JP7586132B2 - Tactile presentation device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tactile presentation device that provides tactile feedback to a user by vibrating a vibrating body.

Patent Document 1 discloses a tactile presentation device that includes a vibrator that vibrates based on a drive signal, and an elastic film that faces the main surface of the vibrator via a gap and whose main surface opposite the vibrator serves as an operation surface, and when pressed, the elastic film deforms so as to protrude downward, and the deformed protruding portion comes into contact with the upper surface of the vibrator.

According to the structure of Patent Document 1, the operation surface and the vibrator are separated by a gap. Therefore, the vibration of the vibrator is transmitted to the pressed finger, but not to the finger that is merely touching the operation surface. As a result, the structure of Patent Document 1 can transmit vibration locally.

International Publication No. 2016/027668

In the structure of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to ensure the thickness of the gap. Meanwhile, thinner tactile presentation devices have been desired in recent years.

The objective of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a tactile presentation device that can simultaneously transmit vibrations locally and be thin.

A tactile presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a vibration panel that vibrates in a direction parallel to a main surface, a film member that is disposed on the main surface of the vibration panel and receives operations from a user, and a fixing portion that fixes at least one end of the film member. The peeling force of the film member is 300 mN or less.

When a user presses the film member, the vibration panel vibrates and the vibration is transmitted to the film member. The finger pressing the film member has a large contact area with the film member and a large reaction force, so the finger is likely to feel the vibration. On the other hand, even if the vibration panel vibrates in a direction parallel to the main surface, the film member is unlikely to move because at least one end of the film member is fixed to the fixing part. In addition, the peeling force of the film member is 300 mN or less, making it slippery, so the contact surface between the vibration panel and the film member slips. A finger that is only touching the film member has a small contact area and a small reaction force, so the vibration of the vibration panel is unlikely to be transmitted. Therefore, the tactile presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention can simultaneously achieve localized transmission of vibration and thinning. Note that the peeling force referred to in this embodiment is a value when the tape width is 50 mm, folded 180 degrees, and peeled at 300 mm/min.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to simultaneously transmit vibrations locally and achieve a thin design.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tactile presentation device 10. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II shown in FIG. 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the diaphragm panel 30. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the diaphragm panel 30. 13 is a table showing the results of a sensory test as to whether or not a finger not performing a pressing operation (just touching the film) feels vibration when a pressing operation is performed. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a tactile presentation device 10A according to Modification 1. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a tactile presentation device 10B according to Modification 1. FIG. 13 is a table showing the results of a sensory test as to whether or not a finger not performing a pressing operation (just touching the film) feels vibration when a pressing operation is performed. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10C according to Modification 3. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10D according to Modification 4. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10E according to Modification 5. FIG. 13 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10F according to Modification 6.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the tactile presentation device 10, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in Figure 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tactile presentation device 10 includes a film member 20, a fixing portion 21, and a vibration panel 30. The tactile presentation device 10 of this embodiment is used in an electronic device equipped with a touch keyboard, a touch pad, or a touch panel display, etc.

The film member 20 accepts operations by the user. User operations include a touch operation in which the surface of the film member 20 is touched, or a pressing operation in which the film member 20 is pressed.

The film member 20 is made of a material with low peel strength, such as PET, acrylic, polycarbonate, or glass. In this embodiment, the film member 20 is a PET film with a silicone resin applied to its surface. Details of the peel strength will be described later. The fixing portion 21 has a rectangular shape that is short in the Y direction and long in the X direction in a plan view. The fixing portions 21 are disposed at both ends of the film member 20 in the Y direction. The fixing portions 21 are made of, for example, double-sided tape, and fix both ends of the film member 20 in the Y direction to the housing of an electronic device, etc.

In this embodiment, both ends of the film member 20 in the Y direction are fixed by the fixing portion 21, but it is also possible for at least one end to be fixed.

The diaphragm panel 30 vibrates in a direction parallel to the main surface. In this embodiment, the diaphragm panel 30 vibrates along the Y direction shown in Figures 1 and 2 as an example. Of course, the diaphragm panel 30 may also vibrate along the X direction.

The vibration panel 30 includes a touch sensor (not shown) for detecting a touch operation on the film member 20, a pressure sensor (not shown) for detecting a pressing operation, a display, etc. If the vibration panel 30 includes a display, it is preferable that the film member 20 is translucent.

When a control unit (not shown) receives a user's operation on the film member 20 via a touch sensor or pressure sensor (not shown), it vibrates the vibration panel 30.

The diaphragm panel 30 vibrates in a direction parallel to its main surface by a piezoelectric film or a motor. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the structure of the diaphragm panel 30. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the diaphragm panel 30.

The vibration panel 30 has a surface panel 300 and a vibration member 301 connected to the surface panel 300. The surface panel 300 is equipped with a touch sensor, a pressure sensor, a display, or the like (not shown). The vibration member 301 vibrates the surface panel 300 in a direction parallel to the main surface.

The vibration member 301 has a frame-shaped member 302, a fixing member 303, a piezoelectric film 304, and a connection member 500. The fixing member 303 is fixed to the housing of the electronic device. In this example, the fixing member 303 is fixed to the housing of the electronic device by screws 16. Note that double-sided tape may be used instead of the screws 16 to fix the fixing member to the electronic device.

The frame-shaped member 302 and the fixing member 303 are flat plate-shaped. The frame-shaped member 302 and the fixing member 303 are formed from a single metal plate. The metal plate may be coated with a resin such as polyimide. However, it is not essential that they are formed from a single metal plate. The frame-shaped member 302 and the fixing member 303 may be members made from a material other than metal (e.g., acrylic resin, PET, polycarbonate, glass epoxy, FRP, glass, etc.).

The frame-shaped member 302 is connected to the front panel 300 by a connection member 500 such as double-sided tape. The connection member 500 is long in the Y direction and short in the X direction.

The frame-shaped member 302 has a notch at its end in the Y direction. The fixed member 303 is located in the notch in plan view. The fixed member 303 and the frame-shaped member 302 are connected in the X direction by a long and thin beam 3021. The beam 3021 is easily elastically deformed by a force in the Y direction. In plan view, the fixed member 303 has a piezoelectric film connection part 3031 on the inside of the frame-shaped member 302 to the right (Y direction side) of the part connected to the beam 3021.

The piezoelectric film connection part 3031 connects the piezoelectric film 304. The piezoelectric film 304 is long in the Y direction. The Y direction end of the piezoelectric film 304 is connected to the piezoelectric film connection part 3031. In addition, the Y direction end of the piezoelectric film 304 is connected to the left side of the frame-shaped member 302.

At this time, the piezoelectric film connection portion 3031 is pulled in the Y direction by the piezoelectric film 304. In addition, the left side of the frame-shaped member 302 is pulled in the -Y direction by the piezoelectric film 304. Therefore, tension is generated in the piezoelectric film 304 that causes it to shrink along the Y axis direction.

The piezoelectric film 304 is, for example, a film made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or a chiral polymer. Chiral polymers include polylactic acid. Polylactic acid includes L-type polylactic acid (PLLA) or D-type polylactic acid (PDLA), etc. Polylactic acid shears in response to the voltage of an electrical signal. Therefore, when polylactic acid is used for the piezoelectric film 304, the film is cut so that the stretching direction of the piezoelectric film 304 is tilted at about 45°±10° relative to the left-right direction. This allows the piezoelectric film 304 to expand and contract in the left-right direction.

An electrode (not shown) is provided on each of the upper and lower principal surfaces of the piezoelectric film 304. When a control unit (not shown) detects a pressing operation by the user, it applies a voltage to the electrodes of the piezoelectric film 304. The piezoelectric film 304 expands and contracts in the left-right direction in response to the electrical signal. When an electrical signal is applied to the piezoelectric film 304, it vibrates the frame-shaped member 302 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) relative to the fixed member 303.

As a result, the surface panel 300 connected to the frame-shaped member 302 vibrates along the Y-axis direction. In other words, as shown in FIG. 2, when a user performs a pressing operation, the surface panel 300 vibrates along the Y-axis direction, and the diaphragm panel 30 vibrates along the Y-axis direction.

On the other hand, even if the diaphragm panel 30 vibrates along the Y-axis direction, the film member 20 is unlikely to move because both ends of the film member 20 in the Y-axis direction are fixed to the fixing parts 21. In addition, the film member 20 is made of a material with low peeling force. Alternatively, the film member 20 is surface-treated to reduce the peeling force, such as by applying silicone resin. This allows the contact surfaces between the diaphragm panel 30 and the film member 20 to slide.

The finger that performs the pressing operation has a large contact area with the film member 20 and a large reaction force. Therefore, the finger that performs the pressing operation is likely to feel the vibration. On the other hand, the finger that is simply touching the film member 20 has a small contact area with the film member 20 and a small reaction force, so the vibration of the diaphragm panel 30 is not easily transmitted to the finger.

Therefore, the tactile presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention can simultaneously transmit vibration locally and achieve a thin design.

Figure 5 is a table showing the results of a sensory test to see whether a finger that is not performing a pressing operation (that is, just touching the film) feels vibration when a pressing operation is performed.

The test in FIG. 5 shows the results when two PET films with a certain peeling force were placed on the diaphragm panel 30, and the left and right fingers were placed on each PET film, and the diaphragm panel 30 was vibrated with a burst wave of 200 Hz frequency and an acceleration of 10 G. The peeling force in FIG. 5 is the value when the tape width is 50 mm, folded 180 degrees, and peeled at 300 mm/min. The two PET films are independent of each other and are not connected to each other. In FIG. 5, "fixing" is written as "fixed" when one end of each of the two PET films is fixed to the housing, and "not fixed" when the PET film is not fixed (just placed on the diaphragm panel 30). In addition, "evaluation" is a five-level evaluation, with "5" meaning that no vibration is felt, "4" meaning that almost no vibration is felt, "3" meaning that some vibration is felt, "2" meaning that vibration is felt, and "1" meaning that vibration is felt very much. Each item was measured 10 times. If the rating is "5" or "4," the user can be said to not feel the vibration.

As shown in Figure 5, when the PET film is not fixed, the user feels vibration when the peeling force is 200 mN or less. On the other hand, when one end of the PET film is fixed, the user does not feel vibration when the peeling force is 300 mN or less. Also, when the peeling force is 100 mN, the evaluation for when the PET film is not fixed is "4," whereas the evaluation improves to "5" when one end of the PET film is fixed.

Even if one end of the PET film is fixed, the peel force is preferably 200 mN or less, and most preferably 50 mN or less.

Therefore, the tactile presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention can simultaneously transmit vibration locally and be thin when at least one end of the PET film is fixed and the peeling force of the film member is 300 mN or less.

(Variation 1)
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a tactile presentation device 10A according to Modification 1. Configurations common to those in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The film member of the tactile presentation device 10A has a first film member 20A and a second film member 20B. The fixing portion has a first fixing portion 21A that fixes the first film member 20A and a second fixing portion 21B that fixes the second film member 20B.

For example, a user performs a pressing operation on the first film member 20A with a first finger, and touches the second film member 20B with a second finger (no pressing operation is performed). In this case, the first finger that performed the pressing operation has a large contact area with the first film member 20A, and the reaction force is large. Therefore, the first finger that performed the pressing operation is likely to feel the vibration. On the other hand, the second finger that is only touching the second film member 20B has a small contact area with the second film member 20B and a small reaction force, so the vibration of the diaphragm panel 30 is not easily transmitted. Furthermore, since the first film member 20A and the second film member 20B are not in direct contact with each other, the vibration is even less likely to be transmitted to the second finger.

(Variation 2)
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a tactile presentation device 10B according to Modification 2. Configurations common to those in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 6 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The tactile presentation device 10B includes an elastic body 40 between the first film member 20A and the second film member 20B. In this manner, the first film member 20A and the second film member 20B are preferably in contact with each other via the elastic body 40. The elastic body 40 is made of a material such as urethane or styrene rubber. This makes the upper surface of the film member flat, and multiple film members can be configured to be arranged as if they are one integrated film member.

The elastic modulus of the elastic body 40 is 100 MPa or less. Therefore, when either the first film member 20A or the second film member 20B vibrates, the vibration is not easily transmitted to the other film member.

Figure 8 is a table showing the results of a sensory test to see whether a finger that is not performing a pressing operation (that is, just touching the film) feels vibration when a pressing operation is performed. The test conditions in Figure 8 are the same as those in Figure 5.

As shown in Figure 8, when the elastic modulus of the elastic body 40 is 100 MPa or less, the user does not feel the vibration. Therefore, in the tactile presentation device 10B of variant example 2, when viewed in a plan view, an elastic body is disposed between the first film member 20A and the second film member 20B, and when the elastic force of the elastic body is 100 MPa or less, it is possible to simultaneously transmit vibration locally and achieve a thin film, and further to realize a film that is flat in appearance.

(Variation 3)
9 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10C according to Modification 3. The film members of the tactile presentation device 10C include a first film member 20A, a second film member 20B, a third film member 20C, a fourth film member 20D, a fifth film member 20E, and a sixth film member 20F. The fixing portion includes a first fixing portion 21A for fixing the first film member 20A, a second fixing portion 21B for fixing the second film member 20B, a third fixing portion 21C for fixing the third film member 20C, a fourth fixing portion 21D for fixing the fourth film member 20D, a fifth fixing portion 21E for fixing the fifth film member 20E, and a sixth fixing portion 21F for fixing the sixth film member 20F.

An elastic body 40 is disposed between each of the first film member 20A, the second film member 20B, the third film member 20C, the fourth film member 20D, the fifth film member 20E, and the sixth film member 20F. In this case, too, the upper surface of the film member is flat, and the multiple film members can be configured to be disposed integrally as if they were one film member.

In the example of Figure 9, all of the film components have the same area, but the area of all of the film components does not have to be the same.

As a result, the tactile presentation device 10C of variant example 1 can simultaneously transmit vibrations locally to the vibration panel 30 with a larger area while achieving a thinner design, and can also achieve a film that appears flat.

(Variation 4)
Fig. 10 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10D according to Modification 4. Configurations common to those in the plan view of Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The film member of the tactile presentation device 10D has a first film member 20A and a second film member 20B. The fixing portion has a first fixing portion 21A that fixes the first film member 20A and a second fixing portion 21B that fixes the second film member 20B.

The first film member 20A and the second film member 20B have an overlapping portion 25. At the overlapping portion 25, the films are simply in contact with each other and are not connected. Therefore, when either the first film member 20A or the second film member 20B vibrates, the vibration is not easily transmitted to the other film member.

Therefore, the tactile presentation device 10D according to variant example 4 can simultaneously transmit vibration locally and achieve a thin design.

(Variation 5)
Fig. 11 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10E according to Modification 5. Configurations common to those in the plan view of Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The film member 20 of the tactile presentation device 10E has a slit 70. The slit 70 separates the right and left parts of the film member 20. The film member 20 is divided into the right and left parts by the slit 70. When either the right or left part of the film member 20 is pressed to vibrate the diaphragm panel 30, the vibration is not easily transmitted to the other part of the film member 20. Therefore, the tactile presentation device 10E of the fifth modification can simultaneously transmit vibration locally and be thin.

(Variation 6)
Fig. 12 is a plan view of a tactile presentation device 10F according to Modification 6. Configurations common to those in the plan view of Fig. 11 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The film member 20 of the tactile presentation device 10F has multiple openings 90 instead of slits 70. The film member 20 is divided into a right portion and a left portion of the multiple openings 90. When either the right portion or the left portion of the film member 20 is pressed and the diaphragm panel 30 vibrates, the vibration is not easily transmitted to the other portion of the film member 20. Therefore, the tactile presentation device 10F of the sixth modification can also simultaneously achieve localized transmission of vibration and a thin design.

The description of the present embodiment should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention includes the scope equivalent to the claims.

10: Tactile presentation device 10A: Tactile presentation device 10B: Tactile presentation device 10C: Tactile presentation device 10D: Tactile presentation device 10E: Tactile presentation device 10F: Tactile presentation device 16: Screw 20: Film member 20A: First film member 20B: Second film member 20C: Third film member 20D: Fourth film member 20E: Fifth film member 20F: Sixth film member 21: Fixing portion 21A: First fixing portion 21B: Second fixing portion 21C: Third fixing portion 21D: Fourth fixing portion 21E: Fifth fixing portion 21F: Sixth fixing portion 25: Part 30: Vibration panel 40: Elastic body 70: Slit 90: Opening 300: Surface panel 301: Vibration member 302: Frame-shaped member 303 : Fixing member 304 : Piezoelectric film 500 : Connection member 3021 : Beam 3031 : Piezoelectric film connection portion

Claims (5)

a vibration panel that vibrates in a direction parallel to a main surface;
a film member disposed on the main surface of the diaphragm panel and configured to receive an operation by a user;
A fixing portion that fixes at least one end of the film member;
Equipped with
a peeling force of the film member when the one end of the film member is fixed to the fixing portion and no pressing operation is being received from the user is 300 mN or less;
Tactile presentation device. the film member includes a first film member and a second film member,
The fixing portion includes a first fixing portion that fixes the first film member and a second fixing portion that fixes the second film member.
The tactile presentation device according to claim 1 . an elastic body is disposed between the first film member and the second film member in a plan view;
The elastic force of the elastic body is 100 MPa or less.
The tactile presentation device according to claim 2 . In a plan view, the first film member and the second film member have an overlapping portion.
The tactile presentation device according to claim 2 . The film member has a slit or an opening.
The tactile presentation device according to claim 1 .

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