Electronic device with piezoelectric actuator

• US 9,152,264 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TDK Electronics AG (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Parker, Daniel Gregory, Imoto, Kohei, Visitacion, Allan, Jones, Trevor, Ferro, Jesica, Jiang, Li, Olien, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/542,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20150070289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071-4072, 345/173, 715/702
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 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: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/88 Mounts; Supports; Enclosures; Casings

Abstract

An electronic device includes a touch screen configured to receive an input from a user, and a haptic device that includes a piezoelectric actuator including an elongated piezo bender having a mass at one end thereof and supported by a flexible holder at the other end thereof, and an electrical driving signal generator configured to generate a signal to create a vibration in the elongated piezo bender in response to the input from the user.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen device configured to receive an input from a user; and

a haptic device comprising

a piezoelectric actuator comprising an elongated piezo bender having a mass at one end thereof and supported by a flexible holder at the other end thereof; and

an electrical driving signal generator configured to generate a signal to create a vibration in the elongated piezo bender in response to the input from the user.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a clamping factor provided by the flexible holder is between about 1 and about 3.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the clamping factor is between about 1 and about 2.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the clamping factor is between about 1 and about 1.5.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a handheld device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the electronic device a mobile device.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is configured to be a sensor to sense the input from the user.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen device comprises a visual display.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the visual display comprises a high definition display screen.