Six-axis joystick control

• US 4,876,524 A
• Filed: 06/20/1988
• Issued: 10/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Jenkins
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Jenkins
• Inventors: Jenkins, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALBRITTON, CLARENCE
• Application Number:
  US07/208,794
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 338/2, 338/5, 338/6, 73/862.04, 73/862.05, 73/862.06
• US Class Current: 338/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/225 Measuring circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/1627 of strain gauges using piezoresistors G01L5/162
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/223 to joystick controls

Abstract

An isometric control device or the like of the type having an elastic beam and strain guages attached to the surface of the beam characterized by at least a first group of three strain guages (D, F, G) each having an operative axis thereof inclined with a single predetermined angle with respect to the main axis (z) of said beam (10), and the strain gauges disposed at a first predetermined level along said beam (10).

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

an elastic beam;

strain gauges attached to the surface of said beam;

a first group of not more than three of said strain gauges each having an operative axis thereof inclined with a single predetermined angle with respect to the main axis of said beam,

said strain gauges being disposed at a first predetermined level along said beam.

10. The isometric device as defined in claim 1, said single predetermined angle having a magnitude selected between zero degrees and forty five degrees.

12. The isometric device as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, further CHARACTERIZED BY having all strain gauge generated signals processed by a single electronic circuit by means of sequential sampling.

15. The isometric device as defined in claim 10, further CHARACTERIZED BY having all strain gauge generated signals processed by a single electronic circuit by means of sequential sampling.

23. The isometric device as defined in claim 10, said three strain gauges being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

27. The control device of claim 1, wherein said first group consists of exactly three of said strain gauges.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein said beam is flexible in two axes.

35. The device of claim 1, wherein each said group of strain gauges is positioned to measure bending forces in said beam at said respective location thereof.

2. A device comprising:

an elastic beam;

strain gauges attached to the surface of said beam;

first and second groups of at least three said strain gauges disposed at first and second predetermined levels along said beam, respectively.

4. The isometric control device as defined in claim 2, said first and second groups of strain gauges each comprising three strain gauges each having an operative axis thereof inclined, the first group with a first predetermined angle and the second group with a second predetermined angle, with respect to the main axis (z) of said beam.

7. The isometric device as defined in claim 4, said first and second predetermined angles being opposite in direction and equal in magnitude, which is less than cotan^-1 of the Poisson ratio of the elastic beam material.

11. The isometric device as defined in claims 4 or 5, said first and second predetermined angles having a magnitude selected between zero degrees and forty five degrees, and being opposite in direction.

13. The isometric device as defined in claims 4, 5 or 6, further CHARACTERIZED BY having all strain gauge generated signals processed by a single electronic circuit by means of sequential sampling.

14. The isometric device as defined in claim 7, 8 or 9, further CHARACTERIZED BY having all strain gauge generated signals processed by a single electronic circuit by means of sequential sampling.

17. The isometric device as defined in claim 4, each three gauges in a group being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

20. The isometric device as defined in claim 7, each three gauges in a group being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

25. The isometric device as defined in claims 17, 18 or 20, said first and second predetermined angles having a magnitude selected between zero degrees and forty five degrees, and being opposite in direction.

28. The control device of claim 2, wherein said first and second groups each consist of exactly three of said strain gauges.

30. The device of claim 2, wherein said beam is flexible in two axes.

32. The device of claim 2, wherein said beam is substantially equally flexible in two axes.

34. The device of claim 2, further comprising a third group of strain gauges disposed at a third level on said beam.

36. The device of claim 2, wherein each said group of strains gauges is positioned to measure bending forces in said beam at said respective location thereof.

3. A device comprising:

an elastic beam;

strain gauges attached to the surface of said beam;

first, second and third groups of strain gauges being disposed, at first, second and third predetermined levels along said beam, respectively, to measure bending forces in said beam at said first, second, and third levels.

5. The isometric control device as defined in claim 3, said first, second and third groups of strain gauges each comprising three strain gauges each having an operative axis thereof inclined, the first group with a first predetermined angle, the second group with a second predetermined angle and the third group with a third predetermined angle, with respect to the main axis (z) of said beam.

8. The isometric device as defined in claim 5, said first and second predetermined angles being opposite in direction and equal in magnitude, which is less than cotan^-1 of the Poisson ratio magnitude of the elastic beam material.

9. The isometric device as defined in claim 8, said third predetermined angle being ninety degrees.

18. The isometric device as defined in claim 5, each three gauges in a group being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

21. The isometric device as defined in claim 8, each three gauges in a group being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

22. The isometric device as defined in claim 9, each three gauges in a group being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

26. The isometric device as defined in claims 21 or 22, said first and second predetermined angles having a magnitude selected between zero degrees and forty five degrees, and being opposite in direction.

31. The device of claim 3, wherein said beam is flexible in two axes.

33. The device of claim 3, wherein said beam is substantially equally flexible in two axes.

6. A control device comprising:

an elastic beam;

strain gauges attached to the surface of said beam;

at least a first group of three of said strain gauges each having an operative axis thereof inclined with a single predetermined angle with respect to the main axis of said beam,

said strain gauges being disposed at a first predetermined level along said beam,

said single predetermined angle being less than cotan^-1 of the Poisson ratio of the beam angle.

19. The isometric device as defined in claim 6, said three strain gauges being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

16. A control device comprising:

an elastic beam;

strain gauges attached to the surface of said beam;

at least a first group of three of said strain gauges each having an operative axis thereof inclined with a single predetermined angle with respect to the main axis of said beam,

said strain gauges being disposed at a first predetermined level along said beam,

said three strain gauges being symmetrically disposed on said beam about said main axis.

24. The isometric device as defined in claim 16, 19 or 23, said single predetermined angle having a magnitude selected between zero degrees and forty five degrees.