Vibration device
First Claim
1. A vibration device, comprising:
- a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body;
a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil; and
a nonlinear spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body;
wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves; and
wherein a resonant frequency of the vibration device increases as a stiffness of the nonlinear spring device increases and wherein the resonant frequency of the vibration device decreases as the stiffness of the nonlinear spring device decreases, and wherein the nonlinear spring device is a hardening spring device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention pertains to vibration devices that do not require a rotating mass. In accordance with aspects of the invention, a coil causes a plunger to move linearly. A spring device is coupled to one end of the plunger. Activation of the coil causes the plunger to move in a first direction relative to a body and coil deactivation enables the spring device to move the plunger in an opposite direction relative to the body. Activating the coil at a predetermined frequency causes vibration of the plunger. Vibratory forces are transferred via the spring device and coil onto the body at predetermined locations. Opposing spring devices may be affixed to either end of the plunger. Spring devices may be linear or non-linear. Such spring devices may be used in conjunction with magnetic spring devices. A controller and a driver circuit may be used to control system operation.
60 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A vibration device, comprising:
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a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body; a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil; and a nonlinear spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body; wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves; and wherein a resonant frequency of the vibration device increases as a stiffness of the nonlinear spring device increases and wherein the resonant frequency of the vibration device decreases as the stiffness of the nonlinear spring device decreases, and wherein the nonlinear spring device is a hardening spring device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 7, 15)
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5. A vibration device, comprising:
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a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body; a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil; and a nonlinear spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body, the nonlinear spring device including a pair of linear spring device elements configured such that a restoring force on the moveable mass is nonlinear; wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves; wherein a resonant frequency of the vibration device increases as a stiffness of the nonlinear spring device increases and wherein the resonant frequency of the vibration device decreases as the stiffness of the nonlinear spring device decreases; and wherein the nonlinear spring device is selected so that a resonant frequency of the vibration device varies according to an amplitude of vibration. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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8. A vibration device, comprising:
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a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body; a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil; and a nonlinear spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body; wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves, and wherein the nonlinear spring device comprises a pair of nonlinear spring devices, a first one of the nonlinear spring devices is coupled at the first end thereof to the moveable mass and at the second end thereof to a first location on the body, and a second one of the spring devices is coupled at the first end thereof to the moveable mass and at the second end thereof to a second location on the body. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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11. A vibratory system, comprising:
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a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body; a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil; a nonlinear spring device coupled at a first end thereof to the moveable mass and affixed at a second end thereof to the body, the nonlinear spring device including a pair of linear spring device elements configured such that a restoring force on the moveable mass is nonlinear; a driving circuit coupled to the coil and being operable to generate a modulation signal for directing operation of the coil; and a controller operatively connected to the driving circuit, wherein the controller is operable to specify at least one of an amplitude of vibration and a frequency of vibration of the vibratory system; wherein the moveable mass is operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil based upon the modulation signal and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves; and wherein the nonlinear spring device is selected so that a resonant frequency of the vibratory system varies according to an amplitude of vibration. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 22)
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23. A vibration device, comprising:
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a coil for generating an electromagnetic field, the coil being affixed at a first end to a body; a moveable mass of magnetic material at least partly encircled by the coil, the moveable mass being operable to move linearly relative to the body upon generation of the electromagnetic field by the coil and to transfer a vibratory force to the body as the mass moves; and a nonlinear spring device comprising a pair of spring devices, a first one of the spring devices being coupled to the moveable mass and to a first location on the body, and a second one of the spring devices being coupled to the moveable mass and to a second location on the body. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification