Joystick occlusion gate control for video games

• US 4,538,035 A
• Filed: 10/13/1983
• Issued: 08/27/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cal-Tron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cal-Tron Corporation
• Inventors: Pool, Danny J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ginsburg, Morris
• Application Number:
  US06/541,687
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6 A, 200/153 K, 74/471 XY
• US Class Current: 200/6.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04733 with a joint having a nutating disc, e.g. forced by a spring
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04744 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04785 the controlling member being the operating part of a switch arrangement

Abstract

A selectively positionable secondary gate controlling the mode of operation of a joystick for restricted movement about X and Y axes to actuate opposed switches disposed in pairs on the X and Y axes and operable in an eight-way mode to actuate adjacent corner switches as well as single axially aligned switches, and operable in a four-way mode to alternately actuate only axially aligned switches, and all of which is embodied in a spring biased assembly characterized by a primary gate permitting normal operation and said positionable secondary gate restricting operation.

Claims

1. A joystick control for the selective actuation of at least two contact members along right angularly related X and Y axes intersecting a centered axis of a gimbaled joystick, and including;

a mounting fixedly carrying said at least two contact members disposed about said X and Y axes in right angular relation to each other forming an opening configuration for simultaneous actuation of said at least two right angularly related contact members,

the joystick being gimbaled on the mounting and extending therefrom to be tilted laterally from the centered axis and having a cam portion simultaneously engageable with said at least two right angularly related contact members,

means yieldingly urging the joystick into alignment with the centered axis,

and a selectively positionable gate carried by the mounting concentric with the centered axis and having an obstruction engageable with the joystick and restricting movement of the cam portion thereof into a corner area of the opening configuration between said angularly related contact members for individual actuation of each of said contact members.

2. The joystick control as set forth in claim 1, wherein a fixedly positioned gate obstruction is formed by a square opening therethrough surrounding and engaging the joystick restricting lateral tilting of the joystick coincidental with said at least two right angularly related contact members and permitting eight-way switching.

3. The joystick control as set forth in claim 1, wherein a fixedly positioned gate obstruction is formed by a square opening therethrough surrounding and engaging an upwardly extending leg of the joystick restricting lateral tilting thereof coincidental with said at least two right angularly related contact members and permitting eight-way switching.

4. The joystick control as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selectively positionable gate has a square opening therethrough surrounding and engaging the joystick, and in one position permitting lateral tilting of the joystick into a corner formed by said at least two right angularly related contact members for eight-way switching, and in an alternate position occluding the corner formed by said at least two right angularly related contact members restricting lateral tilting of the joystick thereby preventing simultaneous adjacent contact actuation for four-way switching.

5. The joystick control as set forth in claim 2, wherein the selectively positionable gate has a square opening therethrough surrounding and engaging the joystick, with one position permitting lateral tilting of the joystick into a corner formed by said at least two right angularly related contact members and the fixedly positioned gate for eight-way switching, and with an alternate position occluding the corner formed by said at least two right angularly related contact members and the fixedly positioned gate restricting lateral tilting of the joystick thereby preventing simultaneous adjacent switch actuation for four-way switching.

6. The joystick control as set forth in claim 3, wherein the selectively positionable gate has a square opening therethrough surrounding an upwardly extending leg of and engaging the joystick, with one position permitting lateral tilting of the joystick into a corner formed by said at least two right angularly related contact members and the fixedly positioned gate for eight-way switching, and with an alternate position occluding the corner formed by said at least two right angularly related contact members and the fixedly positioned gate and restricting lateral tilting of the joystick thereby preventing simultaneous switch actuation for four-way switching.

7. The joystick control as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selectively positionable gate is located on the mounting by means rotatably placing it in restrictive and non-restrictive positions with respect to the joystick.

8. The joystick control as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selectively positionable gate is located on the mounting by means rotatably placing it coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and alternately placing it at a 45°

angular displacement thereto whereby corners of said square opening formed by the contact members are occluded thereby preventing simultaneous switch actuation.

9. The joystick control as set forth in claim 2, wherein the selectively positionable gate is located on the mounting by means rotatably placing it coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and fixedly positioned gate and alternately placing it at a 45°

angular displacement thereto whereby corners of said square opening formed by the contact members and fixedly positioned gate are occluded thereby preventing simultaneous switch actuation.

10. The joystick control as set forth in claim 1, wherein the selectively positionable gate is located on the mounting by socket means rotatably placing it coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and alternately placing it at a 45°

angular displacement thereto whereby corners of said square opening formed by the contact members are occluded thereby preventing simultaneous switch actuation.

11. The joystick control as set forth in claim 2, wherein the selectively positionable gate is located on the mounting by octagonal socket means rotatably placing it coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and fixedly positioned gate and alternately placing it at a 45°

angular displacement thereto whereby corners of said square opening formed by the contact members and fixedly positioned gate are occluded thereby preventing simultaneous switch actuation.

12. A joystick control for the selective actuation of at least two contact members along right angularly related X and Y axes intersecting a centered axis of a gimbaled joystick, and including:

a mounting fixedly carrying said at least two contact members disposed about said X and Y axes in right angular relation to each other forming an opening configuration for simultaneous actuation of said at least two right angularly related contact members,

the joystick being gimbaled on the mounting and having an upper leg extending therefrom to be tilted laterally from the centered axis and having a lower leg with a cam portion simultaneously engageable with said at least two right angularly related contact members,

means yieldingly urging the joystick into alignment with the centered axis,

and a selectively positionable gate carried by the mounting concentric with the centered axis and having an opening comprised of shiftable abuttments moveable into and out of position engageable with the joystick cam portion and restricting movement of the cam portion thereof into a corner area of the opening configuration between said angularly related contact members for individual actuation of each of said contact members.

13. The joystick control as set forth in claim 12, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable.

14. The joystick control as set forth in claim 12, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable.

15. The joystick control as set forth in claim 12, wherein a fixedly positioned gate is carried by the mounting concentric with the centered axis and having a square opening therethrough surrounding and engaging the joystick restricting lateral tilting thereof coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and permitting eight-way switching.

16. The joystick control as set forth in claim 12, wherein a fixedly positioned gate surrounds and engages the upwardly extending leg of the joystick concentric with the centered axis and having a square opening therethrough surrounding and engaging the joystick restricting lateral tilting thereof coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and permitting eight-way switching.

17. The joystick control as set forth in claim 15, wherein the abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are retracted in one position permitting lateral tilting of the joystick coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members for eight-way switching and are protracted in an alternate position occluding the corners of the square opening of the contact members restricting lateral tilting of the joystick thereby preventing simultaneous adjacent switch actuation.

18. The joystick control as set forth in claim 16, wherein the abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are retracted in one position permitting lateral tilting of the joystick coincidental with a square opening formed by the contact members and fixedly positioned gate for eight-way switching and are protracted in an alternate position occluding the corners of the square opening of the contact members and fixedly positioned gate and restricting lateral tilting of the joystick thereby preventing simultaneous adjacent switch actuation.

19. The joystick control as set forth in claim 15, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins with means retractably protracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

20. The joystick control as set forth in claim 16, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins with means retractably protracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

21. The joystick control as set forth in claim 17, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins with means retractably protracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

22. The joystick control as set forth in claim 18, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins with means retractably protracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

23. The joystick control as set forth in claim 15, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins carried by a manually positionable plug and retractably protractable thereby into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

24. The joystick control as set forth in claim 16, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins carried by a manually positionable plug and retractably protractable thereby into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

25. The joystick control as set forth in claim 17, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins carried by a manually positionable plug and retractably protractable thereby into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

26. The joystick control as set forth in claim 18, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are axially shiftable pins carried by a manually positionable plug and retractably protractable thereby into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

27. The joystick control as set forth in claim 15, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members with means retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

28. The joystick control as set forth in claim 16, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members with means retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

29. The joystick control as set forth in claim 17, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members with means retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

30. The joystick control as set forth in claim 18, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members with means retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

31. The joystick control as set forth in claim 15, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members carried in radially disposed guideways and shifted therealong by a manually positionable cam plate retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

32. The joystick control as set forth in claim 16, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members carried in radially disposed guideways and shifted therealong by a manually positionable cam plate retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

33. The joystick control as set forth in claim 17, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members carried in radially disposed guideways and shifted therealong by a manually positionable cam plate retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.

34. The joystick control as set forth in claim 18, wherein the shiftable abuttments of the selectively positionable gate are radially shiftable members carried in radially disposed guideways and shifted therealong by a manually positionable cam plate retractably contracting them into engageable position with the joystick cam portion for restrictive lateral tilting thereof.