Device for simultaneously controlling a plurality of variable resistors

• US 3,942,148 A
• Filed: 05/29/1974
• Issued: 03/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishioka, Matsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayewsky, Volodymyr Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/474,213
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 338/90, 338/128, 338/129, 338/130, 338/131, 338/132, 338/196, 74/471 XY, 200/6 A, 340/366 D, 403/383, 323/80, 323/94 R
• US Class Current: 338/128
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04707 with ball joint
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04748 Position sensor for rotary movement, e.g. potentiometer
• 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: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

A bearing having a spherical bearing surface is attached to an opening formed at the center of the top wall of a casing. The bearing rotatably receives a spherical body having a control shaft which extends through the center of the spherical body and is securely fixed thereto. A plurality of rotary discs is spaced from, and juxtaposed on, the bottom wall of the casing. Each of the juxtaposed pairs of the rotary discs is rotatably coupled to one end of an elongated slidable member having an elongated guide slot in such a manner that the elongated member is moved transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof. Circular resistive elements are arranged on the bottom wall of the casing in opposed relation to the rotary discs. Each of the rotary discs has on its lower surface a contactor in slidable electrical contact with the corresponding resistive element. The lower end of the control shaft slidably extends through the guide slots of the elongated members which cross each other, but do not interfere with each other. An upright side member may be provided at each end of the elongated member to produce the effect of inertia for smooth movement of the elongated members. As the control shaft is rotated or inclined in any direction, the point of contact on each of two or four resistive elements may be simultaneously controlled.

Claims

1. A device for simultaneously controlling the settings of a plurality of variable resistors, comprising:

a case having a top wall with an aperture therethrough;

an electrically insulative bottom wall, and a pair of opposed side walls;

a control shaft pivotally mounted on said top wall and extending through said aperture into said case;

means pivotally mounting said control shaft on said top wall;

a first and a second elongated slide each having an elongated guide slot extending longitudinally thereof, said slides disposed within said case and disposed perpendicular to each other;

an interlocking member having an axial bore and disposed extending through the respective guide slots of said slides with said control shaft extending into said bore, said interlocking member being dimensioned to slidably fit within said guide slots to permit said interlocking member to move longitudinally of said slides within said guide slots, said axial bore extending through said interlocking member and having a diameter dimensioned for receiving said control shaft and having a minimum diameter at an intermediate position within said bore and an increasing diameter in directions along said bore away from said intermediate position to permit movement of said interlocking member when said control shaft is pivoted thereby to displace said slides;

a first pair and a second pair of generally arcuate resistive elements each having a terminal for making electrical connection thereto, said first pair of resistive elements disposed on said bottom wall adjacent opposite ends of said first slide and said second pair of resistive elements disposed on said bottom wall adjacent opposite ends of said second slide; and

four cams each disposed between an end of one of said slides and the one of said resistive elements adjacent the end of one of said slides, each of said cams being mounted for rotation on said bottom wall and having a contactor for making electrical contact with an adjacent one of said resistive elements upon rotation, and each cam having means engaging the end of the respective one of said slides adjacent thereto for effecting rotation of said cams upon movement of said slides thereby to move said contactors along said resistive elements.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second elongated slides is provided at the opposite ends thereof with means for producing inertia.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for producing inertia is in slidable contact with said one of said opposed walls to develop resistance to the displacement of said slides.