Techniques for tactile feedback technology

Abstract

Described herein are one or more techniques related to active tactile feedback (“haptic”) technologies. The technologies include a movement-effecting mechanism designed to move a user-engagement surface, typically, in response to a user touching the surface. The described techniques include those designed to return the surface back to its original position (before the surface's movement), to seal the movement-effecting mechanism to protect it from ingress of contaminates, and/or to retain the surface in a manner that allows movement of the surface in directions away from the surface (which includes, for example, substantially normal to the surface) while restricting movement of the surface in at least one other direction (e.g., a direction parallel to the surface). This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

1 . An active tactile feedback system comprising:
 a user-engagement surface presented for contact by a user;   an actuator mechanism operably associated with the user-engagement surface, the actuator mechanism including:
 a pair of substrates held in a spaced-apart position relative to each other and with a defined gap therebetween, wherein at least one of the pair of substrates is operatively associated with the user-engagement surface, the actuator mechanism being configured to permit at least one of the substrates to move relative to the other effective to provide tactile feedback to the user; 
 a spring mechanism operably associated with at least one of the pair of substrates, the spring mechanism being configured to return the pair of substrates, after a movement of the substrates relative to each other, back to the spaced-apart position relative to each other and restore the defined gap therebetween; and 
 a seal mechanism configured to protect the actuator mechanism from contaminant ingress; and 
   a surface retention mechanism operably coupled to the user-engagement surface and configured to allow movement of the user-engagement surface in directions substantially normal to the user-engagement surface and restrict movement of the user-engagement surface in at least one direction parallel to the user-engagement surface.   
     
     
         2 . An active tactile feedback system of claim Error! Reference source not found., further comprising drive circuitry operably connected to the actuator mechanism and configured to drive the substrates, which have conductive properties, with an electrical signal to cause a permitted movement of at least one of the substrates relative to the other of the substrate effective to provide tactile feedback to the user. 
     
     
         3 . An active tactile feedback system as recited in claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the user receives an effective tactile feedback via the user-engagement surface by the permitted movement of at least one of the substrates relative to the other of the substrates. 
     
     
         4 . An active tactile feedback system as recited in claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the spring mechanism includes the seal mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . An active tactile feedback system as recited in claim Error! Reference source not found., further comprising one or more additional substrates, wherein each substrate is held in a spaced-apart position relative to one or more other substrates and with at least a defined gap between each spaced-apart pair of substrates. 
     
     
         6 . A user-interactive apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   an active tactile feedback system as recited in claim Error! Reference source not found. supported by the housing.   
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 a user-engagement surface presented for contact by a user;   an actuator mechanism operably associated with the user-engagement surface, the actuator mechanism including:
 a pair of substrates with conductive properties, the pair of substrates being held in a spaced-apart position relative to each other and with a defined gap therebetween; and 
 a return mechanism operably associated with at least one of the pair of substrates; and 
   drive circuitry operably connected to the actuator mechanism and configured to drive the substrates with an electrical signal to cause movement of at least one of the substrates relative to the other of the substrate effective to provide tactile feedback to the user,   the return mechanism being configured to return the pair of substrates, after the movement driven by the drive circuitry, back to the spaced-apart position relative to each other and restore the defined gap therebetween.   
     
     
         8 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein:
 at least one of the pair of substrates is operatively associated with the user-engagement surface;   the drive circuitry being further configured to move the user-engagement surface via the operative association between at least one of the pair of substrates and the user-engagement surface.   
     
     
         9 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a dielectric material interposed between the substrates. 
     
     
         10 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a dielectric material interposed between the substrates, wherein the dielectric material includes air. 
     
     
         11 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the return mechanism is operably coupled to the user-engagement surface. 
     
     
         12 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the actuator mechanism is further configured to permit movement of the user-engagement surface—via the actuator mechanism's operable association with the surface—in directions out from a plane of the surface. 
     
     
         13 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the return mechanism includes one or more springs that are configured to push at least one of the pair of substrates, after the movement driven by the drive circuitry, back to the spaced-apart position relative to the other substrate and restore the defined gap therebetween. 
     
     
         14 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the return mechanism includes one or more springs that are configured to pull at least one of the pair of substrates, after the movement driven by the drive circuitry, back to the spaced-apart position relative to the other substrate and restore the defined gap therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the return mechanism includes at least one spring having a geometry selected from a group consisting of a cubic geometry, a spherical geometry, a cylindrical geometry, a hemispherical geometry, and a conical geometry. 
     
     
         16 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the return mechanism includes at least one spring formed from a material selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic elastomer material, a silicone material, and a rubber material. 
     
     
         17 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the return mechanism includes a spring that is selected from a group consisting of a leaf spring, a coil spring, helical spring, volute sprint, compression spring, cantilever spring, V-spring, conical spring, torsion spring, flat spiral spring, ribbon torsion spring, gas spring, ideal spring, belleville spring, washer spring, split spring, air cushion, wave spring, hair spring, negator spring, concentric spring, rolamite spring, spindle spring, liquid spring, rubber spring, and foam spring. 
     
     
         18 . A system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising one or more additional substrates, wherein each substrate is held in a spaced-apart position relative to one or more other substrates and with at least a defined gap between each spaced-apart pair of substrates. 
     
     
         19 . A user-interactive apparatus comprising:
 a chassis;   a system as recited in  claim 7  supported by the chassis.   
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a surface presented for engagement by a user;   an actuator mechanism operably associated with the surface, the actuator mechanism including:
 a pair of substrates held in a spaced-apart position relative to each other and with a defined gap therebetween, the actuator mechanism being configured to permit at least one of the substrates to move relative to the other effective to provide tactile feedback to the user; and 
 a seal mechanism configured to protect the actuator mechanism from contaminant ingress; and 
   drive circuitry operably connected to the actuator mechanism and configured to drive the substrates, which have conductive properties, with an electrical signal to cause a permitted movement of at least one of the substrates relative to the other of the substrates effective to provide tactile feedback to the user.   
     
     
         21 . A system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the seal mechanism is operably associated with at least one of the pair of substrates and the seal mechanism being further configured to return the pair of substrates, after a movement of the substrates relative to each other, back to the spaced-apart position relative to each other and restore the defined gap therebetween. 
     
     
         22 . A system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the seal mechanism is selected from a group consisting of a gasket seal mechanism, a bellows seal mechanism, and a flexible seal mechanism. 
     
     
         23 . A system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the seal mechanism comprises a gasket seal mechanism or flexible seal mechanism formed from a material selected from a group consisting of a resilient foam material, an elastomeric material, a rubber material, and a silicone material. 
     
     
         24 . A system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the seal mechanism comprises a bellows seal mechanism formed from a material selected from a group consisting of a fabric material, an elastomeric material, and a polyamide material. 
     
     
         25 . A system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the seal mechanism comprises a flexible seal mechanism comprises a substrate receptacle area configured to receivably support the surface and a resilient intermediary section configured to return the pair of substrates, after a movement of the substrates relative to each other, back to the spaced-apart position relative to each other and restore the defined gap therebetween. 
     
     
         26 . A system comprising:
 a surface configured to be available to a user for engagement;   an actuator mechanism operably associated with the surface, the actuator mechanism including: a pair of substrates held in a spaced-apart position relative to each other and with a defined gap therebetween, the actuator mechanism being configured to permit at least one of the substrates to move relative to the other effective to provide tactile feedback to the user; and   a surface retention mechanism operably coupled to the surface and configured to permit movement of the surface in directions out from a plane of the surface, while restricting movement of the surface in other directions.   
     
     
         27 . A system as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the surface retention mechanism is further configured to permit movement of the surface in one or more directions selected from a group consisting of:
 toward a plane of least one of the substrates,   out from a plane of least one of the substrates,   consistent with the movement of at least one substrate permitted by the actuator mechanism,   substantially normal to the surface, and   orthogonal to the surface,   while restricting movement of the surface in other directions.   
     
     
         28 . A system as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the surface retention mechanism is further configured to restrict movement of the surface in at least one direction parallel to the surface.