Joystick device

• US 6,002,351 A
• Filed: 07/09/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hoshiden Corporation, Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoshiden Corporation, Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Masahiko, Takamoto, Junji, Koshima, Kazuo, Takeda, Genyo, Miyoshi, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US08/860,777
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341/21, 74/471 XY, 74/471 R, 345/156, 345/161, 200/6 R, 200/6 A
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04755 Magnetic sensor, e.g. hall generator, pick-up coil
• 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: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

A joystick device includes a case so that first and second rocking members are respectively supported in a overlapped manner by first and second bearings formed in the case with their first and second elongate holes positioned perpendicular to each other. The operation of the lever inserted through the first and second elongate holes causes tilt movement in at least one of the rocking members so that the movement of the rocking member is supplied as a pulse signal by a detecting device. The lever includes an engaging portion engaged with the rocking member on the upper side, and a spherical portion formed at a position above the same rocking member. The cover has a hole having an inner peripheral edge with which an outer peripheral surface of the spherical portion is contacted so that the lever is operable in every direction. A spring is provided with the case, which acts to press down the rocking member thereby returning the lever to a neutral position.

Claims

1. A joystick device comprising:

a case;

first and second bearing portions formed in said case to have respective axes extending perpendicular to each other;

a first rocking member having first support shafts supported by said first bearing portions, and a first elongate hole that extends in an axial direction of said first support shafts;

a second rocking member having second support shafts supported by said second bearing portions, and a second elongate hole that extends in an axial direction of said second support shaft, said first rocking member and said second rocking member being arranged in an overlapped state such that said first elongate hole and said second elongate hole extend perpendicular to each other and having a first flat portion and a second flat portion involved in a same plane;

a lever inserted through said first elongate hole and said second elongate hole, said lever when operated causing rocking movement in at least one of said first rocking member and said second rocking member, said lever including an engaging portion in engagement with one of said first rocking member and said second rocking member and a spherical portion formed at a position thereof above said second rocking member;

a detector operable to detect rocking movement in at least one of said first rocking member and said second rocking member to output an electric signal;

a cover attached to said case and having a hole defined by an inner peripheral edge that contacts with an outer peripheral surface of said spherical portion, said hole holding said spherical portion so that said lever can be operated in every direction; and

a spring provided within said case so as to return said lever to a neutral position by elastically repelling downward said first flat portion and said second portion in a constant manner.

2. A joystick device according to claim 1, wherein said case includes an inner case (22) and an outer case (14) accommodating said inner case, said cover being fitted on said outer case.

3. A joystick device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation-preventive device provided at a position of contact between said spherical portion and said inner peripheral edge of said hole to prevent said lever from rotating about an axis thereof.

4. A joystick device according to claim 3, wherein said rotation-preventive device includes a groove formed in said spherical portion to extend in a parallel direction, and a hub which projects from said inner peripheral edge of said hole to be slidably fitted in said groove.

5. A joystick device according to claim 1, wherein said spring includes a first torsion coil spring (128) that is fitted over said first support shaft and has two first leg portions (128a, 128b) fixed in said case, and a second torsion coil spring (130) that is fitted over said second support shaft and has two second leg portions (130a, 130b) fixed in said case.

6. A joystick device according to claim 5, wherein said first rocking member includes a first opening (120) formed beneath said first support shaft, said first leg portions of said first torsion coil spring being passed through said first opening to be fixed in said case, said second rocking member including a second opening (126) formed beneath said second support shaft, said second leg portions of said second torsion coil spring being passed through said second opening to be fixed in said case.

7. A joystick device according to claim 1, wherein said first rocking member and said second rocking member respectively include a first flat portion (48a, 48b) and a second flat portion (58a, 58b) which are involved in a same plane, said spring (84) being interposed between said first flat portion and said second flat portion and said cover to elastically repel downward said first flat portion and said second flat portion in a constant manner.

8. A joystick device according to claim 7, wherein said cover has a wall that rises from said hole toward an outward portion thereof to thereby form a space around said wall beneath said cover, said spring being accommodated within said space.

9. A joystick device according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a press-down member disposed between a lower end of said spring and said first and second flat surfaces to have a horizontal surface when said lever is at the neutral position, the repellent force of said spring being transmitted through said press-down member to said first and second flat planes.

10. A joystick device according to claim 1, wherein said detector includes a first detecting device including a first displacing member coupled to said first rocking member to be displaced depending upon rocking movement of said first rocking member, a first detectable portion formed in said first displacing member, and a first detecting element for detecting said first detectable portion, and a second detecting device including a second displacing member coupled to said second rocking member to be displaced depending upon rocking movement of said second rocking member, a second detectable portion formed in said second displacing member and a second detecting element for detecting said second detectable portion.

11. A joystick device according to claim 10, wherein said first detected portion is placed at a predetermined interval in a displacing direction of said first displacing member, said second detected portion being placed at a predetermined interval in a displacing direction of said second displacing member,

each of said first detecting element and said second detecting element including at least four detecting portions so that two adjacent detecting portions simultaneously detect said detectable portions while the remaining two detecting portions are between said detectable portions, and

said detector further including a first operational amplifier which receives outputs of first and third detecting portions and a second operational amplifier which receives outputs of second and fourth detecting portions to thereby determine the direction of displacement in said first displacing member and said second displacing member.

12. A joystick device according to claim 11, wherein each of said first detectable portion and said second detectable portion includes a plurality of slits, said detecting portion being a light receiving portion for receiving light passed through said slit.

13. A joystick device according to claim 11, wherein each of said first detectable portion and said second detectable portion includes a plurality of magnetic portions, said detecting portion being a magnetically-sensitive portion for receiving a magnetic force of said magnetic portion.

14. A joystick device comprising:

an operating member to be tilt-operated by a hand;

an initial-position returning mechanism arranged to be automatically returned to an initial position thereof when said operating member is released from an external force;

a first interacting member arranged for interacting solely with movement in a first direction of said operating member;

a second interacting member arranged for interacting solely with movement in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of said operating member;

a first displacing member having a gear portion in mesh with a gear portion formed in said first interacting member so as to be rotated based on movement of said first interacting member;

a second displacing member having a gear portion in mesh with a gear portion formed in said second interacting member so as to be rotated based on movement of said second interacting member;

a first sensor including a two channel, two phase detecting element for detecting an amount of displacement in said first displacing member to output a pulse;

a second sensor including a two channel, two phase detecting element for detecting an amount of displacement in said second displacing member to output a pulse;

a spherical portion formed at a portion of center of tilt movement in said operating member;

a cover having a hole defined by an inner peripheral edge in contact with an outer peripheral surface of said spherical portion, said hole supporting said spherical portion so that said lever can be operated in every direction; and

a rotation-preventive means provided at a contact position between said spherical portion and said inner peripheral edge of said hole to prevent said lever from rotating about an axis thereof.

15. A joystick device, comprising:

an operating member to be tilt-operated by a hand;

an initial-position returning mechanism arranged to be automatically returned to an initial-position thereof when said operating member is released from an external force;

a first interacting member arranged for interacting solely with movement in a first direction of said operating member, and having an elongate hole;

a second interacting member arranged for interacting solely with movement in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction of said operating member, and having a second elongate hole extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction that said first elongate hole extends, said second interacting member being positioned below said first interacting member; and

an engaging projection integrally formed in the vicinity of a lower end of said operating member to project along said second elongate hole to a length greater than a width of said first elongate hole, said engaging projection being slidable inside said second elongate hole and engaged with a bottom surface of said first interacting member to thereby prevent said operating member from being upwardly pulled off.

16. A joystick device comprising:

a case;

first and second bearing portions formed in said case to have respective axes extending perpendicular to each other;

a first rocking member having first support shafts supported by said first bearing portions, and a first elongate hole that extends in an axial direction of said first support shafts;

a second rocking member having second support shafts supported by said second bearing portions, and a second elongate hole that extends in an axial direction of said second support shaft, said first rocking member and said second rocking member being arranged in an overlapped state such that said first elongate hole and said second elongate hole extend perpendicular to each other and having a first flat portion and a second flat portion involved in a same plane;

a lever inserted through said first elongate hole and said second elongate hole, said lever when operated causing rocking movement in at least one of said first rocking member and said second rocking member, said lever including an engaging portion in engagement with one of said first rocking member and said second rocking member and a spherical portion formed at a position thereof above said second rocking member;

a detector operable to detect rocking movement in at least one of said first rocking member and said second rocking member to output an electric signal;

a cover attached to said case and having a hole defined by an inner peripheral edge that contacts with an outer peripheral surface of said spherical portion, said hole holding said spherical portion so that said lever can be operated in every direction; and

a spring provided within said case so as to return said lever to a neutral position by elastically repelling downward said first flat portion and said second portion in a constant manner;

said joystick device further comprising a pressing down member disposed between a lower end of said spring and said first and second flat surfaces to have a horizontal surface when said lever is at the neutral position, the repellent force of said spring being transmitted through said press-down member to said first and second flat planes.