EP0581582B1 - Mécanisme à touche de commande directionnel - Google Patents

Mécanisme à touche de commande directionnel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0581582B1
EP0581582B1 EP19930305954 EP93305954A EP0581582B1 EP 0581582 B1 EP0581582 B1 EP 0581582B1 EP 19930305954 EP19930305954 EP 19930305954 EP 93305954 A EP93305954 A EP 93305954A EP 0581582 B1 EP0581582 B1 EP 0581582B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
key
circuit board
support member
directional control
contact
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19930305954
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0581582A3 (fr
EP0581582A2 (fr
Inventor
Hiroshi Matsumiya
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sega Corp
Original Assignee
Sega Enterprises Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP059474U external-priority patent/JPH0617072U/ja
Priority claimed from JP064032U external-priority patent/JPH0619238U/ja
Application filed by Sega Enterprises Ltd filed Critical Sega Enterprises Ltd
Publication of EP0581582A2 publication Critical patent/EP0581582A2/fr
Publication of EP0581582A3 publication Critical patent/EP0581582A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0581582B1 publication Critical patent/EP0581582B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H25/00—Switches with compound movement of handle or other operating part
    • H01H25/04—Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
    • H01H25/041—Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2221/00—Actuators
    • H01H2221/008—Actuators other then push button
    • H01H2221/012—Joy stick type

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a directional control-key device, and more particularly to a directional control-key device used for a controller such as an input device used for playing TV games.
  • a directional control-key In a TV game machine and a portable computer game machine, there is often provided a directional control-key.
  • a player of a TV game can move an image on a display of the TV game machine in a desired direction such as up and down or right and left.
  • the size of the directional control-key is relatively larger than that of a key generally used as an input key of computers.
  • Each of the elastic members has a raised portion 8a around the center thereof, and a top surface of the raised portion 8a makes contact with the bottom plate 5.
  • a bottom surface of the raised portion 8a of each of the elastic members 8 is separated from the surface of the circuit board 7 where electrodes are formed. These electrodes are provided so as to generate electric signals when a pair of these electrodes under the raised portion 8a of each of the elastic members 8 are connected by the elastic members 8.
  • the above-mentioned hemispherical member 6 is positioned on the center of the bottom plate 5 between the bottom plate 5 and the circuit board 7 with a small gap 13 formed between a tip of the hemispherical member and the surface of the circuit board 7. It should be noted that the gap 13 between the tip of the hemispherical member and the circuit board is formed because it is difficult to accurately control the height of the elastic members 8 due to the material, namely due to the electrically conductive rubber, of the elastic member 8.
  • the bottom surface of the raised portion 8a of the elastic member 8 on the right side makes contact with a pair of the electrodes positioned under the raised portion 8a.
  • the pair of electrodes are electrically connected, resulting in a generation of a signal corresponding to a direction of the position of the top surface 3a to which the pressing force is applied, in this case a signal representing "right".
  • the tip of the hemispherical member 6 hits every time the circuit board 7 when the key body 3 is pressed.
  • the impact of these hits results in wear of the tip of the hemispherical member or the surface of the circuit board 7. If a wear amount becomes large after considerable use of the control-key, then, before the tip of the hemispherical member 6 makes contact with the circuit board 7, the elastic members 8 positioned on opposite sides of the center of the key body 3 are simultaneously pressed against the position where the pair of electrodes located in each of the elastic members are connected by the elastic members 8. This results in malfunctioning of the TV game machine, or difficulty in controlling movement of an image on a display of the TV game machine.
  • US-A-4408103 describes a control-key device in which the key body has a bottom plate formed by a central hemispherical member which rests on a bearing surface, and radially extending arms which depress respective resilient switch contacts against a circuit board when the key body is tilted.
  • the key body has an upper hemispherical dome surface which slides against a cooperating convex casing surface, so that the key body is held in place on the bearing surface by the casing surface. If the bearing surface or the hemispherical member wears, the control-key device becomes looser in operation, and the arms are lowered, reducing the gap between the resilient switch contacts and the circuit board.
  • a more specific object of the present invention is to provide a directional control-key device which has a long service life without malfunctioning due to wear of a part thereof.
  • a directional control-key device comprises a key and pairs of electrodes, a given pair of electrodes being momentarily connected by means of an elastic member pressed by the key in accordance with a portion of the key being pressed, the directional control-key being characterized in that;
  • the tip portion of the support member is always in contact with the base and thereby there is no impact force applied to a contacting point. Accordingly, wear of the contact point is less than that of the conventional mechanism. Further, even if the contact point has been worn in the mechanism according to the present invention, there are no undesired influences on the operation of the mechanism because wear of the contact point merely makes a gap between the electrodes and the contact material slightly larger. This gives a completely different effect as compared to the conventional mechanism in which two pairs of electrodes are connected simultaneously when the contact point has been worn. Therefore, no malfunction of the TV game machine occurs due to wear of the contact point.
  • Fig.2 shows a portion of a controller of a TV game machine in which a directional control-key device is incorporated.
  • the controller has a plastic upper case 11, and from a top surface of the upper case 11, a top portion of a directional controlkey-top 14 protrudes.
  • An operator (or a player of the TV game) can control a moving direction of an image on a display of the TV game machine by pressing a portion of the control key-top 14. For example, if the operator presses a right side portion of the control key-top 14, an image (the image may be a character) moves to the right on the display.
  • Fig.3 is a cross sectional view of the controller shown in Fig.2 taken along a line III-III.
  • the directional control-key device comprises a key body 20 and a plurality of elastic members 25.
  • the key body 20 comprises the key-top 14 and support member 15 secured to a stem 14a of the key-top 14 by a screw 17.
  • the support member has a radially extending portion 15a, and in an opening of the support member 15 in which opening the screw 17 is inserted is provided with a tip portion 16 having a convex shape directing downward.
  • the tip portion 16 is press fitted into the opening of the support member 15.
  • the stem 14a of the key-top 14 extends through a hole 18a provided on a circuit board 18 in the upper case 11.
  • the tip portion 16 is placed on a protrusion 12a of a bottom case 12 of the controller.
  • a top portion of the key-top 14 protrudes from an opening 11a of the upper case 11 so that the operator can press a desired portion of a top surface 14b of the key-top 14.
  • a circuit board plate 18 on which a circuit necessary for the controller is formed.
  • the circuit board plate 18 is fixed to the bottom case 12.
  • the stem 14a extends through a hole 18a formed on the circuit board plate 18.
  • each of the elastic members 25 is attached to a bottom surface of the circuit board plate 18 so that they are arranged on a circumference.
  • Each of the elastic members 25 has a portion 25a having a relatively large thickness and being in a portion separated from the surface of the circuit board plate 18. Accordingly, there is formed a gap between the top surface of the portion 25a and the bottom surface of the circuit board plate 18.
  • the portion 25a is supported by a relatively thin portion 25b and thereby the top portion 25a is allowed to elastically move up and down.
  • a bottom surface of the portion 25a is in contact with a top surface of the radially extending portion 15a and the support member 15 is thereby always pressed to the protrusion 12a of the bottom case 12.
  • a contact material 26 is attached and a pair of electrodes 27 are provided on the bottom surface of the circuit board plate 18 at a position directly above the contact material 26.
  • the electrodes 27 are part of an electrical circuit formed on the circuit board plate and the electrical circuit is so formed to generate a signal used for moving an image on the display when the pair of electrodes is electrically connected.
  • the key body 20 When the pressing force is released, the key body 20 returns to its original position due to an elastic force exerted by the elastic members 25. Similarly to the above-mentioned operation, if a force is applied on the left side of the key-top 14, the electrodes on the right side are connected.
  • the tip portion 16 is always in contact with the surface of the protrusion 12a and thereby there is no impact force applied to a contacting point. Accordingly, wear of the contact point is less than that of the conventional mechanism. Further, even if the contact point has worn in the mechanism according to the present invention, there is no influences to the operation of the mechanism because wear of the contact point merely makes a gap between the electrodes 27 and the contact material 26 slightly larger. This gives a completely different effect as compared to the conventional mechanism in which two pairs of electrodes are connected simultaneously when the contact point has worn. Therefore, in the mechanism according to the present invention, no malfunction of the TV game machine occurs due to wear of the contact point.
  • the elastic member 25 may be made of electrically conductive rubber instead of providing the contact material on the top surface of the portion 25a of each of the elastic material 25.
  • Fig.4 is a variation of the embodiment according to the present invention shown in Fig.3.
  • parts that are the same as those shown in Fig.3 are given the same reference numerals as previously, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.
  • a key body 30 comprises a key-top 14 and support member 35 which is press fitted to a hole 35b formed on a stem 14a of the key-top 14.
  • a tip portion 35c is formed as a part of the support member 35.
  • a radially extending portion 35a corresponds to the radially extending portion 15a shown in Fig.3.
  • the key body 30 comprises fewer parts than the key body 20 shown in Fig.3. Additionally, assembly of the key body 30 is simply performed by press fitting without using tools such as a screw driver. Thus this variation can reduce manufacturing costs while having the same advantages as those in the embodiment shown in Fig.3

Landscapes

  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • Selective Calling Equipment (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Manette de commande directionnelle, comprenant une partie supérieure (14) de manette et des paires d'électrodes (27), une paire déterminée d'électrodes étant connectée temporairement par un organe élastique repoussé par la partie supérieure de manette en fonction de la portion de la partie supérieure qui est enfoncée, la manette de commande directionnelle étant caractérisée en ce que :
    la partie supérieure (14) de manette est connectée à un organe de support (15) ayant une partie radiale (15a), l'organe de support (15) ayant une partie de bout de forme générale arrondie au contact d'une base (12a),
    une plaque (18) de carte de circuit est disposée entre la partie supérieure (14) de manette et l'organe de support (15) afin que la partie radiale soit à une distance prédéterminée d'une surface inférieure de la plaque (18) de carte de circuit,
    plusieurs organes élastiques (25) sont placés entre la plaque (18) de carte de circuit et l'organe de support (15), chacun des organes élastiques (25) ayant une partie fixée à la plaque (18) de carte de circuit et possédant une partie soulevée (25a) en position séparée d'une surface de la plaque (18) et mobile élastiquement contre la surface de la plaque (18) de carte de circuit,
    un matériau de contact (26) est fixé à la surface supérieure de la partie soulevée (25a) et deux électrodes (27) ont une position juste au-dessus du matériau de contact (26) de la plaque (18) de carte de circuit, et
    lorsqu'une force de pression est appliquée sur une portion de la partie supérieure (14) de manette, l'organe de support (15) est incliné autour d'un point auquel la partie de bout de l'organe de support (15) est au contact de la base (12a), le matériau de contact (26) placé du côté opposé à ladite portion à laquelle la force est appliquée par rapport au centre de la partie supérieure (14) de manette sur la partie radiale (15a) étant au contact de la paire correspondante d'électrodes (27).
  2. Manette de commande directionnelle selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que la partie supérieure (14) de manette possède une tige (14a) passant par une ouverture (18a) de la plaque (18) de carte de circuit, et l'organe de support (15) est fixé à la tige (14a).
  3. Manette de commande directionnelle selon la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que la tige (14a) possède un trou (35b) et l'organe de support (35) est emmanché à force dans le trou (35b).
  4. Manette de commande directionnelle selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que la plaque (18) de carte de circuit est formée d'une carte de circuit sur laquelle est formé un circuit électrique, et la carte de circuit est fixée à un boîtier (12), la base (12a) étant formée par une partie du boîtier (12).
  5. Manette de commande directionnelle selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que la partie mobile et la partie de matière élastique sont formées d'un caoutchouc conducteur de l'électricité, à la place de l'incorporation d'un contact électrique (26) sur la partie mobile.
EP19930305954 1992-07-31 1993-07-28 Mécanisme à touche de commande directionnel Expired - Lifetime EP0581582B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP059474U JPH0617072U (ja) 1992-07-31 1992-07-31 コントロールキー機構
JP59474/92U 1992-07-31
JP064032U JPH0619238U (ja) 1992-08-18 1992-08-18 コントロールキー機構
JP64032/92U 1992-08-18

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0581582A2 EP0581582A2 (fr) 1994-02-02
EP0581582A3 EP0581582A3 (fr) 1994-11-30
EP0581582B1 true EP0581582B1 (fr) 1997-01-15

Family

ID=26400523

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19930305954 Expired - Lifetime EP0581582B1 (fr) 1992-07-31 1993-07-28 Mécanisme à touche de commande directionnel

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0581582B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69307421T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2096868T3 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2525437B (en) * 2014-04-25 2016-05-25 Cheng Uei Prec Ind Co Ltd Push-button structure

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4408103A (en) * 1982-01-06 1983-10-04 Smith Engineering Joystick operated multiple position switch
GB2144582B (en) * 1983-08-05 1987-06-10 Nintendo Co Ltd Multi-directional electrical switch
US4992631A (en) * 1989-06-02 1991-02-12 Atari Corporation Multi-directional switch assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2096868T3 (es) 1997-03-16
EP0581582A3 (fr) 1994-11-30
DE69307421D1 (de) 1997-02-27
EP0581582A2 (fr) 1994-02-02
DE69307421T2 (de) 1997-05-15

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