KR101097803B1 - Stiffness providing module using magneto-rheological fluid, haptic providing device therewith and stiffness providing method therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rigidity providing module and a method for providing rigidity using a magnetorheological fluid, and more particularly, to arrange a plurality of magnetic units having holes therein in a concentric shape, and to allow each magnetic unit to independently move downward. The present invention relates to a stiffness providing module that provides various stiffnesses to users and a stiffness providing method using the same. To this end, n (n: natural numbers of 2 or more) magnetic units including a case portion having a hole formed in the center; and a magnetic field generating portion included in the case portion to generate a magnetic field with a magnetorheological fluid are provided. The magnetic units have different radii, and the diameter of the n-1 th magnetic unit is smaller than that of the n th magnetic unit, so that the n-1 th magnetic unit is accommodated in the n th magnetic unit's hole, and a magnetorheological fluid is provided between the magnetic units. By providing a stiffness providing module and a stiffness providing method using a magnetorheological fluid, the stiffness is provided based on a change in shear force between magnetic units according to a magnetic field.

Magnetorheological fluid, coil, shear force, rigidity

Description

Stiffness providing module using magneto-rheological fluid, haptic providing device therewith and stiffness providing method therewith

The present invention relates to a rigidity providing module and a method for providing rigidity using a magnetorheological fluid, and more particularly, to arrange a plurality of magnetic units having holes therein in a concentric shape, and to allow each magnetic unit to independently move downward. The present invention relates to a stiffness providing module that provides various stiffnesses to users and a stiffness providing method using the same.

Humans interface with electronic / communication devices in a variety of applications. Thus, there is a constant interest in interfaces that are more natural, easy to use, and capable of providing information. Vision is the most important sensory means when a person recognizes an object, but today, tactile information acquisition, which acquires vibration, surface roughness, and temperature change through contact, is in the spotlight as a next-generation information transmission medium.

As such, when haptic information is added to visual information, a person's cognitive ability is further improved. Particularly, in small electronic devices (mobile devices, PDAs, notebooks, etc.), haptic feedback is considered to be an important factor in improving usability, adding immersion and realism because there is a limitation in transmitting visual information due to the size of a small display. In order to deliver this haptic information more realistically and effectively, kinesthetic sense and skin sense must be delivered simultaneously. Because when a person perceives an object by tactile touch, it is rubbed while pressing with a certain pressure, because the pressing motion is stimulated the muscle sensation located in the joint and the rubbing action stimulates the skin sense located in the skin of the finger.

In order to deliver haptic feedback in a small electronic device, the size and power consumption of the haptic device must be reduced. Therefore, the existing haptic device was focused on the development of a tactile sensation display device that stimulates skin sensation, which can easily reduce size and power consumption. In particular, since small and low power consumption vibration motors are already embedded in many small electronic devices, various researches on tactile information transmission using vibration motors have been conducted. As such, a variety of small and low power tactile display devices have been developed to stimulate skin sensation, but stiffness display for stimulating muscle sense, which is important in haptic feedback, has a limitation in developing as a small, low power device. Various studies have not been conducted.

K.Fujita and H.Ohmori have developed a device that provides stiffness information of objects using a fluid pump controlled by a servo motor. J. Liu et al. Developed a rigid display consisting of an elastic beam and an actuator that can adjust the length of the beam. Previously developed rigid displays have a limitation in that they cannot be embedded in small electronic devices because of their large size and high power consumption. In addition, due to the large size of the device, rigid displays cannot be arranged in an array, and there is a limitation in that rigid information of continuous surfaces cannot be represented. In addition, the use of an active type actuator, such as an AC / DC motor, has created a safety problem, which makes it difficult to control fine stiffness.

When a rigid display is developed to be small enough to be embedded in a mobile device, it can be used as a variable button that can provide various stiffness to a user by providing various rigidity. By using such a variable button, the user can feel various stiffness depending on the application or function of the button being executed so that the user can easily operate the object and tactilely convey a feeling similar to the environment reflected on the monitor. . In addition, when interacting with an object such as a menu or an icon, a property corresponding to the object can be given to the button, and the touch, texture, and rigidity of the object appearing on the display can be transmitted. More diverse and many applications are possible, so it will be possible to enter various markets.

As a device capable of providing rigidity among haptic devices, buttons used in mobile phones, keyboards, and the like are typical. Since a conventional button simply uses an on / off method, it is impossible to provide various rigidity only by the button. Such a conventional technology is insufficient to meet the demand of an increasingly diversified information transmission medium, and thus there is a limit to providing a corresponding electronic / communication device.

Therefore, the present invention was created to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stiffness providing device and a stiffness providing method that can provide a variety of stiffness according to the change of the magnetic field.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a rigidity providing device and a rigidity providing method that can be used in all industrial fields that want to implement the touch, such as various electronic / communication devices, robot industry.

The object of the present invention as described above, a magnetic unit including a case portion having a hole formed in the center; and a magnetic field generating portion included in the case portion to generate a magnetic field with a magnetorheological fluid is n (n: natural number greater than 2) Dogs,

Since the n magnetic units have different diameters, the diameter of the n-1 th magnetic unit is smaller than that of the n th magnetic unit, so that the n-1 th magnetic unit is accommodated in the hole of the n th magnetic unit.

Magnetic rheological fluid is provided between the magnetic units,

A stiffness providing module using a magnetorheological fluid may be provided based on a change in shear force between magnetic units according to a magnetic field.

In addition, the case part may be manufactured of a ferromagnetic material.

In addition, the magnetic fields generated in each of the plurality of magnetic units can be controlled independently of each other.

The magnetic field generating unit is a wound coil.

In addition, the rigid implementation device may be accommodated in the housing the upper and lower portions open.

In addition, a cylindrical center moving part may be further provided at a center of the magnetic unit having the smallest diameter, and a magnetorheological fluid may be provided between the central moving part and the magnetic unit having the smallest diameter.

In addition, the magnetic units are connectable by elastic membranes.

And, the lower support plate having a receiving area for accommodating the lower movement of the magnetic unit; may be further included.

An object of the present invention as described above in the haptic providing apparatus having a rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid,

A rigidity providing module using a plurality of magnetorheological fluids; And

It is also achievable by a haptic providing device comprising a; a flexible touch panel or a flexible display provided on the plurality of rigidity providing module.

An object of the present invention as described above, includes a plurality of magnetic units arranged to form a concentric circle; and a magnetorheological fluid provided between the magnetic unit, the magnetic unit using a rigidity providing module for applying a magnetic field to the magnetorheological fluid As a method of providing rigidity,

Controlling electricity applied to the plurality of magnetic units by the control means;

Generating a magnetic field in each magnetic unit by electricity;

Changing the shear force between the magnetic units based on the change in viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid; And

It is also possible to achieve the rigidity providing method using a magnetorheological fluid, including the step of providing rigidity in accordance with the lower movement of the magnetic unit with respect to the upper pressing of the rigidity providing module based on the change in shear force.

The control means may control electricity based on stiffness information stored in advance in the control means or stiffness information applied from an external device.

In addition, in the magnetic field generation step, the magnetic field generated in any one of the magnetic units and the magnetic field generated in the magnetic unit provided in the outer portion of the magnetic unit can be controlled so that the directions are opposite to each other.

The displacements of the lower movements of the magnetic units are independent of each other.

In addition, the step of restoring the rigid implementation device by the restoring force of the elastic membrane provided on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic units; may be further included.

Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention as described above, there is an advantage that can provide rigidity in various cases from the stiffness of the softly pressed feeling to the stiffness of the hard pressed feeling.

Providing such a variety of rigidity is combined with various applications (eg, providing graphics) and the like to satisfy the five senses of the user.

<Configuration>

1 is a perspective view of a rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. The rigidity providing module according to the present invention schematically includes a plurality of magnetic units 200a, 200b,..., 200n and a magnetorheological fluid 250.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rigidity providing module 10 according to the present invention is provided such that n magnetic units 200 (n: more than two natural numbers) form concentric circles. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the innermost magnetic unit to the first magnetic unit 200a, the second magnetic unit 200b,... It will be described as an n-th magnetic unit 200n. 1 illustrates an example in which four magnetic units 200 are provided. As shown, each of the plurality of magnetic units 200 has a different diameter, and any one magnetic unit 200 _n-1 may be inserted into the other magnetic unit 200n. That is, the first magnetic unit 200a is accommodated in the second magnetic unit 200b, and the second magnetic unit 200b is accommodated in the third magnetic unit 200c. Each magnetic unit 200 is individually movable in the received area.

The magnetic unit 200 includes a case unit 220 and a magnetic field generating unit 210. In the center of the case 220 is a hole which is a space for accommodating other magnetic units is formed. That is, the diameter of the hole formed in the case portion 220b of the second magnetic unit 200b is enough to accommodate the first magnetic unit 200a, and is formed in the case portion 220c of the third magnetic unit 200c. The diameter of the hole is large enough to accommodate the second magnetic unit 200b. The case unit 220 may further include an upper plate 222 that can cover the upper surface after the magnetic field generating unit 210 is accommodated.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the case part 220 is empty so that the magnetic field generating part 210 may be included. The case part 220 may have a cylindrical shape or a polygon such as a cube. The case unit 220 may be made of a ferromagnetic material in order to increase the strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating unit 210 to be described below. As another embodiment, it is possible to manufacture a thin metal film or the like.

The magnetic field generator 210 is a member that generates a magnetic field with the magnetic rheological fluid 250 to be described below, and is accommodated in the case 220. The magnetic field generating unit 210 may be constituted by a coil wound N times (N: any natural number), and the wound coil has a wiring for applying electricity to the coil. Such wiring is obvious to those skilled in the art, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Magneto-Rheological Fluid (MRF) 250 is a material provided between the magnetic units 200 provided to form concentric circles, as shown in FIG. 3. The magnetorheological fluid 250 is a non-colloidal solution containing minute paramagnetic particles. When the magnetic field is not applied, the magnetorheological fluid 250 has a viscosity of 0.20 Pa-sec to 0.30 Pa-sec at room temperature and is 150 Pa / m to 250 Pa / When a magnetic field of m (2 kOe to 3 kOe) is applied, it has a high yield stress of 50 kPa to 100 kPa. In addition, the magnetorheological fluid 250 has a maximum response stress limited by magnetic saturation with a fast response time, and also has a characteristic insensitive to the operating range of -40 ° C. to 150 ° C. and impurities introduced. . In the magnetorheological fluid 250 having such a property, when a magnetic field is applied, particles contained in the fluid form a chain, thereby changing the shear yield stress of the fluid. Therefore, when the magnetic field is not applied, the Newtonian fluid exhibits the behavior, but when the magnetic field is applied, the particles dispersed in the fluid form a chain and have a yield stress even when no shear strain is generated, and the angular velocity is increased. This represents the behavior of the Bingham fluid with increasing torque dissipated. That is, the magnetorheological fluid 250 is changed into a gel state when the magnetic field is applied when the magnetic state is not in the liquid state.

In order for the magnetorheological fluid 250 to be provided in the plurality of magnetic units 200, there should be a little space between the case portions 220 of the respective magnetic units 200. That is, the diameter of the hole formed in the case portion 220b of the second magnetic unit 200b is larger than the diameter of the case portion 220b of the first magnetic unit 200a (not included in the same case), and the third magnetic unit 200c. The diameter of the hole formed in the case portion 220c of the c) is larger than the diameter of the case portion 220c of the second magnetic unit 200b (not included in the same case).

The center moving part 202 may be further included in the first magnetic unit 200a having the smallest diameter among the plurality of magnetic units 200. That is, when the first magnetic unit 200a is cylindrical as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the center moving unit 202 is also cylindrical, and the center moving unit 202 is also formed when the first magnetic unit 200a is a polygon such as a cube. The shape of the polygon. A magnetorheological fluid 250 is also provided between the center moving part 202 and the first magnetic unit 200a. The center moving part 202 may be made of the same material as the case part 220.

Elastic films 100 and 400 may be further formed on upper and lower portions of the plurality of magnetic units 200 provided to form concentric circles. It prevents the leakage of the magnetorheological fluid 250 provided between the magnetic unit 200, and serves to fasten each magnetic unit 200 capable of moving independently. The elastic membranes 100 and 400 may be made of a thin film having sufficient elasticity (or restoring force) that allows sufficient movement of the magnetic unit 200 moving upward or downward, and may be restored to its original position.

3 is a side cross-sectional view of the rigidity providing module according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the magnetorheological fluid 250 and the plurality of magnetic units 200 may be accommodated in the housing 300 having the upper and lower portions thereof open. The housing 300 serves to aggregate the plurality of magnetic units 200 into one module.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower support plate 500 provided with the receiving area 520 may be provided under the housing 300. The accommodating area 520 is a space capable of accommodating each of the magnetic units 200 moving in and out of each, and the height of the accommodating area 520 is sufficient to accommodate the movement of the lower part of the magnetic unit 200. The receiving area 520 may be configured to have an open shape as shown in FIG. 3. In another embodiment, the receiving area may be configured as a closed space in which a bottom surface (not shown) is formed while accommodating the lower movement of the magnetic unit 200.

The control means (not shown) is connected to the plurality of magnetic units 200 to control the magnetic field generator 210 included in each magnetic unit 200. The magnetic field generated in each magnetic field generator 210 is independent of both directions and intensities. The control of the magnetic field generating unit 210 of the control means is based on the stiffness information, the stiffness information may be stored in the control means in advance or may be input from an external reservoir. The stiffness information determines the degree of movement to the bottom of each magnetic unit 200, the height of the upper portion of the stiffness providing module 10 according to the movement of the plurality of magnetic units 200.

<How to provide rigidity>

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of implementing rigidity using the rigidity providing module according to the present invention, and FIGS. 5A and 5B are side cross-sectional views of the rigidity providing module. Figure 10 shows the changing appearance. 5A and 5B, the arrows indicate the direction of the shear force between the respective magnetic units 200.

The control means controls the electricity applied to the plurality of magnetic units 200 based on the rigidity information (S10). As mentioned above, the rigidity information is stored in the control means in advance or the control means is input from an external reservoir. Electricity applied to each of the plurality of magnetic units 200 is independent of each other.

When electricity is applied to each magnetic unit 200, a magnetic field is generated in various directions (S20). As the magnetic field is generated, the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid 250 provided between the magnetic units 200 increases, and the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid 250 varies depending on the strength of the magnetic field.

When the stiffness providing module 10 including the magnetorheological fluid 250 having increased viscosity is pressed using the finger 1 as shown in FIG. 5B, a shear force is generated between the magnetic units (S30). As the stiffness providing module 10 is pressed by the finger 1, the shear force is generated between the surfaces of the magnetic unit 200, and moves to the receiving area 520 of the lower support plate 500 as shown in FIG. 5B. It becomes (S40). The displacement of the magnetic unit 200 downwards depends on the strength of the shear force between the magnetic units 200. Accordingly, the displacement of the lower portion of the magnetic unit 200 varies according to the degree of electric control that determines the strength of the magnetic field. The user perceives through the finger 1 the rigidity of the magnetic unit 200 moving downward and the reaction force against the force applied by the finger 1.

For example, if the magnetic field is generated so that the moving directions of the respective magnetic units 200 are opposite to each other, more stiffness can be provided. For example, the relative shearing force of the first magnetic unit 200a in the upward direction, the second magnetic unit 200b in the downward direction, and the third magnetic unit 200c in the upward direction is a resistance to the pressing of the finger 1. This causes the user to feel the stiffness. Magnetorheological fluid 250 is coupled in the form of a chain along the direction of the magnetic field. The magnetorheological fluid 250 provided between the first magnetic unit 200a and the second magnetic unit 200b is coupled upwardly and is provided between the second magnetic unit 200b and the third magnetic unit 200c. The magnetorheological fluid 250 may generate a magnetic field to be coupled in a downward direction. Then, even if the user presses the rigidity providing module 10 using the finger 1, for example, the second magnetic unit 200b has a strong tendency to maintain its position without moving downward, so that the user has a strong rigidity. Can be recognized.

If the electricity supply applied to the magnetic unit 200 is stopped, the magnetic unit 200 should return to its original position. That is, the magnetic unit 200 that has moved to the bottom should move to the top. Restoration of the magnetic unit 200 may be based on the restoring force of the elastic membranes 100 and 400 provided on the upper and lower portions of the magnetic unit 200 (S50).

< Haptic  Providing device>

As shown in FIG. 6, the haptic providing apparatus according to the present invention includes a flexible touch panel 1000 provided on the stiffness providing module 10 and a plurality of stiffness providing modules 10 using a plurality of magnetorheological fluids. It consists of a flexible display 1100.

For example, a plurality may be provided for the notebook 2 or used for a mobile device such as the mobile phone 4 as illustrated in FIG. 7 to provide various rigidities. As the flexible display 1100, an electronic ink, an OLED, or the like may be used.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the above-mentioned preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various other modifications or variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Are all within the scope of the appended claims.

1 is a perspective view of a rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid according to the present invention;

2 is an exploded perspective view of a rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid according to the present invention;

3 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 in accordance with the present invention;

4 is a flow chart according to the method for providing rigidity using the magnetorheological fluid according to the present invention;

5a and 5b is a state diagram before and after pressing the rigidity providing module according to the present invention with a finger,

6 is a state diagram when the rigidity providing module according to the present invention is used in a notebook,

7 is a state diagram when the rigidity providing module according to the present invention is used in a mobile phone.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: finger

2: notebook

4: mobile phone

10: rigidity providing module

100, 400: elastic membrane

200, 200a, 200b,... , 200n: magnetic unit

202: moving center

210, 210a, 210b,... , 210n: magnetic field generating part

220, 220a, 220b,... 220n: case part

222, 222a, 222b,... , 222n: top plate

250: magnetorheological fluid

300: housing

500: lower support plate

520: receiving area

1000: flexible touch panel

1100: flexible display

Claims (13)

A magnetic unit including a case portion having a hole formed in the center; and a magnetic field generating portion included in the case portion to generate a magnetic field with a magnetorheological fluid, and provided with n (n: natural numbers of 2 or more), Since the n magnetic units have different diameters, the diameter of the n-1 th magnetic unit is smaller than that of the n th magnetic unit, so that the n-1 th magnetic unit is accommodated in the hole of the n th magnetic unit. The magnetorheological fluid is provided between the magnetic units, Stiffness providing module using a magnetorheological fluid, characterized in that to provide rigidity based on the change in shear force between the magnetic unit according to the magnetic field. The method of claim 1, The case part rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid, characterized in that the ferromagnetic material. Claim 3 was abandoned when the setup registration fee was paid. The method of claim 1, The magnetic field generated by each of the n magnetic units are controlled independently of each other, the rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid. Claim 4 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid. The magnetic field generator is a stiffness providing module using a magnetorheological fluid, characterized in that the coil wound. The method of claim 1, The rigidity providing module is a rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid, characterized in that the upper and lower housings are accommodated in an open housing. The method of claim 1, Stiffness using a magnetorheological fluid, characterized in that the center of the magnetic unit having the smallest diameter is further provided with a cylindrical center moving portion, a magnetorheological fluid is provided between the center moving portion and the magnetic unit having the smallest diameter Provision module. The method of claim 1, The magnetic unit is rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid, characterized in that connected by the elastic membrane. The method according to claim 1 or 5, And a lower support plate provided with a receiving area for accommodating the lower movement of the magnetic unit. In the haptic providing apparatus having a rigidity providing module using a magnetorheological fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A rigidity providing module using the magnetorheological fluid; And Haptic providing apparatus comprising a; a flexible touch panel or a flexible display provided on the top of the rigidity providing module. And a plurality of magnetic units arranged to form concentric circles; and a magnetorheological fluid provided between the magnetic units, wherein the magnetic unit is a rigidity providing method using a rigidity providing module for applying a magnetic field to the magnetorheological fluid. Controlling electricity applied to the plurality of magnetic units by a control means; Generating a magnetic field in each magnetic unit by the electricity; Changing a shear force between the magnetic units based on a change in viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid; And And providing rigidity according to the lower movement of the magnetic unit with respect to the upper pressing of the rigidity providing module based on the change of the shearing force. 11. The method of claim 10, And the control means controls the electricity based on stiffness information previously stored in the control means or stiffness information applied from an external element. Claim 12 was abandoned upon payment of a registration fee. 11. The method of claim 10, The displacement of the lower movement of the magnetic units are independent of each other, the method of providing rigidity using a magnetorheological fluid. Claim 13 was abandoned upon payment of a registration fee. 11. The method of claim 10, Restoring the rigidity providing module by the restoring force of the elastic membrane provided on at least one surface of the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic units; providing a rigidity using a magnetorheological fluid.

Images