Convertible peripheral input device

• US 5,786,807 A
• Filed: 05/28/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Gundlach, John, Kudou, Masanori, Mason, Sarah, Velinsky, Ira L., Guerrera, Steven Kevin, Hunter, Gregory, Couch, Johnny D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US08/654,396
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 345/161, 345/163, 345/167, 345/160, 345/157, 345/169, 273/148 B, 463/38, D14/100, D14/107, D14/114, D21/48
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/08 Interlocking of members, e.g. locking member in a particular position before or during the movement of another member
• 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: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/048 adapted for operation by left- and right-handed

Abstract

A convertible peripheral input device comprises a control pad and a multiaxis input device selectably mounted on either side of the control pad so that the multiaxis input device can be positioned for right-hand use or left-hand use according to the user'"'"'s preference. The multiaxis input device can be rotated from one position to another by use of a hinge mechanism with two points of rotation; one for rotation of the multiaxis input device 180 degrees relative to the hinge mechanism and the second point of rotation allowing the hinge mechanism to rotate 180 degrees relative to the control pad bottom surface. The rotatable hinge mechanism may be used with videogame control pads and joysticks as well as keyboards with mouse controllers.

Claims

1. A convertible peripheral input device comprising:

a control pad having a bottom surface;

a multiaxis input device having a bottom surface; and

a hinge member having a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, said hinge member being rotatably mounted to said control pad substantially 180 degrees with respect to said bottom surface of said control pad at said first end, said hinge member being rotatably mounted to said multiaxis input device substantially 180 degrees with respect to said bottom surface of said multiaxis input device at said second end,

wherein said multiaxis input device is movable to either the right or left side of said control pad.

2. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control pad has a first opening in said bottom surface thereof, and said first end of said hinge member has a first protrusion being fit in said first opening so that said hinge member is rotatable with respect to said bottom surface of said control pad.

3. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hinge member further comprises a third end extending in the same direction as said first end and a fourth end extending in the same direction as said second end, said control pad having a second opening in said bottom surface thereof, said third end having a second protrusion being fit in said second opening of said control pad.

4. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control pad has a first protrusion in said bottom surface thereof, and said first end of said hinge member has a first recess being fit to said first protrusion so that said hinge member is rotatable with respect to said bottom surface of said control pad.

5. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said hinge member further comprises a third end extending in the same direction as said first end and a fourth end extending in the same direction as said second end, said control pad having a second protrusion in said bottom surface thereof, said third end having a second recess being fit to said second protrusion of said control pad.

6. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control pad includes two raised portions each having a sidewall and a space formed between said sidewalls of said two raised portions in said bottom surface of said control pad, each of said sidewalls being perpendicular to said bottom surface of said control pad and having a slot-shaped opening therein, each of said raised portions having a notch adjacent to and continuous with the respective slot-shaped opening, said hinge member having a third end extending in the same direction as said first end, each of said first end and said third end having a protrusion being inserted into the respective notches and slot-shaped openings so that said protrusions are rotatable within said slot-shaped openings and movable along an extending direction of said slot-shaped openings.

7. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said protrusions of said hinge member comprises a cylindrical portion being fit in the respective one of said slot-shaped openings and a rectangular raised portion being inserted into the respective one of said notches.

8. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a securing device to rigidly secure said hinge member to said control pad.

9. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securing device comprises a screw fastened to said control pad through said hinge member.

10. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multiaxis input device is a joystick.

11. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multiaxis input device is a trackball.

12. The convertible peripheral input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multiaxis input device is a mouse controller.

13. A combination peripheral input device for a video game apparatus comprising:

a control pad having operator buttons on an upper surface and a right and a left side edge;

a joystick member having a cantilevered controller extending from an upper surface and a right and a left side edge which are respectively compatible with the control pad right and left side edges;

hinge member rotatably connected to a respective bottom surface of the control pad and the joystick member; and

means for releasably locking the hinge member to both the control pad and the joystick member, whereby the joystick member can be positioned on either the right or the left side edge of the control pad by movement of the hinge member.

14. The combination peripheral input device of claim 13 wherein the hinge member is also slidably connected to the bottom surface of the control pad.

15. The combination peripheral input device of claim 13 further including an input port extending traversely to the control pad button surface and an input port protector extending above the input port, the hinge member being indented on opposite sides to accommodate the input port protector.

16. A combination peripheral input device comprising:

a control pad having operator buttons on an upper surface and a right and a left side edge;

a joystick member having a cantilevered controller extending from an upper surface and a right and left side edge which are respectively compatible with the control pad right and left side edges;

movable means for movably connecting the control pad to the joystick member so that the

joystick member can be positioned on either the right or the left side edge of the control pad at the option of the operator, said movable means maintaining operative contact with the control pad and the joystick member during any re-positioning of the joystick member to either the right or the left side of the control pad to the other side; and

means for locking the joystick member to the control pad.

17. The combination peripheral input device of claim 16 wherein said movable means rotates the joystick across the control pad.

18. A combination peripheral input device for a video game apparatus comprising:

a control pad having operator buttons on an upper surface and a right and a left side edge;

a joystick member having a cantilevered controller extending from an upper surface and a right and a left side edge which are respectively compatible with the control pad right and left side edges;

a hinge member that is pivotally connected to the control pad with a pivot point that can be traversely moved across a bottom surface of the control pad for movably connecting the control pad to the joystick member so that the joystick member can be positioned on either the right or the left side edge of the control pad at the option of the operator; and

means for locking the joystick member to the control pad.