Multiple degree of freedom damped hand controls
First Claim
1. A hand control device capable of damping motions during operation by a user, the device comprising:
- a chamber filled with a viscous fluid;
a transmission assembly comprising a first inner shaft coupled to a second outer shaft and concentric with each other, said first shaft having a handle to be held by the user and said second shaft being at least partially disposed within said fluid of said chamber;
drag means coupled to said second shaft of said transmission assembly and disposed within said fluid for damping motion of said transmission assembly; and
position-sensing means disposed about the transmission assembly for sensing the position of said transmission assembly relative to a defined reference frame and for generating electrical signals indicative of said position, said position-sensing means being activated by said first shaft during operation to generate electrical signals when said shaft is displaced from said reference frame.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Hand control devices are disclosed which provide for damping of vibrations and other unintended motion with three or more degrees of freedom. In one embodiment, a four degree of freedom damped hand control is illustrated, including a chamber filled with a viscous fluid, and a transmission which couples movement of a handle in the X, Y and Z directions and rotation in a θ direction about one of the axes to movements of one or more drag elements in the fluid. The hand control further includes a position-sensing and a rotation-sensing assembly for sensing the position of the handle relative to a reference frame and for generating electrical signals indicative of the position and angle.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A hand control device capable of damping motions during operation by a user, the device comprising:
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a chamber filled with a viscous fluid; a transmission assembly comprising a first inner shaft coupled to a second outer shaft and concentric with each other, said first shaft having a handle to be held by the user and said second shaft being at least partially disposed within said fluid of said chamber; drag means coupled to said second shaft of said transmission assembly and disposed within said fluid for damping motion of said transmission assembly; and position-sensing means disposed about the transmission assembly for sensing the position of said transmission assembly relative to a defined reference frame and for generating electrical signals indicative of said position, said position-sensing means being activated by said first shaft during operation to generate electrical signals when said shaft is displaced from said reference frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification