Dynamic tactile interface

US9588683B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Tactus Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Micah B. Yairi · Fremont, US
• Craig Ciesla · Mountain View, US
• Curtis Ray · Fremont, US
• Michael Jastrzebski · Fremont, US
• Amy Lai Wong · San Francisco, US
• Simona Wong · Fremont, US
• Jonathon Jenkins · Fremont, US
• Nathan Knapp · Fremont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 2015
• Grant date: Mar 7, 2017
• Expiry date: Jul 23, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F2203/04809
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

One variation of a dynamic tactile interface includes: a substrate defining a fluid channel and a fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the 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 the fluid conduit, 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; a tube comprising a first end fluidly coupled to the fluid channel and constrained relative to the substrate; a volume of fluid within the tube; and a rotary actuator coupled to the tube remote from the first end and configured to transition the deformable region from the retracted setting to the expanded setting by winding the tube to displace a portion of the volume of fluid within the tube into the fluid channel.