Multi-axial joy stick device

• US 5,379,663 A
• Filed: 11/22/1993
• Issued: 01/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Company Limited (Mitsui E&S Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Company Limited (Mitsui E&S Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hara, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorence, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US08/155,340
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 74/471 R, 74/471 XY, 74/491, 74/523, 74/546, 244/234, 244/236, 244/237, 273/148 B
• US Class Current: 74/471.0XY
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/02 Hand grip control means handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/62 Arm rests
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04 in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20396 Hand operated

Abstract

A device for remotely controlling a multi-axial device has: an arm on which an operator'"'"'s arm is set; a handle connected to front end of the arm; and joints for the arm and the handle. By the operation of the operator'"'"'s arm and hand set on the arm and handle, the arm can be extended and horizontally and vertically pivoted, and the handle can be horizontally and vertically pivoted and, preferably, rolled as well. The arm portion outputs operational changes with respect to three axes of the horizontal rotation, the vertical rotation and the extending movement. The arm front portion outputs operational changes with respect to the three axes of the horizontal, vertical and rolling rotations. Thus, the number of axes employed in the master can be increased to detect a variety of movements thereof. The operational directions of the joy stick agree with the directions of the three rectangular coordinate axes. Thus, the device provides three-dimensional data regarding position and angle.

Claims

1. A multi-axial joy stick device for remotely controlling a multi-axial controlled device, comprising:

an extendable arm on which an operator'"'"'s arm is set, said arm having a movable arm portion extendable by a sliding joint;

a base bracket which connects a rear end portion of said extendable arm to a base and a top bracket erected from said extendable arm at an end connected to said base, said base bracket and said top bracket having two rotational shafts perpendicular to each other at said rear end portion of said arm to form a rotational joint at an operator'"'"'s elbow, one of said two rotational shafts being a horizontal rotary shaft secured to a top portion of said top bracket;

a handle provided at a front end portion of said extendable arm; and

a first front bracket which connects said handle to the arm and which provides two front rotational shafts perpendicular to each other at said front end portion of said arm and a second front bracket with another rotational shaft connected to said first front bracket with an axis of said another rotational shaft extending through an intersecting point of the axes of said two shafts of said first front bracket wherein said first and second front brackets are arranged so that the intersecting point of the axes of the front rotational shafts coincides with the center of an operator'"'"'s wrist set on the device to form a rotational joint at said operator'"'"'s wrist.

2. A multi-axial joy stick device according to claim 1, wherein said handle is rotatably connected to the second front bracket.

3. A multi-axial joy stick device for remotely operating a multi-axial controlled device, comprising:

a main arm on which an operator'"'"'s arm is set;

a sub-arm slidably connected by a sliding joint to said main arm;

a base bracket which has two rotational shafts perpendicular to each other and which connects a rear end portion of said main arm by the rotational shafts to a base to form a rotational joint at an operator'"'"'s elbow and a top bracket erected from said main arm at an end connected to said base bracket, one of said two rotational shafts being a horizontal rotary shaft secured to a top portion of said top bracket, said two rotational shafts being perpendicular to each other at said rear end portion of said arm to form a rotational joint so that said main arm can be horizontally and vertically pivoted;

a handle which is connected to a front end portion of said sub-arm;

a first front bracket which connects said handle to the sub-arm and which provides two rotational shafts perpendicular to each other at said front end portion of said arm and a second front bracket with another rotational shaft connected to said first front bracket with an axis of said another rotational shaft extending through an intersecting point of the axes of said two shafts of said first front bracket wherein said first and second front brackets are arranged so that the intersecting point of the axes of the rotational shafts of said front end portion coincides with the center of an operator'"'"'s wrist set on the device to form a rotational joint at an operator'"'"'s wrist connecting said handle to said sub-arm so that the handle can be horizontally and vertically pivoted.

4. A multi-axial joy stick device according to claim 3, wherein said base is formed of a member of a chair and the joy stick is placed at an armrest position of the chair.

5. A multi-axial joy stick device for remotely operating a multi-axial controlled device, comprising:

a main arm on which an operator'"'"'s arm is set;

a sub-arm slidably connected by a sliding joint to said main arm;

a base bracket which has two rotational shafts perpendicular to each other and which connects a rear end portion of said main arm by the rotational shafts to a base to form a rotational joint at an operator'"'"'s elbow and a top bracket erected from said main arm at an end connected to said base bracket, one of said two rotational shafts being a horizontal rotary shaft secured to a top portion of said top bracket, said two rotational shafts being perpendicular to each other at said rear end portion of said arm to form a rotational joint so that said main arm can be horizontally and vertically pivoted;

a handle which is connected to a front end portion of said sub-arm;

a first front bracket which connects said handle to the sub-arm and on which two of three front rotational shafts are perpendicular to each other at said front end portion of said arm and a second front bracket with a remaining front rotational shaft of said three front rotational shafts being connected to said first front bracket with an axis of said remaining front rotational shaft extending through an intersecting point of the axes of said two shafts of said first front bracket wherein said first and second front brackets are arranged so that the intersecting point of the axes of the front rotational shafts coincides with the center of an operator'"'"'s wrist set on the device to form a rotational joint at an operator'"'"'s wrist connecting said handle to said sub-arm so that the handle can be horizontally, vertically and rollingly pivoted.