Back to results
US 5,107,262 AGranted
Modular retroactive keyboard and a flat modular actuator
AssigneeMinistere de la Culture, de la Communication, des Grands Travaux et du Bicentenaire
InventorsClaude Cadoz, Leszek Lisowski, Jean-Loup Florens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular retroactive keyboard fitted with keys permitting to send back to the user a perception characteristic of the key. Each key is an element of an independent flat and parallelepipedic module that includes a motor, a position detector and an electric connector. Each module further includes arrangement for fixing it to the adjacent module, and the keys are connected to a central processing unit for giving them the desired response by acting on the motor and for processing the detector signals.
Claims18
A modular retroactive keyboard having a plurality of keys for conveying to a user a tactile characteristic of said keys, wherein:
- each of said keys forming an element of an independent flat parallelepipedic module comprising a motor, a position detector and electric connection means;
- each module comprising means for attaching said each module to an adjacent one of said modules,
- the keys including means for connecting the keys to a central processing unit for controlling the motor of each of said modules and for providing a signal from each of said position detectors to said central processing unit.
An assembly of flat linear actuator modules, wherein each module comprises:
- a flat mobile coil mounted on sliding rails allowing the coil to slide in a plane parallel to a major surface of the coil in a determined direction;
- means for supplying direct current (D.C.) to the coil;
- electromagnetic means on opposite sides of, and substantially parallel to, said coil for applying a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to a plane of the coil, said field being in a first direction in a first half of the surface occupied by the coil at rest and in an opposite direction in a second half of the surface occupied by the coil at rest;
- and
- spacing means for maintaining a constant gap between each of the means for applying a magnetic field,
- wherein:
- only one of said electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field is present between adjacent ones of said coils;
- and
- closing means surround each of the electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field.
6 more elements
An assembly of flat linear actuator modules comprising:
- a plurality of said flat linear actuator modules, each module including
- (i) a flat mobile coil mounted on sliding rails allowing the coil to slide in a plane parallel to a major surface of the coil in a determined direction,
- (ii) means for supplying current to the coil,
- (iii) electromagnetic means on opposite sides of, and substantially parallel to, said coil for applying a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to a plane of the coil, said field being in a first direction in a first half of the surface occupied by the coil at rest and in an opposite direction in a second half of the surface occupied by the coil at rest, and
- (iv) spacing means for maintaining a constant gap between each of the means for applying a magnetic field;
- a position detector associated with respective ones of said coils;
- and
- interfaces for controlling a signal applied to each of said coils in response to a signal supplied by said position detector,
- wherein:
- only one of said electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field is present between adjacent ones of said coils;
- and
- closing means surround each of the electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field.
9 more elements
An assembly of flat linear actuator modules, wherein each module comprises:
- a flat mobile coil mounted on sliding rails allowing the coil to slide in a plane parallel to a major surface of the coil in a determined direction;
- means for supplying current to the coil;
- electromagnetic means on opposite sides of, and substantially parallel to, said coil for applying a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to a plane of the coil, said field being in a first direction in a first half of the surface occupied by the coil at rest and in an opposite direction in a second half of the surface occupied by the coil at rest;
- and
- spacing means for maintaining a constant gap between each of the means for applying a magnetic field,
- wherein:
- only one of said electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field is present between adjacent ones of said coils;
- closing means surround each of the electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field;
- each module is integral with a key and
- two keys are coupled by an arm, articulated on each key and capable of being moved by one, the other or both.
7 more elements
A modular retroactive keyboard including a plurality of flat parallelepipedic modules each comprising:
- a key;
- a motor operatively connected for positioning said key;
- a position detector providing a key position signal indicating a position of said key;
- electric connection means for supplying a positioned signal to said motor and for supplying said key positioning signal to an external device;
- and
- attachment means for attaching said module to an adjacent one of said modules.
3 more elements
An assembly of a plurality of adjacent flat linear actuator modules, each of said modules comprising:
- a flat mobile coil mounted on sliding rails allowing the coil to slide in a plane parallel to a major surface of the coil in a determined direction;
- means for supplying direct current to the coil;
- electromagnetic means adjacent and substantially parallel to said coil for applying a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to a plane of the coil, said field being in a first direction in a first half of a surface area occupied by the coil at rest and in an opposite direction in a second half of the surface area occupied by the coil at rest;
- spacing means for maintaining a constant gap between each of the means for applying a magnetic field;
- and
- closing means surrounding each of the electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field;
- wherein, in said assembly, a single one of said electromagnetic means is positioned between adjacent ones of said coils of respective ones of said adjacent modules.
4 more elements
An assembly of flat linear actuator modules each of said modules comprising:
- a flat mobile coil mounted on sliding rails allowing the coil to slide in a plane parallel to a major surface of the coil in a determined direction;
- means for supplying a current to the coil;
- electromagnetic means adjacent and substantially parallel to said coil for applying a magnetic field in a direction orthogonal to a plane of the coil, said field being in a first direction in a first half of a surface area occupied by the coil at rest and in an opposite direction in a second half of the surface area occupied by the coil at rest;
- spacing means for maintaining a constant gap between each of the means for applying a magnetic field;
- closing means surrounding each of the electromagnetic means for applying a magnetic field;
- and
- a position detector
- wherein, in said assembly, a single one of said electromagnetic means is positioned between adjacent ones of said coils of respective ones of said adjacent modules,
- and wherein said assembly includes an interface for controlling a signal applied to a respective one of said coils in response to a signal supplied by a respective one of said position detectors.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.