Radio control device

• US 6,417,780 B1
• Filed: 07/12/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Futaba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Futaba Corporation
• Inventors: Konno, Youichi, Naruke, Giichi, Tanaka, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIMIZU, MATSUICHIRO
• Application Number:
  US09/350,913
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 455/98, 455/92, 455/186.1, 455/95, 341/176, 318/16, 318/581, 318/584, 318/585, 318/586, 446/454, 446/456
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04

Abstract

A radio control device is provided that has the D/R function wherein the rate can be switched by a simple operation without impairing the operability of a stick. The adjustment value (rate) determining a relationship between stick operation amount and servo motor operation amount is switched at the changeover point arbitrarily set within a range of stick operation amounts. The rate 1 is 100% while the rate 2 is 60%. The point 1 is set to the position corresponding to about 65% of the maximum value of the stick operation amount in the right direction (or down direction). The point 2 is set to the position corresponding to about 85% of the maximum value of the stick operation amount in the left direction (or up direction). In the rate 2, the rudder does not effectively work over the range where the operation amount of the stick is relatively small. When the adjustment value exceeds the point, the mode enters the rate 1, so that the rudder works effectively. As a result, the servo can be largely controlled with a small operation amount of the stick.

Claims

1. A radio control device, comprising:

means for setting a changeover point;

adjustment value setting means for setting an adjustment value in a region in front of or behind said changeover point;

comparison means for comparing an operation amount of a stick with said changeover point multiple servo motors mounted on a manipulated body; and

adjustment value switching means for selecting the adjustment value set by said adjustment value setting means based on outputs of said comparison means,

wherein a control signal is output based on a selected adjustment value and the operation amount of said stick,

an operation amount of each servo motor is controlled by operating said stick mounted on a transmitter, and

an adjustment value determining a relationship between stick operation amount and servo motor operation amount is switched at the changeover point arbitrarily set within a range of stick operation amounts.

2. The radio control device as defined in claim 1, wherein when first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

3. A radio control device wherein a stick mounted on a transmitter is operated in two directions oppositely to each other with respect to the origin point so that the operation amount of a servo motor mounted on a manipulated body is controlled in two directions oppositely to each other;

wherein an adjustment value determining a relationship between stick operation amount and servo motor operation amount has a different value between an inner region sandwiched between two changeover points and outer regions other than said region, said two changeover points being arbitrarily set within a range of operation amounts of said stick and sandwiching said origin point.

4. The radio control device as defined in claim 3, wherein when a first changeover point is set within said stick operation amount range, a second changeover point is set at a position which is symmetrical with respect to said first changeover point via said origin point.

5. The radio control device as defined in claim 4, further comprising means for setting said changeover point;

adjustment value setting means for setting said two adjustment values;

comparison means for comparing an operation amount from said stick with said changeover point; and

adjustment value switching means for selecting any one of two adjustment values set to said adjustment value setting means based on an output from said comparison means, whereby a control signal is output based on a selected adjustment value and an operation amount of said stick.

6. The radio control device as defined in claim 3, wherein when first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

7. The radio control device as defined in claim 4, wherein when first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

8. The radio control device as defined in claim 5, wherein when first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

9. A radio control device, comprising:

an input section configured to set a changeover point;

a rate setting section configured to set an adjustment value in a region in the front of or behind said changeover point;

comparators configured to compare an operation amount of a stick with said changeover point; and

a switch configured to select an adjustment value set by said rate setting section and based on outputs of said comparators,

wherein a control signal is output based on the selected adjustment value and the operation amount of said stick,

an operation amount of each servo motor mounted on a manipulated body is controlled by operating a stick mounted on a transmitter, and

an adjustment value determining a relationship between stick operation amount and servo motor operation amount is switched at the changeover point arbitrarily set within a range of stick operation amounts.

10. The radio control device as defined in claim 9, wherein when a first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, a second servo control of said a stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

11. A radio control device comprising:

an input section configured to set a changeover point;

a rate setting section configured to set two adjustment values;

comparators configured to compare an operation amount of a stick with said changeover point; and

a switch configured to select any one of said two adjustment values set to said rate setting section based on outputs from said comparators,

wherein a control signal is output based on a selected adjustment value and an operation amount of said stick.

12. A radio control device as defined in claim 11, wherein a stick mounted on a transmitter is operated in two directions opposite to each other with respect to an origin point so that an operation amount of each servo motor mounted on a manipulated body is controlled in two directions opposite to each other, and

wherein an adjustment value determining a relationship between stick operation amount and servo motor operation amount has a different value between an inner region sandwiched between two changeover points and outer regions other than said inner region, said two changeover points being arbitrarily set within a range of operation amounts of said stick and sandwiching said origin point.

13. The radio control device as defined in claim 12, wherein when a first changeover point is set within said stick operation amount range, a second changeover point is set at a position which is symmetrical with respect to said first changeover point via said origin point.

14. The radio control device as defined in claim 11, wherein when a first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, a second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

15. The radio control device as defined in claim 12, wherein when a first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, a second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.

16. The radio control device as defined in claim 13, wherein when a first servo control of a first stick is performed with said changeover point arbitrarily set and said adjustment value, a second servo control of a second stick is performed in a similar manner to said first servo control.