Analog joystick controller
First Claim
1. In an analog joystick controller including a housing and an operating shaft mounted in the housing for universal tilting movement with respect thereto between a neutral or home position and operating positions, the improvement comprising:
- bias means coupled to the operating shaft and shiftable between first and second operating conditions, said bias means in the first operating condition thereof being responsive to movement of the operating shaft from its home position for increasing the potential energy of said bias means to bias the operating shaft to its neutral or home position, said bias means in the second operating condition thereof storing minimal potential energy and being unresponsive to movement of the operating shaft for accommodating free unbiased tilting movement of the operating shaft, and actuating means for selectively disposing said bias means in either the first or the second operating condition thereof.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An analog joystick controller includes a handle shaft engageable with two yokes rotatably movable respectively about two perpendicular axes in response to tilting of the handle shaft. The yokes are respectively coupled to the wipers of two potentiometers, the resistance portions of which are fixedly connected to adjusting means manually movable for zero adjustments. Each yoke carries a pair of pivoting levers biased together into engagement with the yoke for movement therewith. Each pair of levers is associated with a control block which is manually movable between the levers to permit only one of them to move when the handle is moved from a center or home position, depending upon the direction of movement of the handle, for biasing the handle to its center position.
117 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In an analog joystick controller including a housing and an operating shaft mounted in the housing for universal tilting movement with respect thereto between a neutral or home position and operating positions, the improvement comprising:
- bias means coupled to the operating shaft and shiftable between first and second operating conditions, said bias means in the first operating condition thereof being responsive to movement of the operating shaft from its home position for increasing the potential energy of said bias means to bias the operating shaft to its neutral or home position, said bias means in the second operating condition thereof storing minimal potential energy and being unresponsive to movement of the operating shaft for accommodating free unbiased tilting movement of the operating shaft, and actuating means for selectively disposing said bias means in either the first or the second operating condition thereof.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In an analog joystick controller including a housing and an operating shaft mounted in the housing for universal tilting movement with respect thereto between a neutral or home position and operating positions, the improvement comprising:
- first and second levers each mounted for movement with the operating shaft, bias means having a normal rest condition storing minimal potential energy for resiliently coupling said levers to each other for simultaneous ganged movement in response to movement of the operating shaft, and control means selectively movable between a free condition and a homing condition, said control means in the free condition thereof being disposed out of engagement with said levers and leaving said bias means in its normal rest condition for accommodating free unbiased movement of said levers with the operating shaft, said control means in the homing condition thereof being disposed for engagement with said first and second levers for preventing movement of only one of said levers when the operating shaft moves from its home position so that only the other lever moves with the operating shaft thereby to increase the potential energy of said bias means resiliently to bias said other lever and the operating shaft back to the home position.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In an analog joystick controller including a housing, an operating shaft mounted in the housing for universal tilting movement with respect thereto between a neutral or home position and operating positions, at least one variable impedance means disposed within the housing and having an impedance portion and a wiper portion coupled to the operating shaft and movable with respect to the impedance portion in response to movement of the operating shaft, the improvement comprising:
- a mounting sheath carried by the housing, the impedance portion of the variable impedance means being received in said sheath and fixedly secured thereto, and adjusting means coupled to said mounting sheath and operable for effecting movement of said mounting sheath and the impedance portion of said variable impedance means with respect to the housing thereby to permit adjustment of the impedance of said variable impedance means to a value which corresponds to the neutral or home position of the operating shaft.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Specification