Convertible single-turn to multi-turn gaming steering wheel utilizing sliding stops

• US 20040224764A1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: McVicar, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,086,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a control device for a steering wheel. In one embodiment, a control device for a steering wheel comprises a frame including a left frame stop and a right frame stop. A rotational shaft includes a timing member, a counterclockwise rotational stop and a clockwise rotational stop. The rotational shaft is rotatable relative to the frame in clockwise and counterclockwise directions from a neutral position. A multi-turn slider includes a timing rack configured to engage the timing member of the rotational shaft and to slide in opposite directions relative to the frame with the timing member rotating in counterclockwise and clockwise directions. The multi-turn slider includes a left multi-turn stop disposed on a left side of the timing rack and a right multi-turn stop disposed on a right side of the timing rack to move with the timing rack. The frame stop of the frame blocks the left multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 180°. The right frame stop blocks the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 180°.

Claims

1. A control device for a steering wheel, the control device comprising:

a frame including a left frame stop and a right frame stop;

a rotational shaft including a timing member, a counterclockwise rotational stop and a clockwise rotational stop, the rotational shaft being rotatable relative to the frame in clockwise and counterclockwise directions from a neutral position; and

a multi-turn slider including a timing rack configured to engage the timing member of the rotational shaft and to slide in opposite directions relative to the frame with the timing member rotating in counterclockwise and clockwise directions, the multi-turn slider including a left multi-turn stop disposed on a left side of the timing rack and a right multi-turn stop disposed on a right side of the timing rack to move with the timing rack;

wherein the left frame stop of the frame blocks the left multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 180°

; and

wherein the right frame stop of the frame blocks the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 180′

.

2. The control device of claim 1 wherein the timing member comprises a timing gear and the timing rack comprises a timing gear rack.

3. The control device of claim 1 wherein the left frame stop blocks the left multi-turn stop and the left multi-turn stop blocks the counterclockwise rotational stop to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 360°

, and wherein the right frame stop blocks the right multi-turn stop and the right multi-turn stop blocks the clockwise rotational stop to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 360°

.

4. The control device of claim 1 wherein the left multi-turn stop being spaced from the left frame stop by a distance substantially equal to a distance between the right multi-turn stop and the right frame stop with the rotational shaft in the neutral position.

5. The control device of claim 1 wherein the left frame stop and the right frame stop are formed as a single frame stop member having a left side for blocking the left multi-turn stop and a right side for blocking the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider.

6. The control device of claim 1 wherein the counterclockwise rotational stop and the clockwise rotational stop are formed as a single rotational stop member having one side for contacting the left multi-turn stop and another side for contacting the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider.

7. The control device of claim 1 wherein the counterclockwise rotational stop and the clockwise rotational stop are disposed at a stop radius from a center of the rotational shaft to rotate with the rotational shaft along a path of travel, and wherein the left frame stop and the right frame stop are disposed outside the path of travel to prevent the left frame stop from blocking the counterclockwise rotational stop and between the right frame stop from blocking the clockwise rotational stop.

8. The control device of claim 7 further comprising a single-turn control member having a left single-turn stop and a right single-turn stop, the single-turn control member being movable, between a multi-turn mode position in which the left single-turn stop and the right single-turn stop are disposed outside the path of travel of the counterclockwise rotational stop and the clockwise rotational stop, and a single-turn mode position in which the left single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the counterclockwise rotational stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position and the right single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the clockwise rotational stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position.

9. The control device of claim 8 wherein the left single-turn stop and the right single-turn stop are formed as a single single-turn stop member having a left side for blocking the counterclockwise rotational stop and a right side for blocking the clockwise rotational stop of the rotational shaft.

10. The control device of claim 8 wherein, in the single-turn mode position, the left single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the counterclockwise rotational stop and is blocked by the left frame stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position, and the right single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the clockwise rotational stop and is blocked by the right frame stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position.

11. The control device of claim 1 wherein the left frame stop blocks the left multi-turn stop and the left multi-turn stop blocks the counterclockwise rotational stop to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 180°

; and

wherein the right frame stop blocks the right multi-turn stop and the right multi-turn stop blocks the clockwise rotational stop to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 180°

.

12. A control device for a steering wheel, the control device comprising:

a frame including a left frame stop and a right frame stop;

a rotational shaft including a timing member, a counterclockwise rotational stop and a clockwise rotational stop, the rotational shaft being rotatable relative to the frame in clockwise and counterclockwise directions from a neutral position to move the rotational stops along paths of travel;

a single-turn control member having a left single-turn stop and a right single-turn stop, the single-turn control member being movable, between a multi-turn mode position in which the left single-turn stop and the right single-turn stop are disposed outside the paths of travel of the counterclockwise rotational stop and the clockwise rotational stop, and a single-turn mode position in which the left single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the counterclockwise rotational stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position and the right single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the clockwise rotational stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position; and

a multi-turn slider including a timing rack configured to engage the timing member of the rotational shaft and to slide in opposite directions relative to the frame with the timing member rotating in counterclockwise and clockwise directions, the multi-turn slider including a left multi-turn stop disposed on a left side of the timing rack and a right multi-turn stop disposed on a right side of the timing rack to move with the timing rack;

wherein, with the single-turn control member in the multi-turn mode position, the left frame stop blocks the left multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 180°

, and the right frame stop blocks the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 180°

.

13. The control device of claim 12 wherein, with the single-turn control member in the multi-turn mode position, the left frame stop blocks the left multi-turn stop and the left multi-turn stop blocks the counterclockwise rotational stop to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 360°

, and wherein the right frame stop blocks the right multi-turn stop and the right multi-turn stop blocks the clockwise rotational stop to prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 360°

.

14. The control device of claim 12 wherein, with the single-turn control member in the single-turn mode position, the left single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the counterclockwise rotational stop and is blocked by the left frame stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position, and the right single-turn stop is disposed within the path of travel of the clockwise rotational stop and is blocked by the right frame stop to prevent rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position.

15. The control device of claim 12 wherein the left frame stop and the right frame stop are formed as a single frame stop member having a left side for blocking the left multi-turn stop and a right side for blocking the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider.

16. The control device of claim 12 wherein the counterclockwise rotational stop and the clockwise rotational stop are formed as a single rotational stop member having one side for contacting the left multi-turn stop and another side for contacting the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider.

17. A control device for a steering wheel, the control device comprising:

a frame including a left frame stop and a right frame stop;

a rotational shaft including a timing member, a counterclockwise rotational stop and a clockwise rotational stop, the rotational shaft being rotatable relative to the frame in clockwise and counterclockwise directions from a neutral position; and

multi-turn means, coupled with the timing member of the rotational shaft, for prevent further rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position counterclockwise by more than 180° and

preventing further rotation of the rotational shaft in the clockwise direction only after the rotational shaft is turned from the neutral position clockwise by more than 180°

.

18. The control device of claim 17 wherein the left frame stop and the right frame stop are formed as a single frame stop member having a left side for blocking the left multi-turn stop and a right side for blocking the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider.

19. The control device of claim 17 wherein the counterclockwise rotational stop and the clockwise rotational stop are formed as a single rotational stop member having one side for contacting the left multi-turn stop and another side for contacting the right multi-turn stop of the multi-turn slider.

20. The control device of claim 17 further comprising single-turn means, operable between a multi-turn mode and a single-turn mode, for preventing rotation of the rotational shaft in the counterclockwise direction by more than 180°

and in the clockwise direction by more than 180°

from the neutral position in the single-turn mode, and not interfering with rotation of the rotational shaft in the multi-turn mode.