Foot operated electrical control with potentiometers

• US 5,177,473 A
• Filed: 03/28/1991
• Issued: 01/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank R. Drysdale
• Original Assignee: Frank R. Drysdale
• Inventors: Drysdale, Frank R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Au, A.
• Application Number:
  US07/676,448
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 74/512, 74/478, 74/559, 74/96, 74/481, 338/108, 338/153, 338/118, 338/176, 338/170, 338/167, 434/30, 434/29, 434/37, 434/45, 272/31 A, 272/31 B, 244/235, 244/236, 273/148 B, 273/85 G, 273/28 DIG., 340/706
• US Class Current: 74/512
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/28 Simulation of stick forces or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20189 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A foot operated electrical control is disclosed with simulated aircraft rudder pedals coupled to potentiometers for providing signals to a microcomputer having a flight simulation program. The pedals are additionally linked to one another by slides and a rocker arm for simultaneous pedal travel in opposite directions. The potentiometers may provide cumulative signals determined by pedal displacement or distinct signals when functioning independently of one another. For this latter purpose a carrier block for the rocker arm is positionable out of engagement with the foot pedals. Opposed springs of the control serve to position the pedals in an upright static position. Each pedal is coupled to a potentiometer by spring and pedal biased slides with one of the slides in wiping contact with the pedal.

Claims

1. A foot operated control for providing a variable voltage output to a personal computer having a flight simulation program, said control including,

a housing,

first and second pedals carried by said housing for individual displacement by foot pressure,

spring means acting on each of said pedals in opposite directions,

first and second potentiometers,

means coupling one each of said pedals to one each of said potentiometers to regulate potentiometer output,

pedal motion translating means including a carrier block movably mounted in said housing and having a first position operable to move each of said pedals in a direction opposite to the foot urged travel of the remaining pedal in the manner of aircraft rudder pedals and a second position to render the pedals operatively independent of each other,

said potentiometers in circuit with a terminal.

2. The foot operated control claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier block includes a rocker arm, plungers in said carried block acting on said rocker arm, one each of said plungers responsive to one each of said pedals whereby foot urged movement of one of said pedals imparts motion to said rocker arm to rotate same to reposition the other of said plungers and the pedal in contact therewith in an opposite direction.

3. The foot operated control claimed in claim 2 additionally including a retainer for supporting the carrier block in said first position and against plunger exerted forces.

4. The foot operated control claimed in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes plungers, spring means biasing said plungers, some of said plungers in endwise sliding contact with said pedals.

5. The foot operated control claimed in claim 1 additionally including switch means in the terminal in circuit with said potentiometers and operable to put said potentiometers in series with one another for cumulative signal output, said switch means additionally operable to provide independent output signals from said potentiometers to separate circuits.

6. In a foot operated electrical control including a housing and a pedal movably mounted in said housing, the improvement comprising,

a base in said housing and having a channel,

a potentiometer on said base having an arm disposed in said channel,

a first plunger in said channel and positionable in one direction by said pedal to move the potentiometer arm in one direction to vary the output of the potentiometer, a second plunger in said channel and also acting on said potentiometer arm to move same in a second direction oppositely to said first direction to vary potentiometer output, spring means acting on said second plunger to position the potentiometer arm to an initial position in the absence of foot pressure on the pedal.

7. A foot operated electrical control comprising,

a housing,

pedals movably mounted on said housing,

spring means biasing said pedals to an upright position,

potentiometers mounted in said housing,

slide means coupling said pedals to said potentiometers whereby movement of said pedals causes a change in potentiometer output,

pedal motion translation means in said housing including a carrier block having a rocker arm and slides in contact one each with each of said pedals and said rocker arm for imparting movement to one of said pedals opposite the direction of travel of the foot biased other of said pedals in the manner of aircraft rudder pedals, and

a terminal on said housing, said terminal including switch means in circuit with said potentiometers and operable to put said potentiometers in series with one another for cumulative signal output, said switch means additionally operable to provide independent output signal from said potentiometers to separate circuits.