Tactile presentation device

1. A tactile presentation device comprising:

a chassis including:

an upper frame with a top surface having a plurality of openings and a side surface extending perpendicularly from a peripheral edge of the top surface, and

a lower frame coupled to the upper frame to define an inner space therebetween;

an operation unit coupled to the top surface of the upper frame of the chassis, such that the operation unit is disposed in the inner space of the chassis and has a plurality of buttons extending through the plurality of openings of the top surface, respectively;

an actuator coupled to the side surface of the upper frame and disposed in the inner space of the chassis, the actuator including a piezoelectric element and a base substrate; and

a vibration transmission member disposed between the actuator and the operation unit the vibration transmission member including a first end abutted to the operation unit and a second end abutted to the actuator,

wherein the vibration transmission member has a height that is equal to a distance between a first plane defined by a surface of the operation unit opposite the buttons and a second plane defined by a surface of the base substrate of the actuator.

2. The tactile presentation device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a planar surface and a portion of the planar surface opposite to the operation unit is coupled to the side surface of the upper frame.

3. The tactile presentation device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the operation unit has a planar base member,

wherein the planar surface of the actuator is substantially parallel to the planar base member of the operation unit, and

wherein the actuator is configured to vibrate in a direction orthogonal to the planar surface of the actuator.

4. The tactile presentation device according to claim 3 , wherein the base member of the operation unit has a raised portion at a center portion thereof that is opposite to the actuator.

5. The tactile presentation device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the vibration transmission member is abutted to a center position of the actuator, and

wherein a peripheral edge of the actuator is coupled to the side surface of the upper frame of the chassis.

6. The tactile presentation device according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration transmission member comprises an insulating material.

7. A tactile presentation device comprising:

a chassis including:

an upper frame with a top surface having a plurality of openings and a side surface extending perpendicularly from a peripheral edge of the top surface, and

a lower frame coupled to the upper frame to define an inner space therebetween;

an operation unit coupled to the top surface of the upper frame of the chassis, such that the operation unit is disposed in the inner space of the chassis and has a plurality of buttons extending through the plurality of openings of the top surface, respectively;

an actuator coupled to the side surface of the upper frame and disposed in the inner space of the chassis; and

a vibration transmission member disposed between the actuator and the operation unit,

wherein the side surface of the upper frame includes:

an outer surface extending perpendicularly from the peripheral edge of the top surface of the upper frame,

an inner surface extending perpendicularly from a portion of the top surface interior to the peripheral edge, with the inner surface extending parallel to the outer surface, and

a fixing surface extending perpendicular from the inner surface towards the outer surface and parallel to the top surface of the upper frame.

8. The tactile presentation device according to claim 7 , wherein a peripheral edge of the actuator is coupled to the fixing surface.

9. The tactile presentation device according to claim 8 , wherein the vibration transmission member comprises a height equal to a distance between a first plane defined by a surface of the operation unit opposite to the actuator and a second plane defined by the fixing surface.

10. The tactile presentation device according to claim 8 , wherein the vibration transmission member comprises a height less than a distance between a first plane defined by a surface of the operation unit opposite to the actuator and a second plane defined by the fixing surface.

11. A tactile presentation device comprising:

a chassis including:

an upper frame with a top surface having a plurality of openings and a side surface extending perpendicularly from a peripheral edge of the top surface, and

a lower frame coupled to the upper frame to define an inner space therebetween, an operation unit coupled to the top surface of the upper frame of the chassis, such that the operation unit is disposed in the inner space of the chassis and has a plurality of buttons extending through the plurality of openings of the top surface, respectively;

an actuator coupled to the side surface of the upper frame and disposed in the inner space of the chassis;

a vibration transmission member disposed between the actuator and the operation unit and

a reinforcement member disposed between the actuator and the operation unit and having a through-hole in which the vibration transmission member is disposed therethrough.

12. The tactile presentation device according to claim 11 , wherein the actuator is coupled to the side surface of the upper frame of the chassis via the reinforcement member.

13. The tactile presentation device according to claim 11 , wherein a first space between the actuator and the reinforcement member and a second space between the operation unit and the reinforcement member, and an interval obtained by subtracting the distance between the actuator and the reinforcement member and the thickness of the reinforcement member from a height of the vibration transmission member, are equal to or less than a maximum allowable warping amount of the actuator.

14. The tactile presentation device according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforcement member is integral with the side surface of the upper frame of the chassis.

15. The tactile presentation device according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforcement member comprises a raised portion that is abutted to the button type operation unit.

16. The tactile presentation device according to claim 11 ,

wherein a first surface of the reinforcement member is coupled to the side surface of the upper frame of the chassis, and

wherein a second surface of the reinforcement member is coupled to the actuator.

17. A tactile presentation device comprising:

a chassis including:

an upper frame with a top surface having a plurality of openings and a side surface extending perpendicularly from a peripheral edge of the top surface, and

a lower frame coupled to the upper frame to define an inner space therebetween;

an operation unit coupled to the top surface of the upper frame of the chassis, such that the operation unit is disposed in the inner space of the chassis and has a plurality of buttons extending through the plurality of openings of the top surface, respectively;

an actuator coupled to the side surface of the upper frame and disposed in the inner space of the chassis, the actuator including a piezoelectric element and a base substrate; and

a vibration transmission member disposed between the actuator and the operation unit, the vibration transmission member including a first end abutted to the operation unit and a second end abutted to the actuator,

wherein the vibration transmission member has a height that is equal to or less than a distance between a first plane defined by a surface of the operation unit opposite the buttons and a second plane defined by a surface of the base substrate of the actuator.