Vibrator assemblies and electronic devices incorporating same

1. A vibrator assembly comprising:

a housing defining a longitudinal central axis;

a rotor in the housing and spaced apart from the central axis, the rotor defining a longitudinal rotational axis that is parallel to the central axis;

an outer electromagnet between the housing and the rotor; and

a center electromagnet having a longitudinal axis that is coaxial with the central axis,

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the rotational axis and, in response, to rotate about the central axis, and

wherein the outer electromagnet and the center electromagnet are configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field therebetween to rotate the rotor about the rotational axis.

2. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the vibrator assembly is configured to vibrate in response to the rotation of the rotor about the central axis.

3. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer and center electromagnets are configured to receive electric current from at least one power source to sequentially change the magnetic polarity of the outer and center electromagnets to generate the oscillating magnetic field.

4. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 further comprising a suspension system in the housing, wherein the rotor is configured to translate along the suspension system to rotate about the central axis.

5. The vibrator assembly of claim 4 wherein the suspension system comprises an outer gear and an inner gear with a gap defined between the outer gear and the inner gear, and wherein the rotor is configured to translate in the gap to rotate about the central axis.

6. The vibrator assembly of claim 5 further comprising a rotor gear on the rotor, wherein:

the outer gear is fixed relative to the housing;

the inner gear is rotatable relative to the housing;

the rotor gear engages the outer gear and the inner gear;

the inner gear is configured to rotate in response to the rotation of the rotor about the rotational axis; and

the rotor is configured to translate in the gap in response to the rotation of the inner gear.

7. The vibrator assembly of claim 5 wherein the inner gear surrounds the center electromagnet.

8. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the central axis in a circular pattern.

9. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the central axis in an elliptical pattern.

10. The vibrator assembly of claim 1 wherein the rotor comprises a permanent magnet.

11. A vibrator assembly comprising:

at least one electromagnet defining an enclosure, the enclosure defining a longitudinal central axis at a center of the enclosure; and

at least one elongated rotor in the enclosure and spaced apart from the central axis, the rotor defining a longitudinal rotational axis that extends through the center of mass of the rotor,

wherein the at least one electromagnet is configured to generate a magnetic field, the rotor is configured to rotate about the rotational axis in response to the generated magnetic field, and the rotor is configured to rotate about the central axis in response to the rotation of the rotor about the rotational axis,

wherein the at least one electromagnet comprises first and second electromagnets that face one another, and wherein the first and second electromagnets are configured to sequentially turn on and/or change magnetic polarity to generate the magnetic field, and

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the central axis in an elliptical pattern.

12. The vibrator assembly of claim 11 , wherein the at least one electromagnet comprises third and fourth electromagnets, the first and third electromagnets facing one another in a first direction that is perpendicular to the central axis and the second and fourth electromagnets facing one another in a second direction that is perpendicular to each of the central axis and the first direction, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth electromagnets are configured to sequentially turn on and/or change magnetic polarity to generate the magnetic field.

13. The vibrator assembly of claim 11 further comprising a suspension system holding the rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to translate along the suspension system to rotate about the central axis.

14. The vibrator assembly of claim 11 wherein the rotor comprises a permanent magnet.

15. An electronic device comprising:

an electronic device housing; and

a vibrator assembly in the housing, the vibrator assembly comprising:

a vibrator assembly housing defining a longitudinal central axis;

a rotor in the vibrator assembly housing and spaced apart from the central axis, the rotor defining a longitudinal rotational axis that is parallel to the central axis; and

an outer electromagnet between the vibrator assembly housing and the rotor and surrounding the rotor,

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the rotational axis and, in response, to rotate about the central axis,

wherein the vibrator assembly is configured to vibrate the electronic device housing in response to the rotation of the rotor about the central axis, and

wherein the rotor comprises a permanent magnet.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein the electronic device is one of a mobile telephone, a smart watch and a smart bracelet.

17. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the central axis in an elliptical pattern.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein the vibrator assembly further comprises a center electromagnet having a longitudinal axis that is coaxial with the central axis, the outer electromagnet and the center electromagnet configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field therebetween to rotate the rotor about the rotational axis.