Game control apparatus

• US 4,491,325 A
• Filed: 01/26/1983
• Issued: 01/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas Bersheim
• Original Assignee: Thomas Bersheim
• Inventors: Bersheim, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Scott L.
• Application Number:
  US06/462,093
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 74/471 XY, 74/523, 273/DIG. 28, 273/16 C, 273/148 B, 273/148 R, 200/6 A, 200/DIG. 2, 224/267, 180/DIG. 3, 3/1.1, 3/12.3, 46/249, 46/250, 46/253, 46/254, 46/255
• US Class Current: 463/38
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/62 Arm rests
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04703 Mounting of controlling member
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04714 with orthogonal axes
• 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: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 200/02 Body attached switches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20612 Hand

Abstract

Control apparatus for video games has a control handle spaced apart from and joined to a separate housing by a connecting rod. The housing is contoured and securable to a user'"'"'s arm, and forms an anchor point for manipulation of the control handle. The user may choose between variable resistive controls and switch controls which operate responsive to movement of the control handle and/or the connecting rod. Multiple individual controls may also be mounted on the handle to control other game functions. Plates having cutouts formed therethrough are attachable to the housing, with the control rod protruding therethrough, the movement of the control rod may thereby be limited by contact with the periphery of the cutout, preventing simultaneous engagement of two or more signal controls.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling electrical signals, said apparatus comprising:

housing means having a top;

means to releasably secure said housing means to a user'"'"'s arm;

handle assembly means, shaped and positioned to be manipulable by said user'"'"'s hand when said housing means is secured to said user'"'"'s arm;

means connecting said handle assembly means and said housing means;

means enabling movement of said handle assembly means with respect to said housing means;

means to transmit said electrical signals to and from said apparatus; and

means to control said signals responsive to the movement of said handle assembly means.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle assembly means is movable in a fore-and-aft direction with respect to said housing means.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle assembly means is movable in a side-to-side direction with respect to said housing means.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle assembly means is movable in an up-and-down direction with respect to said housing means.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing means top is contoured to accommodate said user'"'"'s arm.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one said signal control means is a variable resistive element.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one said signal control means is characterized by selectively openable and closeable contact points.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said control means includes secondary control means mounted on said handle assembly.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said secondary control means includes at least one trigger control.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said secondary control means includes at least one intermittently operable push button.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 including means to limit movement of said connecting means,

said limiting means preventing simultaneous engagement of selected of said signal control means when said handle assembly means is moved.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said limiting means includes a plate having a cutout formed therethrough,

said connecting means protruding through said cutout and limited in its movement by contact with said plate about the periphery of said cutout.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said plate is removably attachable to said housing means.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said limiting means further includes a plurality of said plates having cutouts of differing configurations.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said releasable securing means includes at least one strap member having two ends,

the first of said ends attached to said housing means;

and

means to releasably secure said second end to said housing means.

16. Apparatus for controlling electrical signals, said apparatus comprising:

housing means having a top;

means to releasably secure said housing means to a user'"'"'s arm proximate said user'"'"'s wrist;

handle assembly means separate from said housing means;

said handle assembly means shaped and positioned to be manipulable by said user'"'"'s hand when said housing means is secured to said user'"'"'s arm;

means connecting said housing means and said handle assembly means;

means enabling movement of said handle assembly means with respect to said housing means;

means to transmit said electrical signals to and from said apparatus; and

means to control said signals responsive to the movement of said handle assembly means.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said handle assembly means includes:

a base; and

an upstanding handle pivotally attached to said base.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein at least one said signal control means is mounted within said base,

said control means operable responsive to the movement of said handle with respect to said base.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said connecting means is extendable from and moveable into said housing means, thereby allowing movement of said handle assembly means toward and away from said housing means.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein said housing means includes means to limit the travel of said connecting means with respect to said housing means.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein said housing means has at least one said signal control means mounted therewithin operable responsive to the movement of said handle assembly means toward and away from said housing means.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said signal control means includes variable resistance means.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said signal control means includes selectively openable and closeable contact means.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said signal control means includes variable resistance means and selectively openable and closeable contact means.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24 including means to select said variable resistance means or said contact means to function as said control means.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said releasable securing means includes at least one strap member having two ends,

the first of said ends attached to said housing means;

and

means to releasably secure said second end to said housing means.

27. Apparatus for controlling electrical signals, said apparatus comprising:

housing means having a top,

said housing means being hollow;

means to releasably secure said housing means to a user'"'"'s arm;

handle assembly means,

said handle assembly means shaped and positioned to be manipulable by said user'"'"'s hand when said housing means is secured to said user'"'"'s arm;

means connecting said housing means and said handle assembly means;

means gripping said connecting means and said housing means to enable movement of said connecting means with respect to said housing means,

said gripping means including a switchblock within which said connecting means is received;

a frame member;

said switchblock being pivotally mounted along a first axis within said frame member,

said frame member pivotally mounted within said housing along a second axis;

means to transmit said electrical signals to and from said apparatus; and

means to control said signals responsive to the movement of said connecting means.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said control means includes means operable responsive to movement of said switchblock about said first axis.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said control means includes means operable responsive to movement of said frame member about said second axis.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal control means includes a first control element operable responsive to movement of said switchblock about said first axis, and

a second control element operable responsive to movement of said frame about said second axis.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 30 wherein said first and second control elements operate independently one from another.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 30 including means to prevent simultaneous engagement of said first and second control elements.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 32 wherein said prevention means includes means to limit movement of said connecting means when said handle assembly means is moved.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 33 wherein said limiting means includes a plate having a cutout formed therethrough,

said connecting means protruding through said cutout and limited in its movement by contact with said plate about the periphery of said cutout.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 34 wherein said plate is removably attachable to said housing means.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 34 wherein said limiting means further includes a plurality of said plates having cutouts of differing configurations.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal control means includes variable resistive means.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal control means includes selectively openable and closeable contact means.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal control means includes variable resistive means and selectively openable and closeable contact means.

40. The apparatus as recited in claim 39 including means to select said variable resistive means or said contact means to operate responsive to movement of said handle assembly means.

41. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said frame member includes 2 pairs of oppositely disposed sides.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said first axis passes through the first of said pairs of opposed sides.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said second axis passes through the second of said pairs of opposed sides.

44. The apparatus in claim 41 wherein said frame member is rectangular.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 41 wherein said frame member is square.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said frame member is circular.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said first and second axes are perpendicular to each other.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said releasable securing means includes at least one strap member having two ends,

the first of said ends attached to said housing means;

and

means to releasably secure said second end to said housing means.

49. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said connecting means is slidably received by said switchblock.

50. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said handle assembly means includes a hand grip,

said hand grip having a rest position when not in use;

and

means to vary said rest position.

51. The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said control means includes secondary control means mounted on said hand grip.

52. The apparatus as recited in claim 51 wherein said secondary control means includes at least one trigger control.

53. The apparatus as recited in claim 51 wherein said secondary control means includes at least one intermittently operable push button control.