Vibration device of an electronic device

The present invention relates to a vibration device for providing tactile feedbacks. The vibration device includes a case having an accommodation space; and a vibration unit accommodated in the accommodation space and fastened with the case, for transmitting vibration produced by the vibration unit to the case and further driving the case to vibrate. The vibration unit includes a housing attached to the case by latching or soldering, and a tactile actuator fixed in the housing.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure related to electronic devices, and more particularly, to a vibration device used in an electronic device for providing tactile feedbacks.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

In rapid development process of electronic devices, people's demand on products' functions is higher. In order that the users can get more direct feedback from the electronic devices during interaction, the tactile feedback vibrator is developed. In the existing technology, the electronic device includes a frame and a vibration system installed on the frame. The vibration system transfers the vibration to the frame and drives the frame for vibration. The vibration system includes the shell and tactile feedback vibrator fixed in the shell. The shell is fixed on the frame directly through glue.

At least following problems exists in the existing technologies: On the one hand, a shell and a frame are fixed by glue in assembling process, so assembling process is tedious; on the other hand, as the shell and frame are fixed by glue, the glue is easy to be aged in service so the reliability is not high.

Thereof, it is necessary to disclose and provide an improved vibration device to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

A vibration device100, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, is hereby disclosed. Referring toFIGS. 1-2, the vibration device100includes a case1having an accommodation space10, and a vibration unit2accommodated in the accommodation space10and fixed with the case1. The vibration unit2transmits vibration produced thereby to the case and further drives the case1to vibrate. The vibration unit2includes a housing21and a tactile actuator22fastened on the housing21. The housing21is assembled with the case1by latching.

The housing21is latched with the case1for fastening the vibration unit2with the case by mechanical means, which simplifies the assembly steps by avoid using glue, and further improves the stability of the vibration device100. Optionally, the tactile actuator2is a piezoelectricity actuator, or a electro-magnetic actuator.

The case1includes a frame11for forming the accommodation space10and a supporting part12extending from the frame11into the accommodation space10. The housing21is mounted on the supporting part12.

Further, the frame11includes a pair of first sides111opposite to each other and a pair of second sides112connecting with the first sides111for forming the accommodation space10. In this embodiment, the first side has a length greater than the second side.

In the embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1, the supporting part12extends from one of the second sides112into the accommodation space10.

Referring toFIG. 2, the supporting part12includes a mounting hole120formed therethrough. The supporting part12further includes an upper side121perpendicular to a vibration direction of the vibration unit, a lower side122parallel to the upper side121, and an inner side123connecting the upper side121to the lower side122. The inner side123forms the mounting hole120and the housing21is mounted in the mounting hole120. The housing21includes a first elastic latch210extending from an edge thereof toward the upper side212. The first elastic latch210includes a first extending part2101extending toward the inner side1223and a first elastic arm2102extending from the first extending part2101toward the upper side121. The first elastic arm1201locates between the inner side123and the housing21, and includes a latching protrusion2103abutting against the upper side121.

The housing21further includes a protruding part211extending from the edge toward the lower side122and opposite to the first elastic latch210. The protruding part211extends perpendicularly from the edge of the housing and abuts against the lower side122. The first elastic latch210latches the supporting part12from a side of the upper side121, and the protruding part211abuts against the supporting part12from a side of the lower side122, for positioning the tactile actuator22relatively to the upper side and the lower side, by which the tactile actuator22is firmly fastened and is protected from being separated from the case.

Optionally, the frame11is formed integrally with the supporting part12.

In this embodiment, the frame11and the supporting part12are made of metal with small damping coefficient for effectively increase the amplitude of resonance of the frame and the supporting part further for enhancing tactile effects.

Amorphous metal is a preferred material to make the frame and the supporting part.

Optionally, the frame11and the supporting part12could be made of ceramic or glass. Also, the supporting part12could be made of plastic, and the frame11could be made of metal. The frame11and the supporting part12could be formed by Nano-forming process.

A vibration device200, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, is shown inFIG. 3. The vibration device200is similar to the device100in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment the supporting part12extends from one of the second sides122into the accommodation space10, while, in the present embodiment, as shown inFIG. 3, the case1further includes a connecting part13extending from one of the first side111toward the other first side11, and two sides of the supporting part12are connected to the connecting part13, which enables the supporting part12be suspended between the first sides by the connecting part13. Thus, the supporting part12is connected to the frame11via the connecting part13and is fixed on the frame11, by which the vibration produced by the tactile actuator22is transmitted to selected position of the frame11via the supporting part12and the connecting part13. It should be understood that the selected position may be the portion where the user holds an electronic device, like a mobile phone, for providing better tactile feedbacks.

Referring toFIG. 4, a vibration device300, in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. In this embodiment, the housing21further includes a second elastic latch213opposite to the first elastic latch212. The second elastic latch213extends from an edge of the housing toward the lower side122. The second elastic latch213and the first elastic latch212are opposed to each other and latch two sides of the supporting part12symmetrically. Thus, the tactile actuator22is fixed by the supporting part12from both sides thereof.

Referring toFIG. 5, a vibration device400, in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. In this embodiment the housing21includes a block214assembled with the frame by soldering for positioning the vibration unit2on the case1.