Force feedback functioning manual input device and onboard instrument control system having it

• US 6,859,198 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Numata, Hidetaka, Onodera, Mikio, Seino, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/027,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/161, 345/184, 345/701, 463/38, 701/1, 701/36, 700/83, 307/10.1, 341/20, D14/412
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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

Abstract

A manual in put device is provided with a spherical bearing, a joystick type knob held swingably on the spherical bearing, a rotary knob disposed coaxially with the joystick type knob, a first actuator for loading an external force on the joystick type knob, a second actuator for loading an external force on the rotary knob, a control unit for controlling these first and second actuators, a guide member for defining an operation direction of the joystick type knob, first detection means for detecting an operation state of the joystick type knob, and second detection means for detecting an operation state of the rotary knob. In an onboard instrument control device, the built-in manual input device is contained in a box and the joystick type knob and the rotary knob and push button switches used for instrument selection are disposed on an upper surface of the box.

Claims

1. A manual input device comprising:

a joystick type knob;

a rotary knob that is disposed coaxially with the joystick type knob;

a first actuator to load an external force on the joystick type knob;

a second actuator to load an external force on the rotary knob;

a first detector to detect an operation state of the joystick type knob; and

a second detector to detect an operation state of the rotary knob.

2. The manual input device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member to define an operation direction of the joystick type knob.

3. The manual input device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that controls the first actuator based on a signal supplied from the first detector and controls the second actuator based on a signal supplied from the second detector, the control unit provided in a box that houses the manual input device.

4. The manual input device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that controls the first actuator based on a signal supplied from the first detector and controls the second actuator based on a signal supplied from the second detector, the control unit provided in an external apparatus.

5. An onboard instrument control device comprising:

electric instrument selection switches to select an electric instrument having a function to be controlled; and

a manual input device to control various functions of the electric instrument selected by use of one of the selection switches, the manual input device comprising a joystick type knob, a rotary knob that is disposed coaxially with the rotary knob, a first actuator to load an external force on the joystick type knob, a second actuator to load an external force on the rotary knob, a first detector to detect an operation state of the joystick type knob, and second detector to detect an operation state of the rotary knob.