Joystick control

• US 4,641,123 A
• Filed: 10/30/1984
• Issued: 02/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RCA Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCA Corporation
• Inventors: Whitehead, James M. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Broome, Harold
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lateef, M. M.
• Application Number:
  US06/666,387
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 338/128, 338/176, 338/133, 338/132, 74/471 XY
• US Class Current: 338/128
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04703 Mounting of controlling member
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04751 Position sensor for linear movement
• 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: G05G 9/04737 with six degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04788 comprising additional control elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

A joystick having a base and a handle. A plurality of potentiometers extending between the base and the handle so that as the handle is moved in any of six degrees of freedom, the resistance of the various potentiometers will change in a pattern which represents the movement.

Claims

1. A joystick comprising:

a base;

a handle; and

a plurality of potentiometers coupled between the base and the handle and directly connected thereto so as to provide at least three degrees of freedom of movement by said handle with respect to the base, the potentiometers connected to the base and handle so that said movement varies the electrical resistance of the potentiometers in relation to the direction and amount of movement.

2. The joystick as in claim 1 wherein each potentiometer comprises:

a tubular cylinder having a resistive surface in the interior of the cylinder; and

a piston slideably mounted within the cylinder.

3. The joystick as in claim 2 wherein there are six potentiometers, two potentiometers being connected to the base at each of three points and different pairs of the potentiometers being connected at each of three points on the handle.

4. The joystick as in claim 3 wherein each set of three points on the base and handle are equidistantly spaced about a circle.

5. A joystick comprising:

a base;

a handle; and

six potentiometers connected in pairs to three points on said handle and connected in different pairs to three points on said base so as to provide six degrees of freedom of movement by said handle with respect to said base so that the electrical resistance of said potentiometers varies corresponding to the direction and magnitude of said movement.