Haptic actuator with ferritic core
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorBrett W. Degner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are linear actuators and haptic actuators for providing haptic output on an electronic device. In some embodiments, the linear actuator comprises two linear arrays of permanent magnets within and fixed to a housing. The linear arrays are arranged in parallel planes oriented toward, and located on opposites sides of, a moveable assembly comprising a shaft having a ferritic core. The shaft comprises a set of conducting coils, each conducting coil being located between a magnet from each of the two linear arrays. The linear actuator comprises a support mechanism that is attached to both the housing and to the moveable assembly and is configured to pivot. An electromagnetic force can arise from a current in the coils to cause the moveable assembly to move linearly between the two linear arrays.
Claims20
A linear actuator, comprising:
- a housing composed of a first ferritic material;
- a first set of permanent magnets within, and fixed to, the housing to form a first linear array;
- a second set of permanent magnets within, and fixed to, the housing to form a second linear array;
- a moveable assembly contained within the housing and comprising:
- a shaft comprising a second ferritic material positioned between the first and second sets of permanent magnets;
- and
- a set of conducting coils wound around the shaft, a conducting coil of the set of conducting coils being wound around a coil axis and positioned between:
- a first permanent magnet, of the first linear array, having a first magnetic axis that extends through and is perpendicular to pole faces of the first permanent magnet, the first magnetic axis being substantially perpendicular to the coil axis;
- and
- a second permanent magnet, of the second linear array, having a second magnetic axis that extends through and is perpendicular to pole faces of the second permanent magnet, the second magnetic axis being substantially perpendicular to the coil axis;
- and
- a support mechanism within the housing that is attached to the housing and to the moveable assembly, the support mechanism operative to pivot;
- wherein
- in response to an electromagnetic force, the moveable assembly moves within the housing while the support mechanism pivots.
A haptic actuator for an electronic device, comprising:
- a housing enclosing an interior volume and comprising an exterior attachment component by which the haptic actuator can be attached to the electronic device;
- a linear actuator, operative to provide haptic output to the haptic actuator in response to a received input from the electronic device, comprising:
- a set of magnets positioned within the interior volume and fixed to one or more interior surfaces of the housing and having magnetic axes that extend through and are perpendicular to pole faces of the set of magnets;
- a moveable assembly contained within the interior volume comprising:
- a shaft positioned adjacent to the set of magnets;
- and
- a set of conducting coils, each respective conducting coil being wound around the shaft and positioned adjacent to a respective magnet of the set of magnets;
- and
- a support mechanism within the interior volume that is attached to the housing and to the moveable assembly;
- wherein:
- each conducting coil is wound around a coil axis that is transverse to the magnetic axes;
- the received input from the electronic device causes current to flow in at least one conducting coil;
- current flowing in any one of the set of conducting coils generates an electromagnetic force on the shaft directed along an axis of the shaft to cause the moveable assembly to move within the housing as the support mechanism pivots;
- and
- the support mechanism applies a restoring force.
A system for providing haptic output in an electronic device, the system comprising:
- a haptic actuator comprising:
- an attachment component connecting the haptic actuator to the electronic device;
- a housing enclosing an interior volume;
- and
- a linear actuator comprising:
- a set of magnets positioned within the interior volume, each respective magnet of the set of magnets having a respective magnetic axis that extends through and is perpendicular to pole faces of the respective magnet;
- a moveable assembly contained within the interior volume comprising:
- a shaft defining a longitudinal axis that is transverse to the magnetic axes of the magnets of th set of magnets;
- and
- a set of conducting coils wound around the shaft, each respective conducting coil at least partially encircling a coil axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the shaft and positioned adjacent to a respective magnet of the set of magnets;
- and
- a support mechanism within the interior volume that is attached to the housing and to the moveable assembly;
- wherein:
- the electronic device is operative to send a signal to the haptic actuator;
- and
- in response to the signal sent from the electronic device being received at the haptic actuator, the haptic actuator is operative to induce a current in the set of conducting coils sufficient to cause the moveable assembly to move linearly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.