Linear vibration modules and linear-resonant vibration modules

• US 8,860,337 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resonant Systems, Inc. (d/b/a RevelHMI)
• Original Assignee: Resonant Systems, Inc. (d/b/a RevelHMI)
• Inventors: Elenga, Robin, Pepin, Brian Marc, Tompkins, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US13/345,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 318/128, 318/129, 318/114, 310/19, 310/36, 310/254, 310/17, 340/407.1
• US Class Current: 318/128
• 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: H02P 25/032 Reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating motors

Abstract

The current application is directed to various types of linear vibrational modules, including linear-resonant vibration modules, that can be incorporated in a wide variety of appliances, devices, and systems to provide vibrational forces. The vibrational forces are produced by linear oscillation of a weight or member, in turn produced by rapidly alternating the polarity of one or more driving electromagnets. Feedback control is used to maintain the vibrational frequency of linear-resonant vibration module at or near the resonant frequency for the linear-resonant vibration module. Both linear vibration modules and linear-resonant vibration modules can be designed to produce vibrational amplitude/frequency combinations throughout a large region of amplitude/frequency space.

Claims

1. A linear vibration module comprising:

a housing;

a moveable component;

a power supply;

user-input features;

a driving component that drives the moveable component in each of two opposite directions within the housing;

a control component that controls supply of power from the power supply to the driving component to cause the moveable component to oscillate at a frequency and an amplitude specified by user input received from the user-input features; and

flux paths comprising a paramagnetic material that is shaped and positioned to reduce the reluctance of one or more magnetic circuits within the linear vibration module.

2. A linear vibration module comprising:

a housing;

a moveable component;

a power supply;

user-input features;

a driving component that drives the moveable component in each of two opposite directions within the housing; and

a control component that controls supply of power from the power supply to the driving component to cause the moveable component to oscillate at a frequency and an amplitude specified by user input received from the user-input features,

wherein the control component drives simultaneous oscillation of the moveable component at two or more frequencies to generate complex vibration modes.

3. The linear vibration module of claim 2 wherein the complex vibration modes include:

a primary oscillation frequency modulated by a modulating oscillation frequency;

a beat frequency; and

an aperiodic oscillation waveform.

4. A linear vibration module comprising:

a housing;

a moveable component;

a power supply;

user-input features;

a driving component that drives the moveable component in each of two opposite directions within the housing; and

a control component that controls supply of power from the power supply to the driving component to cause the moveable component to oscillate at a frequency and an amplitude that are independently specified by user input received from the user-input features.

5. A linear vibration module comprising:

a housing;

a moveable component;

a power supply;

user-input features;

a driving component that drives the moveable component in each of two opposite directions within the housing;

a control component that controls supply of power from the power supply to the driving component to cause the moveable component to oscillate at a frequency and an amplitude specified by user input received from the user-input features; and

elastomeric bristles used to transfer vibration from the linear vibration module to a surface.