GB2145502A

GB2145502A - Manually-operable control mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2145502A
Application number: GB08421115A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Thomas Jackson
Original assignee: Burgess Micro Switch Co Ltd
Current assignee: Johnson Electric International UK Ltd
Priority date: 1983-08-23
Filing date: 1984-08-20
Publication date: 1985-03-27
Also published as: GB8322640D0; GB8421115D0

Abstract

A manually-operable control mechanism includes a housing (30) containing an actuating member (32) resiliently biased into a normal rest position within the housing (30), and manually-operable control means (34) for moving the actuating member (32) into any one of a number of predetermined displaced positions. The housing (30) further contains a plurality of devices (50), for example plunger operated electric switches, optical, magnetic or electronic devices, for actuation by the actuating member (32), the configuration of an actuating surface (Fig. 8) of the actuating member (32) being such that, for each displaced position of the actuating member (32) a different configuration of the actuating surface is presented to the devices (50) and a different, predetermined combination of the devices is actuated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Manually operable control mechanism This invention relates to manually-operable control mechanisms and more particularly to such mechanisms in which operating means can be moved in any one of a number of different directions dependent upon the desired output of the mechanism, there being a different output associated with each position of the operating means.

Operation of current electronic equipment such as computers, video games, telephones and the like, is usually achieved by means of control mechanisms which must be capable of actuation to enable any one of large number of different conditions to be applied to the equipment. Such control mechanisms commonly comprise manually-operable keyboards or joy sticks.

However keyboards invariably comprise a high number of individual component parts which take up a large area, while the precise geography of the keyboard lay-out must be learnt before effective operation can be achieved. In the case of joy-sticks, the mechanisms usually comprise a series of switching elements disposed around a central operating spindle, there being one switching element associated with each desired condition of the mechanism. Such arrangements occupy a lot of lateral space, preventing adjacent mechanisms from being mounted closely together, while there is a physical limit to the number of switches that can be disposed around the spindle with a consequential limitation on the number of different conditions that can be achieved from such a mechanism.

It would be desirable to be able to provide a manually-operable control mechanism of compact size which is cheap to produce and which enables a large number of different conditions to be readily and positively achieved thereby.

According to the present invention there is provided a manually-operable control mechanism comprising a housing, an actuating member located in said housing, resilient means reacting between the housing and the actuating member to bias said member into a normal rest position within the housing, control means co-operating with said actuating member and manually operable to move the actuating member against the bias of the resilient means from said rest position into any one of a number of predetermined displaced positions, and a plurality of devices adapted for actuation in dependence upon the displaced position of the actuating member, an actuating surface of the actuating member being so shaped that, with said member in its rest position, said devices are in a first predetermined condition, each displaced position of said member presenting a different configuration of said surface to said devices whereby, for each displaced position of the actuating member, the condition of an associated predetermined number of the devices is changed.

In a preferred mechanism, the devices each comprise an electric switch, conveniently plunger operated, snap-action microswitches, the plungers of which are located for actuation, either directly or indirectly, in dependence upon the displaced position of the actuating member. However, alternative mechanisms could include, for example, non snap-action electric switches, and optical, magnetic or electronic devices.

In one embodiment of the invention, the actuating member is of substantially plate-like form and is movable laterally in its own plane by the control means, the plungers of the electric switches being located for engagement by the actuating surface of the actuating member.

In said embodiment, said surface of the actuating member may be formed with a predetermined pattern of indents, the arrangement being such that, with the actuating member in its normal rest position, said surface of the actuating member engages with, to depress the plungers of, the switches, which switches are in a first condition, displacement of the actuating member to a given position resulting in the plungers of predetermined switches being released into associated indents thereby changing the condition of said switches.

Alternatively, said surface of the actuating member may be provided with a predetermined pattern of cams adapted to engage with, and depress, the plungers of predetermined switches on movement of the actuating member to a displaced position thereby changing the condition of said predetermined switches.

In said one embodiment, the actuating member may comprise a circular disc, a plurality of coil springs equally spaced about the circumference thereof and extending radially of the disc to react between the disc and the housing serving to bias the disc to its normal rest position and to prevent any rotation of the disc during lateral movement thereof effected by the control means. Clearly, however, the plate may be other than circular while the resilient means may comprise leaf springs or the like.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the actuating surface of the actuating member is of part-spherical shape, movement of the control means pivoting the actuating member about the centre of said sphere, the mechanism further comprising a control member located between the actuating member and the electric switches, said control member including a plurality of flexible arms one associated with the plunger of each switch, the arrangement being such that, on movement of the actuating member to a displaced position, the positions of predetermined ones of the flexible arms are changed to cause consequential changes in the conditions of the switches associated therewith.

Conveniently the actuating surface of the actuating member of said alternative embodiment is provided with a predetermined pattern of cams adapted, on movement of the actuating member, to engage with the arms of the control member and to flex said arms into contact with, to depress, the plungers of associated switches.

The resilient means urging said actuating member towards its rest position may comprise a coil spring reacting between the housing and a ball bearing, said ball bearing seating in a substantially concave recess formed centrally of the actuating surface of the actuating member, while said recess may be surrounded by a raised rim, a-plurality of ribs on the actuating surface extending radially from said rim to define a series of channels in said surface one associated with each predetermined displaced position of the actuating member, the arrangement being such that, for each displaced position of the actuating member, the ball bearing engages with the associated channel in the actuating surface.

All embodiments may include a further device, for example a plunger operated, snapaction microswitch, for actuation by the actuating member, the arrangement being such that for each displaced position of the actuating member, said further device is only actuated after the or each device associated with said displaced position has itself been actuated, said actuation of the further device then resulting in the desired output being transmitted from the mechanism.

Preferably the configuration of the actuating surface of the actuating member together with the locations of the devices are such that, for each displaced position of the actuating member, a different binary coded output from the mechanism is provided.

The control means may comprise a spindle one end of which co-operates with the actuating member, and the other end of which projects from the housing, the spindle being mounted in the housing for pivotal movement about an intermediate region of the spindle such that controlled pivoting movement of the one end of the spindle about said intermediate region thereof moves the actuating member into an associated predetermined displaced position.

Preferably the pivotal mounting of the spindle in the housing comprises a gimbal the centre of which comprises the pivot point of the spindle.

In one arrangement, a disc-like operating member is secured to said other end of the spindle, said operating member being co-axial with the spindle and the actuating member in the rest position thereof, manual depression of a peripheral region of the operating member causing pivoting movement of the spindle and consequential movement of the actuating member to an associated predetermined displaced position.

Conveniently the periphery of the operating member is provided with a series of markings one associated with each predetermined displaced position of the actuating member.

By way of examples only, embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a first mechanism according to the invention with the actuating member and operating member in their rest positions; Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 with the actuating member and the operating member in displaced positions; Fig. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow 'A' in Fig. 2 showing the configuration of the lower surface of the actuating member; Fig. 4 is a view in the direction of arrow 'B' in Fig. 1 showing the lay-out of the switching devices; Fig. 5 shows typical markings on an operating member for a mechanism according to the invention;; Fig. 6 is a table of binary coded outputs available from a mechanism according to the invention and having twelve predetermined displaced positions for the actuating member.

Fig. 7 is a part-vertical section through a second mechanism according to the invention, and Fig. 8 is an underside view of the actuating member of the mechanism of Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, the mechanism illustrated therein includes a housing indicated generally at 2 in the lower regions of which is located an actuating disc 4. The disc 4 is suspended in the normal rest position shown in Fig. 1 by means of four coil springs 6 reacting between pins 8 integral with the disc 4 and pins 10 integral with the housing 2, said springs 6 being equally spaced around the disc and extending substantially radially thereof with the disc in said rest position.

A spindle 1 2 extends axially of the upper regions of the housing 2, the lower end 1 4 of said spindle being loosely received within an aperture 1 5 formed in the centre of the upper surface of the disc 4. The spindle 1 2 passes through, to be integral with, a substantially hemispherical pivot member 16, which member is itself received within a correspondinglyshaped socket in the housing 2, the member 16, together with the spindle 1 2, being pivotal in said socket for example to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The pivot member 1 6 and therefore the spindle 1 2 is resiliently biased, by means of a coil spring 18 and cylindrical sleeve 20, into a normal rest position as shown in Fig. 1 in which the spindle 1 2 extends perpendicularly of the disc 4.

Secured to the upper end of, to be coaxial with, the spindle 12 is a disc-shaped operating member 22 the periphery of which is marked with twelve equispaced finger locations-in the example of Fig. 5, these locations are referenced 1 to 9,O,D and E. It will be appreciated that depression of the operating member 22 by means of a manually applied downward force on one of the peripheral markings causes pivoting movement of the spindle 1 2 in the manner shown in Fig. 2 with consequential movement of the disc 4 from its normal rest position to an associated displaced position.The resilient mounting of the disc in the housing 2, together with the nature of the co-operation between the end 14 of the spindle 1 2 and the disc 4, ensures that the movement of the disc occurs in its own plane without any associated rotation or other angular motion occurring. Thus the orientation of the disc in its own plane always remains the same. Further, the provision of the coil spring 18/sleeve 20 arrangement supplements the biasing of the member 22 and spindle 1 2 towards their normal rest positions that is provided by the springs 6 by way of the location of the end 1 4 of the spindle 1 2 in the aperture 1 5.

Thus the described arrangement enables the disc 4 to be displaced in twelve different directions from the rest position, one direction being associated with each of the finger locations. In order to ensure that the disc 4 is always moved in the desired direction associated with a given finger location, a gating arrangement is provided between the operating member 22 and the housing 2. More particularly said arrangement comprises a series of ribs 24, one for each finger location, formed on the lower surface of the member 22 and extending radially thereof, and a series of corresponding grooves, one for each rib, formed in the upper surface of the housing 2. Thus, positive movement of the disc 4 in a desired direction is achieved when the associated rib 24 is received within the corresponding groove in the housing 2.Clearly other gating arrangements could be provided while it is preferred that a positive indication that the disc 4 is in a desired position is given to the user through his finger contact with the member 22.

Located in the lower regions of the housing 2 below the disc 4 are four electric plunger operated, snap-action m icroswitches referenced SW1, SW2, SW3 and SW4 symmetrically disposed about the central longitudinal axis of the disc 4. The switches are positioned such that, with the disc 4 in its normal rest position shown in Fig. 1, the plungers of the switches are engaged by, to be depressed by, the lower surface of the disc whereby said switches are in a first, predetermined condition.

An important feature of the present invention is the configuration of the lower surface of the disc 4 in relation to the fixed positions of the plungers of the switches SW1 to 4.

More particularly, and as best seen in Fig. 3, the lower surface of the disc 4 is formed with a series of accurately-located indents 26 the precise positions of which are such that a different binary coded output from the four switches is achieved for each of the twelve positions of the disc 4. It will be appreciated that each of the four switches has two different conditions determined by the position of the associated plunger; each indent 26 being such as to permit, on location above the plunger of a switch, return movement of said plunger to its outermost position and a consequential change in the condition of said switch. There are in fact sixteen different combinations of outputs available from the four switches, but the described embodiment only utilises twelve of these. Fig. 5 tabulates the binary output associated with each of the twelve positions of the operating member 22.

In the case of two or more switches being released by the disc 4, said switches may not all be actuated at exactly the same time and the output from the mechanism could, in certain circumstances, be misinterpreted. In order to safeguard against this, a further plunger operated, snap-action microswitch SW5 is mounted in the lower regions of the housing 2 with its plunger located directly below a recess 28 formed centrally in the lower surface of the disc 4. In the rest position of the operating member 22 and spindle 12, said plunger is received within the recess 28 as seen in Fig. 1 and the switch SW5 is in a first predetermined condition.On completion of the movement of the disc 4 to a displaced position and after actuation of the switches SW1 to 4 associated with said particular position of the disc 4, the plunger of the switch SW5 is depressed by the disc 4 to actuate said switch whereby the binary coded output from the switches SW1 to 4 is transmitted from the mechanism. Thus not until switch SW5 is actuated can a signal be transmitted from the mechanism.

In one embodiment of the invention the outputs from the mechanism are fed to a computer which, dependent upon the output from the mechanism, prints out or actions relevant information previously stored in its memory. Clearly programming of the computer can be chosen to suit particular requirements.

A number of modifications can be made to the described embodiment without departing from the scope of the basic invention. As mentioned above, the indents 26 may be replaced by a corresponding pattern of cam surfaces arranged to depress, rather than release, the plungers of the switches SW1 to 4 on movement of the disc 4. It will be appreciated that the basic pattern of indents or cams remains substantially the same for different numbers of switches SW, the number or extent of said indents being increased in accordance with an increase in the number of different outputs obtainable from the mechanism. The electric switches may be replaced by other change-over arrangements which may be, for example, optically or magnetically operated. In the former case, the disc may be provided with a pattern of axial bores rather than indents or cams.For the switching of low voltage logic circuits, hemispherical indents on the lower surface of the disc 4 may receive electrically-conductive balls adapted to bridge directly paths on an adjacent printed circuit board in dependence upon the position of the disc 4.

Further, there could be more than four switches, for example up to nine, for actuation by the disc 4 and more than twelve positions for the operating member 22 (twelve has the advantage that each marking coincides with one of the universally known markings of the clock face).

One or both surfaces of the disc 4 may be shaped to inhibit movement of the disc other than in desired directions to supplement or replace the gating arrangement.

The use of a pivoting disc-like operating member 22 instead of a joy-stick helps to overcome the reservations of some people concerning proper directional control although it will be appreciated that the member 22 could be replaced by other operating members ranging from large knobs for pushing by the palm and useful for the disabled right down to small levers or sticks useful where panel space is at a premium.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the mechanism illustrated in these drawings includes a housing indicated generally at 30 in which is located an actuating member 32 of generally part-spherical shape.

A.spindle 34 extends into the housing 30, the actuating member 32 being secured to the lower end of said spindle 34, while a spherical hand-grip 36 is secured to the upper end of the spindle 34.

The spindle 34 is pivotal relative to the housing about an intermediate point located at the centre of the sphere of which the actuating member 32 forms part, the pivotal mounting taking the form of a gimbal indicated generally at 38 and comprising a pair of snap-ffit annular components mounted one within the other and within the neck of the housing 30 to provide universal pivoting movement of the spindle 34 and actuating member 32 about the centre of said sphere.

Such a gimbal arrangement eliminates clearance between moving surfaces and thus reduces free-play to a minimum. A flexible boot 40 surrounding the spindle 34 prevents the ingress of dirt and moisture into the housing 30.

The actuating member 32 is resiliently biased into its central rest position shown in Fig. 7 by means of a ball-bearing 42 urged into engagement with a logarithmically curved recess 44 centrally formed on the actuating surface of the actuating member 32, a coil spring 46 reacting between the housing 30 and said ballbearing 42 effecting said resilient bias.

The actuating surface has a configuration of raised projections formed thereon as can be seen in Fig. 8 and for reasons which will become apparent. The central formation of projections, indicated generally at 48, comprises an annular rim surrounding the recess 44 from which extend sixteen radial ribs or ridges defining sixteen channels one associated with each of sixteen possible directions of displacement of the spindle 34. This formation provides a tactile feature so the mechanism in that a user can feel when the movement imparted to the spindle 34 has achieved a predetermined direction.More particularly, on initial pivoting of the spindle 34, said rim contacts the ball-bearing 52 and rides over said ball-bearing resulting in a 'click' which can be felt by the user, while, after said initial pivoting movement, the radial channels receive the ball-bearing therein to guide said bearing, any stirring of the spindle resulting in movement of the ridges over the ball-bearing which again can be detected by the user.

Located in the lower regions of the housing 2 below the actuating member 32 are four electric plunger-operated, snap-action microswitches 50 symmetrically disposed about the central longitudinal axis of the member 32.

A spider-like control member indicated generally at 52 is fixed in the lower regions of the housing, said control member 52 having five flexible arms 54, four of which are associated with respective ones of the switches 50.

More particularly, each of said four arms 54 extends from a rigid central portion 56 of the control member to a position between the plunger of the associated switch and the actuating surface of the actuating member 32. An abutment portion 58 is formed on the end of each arm 54.

With the mechanism in its normal rest position shown in Fig. 7, the arms 54 are out of contact with the plungers of the associated switches 50 and said switches are in a first predetermined condition.

The configuration of raised projections formed on the actuating surface of the actuating member 32 is such that, for each of the predetermined displaced positions of the spindle 34, an associated predetermined number of the switches are actuated. More particu larly, on a given displacement of the actuating member 32 from the rest position, shown in Fig. 7, associated raised projections on the actuating surface thereof engage with one or more of the abutment portions 58 of the arms 54 and flex said arms such that the plungers of the associated switches 50 are depressed by said arms to change the conditions of said switches 50. The precise positions of the raised projections are such that one displaced position of the spindle 34 is associated with each of the sixteen possible on-off combinations of the four switches 50.

As with the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6, it is preferable to incorporate means which ensures that an output from the mechanism only results once the conditions of all the switches 50 to be actuated have changed. This is again achieved by providing a fifth electric switch and an associated gating formation of projections, indicated at 60, on the actuating surface of the actuating member 32, the fifth of the arms 54 reacting between said fifth switch and said projections 60.

It will be appreciated that the provision of the control member 52 eliminates sliding of the actuating member over the plungers of the switches 50, while the provision of a parthemispherical actuating member pivotal about the centre of the sphere of which it forms part eliminates the necessity for radial location springs.

Again modifications can be made to the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8 without departing from the scope of the basic invention, while the constructionally-different features of the two embodiments may be interchanged-for example the hemispherical pivot member 1 6 of Figs. 1 and 2 may be replaced by the gimbal 38 of Fig. 7.

In all embodiments of the invention there is a much lower component count than with a keyboard array having a similar number of output possibilities with consequential reduction in the cost of the mechanism, while the compact nature of the described arrangement results in less front panel space being required than for a keyboard. Yet the binary coded decimal logic used still enables relatively large numbers of different outputs to be achieved from the mechanism. Additionally, each output is associated with an easily-determined directional movement of a single operating member, there being no need to learn the geography of the operating member as is the case with keyboards. Other advantages will be apparent to those skillled in the art.

Claims

1. A manually-operable control mechanism comprising a housing, an actuating member located in said housing, resilient means reacting between the housing and the actuating member to bias said member into a normal rest position within the housing, control means co-operating with said actuating member and manually operable to move the actuating member against the bias of the resilient means from said rest position into any one of a number of predetermined displaced positions, and a plurality of devices adapted for actuation in dependence upon the displaced position of the actuating member, an actuating surface of the actuating member being so shaped that, with said member in its rest position, said devices are in a first predetermined condition, each displaced position of said member presenting a different configuration of said surface to said devices whereby, for each displaced position of the actuating member, the condition of an associated predetermined number of devices is changed.

2. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the devices each comprise a plunger-operated electric switch the plungers of which are located for actuation in dependence upon the displaced position of the actuating member.

3. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which the actuating member is of substantially plate-like form and is movable laterally in its own plane by the control means, the plungers of the electric switches being located for engagement by the actuating surface of the actuating member.

4. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which the actuating surface of the actuating member is formed with a predetermined pattern of indents, the arrangement being such that, with the actuating member in its normal rest position, said surface of the actuating member engages with, to depress the plungers of, the switches, which switches are in a first condition, displacement of the actuating member to a given position resulting in the plungers of predetermined switches being released into associated indents thereby changing the condition of said switches.

5. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which the actuating surface of the actuating member is provided with a predetermined pattern of cams adapted to engage with, and depress, the plungers of predetermined switches on movement of the actuating member to a displaced position thereby changing the condition of said predetermined switches.

6. A control mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the actuating member comprises a circular disc, a plurality of coil springs equally spaced about the circumference thereof and extending radially of the disc to react between the disc and the housing serving to bias the disc to its normal rest position and to prevent any rotation of the disc during lateral movement thereof effected by the control means.

7. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which the actuating surface of the actuating member is of part-spherical shape, movement of the control means pivoting the actuat ing member about the centre of said sphere, the mechanism further comprising a control member located between the actuating member and the electric switches, said control member including a plurality of flexible arms one associated with the plungers of each switch, the arrangement being such that, on movement of the actuating member to a displaced position, the positions of predetermined ones of the flexible arms are changed to cause consequential changes in the conditions of the switches associated therewith.

8. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 7 in which the actuating surface of the actuating member is provided with a predetermined pattern of cams adapted, on movement of the actuating member, to engage with the arms of the control member and to flex said arms into contact with, to depress, the plungers of associated switches.

9. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 in which the resilient means urging the actuating member towards its rest position comprises a coil spring reacting between the housing and a ball bearing, said ball bearing seating in a substantially concave recess formed centrally of the actuating surface of the actuating member.

10. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 9 in which said recess is surrounded by a raised rim, a plurality of ribs on the actuating surface extending radially from said rim to define a series of channels in said surface one associated with each predetermined displaced position of the actuating member, the arrangement being such that, for each displaced position of the actuating member, the ball bearing engages with the associated channel in the actuating surface.

11. A control mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 and including a further device for actuation by the actuating member, the arrangement being such that, for each displaced position of the actuating member, said further device is only actuated after the or each device associated with said displaced position has itself been actuated, said actuation of the further device then resulting in the desired output being transmitted from the mechanism.

1 2. A control mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 in which the configuration of the actuating surface of the actuating member together with the locations of the devices are such that, for each displaced position of the actuating inember, a different binary coded output from the mechanism is provided.

13. A control mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 2 in which the control means comprises a spindle one end of which co-operates with the actuating member and the other end of which projects from the housing, the spindle being mounted in the housing for pivotal movement about an intermediate region of the spindle such that controlled pivoting movement of the one end of the spindle about said intermediate region thereof moves the actuating member into an asssociated predetermined displaced position.

14. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 1 3 in which the pivotal mounting of the spindle in the housing comprises a gimbal the centre of which comprises the pivot point of the spindle.

1 5. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 1 3 or claim 14 in which a disc-like operating member is secured to said other end of the spindle, said operating member being co-axial with the spindle and the actuating member in the rest position thereof, manual depression of a peripheral region of the operating member causing pivoting movement of the spindle and consequential movement of the actuating member to an associated predetermined displaced position.

16. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 1 5 in which the periphery of the operating member is provided with a series of markings each associated with one of the predetermined displaced positions of the actuating member.

1 7. A manually-operable control mechanism substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.