Force feedback devices using fluid braking

• US 7,113,166 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2000
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Schena, Bruce M., Rosenberg, Louis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao
• Application Number:
  US09/547,782
• Time in Patent Office: 2,358 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/168, 345/173, 345/161, 345/184, 463/37, 463/38, 463/30, 463/31, 434/11, 434/45, 715/701, 715/702
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0057 using electromagnetic clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A haptic feedback device including a fluid viscosity-controlled brake that outputs high forces to the device user at low cost while maintaining inherent safety. An interface device includes a manipulandum physically contacted by the user. A sensor senses a position of the manipulandum and outputs a sensor signal. The interface device also includes a brake including a field-controlled fluid having a viscosity that can be controlled by controlling an electric current in a coil, where a resistive force or drag on the manipulandum is controlled by controlling the fluid'"'"'s viscosity. The fluid can be an electrorheological fluid controlled by an electric field or a magnetorheological fluid controlled by a magnetic field. In one preferred embodiment, the resistive force is controlled by adjusting a degree of contact of the brake with the manipulandum based on the fluid'"'"'s viscosity. Disclosed embodiments include fishing devices, bicycle simulators, and control knobs.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a manipulandum moveable in at least one degree of freedom, the manipulandum being a crank arm of a simulated fishing reel, the simulated fishing reel being coupled to at least a portion of a simulated fishing rod;

a sensor configured to determine a position of said manipulandum in said at least one degree of freedom and output a sensor signal based on data values associated with the position of said manipulandum; and

a brake including a fluid having a variable viscosity, the brake being configured to vary the fluid viscosity by adjusting an electromagnetic field in said fluid, the brake configured to apply a resistive force associated with the fluid viscosity to said manipulandum, a magnitude of the resistive force being associated with the sensor signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said brake is a magnetorheological brake, the fluid is a magnetorheological fluid having the viscosity that can be controlled by adjusting a magnetic field, the magnetic field being adjusted by controlling an electric current in a coil.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the resistive force is based on a degree of contact of a portion of said brake with said manipulandum, the degree of contact being based on said controlled viscosity of said fluid and associated with the sensor signal.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the resistive force is based on a degree of contact of said brake with said manipulandum, the degree of contact being based on said controlled viscosity of said magnetorheological fluid and associated with the sensor signal.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the degree of contact is between a surface coupled to said manipulandum and an element of the brake including said fluid.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the at least one degree of freedom is a rotary degree of freedom, said surface being part of a disk made of a magnetically permeable material, said disk being coupled to said manipulandum.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the at least one degree of freedom is a linear degree of freedom, and said surface is part of a plate made of a magnetically permeable material, said plate being coupled to said manipulandum.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein said brake includes a U-shaped member, said element being coupled to a prong of said U-shaped member and a coil being wound about a central portion of said U-shaped member.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein movement of said manipulandum is operative to update data values associated with a graphical simulation.

10. The device of claim 2, further comprising a local microprocessor, said microprocessor configured to receive force information from a host computer and control said electric current in said coil.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising an actuator, said actuator configured to output a vibrotactile sensation.

12. A device, comprising:

at least a portion of a rod;

a housing coupled to the portion of said rod and including a crank arm, said crank arm being moveable in a rotary degree of freedom;

a sensor configured to determine a position of said crank arm in said at least one degree of freedom and output a sensor signal based on data values associated with the position of the crank arm; and

a brake including a fluid having a variable viscosity, the brake being configured to vary the fluid viscosity by adjusting an electromagnetic field in said fluid, the brake configured to apply a resistive force associated with the fluid viscosity to said crank arm, a magnitude of the resistive force being associated with the sensor signal.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said fluid is a magnetorheological fluid having a viscosity configured to be modified by a magnetic field generated by an electric current in a coil.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein said fluid is a electrorheological fluid having a viscosity controlled by an electric field generated by an electric current.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the resistive force is modified by modifying a degree of contact of said brake with said crank arm, the degree of contact being based on said viscosity of said fluid.

16. The device of claim 12, further comprising an actuator, said actuator outputting a vibrotactile sensation.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said actuator is configured to output said vibrotactile sensation by moving an inertial mass.

18. The device of claim 13, further comprising a local microprocessor, said microprocessor configured to receive force data from a host computer and control said electric current in said coil.

19. A method, comprising:

sensing a position of a manipulandum in at least one degree of freedom and outputting a sensor signal based on data values associated with said position, said manipulandum being a crank arm of a simulated fishing reel, the simulated fishing reel being coupled to at least a portion of a simulated fishing rod;

receiving haptic feedback data from a host computer, said haptic feedback data associated with a haptic sensation to be output; and

outputting a resistive force on said manipulandum using a magnetorheological brake, said brake including a magnetorheological fluid having a variable viscosity, a magnitude of the resistive force being associated with the sensor signal;

modifying the resistive force on the manipulandum, the resistive force being associated with the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the modifying the resistive force includes modifying a degree of contact of said brake with the manipulandum, the degree of contact being based on the modified viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the manipulandum is configured to be moved in a rotary degree of freedom, and the brake includes a disk coupled to the manipulandum, the disk configured to be contacted by an element holding the magnetorheological fluid.