Key-operating device for a hand-held video game apparatus

• US 6,933,861 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2002
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfadata Computer Corp.
• Original Assignee: Alfadata Computer Corp.
• Inventors: Wang, Rocky
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US10/307,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20040104825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 345/156, D21/385, D21/779, 463/47, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/46, 273/148.B, 361/679
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

A key-operating device includes a shell confining a chamber therein and connected to a video game apparatus with depressible keys, a lever pivotally mounted in the chamber and having protrusions projecting toward the keys, a wheel surrounding and connected to the shell and rotatable relative to the shell, and an actuating member projecting from the wheel and engageable with the lever in such a manner that rotation of the wheel results in engagement between the actuating member and the lever so as to permit fulcrum movement of the lever and pressing of the keys by the protrusions.

Claims

1. A key-operating device for a hand-held video game apparatus which has a display screen, depressible left and right keys, and a depressible function key, said key-operating device comprising:

a shell including opposite front and rear shell halves that are coupled together to define a mounting chamber therebetween, said rear shell half having an inner rear face confining a rear side of said mounting chamber, and an outer rear face opposite to said inner rear face, said shell being formed with a central opening extending through said front and rear shell halves, said outer rear face being adapted to be connected to the hand-held video game apparatus in such a manner that the display screen can be viewed through said central opening, said outer rear face being formed with a key-receiving opening that is disposed adjacent to said central opening and that is adapted to receive the left and right keys therein, said front and rear shell halves including a pair of opposing wings extending oppositely in a direction away from said central opening;

a spring-biased lever mounted pivotally on said inner rear face and having two opposite ends with key-pressing protrusions that are adapted to project rearwardly and respectively toward the left and right keys;

an operating wheel having an annular inner face that surrounds said shell, and formed with a pair of circumferentially extending retaining slots that extend inwardly of said operating wheel from said annular inner face and that receive respectively said wings so as to permit rotation of said operating wheel relative to said shell between first and second angular positions; and

an actuating member connected to and projecting from said annular inner face of said operating wheel toward said lever and engageable with said lever in such a manner that rotation of said operating wheel to said first angular position results in fulcrum movement of said lever in a first direction, which, in turn, results in pressing of one of the left and right keys by a respective one of said key-pressing protrusions, and that rotation of said operating wheel to said second angular position results in fulcrum movement of said lever in a second direction opposite to said first direction, which, in turn, results in pressing of the other one of the left and right keys by the other one of said key-pressing protrusions.

2. The key-operating device of claim 1, wherein said actuating member includes front and rear driving protrusions that cooperatively define a gap therebetween, and that respectively have rear and front inclined faces facing oppositely, and a driven protrusion that projects from an adjacent one of said ends of said lever into said gap, said front and rear inclined faces facing toward said driven protrusion and extending in a circumferential direction relative to said operating wheel, said front and rear inclined faces being inclined oppositely in said circumferential direction in such a manner that said rear inclined face presses said driven protrusion in a rearward direction upon rotation of said operating wheel to said first angular position, thereby permitting fulcrum movement of said lever in said first direction, and that said front inclined face presses said driven protrusion in a frontward direction upon rotation of said operating wheel to said second angular position, thereby permitting fulcrum movement of said lever in said second direction.

3. The key-operating device of claim 1, wherein said spring-biased lever includes an urging member sleeved on one of said key-pressing protrusions and abutting against a respective one of said ends of said lever so as to permit returning of said lever to a non-actuated position, in which, said key-pressing protrusions are adapted to disengage simultaneously and respectively from the left and right keys.

4. The key-operating device of claim 1, wherein said operating wheel confines an annular chamber therein, and is further formed with a pair of radially extending spring-abutting ribs in said annular chamber, said shell further including a spring-pushing arm projecting therefrom into said annular chamber between said spring-abutting ribs, said key-operating device further comprising a pair of coil springs disposed respectively between said spring-pushing arm and one of said spring-abutting ribs and between said spring-pushing arm and the other one of said spring-abutting ribs and abutting against said spring-pushing arm and said spring-abutting ribs so as to permit returning of said operating wheel to a middle position between said first and second angular positions when said operating wheel is positioned at one of said first and second angular positions.

5. The key-operating device of claim 1, wherein said front shell half is formed with an arcuate elongated opening that has two opposite ends, said rear shell half being formed with a through-hole that is registered with one of said ends of said elongated opening and that is adapted to be registered with the function key, said operating wheel further including a mounting tab projecting from said annular inner face toward said central opening and formed with a button-mounting hole that is registered with and that is disposed frontwardly of said elongated opening, said key-operating device further comprising a button that is mounted on said mounting tab, that projects movably through said button-mounting hole, and that has a first pushing protrusion which projects rearwardly into and through said elongated opening and which is movable together with said button along the length of said elongated opening upon rotation of said operating wheel, said key-operating device further comprising a spring-biased pressing member that is mounted movably in said mounting chamber and that has an elongated plate which is disposed rearwardly and which covers said elongated opening, and a second pushing protrusion which projects rearwardly from said elongated plate and through said through-hole in said rear shell half, said button being depressible rearwardly so as to push said elongated plate through said first pushing protrusion, which, in turn, results in pressing of the function key by said second pushing protrusion.