Haptic interface with flexible hinges
View Patent ↗A flexible haptic interface defining a tactile surface able to be contacted by a user, the interface including a plurality of rigid tactile elements connected by a flexible support forming at least one hinge extending between at least two adjacent elements, and in contact with each element, at least one actuator, the actuators being arranged to transmit a mechanical excitation to the rigid tactile elements in order to drive in vibration the hinge situated between them with a vibration amplitude detectable by touch.
1. A flexible haptic interface defining a tactile surface able to be contacted by a user, the flexible haptic interface comprising:
a plurality of rigid tactile elements connected by a flexible support forming at least one hinge extending between at least two adjacent rigid tactile elements; and
a plurality of actuators, there being for each of the rigid tactile elements at least one of the actuators in contact therewith, the actuators being arranged to transmit a mechanical excitation to the rigid tactile elements in order to drive in vibration the at least one hinge situated between the at least two adjacent rigid tactile elements with a vibration amplitude detectable by touch.
2. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support has
an equivalent Young's modulus in a range of from 0.5 to 8.5 GPa, and
a ratio of a thickness at a level of the hinges to a spacing between the at least two adjacent rigid tactile elements, is in a range of from 0.023 to 0.128.
3. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control circuit configured to modulate signals sent to the actuators in order to mechanically induce a vibration of the rigid tactile elements and of the at least one hinge and to generate a haptic sensation on the tactile surface.
4. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support is made of a polymer material.
5. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support has a constant thickness at hinge level.
6. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support has an equivalent Young's modulus in a range of from 2 to 5 GPa.
7. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between two adjacent rigid tactile elements is in a range of from 1 to 10 mm.
8. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the rigid tactile elements are polyhedral shaped.
9. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the rigid tactile elements have constant thickness.
10. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the rigid tactile elements have a surface area of at least 1 cm 2 .
11. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the rigid tactile elements are arranged in lines and/or columns.
12. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein each of the rigid tactile elements is provided with at least one of the actuators, extending over at least one face of the rigid tactile elements, and
wherein the actuators are disposed on a vibration antinode of the rigid tactile elements.
13. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein the actuators are piezoelectric, ferroelectric, electromagnetic, or thermic.
14. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein the flexible support has a constant thickness, at hinge level, in a range of from 100 to 800 microns.
15. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein a spacing between two adjacent rigid tactile elements is in a range of from 3 to 8 mm.
16. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein all of the rigid tactile elements are polyhedral.
17. The flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , wherein all of the rigid tactile elements are parallelepipedal.
18. A method for generating a haptic effect using the flexible haptic interface of claim 1 , the method comprising:
mechanically exciting the rigid tactile elements with the actuators disposed in contact with the rigid tactile elements, in order to drive in vibration the at least one hinge situated between the at least two adjacent rigid tactile elements with a vibration amplitude detectable by touch.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
first detecting a contact position of a user on the flexible haptic interface with a detection system; and
thereafter, using a control circuit, modulating signals sent to the actuators as a function of detected position in order to excite the elements.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the rigid tactile elements are excited mechanically at a frequency in a range of from 20 to 100 kHz.