Tunable haptic chair

Abstract

A chair includes a seat portion and a back portion and a haptic device attached at one of the seat portion and the back portion. Responsive to receiving an electronic input, the haptic device vibrates to impart vibration at one or more of the seat portion and the back portion. Responsive to the haptic device vibrating at a first frequency, a first region of the chair vibrates at a greater amplitude than a second region of the chair that is spaced from the first region. Responsive to the haptic device vibrating at a second frequency different than the first frequency, the second region of the chair vibrates at a greater amplitude than the first region of the chair.

1 . A chair, the chair comprising:
 a seat portion and a back portion;   a haptic device attached at one selected from the group consisting of (i) the seat portion and (ii) the back portion;   wherein, responsive to receiving an electronic input, the haptic device vibrates to impart vibration at one or more selected from the group consisting of (i) the seat portion and (ii) the back portion;   wherein, responsive to the haptic device vibrating at a first frequency, a first region of the chair vibrates at a greater amplitude than a second region of the chair that is spaced from the first region; and   wherein, responsive to the haptic device vibrating at a second frequency different than the first frequency, the second region of the chair vibrates at a greater amplitude than the first region of the chair.   
     
     
         2 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic device is disposed at the back portion and vibrates to impart vibration at the back portion. 
     
     
         3 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic device is disposed at the seat portion and vibrates to impart vibration at the seat portion. 
     
     
         4 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic input corresponds to audio or video signals being experienced by a user of the chair simultaneous with the vibration. 
     
     
         5 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein, with the haptic device vibrating at the first frequency, vibration at the first region of the chair is perceivable by a user of the chair and vibration at the second region of the chair is imperceivable by the user of the chair. 
     
     
         6 . The chair of  claim 5 , wherein, with the haptic device vibrating at the second frequency, vibration at the second region of the chair is perceivable by a user of the chair and vibration at the first region of the chair is imperceivable by the user of the chair. 
     
     
         7 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic device vibrates to impart vibration at the seat portion and at the back portion. 
     
     
         8 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is at the seat portion. 
     
     
         9 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the second region is at the seat portion and spaced from the first region. 
     
     
         10 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the second region is at the back portion. 
     
     
         11 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the first region is at the back portion. 
     
     
         12 . The chair of  claim 11 , wherein the second region is at the back portion and spaced from the first region. 
     
     
         13 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the chair corresponding to the first region comprises a first material, and wherein a portion of the chair corresponding to the second region comprises a second material different than the first material. 
     
     
         14 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein a vibration element is disposed at a portion of the chair corresponding to at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the first region and (ii) the second region. 
     
     
         15 . The chair of  claim 14 , wherein the vibration element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) a plate, (ii) a pin, (iii) a tuning fork, (iv) a screw and (v) a disc. 
     
     
         16 . The chair of  claim 14 , wherein the vibration element is attached at the portion of the chair. 
     
     
         17 . The chair of  claim 14 , wherein the vibration element is at least partially embedded with the portion of the chair. 
     
     
         18 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein a recess is formed at a portion of the chair corresponding to at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) the first region and (ii) the second region. 
     
     
         19 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the chair corresponding to the first region has a first natural frequency, and wherein a portion of the chair corresponding to the second region has a second natural frequency different than the first natural frequency. 
     
     
         20 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the haptic device comprises a vibration element that attaches at the one selected from the group consisting of (i) the seat portion and (ii) the back portion, and wherein the vibration element comprises (a) a first finger that extends between the haptic device and the first region of the chair and (b) a second finger that extends between the haptic device and the second region of the chair, and wherein, when the haptic device vibrates at the first frequency, vibration travels from the haptic device along the first finger to the first region to vibrate the first region of the chair, and wherein, when the haptic device vibrates at the second frequency, vibration travels from the haptic device along the second finger to the second region to vibrate the second region of the chair. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing a chair, the method comprising:
 providing a chair having a seat portion and a back portion;   providing a haptic device attached at one selected from the group consisting of (i) the seat portion and (ii) the back portion;   wherein, responsive to receiving an electronic input, the haptic device vibrates to impart vibration at one or more selected from the group consisting of (i) the seat portion and (ii) the back portion;   forming a first region of the chair to have a first natural frequency;   forming a second region of the chair to have a second natural frequency different than the first natural frequency, wherein the second region is spaced from the first region;   determining a first frequency, wherein responsive to the haptic device vibrating at the first frequency, the first region of the chair vibrates at a greater amplitude than the second region of the chair; and   determining a second frequency different than the first frequency, wherein, responsive to the haptic device vibrating at the second frequency, the second region of the chair vibrates at a greater amplitude than the first region of the chair.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, based on the first frequency and the second frequency, determining a control function for the haptic device, wherein the control function comprises a series of electronic inputs for the haptic device that cause the haptic device to impart vibration in a selected pattern or profile. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein forming the first region of the chair to have the first natural frequency comprises forming the first region of the chair with a first material, and wherein forming the second region of the chair to have the second natural frequency comprises forming the second region of the chair with a second material different than the first material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein forming the first region of the chair to have the first natural frequency comprises forming the first region of the chair to have a first structure, and wherein forming the second region of the chair to have the second natural frequency comprises forming the second region of the chair to have a second structure different than the first structure. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein forming the first region of the chair to have the first natural frequency comprises forming the first region of the chair to have a first profile, and wherein forming the second region of the chair to have the second natural frequency comprises forming the second region of the chair to have a second profile different than the first profile.