Low profile vibratory alerting device
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing for the electronic device having a rigid member integrally attached thereto and extending therefrom, the rigid member constructed to cooperatively connect with a rotatable body and to secure the rotatable body to the housing while allowing the rotatable body to rotate about the rigid member;
a circuit supporting substrate arranged within the housing and coupled thereto; and
alerting means for providing a vibratory alert, the alerting means comprising;
a plurality of coils disposed on the circuit supporting substrate and arranged about the rigid member with each coil capable of being selectively energized;
a body comprising magnetic material and coupling to the rigid member, the body rotatable about the rigid member in a plane substantially parallel to the circuit supporting substrate for directly generating vibrations in the housing via said rigid member; and
selective energizing means for selectively energizing the plurality of coils to rotate the body to provide the vibratory alert.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device, such as a selective call receiver, includes a housing (302) for the electronic device preferably having a rigid member (304) fixedly integrally attached thereto and extending therefrom, the rigid member constructed to cooperatively connect with a rotatable body (308) and to secure the rotatable body (308) to the housing (302) while allowing the rotatable body (308) to rotate about the rigid member (304), a circuit supporting substrate (301) arranged within the housing (302) coupled thereto, and an alerting device (300) for providing a vibratory alert. The alerting device (300) includes coils (320) on the circuit supporting substrate (301) arranged about the rigid member (304), with each coil (322) capable of being selectively energized. The alerting device (300) also includes a body (308) including magnetic material, preferably including a wedge-shaped mass (314), the body (308) rotatable about the rigid member (304) in a plane substantially parallel to the circuit supporting substrate (301) for directly generating vibrations in the housing (302) via the rigid member (304). Lastly, a selective energizing device (400) selectively energizes the coils (320) to rotate the body (308), to provide the vibratory alert.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a housing for the electronic device having a rigid member integrally attached thereto and extending therefrom, the rigid member constructed to cooperatively connect with a rotatable body and to secure the rotatable body to the housing while allowing the rotatable body to rotate about the rigid member; a circuit supporting substrate arranged within the housing and coupled thereto; and alerting means for providing a vibratory alert, the alerting means comprising; a plurality of coils disposed on the circuit supporting substrate and arranged about the rigid member with each coil capable of being selectively energized; a body comprising magnetic material and coupling to the rigid member, the body rotatable about the rigid member in a plane substantially parallel to the circuit supporting substrate for directly generating vibrations in the housing via said rigid member; and selective energizing means for selectively energizing the plurality of coils to rotate the body to provide the vibratory alert. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A selective call receiver, comprising:
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receiver means for selectively receiving and presenting a message; a housing for the selective call receiver having a rigid member integrally attached thereto and extending therefrom, the rigid member constructed to cooperatively connect with a rotatable body and to secure the rotatable body to the housing while allowing the rotatable body to rotate about the rigid member; a circuit supporting substrate arranged within and coupled to the housing and having the receiver means coupled thereto; and alerting means for providing a vibratory alert, the alerting means comprising; a plurality of coils disposed on the circuit supporting substrate and arranged about the rigid member with each coil capable of being selectively energized; a rotatable body coupled to the rigid member, the body rotatable about the rigid member in a plane substantially parallel to the circuit supporting substrate for directly generating vibrations in the housing via said rigid member; and selective energizing means for selectively energizing the plurality of coils to rotate the body to provide the vibratory alert. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A selective call receiver, comprising:
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receiver means for selectively receiving a message; a housing for the selective call receiver; a circuit supporting substrate having a rigid member fixedly attached thereto and extending therefrom, and having the receiver means coupled thereto, the circuit supporting substrate coupled to the housing and the rigid member including a tip portion having a plurality of flexible extensions for coupling to a rotatable body to secure the rotatable body to the housing while allowing the rotatable body to rotate about the rigid member; and alerting means for providing a vibratory alert, the alerting means comprising; a plurality of coils disposed on the circuit supporting substrate and arranged about the rigid member with each coil capable of being selectively energized; a rotatable counterweight coupled to the rigid member, the counterweight rotatable about the rigid member in a plane substantially parallel to the circuit supporting substrate; and selective energizing means for selectively energizing the plurality of coils to rotate the counterweight to provide the vibratory alert.
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21. An electronic device, comprising:
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a housing for the electronic device; a circuit supporting substrate having a rigid member fixedly attached thereto and extending therefrom, the circuit supporting substrate coupled to the housing, and the rigid member including a tip portion having a plurality of flexible extensions for coupling to a rotatable body to secure the rotatable body to the housing while allowing the rotatable body to rotate about the rigid member; and alerting means for providing a vibratory alert, the alerting means comprising; a plurality of coils disposed on the circuit supporting substrate and arranged about the rigid member with each coil capable of being selectively energized; a body rotatably coupled to the rigid member, the body rotatable about the rigid member in a plane substantially parallel to the circuit supporting substrate; and selective energizing means for selectively energizing the plurality of coils to rotate the body to provide the vibratory alert.
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22. A pager, comprising:
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a plastic housing for the pager having an inner surface with a plastic molded pin structure extending therefrom; a printed circuit board coupled to the housing and arranged within the housing in a plane substantially parallel to the inner surface; receiver means, coupled to the printed circuit board, for selectively receiving a message; controller means coupled to the printed circuit board and to the receiver means for presenting the received message; and tactile alerting means responsive to the controller means for providing a tactile alert along with receiving the message, the tactile alerting means comprising; a plurality of coils etched on the printed circuit board along with other electronic circuits for the pager, the plurality of coils arranged about a circumference that is substantially concentric with the plastic molded pin structure, each coil capable of being selectively energized; a wedge-shaped magnetic counterweight having a bearing that cooperatively connects with the pin structure to secure the magnetic counterweight to the housing while allowing the magnetic counterweight to rotate about the circumference; and selective energizing means responsive to the controller means for selectively providing a direct current to energize at least one coil of the plurality of coils, and consequently to actuate the rotating wedge-shaped magnetic counterweight to provide the tactile alert.
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Specification