JPH10207566A - Joy stick type controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to input point information without inclining a stick or the like, to make it possible to operate another switch even during the input of point information, to eliminate the necessity of inclination space for a stick or the like, and to improve the efficiency of space on a switch panel. SOLUTION: A stick 4 is vertically erected on a controller casing 2, a key top housing 7 is rotatably arranged on the upper part side of the stick 4, and when the housing 7 is excited so as to be rotated, the rotational direction and angle of the housing 7 are detected by an adjustable supporting mechanism 8 and an angle detection mechanism 9 arranged in the housing 7 and these detection results are outputted to a computer system side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a joystick type controller used in a computer system or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a coordinate input device device of a computer system, a mouse device, a joystick type controller and the like have been conventionally known.

The joystick-type controller includes a controller housing formed in a rectangular shape, a joystick inserted into a hole formed on an upper surface of the controller housing so as to be tiltable, and a joystick controller arranged in the controller housing. A universal support mechanism for tiltably supporting the joystick in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and an angle detection mechanism for detecting a tilt direction and a tilt angle of the universal support mechanism, when the joystick is tilted. The tilt direction and tilt angle are detected, and the detection result is supplied to the computer system.

FIG. 4 shows an example of such a conventional joystick type controller. As shown in FIG. 4, the joystick-type controller includes a U-shaped groove plate
And a U-shaped groove plate 104 rotatably arranged in the X-axis direction about the Y-axis 103 to form a free support mechanism 105, and a potentiometer for detecting the rotation angle of each of the U-shaped groove plates 102, 104 The angle detection mechanism 110 is constituted by 106 and 107. The lower part of the joystick 109 supported by the spherical part 108 formed on the lower side so as to be tiltable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is inserted into the grooves of the U-shaped groove plates 102 and 104. In use, when the joystick 109 is tilted, each U-shaped groove plate 102, 104 is rotated according to the tilted direction and angle, and each U-shaped groove plate 102, 104 is rotated by each potentiometer 106, 107. A moving angle is detected. Thus, the tilt direction and tilt angle of the joystick 109 are detected.

[0005]

However, according to the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, when the movement range of the joystick 109 is sufficiently taken into consideration, as shown in FIG. Necessary for tilting the joystick 109 around the spherical portion 108,
A rather large hole 112 must be formed. Further, when the joystick 109 is tilted, the range of movement is wide, so that the positional relationship between another switch (not shown) arranged on the upper side of the controller housing 111 and the joystick 109 changes. There have been problems such as the difficulty in operating other switches and the inability to operate them.

[0006] In particular, when the large joystick 109 is used, such a problem becomes conspicuous, which is a factor that hinders the operation efficiency.

As another joystick type controller, there is a "joystick type controller" disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-78778.

In this joystick type controller, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower side of an operating rod (joystick) 122 is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by a universal bearing 121 (bolt support mechanism) bolted to a casing 120. The operating rod 12 is supported while being tilted freely.
Spring 1 stretched between lower portion of casing 2 and casing 120
By 23, the lower part of the operating rod 122 is constantly urged downward, and when the operating rod 122 is not operated, it is returned to the neutral position, thereby greatly improving the operability while greatly reducing the number of parts. .

However, even in such a joystick type controller 124, a considerably large hole 125 required for tilting the operation rod 122 must be formed on the upper side of the casing 120, and the operation rod 122 is tilted. When the operation rod 122 is operated, the other switches arranged on the upper side of the casing 120 and the operation bar 122 change, and when the operation rod 122 is operated, other switches cannot be operated. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has the following features.
Then, you can input the point information without tilting the stick etc., so that you can operate other switches even while inputting the point information, eliminating the need for tilting space of the stick etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a joystick-type controller that can improve the space efficiency of a joystick.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, a joystick type controller according to the present invention comprises:
In claim 1, the lower side is fixed to a predetermined portion,
A stick having a rotation center set on the upper side, a key top housing rotatably mounted on the upper side of the stick, and a key top housing arranged in the key top housing and around the rotation center When the body is turned, a turning information detecting mechanism for detecting a turning direction and a turning angle of the body is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the joystick controller according to the first aspect, a spherical portion is provided at the center of rotation, while the key top housing is
The upper side is formed in a hemispherical shape, and the lower side is formed in a dish shape, and is attached so as to be rotatable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction around the spherical portion.

In the joystick controller according to the first aspect of the present invention, a key top housing is rotatably mounted on an upper portion of a stick having a lower portion fixed to a predetermined portion. When the key top housing is rotated, the rotation information detecting mechanism detects the rotation direction and the rotation angle of the key top housing, so that the key top can be turned without tilting the stick or the like. Point information can be input only by moving action, so even while inputting point information,
Other switches can be operated, and a space for tilting a stick or the like is not required, thereby improving the space efficiency on the switch panel.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the joystick-type controller according to the first aspect, the upper portion is formed in a hemispherical shape, the lower portion is formed in a dish shape, and the spherical portion formed on the upper portion of the stick is centered. In the X-axis direction, Y
By using the key top housing rotatably mounted in the axial direction, point information can be input only by rotating the key top without tilting the stick or the like as in claim 1. Thus, even while the point information is being input, other switches can be operated, and a space for tilting a stick or the like is not required, thereby improving the space efficiency on the switch panel.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view showing an embodiment of a joystick type controller according to the present invention.

The joystick type controller 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a controller housing 2 and a spherical portion 3 serving as a center of rotation formed on the upper side, and the upper side protrudes upward from the upper portion of the controller housing 2. In this state, a stick 4 whose lower side is fixed to a predetermined portion in the controller housing 2 and a key top upper housing 5 which is formed in a hemispherical shape and is rotatably attached to the upper side of the stick 4
And a key-top lower housing 6 configured by a dish-shaped member having a hole formed in a central portion thereof, and closing the lower side of the key-top upper housing 5 in a state where the hole portion is inserted into the stick 4. The keytop lower housing 6 and the keytop upper housing 5 constitute a keytop housing 7. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the key top housing 7 is arranged in the key top housing 7 so as to freely support the key top housing 7 about the spherical portion 3 of the stick 4 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A support mechanism 8 and an angle detection mechanism 9 for detecting a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the free support mechanism 8 are provided, and the key top housing 7 is rotated in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. At this time, the rotation direction and the rotation angle are detected, and the detection result is supplied to a computer system (not shown).

In this case, the free support mechanism 8 is disposed so as to be rotatable in the Y-axis direction about the X-axis 10, and has a U-shaped groove plate 11 through which the upper part of the stick 4 is inserted and a Y-axis 12. And a U-shaped groove plate 13 through which the upper part of the stick 4 is inserted so as to be rotatable in the X-axis direction. The key top housing 7 is urged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. And the entire key top housing 7 around the spherical portion 3 of the stick 4
When rotated in the axial direction and the Y-axis direction, the U-shaped groove plates 11 and 13 rotate accordingly.

The angle detecting mechanism 9 is provided for each U-shaped groove plate 1.
Potentiometer 1 for detecting the rotation angles of 1 and 13 respectively
4, 15 and the like, and a free support mechanism 8
When each of the U-shaped groove plates 11 and 13 is rotated, the rotation angle is detected, and the detection result is supplied to the computer system as the rotation direction and rotation angle of the key top housing 7.

As described above, in this embodiment, the stick 4 is suspended from the controller housing 7, and the keytop housing 7 is rotatably arranged on the upper side of the stick 4. When the housing 7 is biased to rotate, the turning direction and the turning angle of the key top housing 7 are detected by the universal support mechanism 8 and the angle detection mechanism 9 arranged in the key top housing 7. The detection result is output to the computer system. Therefore, when inputting point information by operating the key top housing 7, as shown in FIG. 3, other switches 2 arranged on the controller housing 2 are also used.
The positional relationship with 0 can always be kept constant.

Thus, even while the point information is being input, other switches 20 can be operated,
It is possible to improve the space efficiency on the switch panel by eliminating the need for a tilting space such as a stick. Also, according to this embodiment, the conventional device shown in FIG. Since the configuration is almost the same, existing parts can be effectively used and the assembly of the device can be facilitated.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to input point information only by rotating the key top without tilting the stick or the like. The switch can be operated, and a space for tilting a stick or the like is not required, so that the space efficiency on the switch panel can be improved.

Further, since the apparatus can be constituted by almost the same parts as the conventional product, not only can existing parts be effectively used, but also the apparatus can be easily assembled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a joystick controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an operation example of the joystick type controller shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of a positional relationship between the joystick controller shown in FIG. 1 and other switches.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part of a joystick controller conventionally used.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an operation example of the joystick controller shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventionally known joystick type controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Joystick type controller 2 Controller housing 3 Spherical part 4 Stick 5 Key top upper housing 6 Key top lower housing 7 Key top housing 8 Free support mechanism (Rotation information detection mechanism) 9 Angle detection mechanism (Rotation information detection Mechanism) 10 X-axis 11 U-shaped groove plate 12 Y-axis 13 U-shaped groove plate 14 Potentiometer 15 Potentiometer 20 Switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lower part is fixed to a predetermined part,
A stick having a rotation center set on the upper side, a key top housing rotatably mounted on the upper side of the stick, and a key top housing arranged in the key top housing and around the rotation center A joystick-type controller comprising: a rotation information detection mechanism that detects a rotation direction and a rotation angle when the body is rotated. 2. The joystick-type controller according to claim 1, wherein a spherical portion is provided at the rotation center, and the key top housing has an upper side formed in a hemispherical shape,
A joystick-type controller characterized in that a lower portion is formed in a dish shape and is rotatably mounted in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction around the spherical portion.