KR100887714B1 - Force feedback module using magnetic force, and electronic apparatuses having the module - Google Patents

Abstract

A force feedback module using magnetic force, and an electronic apparatuses having the module are provided to offer tactile sensation which is able to show a user a direction and to reduce its complexity. A magnetic array base alternates magnetic polarities, and a shielding screen includes a window array to shield one of polarities at a quadrant. A linear moving unit moves the shield screen in the vertical direction of the magnetic array base, and a stray magnet is placed at an upper portion of the magnet array base. A reaction force generating module(110) includes a controller which controls the linear moving unit.

Description

Reaction force generation module using magnetic force and electronic device employing the same {FORCE FEEDBACK MODULE USING MAGNETIC FORCE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUSES HAVING THE MODULE}

The present invention relates to a technology that feeds back reaction force to a user or a haptic technology, and more particularly, the reaction force and tactile feeling that can be directed against a force applied to a touch pad (for example, an input button) by adjusting a magnetic force. It provides a reaction force generating module and an electronic device employing the same.

A haptic interface broadly refers to an entire system that embodies tactile interaction with a virtual environment, but a haptic interface refers to a physical device for conveying touch to a person. Also called haptic device.

Information delivery requires a media of communication between people and the media, and these can be defined in terms of interfaces. The media and the interface are inseparably related, and the interface has no choice but to depend on human senses. Recently, thanks to the development of engineering technology, interface-related technology, which only relies on audiovisual, is evolving into a technology that uses smell and touch. That is, the haptic device is attracting attention as a device for the media called tactile.

As is known, haptic devices include force feedback devices that transmit physical forces to muscles or joints, and tactile devices that transmit vibrations and skin irritation such as pressure, temperature, texture, and pain. Are classified as

As described above, the tactile device is equipped with tactile technology that realizes a realistic force such as the texture of the real object to the user through skin stimulation as described above.

As an example of a tactile device, it is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 00125678A1 (hereinafter referred to as '678'). The touch display device disclosed in 678 above includes a touch plate, a plurality of magnetic tactile sensation modification components mounted to operate on the touch plate, and a plurality of coils. It consists of The tactile change components vibrate in a direction to the current applied to the coil, and the user's hand or finger is stimulated by the vibration of the touch plate. Accordingly, the user may feel the touch of an object displayed on the screen.

However, the above-mentioned 678 has a limitation in miniaturization because of its complicated components and the large occupied area of the electromagnetic device mounted on the lower surface of the coil and the blade.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and proposes a reaction force generation module that can provide a user with a reaction force and a touch related to aroma presentation.

In addition, the present invention provides a reaction force generation module and an electronic device employing the same, which can reduce the complexity of the configuration and achieve miniaturization, as compared with the related art.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a reaction force generating module includes a magnet array base arranged such that polarities of adjacent magnets are alternately formed, and a window array disposed on each quadrant of the magnet array base and shielding any one polarities on the quadrant. A shielding screen, a linear moving means fixed to an outer portion of the shielding screen to move the shielding screen up and down the magnet array base, a floating magnet positioned on the magnet array base via the shielding screen, and a linear It includes a control unit for controlling the moving means.

Preferably, the linear movement means may comprise a stator, a fixed rod fixed to one side of the stator, and a mover that moves along the fixed rod and inserts and fixes the side of the shielding screen to the outer circumferential surface.

The control unit according to an aspect of the present invention limits the movement distance of the shielding screen to the size of the window through the linear moving means. The control unit may move the shielding screen by controlling the linear moving unit so that at least one of the quadrants has the N pole and the S pole at the same time.

Preferably, the reaction force generating module according to an aspect of the present invention may further comprise a touch pad coupled to the upper side of the floating magnet and a movement limiting plate that limits the moving range of the touch pad.

According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to present a direction and provide a dynamic reaction force and touch to the user. In addition, compared with the related art, the complexity of the configuration can be reduced, and further miniaturization can be achieved.

1 and 2 is a block diagram of a reaction force generating module using a magnetic force according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For convenience of description, the direction indicated by the reference numeral 'F' of FIG. 1 is set to indicate the upper direction of the reaction force generation module 100. Also, the term quadrant is used herein. In this case, the 'quadrant' refers to the reaction force generation module 100 based on the upper direction F as the first quadrant on the plane and the second quadrant on the left-top in the counterclockwise direction. , The left-bottom is referred to as the third quadrant, and the right-bottom is referred to as the fourth quadrant.

As shown, the reaction force generating module 100 includes a magnet array base 110 and shielding screens 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d positioned in each of the first to fourth quadrants above the magnet array base. Linear moving means (130a, 130b, 130c, 130d) for moving the screen in the upper and lower direction of the magnet array base, the floating magnet 140 positioned on the magnet array base via a shielding screen, coupled to the upper floating magnet The touch pad 150, a movement limiting plate 160 for limiting the movement range of the touch pad, and a control unit 170 (see FIG. 11) for controlling the movement of the linear movement means.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the magnet array base 110 is formed of a plurality of magnets, but is arranged 112 such that polarities of adjacent magnets 112a and 112b are alternated.

The shielding screens 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d are located in each quadrant of the magnet array base 110 as described above, and shield or open any one polarities on the quadrant. As such, the shielding screen provides a plurality of open window 122a, 122b array 122 (hereinafter referred to as 'window arrangement') for selective shielding of polarity.

5 shows the linear moving means 130a, 130b, 130c and 130d. The linear moving means is fixed to the outer side of the shielding screens 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d to move the shielding screen in the up and down direction of the magnet array base 100. Although the linear movement means is schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, as an example considered by the present inventors to be the most suitable for the linear movement means, a 'linear actuator' may be applied.

FIG. 6 illustrates a linear movement means set as a 'linear actuator'. Specifically, the linear moving means includes a stator 132, a fixed bar 134 fixed perpendicularly to the center of one side of the stator, and a cylindrical mover 136 inserted into the center to move along the fixed bar. Configure. On the outer circumferential surface of the mover 136, a groove 36 for inserting and fixing the outer portion of the shielding screen as shown in Fig. 7 is formed.

For reference, the moving distance of the shielding screen is preferably limited to the size of the window (not shown 'd' in FIG. 4).

On the other hand, the floating magnet 140 is a permanent magnet in the form of a disk as shown in FIG. Of course, the floating magnet of this embodiment is not limited to the disk shape. The floating magnet 140 is positioned on the magnet array base 110 via the shielding screen described above. The touch pad 150 is coupled to the upper portion of the floating magnet 140 (see FIG. 9), and the touch pad 150 is driven according to the movement of the floating magnet 140.

9, the touch pad 150 needs to be limited to a predetermined moving range. The maximum moving range of the touch pad 150 is within the area of the magnet array base 110. In order to limit the movement range, the touch pad 150 constitutes a plate-shaped support member 152 and a protruding member 154 located at the center of the support member. That is, the support member 152 and the protruding member 154 form a step of a predetermined height.

The touch pad 150 is limited to the movement range by the movement limiting plate 160 as shown in FIG. 10. The movement limiting plate 160 is positioned above the touch pad 150 and has a through hole at the center thereof. 162 is formed. When the protruding member 154 of the touch pad 150 is inserted through the lower portion of the through hole 162, the through hole 162 may move only within an inner diameter range. In this case, the diameter of the support member 152 of the touch pad 150 should be larger than that of the through hole 162 in order to prevent the touch pad 150 from escaping the movement limiting plate 160.

In the present embodiment, the touch pad 150 and the movement limiting plate 160 may be understood as components of an electronic device such as a portable game machine, a mobile phone, and a direction indicating device for the visually impaired. That is, the technical basic concept of the reaction force generation module 100 disclosed in the present embodiment and the basic configuration implementing the same are the magnet array base 110, the shielding screens 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d, and the linear moving means ( 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d), a floating magnet 140, and a controller 170 to be described later.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 170 of the reaction force generating module 100 controls the linear moving means 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d, so that the image of the shielding screens 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d is controlled. Control downward movement.

Hereinafter, some examples will be described regarding how the present invention-related tactile feel and reaction force are generated under the control of the controller 170. Prior to the description, it is assumed that the lower surface of the floating magnet 140 coupled to the touch pad 150 has an N pole.

First, FIG. 12 illustrates that the control unit 170 drives the linear movement means 130a of the first quadrant, thereby shielding the shielding screen 120a of the first quadrant so that the N pole of the first quadrant of the magnet array base 110 is shielded. It is moved. The touch pad 150 then moves in the first quadrant direction.

FIG. 13 illustrates a state in which the N pole of the third quadrant of the magnet array base 110 is shielded. In this state, the touch pad 150 moves in the third quadrant direction.

If the control unit 170 is repeatedly controlled to be in a state as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, vibration in a diagonal direction may be implemented.

FIG. 14 illustrates a state in which the S poles of all quadrants of the magnet array base 110 are shielded. In this state, the user may freely move the touch pad 150 in a state in which a finger contacts the touch pad 150. For example, when the user rubs the touch pad, the user may feel slippery (see FIG. 15).

The feeling (feel) received by the user during the rubbing may be adjusted by the magnitude of the friction force between the floating magnet 140 and the shielding screen (120a, 120b, 120c, 120d). In other words, while the floating magnet 140 is completely floating from the shielding screen as shown in FIG. 14, the user may feel that there is little friction force, whereas as shown in FIG. 16, all quadrants of the magnet array base 110 are shown. When the N pole is shielded, the S pole of the magnet array base is opened above the shield screen, and thus shielded by the attraction force generated between the S pole of the magnet array base exposed through the window of the shield screen and the N pole of the floating magnet 140. Touches the screen. In this state, the magnitude of the friction force naturally maximizes, suggesting that the user feels stiff. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 17, when all quadrants of the magnet array base 110 are shielded to have the N pole and the S pole at the same time, the user feels an intermediate feeling of slippage and stiffness when the user touches the touch pad 150. Will receive.

As described above, the reaction force generation module 100 of the present embodiment may provide the user with various tactile and directional reaction forces.

18 illustrates an electronic device 200 employing the reaction force generating module 100 described above. Here, the control unit 170 of the reaction force generation module 100 may be dependent on the central control unit 210 of the electronic device 200 or may be modified so that the central control unit 210 is dedicated to the function of the control unit 170. have.

As described above and described with reference to a preferred embodiment for illustrating the technical idea of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the configuration and operation as shown and described as described above, it is a deviation from the scope of the technical idea It will be understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations can be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such suitable changes and modifications and equivalents should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a reaction force generating module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the reaction force generating module of Figure 1,

3 is a detailed configuration diagram of the magnet array base of FIG. 2;

4 is a detailed configuration diagram of the shielding screen of FIG.

5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a linear moving means of FIG.

6 and 7 are exemplary views of the linear movement means of FIG.

8 is a block diagram of the floating magnet of FIG.

9 is an exemplary view illustrating a coupling state of a floating magnet and a touch pad of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of the movement limiting plate of FIG. 2; FIG.

11 is a schematic block diagram showing a control unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

12 to 17 is an exemplary view showing a control aspect of the control unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

18 is a schematic diagram showing an electronic device employing the reaction force generating module of the present invention.

** Description of symbols for the main parts of the drawing **

100: reaction force generating module 110: magnet array base

120a, 120b, 120c, 120d: shielded screen

130a, 130b, 130c, 130d: linear vehicle

140: floating magnet 150: touch pad

160: movement restriction plate 170: control unit

200: electronic device 210: central control unit

Claims (18)

A magnet array base arranged such that polarities of adjacent magnets are alternated; A shielding screen located on each quadrant of the magnet array base, the shielding screen forming a window arrangement to shield any one polarities on the quadrant; Linear moving means fixed to an outer portion of the shielding screen to move the shielding screen in an up and down direction of the magnet array base; A floating magnet positioned above the magnet array base with the shielding screen interposed therebetween; And A controller for controlling the linear moving means; Reaction force generation module using a magnetic force comprising a. The method according to claim 1, The linear movement means, Reaction force generation module using a magnetic force comprising a stator, a fixed rod fixed to one side of the stator, and a mover moving along the fixed rod and inserting and fixing the side of the shielding screen on the outer peripheral surface. The method according to claim 1, The control unit, Reaction force generation module using a magnetic force, characterized in that for limiting the moving distance of the shielding screen to the size of the window through the linear movement means. The method according to claim 1, The control unit, Reaction force generation module using a magnetic force, characterized in that for moving the shielding screen by controlling the linear movement means so that at least one of the quadrant has the N pole and the S pole at the same time. The method according to claim 1, A touch pad coupled to an upper portion of the floating magnet; And A movement limiting plate limiting a moving range of the touch pad; Reaction force generation module using a magnetic force, characterized in that it further comprises. The method according to claim 5, The touch pad constitutes a plate-like support member and a protrusion member positioned at the center of the support member. The movement limiting plate member is a reaction force generating module using a magnetic force, characterized in that for inserting and receiving the protruding member and constitutes a through hole to limit the moving range of the protruding member. An electronic device comprising a touch pad, A magnet array base arranged such that polarities of adjacent magnets are alternated; A shielding screen located on each quadrant of the magnet array base, the shielding screen forming a window arrangement to shield any one polarities on the quadrant; Linear moving means fixed to an outer portion of the shielding screen to move the shielding screen in an up and down direction of the magnet array base; A floating magnet that couples the touch pad to an upper portion and is positioned on a magnet array base in a state of mediating the shielding screen; And A controller for controlling the linear moving means; Electronic device comprising a reaction force generation module configured to. The method according to claim 7, The linear movement means, And a stator and a stator bar fixed perpendicularly to one side of the stator, and a mover moving along the stator bar and inserting and fixing side portions of the shielding screen on an outer circumferential surface. The method according to claim 7, The control unit, And the linear movement means limits the movement distance of the shielding screen to the size of the window. The method according to claim 7, The control unit, And move the shielding screen by controlling the linear movement means such that at least one of the quadrants has the N pole and the S pole at the same time. The method according to claim 7, A movement limiting plate limiting a moving range of the touch pad; An electronic device further comprising. The method according to claim 11, The touch pad constitutes a plate-like support member and a protrusion member positioned at the center of the support member. The movement limiting plate member comprises a through hole for inserting and receiving the protruding member and limiting the moving range of the protruding member. An electronic device comprising a touch pad, A magnet array base arranged such that polarities of adjacent magnets are alternated; A shielding screen located on each quadrant of the magnet array base, the shielding screen forming a window arrangement to shield any one polarities on the quadrant; Linear moving means fixed to an outer portion of the shielding screen to move the shielding screen in an up and down direction of the magnet array base; And A floating magnet that couples the touch pad to an upper portion and is positioned on a magnet array base in a state of mediating the shielding screen; Reaction force generation module comprising a, And a central controller of the electronic device controls the linear movement means. The method according to claim 13, The linear movement means, And a stator and a stator bar fixed perpendicularly to one side of the stator, and a mover moving along the stator bar and inserting and fixing side portions of the shielding screen on an outer circumferential surface. The method according to claim 13, The central control unit, And the linear movement means limits the movement distance of the shielding screen to the size of the window. The method according to claim 13, The central control unit, And move the shielding screen by controlling the linear movement means such that at least one of the quadrants has the N pole and the S pole at the same time. The method according to claim 13, A movement limiting plate limiting a moving range of the touch pad; An electronic device further comprising. The method according to claim 17, The touch pad constitutes a plate-like support member and a protrusion member positioned at the center of the support member. The movement limiting plate member comprises a through hole for inserting and receiving the protruding member and limiting the moving range of the protruding member.

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