Suspension element having integrated piezo material for providing haptic effects to a touch screen

• US 9,466,783 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Olien, Neil, Parker, Daniel, Visitacion, Allan, Jones, Trevor, Ye, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US13/558,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20140028573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/03 Assembling devices that include piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/071 Mounting of piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts together with semiconductor elements, or other circuit elements, on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/09 Forming piezoelectric or electrostrictive materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing a haptic device having a compliant suspension element. Segments of piezo material are coupled to at least one surface of at least one compliant suspension element, and the at least one suspension element is coupled to a touch screen component. The at least one suspension element is also coupled to a housing component. The segments of piezo material are configured to produce a force that moves the touch screen component relative to the housing component and thereby provide a haptic effect to a user of the touch screen component. In reaction to the force produced by the segments of piezo material, the at least one suspension element is configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in a first direction and to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in at least a second direction.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a haptic device having a compliant suspension system, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a segment of piezo material to at least one surface of a compliant suspension element, wherein the compliant suspension element is a flat bent spring that includes a first end portion, a second end portion, a first compliant portion, a second compliant portion, and an intermediate portion, the first and second compliant portions being bent with respect to and extending between the intermediate portion and the first and second end portions, respectively, and the step of coupling the segment of piezo material to the at least one surface of the compliant suspension element includes coupling the segment of piezo material to the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring;

coupling the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring to a touch screen component; and

coupling the first and second end portions of the flat bent spring to a housing component, wherein the segment of piezo material is configured to produce a force that moves the touch screen component relative to the housing component and thereby provide a haptic effect to a user of the touch screen component and wherein in reaction to the force produced by the segment of piezo material the first and second compliant portions of the flat bent spring are configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in a first direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in at least a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment of piezo material is coupled to the at least one surface of the suspension element via adhesive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the suspension element is coupled to or integrally formed with a carrier and the step of coupling the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring to the touch screen component includes coupling the carrier to the touch screen component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second end portions of the flat bent spring each includes at least one hole sized to receive a fastener and the step of coupling the first and second end portions of the flat bent spring to the housing component includes threading the fastener through the at least one hole to secure the suspension element to the housing component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling a LCD component to the housing component.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of installing a dust seal between the touch screen component and the LCD component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of coupling the segment of piezo material to the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring includes coupling two segments of piezo material to opposing surfaces of the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of the flat bend spring extends perpendicular to the touch screen component and the first and second compliant portions of the flat bent spring are configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in the first direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in the second direction and a third direction, wherein the first direction is a y-direction, the second direction is an x-direction and the third direction is a z-direction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of the flat bend spring extends parallel to the touch screen component and the first and second compliant portions of the flat bent spring are configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in the first direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in the second direction and the third direction, wherein the first direction is a z-direction, the second direction is an x-direction and the third direction is a y-direction.

10. A method of manufacturing a haptic device having a compliant suspension system, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a segment of piezo material to at least one surface of a compliant suspension element, wherein the compliant suspension element is a flat bent spring having a compliant portion that is bent with respect to an end portion and the step of coupling the segment of piezo material to at least one surface of the compliant suspension element includes coupling the segment of piezo material to the compliant portion of the flat bent spring;

coupling the compliant portion of the flat bent spring to a touch screen component; and

coupling the end portion of the flat bent spring to a housing component, wherein the segment of piezo material is configured to produce a force that moves the touch screen component relative to the housing component and thereby provide a haptic effect to a user of the touch screen component and wherein in reaction to the force produced by the segment of piezo material the compliant portion of the flat bent spring is configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in a x-direction and in a y-direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in a z-direction direction, wherein the compliant portion of the flat bent spring extends at approximately a 45 degree angle with respect to the touch screen component and the housing component such that the force produced by the segment of piezo material is approximately equal in the x- direction and the y-direction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the segment of piezo material is coupled to the at least one surface of the suspension element via adhesive.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the suspension element is coupled to or integrally formed with a carrier and the step of coupling the compliant portion of the flat bent spring to the touch screen component includes coupling the carrier to the touch screen component.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of coupling a segment of piezo material to the compliant portion of the flat bent spring includes coupling two segments of piezo material to opposing surfaces of the compliant portion of the flat bent spring.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein an L-shaped bracket is utilized to couple the compliant portion of the flat bent spring to the touch screen component.

15. A method of manufacturing a haptic device having a compliant suspension system, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a segment of piezo material to at least one surface of a compliant suspension element, wherein the compliant suspension element is a flat bent spring that includes a first end portion, a second end portion, a first compliant portion, a second compliant portion, and an intermediate portion, the first and second compliant portions being bent with respect to and extending between the intermediate portion and the first and second end portions, respectively, and the step of coupling the segment of piezo material to the at least one surface of the compliant suspension element includes coupling the segment of piezo material to the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring;

coupling the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring to a touch screen component; and

coupling the first and second end portions of the flat bent spring to a housing component, wherein the segment of piezo material is configured to produce a force that moves the touch screen component relative to the housing component and thereby provide a haptic effect to a user of the touch screen component and wherein in reaction to the force produced by the segment of piezo material the first and second compliant portions of the flat bent spring are configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in at least one of a y-direction and a z-direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in at least an x-direction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the intermediate portion of the flat bend spring extends perpendicular to the touch screen component and the flat bent spring is configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in the y-direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in the x-direction and the z-direction.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the intermediate portion of the flat bend spring extends parallel to the touch screen component and the flat bent spring is configured to allow movement of the touch screen component relative to the housing component in the z-direction while also being configured to limit movement between the touch screen component and the housing component in the x-direction and the y-direction.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the segment of piezo material is coupled to the at least one surface of the suspension element via adhesive.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the suspension element is coupled to or integrally formed with a carrier and the step of coupling the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring to the touch screen component includes coupling the carrier to the touch screen component.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of coupling the segment of piezo material to the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring includes coupling two segments of piezo material to opposing surfaces of the intermediate portion of the flat bent spring.