Haptic Actuator Including Flexure Bearing

Abstract

A haptic actuator may include a housing, at least one coil carried by the housing, and a field member having opposing first and second sides. The haptic actuator may also include a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil. Each flexure bearing may include two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing. The two diverging arms may each have a reduced size medial portion relative to respective proximal and distal ends.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A haptic actuator comprising:
 a housing;   at least one coil carried by the housing;   a field member having opposing first and second sides; and   a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil;   each flexure bearing comprising two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing, the two diverging arms each having a reduced size medial portion relative to respective proximal and distal ends.   
     
     
         2 . The haptic actuator of  claim 1  wherein each arm has a blade shape having a length between respective proximal and distal ends, a thickness, and height with a varying profile defining the reduced sized medial portion. 
     
     
         3 . The haptic actuator of  claim 1  wherein each flexure bearing further comprises a spacer member between the proximal ends of the two diverging arms. 
     
     
         4 . The haptic actuator of  claim 3  further comprising a weld joint joining together the spacer member and the proximal ends of the two diverging arms. 
     
     
         5 . The haptic actuator of  claim 1  wherein each diverging arm comprises first and second parallel and spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         6 . The haptic actuator of  claim 5  wherein each diverging arm comprises proximal and distal end spacers between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         7 . The haptic actuator of  claim 6  further comprising respective weld joints joining together the proximal and distal end spacers and adjacent portions of the spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         8 . The haptic actuator of  claim 5  wherein each diverging arm further comprises a filler body between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         9 . The haptic actuator of  claim 1  wherein each flexure bearing has a wishbone shape. 
     
     
         10 . The haptic actuator of  claim 1  wherein each flexure bearing comprises at least one mechanical stop adjacent the proximal ends. 
     
     
         11 . The haptic actuator of  claim 1  wherein each flexure bearing comprises at least one mechanical stop between the spaced distal ends. 
     
     
         12 . An electronic device comprising:
 a housing;   wireless communications circuitry carried by the housing;   a haptic actuator carried by the housing and comprising:
 an actuator housing, 
 at least one coil carried by the actuator housing, 
 a field member having opposing first and second sides, and 
 a respective at least one flexure bearing mounting each of the first and second sides of the field member to be reciprocally movable within the housing responsive to the at least one coil, 
 each flexure bearing comprising two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing, the two diverging arms each having a reduced size medial portion relative to respective proximal and distal ends; and 
   a controller coupled to the wireless communications circuitry and the haptic actuator and configured to perform at least one wireless communications function and selectively operate the haptic actuator.   
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 12  wherein each arm has a blade shape having a length between respective proximal and distal ends, a thickness, and height with a varying profile defining the reduced sized medial portion. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 12  wherein each flexure bearing further comprises a spacer member between the proximal ends of the two diverging arms. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 14  wherein the haptic actuator further comprises a weld joint joining together the spacer member and the proximal ends of the two diverging arms. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 12  wherein each diverging arm comprises first and second parallel and spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 16  wherein each diverging arm comprises proximal and distal end spacers between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 16  wherein each diverging arm further comprises a filler body between the first and second parallel and spaced apart blades. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a haptic actuator comprising:
 positioning a respective at least one flexure bearing to mount each of first and second sides of a field member to be reciprocally movable within a housing responsive to at least one coil, each flexure bearing comprising two diverging arms joined together at proximal ends and having spaced distal ends operatively coupled between adjacent portions of the field member and the housing, the two diverging arms each having a reduced size medial portion relative to respective proximal and distal ends.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each arm has a blade shape having a length between respective proximal and distal ends, a thickness, and height with a varying profile defining the reduced sized medial portion.