| CPC G06F 3/016 (2013.01) | 11 Claims |
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1. An actuator unit (10;10′) for generating a haptic feedback on a human-machine interface, having at least:
a surface that is movable at least in part in a Z direction, the Z direction being substantially normal to the surface;
a pressure-measuring means (60) arranged between at least two housing parts (20;21), wherein the pressure measuring means is adapted to measure a pressure in the Z direction upon this movable surface, the pressure-measuring means (60) having at least two flat electrodes (61, 62);
a feedback component (30) arranged between the at least two housing parts (20;21), wherein the feedback component is designed to transmit a haptic feedback to the movable surface in response to a pressure measured by the pressure-measuring means (60) and wherein the feedback component (30) is adapted to cause a first housing part (20) of the at least two housing parts (20;21) to move at least in part in the Z direction;
contacting means adapted to connect the actuator unit (10;10′) to a control unit (11) that is designed to receive and evaluate pressure measurement values of the pressure-measuring means (60) and to trigger the feedback component (30) to generate a haptic feedback if a determined pressure measurement value exceeds a limit value; and
a return mechanism, which is designed to return the first housing part (20) to its neutral position following a deflection from its neutral position into a deflected position; and wherein
the actuator unit (10;10′) has the at least two housing parts (20;21), wherein the first housing part (20) realizes the movable surface in that the first housing part (20) is arranged so as to be movable at least in the Z direction relative to a second housing part (21) of the at least two housing parts (20;21);
the pressure-measuring means (60) is designed to measure a pressure in the Z direction upon the housing part (20);
the pressure-measuring means (60) is a capacitive measuring means that is spatially separate from the feedback component (30), in order to effect a capacitive pressure measurement as a result of the first housing part (20) being moved in the Z direction relative to the second housing part (21); and
the actuator unit (10;10′) is realized as a stand-alone component that can be built into an electronic device as a functional component and the two housing parts (20;21) form a housing for said stand-alone component;
for a purpose of moving the first housing part (20) relative to the second housing part (21), the feedback component (30) is supported on the second housing part (21);
a flat strip of a contacting element (50) is configured, by means of through-holes and/or incisions, in such a way that it has at least one tab strip (53;54) that is folded onto one another at a bending point, wherein realized at ends of the at least one tab strip (53;54) there is a respective pressure portion (55;56) on which a one of the flat electrodes (61;62) is attached in such a way that the two pressure portions (55;56) are located between the flat electrodes (61;62);
the feedback component (30) and the pressure-measuring means (60) can be electrically contacted to the control unit (11) via the common contacting element (50), wherein the flat strip is an electrically insulating material on which there is applied a plurality of contact lines (70) for electrically contacting the feedback component (30) and the pressure-measuring means (60);
the flat strip has a recess (51) within which the at least one tab strip (53;54) is arranged, wherein contact lines (70) of the contacting element (50) are routed around the recess (51) to the feedback component (30) and the flat electrodes (61;62) of the pressure-measuring means (60); and
the return mechanism has at least one spring element, which is clamped under tension between the first housing part (20) and the second housing part (21).
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