WO2025028443A1 - Vibration presentation device - Google Patents

Abstract

This vibration presentation device comprises: a support part; a supported part which is supported by the support part and on which a vibration actuator is mounted; a gauge plate on which a strain gauge is arranged; and a connection member which has a plate spring part. The supported part is supported by the support part via the gauge plate and the connection member. For example, the gauge plate has a supported-part-fixing hole for fixing the gauge plate to the supported part and a plate-spring-part-fixing hole for fixing the gauge plate to the plate spring part.

Description

Vibration presentation device

The present invention relates to a vibration presentation device.

　Conventionally, touch panels with a vibration feedback function that vibrates the operation panel based on the detection results of the load applied to the operation panel are known.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a touch panel that includes an electrode, a sensor elastic body part facing the electrode, a detection unit that detects a load applied to an operation panel, and a vibrating elastic body part that transmits vibrations generated by the operation of an actuator to the operation panel, the sensor elastic body part being disposed so as to be separated from the electrode when the vibrating elastic body is pressed down by the load applied to the operation panel, and the detection unit detects a change in capacitance between the electrode and the sensor elastic body part due to the separation of the sensor elastic body part from the electrode, and detects the magnitude of the load applied to the operation panel based on the magnitude of the change in capacitance.

As a method for detecting the magnitude of a load applied to a member, for example, a load detection method has been disclosed that includes a member made of a ferromagnetic material, an excitation coil that generates leakage flux in the magnetic flux inside the member, and a detection coil that detects the generated leakage flux, and detects the magnitude of the load based on the detected leakage flux (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2021-149879 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 02-145934

Incidentally, the touch panel disclosed in Patent Document 1 detects the load applied to the operation panel as a change in capacitance. The change in capacitance depends on the distance between the vibrating elastic body on the movable side and the electrode on the fixed side. This creates problems in that it is difficult to achieve high assembly ease and to reduce costs through calibration after mounting, etc.

In addition, even when the load detection method in Patent Document 2 is used to detect the load applied to the operation panel as a change in leakage magnetic flux, the change in leakage magnetic flux depends on the distance between the excitation coil and the detection coil. This causes the problem that it is difficult to achieve high assembly ease and reduce costs through calibration after mounting, just like the touch panel in Patent Document 1.

The object of the present invention is to provide a vibration presentation device that can reduce the costs associated with assembly and calibration after installation.

The vibration presentation device of the present invention comprises:
A support portion;
a supported portion on which a vibration actuator is mounted;
a gauge plate on which a strain gauge is disposed;
A connecting member having a leaf spring portion;
Equipped with
The supported portion is supported by the supporting portion via the gauge plate and the connecting member.

The present invention makes it possible to reduce costs associated with assembly and post-mounting calibration, etc.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the vibration presentation device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view of the vibration presentation device from which the operation panel and the panel base are removed in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view of the vibration presentation device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view of a panel base according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a vibration actuator and other components disposed between a supporting portion and a supported portion in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a vibration actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the case and the drive unit therein are disassembled. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vibration actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the coil assembly showing a state in which the coil has been removed from the coil holding portion in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a movable body to which an elastic support portion is attached in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the resonant frequency of the first vibration system and the resonant frequency of the second vibration system obtained by simulation. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing fixed points between a supported portion and a supporting portion in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing fixed points between a supported portion and a supporting portion in a modified example. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the front of a gauge plate according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 17 is an assembly diagram of a connecting member and a gauge plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the rear surface of the gauge plate according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the front of a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from above.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention with the operation panel and panel base removed. FIG. 4 is a side view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a front view of a panel base according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a vibration presentation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In Figure 2, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are depicted. In Figure 2, the left-right direction is referred to as the X-direction, the right direction is referred to as the right side or the "+X direction," and the left direction is referred to as the left side or the "-X direction." Also, in Figure 2, the up-down direction is referred to as the Y direction, the up direction is referred to as the top side or the "+Y direction," and the down direction is referred to as the bottom side or the "-Y direction." Also, the depth direction of the paper in Figure 2 is referred to as the Z direction, the front direction is referred to as the front side or the "+Z direction," and the back direction is referred to as the back side or the "-Z direction."

<Overall configuration of vibration presentation device>
The vibration presentation device 1A according to the embodiment of the present invention is used, for example, as a center console arranged in a vehicle cabin or a remote controller for an operator to operate various devices. The vibration presentation device 1A according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned objects, but is applicable to various objects. The vibration presentation device 1A shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 6 has an operation panel 101 and a vibration actuator 1, and has a vibration feedback function that vibrates the operation panel 101 in the left-right direction (X direction) when a pressing operation is performed on the operation panel 101 from the front side (+Z direction) to the back side (-Z direction).

The vibration presentation device 1A has a supporting part 1B, a supported part 1C, a damper 270, a gauge plate 310, and a connecting member 350. The supporting part 1B has a fixing jig 210, a fixing plate 230, and a protective cover 250. The supported part 1C has the above-mentioned operation panel 101, a panel base 104, and the above-mentioned vibration actuator 1.

(Operation Panel 101)
The operation panel 101 is molded from a polycarbonate material or the like, and has a rectangular outer shape with its longitudinal direction in the left-right direction (X direction) and its short side in the up-down direction (Y direction), and has a front surface 102 facing the front side (+Z direction) and a back surface 103 facing the rear side (-Z direction).

The front surface 102 is an operation surface on which a user performs pressing operations. A circuit board (not shown) is provided on the rear surface 103 in parallel with the operation panel 101. A display control circuit for displaying images on the operation panel 101 and the like are arranged on the circuit board. In addition, a panel base 104 is arranged on the rear surface 103.

(Panel base 104)
Panel base 104 supports operation panel 101 at rear surface 103. Panel base 104 is a flat plate-like member having a predetermined thickness, molded from polycarbonate, aluminum, resin, or the like, has a rectangular outer shape corresponding to the outer shape of operation panel 101, and has front surface 105 facing the front side (+Z direction) and back surface 106 facing the rear side (-Z direction). Note that a position of panel base 104 that is linearly symmetrical with respect to a center line in the left-right direction (X direction) may be referred to as "left-right symmetrical".

The panel base 104 has holes 107, 108, and 109. The holes 107 are support holes for supporting the operation panel 101, and are disposed at each of the four corners of the rectangular outer shape of the panel base 104. The holes 108 are fixing holes for fixing the vibration actuator 1, and are disposed two above and two below, symmetrically on the left and right sides of the rectangular outer shape of the panel base 104. The holes 109 are fixing holes for fixing the panel base 104 and the gauge plate 310, and are disposed one above and one below, symmetrically on the left and right sides of the rectangular outer shape of the panel base 104.
The panel base 104 constitutes the supported portion 1C together with the operation panel 101, and can therefore be used as a member for adjusting the weight of the supported portion 1C. Furthermore, since the panel base 104 supports the operation panel 101 at the rear surface 103, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the operation panel. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 7, the panel base 104 also serves as a fixing portion for fixing the vibration actuator 1 via the bracket 2 to the rear surface 106 of the panel base 104. Furthermore, the panel base 104 also serves as a fixing portion for fixing the gauge plate 310.

(Vibration Actuator 1)
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a vibration actuator and the like arranged between a supporting part and a supported part in an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a vibration actuator showing a state in which a case and a drive unit therein are disassembled in an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a vibration actuator in an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a coil assembly showing a state in which the coil has been removed from a coil holding part in an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a movable body to which an elastic support part is attached in an embodiment of the present invention.

The vibration actuator 1 vibrates when driven, providing a sense of operation to a user who presses the operation panel 101. The vibration direction of the vibration actuator 1 is shown in the vertical direction in Figure 9. The vertical direction shown in Figure 9 is sometimes called the "axial direction". The vibration actuator 1 is mounted on the back surface 106 of the panel base 104 with the axial direction being the left-right direction (X direction) shown in Figure 2. The vibration actuator 1 is mounted using a bracket 2 and holes 108 (see Figure 1).

As shown in FIG. 9, the vibration actuator 1 has a drive unit 15. The drive unit 15 has a movable body 20 (see FIG. 12), a fixed body 40, and elastic support parts 81 and 82.

<Movable body 20>
The movable body 20 is arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction inside the cylindrical coil holding part of the fixed body. The movable body 20 is columnar and supported along the inner peripheral surface of the coil holding part 42 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the axial direction. The movable body 20 is connected to the inner peripheral part of the elastic support part at both ends (upper and lower ends) separated in the axial direction (vibration direction). The movable body 20 has a magnet 21, a pair of yokes 23, 25, a pair of weights 27, 29, and a pair of connecting parts 31, 33. The magnet 21 is arranged at the center of the movable body 20 (the center part in the vibration direction). The pair of yokes 23, 25, the pair of weights 27, 29, and the pair of connecting parts 31, 33 are each arranged symmetrically with respect to the magnet 21.

The magnet 21 is a solid column magnetized in the vibration direction. The polarities of the front and back surfaces of the magnet 21, which are spaced apart in the vibration direction, are different from each other. The magnet 21 is positioned inside the coils 61 and 62, with each of the two magnetized surfaces facing in the direction in which the axes of the coils 61 and 62 extend.

Each of the pair of yokes 23, 25 is made of a magnetic material. The yoke 23 is fixed to the front surface of the magnet 21. The yoke 25 is fixed to the back surface of the magnet 21.

Plummets 27 and 29 are made of a non-magnetic material. Plummet 27 is laminated to yoke 23. Plummet 29 is laminated to yoke 25.

As shown in Figures 10 and 12, the connection part 31 connects the yoke 23, the weight part 27, and the elastic support part 81. The connection part 33 connects the yoke 25, the weight part 29, and the elastic support part 82. A damper (not shown) is attached to the elastic support part 81 as a damping means for damping vibrations generated in the elastic support part 81. A damper (not shown) is attached to the elastic support part 82 as a damping means for damping vibrations generated in the elastic support part 82.

<Fixed body 40>
The fixed body 40 supports the movable body 20 so as to be movable in the axial direction (which is the vibration direction and also the coil axial direction) via elastic support parts 81, 82. The fixed body 40 has a case 10, a coil holding part 42, a pair of coils 61, 62, and an outer yoke 50.

The case 10 is a hollow cylindrical body including a bottomed cylindrical case body 11 and a lid body 12.

As shown in FIG. 11, the coil holding portion 42 has a cylindrical main body portion 422 and flange portions 426, 427, and 428. The cylindrical main body portion 422 is formed into a cylindrical shape from a material containing phenolic resin such as Bakelite. Each of the flange portions 426, 427, and 428 protrudes radially from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical main body portion 422. Each of the flange portions 426, 427, and 428 is arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. The flange portion 426 is arranged at the axial center position of the cylindrical main body portion 422, the flange portion 427 is arranged at one axial end position of the cylindrical main body portion 422, and the flange portion 428 is arranged at the other axial end position of the cylindrical main body portion 422.

Coil 61 is wound between flange portions 426 and 427. Coil 62 is wound between flange portions 426 and 428. Each of coils 61 and 62 is connected to an external device (e.g., a power supply unit) so that power can be supplied from the external device to each of coils 61 and 62. Each of coils 61 and 62 in vibration actuator 1 has an axial direction (the magnetization direction of magnet 21) as the vibration direction, and together with magnet 21 and yokes 23 and 25, constitutes a magnetic circuit used to generate a drive source.

As shown in FIG. 10, the outer yoke 50 is a cylindrical magnetic body that surrounds the outer periphery of the coil holding portion 42 and is positioned so as to cover the coils 61, 62 from the radial outside. The outer yoke 50 forms a magnetic circuit on the fixed body side together with the coils 61, 62, and forms a magnetic circuit on the movable body side together with the magnet 21 and the yokes 23, 25. The outer yoke 50 prevents magnetic flux from leaking from the magnetic circuit to the outside of the vibration actuator 1.

The main configuration of the vibration actuator 1 has been described above. Next, we will explain how the vibration presentation device 1A resonates due to the vibration caused by driving the vibration actuator 1. The resonance in the vibration presentation device 1A varies depending on the components that make up the vibration system of the vibration presentation device 1A, the elastic support parts that elastically support these components, and the damping means that dampen the vibration. Here, the vibration system including the protective cover 250, the fixed plate 230, the fixed jig 210, and the vibration target (the operation panel 101, the panel base 104, and the fixed body 40 of the vibration actuator 1) is referred to as the "first vibration system." In addition, the vibration system including the above vibration target and the movable body 20 of the vibration actuator 1 is referred to as the "second vibration system."

The resonance frequency of the first vibration system and the resonance frequency of the second vibration system can be obtained by simulation or experiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the resonance frequency of the first vibration system and the resonance frequency of the second vibration system obtained by simulation. The horizontal axis of FIG. 13 shows frequency [Hz], and the vertical axis shows acceleration [G]. The direction of acceleration is the left-right direction (X direction), and G is about 9.8 [m/s ² ]. FIG. 13 shows the resonance frequency f ₂ and acceleration when the second vibration system resonates at the position of the first peak. Also, the resonance frequency f ₁ and acceleration when the first vibration system resonates at the position of the next peak. As shown in FIG. 13, the resonance frequency f ₁ of the first vibration system is higher than the resonance frequency f ₂ of the second vibration system (f ₁ >f ₂ ). In other words, the resonance frequency f ₂ of the second vibration system is lower than the resonance frequency f ₁ of the first vibration system.

As described above, the resonance in the vibration presentation device 1A varies depending on the components, the elastic support, the damping means, etc., so that the resonance frequency _f1 and the resonance frequency _f2 of the first vibration system each have a certain range. Specifically, the resonance frequency _f1 of the first vibration system is set to 80 [Hz] or more and 300 [Hz] or less. The reason for setting the resonance frequency _f1 is that the human sensory organs can relatively easily sense vibrations in the frequency band from 80 [Hz] to 300 [Hz].

The resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system is set to 50 [Hz] or more and less than 80 [Hz]. The reason for setting it to 50 [Hz] or more is to prevent the vibration presentation device 1A mounted on the vehicle from being affected by road noise (less than 50 [Hz]) while the vehicle is running. The reason for setting it to less than 80 [Hz] is that the resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system needs to be set lower than the resonance frequency _f1 of the first vibration system according to the results of the above simulation.

In this embodiment, the frequency characteristics of the vibration actuator 1 are configured to be changeable within a predetermined range. For example, an external device (e.g., a control unit (not shown)) sets the frequency characteristics of the vibration actuator 1 based on the resonance frequency _f2 obtained from the results of the above simulation.

<Elastic Support Portions 81, 82>
10 and 12, the elastic support parts 81, 82 support the movable body 20 so as to be capable of reciprocating motion in the vibration direction relative to the fixed body 40. The elastic support parts 81, 82 sandwich the movable body 20 in the vibration direction of the movable body 20 and are installed across both the movable body 20 and the fixed body 40 so as to intersect with the vibration direction.

(Fixing jig 210)
Next, the support part 1B will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 6 and Fig. 8. As described above, the support part 1B has a fixing jig 210, a fixing plate 230, and a protective cover 250. The fixing jig 210 has a base 211 and an angle member 213. The base 211 is a flat plate-like member having a predetermined plate thickness, and has a rectangular outer shape with the left-right direction (X direction) as the longitudinal direction and the depth direction (Z direction) as the short side direction, and has an upper surface 215 facing upward (+Y direction) and a lower surface 217 facing downward (-Y direction).

The angle members 213 are arranged symmetrically on the top surface 215. The angle members 213 have a predetermined plate thickness, and are L-shaped when viewed from the right side. The angle member 213 has an upward extending portion 218 extending upward (+Y direction) from a central position in the depth direction (Z direction) of the top surface 215, and a depth extending portion 219 extending in the depth direction (-Z direction) from a central position in the depth direction (Z direction) of the top surface 215 along the top surface 215. The upward extending portion 218 has a support hole 218a for supporting the fixing plate 230. The depth extending portion 219 is fixed to the top surface 215.

(Fixation plate 230)
The fixed plate 230 is a flat member having a predetermined thickness, and has a rectangular outer shape with the longitudinal direction being the left-right direction (X direction) and the short direction being the up-down direction (Y direction). The fixed plate 230 has a front surface 231F facing the front side (+Z direction), a back surface 231B facing the back side (-Z direction), a right side surface 231R facing the right side (+X direction), a left side surface 231L facing the left side (-X direction), an upper surface 231A facing upward (+Y direction), and a lower surface 231U facing downward (-Y direction).

The fixing plate 230 has holes 232 and 233. Hole 232 is a through hole that penetrates in the depth direction (Z direction) to support the fixing plate 230 on the angle member 213, and is located at the same position as hole 218a when viewed from the front. Hole 233 is a through hole for passing electric wires that transmit power from an external device (e.g., a battery) to each of the coils 61 and 62, and for passing signal wires that transmit signals from the strain gauge 330 (see FIG. 18) to an external device (e.g., a control unit not shown), and is located symmetrically on the left and right.

The fixing plate 230 further has holes 234 and 235. The holes 234 are fixing holes for fixing the connecting member 350, and are arranged two on the top and two on the bottom of each of the right side 231R and left side 231L. The holes 235 are mounting holes for attaching the protective cover 250, and are arranged three on each of the top side 231A and bottom side 231U, and one on each of the right side 231R and left side 231L.

(Protective cover 250)
As shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the protective cover 250 has a first cover 251 and a second cover 252. The first cover 251 has an upper cover part 253, a right cover part 254 and a left cover part 255. The upper cover part 253 is an elongated flat plate with the X direction as the longitudinal direction and the Z direction as the short direction, and is arranged so as to cover the gap between the supporting part 1B (fixed plate 230) and the supported part 1C (panel base 104) in the depth direction (Z direction) from the upper side (+Y direction). The right cover part 254 extends downward (-Y direction) from the position of the end part on the right side (+X direction) of the upper cover part 253, and is arranged so as to cover the gap from the right side (+X direction). The left cover part 255 extends downward (-Y direction) from the position of the left side (-X direction) end of the upper cover part 253, and is disposed so as to cover the gap from the left side (+X direction). The upper cover part 253 is attached to the top surface 231A using the attachment hole 235. The right cover part 254 is attached to the right side surface 231R using the attachment hole 235. The left cover part 255 is attached to the left side surface 231L using the attachment hole 235.

The second cover 252 is a long, flat plate with its length in the X direction and its width in the Z direction, and is positioned so as to cover the gap from below (-Y direction). The second cover 252 is attached to the lower surface 231U using mounting holes 235. By covering the gap S1 from the outside with the first cover 251 and the second cover 252, it is possible to prevent contamination from entering the gap from the outside.

(Damper 270)
14 is a diagram showing the position where the damper is arranged in the embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of dampers 270 (three in this example) are arranged in the gap. Two of the three dampers 270 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the other damper 270. Each of the three dampers 270 is arranged in a state of being compressed in the depth direction (Z direction) by the fixing plate 230 and the panel base 104. The damper 270 has an axial direction in the depth direction (Z direction), a large diameter shaft portion 271 arranged in the center in the axial direction, a medium diameter shaft portion 273 arranged in front of the large diameter shaft portion 271 (+Z direction) and having a smaller diameter than the large diameter shaft portion 271, and a small diameter shaft portion 275 arranged on the back side of the large diameter shaft portion 271 (-Z direction) and having a smaller diameter than the medium diameter shaft portion 273. The medium diameter shaft portion 273 is molded from a silicone material and abuts against the panel base 104 in a compressed state. Furthermore, the large diameter shaft portion 271 is a seat that receives the medium diameter shaft portion 273. The small diameter shaft portion 275 is fastened by screwing or fitting into a hole (see FIG. 8) in the fixed plate 230. This restricts the movement of the damper 270 in both the X direction and the Y direction.

The damper 270 is arranged in a state where it is compressed in the depth direction (Z direction) by the support part 1B (fixed plate 230) and the supported part 1C (panel base 104). In other words, the support part 1B and the supported part 1C are assembled in a state where a pre-pressure is applied between the support part 1B and the supported part 1C. As a result, the damper 270 functions as a damping mechanism that provides damping in both the pushing operation direction (-Z direction) and the actuator vibration direction (X direction).

As shown in FIG. 14, the locations where supported part 1C and supporting part 1B are fixed or supported to each other (hereinafter, fixed points) are two points where supported part 1C and supporting part 1B are fixed to each other. When the operator applies a force greater than expected to the vertical (Y direction) edge side of operation panel 101 when viewed from the operation panel 101 side, supported part 1C tries to rotate around line L2 connecting these two points, and since there is no fixed point located outside line L2, supported part 1C may rotate around line L2 as an axis.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the fixed points at which the supported part 1C and the supporting part 1B are fixed to or supported by each other in a comparative modified example. As shown in FIG. 15, there are three fixed points. Two of the three points are located on the same straight line L1. One of the three points is located outside the straight line L1. For example, when the supported part 1C (such as the operation panel 101) tries to rotate around the straight line L1, the fixed point located outside the straight line L1 can suppress the rotation of the supported part 1C around the straight line L1. Note that in this modified example, three fixed points are provided and one of the three fixed points is located outside the same straight line, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, three or more fixed points may be provided and two or more of the three or more fixed points may be located outside the same straight line.

(Support structure)
Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the front of the gauge plate according to the embodiment of the present invention seen from diagonally above. Fig. 17 is an assembly diagram of the connecting member and the gauge plate according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, 7, 16 and 17, a pair of gauge plates 310 are arranged symmetrically in the gap between the panel base 104 and the fixed plate 230. The gauge plate 310 arranged on the left side is called gauge plate 310L, and the gauge plate 310 arranged on the right side is called gauge plate 310R. In addition, a pair of connecting members 350 are arranged symmetrically in the gap between the panel base 104 and the fixed plate 230. The connecting member 350 arranged on the left side is called connecting member 350L, and the connecting member 350 arranged on the right side is called connecting member 350R.

As shown in FIG. 5, supported portion 1C (panel base 104) is supported by supporting portion 1B (fixed plate 230) via gauge plate 310R and connecting member 350R. Supported portion 1C (panel base 104) is also supported by supporting portion 1B (fixed plate 230) via gauge plate 310L and connecting member 350L. In other words, gauge plate 310R and connecting member 350R, as well as gauge plate 310L and connecting member 350L, elastically support supported portion 1C and position supported portion 1C. The support structure in which supported portion 1C is supported by supporting portion 1B via gauge plate 310R and connecting member 350R and the support structure in which supported portion 1C is supported by supporting portion 1B via gauge plate 310L and connecting member 350L are the same except that they are symmetrical to each other. In the following explanation, we will explain the support structure in which the supported part 1C is supported by the supporting part 1B via the gauge plate 310R and the connecting member 350R, and will omit the explanation of the support structure in which the supported part 1C is supported by the supporting part 1B via the gauge plate 310L and the connecting member 350L.

(Gauge plate 310)
The gauge plate 310R is a flat member having a roughly rectangular outer shape, and has a surface 311 facing the front side (+Z direction), a back side 313 facing the rear side (-Z direction), a left side edge 314 located at the left end (-X direction) of the outer shape, and a right side edge 315 located at the right end (+X direction) of the outer shape.

In the external shape, holes 316, 317 are arranged symmetrically on the left and right. Hole 316 is a through hole that penetrates in the depth direction (Z direction) and is a fixing hole for fixing the panel base 104 and the gauge plate 310R. Hole 317 is a through hole that penetrates in the depth direction (Z direction) and is a fixing hole for fixing the gauge plate 310R and the connecting member 350R (the connecting member 350 arranged on the right side).

In terms of the external shape, notches 318, 319 are arranged symmetrically on the left and right. Notch 319 is a semicircular cutout in the right edge 315. Notch 319 is a positioning notch for positioning the gauge plate 310R and the connecting member 350R relative to each other. Note that the gauge plate 310R and the connecting member 350R are fixed using holes 317, holes 394, and fasteners (e.g., bolts and nuts), and the gauge plate 310R and the connecting member 350R are positioned relative to each other using hole 394A (see FIG. 17), notch 319, and a positioning shaft-shaped member (e.g., a locating pin), as will be described later.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the rear surface of a gauge plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from diagonally above. Strain gauge 330 is disposed on rear surface 313 of each of gauge plates 310R and 310L. Strain gauge 330 is disposed in the center in the left-right direction (X direction) and detects strain of gauge plate 310 when operation panel 101 is pressed. The detection result of strain gauge 330 is sent to an external device (e.g., a control unit not shown) via.

(Connecting member 350)
19 is a perspective view of the front of the right-side connecting member 350R as viewed obliquely from above.

The leaf spring portion 370 elastically supports the operation panel 101 via the panel base 104. Specifically, the leaf spring portion 370 has a first elastic support portion 380A, which is a support portion capable of elastically supporting the operation panel 101 in the pressing operation direction (-Z direction), and a second elastic support portion 380B, which is a support portion capable of elastically supporting the operation panel 101 in the actuator vibration direction (X direction) of the vibration actuator 1.

The first elastic support portion 380A has a first right-angle bent portion 390A in which the outer shape of the flat surface facing the pushing operation direction (-Z direction) is bent at a right angle. The first right-angle bent portion 390A has a Y-direction extending portion 391 extending in the up-down direction (Y direction), a lower left-direction extending portion 392 extending in the left direction (-X direction) from the lower end position (-Y direction) of the Y-direction extending portion 391, and an upper right-direction extending portion 393 extending in the right direction (+X direction) from the upper end position (+Y direction) of the Y-direction extending portion 391. That is, the outer shape of the first elastic support member 380A has an L-shape that is bent from the Y-direction extending portion 391 to the lower left-direction extending portion 392, and an L-shape that is bent from the Y-direction extending portion 391 to the upper right-direction extending portion 393. The upper right-direction extending portion 393 is a connecting portion that is connected to the second elastic support member 380B.

The lower left extending portion 392 is a connecting portion that is connected to the gauge plate 310R. The lower left extending portion 392 has holes 394, 394A. Hole 394 is a fixing hole for fixing the connecting member 350R and the gauge plate 310R. Hole 394A is a positioning hole for positioning the connecting member 350R and the gauge plate 310R relative to each other. When fastening the connecting member 350R and the gauge plate 310R using a fastener (for example, the bolt and nut shown in FIG. 17), the bolt is passed through holes 394 and 317. This causes the position of hole 394 to coincide with the position of hole 317. However, because the connecting member 350R and the gauge plate 310R can rotate relatively around the bolt, the positioning is incomplete. Therefore, a positioning shaft-shaped member (e.g., a locating pin) is passed through hole 394A, and the outer circumference of the locating pin is fitted into notch 319. This restricts the relative rotation of connecting member 350R and gauge plate 310R about the bolt. This makes it possible to fix connecting member 350R and gauge plate 310R in a predetermined position relative to each other.

The force in the pushing direction (-Z direction) of the operation panel 101 is transmitted to the panel base 104 and gauge plate 310R, and further to the lower left extending portion 392, which is a connecting portion that connects to the gauge plate 310R. Since the upper right extending portion 393 is a connecting portion that connects to the second elastic support portion 380B, the lower end of the Y direction extending portion 391 bends in the depth direction (Z direction) with its upper end as a fulcrum. In other words, the force in the pushing direction (-Z direction) of the operation panel 101 is absorbed by the bending of the lower end of the Y direction extending portion 391.

The second elastic support portion 380B has a second right-angle bent portion 390B in which the outer shape of the flat surface facing the actuator vibration direction (X direction) is bent at a right angle. The second right-angle bent portion 390B has a Y-direction extending portion 395 extending in the up-down direction (Y direction), a lower rearward extending portion 396 extending in the rearward direction (-Z direction) from the lower end position (-Y direction) of the Y-direction extending portion 395, and an upper frontward extending portion 397 extending in the frontward direction (+Z direction) from the upper end position (+Y direction) of the Y-direction extending portion 395. That is, the outer shape of the second elastic support portion 380B has an L-shape bent from the Y-direction extending portion 395 to the lower back-extending portion 396, and an L-shape bent from the Y-direction extending portion 395 to the upper front-extending portion 397. The front end (+Z direction) of the upper front-extending portion 397 is connected to the right end (+X direction) of the upper right-extending portion 393.

The end of the lower rearward extending portion 396 on the rear side (-Z direction) has two holes 398, one above and one below. The holes 398 are fixing holes for fixing the connecting member 350R and the fixing plate 230. Each of the two upper and lower holes 398 is disposed in a position corresponding to each of the two upper and lower holes 234 (see FIG. 1). By aligning the positions of the two upper and lower holes 398 with the positions of the two upper and lower holes 234 and fastening nuts to the bolts passed through the holes 398 and 234, it is possible to fix the connecting member 350R and the fixing plate 230 in a predetermined position relative to each other.

The force in the actuator vibration direction (X direction) that vibrates the operation panel 101 by the vibration actuator 1 is transmitted to the panel base 104 and the gauge plate 310R, and further to the lower left-direction extension part 392, which is a connecting part that connects to the gauge plate 310R. It is further transmitted to the Y-direction extension part 391, and further transmitted to the front end of the upper front-direction extension part 397, which is connected to the right-side (+X direction) end of the upper right-direction extension part 393. Since the rear-side (-Z direction) end of the lower rear-direction extension part 396 is fixed to the fixed plate 230, the upper end of the Y-direction extension part 395 bends in the left-right direction (X direction) with its lower end as a fulcrum. In other words, the force in the actuator vibration direction (X direction) is absorbed by the upper end of the Y-direction extension part 395 bending.

As explained above, supported portion 1C (panel base 104) and gauge plate 310R (gauge plate 310 arranged on the right side) can be easily fixed together by using holes 109, 316, and fasteners (bolts, nuts). Similarly, panel base 104) and gauge plate 310L (gauge plate 310 arranged on the left side) can be easily fixed together by using holes 109, 317, and fasteners (bolts, nuts).

Furthermore, by using holes 394, 316, 394A, notch 319, fasteners (bolts, nuts), and shaft-shaped members (locating pins), it is possible to easily and accurately fix connecting member 350R (connecting member 350 arranged on the right side) and gauge plate 310R (gauge plate 310 arranged on the right side) to a predetermined position. Similarly, by using holes 109, 317, 394A, notch 318, fasteners (bolts, nuts), and shaft-shaped members (locating pins), it is possible to easily and accurately fix connecting member 350L (connecting member 350 arranged on the left side) and gauge plate 310L (gauge plate 310 arranged on the left side) to a predetermined position.

Furthermore, by using the two upper and lower holes 398, the two upper and lower holes 234, and fasteners (bolts and nuts), it is possible to easily and accurately fix the connecting member 350R (connecting member 350 arranged on the right side) and the fixing plate 230 to each other in a predetermined position. Similarly, by using the two upper and lower holes 398, the two upper and lower holes 234, and fasteners (bolts and nuts), it is possible to easily and accurately fix the connecting member 350L (connecting member 350 arranged on the left side) and the fixing plate 230 to each other in a predetermined position.

The vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment includes a supported portion 1C supported by a support portion 1B and having a vibration actuator 1 mounted thereon, a gauge plate 310 having a strain gauge 330 disposed thereon, and a connecting member 350 having a leaf spring portion 370, and the supported portion 1C is supported by the support portion 1B via the gauge plate 310 and the connecting member 350.

With the above configuration, the gauge plate 310 and the connecting member 350 elastically support the supported portion 1C and can position the supported portion 1C at a predetermined position. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of assembly and calibration after mounting, since the distance between the supporting portion 1B and the supported portion 1C matches the predetermined distance. Furthermore, because the elastic support and positioning of the supported portion 1C can be achieved with a simple configuration, there is no need to complicate the component shapes of the gauge plate 310 and the connecting member 350 or the assembly structure of the components, and it is possible to reduce the degree of dependency on the size, structure, and shape of the operation panel 101. This in turn makes it possible to reduce manufacturing costs.

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the gauge plate 310 has a hole 316 for fixing the supported part to fix the gauge plate 310 to the supported part 1C, and a hole 317 for fixing the leaf spring part to fix the gauge plate 310 to the leaf spring part 370. As a result, since the holes 316 and 317 are holes for assembling the gauge plate 310 to the supported part 1C and the leaf spring part 370 to the gauge plate 310, by manufacturing the positions and sizes of these holes as previously set, it is possible to maintain the assembly accuracy when assembling the supported part 1C and the gauge plate 310, and the assembly accuracy when assembling the gauge plate 310 and the leaf spring part 370 at the desired accuracy.

The supported portion 1C has an operation panel 101, and the vibration actuator 1 vibrates in a direction (X direction) perpendicular to the pressing direction (-Z direction) of the operation panel 101. If an actuator that vibrates the operation panel 101 in the direction perpendicular to the surface (Z direction) is implemented, the vibration noise generally tends to be louder. In contrast, in this embodiment, the vibration actuator 1 vibrates in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction, making it possible to suppress the vibration noise.

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the strain gauge 330 detects the strain of the gauge plate 310 when the operation panel 101 is pressed. The gauge plate 310 expands and contracts when the operation panel 101 is pressed. This changes the resistance value of the strain gauge 330, and by measuring the resistance value, it becomes possible to detect the operating load when the operation panel 101 is pressed.

In the vibration presenting device 1A according to the above embodiment, the leaf spring 370 has a first elastic support 380A capable of elastically supporting the operation panel 101 in the pressing operation direction, and a second elastic support 380B capable of elastically supporting the operation panel 101 in the actuator vibration direction of the vibration actuator 1. As a result, since the first elastic support 380A elastically supports the operation panel 101, a pushing back force (reaction force) against the force in the pressing operation direction (-Z direction) of the operation panel 101 is generated, and it is possible to give a feeling of operation to the user who performed the pressing operation of the operation panel 101. In addition, since the second elastic support 380B elastically supports the supported portion 1C (operation panel 101, panel base 104), it is possible to resonantly drive the supported portion 1C. In addition, by changing the size, shape, and plate thickness of the second elastic support 380B, it is possible to adjust the resonance frequency f ₁ (see FIG. 13) of the first vibration system.

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the first elastic support portion 380A has a first right-angle bent portion 390A in which the outer shape of the flat surface facing the pressing operation direction is bent at a right angle, and the second elastic support portion 380B has a second right-angle bent portion 390B in which the outer shape of the flat surface facing the actuator vibration direction is bent at a right angle. This makes it possible to use, for example, a portion of the first right-angle bent portion 390A that extends in one of the directions in which it is bent at a right angle as the first elastic support portion 380A. The portion that extends in the other direction can be used as a connecting portion for connecting to the gauge plate 310. In addition, the portion of the second right-angle bent portion 390B that extends in one of the directions in which it is bent at a right angle can be used as the second elastic support portion 380B. The portion that extends in the other direction can be used as a connecting portion for connecting to the support portion 1B (fixed plate 230).

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the outer shape of the first right-angle bending portion 390A is one or more L-shapes, and the outer shape of the second right-angle bending portion 390B is one or more L-shapes. This makes it possible to use at least one L-shape as the first right-angle bending portion 390A. Also, it makes it possible to use at least one L-shape as the second right-angle bending portion 390B. On the other hand, by configuring the first right-angle bending portion 390A with multiple L-shapes, the spring constant of the first right-angle bending portion 390A decreases, making it possible to adjust the spring constant, and also increasing the degree of freedom in the shape of the first right-angle bending portion 390A, making it possible to improve the assembly of the connecting member 350. Similarly, by configuring the second right-angle bend portion 390B with multiple L-shaped portions, the spring constant of the second right-angle bend portion 390B decreases, making it possible to adjust the spring constant, and the degree of freedom in the shape of the second right-angle bend portion 390B increases, making it possible to improve the assembly of the connecting member 350.

Furthermore, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the supporting part 1B and the supported part 1C are assembled with a pre-pressurized state between them so that the supported part 1C functions as a damping mechanism that damps the vibration in both the pushing operation direction and the actuator vibration direction. For example, the damper 270 is arranged in a state compressed in the depth direction (Z direction) by the supporting part 1B (fixed plate 230) and the supported part 1C (panel base 104). This makes it possible to suppress vibration reverberations that cause the supported part 1C to vibrate continuously for a relatively long period of time. It also makes it possible to suppress external impacts on the supported part 1C.

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the supported part 1C, the gauge plate 310, the connecting member 350, and the supporting part 1B are fixed to each other at two fixed points. When the operator applies a force greater than expected to the vertical (Y direction) edge side of the operation panel 101 as viewed from the operation panel 101 side, the supported part 1C tries to rotate around the straight line L2 connecting these two points, and since there is no fixed point located outside the straight line L2, the supported part 1C may rotate around the straight line L2 as an axis.

Furthermore, in the vibration presentation device 1D according to the above modified example, there are three or more fixed points at which the supported part 1C, the gauge plate 310, the connecting member 350, and the supporting part 1B are fixed to one another, and when at least two of the three or more fixed points are arranged on the same straight line, at least one of the three or more fixed points is arranged outside the same straight line. As a result, for example, when the supported part 1C (such as the operation panel 101) tries to rotate around the same straight line as an axis, the fixed points arranged outside the same straight line can suppress the rotation of the supported part 1C around the straight line L1 as an axis.

In the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the vibration actuator 1 has a fixed body 40 and a movable body 20 supported by the fixed body 40 so as to be freely movable, and when a vibration system including each of the supporting part 1B, the supported part 1C, and the fixed body 40 is defined as a first vibration system, and a vibration system including each of the supported part 1C, the fixed body 40, and the movable body 20 is defined as a second vibration system, the resonance frequency _f1 of the first vibration system is higher than the resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system. As a result, when the second vibration system resonates at the frequency _f2 , in the vibration presentation device 1A in which the first vibration system resonates at the frequency _f1 higher than the frequency _f2 , it becomes possible to set the resonance frequencies _{f1 and f2} as the resonance frequency of the first vibration system and the resonance frequency of the second vibration system, respectively.

In the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the resonance frequency _f1 of the first vibration system is 80 Hz or more and 300 Hz or less. Frequencies between 80 Hz and 300 Hz are relatively easy for human sensory organs to sense, so the user can easily sense the vibration of the first vibration system.

In the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system is 50 [Hz] or more and less than 80 [Hz]. Since the resonance frequency _f2 is set to 50 [Hz] or more, for example, the vibration presentation device 1A mounted on a vehicle can be prevented from being affected by road noise (less than 50 [Hz]) during the running of the vehicle. Furthermore, since the resonance frequency _f2 is set to less than 80 [Hz], in the vibration presentation device 1A in which the resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system is lower than the resonance frequency _f1 of the first vibration system, when a frequency of 80 [Hz] is set as the resonance frequency _f1 of the first vibration system, it is possible to set a frequency less than 80 [Hz] as the resonance frequency of the second vibration system.

In the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the frequency characteristic of the vibration actuator 1 is configured to be changeable within a predetermined range and is determined based on the resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system. This makes it possible to set the resonance frequency of the second vibration system based on the resonance frequency _f2 of the second vibration system acquired by, for example, a simulation result.

In the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the gauge plate 310 and the connecting member 350 are separate components, but they may be an integrated component. In this case, the supported part 1C is supported by the supporting part 1B via the integrated part. The strain gauge 330 detects the strain of the integrated part when the operation panel 101 is pressed.

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, the first elastic support portion 380A has a first right-angle bend portion 390A, and the second elastic support portion 380B has a second right-angle bend portion 390B. However, the first elastic support portion 380A only needs to be capable of elastically supporting the supported portion 1C (such as the operation panel 101) in the pressing operation direction, and the second elastic support portion 380B only needs to be capable of elastically supporting the supported portion 1C in the actuator vibration direction of the vibration actuator 1. The shapes of the first elastic support portion 380A and the second elastic support portion 380B are not limited and can be various shapes.

In addition, in the vibration presentation device 1A according to the above embodiment, fasteners (bolts, nuts) are used to fix the panel base 104 to the gauge plate 310, the gauge plate 310 to the connecting member 350, and the connecting member 350 to the fixing plate 230, but fixing members such as rivets may also be used.

In addition, the above embodiments are merely examples of concrete ways of implementing the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted in a limiting manner based on them. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from its gist or main characteristics.

For example, in the above embodiment, the connecting members 350L and 350R are configured as separate parts that are linearly symmetric (left-right inverted) about the longitudinal direction of the vibration actuator 1, i.e., the left-right direction (X direction), but instead of the connecting member 350R that is arranged on the right side (+X direction) when viewed from the operation panel 101 side of the vibration actuator 1, the connecting member 350L that is conventionally arranged on the left side (-X direction) when viewed from the operation panel 101 side of the vibration actuator 1 can be arranged rotated 180 degrees in the vertical direction (Y direction) when viewed from the operation panel 101 side of the vibration actuator 1, thereby making the connecting member 350 into a single type of part.

The entire disclosures of the specification, drawings and abstract contained in the Japanese application for Patent Application No. 2023-124489, filed on July 31, 2023, are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention is suitable for use in center consoles located inside vehicle cabins that are equipped with vibration presentation devices that require ease of assembly and reduced costs for calibration after installation.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Vibration actuator 1A, 1D Vibration presentation device 1B Supporting part 1C Supported part 10 Case 11 Case body 12 Lid 15 Drive unit 20 Movable body 21 Magnet 23 Yoke 25 Yoke 27 Plumb part 29 Plumb part 31 Connection part 33 Connection part 40 Fixed body 42 Coil holding part 50 Outer yoke 61 Coil 62 Coil 81 Elastic support part 82 Elastic support part 101 Operation panel 102 Front side 103 Rear side 104 Panel base 105 Surface 106 Rear side 107, 108, 109 Hole 210 Fixing jig 230 Fixing plate 231A Top surface 231B Rear surface 231F Front surface 231L Left side surface 231R Right side surface 231U Underside 232, 233, 234, 235 Hole 250 Protective cover 270 Damper 271 Large diameter shaft portion 273 Medium diameter shaft portion 275 Small diameter shaft portion 310, 310L, 310R Gauge plate 311 Front surface 313 Back surface 314 Left side edge portion 315 Right side edge portion 316, 317 Hole 318, 319 Notch portion 330 Strain gauge 350, 350L, 350R Connecting member 370 Leaf spring portion 380A First elastic support portion 380B Second elastic support portion 390A First right-angle bent portion 390B Second right-angle bent portion 391 Y-direction extending portion 392 Lower left extending portion 393 Upper right extending portion 395 Y-direction extending portion 396 Lower back extending portion 397 Upper front extending portion 398 Hole 422 Cylindrical main body portion 426 Flange portion 427 Flange portion 428 Flange portion

Claims (13)

A support portion;
a supported portion on which a vibration actuator is mounted;
a gauge plate on which a strain gauge is disposed;
A connecting member having a leaf spring portion;
Equipped with
the supported portion is supported by the supporting portion via the gauge plate and the connecting member;
Vibration presentation device. the gauge plate has a supported portion fixing hole for fixing the gauge plate to the supported portion, and a leaf spring portion fixing hole for fixing the gauge plate to the leaf spring portion.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 1 . The supported portion has an operation panel,
the vibration actuator vibrates in a direction perpendicular to a pressing direction of the operation panel;
The vibration presentation device according to claim 1 . The strain gauge detects a strain of the gauge plate when the operation panel is pressed.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 3 . the leaf spring portion has a first elastic support portion capable of elastically supporting the operation panel in the pushing operation direction, and a second elastic support portion capable of elastically supporting the operation panel in an actuator vibration direction of the vibration actuator.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 3 . The first elastic support portion has a first right-angle bent portion in which an outer shape of a flat surface facing the pushing operation direction is bent at a right angle,
the second elastic support portion has a second right-angle bent portion in which an outer shape of a flat surface facing the actuator vibration direction is bent at a right angle;
The vibration presentation device according to claim 5 . The outer shape of the first right-angle bent portion is one or more L-shapes,
The outer shape of the second right-angle bent portion is one or more L-shapes.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 6 . the supporting portion and the supported portion are assembled in a state where a pressure is applied between the supporting portion and the supported portion so that the supported portion functions as a damping mechanism that damps the vibration in each of the pushing operation direction and the actuator vibration direction.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 5 . the supported portion and the supporting portion are fixed to each other at three or more fixing points,
When at least two of the three or more fixed points are arranged on the same line, at least one or more of the three or more fixed points are arranged outside the same line.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 1 . the vibration actuator has a fixed body and a movable body supported on the fixed body so as to be freely movable;
a vibration system including the supporting portion, the supported portion, and the fixed body is defined as a first vibration system;
When a vibration system including the supported portion, the fixed body, and the movable body is defined as a second vibration system,
The resonant frequency of the first vibration system is higher than the resonant frequency of the second vibration system.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 1 . The resonance frequency of the first vibration system is 80 [Hz] or more and 300 [Hz] or less.
The vibration presentation device according to claim 10. The resonance frequency of the second vibration system is 50 [Hz] or more and less than 80 [Hz].
The vibration presentation device according to claim 10. the frequency characteristic of the vibration actuator is configured to be changeable within a predetermined range and is determined based on a resonance frequency of the second vibration system;
The vibration presentation device according to claim 10.

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