Robust low profile shaker

Abstract

An electrodynamic shaker apparatus is disclosed for providing shaking and/or vibrational motion. The shaker includes armature and stator assemblies as well as a distributed spring assembly. The shaker apparatus of the present invention is robust, supports increased off-center loads, and has a low profile such that it may be easily placed under an item of furniture in order to impart vibrational motion in response to electrical signals from a variety of sources.

1 . A moveable assembly for imparting variable motion to an object, comprising: 
 a bottom portion;    a moveable top portion opposing the bottom portion; and    an electromagnetic assembly, a portion of the electromagnetic assembly being integrated with the top portion and another portion of the electromagnetic assembly being integrated with the bottom portion in order to produce variable motion in at least the top portion.    
   
   
       2 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising a spring assembly for providing resilient support between the bottom portion and the top portion.  
   
   
       3 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic assembly comprises at least one coil portion and at least one magnetic portion.  
   
   
       4 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 3 , wherein the coil portion comprises at least one of the following: a wound voice coil operatively attached to the top portion, a coil configured on the surface of the top portion, and a coil embedded in the top portion.  
   
   
       5 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic portion comprises: 
 a magnet for interacting with the coil portion in order to produce the variable motion; and    at least one metallic pole piece for interacting with the magnetic field of the magnet.    
   
   
       6 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 5 , wherein the metallic pole piece comprises: 
 a bottom pole operatively connected to the bottom portion;    an outer pole configured about the magnet; and    a top pole configured at least partially above the magnet, all poles being operative together to focus the magnetic field of the magnet substantially through the coil portion.    
   
   
       7 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1  wherein the top portion comprises a top plate for contacting at least a portion of the object such that variable motion may be imparted to the object in the presence of electrical signals in the electromagnetic assembly.  
   
   
       8 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 7 , wherein the electrical signals comprise at least one of the following; audio based signals, audiovisual based signals, motion based signals.  
   
   
       9 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion comprises: 
 a base plate having a first side for supporting at least a portion of the spring assembly and at least a portion of the electromagnetic assembly; and    a second side for contacting at least a portion of a fixed surface.    
   
   
       10 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 9 , wherein the fixed surface comprises a floor.  
   
   
       11 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pin for receiving at least a portion of the spring assembly and for providing transverse support to the spring assembly.  
   
   
       12 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the object comprises an item of furniture.  
   
   
       13 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising a bushing material operatively configured inside the moveable assembly for providing transverse support during variable motion.  
   
   
       14 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 2 , wherein the spring assembly comprises at least one discrete spring located at the periphery of the electromagnetic assembly such that at least part of the spring is co-planar with at least part of the electromagnetic assembly.  
   
   
       15 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 2 , wherein the spring assembly comprises at least one of the following: a material having springlike characteristics interspersed within the moveable assembly, an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       16 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 2 , wherein the height of the spring assembly is substantially equal to the distance between the bottom portion and the top portion.  
   
   
       17 . A moveable assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising an integrated electrical connector on an outer portion of the moveable assembly for facilitating electrical connection between a power source and the electromagnetic assembly.  
   
   
       18 . An electromagnetic apparatus for imparting variable motion to an object in response to an electrical signal, comprising: 
 a bottom portion;    a moveable top portion opposing the bottom portion; and    an electromagnetic assembly for receiving the electrical signal, a portion of the electromagnetic assembly being integrated with the top portion and another portion of the electromagnetic assembly being integrated with the bottom portion in order to produce variable motion in at least the top portion in response to the electrical signal such that when the object is in contact with the top portion the variable motion is correspondingly imparted to the object.    
   
   
       19 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 18 , wherein the variable motion imparted to the object is capable of being sensed by a user in contact with the object in a tactile manner corresponding to the electrical signal.  
   
   
       20 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 19 , wherein the electrical signal comprises at least one of the following; an audio based signal, and audiovisual based signal, a motion based signal.  
   
   
       21 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 19 , wherein the object comprises at least one of the following: an item of furniture, a moveable platform capable of supporting a user.  
   
   
       22 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 18 , further comprising a spring assembly for providing resilient support between the bottom portion and the top portion.  
   
   
       23 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 18 , wherein the electromagnetic assembly comprises at least one coil portion and at least one magnetic portion.  
   
   
       24 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 23 , wherein the coil portion comprises at least one of the following: a wound voice coil operatively attached to the top portion, a coil configured on the surface of the top portion, a coil embedded in the top portion.  
   
   
       25 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 23 , wherein the magnetic portion comprises: a magnet for interacting with the coil portion in order to produce the variable motion; and 
 at least one metallic pole piece for interacting with the magnetic field of the magnet.    
   
   
       26 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 25 , wherein the metallic pole piece comprises: 
 a bottom pole operatively connected to the bottom portion;    an outer pole configured about the magnet; and    a top pole configured at least partially above the magnet, all poles being operative together to focus the magnetic field of the magnet substantially through the coil portion.    
   
   
       27 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 18  wherein the top portion comprises a top plate for contacting at least a portion of the object such that variable motion may be imparted to the object in the presence of the electrical signal in the electromagnetic assembly.  
   
   
       28 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 18 , wherein the bottom portion comprises: 
 a base plate having a first side for supporting at least a portion of the spring assembly and at least a portion of the electromagnetic assembly; and    a second side for contacting at least a portion of a fixed surface.    
   
   
       29 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 28 , wherein the fixed surface comprises a floor.  
   
   
       30 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 28 , wherein the bottom portion further comprises at least one pin operatively configured for receiving at least a portion of the spring assembly such that transverse support is provided to the spring assembly.  
   
   
       31 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 18 , further comprising a bushing material operatively configured inside moveable assembly for providing transverse support during the variable motion.  
   
   
       32 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 22 , wherein the spring assembly comprises at least one discrete spring located at the periphery of the electromagnetic assembly such that at least part of the spring is co-planar with at least part of the electromagnetic assembly.  
   
   
       33 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 22 , wherein the spring assembly comprises at least one of the following: a material having springlike characteristics interspersed within the moveable assembly, an elastomeric material.  
   
   
       34 . An electromagnetic apparatus as in  claim 22 , wherein the height of the spring assembly is substantially equal to the distance between the bottom portion and the top portion.