Back to results
US 10,591,993 B2Granted
Haptic structure for providing localized haptic output
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAlex J. Lehmann, Juan Pu, Paul X. Wang, Qiliang Xu, Zheng Gao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are structures, devices, methods and systems for providing haptic output on an electronic device. In some embodiments, the electronic device includes an actuator configured to move in a first direction. The electronic device also includes a substrate coupled to the actuator. When the actuator moves in the first direction, the substrate or a portion of the substrate, by virtue of being coupled to the actuator, moves in a second direction. In some implementations, the movement of the substrate is perpendicular to the movement of the actuator.
Claims20
An electronic device, comprising:
- a cover glass defining a touch-sensitive input surface;
- and
- a haptic structure disposed beneath the touch-sensitive input surface and comprising:
- a substrate defining a beam structure having first and second fixed ends;
- a piezoelectric element positioned along a second side of the beam structure and having a length that is parallel to the second side of the beam structure;
- and
- a spacer positioned along a first side of the beam structure and between the piezoelectric element and the cover glass, wherein:
- the length of the piezoelectric element is configured to increase in response to a first input signal applied to the piezoelectric element;
- in response to the length of the piezoelectric element increasing, the piezoelectric element is configured to deflect the beam structure and displace the spacer in a first direction to provide a first haptic output along the cover glass;
- the length of the piezoelectric element is configured to decrease in response to a second input signal applied to the piezoelectric element;
- and
- in response to the length of the piezoelectric element decreasing, the piezoelectric element is configured to deflect the beam structure and displace the spacer in a second direction to provide a second haptic output along the cover glass.
9 more elements
An electronic device, comprising:
- a cover glass defining an outer portion and a center portion surrounded by the outer portion;
- a substrate defining:
- a first deflection mechanism below the center portion of the cover glass;
- and
- a second deflection mechanism below the outer portion of the cover glass, each of the first and second deflection mechanisms having a beam structure supported by first and second fixed ends;
- a first piezoelectric element coupled to the first deflection mechanism;
- a first spacer positioned between the first piezoelectric element and the cover glass;
- a second piezoelectric element coupled to the second deflection mechanism;
- and
- a second spacer positioned between the second piezoelectric element and the cover glass;
- wherein:
- the cover glass is operable to locally deflect in response to one or both of the first or second deflection mechanisms deflecting.
9 more elements
An electronic device, comprising:
- a cover glass defining an input surface;
- and
- a substrate defining an array of haptic structures disposed beneath the input surface, each haptic structure of the array of haptic structures comprising:
- a beam structure formed within the substrate and positioned beneath the input surface and having first and second fixed ends;
- a piezoelectric element positioned along the beam structure and operable to cause the beam structure and a portion of the input surface to:
- deflect in a first direction in response to a first input signal;
- and
- deflect in a second direction in response to a second input signal;
- and
- a spacer coupled to the beam structure and positioned between the piezoelectric element and the cover glass;
- wherein:
- a first haptic structure of the array of haptic structures is positioned between a second haptic structure and a third haptic structure along a first dimension;
- and
- the first haptic structure of the array of haptic structures is positioned between a fourth haptic structure and a fifth haptic structure along a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.