Joystick type multifunctional controller

• US 6,059,660 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Kataoka, Ichiro, Takada, Yoshihide, Ogawa, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B.
• Application Number:
  US09/015,666
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36-39, 273/148 B, 244/237, 345/156, 345/161
• US Class Current: 463/38
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 with additional push or pull action on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04781 with additional rotation of the controlling member
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04

Abstract

When an operational unit is inclined in an X- or Y-direction, an universal support mechanism and a rotation angle detection mechanism are used to detect the inclined direction and angle. The detection results are supplied to a computer system (not shown). When the operational unit is pushed down at the neutral position, a push detection switch detects it. The detection result is also supplied to the computer system. In addition, a rotation angle detection switch 10 detects rotation of the operational unit about a Z-axis. The detection result is supplied to the computer system.

Claims

1. A joystick type multifunctional controller comprising:

a stick;

an universal support mechanism that supports said stick such that said stick is universally inclined in the X- and Y-directions, shifted in the Z-directions, and prevented from being rotated about the Z-axis;

an operation detection mechanism for detecting an inclined direction of said stick, an inclined angle, and whether the stick is pushed down;

an operational unit rotatably mounted on the upper portion of said stick, said operational unit being rotated about the central axis of said stick when being rotationally biased about the Z-axis; and

a rotation angle detection switch for detecting a rotation angle of said operational unit.

2. A joystick type multifunctional controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotation angle detection switch comprises:

a disk plate fixedly provided at a position that is lower by a predetermined distance than the upper end of said stick;

a plurality of switch contacts on the periphery of said disk plate;

a sliding piece fixed to the lower portion of a cylinder forming said operational unit; and

a slide contact provided on the sliding piece at one end thereof, the slide contact being to successively contact with the switch contacts when the cylinder rotates and, in turn, the sliding piece rotates.

3. A joystick type multifunctional controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said universal support mechanism comprises:

a first U-shaped groove plate formed of a stick rotation prevention block and two supporting plates, the stick rotation prevention block having a predetermined thickness and having an elongate slot formed in the central portion thereof and the supporting plates being integrally formed of the stick rotation prevention block at the respective ends thereof, said first U-shaped groove plate being rotatably placed about the X-axis, said joystick being passed through said first U-shaped groove plate; and

a second U-shaped groove plate formed of a long thin plate having an elongate slot formed in the central portion thereof, said second U-shaped groove plate being rotatably placed about the Y-axis, said stick being passed through said second U-shaped groove plate.

4. A joystick type multifunctional controller as claimed in claim 3 wherein said stick has a lower portion having a square pole shape and an upper portion having a cylindrical shape which passes through a ball.