Electrostrictive polymer as a combined haptic-seal actuator
View Patent ↗This invention describes a method for a haptic (tactile) feedback to a user of an electronic device having a touch display (screen) by utilizing an electrostrictive polymer as a combined haptic-seal actuator attached to the touch screen. In addition, the combined seal-actuator also makes a shock absorber. The electrostrictive polymer is a suitable material for haptic-seal-shock absorbing actuator because of its robustness and large stroke.
1. A method, comprising:
applying a manipulation signal to a predetermined location on a screen of an electronic device, while maintaining a seal intact, to communicate a predetermined command to said electronic device, wherein an electrostrictive polymer actuator is configured to form said seal and is attached or glued to said screen over edges of the screen;
generating an actuator switching signal by a detector/amplifier/controller module in response to said manipulation signal, and providing said actuator switching signal to an actuator switching power supply;
generating an actuator signal by the actuator switching power supply in response to said actuator switching signal, and providing said actuator signal to the electrostrictive polymer actuator; and
changing a shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator in response to said actuator signal, for causing a movement of the screen attached or glued to said electrostrictive polymer actuator, wherein said screen movement is for providing a haptic feedback signal regarding a successful transfer of said command to the electronic device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator is maintained intact as a seal for any position of the screen during application of the actuator signal.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator is also used as a shock absorber in said electronic device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined location is an icon.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said manipulation signal is provided by a mechanical touch using a stylus or a finger.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said actuator switching signal is generated only if said manipulation signal provides a mechanical force to said predetermined location on the screen that exceeds a predetermined threshold force level.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said actuator signal is a DC voltage signal of a predetermined polarity for changing the shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator in a predetermined way for providing a movement of a surface of said screen in a predetermined direction relative to the surface of the screen, for creating a haptic feedback.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said predetermined direction is upward or downward relative to said surface of the screen.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said actuator signal is a voltage pulsed signal which, when applied, is configured to change the shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator in a predetermined cyclic manner for providing a movement of a surface of said screen in a predetermined direction relative to the surface of the screen during application of said voltage pulses for creating a vibration haptic feedback signal.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said predetermined direction is upward or downward relative to said surface of the screen.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator has a conical shape, or a rectangular shape.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator comprises two, top and bottom, electrostrictive polymer actuators and each of said two actuators is attached separately to a top surface of said screen and to a bottom surface of said screen, respectively, and a corresponding one actuator signal of two separate actuator signals, generated by the actuator switching power supply, is applied to the top electrostrictive polymer actuator or to the bottom polymer actuator.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a selected area of said electrostrictive polymer actuator is glued to a screen support of said electronic device.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a further selected area of said electrostrictive polymer actuator is glued to the screen.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic device is a wireless portable device, a mobile communication device or a mobile phone.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator is divided into N sections electrically isolated from each other and said actuator signal is applied to one or more selected sections out of said N sections, wherein N is an integer of at least a value of two.
17. An electronic device comprising:
a screen, responsive to a manipulation signal applied to a predetermined location on the screen of said electronic device, while maintaining a seal intact, to communicate a predetermined command to said electronic device;
an electrostrictive polymer actuator configured to form said seal and attached or glued to said screen over the edges of the screen and used as a seal;
detector/amplifier/controller module, responsive to said manipulation signal, configured to provide an actuator switching signal; and
an actuator switching power supply, responsive to said actuator switching signal, for providing configured to provide an actuator signal to the electrostrictive polymer actuator, wherein said actuator signal is for changing a shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator for causing a movement of the screen attached or glued to said electrostrictive polymer actuator, wherein said screen movement is for providing a haptic feedback signal regarding a successful transfer of said command to the electronic device.
18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator is maintained intact as a seal for any position of the screen during application of the actuator signal.
19. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator is also used as a shock absorber in the electronic device.
20. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said predetermined location is an icon.
21. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said manipulation signal is provided by a mechanical touch using a stylus or a finger.
22. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said detector/amplifier/controller module is configured to generate said actuator switching signal only if said manipulation signal provides a mechanical force to said predetermined location on the screen that exceeds a predetermined threshold force level.
23. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said actuator signal is a DC voltage signal of a predetermined polarity, which changes the shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator in a predetermined way for moving a surface of said screen in a predetermined direction relative to the surface of the screen, for creating a haptic feedback to a user.
24. The electronic device of claim 23 , wherein said predetermined direction is upward or downward relative to said surface of the screen.
25. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said actuator signal is a voltage pulsed signal, which changes the shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator in a predetermined cyclic manner for providing a movement of a surface of said screen in a predetermined direction relative to the surface of the screen during application of said voltage pulses for creating a vibration haptic feedback signal.
26. The electronic device of claim 25 , wherein said predetermined direction is upward or downward relative to said surface of the screen.
27. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator has a conical shape, or a rectangular shape.
28. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator comprises two, top and bottom, electrostrictive polymer actuators and each of said two actuators is attached separately to a top surface of said screen and to a bottom surface of said screen, respectively, and said actuator switching power supply is configured to generate two separate actuator signals, and to apply a corresponding one actuator signal of said two separate actuator signals to the top electrostrictive polymer actuator or to the bottom polymer actuator.
29. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein a selected area of said electrostrictive polymer actuator is glued to a screen support of said electronic device.
30. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein a further selected area of said electrostrictive polymer actuator is glued to the screen.
31. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said electronic device is configured for wireless communications.
32. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein said electrostrictive polymer actuator is divided into N sections electrically isolated from each other and said actuator signal is applied to one or more selected sections out of said N sections, wherein N is an integer of at least a value of two.
33. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the detector/amplifier/controller module and the actuator switching power supply are combined in one module.
34. A method comprising:
applying a manipulation signal in a form of a mechanical touch to a predetermined location on a screen of an electronic device, while maintaining a seal intact, to communicate a predetermined command to said electronic device, wherein an electrostrictive polymer actuator is configured to form said seal and is attached or glued to said screen over the edges of the screen; and
changing a shape of said electrostrictive polymer actuator in response to the manipulation signal if said predetermined command is successfully transferred, causing a movement of the screen attached or glued to said electrostrictive polymer actuator wherein said screen movement provides said haptic feedback signal to a user regarding a successful transfer of said command to the electronic device.