MANUAL FLUID ACTUATOR
A dynamic tactile interface includes a dynamic tactile layer and a manual fluid actuator. The manual fluid actuator includes a displacement device including a bladder, a platen adjacent the bladder, an elongated member coupled to the platen, and a rotary actuator, the elongated member and the rotary actuator translating rotation of the rotary actuator into translation of the platen, the platen compressing the bladder in response to rotation of the rotary actuator in a first direction and expanding the bladder in response to rotation of the rotary actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction.
1 . A dynamic tactile interface, comprising:
a substrate defining a fluid channel;
a tactile layer comprising a peripheral region and a deformable region, the peripheral region coupled to the substrate, and the deformable region arranged over a variable volume connected to the fluid channel, the deformable region disconnected from the substrate, and operable between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the deformable region elevated above the peripheral region in the expanded setting; and
a displacement device including a rotary actuator, an elongated member coupled to the rotary actuator, a platen coupled to the elongated member, and bladder connected to the fluid channel, wherein rotation of the rotary actuator in a first direction results in compression of the bladder, thereby displacing a fluid from the bladder through the fluid channel and into the variable volume to set an expanded setting of the deformable region.
2 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the rotary actuator in a second direction results in expansion of the bladder, thereby displacing a fluid from the variable volume through the fluid channel and into the bladder to set a retracted setting of the deformable region.
3 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the rotary actuator in the first direction engages the elongated member to extend the platen in a direction towards the bladder, and wherein rotation of the rotary actuator in the second direction engages the elongated member to extend the platen in a direction away from the bladder.
4 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein rotary actuator includes a non-circular shaped cross section, an outer surface of the rotary actuator engaging the elongated member, wherein rotation of the rotary actuator causes the elongated member to move against a platen as the non-circular shaped cross-section engages the elongated member.
5 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein rotary actuator is coupled to two or more elongated members, wherein each of the elongated members is displaced as the rotary actuator is engaged by a user.
6 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 5 , wherein a first elongated member of the two or more elongated members engages a first platen to compress and expand a first bladder and a second elongated member of the two or more elongated members engages a second platen to compress and expand a second bladder.
7 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 6 , wherein the first elongated member of the two or more elongated members compresses a bladder to set a state for a deformable region in a first set of deformable regions and the second elongated member of the two or more elongated members compresses a bladder to set a state for a deformable region in a second set of deformable regions.
8 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 6 , wherein turning the rotary actuator in the first direction causes the first elongated member to compress the first bladder with the first platen and causes the second elongated member to expand the second bladder with the second platen, wherein turning the rotary actuator in the second direction causes the first elongated member to expand the first bladder with the first platen and causes the second elongated member to compress the second bladder with the second platen.
9 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein the rotary actuator is coupled to two elongated members, wherein each elongated member is non-linearly shaped and connected to a platen that compresses and expands a bladder.
10 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 9 , wherein the non-linearly shaped elongated members intersect to restrict rotation of the rotary actuator beyond the point of collision between the two non-linearly shaped elongated members. ii. The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein the rotary actuator includes an outer circular surface, the outer circular surface including a user engagement feature that extends from the outer circular surface and is engaged by the user to move the rotary actuator in a radial direction.
12 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein the rotary actuator includes a cross section, the cross section including a user engagement feature that extends from the cross section and is engaged by the user to move the rotary actuator in a radial direction.
13 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , wherein the platen is attached to a portion of the bladder, wherein movement of the rotary actuator when the bladder is compressed causes the elongated member to pull the platen away from the bladder and expand the bladder.
14 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , further including a second rotary actuator coupled to a second elongated member, the second elongated member connected to a second platen, the second platen adjacent to a second bladder, the first and the second bladder connected to the fluid channel, the first bladder having a first volume and the second bladder having a second volume that is less than the first volume.
15 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , further including a second rotary actuator coupled to a second elongated member, the second elongated member connected to a second platen, the second platen adjacent to a second bladder, the first and the second bladder connected to the fluid channel, the first elongated member having a first length and the second elongated member having a second length that is less than the first length.
16 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 1 , further including a spring mechanism, the rotary actuator coupled to the spring actuator, the spring mechanism causing a rotary actuator upper surface to be extended above the upper surface of a dynamic tactile interface housing in a protruding state, the spring mechanism causing the rotary actuator upper surface being flush or below the upper surface of the dynamic tactile interface housing in a retracted state.
17 . A dynamic tactile interface, comprising:
a substrate defining a fluid channel;
a tactile layer comprising a peripheral region and a deformable region, the peripheral region coupled to the substrate, and the deformable region arranged over a variable volume connected to the fluid channel, the deformable region disconnected from the substrate, and operable between a retracted setting and an expanded setting, the deformable region elevated above the peripheral region in the expanded setting; and
a displacement device including a rotary actuator a bladder, the bladder connected to the fluid channel, wherein rotation of the rotary actuator in a first direction results in compression of the bladder, thereby displacing a fluid from the bladder through the fluid channel and into the variable volume to set an expanded setting of the deformable region.
18 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 17 , wherein rotary actuator is coupled to a rotor, the bladder including a tube, the rotor engaging a tube connected to the fluid channel, wherein the rotary actuator moves the rotor to pump fluid from the tube into the variable volume.
19 . The dynamic tactile interface of claim 17 , wherein rotary actuator engages a first rotor and a second rotor, the first rotor pumping water through a first tube having a first volume of fluid, the second rotor pumping water through a second tube having a second volume of fluid that is larger than the first volume of fluid.