Device and assembly for providing linear tactile sensations

• US 6,995,744 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Moore, David F., Shahoian, Erik J.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/965,097
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/168, 345/169, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/167, 345/700, 345/701, 345/702
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A haptic feedback interface device and actuator assembly providing inertial tactile sensations. An interface device includes a housing that is physically contacted by a user, a sensor device detecting said manipulation of the interface device by the user, and an actuator assembly of the present invention. The assembly includes an actuator operative to output a force and a mechanism coupling the actuator to the device housing. The mechanism allows the actuator to be moved and act as an inertial mass when in motion to provide an inertial force that is transmitted to the user. The mechanism includes at least two separated portions, each of the portions coupled to a different portion of the actuator. The mechanism is preferably a flexure having at least two flex joints.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to detect a user manipulation of at least a portion of the housing and output sensor signals associated with the user manipulation of the portion of the housing;

an actuator coupled to the housing, the actuator configured to output a force associated with the sensor signals;

a first flex joint coupling a rotating shaft of the actuator to the housing and;

a second flex joint being coupled to a portion of the actuator excluding the rotating shaft, the first flex joint and the second flex joint configured to transfer the force output from the actuator to the housing to produce a haptic feedback.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force is a rotary force.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the force output by the actuator is associated with an approximately linear motion with respect to the housing, the haptic feedback having a linear direction associated with the linear motion of the actuator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a substantially flat base configured to be in contact with a support surface, the movement of the actuator being substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat base of the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a contact member configured to be contacted by a user, the contact member being coupled to the actuator and configured to transmit the force to the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the contact member includes at least a portion of a top surface of the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first flex joint includes a rotating member coupled to the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second flex joint includes a collar coupled to the actuator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a rotating shaft having a range of motion, the first flex joint including at least one stop disposed within the range of motion of rotating shaft.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to move with a bi-directional action, the force output from the actuator being associated with the bi-directional motion.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is included within a handheld interface device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is included within a mouse.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the haptic feedback is configured to be associated with a graphical representation displayed by a host computer.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor coupled to the sensor and to the actuator, the microprocessor configured to receive host commands from a host computer and sensor signals from the sensor, and to output force signals to the actuator associated with the haptic feedback.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to detect a user manipulation of at least a portion of the housing and output sensor signals associated with the user manipulation of the portion of the housing; and

an actuator assembly coupled to the housing, the actuator assembly including an actuator, a first flex joint and a second flex joint each being coupled to the actuator, the actuator being configured to output an inertial force to the housing, wherein the inertial force is a rotary force, the first flex joint being coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator, the second flex joint being coupled to a remaining portion of the actuator, the first flex joint and the second flex joint being configured to allow a movement of the actuator with respect to the housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movement of the actuator is approximately linear with respect to the housing, the inertial force output by the actuator being approximately linear.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first flex joint includes a rotating member coupled to the housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second flex joint includes a collar coupled to the actuator.

19. An actuator assembly comprising:

an actuator, the actuator being configured to output haptic feedback; and

a flexure mechanism configured to couple the actuator to a housing, the flexure mechanism being configured to allow a movement of the actuator with respect to the housing, the flexure mechanism having a first portion and a second portion each being coupled to the actuator and including at least one flex joint, the first portion of the flexure mechanism being coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator and the second portion of the flexure mechanism being coupled to the remaining portion of the actuator.

20. The actuator assembly of claim 19, wherein the first portion of the flexture mechanism includes a rotating member coupled to the housing by the at least one flex joints.

21. The actuator assembly of claim 19, wherein the first portion of the flexture mechanism includes a collar coupled to the actuator and a flex joint coupling the collar to the housing.

22. The actuator assembly of claim 19, wherein the actuator is configured to move with a bi-directional motion, a force output from the actuator being associated with the bi-directional motion to produce pulse and vibration haptic feedback.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to detect a manipulation of at least a portion of the housing and output sensor signals associated with the manipulation of the portion of the housing;

an actuator coupled to the housing, the actuator configured to output a force associated with the sensor signals; and

a first flex joint and a second flex joint each being coupled to the housing and the actuator, the first flex joint being coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator and the second flex joint being coupled to a portion of the actuator excluding the rotating shaft, the first flex joint and the second flex joint configured to transfer the force output from the actuator to the housing to produce a haptic feedback.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the housing includes a substantially flat base configured to be in contact with a support surface, the movement of the actuator being substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat base of the housing.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the housing includes a contact member configured to be contacted by a user, the contact member being coupled to the actuator and configured to transmit an inertial force to the user.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first flex joint includes a rotating member coupled to the housing.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second flex joint includes a collar coupled to the actuator.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the rotating shaft of the actuator has a range of motion, the first flex joint including at least one stop disposed within the range of motion of rotating shaft.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the actuator is configured to move with a bi-directional action, the force output from the actuator being associated with the bi-directional motion.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the housing is included within a handheld interface device.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor configured to detect a manipulation of at least a portion of the housing and output sensor signals associated with the manipulation of the portion of the housing; and

an actuator assembly disposed within the housing, the actuator assembly including an actuator, a first flex joint and a second flex joint each being coupled to the actuator, the actuator being configured to output an inertial force to the housing, the first flex joint and the second flex joint being configured to allow a movement of the actuator with respect to the housing.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first flex joint is coupled to a rotating shaft of the actuator, and the second flex joint is coupled to a remaining portion of the actuator.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the movement of the actuator is approximately linear with respect to the housing, the inertial force output by the actuator being approximately linear.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first flex joint includes a rotating member coupled to the housing.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the second flex joint includes a collar coupled to the actuator.