Flexure mechanism for interface device

• US 20050073496A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth M., Rosenberg, Louis B., Moore, David F., Vassallo, Steve P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas

Abstract

A flexure mechanism for an interface device that interfaces a user with a computer system. An interface device includes a manipulandum physically contacted by the user. A five-bar closed-loop mechanism is coupled to the manipulandum to provide two rotary degrees of freedom to the manipulandum. The mechanism includes members coupled to each other by flexible couplings allowing rotation of the members. In preferred embodiments, four or five of the members are coupled together by flexible couplings that allow bending, thereby forming a unitary piece, where the couplings are oriented along axes of rotation of the mechanism. A senor senses a position of the manipulandum outputs a sensor signal, and in some embodiments actuators are coupled to the mechanism to output a force to the manipulandum in particular degrees of freedom. The manipulandum can be a joystick handle or portion of a sphere, where the device in one embodiment can be a handheld gamepad or similar controller.

Claims

1. An interface device manipulated by a user and providing input signals to a host computer, the interface device comprising.

a manipulandum physically contacted by said user and moveable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom;

a five-bar closed-loop mechanism coupled to said manipulandum, said mechanism providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom with respect to a ground, wherein said mechanism includes four members forming a unitary piece coupled to said ground, wherein said members are coupled to each other by flexible couplings allowing rotation of said members; and

a sensor coupled to said mechanism that senses a position of said manipulandum in at least one of said degrees of freedom and outputs a sensor signal, wherein a representation of said sensor signal is provided to said host computer.

2. An interface device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said flexible couplings may bend about only one rotational axis and may not twist.

3. An interface device as recited in claim 1 wherein said mechanism includes a first extension member, a first central member flexibly coupled to said first extension member, a second central member coupled to said first central member, and a second extension member flexibly coupled to said second central member, wherein said manipulandum is coupled to one of said central members.

4. An interface device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an actuator coupled to said mechanism, said actuator outputting a force that is applied to said manipulandum in one of said two degrees of freedom.

5. An interface device as recited in claim 3 wherein said two degrees of freedom are provided about two base axes of rotation, and wherein said central members rotate about two floating axes of rotation, and wherein said flexible couplings between said extension members and said central members are substantially aligned with said floating axes of rotation.

6. An interface device as recited in claim 5 wherein said unitary piece includes a ground member coupled to said ground, wherein said first and second extension members are flexibly coupled to said ground member by flexible couplings.

7. An interface device as recited in claim 6 wherein said flexible couplings between said ground member and said extension member are substantially aligned with said base axes of rotation.

8. An interface device as recited in claim 5 wherein said flexible coupling between said central members is substantially aligned with a normal axis extending approximately perpendicularly from a plane formed by said base axes when said central members are in an origin position.

9. An interface device as recited in claim 8 wherein said normal axis, said base axes, and said floating axes intersect approximately at a single point.

10. An interface device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least two of said flexible couplings are oriented such that when force is applied to said central members by said user contacting said manipulandum, a pulling tension is applied to said at least two flexible couplings.

11. An interface device manipulated by a user and providing input signals to a host computer, the interface device comprising:

a manipulandum physically contacted by said user and moveable in at least two rotary degrees of freedom;

a mechanism coupled to said manipulandum, said mechanism providing said at least two rotary degrees of freedom, wherein said mechanism includes five members forming a unitary piece, each of said members flexibly coupled to two other members; and

a sensor coupled to said mechanism that senses a position of said manipulandum in at least one of said degrees of freedom and outputs a sensor signal, wherein a representation of said sensor signal is provided to said host computer.

12. An interface device as recited in claim 11 further comprising an actuator coupled to said mechanism, said actuator outputting a force that is applied to said manipulandum in one of said two degrees of freedom.