Magnetic tactile feedback actuator having one or more electropermanent magnets and method of operating same

Abstract

There is described a tactile feedback actuator generally having a hammer path having a length extending between two opposite ends, a coil element fixedly mounted relative to the hammer path, a magnetic hammer guidingly mounted for movement along the hammer path. The magnetic hammer is electromagnetically engageable by a magnetic field emitted upon activation of the coil element so as to be longitudinally slid along the hammer path in any one of two opposite directions depending on a polarity of activation of the coil element. The tactile feedback actuator has at least one electropermanent magnet at at least one of the opposite ends of the hammer path, the electropermanent magnet having a magnetization direction aligned with the length of the hammer path, and at least one state toggling device configured for toggling a state of the electropermanent magnet between a magnetized state and an unmagnetized state.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.