Apparatus for removing a joystick grip

• US 10,642,307 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Stoffers, Michael, Gillmann, Uwe, Koschke, Henning, Meyer-Quade, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Yabut, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US15/926,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20190294195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04

Abstract

A joystick includes a mechanism for facilitating the changing of a grip assembly. An actuation mechanism moves a ram into a position where the operator can press down on a locking pin to release the grip assembly. The ram will be in a default position that does not interfere with the operations of the joystick during normal operation. A relatively low amount of force is used to place the ram into position as the force needed to press down on the locking pin comes from the operator. A small electromagnetic that does not interfere with the joystick operations can be used in the actuation mechanism.

Claims

1. A joystick, comprising:

a base;

a ram guide stationarily fixed to the base;

a ram positioned within the ram guide; and

a positioning mechanism, coupled to the ram, configured to linearly move the ram along, and within, the ram guide from a first predetermined ram position to a second predetermined ram position,

wherein the second predetermined ram position is located such that a spring-loaded locking pin extending from within a grip column of a grip assembly mounted on a receiving column, the receiving column supported by the base, can be depressed against a surface of the ram and decoupled from a locking pin opening of the receiving column, and

wherein the first predetermined ram position is located such that the spring-loaded locking pin cannot be depressed against the surface of the ram and decoupled from the locking pin opening.

2. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises an electromagnet.

3. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupling the positioning mechanism to the ram.

4. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ram comprises a cylinder.

5. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined ram position is a default position when no power is applied to the positioning mechanism.

6. The joystick apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the ram is located adjacent a preset location on a joystick frame when the ram is at the first predetermined ram position and a second portion of the ram is located at the preset frame location when the ram is at the second predetermined ram position.

7. A joystick apparatus, comprising:

an apparatus base;

a joystick base, supported by the apparatus base, comprising;

a receiving column having a groove and a locking pin opening defined therein;

a grip assembly, disposed in the receiving column, comprising;

a grip column;

a guide post disposed on, and extending from, a surface of the grip column; and

a spring-loaded locking pin extending from within the grip column,

wherein the spring-loaded locking pin is releasably coupled with the locking pin opening and the guide post is disposed in the groove of the receiving column;

a ram guide stationarily fixed to the apparatus base;

a ram positioned within the ram guide; and

a positioning mechanism, coupled to the ram, configured to linearly move the ram along, and within, the ram guide from a first predetermined ram position to a second predetermined ram position,

wherein the second predetermined ram position is located such that the spring-loaded locking pin can be depressed against a surface of the ram and decoupled from the locking pin opening of the receiving column, and

wherein the first predetermined ram position is located such that the spring-loaded locking pin cannot be depressed against the surface of the ram and decoupled from the locking pin opening.

8. The joystick apparatus of claim 7, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises an electromagnet.

9. The joystick apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an actuator coupling the positioning mechanism to the ram.

10. The joystick apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ram comprises a cylinder.

11. The joystick apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first predetermined ram position is a default position when no power is applied to the positioning mechanism.

12. The joystick apparatus of claim 7, wherein a first portion of the ram is located adjacent a preset location on a joystick frame when the ram is at the first predetermined ram position and a second portion of the ram is located at the preset frame location when the ram is at the second predetermined ram position.