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US 10,254,839 B2Granted
Impact feedback operation device
AssigneeToyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKenji Ikuta, Miyuki Shimada
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An impact feedback operation device includes a base member, an operation member having an operation part equipped with a touch sensor, an actuator having a shape memory alloy wire, a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, and a processing unit. The processing unit determines an energization condition required for the shape memory alloy wire, depending on a detected temperature and a detected voltage. The operation part is fixed to the base member through an elastically deformable elastic portion.
Claims10
An impact feedback operation device comprising:
- a base member fixed to an object structural body, or formed integrally with the object structural body;
- an operation member fixed to the base member, the operation member having an operation part equipped with a touch sensor, at least the operation part being displaceable relative to the base member;
- an actuator including shape memory alloy, the actuator being configured to move the operation part relative to the base member by deformation of the shape memory alloy at a time of Joule heating;
- a temperature detection unit configured to detect ambient temperature;
- a voltage detection unit configured to detect input voltage supplied from the object structural body;
- and
- a processing unit configured to control the actuator,
- wherein the processing unit determines an energization condition required for the shape memory alloy at the time of Joule heating, depending on temperature detected by the temperature detection unit and voltage detected by the voltage detection unit,
- wherein the operation part is fixed to the base member through an elastically deformable elastic portion, and
- wherein the processing unit is configured to:
- calculate or select from a first map, a quantity of heat required for actuation of the shape memory alloy, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit, and
- calculate or select from a second map, an energization pulse width for control of the shape memory alloy, based on the calculated quantity of heat and the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.