Manual control device for use with amusement machine

• US 6,030,291 A
• Filed: 05/28/1997
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Maki, Toyozo, Nagao, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARADISO, JOHN ROGER
• Application Number:
  US08/864,039
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148 B, 273/148 R, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 345/156-184, 434/45
• US Class Current: 463/38
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04744 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• 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 2203/013 Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 Force feedback applied to a joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A manual control device for use as a joystick with a amusement machine has a control lever tiltably mounted on a support plate by a bearing and a detecting mechanism for detecting a tilting displacement of the control lever to control a displayed character or object in a video game played on the amusement machine. A stimulus imparting mechanism is actuatable depending on how a video game played by the amusement machine develops and moves the control lever to impart a stimulus through the control lever to a game player of the video game. A resistance imparting mechanism is actuatable depending on how the video game played by the amusement machine develops and imparts resistive forces to the control lever against forces applied by the game player to move the control lever.

Claims

1. A manual control device for use with a amusement machine, comprising:

a support structure;

a control lever;

a bearing tiltably mounting said control lever on said support structure;

a detecting mechanism for detecting a tilting displacement of said control lever;

a stimulus imparting mechanism actuatable, depending on how a video game played on the amusement machine by a game player develops, for moving said control lever to impart a stimulus through the control lever to the game player of the video game; and

a resistance imparting mechanism actuatable, depending on how the video game played on the amusement machine by the game player develops, for imparting resistive forces to said control lever against forces applied by the game player to move said control lever.

2. A manual control device according to claim 1, wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism comprises an eccentric weight rotatably supported on said support plate and a rotary actuator mounted on said support plate for rotating said eccentric weight.

3. A manual control device according to claim 1, wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism comprises a shaft, said support plate being swingably supported by said shaft, and a swinging mechanism for swinging said support plate about said shaft.

4. A manual control device according to claim 1, wherein said resistance imparting mechanism comprises a coupling connected to a lower end of said control lever through a flexible joint, and an actuating mechanism for pulling said coupling downwardly to press said control lever against said bearing.

5. A manual control device according to claim 1, wherein said resistance imparting mechanism comprises a slide plate operatively coupled to said control lever and a sliding mechanism for pulling said slide plate in a direction to tilt said control lever.

12. A manual control device according to claim 1 wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism comprises a support plate operable to impart a stimulus to the control lever, said support plate being actuatable to impart said stimulus to the control lever separately from the actuation of said resistance imparting mechanism to impart said resistive forces to said control lever.

14. A manual control device according to claim 1 wherein said resistance imparting mechanism is actuatable to impart said resistive forces to the control lever separately from the actuation of said stimulus imparting mechanism to impart said stimulus to said control lever.

6. A manual control device for controlling a displayed element in a video game played by a game player on a amusement machine, comprising:

a tiltable control lever manually operable by the game player of the video game;

a detecting mechanism for detecting a tilting displacement of said control lever to control the displayed element;

a stimulus imparting mechanism actuatable, depending on how the video game played by the game player develops, for imparting a stimulative physical action to said manually operable control lever; and

a resistance imparting mechanism actuatable, depending on how the video game played by the game player develops, for imparting resistive forces to said manually operable control lever against manual forces applied by the game player to move said control lever.

7. A manual control device according to claim 6, further comprising a frame and a support plate mounted on said frame, a bearing tiltable supporting said control lever on said support plate, said detecting mechanism, said stimulus imparting mechanism, and said resistance imparting mechanism being mounted on said frame.

8. A manual control device according to claim 7, wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism comprises an eccentric weight rotatably supported on said support plate and a rotary actuator mounted on said support plate for rotating said eccentric weight.

9. A manual control device according to claim 7, wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism comprises a shaft fixedly mounted in said frame, said support plate being swingably supported by said shaft, and a swinging mechanism for swinging said support plate about said shaft.

10. A manual control device according to claim 7, wherein said resistance imparting mechanism comprises a coupling connected to a lower end of said control lever through a flexible joint, and an actuating mechanism for pulling said coupling downwardly to press said control lever against said bearing.

11. A manual control device according to claim 7, wherein said resistance imparting mechanism comprises a slide plate operatively coupled to said control lever and a sliding mechanism for pulling said slide plate in a direction to tilt said control lever.

13. A manual control device according to claim 6 wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism comprises a support plate operable to impart a stimulus to the control lever, said support plate being actuatable to impart said stimulus to the control lever separately from the actuation of said resistance imparting mechanism to impart said resistive forces to said control lever.

15. A manual control device for use with a amusement machine, comprising:

a support plate;

a control lever movable to a plurality of displaced positions;

a bearing movably supporting said control lever on said support plate;

a detecting mechanism for detecting displaced positions of said control lever; and

a stimulus imparting mechanism for moving said control lever to impart a stimulus through the control lever, said stimulus imparting mechanism being actuatable depending on the development of the video game played on the amusement machine;

said stimulus imparting mechanism comprising a vibration device on said support plate, said vibration device being actuated independently of the displaced position of the control lever; and

a resistance imparting mechanism for imparting resistance to the control lever depending on another development of the video game played on the amusement machine.

16. A manual control device according to claim 15 wherein said vibration device includes an eccentric weight rotatably supported on said support plate and a rotary actuator mounted on said support plate for rotating said eccentric weight.

17. A manual control device for use with a amusement machine, comprising:

a frame;

a support plate on said frame;

a control lever having a longitudinal axis;

a bearing movably supporting said control lever on said support plate;

a detecting mechanism for detecting movement of said control lever; and

a stimulus imparting mechanism for moving said control lever to impart a stimulus through the control lever, said stimulus imparting mechanism being actuatable depending on the development of the video game played on the amusement machine;

said stimulus imparting mechanism comprising a shaft on said frame, said shaft having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said control lever, said support plate being pivotably supported by said shaft, and a swinging mechanism for pivoting said support plate about said shaft; and

a stimulus imparting mechanism for imparting stimulus to the control lever depending on another development of the video game played on the amusement machine.

18. A manual control device according to claim 17, wherein said resistance imparting mechanism comprises a slide plate operatively coupled to said control lever and a sliding mechanism for pulling said slide plate in a direction to tilt said control lever.

19. A manual control device for use with a amusement machine on which a video game is played by a player, comprising:

a support structure;

a control lever moveable to a plurality of positions;

a bearing movably supporting said control lever on said support structure;

a detecting mechanism for detecting movement of said control lever; and

a resistance imparting mechanism for imparting resistance forces to said control lever against forces applied by said player to move said control lever, said resistance imparting mechanism being actuatable depending on the development of the video game played by the player on the amusements machine;

said resistance imparting mechanism comprising a pulling device for pulling said control lever downwardly to press said control lever against said bearing; and

a stimulus imparting mechanism for imparting stimulus to the control lever depending on another development of the video game played on the amusement machine.

20. A manual control device according to claim 19 wherein said pulling device includes a coupling and a flexible joint between said control lever and said support structure, said pulling device further comprising an actuating mechanism for pulling said control lever downwardly to press said control lever against said bearing.

21. A manual control device for use with a amusement machine, comprising:

a frame;

a support plate;

a pivot device pivotably supporting said support plate on said frame;

a control lever moveable to a plurality of positions;

a bearing movably supporting said control lever on said support plate;

a stimulus imparting mechanism for moving said control lever to impart a stimulus through the control lever, said stimulus imparting mechanism being actuatable depending on the development of the video game played on the amusement machine;

said stimulus imparting mechanism comprising an eccentric weight rotatably supported on said support plate and a rotary actuator mounted on said support plate for rotating said eccentric weight; and

a resistance imparting mechanism for imparting resistance to the control lever depending on another development of the video game played on the amusement machine.

22. A manual control device according to claim 21 wherein said bearing has a bearing part disposed at one location on said support plate, said eccentric weight being mounted on another location of said support plate, said pivot device being disposed between said one and said another location.

23. A manual control device according to claim 21 wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism further comprises an operable device connected to said support plate for effecting pivotable movement of said support plate about said pivot axis.

24. A manual control device according to claim 22 wherein said bearing has one part mounted on said support plate and another part mounted on said control lever, said pivotal movement of said support plate effecting displacement of said first and second bearing parts relative to said frame.

25. A manual control device according to claim 22 wherein said stimulus imparting mechanism further comprises a biasing device between said frame and said support plate for biasing said support plate in one pivotal direction.

26. A manual control device according to claim 22 wherein said pivotal movement of said support plate effects displacement of said control lever relative to said frame.

27. A manual control device according to claim 22 wherein said frame has a frame part having an opening juxtaposed to said control lever, said bearing having a bearing part on said control lever, said bearing part being spaced from said frame part a first distance when said support plate is in one pivotal position, said bearing part being spaced from said frame part another distance when said support plate is in another pivotal position.

28. A control device for use with an amusement machine on which a video game is played by a player, comprising:

a support structure;

a control lever moveable to a plurality of displaced portions;

a bearing movably supporting said control lever on said support structure;

a detecting mechanism for detecting movement of said control lever; and

a stimulus imparting mechanism for moving said control lever to impart a stimulus through the control lever;

said stimulus imparting mechanism being actuated depending on the development of the video game played by the player on said amusement machine, said stimulus imparting mechanism being actuated regardless of what displaced position the control lever happens to be when said actuation of said stimulus imparting mechanism occurs; and

a resistance imparting mechanism for imparting resistance to the control lever depending on another development of the video game played on the amusement machine.

29. A manual control device according to claim 28 wherein said support structure includes a support plate, said bearing including a first bearing part on said support plate and a second bearing part on said control lever, said stimulus imparting mechanism includes a first device for vibrating said bearing which in turn vibrates said control lever, said stimulus imparting mechanism further comprising a second device for displacing said bearing between a raised position and a lowered position which in turn displaces said control lever between a raised position and a lowered position.

30. A manual control device according to claim 28 wherein said support structure includes a support plate, said bearing including a first bearing part on said support plate and a second bearing part on said control lever, said resistance imparting mechanism varying the resistance between said first and second bearing parts which in turn varies the force to be applied to the control lever to move said control lever to said plurality of displaced positions.

31. A manual control device according to claim 28 wherein said resistance imparting mechanism is mounted on said support structure and engageable with said control lever to limit the displaceable positions to which said control lever is moveable by the player of the video game.

32. A manual control device according to claim 31 wherein said resistance imparting mechanism is operable to vary the displaceable positions to which said control lever is limited by the player of the video groove.