Inertial/audio unit and construction

US6376967B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Active Control Experts, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Erik Saarmaa · Boston, US
• Kenneth B. Lazarus · Boston, US
• Charles Van Hoy · Cambridge, US
• Richard Perkins · Staatsburg, US
• Mark A. Beauregard · Deerfield, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 12, 2001
• Grant date: Apr 23, 2002
• Expiry date: Jan 12, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04R2499/11
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An electrically driven signal unit is adapted for one-step assembly or injection molding with a device housing to vibrate, flex, beep or emit audio signals, or to sense and provide tactile feedback or control. The signal unit is a package with one or more active areas each containing a layer of ferroelectric or piezoelectric material, connected by inactive areas which may position, align and conduct electricity to the active areas. The active areas may be coupled over a region to transmit compressional, shear or flexural wave energy into the housing, or may contact at discrete regions while bending or displacing elsewhere to create inertial disturbances or impulses which are coupled to create a tactile vibration of the housing. The unit may be assembled such that the housing, the sheet or discrete areas thereof form a bender to provide tactile or sub-auditory signals to the user, or may be dimensioned, attached and actuated to produce audio vibration in the combined structure and constitute a speaker. In other embodiments one or more active regions of piezo material are attached to thin or movable wall regions of the unit to sense strain and, in conjunction with a conditioning circ…