Abstract: The invention relates to an electromechanical actuator with increased deformation, including, on the one hand, at least one drive element connected to a source of AC voltage so as to produce a deformation of the drive element and, on the other hand, a plate configured for amplifying the amplitude of the vibration that the drive element must transmit to a substrate to be actuated. A first face of the plate is rigidly fixed to the drive element and a second face of the plate, opposite to the first face, is fixed by means of an actuation lug to the substrate to be actuated.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for generating a haptic effect at a target point of a solid by using at least two piezoelectric actuators capable of emitting, at a given instant t, a wave under the effect of ultrasonic frequency control signals capable of creating vibrations at the surface of the solid in such a way as to create an ultrasonic lubrication effect (“squeeze film” effect) at the target point. The respective control signal of each actuator is calculated depending on the distance between the respective actuator and the target point to be actuated, such that the surface deformations obtained at the target point under consideration combine to create a haptic effect there greater than that obtained when using a single actuator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a touch interface comprising, on the one hand, an interfacial surface able to generate a haptic-feedback effect in response to a touch of said surface by a user, and, on the other hand, at least one piezoelectric actuator configured to generate, in said interfacial surface, at least one wave of ultrasonic frequency able to endow the particles of this surface with an elliptical movement having a movement component tangential to said surface, which component is denoted ut(t), and a movement component normal to said surface, which component is denoted un(t), wherein said wave of ultrasonic frequency is chosen so that the amplitude Ut of the tangential component ut(t) and the amplitude Un of the normal component un(t) are substantially equal.

Abstract: A touch interface, intended to control a device and to be touched by an external body, includes a plate, at least one transducer, a control member, a sensor, and a control unit. The at least one transducer is configured to apply a variable amplitude pressure to the plate to vibrate the plate. The control member extends from the plate, between a proximal surface, integral with the plate, and a distal surface. The control member is intended to be in contact with an external body. The sensor is configured to emit a state signal. The state signal is representative of contact of the external body on the control member. The control unit is connected to the sensor and is configured to send, on the basis of the state signal, an activation signal to at least one transducer, to form a vibration propagating along the plate to the control member.

Abstract: A touch interface includes a plate, at least one actuation transducer, at least one detector, and an amplification circuit. The plate defines a contact surface intended to be touched by an external body. The at least one actuation transducer is configured to make the plate vibrate as a function of an activation signal. The at least one detector is configured to detect an amplitude of a vibration of the plate and to generate a detection signal dependent on the detected vibration amplitude. The amplification circuit extends between an input and an output. The input is linked to the detector, and the output is linked to the actuation transducer. The interface also includes a processing unit configured to estimate an intensity of a pressing force exerted on the contact surface by the external body and to generate a force signal depending on the estimated intensity of the force.

Abstract: A touch interface includes a plate, at least one actuation transducer, at least one detector, and an amplification circuit. The plate defines a contact surface intended to be touched by an external body. The at least one actuation transducer is configured to make the plate vibrate as a function of an activation signal. The at least one detector is configured to detect an amplitude of a vibration of the plate and to generate a detection signal dependent on the detected vibration amplitude. The amplification circuit extends between an input and an output. The input is linked to the detector, and the output is linked to the actuation transducer. The interface also includes a processing unit configured to estimate an intensity of a pressing force exerted on the contact surface by the external body and to generate a force signal depending on the estimated intensity of the force.

Abstract: A control device with haptic feedback includes a vibrating plate having a touch surface provided with touch sensors and capable of being vibrated at an ultrasonic frequency by electromagnetic actuators controlled by a control electronics, so as to generate an ultrasonic lubrication effect on the touch surface. A three-dimensional touch interface is fixed to and integral with the touch surface, configured to communicate vibrations of the ultrasonic lubrication effect from the touch surface to the finger of a user by means of the three-dimensional touch interface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a haptic feedback device comprising a support which can be vibrated and of which a first face is coated with at least one layer for detecting the position of a user's finger. The device includes electromechanical actuators which are aligned along an edge of the support or the layer and which are capable of making the support and the layer vibrate at an ultrasonic resonance frequency. The support comprises on the second face thereof a set of stiffeners distributed over the whole of said second face and configured to make it more difficult to bend the support along an axis perpendicular to the stiffeners, the stiffeners being designed to produce an axial and uniform vibration mode for the support, all the antinodes of which are of substantially equal amplitude.

Abstract: A touch interface, intended to control a device and to be touched by an external body, includes a plate, at least one transducer, a control member, a sensor, and a control unit. The at least one transducer is configured to apply a variable amplitude pressure to the plate to vibrate the plate. The control member extends from the plate, between a proximal surface, integral with the plate, and a distal surface. The control member is intended to be in contact with an external body. The sensor is configured to emit a state signal. The state signal is representative of contact of the external body on the control member. The control unit is connected to the sensor and is configured to send, on the basis of the state signal, an activation signal to at least one transducer, to form a vibration propagating along the plate to the control member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a touch interface comprising, on the one hand, an interfacial surface able to generate a haptic-feedback effect in response to a touch of said surface by a user, and, on the other hand, at least one piezoelectric actuator configured to generate, in said interfacial surface, at least one wave of ultrasonic frequency able to endow the particles of this surface with an elliptical movement having a movement component tangential to said surface, which component is denoted ut(t), and a movement component normal to said surface, which component is denoted un(t), wherein said wave of ultrasonic frequency is chosen so that the amplitude Ut of the tangential component ut(t) and the amplitude Un of the normal component un(t) are substantially equal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a haptic feedback device comprising a support which can be vibrated and of which a first face is coated with at least one layer for detecting the position of a user's finger. The device includes electromechanical actuators which are aligned along an edge of the support or the layer and which are capable of making the support and the layer vibrate at an ultrasonic resonance frequency. The support comprises on the second face thereof a set of stiffeners distributed over the whole of said second face and configured to make it more difficult to bend the support along an axis perpendicular to the stiffeners, the stiffeners being designed to produce an axial and uniform vibration mode for the support, all the antinodes of which are of substantially equal amplitude.

Abstract: A control device with haptic feedback includes a vibrating plate having a touch surface provided with touch sensors and capable of being vibrated at an ultrasonic frequency by electromagnetic actuators controlled by a control electronics, so as to generate an ultrasonic lubrication effect on the touch surface. A three-dimensional touch interface is fixed to and integral with the touch surface, configured to communicate vibrations of the ultrasonic lubrication effect from the touch surface to the finger of a user by means of the three-dimensional touch interface.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electromechanical actuator with increased deformation, including, on the one hand, at least one drive element connected to a source of AC voltage so as to produce a deformation of the drive element and, on the other hand, a plate configured for amplifying the amplitude of the vibration that the drive element must transmit to a substrate to be actuated. A first face of the plate is rigidly fixed to the drive element and a second face of the plate, opposite to the first face, is fixed by means of an actuation lug to the substrate to be actuated.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for generating a haptic effect at a target point of a solid by using at least two piezoelectric actuators capable of emitting, at a given instant t, a wave under the effect of ultrasonic frequency control signals capable of creating vibrations at the surface of the solid in such a way as to create an ultrasonic lubrication effect (“squeeze film” effect) at the target point. The respective control signal of each actuator is calculated depending on the distance between the respective actuator and the target point to be actuated, such that the surface deformations obtained at the target point under consideration combine to create a haptic effect there greater than that obtained when using a single actuator.