuator of claim 14, wherein the moveable member comprises at least one shaft that extends through a first aperture in the first magnetic attraction element and a second aperture in the second magnetic attraction element.

20. The actuator of claim 14, further comprising at least one housing that surrounds at least the at least one first hard magnet, the at least one second hard magnet, and the at least one electrical coil.