JP2003522998A - Six-degree-of-freedom graphic controller with sheet connected to sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A sensor connected to a sheet material for inclusion in a suitably configured multi-axis controller comprising a single input member operable at 6 DOF (DOF) relative to a reference member of the controller. . The input member has a restoring force centered on the reference member on at least three orthogonal linear axes. The input member may be a continuously rotatable trackball type or a joystick type with limited rotation, and the reference member may be a shaft, a base, or a housing. The controller includes a carriage that provides a structure for influencing a sheet connected to the sensor by a manual operation of the input member. The preferred structure provides cooperative interaction with the sensor, primarily in a single area, affected by movement or force. Preferably, some, most, or all of the sensors are supported on a substantially single plane, such as on a printed flexible membrane sensor sheet or circuit board sheet. In another embodiment, the sensors and conductive traces are applied on a substantially flat, flexible, thin film sensor sheet, which is then optionally spread over a 3D array of 6DOF, and / or , Bent into a three-dimensional shape that can lead to other sensor mounting. Whether applied ultimately to a flat or 3D shape, the use of sensors connected by sheet members allows for efficient circuit and sensor connection and placement during fabrication, lower product cost and higher reliability. Property is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

This application is related to co-pending US patent application No. 3 filed February 23, 1995.
No. 93,459, which discloses and claims in part the material disclosed herein, against which is claimed benefit of prior filing date of common material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the construction of seat support sensors and associated circuitry in a manual graphic image controller, and more particularly to the human hand and to the computer or television display, head mounted display, or as seen and viewed by a human. A six degree of freedom computer image controller that acts as an interface input device to and from a graphic image display, such as any possible display.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART While there are many related physical / electrical hand controlled interface devices used as image controllers taught in the prior art, none have been constructed in the same manner as the present invention, and Also does not provide all the advantages provided by the present invention.

In the highly competitive and cost sensitive consumer electronics market, the wholesale price of an item is usually tied closely to its manufacturing cost. Generally, for all goods,
It is understood that the wholesale purchase price, or cost to the consumer, influences the consumer's purchasing decisions. Therefore, manufacturing costs ultimately affect the desirability and value of an item to the general public. In general, physical-to-electrical quantity converters, such as mouse-type and joystick-type trackballs, implemented in hand-operated electrical image controllers are interpretable between a hand-operable input member and a reference member. Manufacturing costs increase as the number of degrees of freedom increases.

In the prior art, a joystick type input device with 3 degrees of freedom is typically more costly to manufacture than a 2 degrees of freedom joystick, and has 6 degrees of freedom (hereinafter
A joystick input device with 6 DOF) is considerably more expensive to manufacture than a joystick with 3 degrees of freedom. Similarly, a mouse type controller with 3 or more degrees of freedom is more costly to manufacture than a standard 2 degrees of freedom mouse.

The general increase in manufacturing costs in such devices is due, at least in part, to the need for an increased number of sensors for additional axis control, and having prior art sensors, especially single input members. For a 6DOF controller, there is a large number of sensor placements located in a wide range of three-dimensional constellations within the controller, and thus each location, labor-intensive, and therefore costly, from individual sensors on individual insulated wires. , An integrated circuit (cen, usually away from the sensor)
Manual wiring to the truncated circuit location is required.

In the prior art, a 6DO of the type having a single manually operable input member movable in 6 degrees of freedom and performing axis control with respect to a reference member of a controller.
There is an F controller. This type of controller with a 6 DOF steerable input member outputs a signal for each degree of freedom input. It is the 6DOF controller of this type that is believed to be the easiest to use at the moment for 3-D graphics control. The present invention mainly relates to this type of 6DOF controller.

In the prior art, a 6 DOF controller of the type having a single manually operable input member utilizes individual sensors and sensor units (bidirectional sensors) mounted and arranged in a wide range of three-dimensional positions. . This provides a structure for cooperating and interacting with the sensors such that some, most or all of the sensors are grouped or present in a substantially single area, and preferably in a substantially single plane. This is because it cannot be done. The prior art cannot provide a structure such as a carriage member or the like because it can interact and interact with the center. The prior art fails to demonstrate a carriage member that typically carries a sheet of material that connects and supports the sensor.

Another drawback of the prior art 6DOF controller of the type having a single manually operable input member is the use of an inexpensive and flexible thin film sensor sheet,
It cannot be expected to be used. The sensor sheet is initially flat during manufacture and includes sensors and conductive traces applied to the flat sheet structure. Such a flat sheet thin film sensor is advantageously used as a generally flat sensor support panel, or alternatively utilizes a suitable arrangement for cooperating and interacting with the sensor mounting in 3D position and the center. It can be used in curved, bent, or three-dimensionally shaped shapes in a 6-DOF controller configuration.

Prior art 6DOF controllers of the type with a single hand-operable input member can use a flat thin film sensor sheet, or a flat printed circuit board supporting the sensor and sensor conductors. , Cannot be used or expected to provide structures that interact with sensors all in a single area. Prior art 6DOF controllers of the type having a single hand-operable input member do not use or can be expected to use a flat sheet substrate as a foundation. In this case, the sensor is defined or applied, such as by printing with conductive ink, or all of the required sensors, preferably 6 DOF, as well as the printed or otherwise adapted fixed position. The sensor is mounted by plug-in (solder insertion) of the conductor that goes back and forth between the sensor and by soldering.

One prior art exemplifying many individual sensor units mounted in a large spread three-dimensional array by arranging the sensor actuators at many different radial heights and planes. The device of technology is M. 1985 to King
Shown in issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,960.

The King device is a 6 DOF controller, having a load cell, such as a potentiometer, and a sensor, which is a rotary sensor, located at various locations that are essentially scattered throughout the controller. These "scattered" individual sensor and sensor unit mounting locations are required in King controllers because all sensors that are placed or introduced in a single area of the controller are Therefore, the sensor of the King controller is typically in such a way as to allow conventional automated mounting, such as on a flat circuit board, because it cannot provide a structure for cooperative interaction with the sensor. , Or on a circuit board or the like, is not placed in such a way as to allow printed circuit traces to mate with or connect the sensor utilized.

King devices also cannot be expected to use flexible membrane sensor sheets. The sensor sheet includes a sensor and printed conductive traces, can be manufactured in a flat sheet shape at low cost, can be used in a flat sheet shape, or, alternatively, to place the sensors in a three-dimensional array. It can be bent into a dimensionally formed shape. Therefore, it is believed that the sensor and associated conductors (wires) of the King device need to be attached by hand, and the wires are King.
During manufacture of the controller, the sensors are individually attached and then introduced in the approximately central region. Configurations such as King devices are expensive to manufacture, which explains, at least in part, why 6DOF controllers are so expensive when compared to 2-DOF controllers.

Another issue with prior art controllers, such as King devices, is reliability. In the King device, reliability is less than optimal due to the prior art construction of the circuit and the normal single input member 6DOF of the sensor. The reason is,
Manual wiring of the sensor to distant circuits is subject to failures such as wire breaks, cold solder joints of solder and cross wiring due to human assembly errors.

Conventional prior art controllers, especially 6DOs such as King controllers
Another issue in circuits and sensors when configured with an F controller is durability, testing and quality control during manufacturing, such as in a manufacturing plant. For example, in a manufacturing plant, testing is performed before shipping or after selling to a customer, such as for returning defective controllers. Manual wiring, coupled to the usual popular prior art sensor mounting and sensors, makes fault diagnosis and repair more expensive.

Another prior art disclosure that is believed to be of some relevance is M. It is taught in US Pat. No. 5,298,919 issued March 29, 1994 to Chang. The Chang device is basically a 6 for computer graphics.
A degrees of freedom computer controller, including a substantially flat-faced printed circuit board on which all sensors are mounted. However, as will be understood below, in a Chang controller, a single manually actuatable input member operable in six degrees of freedom has many significant drawbacks. Furthermore, the Chang controller does not have an input member that can be operated at 6 DOF with respect to any reference member of the controller, which creates a further serious drawback.

The Chang controller is configured as a mouse-type input device with a roller ball on the underside, which is common in “mouse” type controllers, but 2
In order to input information related to the linear movement of the axis, it is required to move the input device and its housing along the surface in order to rotate the ball on the underside. C
The hang device is a rotary wheel mounted on the side of the housing.
wheel) to simulate a linear movement of the housing along a third axis. Ch
The ang device also includes a second rollerball (trackball) exposed for manual rotation on the top surface of the housing, the upper trackball being used by the user to separate three, commonly referred to as yaw, pitch, and roll, from each other. Provided to allow input of information about rotation about a vertical or orthogonal axis.

The major drawbacks that are not present in the invention and are believed to be present in the Chang device include the requirement that the trackball housing move along a surface to input linear moment information. This surface contact travel requirement has made it impossible to use the Chang controller as a fully handheld controller,
Prevents the g-controller from being incorporated into a multi-purpose controller such as a handheld television remote controller or conventional keyboard. In addition, it requires substantial physical space on the desk or table to move the mouse type controller.

Another drawback of the Chang controller is that it is considered difficult to use. In other words, the mouse roller ball on the underside of the housing, which inputs linear moment information in one direction, cannot enter in all linear directions, and thus the Chang device is Includes spaced apart wheels on the sides of the housing that are used to emulate, approximate, or represent linear movement. The hand movement required to move linearly using pushing the mouse housing in one direction and the driving of the wheel in the other direction is not intuitive and therefore Misleading and difficult for users.

Furthermore, mouse-type controllers, such as the Chang controller, do not provide the desired automatic centering along a linear axis. That is to say, in other words, the user must actively re-center the mouse with the mouse (and the center is Often not easily determined by the user).

Moreover, Chang devices appear to be relatively expensive to manufacture. At least one reason is that it uses six rotary encoders, three of which are utilized for linear inputs. Rotary encoders are relatively expensive compared to many other sensor types. The encoder can, in some cases, provide advantages for rotary inputs. Compared to some other type of sensor,
Not only are rotary encoders more expensive, but they also have significant drawbacks as linear input sensors.

The Chang controller does not have a single input member such as a ball or a handle that can operate in 6 degrees of freedom (resulting in a representative electrical output).
Also, the Chang input member cannot be operated (moveable) with respect to the reference member on the controller with 6 degrees of freedom. Therefore, the Chang device
Not functionally or structurally sufficient.

Therefore, there is a need for further improvements in the field of 6 degree of freedom controllers for graphic controllers, such as on or through computers and monitors or television screens or any displays.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The following summary and detailed description is of the best mode and preferred structure for carrying out the invention, specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Although obvious changes can be made to those that have been made, all these changes that fall within the true scope of the invention are not detailed herein for the sake of brevity of the disclosure.

In order to make the 6DOF controller more accessible and to allow the user to easily control the objects and / or navigate the viewpoint within the three-dimensional graphic display, such as a computer or computerized television. We have developed an improved low cost manual 6DOF controller for use with host devices. The controller represents a full 6 degrees of freedom physical input provided by the human hand on a single manual input member, with representative outputs that are directly or indirectly useful for controlling or assisting the control of a graphic image display. Alternatively, a structure for converting into a signal is provided. The controller of the present invention senses a manual input on an input member by a sensor that is affected by movement or force and is referred to herein as yaw, pitch and roll (or first, second and third). Hosting information representing rotation or rotational force of a manual input member in any direction about three mutually perpendicular bidirectional axes and information representing linear movement of the manual input member along the axes. Send to a graphics generation device such as a computer to control the graphics on the display. Therefore, the movement or force of 6 degrees of freedom with respect to the input member is converted into a signal representing the input, which controls the graphic image.

[0026] It includes a manual input member defined in series. The input member may be a trackball operable with respect to a housing (reference member), as described in our co-pending application. Alternatively, the input member may be any handle suitable for human hand operation, for example a joystick type handle. In either case, the input member receives the 6 DOF of the manual input relative to the reference member and the transducer is actuated or operated from the manual input to affect the sensor. This sensor is used as an output signal, or an electric signal that generates the output signal by processing etc. It is suitable for at least partial control of the image on the display.

The 6DOF controller of the present invention has a sensor, in some embodiments,
The structure is then provided such that it is placed on a single plane, eg, a substantially flat flexible thin film sensor sheet or circuit board sheet. Mounted or placed on a flat sheet The use of electrically connected sensors allows the production of very low cost sensors and associated sensor circuits, the ease of replacement of faulty sensors or conductors by replacing the entire sheet, and the isolation of individually insulated wires for the sensors. There is an advantage of improved reliability due to the loss.

[0028] Thus allowing the use of highly automated definition and placement of circuits and sensors, resulting in reduced manufacturing costs and increased product reliability. Sensor, preferably bstratum) has many advantages. One of these advantages is a short or low profile 6DOF.
Another is the controller, and the other is the low cost in manufacturing as described above. In at least one preferred embodiment, the sensors for 6DOF are all arranged on a single substantially flat sheet member, such as a circuit board sheet or a thin film sensor sheet, and the conductive traces are attached to the sheet. Races may be used to carry electricity to the sensor depending on the type of sensor selected to be used and to conduct electricity controlled, shaped or communicated by the sensor to electronic processors, cable out leads, etc. it can.

As detailed with respect to this embodiment of the 6DOF controller, the sensor and conductive traces can be fabricated on a generally flat, flexible thin film sensor sheet material such as a non-conductive plastic sheet. The sheet may then be bent into a three-dimensional shape, or even a broader three-dimensional sensor conformation. Thus, the seat-supported sensor structure allows for the manufacture of very low cost sensors and associated sensor circuits, the ease of replacing a failed sensor or conductor by replacing the entire seat, and the elimination of individually insulated wires for the sensor. The advantage is improved reliability.

The present invention provides a 6DOF having a single 6DOF input member with multiple sensors or sensor units individually hand-mounted and arranged in a wide range of three-dimensional conformations.
It solves the above-mentioned prior art problems with the controller and the wiring problem of manually applying individually insulated wires to individual sensors or sensor units. The 6DOF controller of the present invention solves these problems primarily using a sheet-supported sensor structure and the most relevant circuitry on the sensor, and at least initially flat sheet in applying conductive circuit traces. .. The sheet circuit and sensor are particularly well suited for automated manufacturing and are fast and easy to test (point-point).
) A configuration well suited for repairs and replacement of simple board or "seat" units in case of failure. Manual application of the sensor and related conductors on a flat sheet is not outside the scope of the invention, but for reasons of cost and reliability when compared to the use of currently widely used automated manufacturing processes. , Not so much progress.

Automated manufacturing of circuit boards with fixed position trace conductors, sensors, separate electronic components and integrated chips is now widely used in the manufacture of, for example, televisions, computers, video and stereos, plugs for sensors and electrical components. The inn can be used with a computer controlled machine. And, the application of the conductive trace conductors to the otherwise non-conductive circuit board sheet is performed using an automated machine. In this machine, the solder or conductive material is printed or fused or non-etched.
Adhesive to d areas). In this area, electrical connections or conductive traces are desired, but other processes are used. Automated fabrication of flat flexible thin film sensor sheets is now widely used in computer keyboards, programmable computer keyboards, and consumer electronics control pads, to name but a few. Flexible thin film sensor sheets currently use a non-conductive flexible plastic sheet on which conductive ink is printed to define circuit conductors and circuit switches (sensors). It is manufactured by Generally, and as is well known, printed contact switches on flexible thin films use the separation of normal contact pairs by using a three-layer plastic sheet with the first contact on one outer sheet. , A second contact of the pair is on the other outer sheet, and a third inner sheet separates the aligned contact pair, but by providing a small hole in the inner sheet,
One contact is pressed inward through the hole to contact the other aligned contact of the pair, thus closing the circuit. Conductive traces of printed conductive ink are printed on each of the outer sheets to connect the contacts of that sheet. Also, the contacts are typically defined by conductive ink. This flexible thin film sensor structure is formed from a number of sheets stacked together, but functions as a single unit and is therefore generally referred to herein as a thin film sensor sheet. The printed conductive ink remains flexible or is formulated to remain flexible after curing. As a result, the flexible thin film sensor sheet can be bent without interrupting the printed circuit. Flexible thin film sensor sheets can be cut into many shapes before or after application of the sensor and associated circuitry.

For purposes of this teaching, specification and claims, “sensor (s)”
The term "includes not only simple on / off, off / on contact switches, but also proximity sensors, variable resistance and / or capacitance sensors, piezo sensors, variable voltage And proportional sensors such as optical sensors and encoders, and also other electrical control, shaping or communication devices that are affected by movement or force. Flexible thin films mounted on sheet structures, circuit boards and pressure sensitive variable resistance materials incorporated into sensors that are directly applied to the sensor package are very useful as proportional sensors and are disclosed herein. Expected to be desirable in a type 6DOF controller.

For purposes of this teaching, specification and claims, “manipul”
It is important to define the terms "ate), working, and converter".

The term “manipulate” and all equivalents (manipulated)
d), manipulating, manipulatable
table), operation (manipulation, etc.), the input member is 6DO
Used in situations where the reference member is operable at F. This means that the input member or handle can move linearly or rotate about three mutually perpendicular axes in the 6DOF, but with the sensor being activated, It does not necessarily mean that the device outputs a representative signal. This merely means that the input member or handle can be moved and / or rotated in such a way. The input member or the handle may or may not activate the sensor and output information representative of the handle operation. A handle that can be “steered” in a 6 DOF only means that it can be linearly moved and / or rotated with respect to a reference member.

“Operate” and all of its derivatives (operated, manipulated, operable, manipulated, etc.) are used to mean that the input member is operable at 6 DOF with respect to the reference member. This is because the handle moves linearly along three mutually orthogonal axes in the 6DOF,
Alternatively, it means that they can rotate about them, and does not necessarily mean that the sensor is activated or that the device is performing an output indicating an input operation.

“Converter” and its derived words and derivatives (converting, converting, converted, converted, etc.) are used in the sense of a physical quantity electrical quantity converter. What this means is that an electrical signal carrying information representing at least in part the real world physical or mechanical movement and / or rotation of the input member (input). It is a device that changes (converts) to (output).

Also, for purposes of describing this teaching and claim, a definition of the terms “joystick type” controller and “trackball type” controller is required. The "joystick type" controller and the "trackball type" controller represent two different types of hand-operated input controllers, each of which has a manually operable input member (handle or trackball). The member is to be operated with respect to a reference member (base, shaft or housing). The differences between these two types of controllers are as follows: Joystick type controller has 6DO input member
It is handleable or operable up to F, but only to move or rotate within a limited range of freedom of movement of the input member relative to the reference member; Since the input member of this type of device is typically spherical, there is no limit to the travel around the axis of rotation. A 6DOF trackball type embodiment is shown in FIGS.
An embodiment of the DOF joystick type is shown in Figures 13-36.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a 6DOF image controller (physical quantity-electric quantity converter). The 6DOF image controller has a single manually operable input member with respect to a reference member, which allows the sensor to be a generally single area or at least a generally flat, flexible thin film sensor.
It is intended to provide a configuration that has the advantage of being mounted on a planar region such as an extensible membrane sheet or a circuit board sheet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a 6DOF controller (physical quantity-electric quantity converter) which is easy to use. The 6DOF image controller has a single manually operable input member with respect to a reference member, and the sensor and corresponding substrate conductors are first attached to a flexible, substantially flat sheet member and then bent. Or circuit trace routing and sensor location
An alternative to a preferred three-dimensional arrangement suitable for mounting is to provide a configuration for cooperating and interacting with the sensor in the three-dimensional arrangement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a 6DOF controller (physical quantity-electric quantity converter) which is easy to use. The 6DOF image controller has a single input member that can be manually operated with respect to a reference member, and can be assembled on a flat sheet member (flat) with a sensor and corresponding circuits of various types by an automated manufacturing process. And / or the use of definable positional arrangements has the advantage that they can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a 6DOF controller (physical quantity-electric quantity converter) that is easy to use. The 6DOF image controller has a single input member that can be manually operated with respect to a reference member, and has an advantage that it can be manufactured on a flat sheet member using a reliable and automated manufacturing process. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate an assembly error due to incorrect wiring connection, low temperature or bad solder connection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a 6DOF controller (physical quantity-electric quantity converter) which is easy to use. The 6DOF image controller has a single input member that can be manually operated with respect to a reference member, and can be manufactured using a sensor and a corresponding circuit on a flat sheet member (flat). It has the advantage of easy and low cost replacement of the seat for improved durability and repair.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a 6DOF controller (physical quantity-electric quantity converter) that is easy to use. The 6DOF image controller is constructed in such a way that the controller can be formed with a relatively low profile input member, packaging for sale, various embodiments and environments (e.g. easy to reach key around). Low profile integrated into the keyboard (low
profile) 6DOF handle operation, device function (small handle shape, active tactile feedback)
It provides a number of advantages such as leaving room for edback).

Another object of the present invention is to provide and achieve the above objects in a 6DOF controller, which allows for advantages in application and sensor selection. The present invention provides a sensor as simple as an electrical contact or a more complex proportional (pro).
partial) and a pressure-sensitive variable output sensor or the like. The printed circuit board is an automated component inst.
It greatly simplifies the use of a variety of sensor types that can be plugged into or formed on a substrate using an alling mechanism, and the flexible thin film sensor sheet is made up of contact pairs or pressures printed or placed on the flexible thin film sensor sheet. Various sensors such as a sensing variable output sensor (pressure sensing variable resistance) can be used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide and achieve the above objects in a 6 degree of freedom controller, providing the advantages of a variety of complex movements. All Cartesian coordinates of three orthogonal axes (the three mutually orthogonal axes are referred to herein as yaw, pitch, and roll axes) are the line patterns in the movement along the axis or the force down the axis. , And rotation about axes or modes of rotation in force. These linear and rotational interpretations can be combined in any possible way to account for any possible interpretation in three dimensions.

These, as well as further objects and advantages of the invention, will be better understood by the following specification and drawings.

[0047]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made generally to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1-11 showing a trackball type embodiment 9 illustrating the principles of the present invention. Further, a joystick type embodiment that illustrates the principles of the present invention is described as a preferred embodiment of the correction invention.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1-4, a trackball type embodiment 9 is a manually operable 6 DOF controller that outputs control information, in this embodiment the rectangular housing 10 has complete 6 degrees of freedom. It is assumed to be a reference member associated with a manipulating trackball, which is a single manually operable input member. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing a housing 10 that supports, holds and protects at least a portion of the movable carriage 14.

As already understood from the above description and figures, the carriage 14 comprises the housing 1
All linear directions associated with the housing 10, supported at least in part in 0,
For example, it has a structure that can move or move in left, right, front, back, up, and down, and possible combination directions thereof. In addition, the housing 10 may include a six degree of freedom controller as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and 8, or other functions such as a conventional handheld remote control housing or computer keyboard housing as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, respectively. It is possible to provide and include functions such as keyboard operation, cursor control, on / off, volume control, and channel control, which are specialized in the housing 10 of the conventional device and are added to the housing provided with 6 degrees of freedom. The housing 10 is effective for one or more panels of vehicle or machine console control. The housing 10 can theoretically be arbitrarily sized, but of course any trackball 12, intended for manual control or handheld, any exposed portion of the carriage 14 or housing 10 is sized for human hand interface. Can be. The housing 10 easily utilizes the housing wall,
If on that wall a carriage travel stop (a fixed wall or post to limit carriage travel) or a sensor actuator or a sensor support suitable for the keyboard housing of FIG. Walls, partitions, or posts, separated to some extent and dedicated to these purposes, are located in any desired and advantageous position within the housing 10 as shown in FIG. Here, the differentials 100 and 104 extend vertically vertically from the inside bottom of the housing 10, inside the inside sidewalls of the housing, such as a switch / sensor actuator or a second component of two adjacent sensors, for example. Supports or functions as the second component of the sensor. In this example, the differential 100 functions jointly with the front sensor 102, and the differential 1
04 functions together with the rear sensor 106. FIG. 3 shows an example of using the side wall of the housing 10 as a push plate for the sensor actuators 116 and 120 or the right sensor 118 and the left sensor 122. The housing 10 in almost all applications is formed from a rigid or semi-rigid plastic for cost, weight and strength, although other materials may be functionally suitable.

It should be noted that within the scope of the present invention, the function of the carriage 14 can be provided with a number of structures, but in the figure the carriage 14 comprises a lower member 20 and an upper member 22 located above the lower member 20. Are shown to include. In the present example, the lower member 20 is shown as a rigid sheet member such as a circuit board, but a flexible thin film sensor having at least a circuit in the form of a conductive circuit sweep line in which the rigid sheet is fixed on the sheet member. It may be configured to support the seat. The lower member 20 and the upper member 22 in this example are each a plate-shaped rectangle, and are connected to each other through a rigid connection post 24 that is vertically arranged in a side-by-side relationship with a space therebetween. The lower member 20 and the upper member 22 are preferably a rigid material such as rigid plastic. The connection post 24 is integrally moldable with the upper member 22 and utilizes the mushroom head shaped fitting connection end of each post 24 fitted in the through hole of the lower member 20, or passes through the through hole of the member 20 to the upper part. , Is connected to the lower member 20 with screws that engage holes in the bottom ends of the posts 24. Adhesive or cohesive is used to connect the connection posts 24 to the lower member 20. The usual four connecting members 24 are used as shown by the dotted outline in FIG. 1, but the posts can be readily replaced by equivalent constructions such as two walls. Then, since the separate lower member 20 is attached to the lower member 22,
With the member 20 flat on each side, with a more suitable shape and structure, the circuit sweep lines and sensors can be provided utilizing automated machinery. The upper member 22 has the trackball 12 present therein and includes an opening 26 extending partially therethrough. The opening 26 may include a ring, such as an annular protruding lip or threaded ring 28, to engage the collet 16 having a threaded structure at its bottom end, or any protrusion as shown in FIG. It may be an opening with no lip or collet extending. Here, the trackball 12 is shown to extend through a through hole 26 in the upper member. Similarly, the trackball 12 can be exposed in many parts (50% or more) without using the collet 16 by using the arm extending upward from the carriage 14, and the partially exposed trackball 12 is , Is a means for holding the trackball in synchronization with all linear movements. When used, the collet 16 functions as an easily gripping member that allows the human hand to move the carriage 14, and thus the trackball 12, in any desired direction, while the collet 16 is not used. Can grip the trackball 12 with fingers of the hand and similarly move the carriage 14 in an arbitrary linear direction. If the grippable collet is not used, the exposed portion of the trackball 12 is
It can be used to grip with a finger and apply force in any linear direction, just as a basketball player grips a basketball with one hand or fingers.

The lower member 20 of the carriage 14 physically supports wheels, rollers, bearings or sliding members, otherwise a smooth surface that assists in supporting the trackball 12 in a freely spherical manner. Is preferred. In the illustrated example, three upright encoders 124 manually attached to the upper surface of the lower member 20 to detect rotation, direction, and total amount of rotation of the trackball 12 with respect to yaw angle, pitch, and roll axis. 126 and 128 include rotatable wheels on which the trackball 12 rests. In most applications, the weight of the trackball 12 and the most common position within its bearing bearing of the encoder's rotatable wheel will cause sufficient frictional engagement between the encoder wheel and the trackball 12, Rotation of the ball rotates one or more encoders depending on the axis about which the trackball rotates. If an extension collet is used, the structure of the carriage 14 and collet 16 are close enough to fit the trackball 12,
There is a substantial coordination of linear motion between the carriage 14, collet 16 and trackball 12. In other words, the linear movement of the trackball 12 is substantially equivalent to the linear movement of the carriage 14 and collet 16. The collet 16 shown in FIG. 2 or some other figures is supported or fixed to the carriage 14 and moves therewith, so that the fixed or rotatable collet (detailed) is not part of the carriage 14. Note that it can be considered. As described above, the carriage 1
4 is supported by a structure to allow movement in all relative linear directions to the housing 10. For example, the left and right are linear movements along the pitch axis of this example, the front and rear are linear movements along the roll axis of this example, and the up and down are linear movements along the yaw angle axis of this example. . In those possible combinations, the sensor is the carriage 1.
4 is positioned to detect and provide (output) relevant information of relative linear movement of the housing 4 into the housing 10. Obviously, the trackball 12 and collet 16 are linked for linear movement with the carriage 14.
Can move linearly in all relative directions to the housing 10. Here, the housing 10 is considered as a reference member. The carriage 14 is the housing 1
It is preferably not rotatable relative to zero. That is, the rotational interpretation for the three mutually perpendicular axes (see FIG. 7) is to detect the spherical rotation of the trackball about yaw, pitch and roll.
This is because it is provided via 26 and 128. Therefore, it is preferable that the carriage 14 is supported or held by a method and a suitable structure capable of moving the carriage 14 linearly in all directions, however, the carriage 10 is prevented from rotating relative to the housing 10, and the carriage is intentionally moved. If it is desired that 14 not rotate, the trackball can rotate and the encoder (or all rotating sensors utilized) will rotate. Although this is an undesirable aspect, carriage 14 is considered within the scope of the present invention if it is supported in a manner that allows for limitation of its axis of rotation.

However, the structure for physically supporting the carriage 14 so that it can be moved in an arbitrary linear direction can possibly be completed by many structural combinations. Two examples are shown. The first example is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, and the second example is shown in FIG. With respect to the carriage 14, there is preferably a return toe center feature, the center associated with the return toe center is zero and the large linear sensor is not activated. This return-to-center and center-zero can probably be completed by a large number of structures, but it is easy to understand, so one good example structure is to simply turn it on as a carriage linear sensor for information output. A / OFF switch is utilized, which is equipped with an external spring activation button. Here, the carriage 14 can be pushed back to the position to activate the switch (one set of electrical opening and closing), and of course, sending or outputting information on this event by stopping or passing current. To do. A button spring that is depressed by the carriage 14 pushes the carriage 14 back to the center and zero position when the user releases pressure on a particular switch. Further, as mentioned above, the spring on / off switch is of the type that produces a detectable click or snap activated by pressure from the carriage 14, which is normally available as a snap switch. This click or snap can then be felt or heard by the user, and the user can therefore provide information alerting the activation or deactivation of the switch. If a silence type sensor is used, the non-sensor snap or click mechanism
Of course, it may be installed, and it is desirable to indicate sensor activation or deactivation with a tactile or audible signal.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the expanded foam rubber 30 is attached to the inside of the bottom surface of the housing 10 to lower the lower member 2 of the carriage 14.
It is shown positioned just below 0. The snap switches or spring biased switches described above can be used with the foam rubber 30. Forum rubber 30 is elastically compressible and thus is a springy material. Although foam rubber 30 and other spring materials such as compression coil springs and leaf springs could be used in place of foam rubber, foam rubber works well, is inexpensive, readily available, and easy to mold and cut. It's easy. It was also considered to mount the carriage 14 on a tension spring suspended from the lower interior of the housing 10, but this would result in an overly complex structure compared to using the foam rubber shown and described. Seem. The foam rubber 30 of the example of FIGS. 2 and 3 is rectangular and has a central cut-out, i.e. an opening, at 32 so that the down sensor shown attached to the underside of the lower member 20. The sensor 110 can interact with the actuator 108, which only interacts with the downward sensor 110 located below the sensor 110. The actuator 108 for the downward sensor 110 is in contact with the downward sensor 110 regardless of where the carriage 14 moves left or right when the user wants to press the carriage 14 to activate the sensor 110, that is, the downward sensor 110. 110
Is dimensioned so that it can be activated. Since the foam rubber 30 is compressible, the user depresses the trackball 12 or the collet 16,
That is, the exposed upper surface (upper member 22) of the carriage 14 can press the carriage 14 to operate the downward sensor 110. By pressing down in this way, the foam rubber 30 is compressed, and when the user releases the downward pressure, the elastic foam rubber 30 pushes up the carriage 14 again, and the operation of the downward sensor 110 is stopped, and the carriage 14 is lifted. Move to the center zero position. The foam rubber 30 of the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is rectangular and is slightly larger in all dimensions than the lower member 20, so that the foam rubber 30 is fixed to the lower member 20 (carriage). It is attached to the lower member with an adhesive or mechanical fasteners. Since the foam rubber 30 is slightly larger than the lower member 20, the foam rubber 30 protrudes to the left and right from the entire outer circumference of the lower member 20. Foam rubber 3
This extension of 0 is shown on the left and right as shown in FIG.
, 106 in front of the actuator 100, 104 (or, in some circumstances, the sidewall 18 of the housing), a spring bumper.
per) function. This is shown in FIG.
Depicted as being pressed against the side wall 18 of the housing 10 in front of 8,122. When the user releases the pressure, the compressed foam rubber 30 is normally in a partially expanded state and can be compressed and then returned, thus pushing the carriage 14 back to the central zero position. The upward sensor shown in FIG.
114) is shown attached to the upper surface of the lower member 20,
The weight of 4 is usually sufficient to pull the carriage 14 and sensor 114 downwardly from its actuator 112 when the user releases the pulling pressure,
Carriage 1 when the weight or gravity is insufficient or not available outside the atmosphere
It is also conceivable to place a spring, such as a foam rubber pad, between the upper surface of the upper panel of the housing and the upper member 22 in order to depress 4 and deactivate the sensor 114. The actuator 112 of the upward sensor 114 is a member that is suspended from the lower surface of the upper part of the housing and is shown in the figure, and is formed as an integral component with the housing 10 if desired. The actuator 112 for the upward sensor 114 includes the carriage 14
It may simply be a plate or panel against which the snap switch mounted is bumped or pressed, or a second component of the sensor,
Or it may support a second component of the sensor, such as the second component of two adjacent sensors, which generally applies to all actuators shown and described. It also applies generally to all actuators shown and described that the carriage 14 must be sufficiently large or properly positioned to be effective at the extreme end of any tolerance.

2 to 4, a track frame 34 is provided below the upper surface of the housing 10.
Are placed. The track frame 34 is free to move vertically within the housing 10 and the carriage 14 can move vertically to actuate the up or down sensors 114,110. Further from FIGS. 2 and 3, the carriage 14 is dimensioned to move in any linear direction relative to the components within the housing 10, such as the housing 10 and actuators, although in the illustrated example there is little movement. Has been formed. Smaller linear movements from the center zero to actuate one or more sensors are preferred, but the distance can be larger if desired. The track frame 34 is a structure that can be used to reliably prevent the axial rotation of the carriage 14. The foam rubber 30 of FIGS. 2 and 3 has its four sides closely disposed between the walls and / or the actuators, and is typically a carriage 14.
Track frame 34 or a similar structure is used to more reliably prevent the axial rotation of the carriage 14, although it plays a sufficient role as an anti-axial rotation structure for the carriage. There are cases. As shown in FIG. 4, the track frame 34 is a rectangular frame with an empty center,
Upper member 22 is slidably retained therein. Two opposite sides of the frame 34 are slidably disposed between and in contact with two parallel fixed walls. The two parallel fixed walls are the housing 1
It may be 0 side wall 18 or a partition specially installed for this purpose. The lower member 20 in this configuration is supported by placing it on the foam rubber 30 and the frame 34 will slide between the walls 18 when the upper member 22 is pushed back and forth, for example. The frame 34 also slides up and down between the walls 18 but is close fit so that the frame 34 does not rotate axially between the walls 18. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the upper member 22 fits snugly but slidably in the longitudinal direction between the two oppositely disposed U-shaped track sides of the frame 34. 3 and 4
As can be seen in FIG. Therefore, when the upper member 22 is pushed back and forth (for example), the upper member 22 pushes the frame 34 because the frame 34 and the upper member 22 are in close contact in this direction. Also, when the upper member 22 is pushed laterally (for example), the frame 34 slides on the U-shaped track portion of the frame 34 because it cannot move in these directions due to the close contact with the parallel walls 18. When the upper member 22 moves up and down, the track frame 34 also moves up and down, and the balance between the carriage 14 and the track ball 12 also moves. In this example, the upper member 22 and the lower member 20 are fixed to a connecting post 24, and the member 2
0 and 22 form a component of the carriage 14, which allows the carriage to be manually moved linearly by manually applying force to the collet 16 and / or the trackball, and possibly the exposed portion of the upper member 22 described above. (Linearly
It should be remembered that it is controlled. Since the carriage 14 and the trackball 12 move independently of the housing 10, the space 36 or clearance creates an upper portion of the housing surrounding the trackball 12 and the carriage 14 for lateral movement of the carriage 14. Note that it is also provided between the collet 16 and the collet 16. The spaces 36 or cracks are flexible or rubbery material to prevent dust from entering, or any suitable boot or seal configuration.
L Arrangement) or space 36 (crevice)
May be kept small (manufactured) to prevent dust collection.

FIG. 6 shows another example using a foam rubber. In the figure, the foam 30 is a stationary shelf in the housing 10.
It is located above the immediate shelf 38 and just below the upper member 22 on the foam rubber 30. The foam rubber 30 extends inwardly beyond the shelf 38, as can be seen from the drawing. The innermost end of the foam rubber 30 abuts the vertical connecting post 24 of the carriage 14. Carriage 14, which is supported by foam rubber 30 between the underside of top member 22 and the top of shelf 38, can be moved in any linear direction and abuts connecting post 24 and, as shown, the housing. The foam rubber 30 abutting the inside of the wall has a structural arrangement as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
nt) and functions as a return-to-center arrangement and a return-to-null arrangement. The shelf 38 in this example must abut all sidewalls inside the housing 10 or at least under some resilient foam located around the carriage 14. The clearance on the upper member 22 (cleara)
and an inner surface of the upper part of the housing 10 are operated with an up sensor 114 so that the carriage 14 can move upward (
A pulling action must be provided, and a member supporting the carriage 14, such as foam rubber, moves the carriage 14 and pulls upward in the carriage 14.
After completion of the pressure on carriage 14), the up sensor 11
It is necessary to be able to clear the operation of 4. This principle applies in most if not all embodiments of the invention.

Reference is made to FIGS. 5-6 for a brief description of one arbitrary arrangement. 1 to 3
In contrast to the non-rotatably affixed to the upper member 22 in this embodiment, the collet 16 is rotatably mounted to the upper member 22 in this case,
The collet 16 can be manually rotated around the trackball 12. For at least some users, the rotatable collet in FIGS. 5-6 is a simpler way to perform rotation about the yaw axis, as compared to rotating the trackball 12 at least with respect to rotation about the yaw center. It can be a process. The rotating collet may be rotatable 360 degrees as in FIG. 5 or only partially rotatable as in FIG. In that case, the collet 16 is a multi-position pendulum sensor (m
multiple-position rocker style sensor
) It is only possible to move back and forth in a short arc limited by 158 etc. Both collets 16 shown in FIGS. 5 to 6 are connected to the upper member 22 via a tongue and groove play-fit connection, shown for example at 170. The tongue is an upward extension of the upper member 22, and the groove is a component of the collet 16 that engages from above the tongue. An optical encoder 168 is shown in FIG. 5 as an example of a sensor that contacts the bottom of the collet 16, and rotation of the collet 16 in either direction causes the optical wheel of the encoder 168 to rotate, which means that the collet 16 rotates. 16 is achieved by gears around the outer surface of the drive wheel of the encoder 168 which meshes with the gear teeth around the bottom, and the encoder is also the direction and speed of rotation about the yaw axis of the collet 16. Is output. In FIG. 6, the pendulum type (r
The ocker style sensor assembly 158 includes a T-shaped member and has a vertical center arm 160 that engages in a lower groove of the collet 16, the T-shaped member having an axis at a lower center. Since the two arms 162 are laterally supported, the two laterally-arranged arms 162 are pivotally moved up and down according to the rotation direction of the collet, and are mounted on the lower member 20. It is possible to interact with the indicated direction of the negative sensor 164 and the indicated direction of the positive sensor 166. Negative sensor 164 and positive sensor 166 may be simple on or off switches, or, for example, a resistance change (resist).
by changing the voltage through an ance change, or by changing the electrical output such as a piezoelectric substance, the degree in addition to the direction in which the collet 16 rotates.
Alternatively, it may be a higher performance sensor that indicates pressure. If a rotatable collet is used, the sensor is used to detect rotation of the collet 16 as described above, but in communication with the trackball 12 to detect rotation of the trackball about its yaw axis. It does not exclude sensors (encoders) that still have an in communication with, which will allow the user to choose whether to turn around the yaw about a trackball or a rotatable collet. Further, the input member of the trackball 12 may be interpretable on all six axes as previously described, and the rotatable collet is an addition for any application the software designer or end user may desire. May function as an optional second input member.

It is most desirable that all circuits, switches and sensors be mounted on the carriage 14, and more specifically on the lower member 20, which is a sheet member, which is an advantage to keep costs low during manufacturing. The controller and the electronics and / or software and host graphics image generator to which the present invention seeks to interface and at least partially control it.
Depending on the type and performance of the sensor used in the electronic device, there may be a flexible electrical conductor that connects with an on / off switch mounted on the lower member 20, which is flexible. The conductive wire is a cord 156 that can be connected to the host image generating device, leaving the lower member.
A linear moment mounted on the housing 10 either leaving it through the housing 10 or leaving the circuit on the lower member 20.
moment) and rotational information to an emitter of electromagnetic radiation (not shown) for communicating with a host device via wireless communication such as infrared or wireless signals. The bottom member 20 may be a printed circuit board having sensors, integrated and / or discrete electronic components thereon, and in FIG. 2 an application specific integrated circuit chip is shown at 130, which is for calculation, encoding, storage, signal translation (sig
nal translation), eg analog-to-digital conversion, data formats for communication to a host device, serial and / or parallel communication interfaces and similar steps or processes could be used. When the invention is configured primarily for use in desktop personal computers, the particular circuitry and electronics formed on or in the invention may be used with, for example, interactive television or television-based electronic games. Would probably be different than if it was configured primarily for. Any power required for the electronics or sensors or output signals may be supplied by the battery in the housing 10, via a connecting cord, or from any other suitable power source. A combination of electrical power inputs may be used, depending on the particular application for which the controller was designed.

As mentioned above, the housing 10 may take various forms. FIG. 8 shows a housing 10 specifically configured for a carriage 14 and a trackball 12 for use on a support surface such as a table or desk. It can be used as an alternative to the mouse used in computers. The optional extension 142 is shown in outline by a dotted line and is ergonomically designed to rest the wrist or forearm. The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 includes two thumb select switches 14
4 and two finger selection switches 146 (secondary input members) are shown, which are often found on trackballs, mice, or joysticks.
It may be provided for use as a function selection switch. Useful housing 1
A further example of 0 is shown in FIG. 9, which shows a handheld housing 10 sized and shaped to be carried by the user when controlling a graphic image using the controller according to the present invention. This "remote control" version of the present invention is a long, flexible conductor.
a wireless remote controller that sends information to the graphics generation device by electromagnetic radiation, which may be connected directly to the host graphics image generation device (e.g., computer, television, etc.). preferable. The remote control shown in FIG.
It is battery powered with a battery and may have a scan or program window indicated at 132 to allow programming of the internal electronics. This form is particularly useful for interactive television and interactive 3D displays, commonly referred to as virtual reality displays, most typically on / off, volume, channel selection, special features, and other features. In many cases, a function key 136 is attached for control.

FIG. 10 shows a carriage 14 and a trackball 12 (Embodiment 9) provided in a computer keyboard which is relatively similar to the conventional one except that it is provided. In the ninth embodiment, an arrow keypad.
Although it is shown as an alternative to this, it may in fact be incorporated elsewhere within the keyboard 140. It will be appreciated that the disclosed embodiments 172 and 200 may also be incorporated into a keyboard, such as a computer, as will become apparent below.

FIG. 11 shows a desktop computer 148 as an example of a graphic image generation device, and a cube 152 is three-dimensionally shown on its display 150 (computer monitor). 154 is an electromagnetic signal reception window,
It is for receiving signals transmitted over the wireless communication form of the present invention as shown in FIG. Alternatively, normal keyboard operation may be used if desired, or the six degree of freedom controller (six degree o) of the present invention may be used as needed.
In order to enable graphic image control using a f freedom controller, the keyboard 140 of FIG.
It may be connected to the host image generation device through the line 6.

Referring now to FIG. 12, there is shown a partial end cross-sectional view of the joystick style embodiment 172 of the present invention. Embodiment 1 except that the long handle 174 held by hand is hooked on the exposed portion of the ball 12 by a suitable connection structure such as integral molding, casting, or connection using an adhesive or a screw.
72 may be similar in construction to the trackball type embodiment shown in FIGS. In the embodiment 172, a complete 6 DOF is realized, and the user can control the carriage 14 and the trackball 12 by grasping the handle 174 and applying a linear or rotational force to the handle 174. In the embodiment 172, the input member is considered to be the handle 174 and the reference member is the housing 10. In embodiment 172, the housing may be of various shapes and sizes, such as housing 10 as shown in FIGS.

At this point in time, those skilled in the art have constructed and used at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, and have the trackball or joystick type of the present invention without undue experimentation. It would be possible to construct and use embodiments. However, to further clarify the broad scope of the present invention, further examples of joystick-type embodiments according to the present invention will now be described.

FIGS. 13 to 21 are 6DOF physical quantity / mechanical quantity-electric quantity converters (physica) for hand-operated image control, which are modifications of the joystick type embodiment.
l / mechanical to electrical converter
) Is shown. In the transducer, all six axes are bidirectionally and mechanically transformed into respective sensors representing each axis. A further embodiment 200 is
It teaches all the necessary sensors located within the handle 202. Embodiment 20
No. 0 further teaches a configuration that allows all the necessary sensors of a 6DOF controller device to be placed on a single sheet.

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a joystick-type embodiment 200 of the present invention showing a configuration that allows the thin film sensor sheet 206 to be used. Joystick type handle 202 (upper handle 202.2 and lower handle 202.1
The entire 6 DOF operation of the input member, shown as (comprising), with respect to the reference member, shown as shaft 204, is translated to a specific location on thin film sensor sheet 206.

Shown at the bottom of the drawing is a shaft 204, which may or may not be attached to a number of various base-type or other components. For the sake of explanation, the shaft 204 is substantially cylindrical and has a yaw axis (yaw).
It is depicted as being generally aligned along the axis. Shaft 20
4 is substantially hollow to allow passage of thin film tails, wires or electrical connections, and is generally made of a rigid and strong material such as injection molded acetal plastic or steel plate. The shaft 204 has a pedestal 210 protruding at one end thereof, and a pivot ball 208 is fixed to the pedestal 210. The shaft 204 is also a yaw slide-r.
ail) 212. The slide rail 212 is a component that allows the translator 214 to move up and down on the yaw axis while preventing the translator 214 from rotating relative to the shaft 204 about the yaw axis. Those of ordinary skill in the art, after reading this disclosure, will readily appreciate that a wide variety of variations of the configurations specifically illustrated and described herein are possible. For example, slide rail 212 may be unnecessary if shaft 204 is square rather than cylindrical.

It is the lower handle portion 202.1 that substantially surrounds the shaft 204 but is not directly connected to it. The lower handle portion 202.1 is made of a substantially rigid material and has a circular vertical short outer wall with a large circular notch in the center of its approximately flat bottom to allow movement of the handle 202 relative to the shaft 204. Section is provided. The lower handle portion 202.1 is preferably screwed into the upper handle portion 202.
． Since it is fixed to 2, the two members integrally form a handle 202 that encloses all the other members in this embodiment. The flat bottom of the lower handle portion 202.1 is slidable horizontally with respect to the substantially flat lower surface of the first carriage member 216 along the pitch and the roll axis. The first carriage member 216 has an opening in its center, shown with its end, which defines a planar cutout in the female spherical portion that rotatably and slidably couples with the male spherical portion of the translator 214. Form. The translator 214 has a longitudinal female cylindrical opening and a yaw slide rail slot (y) for coupling with the shaft 204 as described above.
awslide rail slot) 213. Translator 2
14 further comprises at its upper end two anti-yaw tabs 218 arranged in opposite directions, respectively, which are substantially in the horizontal plane defined by the pitch axis and the roll axis. is doing. The yaw prevention tab 218 fits within a generally vertical slot formed by rising posts 220 that are fixed to, and preferably integrally molded with, the carriage member 216. The functional result of the yaw tabs operating within the slots and the male spherical portion of the translator 214 mating with the female spherical portion of the carriage member 216 causes the translator 218 to be substantially non-displaced relative to the shaft 204. While non-rotatably supported, the carriage member 216 is not rotatable on the yaw axis but both on the pitch and roll axes with respect to both the translator 214 and the general reference member shaft 204. There is a mechanical consequence of being. A rising post 220 fixedly connects the first carriage member to the second carriage member 222 with a screw, snap-fastened connector or other connecting means. Although the second carriage member 222 may be a circuit board sheet that supports all the necessary sensors in any modification of this embodiment, FIG.
Of the thin film sensor sheet 206 as shown in the embodiment of FIG.
Supportive backing (formal and support ba)
Cking) is possible. The second carriage member 222 is made of a rigid material such as injection molded acetal plastic, and in FIG.
It is shown as a generally flat circular plate with a circular notch in its center and six plate-like structures extending downward (as shown). The plate-like structure is flexible or bent at appropriate locations (as shown) so that the sensor is accurately positioned between the second carriage member and the activation portion of each sensor. It serves as a back support for the sensor on the flexible sensor membrane 206.

In the preferred embodiment, associated with the sensor is elastic “tactile” (tac).
"Tile)" return-to-center parts 2
26 (hereinafter referred to as “tactile RTC 226”), which is shown in FIG. 13 as a rubber dome cap type activator. These haptic RTCs 226 are placed between the sensor and the activating mechanical hardware so that when the input member is activated, a particular piece, member, or part of the activating mechanical hardware is identified. Drive parts (activat
ing part) depends on which particular sensor is described) moves to act on the local haptic RTC 226 and compress it. Action /
As the impinging / compressing force increases, the force "break-over" threshold inherent in the haptic RTC 226 is suppressed (overcome), which is rapid but transient. And the sensor is triggered and activated. This breakover haptic threshold can be achieved by a number of simple haptic structures. For example, a rubber dome cap structure, shown as RTC 226 in FIG. 13, a metal dome cap structure (providing an extra strong and distinct feedback sensation), or other more complex, spring-based breakover structure. These elastic breakover structures are typically used in the simple on-off switch industry. For example, audible and tactile breakover switches that are commonly used in home lighting and extinguishing, and in typical computer keyboard key operations.

We believe that the structure by the inventor that allows the use of this general breakover technique in a 6DOF controller is a very new and useful improvement in the field of 3D graphic image controllers. is doing. Furthermore, after consideration of this disclosure, it may be apparent here that the haptic breakover device also has a novel combination with a proportional or variable sensor in this mechanically resolved 6DOF controller structure. It can be used because of its great advantage in that it is a new and very useful structure.

When the elastic component RTC 226 is compressed, it is excited within its internal molecular structure and returns to its uncompressed state. Therefore, when the user releases his hand from the input member or loosens the force applied to the input member, the elastic RTC 226 moves the mechanical parts of the controller away from the sensor and toward the center zero position of the input member. Push. The RTC 226 is a 6 in most joystick type controllers.
It serves the great advantage of all three axes and three linear axes in a trackball type controller.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, placed against the activation sensors 207.03-207.06 is a sliding actuator acted on by the inner surface of the outer wall of the handle 202.

Above the member 222 is a yaw translator plate 230 (as shown) with a notch in the center of the oval, and the expanding plate member is two. Yaw activator 2 arranged opposite to each other
31 which, when assembled, extends through the illustrated slot of the member 222 and when the handle 202 rotates back and forth about the yaw axis, the sensors 207.07 and Start 207.08.

On the upper surface of the plate 230 is a fixed or integrally molded pitch slide rail 232, which is placed approximately parallel to the linear component of the pitch axis and above the plate 230. Position the plate 230 and the upper handle 2
It is fitted and slid into a female complementary pitch slide slot 234 molded under the anti-rotation plate 236 sandwiched between 0.2.2. Anti-rotation plate 23
6 is a plate-like structure with an oval central notch, and the upper surface of which is substantially aligned with the linear component of the roll shaft and integrally molded with the inner surface of the upper handle portion 202.2. Roll slide slot 2 that slides on the roll slide rail 240
38.

In the assembled embodiment 200, approximately centered on the handle 202 is a pivot ball 208 that is secured to the shaft 204. Pivot ball 208
Is tightly bounded at its top and sides by a recess in a linear yaw axis translator 242. The yaw axis translator 242 is an oblong flat protruding upper activating arm 2
44 (as shown), a generally rigid structure having a snap fit foot (snap) at its bottom for securing a lower activation arm 248 to the bottom of the translator 242.
-Fit feet) 246 or other attachment means or structure. Thus, the pivot ball 208 is captured within the recess of the translator 242 due to the mounting of the lower drive arm 248 forming the classic ball of the socket joint. Here, translator 242 is free to rotate with respect to ball 208 about all axes of rotation, but is not free to move along any linear axis with respect to ball 208 and axis 204.

FIG. 14 shows an in flat form that appears after being printed with the conductive pads and conductive circuit traces 256 of the sensor 207, but before being cut from the sheet stock along score line 254. ) A thin film sensor sheet 206 is shown.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the thin film 206 and the second carriage member 222 in a larger and clearer manner. Rarely, they are thin films 206
Mounted above each sensor 207.

FIG. 16 shows all the sensors 207 in a mechanical package with solder tongues soldered to a second carriage member, in this case specifically a rigid circuit board sheet 250. Sensors 207.01-207.12 are located at substantially the same locations as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Different sensor sheet technologies are shown as interchangeable in the inventive structure. The components shown in FIG. 15 are replaced by replacing the embodiment of FIG. 13 with a circuit board 250. Specifically, the thin film 206, the second carriage member 222, the sliding actuator 228 and the rubber dome cap 226 all replace the structure of FIG.

On the membrane 206 or circuit board 250, the particular sensor 207 is activated by the following movements and rotations with each of the structures described below. A linear input (moving up) along the positive yaw axis causes the sensor 207.
01 is driven by the upper drive arm 244. With a linear input (moving down) along the negative yaw axis, the sensors 207.
02 is driven by the lower drive arm 248. A linear input (forward movement) along the positive roll axis causes the sensor 207.03 to be driven by the inner surface of the outer wall of the handle 202 (the rubber deformation causes the rubber dome cap 226 and slide 228 to move). Accompany). By a linear input (moving backwards) along the negative roll axis, the sensors 207.
04 is driven by the inner surface of the outer wall of the handle 202 (with rubber dome cap 226 and slide 228 in membrane deformation). A linear input along the positive pitch axis (moving to the right) causes the sensors 207.
05 is driven by the inside surface of the outer wall of the handle 202 (with rubber dome cap 226 and slide 228 in membrane deformation). A linear input along the negative pitch axis (moving to the left) causes the sensors 207.
06 is driven by the inside surface of the outer wall of handle 202 (with rubber dome cap 226 and slide 228 in membrane deformation). A sensor 207.07 is driven by the yaw activator 231 by a rotational input (turn to the right) about the positive yaw axis. The rotation input about the yaw axis in the negative direction (rotation to the left) causes the sensor 207.0 to rotate.
8 is driven by the yaw activator 231. A rotational input about the forward roll axis (roll to the right) causes the sensor 207.09 to be driven by the top edge of the translator 214. A rotational input about the roll axis in the negative direction (roll to the left) causes the sensor 207.10 to be driven by the top edge of the translator 214. A rotational input about the positive pitch axis (looks down) drives sensor 207.11 by the top edge of translator 214. The rotational input about the pitch axis in the negative direction (downward) causes the sensor 207.1
2 is driven by the top edge of the translator 214.

FIG. 17 shows the membrane 206 in a variant in which all six DOF sensors 207 are arranged on a flexible membrane sensor sheet and arranged in a single plane.
All of the sensors work by acting on the membrane 206 from below when the membrane 206 is pressed against the second carriage member 222, but from above, the recessed support that is integrally cast as part of the plate member 222. Shelf (rec
Essed support shelf) 258 to sensor 207.01
Is operated by the structure that is pressed downward. At least one shelf 258
Casted open on one side, two sides as shown, the sensor 207.01 can be slid through the open side into a recessed support shelf during assembly. Has become. Sensor 207.1 is at least 2
Having a notch 260 near one edge allows the membrane 206 to be positioned such that all sensors 207 lie in a substantially single plane. Sensor 207.0
3-207.08 were positioned and bent at right angles in the variants of FIGS. 13-15, but now they are all in the same plane, each sensor being the first carriage member 2
A rocker arm that rotates around an integrally cast tubular fulcrum 264 that is fixed by a saddle-shaped upper protrusion 266 fixed to 16 and a saddle-shaped lower protrusion 268 fixed to the second carriage member. Activator (rocke
A right angle translation structure, illustrated as r-arm actuator 262.
ng), and actuate. This orthogonal translation structure works as follows. For example, when the input member handle 202 is pressed and moves in the positive direction along the roll axis, the flat portion along the inner surface of the outer wall of the handle 202 is pressed against the lower portion of the rocker arm activator 262, and the activator 262 is a fulcrum. 264
The contact recovery activator 226 "snaps through" as it spins around and squeezes the sensor 207.03 until there is sufficient force to actuate.
The upper part of 62 is a contact recovery activator.
ctivator) 226 (shown here as a metal dome cap). These structures need to have "snap-through", or a contact turn-on resilient structure.
The contact turn-on recovery structure is new in the 6DOF controller and is believed to be very advantageous in terms of providing feedback to the user, although the rectifying does not have to be fully functional.

FIG. 18 shows the structure of the thin film 206 as shown in FIG. The membrane 206 is integrated with an otherwise conventional computer keyboard membrane 270 (which may be constructed by a conventional triple layer thin film structure or a single layer thin film structure or other type) by a thin film tail connection. It In this embodiment, the shaft 204 is fixed to the keyboard housing 10 (shown in FIG. 19) and the membrane 206 is rolled up and inserted through the shaft 204 for assembly and then unrolled to a position opposite the member 222.

FIG. 19 is a view showing the outer appearance of the 6DOF handle 202. The 6DOF is otherwise located at the location of the arrow keypad in a typical computer keyboard housing 10. In this structure, the 6DOF handle can be arranged in various patterns on the keyboard. For example, the handle 202 may be positioned at a place normally occupied by the numeric keypad, or may be angled into two banks. The main possibility is to arrange the handle 22 between two alphabetic keybanks in a user-designed keyboard having a large keybank of separated mainly large alphabetic keys. Further, on a typical keyboard, keys such as arrow keys may be enabled or disabled for 6DOF work when the handle 202 is properly actuated. An optimal keyboard may have a proportional sensor built into the membrane to output proportional and simple switch data. For example, an optimal keyboard may sense a particular movement of the handle 202, emit a scancode value indicating the appropriate keystroke (eg, arrow key value, etc.), and the keyboard may also indicate how much typing is done. It outputs a proportional value that indicates whether or not it is done by force.

20 to 31 are views showing another embodiment showing two planar structures. The biplanar structure has several advantages. Such devices include mechanically disassembled devices (pu
Having all of the advantages of remechanically resolved devices, the use of a biplanar structure provides further advantages. For example, the ability to have a very poor profile design for integral formation in, for example, a computer keyboard or a manual remote controller, or a manual operating button on the handle to activate a sensor built into the sensor seat. Built-in, active contact feedback means (active tact)
There is a space for installing the ile feedback means) in a smaller handle.

In FIG. 20, an input member shown as a manually operated handle 300 is supported on a shaft 302. Shaft 302 extends to a base or reference member housing 317. The shaft 302 passes through a shaft guide first main hole 306 formed in a slide plate or platform called the first platform 352. The shaft 302 further passes through a shaft guide second main hole 310 located on the second platform 322. FIG. 21 shows the platform 322 fixedly connected to the connecting structure shown as legs 312. The leg 312 is fixed to the first platform 352, and the platform 32 is fixed.
2, the connection structure 312 and the platform 352 together form the structure of the carriage 314.

The first platform 352 is slidable along a second axis by at least one housing guide 308 fixed to the housing 317.
anti-rotating plate (anti-ro) called a slide plate held by ly)
It is held movably along the first axis by a tatting plate 350. The first platform 352 and the plate 350 further include the holding shelf 31.
6 and the housing 317 suppress the linear movement along the yaw axis or the third axis. Accordingly, plate 350, guide 308, housing 317 and shelf 316 together form carriage support structure 316. Carriage support structure 316 (or carriage 314) prevents platform 352 from significantly rotating on any axis, and significantly linearly along the first and second axes (pitch and roll axes). The housing 317 is configured so as not to move largely along the third axis.

Within carriage 314, platforms 352, 322, holes 306 and 3
Both 10 are well formed in the passage of shaft 302, providing advantageous construction in two important ways. The first method is an anti-tilt structure 324 that prevents the shaft 302 from tilting significantly (rotating about the first or second axis) with respect to the carriage 314.
Is to provide. The second method is that all linear movements parallel to the first and second axes (straight lines along the length of the pitch and roll axes) by the shaft 302 are equivalent movements of the carriage 314 along the first and second axes. Is to provide a biaxial structure for coupling with.

The second end portion of the shaft 302 shown in FIG. 21 is a male spherical shape 318 that movably abuts a complementary female spherical shape 319 that is part of the handle 300, and the shaft 302 also has a shaft 302. Has a male pivot protrusion having a pivot or fulcrum about the center and about the center of the bulbous portion. The protrusion 346 is the handle 30.
It is a fulcrum of 0 and may be paired with a female pivot stopper. Therefore, the handle 30
0 may be rotatable with respect to the shaft 302, all first and second
A linear movement parallel to the axis of the corresponding shaft 302 is coupled with a linear movement and biaxial structure 326. Therefore, the above-mentioned member connecting the handle 300 to the shaft 302 and the shaft 302 to the carriage 314 functions as a handle support structure 328, and the handle 300 is parallel to the first and second axes.
Coupled with the corresponding movement with 14.

On the carriage 314, a rocker arm structure 364 is shown attached to the second platform 322. The rocker arm structure 364 allows the movement of the carriage 314 relative to the housing 317 to be formed of an elastic thermoplastic rubber (TPR) sheet 366 formed with a plurality of "tactile" elastic dome cap structures 368.
Convert to. The elastic sheet 366 and the second platform 322 sandwich the sensor supported on the membrane sensor sheet 330.

FIG. 22 shows the positions of the four rocker arm structures 364. The rocker arm structure 364 has an on-board sensor and can be a generally flat plate that can be manufactured as a traditional printed circuit board sheet that includes on-board active electronics 370 and a cable 372 that routes data to a graphic display, or Second carriage part 3 shown as a rigid flat plate structure supporting a flexible thin film sensor sheet 330.
It is installed on 22. Shown above and substantially parallel to plate 322 are a number of tactile elastic rubber dome cap type actuators 368.

The rocker arm structure 364 has at least the following structure. Carriage 314
A mounting structure 3 that is essentially fixed to and is illustrated as a snap-fit design with two legs that snap into slots in plate 322.
32 and a support 334 illustrated in all figures except FIG. 24 as a living hinge located above the mounting structure 332 (in FIG. 24, the support 334 is of the more traditional cylindrical bore core type). (Described as a hinge) and at least one sensor actuation arm 336. And, in all figures except FIGS. 26 and 27, rocker arm structure 364 is illustrated as typically having two arms that actuate two sensors, one on each side of mounting structure 332. 26 and 27 show a variant with one arm). Finally, rocker arm 364 takes on superstructure 338. The superstructure 338 actuates the rocker arm or moves it relative to the associated sensor to actuate it. Superstructure 338 is a unique part of the different rocker arm type with two arms shown in FIGS.
There are a V-slot type 340, an H-slot type 342, and a T-bone type 345, among which there are first t-bones 344 that are almost the same but are orthogonal to each other.
Rocker arm actuator, there are two rocker arms called the second t-bone 346 rocker arm actuator.

FIG. 23 shows a T-bone actuator 345 attached to the plate 322.
Indicates. The T-bone actuator 345 includes a mounting structure 352 and a support 334.
It is mounted by rotating around (the actuating sensor is shown in dotted lines). The support 334 is shown as a living hinge and is connected to the bottom of two oppositely placed actuating arms 336. On the actuating arm 336 is fixed a superstructure 338 actuated by an activating receptacle 339 fixed to the base or housing 10 of the reference member by a holding shelf 316. Below the opposite side of the actuator 345 from the dome cap 368 (the pressed state is shown in dotted lines, thus actuating the sensor 207 located on the flexible membrane sensor sheet 330), soldered to a flat circuit board sheet. Package mechanical sensor 207
Is explained. Thus, FIGS. 22 and 23 clearly show how the same inventive structure can translate mechanical or physical inputs into a flexible thin film sensor sheet or a rigid circuit board sensor sheet.

FIG. 24 shows the H-slot actuator 342 actuated by the shaft pin 321 fixed in the shaft 302. The shaft 302 is vertically
Alternatively, it moves along the yaw or third axis to move the shaft pin 321 and the actuator 342 all together.

The first end of the shaft pin 321 has a rocker arm H-slot type 342 superstructure 3 in which the slot is approximately orthogonal to the third axis and the shaft length 302.
At 38, through the beveled slot, resulting in shaft 302
When the shaft pin 321 and the shaft pin 321 move along the third axis, the similarly moved rocker arm 342 lowers one arm, and each elastic dome cap 328 moves.
Compress. Then, when the dome cap 328 is collapsed, the underlying sensor is activated as shown in FIG. Of course, movement of the shaft 302 in the opposite direction along the third axis also actuates the opposing complementary sensors of the sensor pair. As shaft 302 rotates within its limits of motion about the center of the cylinder, or about the third axis,
The shaft pin 321 is simply moved in the slot and the H-type rocker arm 342 is not activated.

FIG. 25 shows activation of the V-slot actuator 340.
The second end of the shaft pin 321 is opposite the upper H-slot rocker arm 342 (
through the slot of the V-slot rocker arm 340 which is operated in the reverse direction. Movement of shaft 302 along the third or yaw axis simply causes shaft pin 321 to move within the slot and V-type rocker arm 340 is not actuated. However, when rotating about the third axis, shaft pin 321 actuates rocker arm 340 in the following manner. The rotational movement of shaft 302 carried to shaft pin 321 actuates rocker arm 340 which causes compression of dome cap 328 and stimulation of the sensor located on the membrane. The superstructure 338 of the rocker arm 340 has a slot with a structure that slopes away from the shaft 302. This is to accommodate the increased movement of the pin 321 as the distance of the pin 321 from the support 334 may change as the shaft 302 moves along the third axis. Thus, the tilt of the slot compensates for the variable effectiveness of the shaft pin 321, so that rotation of the shaft about the third axis is related to the distance of the shaft pin 321 from the support 334 of the rocker arm 340. None, the rocker arm 340 is equally rotationally actuated.

26 and 27 show a space-saving structure in the area of the second platform 322. This space saving may be valuable in tightly compressed areas such as the integration of the invention into computer keyboards and handheld remote control devices. The arrangement of the second platform 322 shown in FIGS. 20-22 is
The area of the newer, smaller platform 322 is shown in solid lines, showing the original large perimeter 370, and the area of the newer, smaller platform 322 is shown as the first t-bone rocker arm 346.
Is divided into two separate single arm type 348 actuators, each comprising a mount 322, a support 334, a sensor actuating arm 336, and a superstructure 338.

FIG. 28 shows the structure within the handle 300 for supporting and actuating the sensor 207 supported on the sensor thin film sheet 330. The sensor membrane sheet 330 can be supported inside the top of the handle 300 or, as shown here, with a rigid support sheet 374. The appendages of membrane 330 pass through shaft 302. Further, here, two buttons 378 operated by the user's finger are shown. Button 378
Has an outer working surface area 378. The outer actuation surface area 378 can be pushed by the user's finger and the button structure 376 swivels around an integrated cylindrical support 380 that is stationary within a saddle support secured to the handle 300. Let The rotational movement of the button 376 causes the internal sensor actuation portion 382 to rise relative to the elastic dome cap 368, actuating the sensor 384. The button structure is similar to that shown in FIG. 17, and this design allows for further input by the user's finger (6
The exception is that the structure of FIG. 17 is entirely internal, while it includes externally operated buttons (other than DOF input).

As a feature of the present invention, the sensor film 330 of the conventional three-layer computer keyboard is designed to be fitted into the two-plane structure shown in FIGS. 20 to 28 and incorporated into the keyboard as shown in FIG. The structure with two appendages is shown in FIG.
An attachment with a longer connection and a rounded head passes from within the keyboard housing 10 through the shaft and into the handle, while the other attachment is mounted on the carriage portion 322 within the housing 10.

FIG. 30 shows a 6-degree-of-freedom input member handle 300 integrated with a shaft 302 fixed to the housing 10 of the wireless remote control device. It is different from the usual wireless remote control device used for.

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing the device of FIG. 30 by a broken line and showing the inside of the membrane sensor sheet 330 in a typical form. A membrane sheet 330 is connected to a circuit board sensor sheet 250, which is generally located under a normal input key and includes an electronic circuit. The membrane tail 224 is connected from the seat 250 to a larger body of the membrane 330, shown here as the two-plane type as in FIGS. 20-28. This arrangement of the sensors on two planes is very ideal for many applications. As a result, the origins of all axes remain in the handle 300, and most of the mechanical resolving structure of the mechanism can be lowered into the housing 10 having a larger space. The handle 300 can have a smaller and lower profile. Also,
Secondary auxiliary input buttons (selection, attack button, special function keys, etc.) are easily integrated so that the user can operate them simply and reliably with their fingers.

FIGS. 33 to 35 show a flat mechanism and a right-angle mechanism of a simple mechanism without using a rocker arm.
7 shows a preferred embodiment of a two-plane structure in which a packaged sensor 207, shown here as a le-mount) switch package, is attached to the second carriage portion 322. The second carriage portion 322 is a circuit board to which the sensor package is soldered in this embodiment. In addition, the second circuit board 42 in the handle 400
The sensor package is also soldered to the sensor 3. This embodiment is similar to the previous embodiments in some parts and configurations. For example, a manually operable input member shown as a handle 400 supported by a shaft 402 extending within a housing that functions as a reference member, or a base 417 that mates with a carriage 414.
Are similar. Carriage 414 is a similar carriage support structure.
The carriage 414 is supported by a GE support structure, and the carriage 414 is connected to the second carriage part 422.
leg) 112 with a platform 352. In this embodiment, the second
The carriage unit 422 specifically interprets four axes (interpretati).
It is a circuit board provided with eight sensors for turning on.

A third axis actuator section (3rd) with a unique mechanism that allows all sensor mounts on the circuit board to fully function with planar and right angle mounted mechanical sensor packages.
The axiactor part) 450 is specifically shown in FIG.
The actuator section 450 is integrated with the end of the shaft 402 that communicates with the carriage 414. The actuator portion 450 may be integrated with the shaft 402 as a single injection molding portion, and the actuator portion 400 may be fitted over the end of the shaft 402 as a separate molding portion to allow the shaft 402 and the actuator portion 4 to be joined together.
Both 50 and 50 may be penetrated by a pin 452 and fixed to the shaft 402. The actuator section 450 has at least a third axis rotation actuator 454. Third
The shaft rotation actuator 454 is a plate-shaped member that is fixed to the actuator unit 450 and that extends outward along a plane that has a third (yaw) axis as a member of that plane substantially. Therefore, when the shaft 402 rotates about the third axis in either direction, the actuator portion 454 moves in the space and activates an appropriate right angle sensor, and the third axis rotational movement is either positive or negative. Direction. The actuator unit 450 includes a third axis negative (yaw, downward movement) linear actuator 458.
And a third axis positive (yaw, upward motion) linear actuator 456. Actuator 458 and actuator 456 are also fixed to actuator portion 450 and are aligned outwardly from actuator portion 450 with a plane orthogonal to the third axis and substantially parallel to the first and second axes. Grows. Thus, when the shaft 402 moves in the positive direction along the third axis, the actuator 456 actuates a suitable planar mounted sensor to exhibit positive linear motion along the third axis, causing the shaft 402 to move in the third axis. When moved in the negative direction along the axis, the actuator 458 actuates the appropriate planar mounted sensor to exhibit a negative linear motion along the third axis.

FIG. 36 shows a final preferred embodiment with some configurations similar to the previous embodiments, especially the embodiment shown in FIGS. 32-35. With the main exception, in this embodiment, eight sensors are located in the manually operable input member handle 500 and only four sensors are located in the reference member housing 517. In this embodiment, a similar carriage 514 is located within housing 517, but shaft 502 is fixed to plate 552 of carriage 514. For this reason,
The shaft 502 is only capable of linear movement in a plane orthogonal to the third (yaw) axis. A portion having substantially the same shape as the actuator portion 450 is fixed to the tip of the shaft 502. The sensor 207 in the handle 500 is installed on the circuit board 523.

For brevity, one of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the above examples, will readily be able to construct the example in FIG. 36 in a complete scheme without further detailed description by this complete illustration. It will be appreciated that it is possible.

FIG. 37 is a right angle simple switched sensor package commonly available in the industry.
or package). The sensor package is an electrically conductive solder tongue, which is typically made of metal.
A non-conductive rigid plastic body 600 supported by ive solder mounting tangs 606 and 608.
Consists of. The electrically conductive tongue 606 passes from the outside to the inside of the rigid-plastic body 600, and is located substantially in the peripheral portion of the internal cavity of the rigid-plastic body 600. To the center of the internal cavity of the rigid-plastic body 600. Tongues 606 and 608
From the top of the inside, elastic instant "snap-through" characteristics (resilient m)
elementary "snap-through" characteristics
A metallic dome cap 604 having a s) is placed.
The metal dome cap 604 is typically placed in electrical contact with the peripheral tongue 606 and typically does not contact the centrally located tongue 608 peripheral. A plunger 602, typically made of a non-conductive rigid-plastic material, is positioned to depress the dome cap 604. The dome cap 604 and the plunger 602 are
Typically, a plastic melt rive method is used.
thin metal plate 61 fixed to the rigid-plastic body 600 by means of
It is held in the same position by 0. The plate 610 has an aperture large enough to cause a portion of the plunger 602 to be pushed out by an external force so that the conductive dome cap has a tactile snap-through threshold (tacti).
When passed through a le snap-through threshold and depressed onto a centrally located conductive tongue 608, an electrically closed circuit between tongues 606 and 608 is completed.

FIG. 38 shows an even more typical sensor package body 600 in the most common style, horizontal installation. However, the very important element (
element) is added. A pressure sensing electric element 612 is electrically contacted and fixed to an upper part of a conductive tongue 608 located at the center in a cavity inside the main body 600. A conductive metal plate 614 may be provided on the top surface of element 612 for optimal operation. Of course, a similar configuration can be combined with the sensor of FIG. For example, the pressure element 612 may be formed by using molybdenum disulfide fine particles having a grid size of about 600 on a base material such as silicon rubber and the like by the inventor Robert J.
US Patent No. 3,806, issued to Mitchell on April 23, 1974.
No. 471 teaches a pressure sensitive electrical material that is mixed in a ratio of 80 to 20, or senses pressure and makes electrical adjustments (pressure sensitive).
e electrically regulating) Made of other materials. The present inventor has found that pressure sensing technology is novel to be combined with tactile snaps through a sensor package, and is a great deal in the 6-DOF controller shown here and described in previous 6-DOF controller patent applications. I think there are advantages.

39 and 40 show a non-conductive upper thin film layer 6 arranged substantially parallel to each other.
20, a non-conductive middle thin film layer 622, and a non-conductive lower thin film layer 624,
3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of a non-actuated and actuated flexible planar tri-layer thin film, respectively, with upper layer 620 having conductive traces 626 below it and lower layer 624 having conductive traces 628 above it. , The middle layer 622 is normally insulated from the traces, except in the central switch or sensor area where the middle layer 622 aperture is located. In a conventional three-layer flexible thin film sensor, as is known in the art, leaving the aperture in the middle layer 622 empty allows the top layer 620 to contact the conductive traces 628 of the bottom layer 624. It was pushed down flexibly, completing the electrical connection. The thin film layer is supported by a generally rigid thin film support structure 630, such as a rigid plastic support plate.

The thin film sensor shown here obtains novelty by providing the sensor area with a pressure sensing and electrical conditioning element 638 that fills the conventionally empty aperture of the intermediate layer 622. Pressure element 638 always maintains electrical connection with the wide conductive range of conductive traces 626, 628. Pressure element 638 is described by the inventor Robert J. et al.
US Patent No. 3,806, issued to Mitchell on April 23, 1974.
No. 471, a resistant or rectifying particulate material (such as 80% to 98% of molybdenum disulfide particulates having a grid size of about 600) is used as a buffer base material (such as 2% to 20% of silicone rubber). A) or other conventional pressure sensitive electrical conditioning technology that can be combined with thin film sheet technology.

The present inventor has also combined the metal “snap-through” elastic dome cap 632 with a thin film sensor with excellent tactile turn-on sensation characteristics, and in particular, the metal dome cap 632 as shown herein. Novelty for use in combination with a thin film pressure sensor overlying the upper thin film layer 620 and held in place by a silicone adhesive 636 that adheres the dome cap 632 to any common actuator 634. I think there is. General actuator 634
May be the working surface area of any component that provides pressure and operates the sensor. For example, the actuator 634 may be a nipple-like protrusion on the underside of the rocker arm actuator arm 336 in the embodiment of FIGS.

A vibration line 640 is an air sensed as a mechanical vibration transmitted to the user's hand through the connection, either through the support 630 or the actuator 634, or by the user's ear. As the vibration, strong vibration (energetic vibration) generated outside is shown, and the “snap-through” of the elastic dome-shaped cap 632.
gh) ”turn-on / off sensation. With twelve possible separate input tasks and a large number of combined input tasks, the tactile sensations that the user can perceive are of great value to the operator of this device.

FIG. 41 shows a composite thin film sensor sheet 700 having a multi-layer multi-stage sensor 701.
Multi-stage sensor 701 is constructed by overlaying two or more conventional simple thin film switches and utilizing sharable layers. For example, the upper layer of the lower sensor and the lower layer of the upper sensor may be combined to utilize both sides of the shared layer to perform a sufficient function. That is, two 3-layer sensors are combined into one 5-layer sensor or the like. The multi-stage sensor 701 can be used to provide the sensor 7 from above, such as a force sufficient to activate the top sensor first, and a stronger force sufficient to activate the second sensor subsequently.
It is useful to measure the enhanced actuation force that drops below 01. Sensors with multiple layers are also possible.

By installing a known simple switch thin film sensor on top of the novel proportional thin film sensor described in the embodiment of FIGS. 39 and 40, the two sensors each sharing an intermediate sheet, FIG. 42 shows a composite thin film sensor sheet 700 including a composite sensor 702 which is essentially the combination of two 3-sheet sensors into one 5-sheet sensor. The composite sensor shown herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in combination with the previous figures and description herein and known prior art.

One known single layer switch sensor uses only one sheet instead of three sheets, which connects one surface area with conductive traces when pressed down. With both conductive traces sharing an elastic dome cap having conductive elements. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that utilizing such a technique, a novel composite sensor 702 can be constructed with less than five sheets and judicious routing of conductive traces.

The single-layer switch portion and the proportional portion of the sensor 702 are actuated at substantially the same time when the actuator hits the sensor 702, the single-layer switch sensor indicates the ON state, and the force with which the proportional sensor is held by the sensor 702. It shows how much there is.

A novel sensor of this type can be found in the inventor's novel keyboard integrated devices such as those shown in FIGS. 18, 19, and 29.
With a single switching and proportional member in combination with ted devices, scan code (keyboard type inf
)) and a proportional signal (proportional signal).
2 illustrates a design with a 6DOF controller that outputs both l). this is,
Any multi-axis controller would be very beneficial, even in strict handheld devices, such as those taught in the inventor's co-pending provisional application filed September 5, 1995. Both scan code and proportional signal (
Probably output to separate the keyboard and serial port)
Worth the money. This is because on all machines prior to Windows 95, virtually all 3D graphics programs already have software to drive by scan code (with programmable keymaps) so that the 3D software can be controlled by a common keyboard. This is because it has a driver. By outputting this data type, 6DO of the present inventor
The F-controller can interface with existing software that can be controlled by scan code. Outputting both of these data types is
It is not dependent on this composite sensor and is only illustrated here. The information collected from any proportional sensor is manipulated and captured into these two data output types, which are novel for multi-axis controller devices, and especially for 6DOF devices. it is conceivable that.

FIG. 43 shows a pair of composite sensors 702 integrated on the composite sensor sheet 700, where the left composite sensor is sensor 702.1 and the right composite sensor is sensor 702.2. . A 6DOF device has six axes that are interpreted as bidirectional (moving left and right along an axis, but not both at the same time), so the sensor pair is beneficial. Since the simple switches and pressure sensors shown so far are unidirectional sensors, ideally a pair of unidirectional sensors would be used to indicate each axis, and thus 6 pairs of unidirectional sensors (12 individual sensors). ) Has 6 degrees of freedom
Degrees of freedom). Unidirectional sensors are highly desirable both in terms of cost and excellent functionality. Because unidirectional sensors respond to natural nulls or inaccuracies of the human hand, different axes are turned on or off by the user's manipulation of the input member, as previously described herein. This is because it enables a play space that best accommodates passive turn-on haptic feedback when you can feel.

The sensor 702.1 and 702.2 pair comprises a simple switching part (simpl).
If the switched portion emulates keystrokes and the proportional part serves to generate a sophisticated 6DOF output, it offers advantages, for example in the implementation of computer keyboards. Furthermore, for some applications, incremental output (simple switching) is preferable to proportional output. Finally, the composite sensor pair provides a structure to reduce the electronics requirements for reading unidirectional proportional sensors. As shown in FIG. 43, the simple switching portion has electrical connections 704 that electrically distinguish the switches from each other, while the proportional sensor portion has electrical connections 704 arranged in parallel so that the proportional sensor portion , Electrically different from each other. The simple switching part provides information about which direction is along or about the axis, and the proportional sensor provides information indicative of intensity.
Therefore, only one analog channel is provided to read the two unidirectional proportional sensors, and accordingly only 6 analog channels are provided to read the 12 unidirectional sensors. Electronic circuit complexity is reduced.

FIG. 44 shows a pair of proportional sensors 638.1 and 638.2 within the membrane structure.
Indicates. Sensors 638.1 and 638.2 have in common a central electrical connection 710 connecting to one of both sensors 638.1 and 638.2 of the pair. Each individual sensor has a second separate connection, sensor 638.1 having electrical connection 706 and sensor 638.2 having electrical connection 708. The sensor is essentially a central tape structure (ce
inter-taped arrangement) and the central connection 71
A 0 can be read into a digital converter using one analog and provide bidirectional information, for example, if connection 706 carries a significant voltage and connection 708 is grounded. Therefore, the airframe and cost advantages of unidirectional proportional sensors are utilized in economical electrical circuits.

45-47 show a bidirectional sensor mounted on a circuit board sheet means for producing a 6DOF functional structure having the previously described structure of the embodiment of FIGS. 20-28. Therefore, the complete operability of 6DOF (operabi)
6) bidirectional sensors are used. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises 9 bidirectional rotation sensors and 6 unidirectional linear sensors.
A 6DOF embodiment of two sensors is specifically shown. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-36 shows a 12 sensor 6DOF embodiment where all sensors are unidirectional sensors.

45 and 46 show a typical rocker arm type actuator 364 mounted on a circuit board 322. The actuator 364 is
The novel bi-directional sensor application shown is shown without a distinct superstructure 338 as it would work with any or all of the actuators 364 in the embodiments shown in FIGS.

FIG. 45 shows a rocker arm actuator 364 mounted on a circuit board sheet 322 and a rotary encoder or potentiometer solder (potent).
An interactive sensor 750, such as an iometer solder) is shown. The bi-directional sensor 750 is attached to the seat 322 and has a small gear or pinion gear 75.
A rack and pinion gear component with a rotary shaft to a rotary sensor 750 having two rocker arms 336 operatively.
ly) connected. The pinion gear 752 is operated by being placed on an arcuate gear rack 754 fixed to one end of the rocker arm actuator 336 and freely passing through the opening 756 of the seat 322.

In FIG. 46, the illustrated bidirectional sensor has a light transmission unit.
lighting unit 760 and a light sensing unit (light sensor).
45, except that it is an optical sensor having an ing unit) 762. The light transmission unit 760 and the light detection unit 762 are both solder-attached to the circuit board sheet 322 and fixed to one end of the scaled optical filter or the actuator arm 336. unit) 764.

FIG. 47 is the same type of sensor as described in FIGS. 45 and 46, except that the sensors are shown in a structure that operates within a handle, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. Is shown.

48 and 49 show that a flexible thin film sensor sheet 658 carrying at least one sensor 660 or at least a portion of the thin film sheet 658 is anchored in a desired position to drive the drive mechanism. A structure suitable for
Figure 3 shows a new structural cross-section and exploded view, respectively, held in the peripheral position. The sensor 660 can be a common single switch type or my novel pressure sensitive proportional thin film type. This embodiment is also for aligning and holding the sensor drive structure and is believed to be particularly beneficial for elastic tactile type drive structures. Package member 6
50 is a housing having four sidewalls, such as the structure shown here. Aligned along the two opposing walls is a downwardly extending snap-fit leg 652, the distal end of which is in the form of a hook and snap-fit. The package 652 is made from an injection molded plastic, such as an acetal family resin, that has excellent dimensional stability, rigidity and resilience for the bending of the snap fit legs 652 when attaching the package 650 to the rigid support structure 630. May be formed. The interior of the package 650 is a cavity in which an actuator, shown here as at least the plunger 602, is retained.
While partially surrounding the package recess, it is pushed down by external force,
That is, the top or top of the package 650 having an opening through which a portion of the plunger 602 to be driven extends, so that the housing package 65
Within 0, at least a portion of the plunger 602 is retained. A resilient metal dome cap 604 is also shown within the recess and is shown with a plunger 602 and a rigid support structure 6.
It is located between the thin film sensor 660 supported by 30. Rigid support structure 630 provides a path for attachment and subsequent retention of snap fit legs 652.
age) to have two elongated openings 656. Thin film 65
8 may be any thin film having a sensor, and an elongated opening 654 for the sensor 6
Around the thin film sensor shown here as 60. The opening 654 is sized to allow passage of the snap fit leg 652.

The entire embodiment locates the thin film sensor sheet 658 or at least a portion of the thin film sensor sheet 658 holding the sensor and the opening 654 along the side of the support structure 630 and aligns the thin film opening 654 with the support structure opening 656. And then, with the housing package 650 including the plunger 602 and the dome cap 604, pushes the leg 652 through the aligned opening, thereby securing the membrane sensor and activating the plunger 602 in a precise and secure position for activation. It is assembled by doing.

This novel thin film sensor locking and actuation structure locks a flexible thin film and associated sensors in place in a variety of applications, rather than just fixing a thin film with multiple relatively long arms. A widespread set of sensors that may be useful for the invention is described in our co-pending application (No. 07 / 847,619, March 1992).
5 DO) and a 6 DOF device for a hand activated button located somewhere inside the device such as mounted on the handle housing or base housing. This structure also provides numerous advantages in many non-6DOF applications, where handwriting is common here. For example, a typical assembly of a two-axis joystick involves the handwriting of multiple finger-actuated switches in a variety of different positions located within the handle, including an additional switch positioned with the base of the joystick. . Since handwriting for these wide range switch positions is error-prone and labor-intensive, this process is very useful with flexible thin film-based sensors, which Is possible with this new structure.

Shown in FIG. 50 is a right-angled embodiment common to the devices of FIGS. 48 and 49. The right-angled embodiment does not necessarily have the top opening curved to accommodate the passage of the plunger 602, but rather the opening is slotted to accommodate the passage of a right angle actuator 670 that rotates about a fulcrum 676 upon external activation. It has a housing 650.1 that is substantially similar to housing 650, except that it is shaped like a housing. Right angle actuator 670 is structurally similar to the right angle translator portion, shown as portion 262 of FIG. 17, portion 348 of FIG. 27 and portion 376 of FIG. Specifically, the actuator 670 is
Having an outwardly exposed activation nub 674 actuated by the activation component substantially parallel to the mounting 630 and rotating about a fulcrum 676, the internal activation nub 6
72 collides downward against dome cap 604. The fulcrum 676 is held in place within the housing 650.1 by a retainer 678, which is substantially a ring, and comprises a protrusion 680 that provides a saddle for rotational retention of the fulcrum 676.

The lock and hold embodiments shown in FIGS. 48-50 provide the optimal low cost of manufacturing embodiments, where previous thin film sheet based sensors are shown in the current teaching, and circuit It can operate in favor of the advantages of providing structure and variations for plate sheet based sensors.

While the inventor has specifically described the best mode and preferred structures and uses of the invention, numerous modifications in the specific structures and configurations described and illustrated are true to the true scope of the invention. It should be understood that it can be made without departing from.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a trackball type embodiment of the invention in a carriage and trackball dedicated housing.

[Fig. 2]   2 is a side sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 2; FIG.

[Figure 3]   FIG. 3 is an end sectional view taken along line 3 of FIG. 1.

[Figure 4]   7 is a partial description showing a carriage between two walls, a trackball, and a track frame.

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a portion of a slightly deformed carriage, a trackball and a collet rotatable about the trackball that can be used within the scope of the present invention. A rotary encoder is shown as an example of a sensor in contact with the bottom surface of the collet.

[Figure 6]   Explanatory drawing which showed basically another form of the said rotatable collet.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing three axes that are orthogonal to each other, here referred to as a first axis, a second axis, a third axis, or a roll axis, a pitch axis, and a yaw axis, respectively. These are shown with their intersections coincident with each other at the center of the input member, and the input member is shown as a trackball, but it may be something like a hand that operates the input member.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a housing made specifically for a carriage and a trackball. The housing generally has a flat bottom, which is suitable for placing on a support surface such as a table or desk when in use. The outer line shown by the broken line is shown on the assumption that a supplemental extension portion designed from the viewpoint of ergonomics is used as the wrist and upper arm rests.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a carriage and a trackball in a handbelt housing that is sized and shaped so that a user can grasp a graphic image with a controller when the user controls the graphic image.

FIG. 10: Carriage which is otherwise relatively conventional and which is housed in a computer keyboard in which the number of keys is well over 40 with alphabets, numbers 1 to 9, spacebars and other function keys. And trackball illustration.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display of a computer or a television by displaying a three-dimensional cube.

FIG. 12 is a partial end cross-sectional view of a joystick type embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is the same as, or can be configured to be the same as, the trackball type embodiment shown in FIG. 1 except for an extension handle that can engage and grip an exposed portion of the ball. .

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of another joystick embodiment of the present invention that represents a configuration that allows the use of a thin film sensor sheet.

FIG. 14   It is a figure which shows the thin film sensor sheet of a flat shape.

FIG. 15   It is a figure which shows the thin film sensor sheet of 3-D structure which was folded.

FIG. 16 shows all sensors in a mechanical flat mount and right angle mount package when placed on a rigid flat sheet such as a circuit board sheet.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a thin film sensor sheet in a modification in which all 6DOR sensors are arranged on a plane.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the configuration of the thin film sensor sheet described in FIG. 17 as a new accessory to an otherwise conventional thin film sensor sheet, as found in modern representative computer keyboards.

FIG. 19 is an exterior view of the 6DOF controller of the present invention located at the location of the arrow keypad in another common computer keyboard housing.

FIG. 20 is an exploded view of a two-plane embodiment with a rocker arm actuator.

FIG. 21   FIG. 21 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 20.

22 is a perspective view showing the rocker arm differential device of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. FIG.

23 to 25   FIG. 8 is various side views of the two-arm rocker arm actuator during operation.

FIG. 26 is a top view showing a portion reduced by disposing a rocker arm and using two one-arm actuating devices.

FIG. 27   It is a side view which shows a one-armed rocker differential device.

FIG. 28   FIG. 22 is an exploded view showing the handle of the embodiment of FIGS. 20 and 21.

FIG. 29, otherwise located in the arrow key area of a typical computer keyboard,
FIG. 29 shows an otherwise typical computer keyboard membrane operated by the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 20-28, and with a bespoke attachment to match.

FIG. 30: 6DOF integrated with an otherwise typical remote control, such as those used to control TVs, VCRs, Cable Boxes and certain computers etc.
It is a perspective view which shows a handle.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 30 with dashed lines. FIG. 30 shows the interior of a thin film shaped to fit the embodiment shown in FIGS. 20-29.

FIG. 32 is a 6DOF2 in which eight sensors are placed on the plane of the base and four sensors are placed on the plane of the handle in order to support the sensors and electronic devices, and one circuit board is used for each plane. It is a side view which shows a plane device.

FIG. 33   FIG. 33 is a perspective view showing a third axis moving component of the embodiment shown in FIG. 32.

FIG. 34   FIG. 35 is a side view showing the components of FIG. 34 in the carriage.

FIG. 35   FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing the component shown in FIGS. 32 to 34.

FIG. 36 is a two-plane embodiment using a circuit board, but with eight sensors on the handle Pl.
FIG. 3 is a side view showing an ane in which four sensors are located in the underlying plane and have substantially different sensor arrangements and configurations.

FIG. 37 is a side cross-sectional view showing a representative right angle soldering sensor package for a momentary ON switch sensor.

FIG. 38 is a side sectional view showing a horizontal or flat soldered sensor package having a proportional pressure sensitive element therein.

FIG. 39 is a side cross-sectional view showing a proportional thin film sensor having a metal dome cap actuator in a non-actuated position.

FIG. 40 is a side cross-sectional view of a proportional thin film sensor having a metal dome cap actuator in the actuated position.

41 is a side cross-sectional view showing a composite thin film sensor with a number of simple On / Off switching elements that can be mounted one on the other. FIG.

FIG. 42 is a side cross-sectional view showing a composite thin film sensor with both simple on / off switching elements and proportional elements actuated simultaneously.

43 is a side sectional view showing two composite sensors of the type shown in FIG. 42 arranged to form one bidirectional proportional sensor.

FIG. 44 is a side cross-sectional view showing two unidirectional proportional sensors electrically connected to form one bidirectional sensor with an empty area in the center.

FIG. 45 is a perspective view showing a general rocker arm actuating device for operating a bidirectional rotation sensor.

FIG. 46 is a perspective view showing a general rocker arm actuating device for operating a bidirectional optical sensor.

FIG. 47   FIG. 47 is a perspective view showing the sensor of FIGS. 45 and 46 that can be implemented in the handle.

FIG. 48 is a side cross-sectional view showing a new configuration for fixing the thin film sensor in place and holding the sensor actuation mechanism in place.

FIG. 49   FIG. 42 is an exploded view showing the embodiment of FIG. 41.

FIG. 50   FIG. 50 is a central cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIGS. 48 and 49 but at right angles.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (81) Designated countries EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, I T, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OA (BF, BJ , CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, K E, LS, MW, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW ), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AE, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, C U, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD , GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, L K, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK , MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, T M, TR, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU , ZA, ZW [Continued summary] 3D sequences of 6 DOF spread and / or other There is a possibility that it will lead to mounting of the sensor. It can be bent into a three-dimensional shape. Finally flat or 3D shape Sheet member connected by any of the The use of a built-in sensor enables efficient circuit and sensor connection. Low production costs due to continuous and in-production placement And high reliability can be obtained.

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. An improved multi-axis physica of the type having a manually operable input member that can be operated in 6 degrees of freedom relative to a reference member.
l) -an electrical converter, the converter returning-to-c along at least three mutually orthogonal linear axes.
enter) resiliency, said transducer comprises a sensor sufficient to translate the operation of said input member into a representative electrical output signal, said improvement comprising: And interacting in cooperation with the reference member.
improved interaction, including a sheet member, said sheet member connecting at least a sufficient number of said sensors and converting the operation of said input member in at least three degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal. Multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter. 2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the seat member connects at least a sufficient number of the sensors and converts operation of the input member in at least four degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal. Multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter. 3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the seat member connects at least a sufficient number of the sensors and converts operation of the input member in at least 5 degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal. Multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter. 4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the seat member connects at least a sufficient number of the sensors and converts the operation of the input member in at least 6 degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal. Multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter. 5. The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter of claim 4, wherein the converter is formed as a trackball type controller. 6. The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter of claim 4, wherein the converter is formed as a joystick type controller. 7. The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electricity converter of claim 1, wherein the sheet member connects a sensor for input operation of at least one secondary input member. 8. The centering resilience is of a snap-through type with a sufficiently strong break above a threshold to be recognized by a human user. 1. The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter described in 1. 9. The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter of claim 1, wherein the sheet member is a printed circuit board and the sensor is mounted on the circuit board. 10. The sheet member comprises a flexible membrane (m).
The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter of claim 1, which is an embrane) sensor sheet. 11. The improved multi-axis physical-to-electrical quantity converter of claim 10, wherein the membrane sensor sheet has printed electrical traces on the surface of the membrane sheet. 12. The sensor is directly integrated with the membrane sensor sheet,
12. The improved multi-axis physical-to-electrical quantity converter of claim 11, which is a proportionally electrically variable pressure sensitive sensor. 13. A multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter of the type having a manually operable input member, which can be operated in 6 degrees of freedom with respect to a reference member,
An improved manufacturing method, wherein the transducer has a restoring force centering along at least three mutually orthogonal linear axes, the transducer actuating a sensor.
iv) and having internal drive components for converting an input operation of the input member into a representative electrical output signal, the improvement comprising: (a) generating conductive traces on at least one sheet; (B) at least a sufficient number of the sensors to convert the operation of the input member in at least four degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal physically on the sheet, electrically, at least on the conductive traces. In some, (c) the sheet member interacts in cooperation with the drive component of the transducer, whereby the sensor is actuated by actuation of the input member relative to the reference member. An improved manufacturing method, the method comprising: placing in an activated position. 14. The step of connecting comprises physically and electrically connecting to the seat at least a sufficient number of the sensors to convert operation of the input member in at least 5 degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal. 14. The improved manufacturing method for a multi-axis physical-to-electrical quantity converter of claim 13 including connecting to at least some of the conductive traces. 15. The step of connecting comprises physically, electrically, at least a sufficient number of the sensors to convert operation of the input member in at least six degrees of freedom into a representative electrical output signal. 14. The improved manufacturing method for a multi-axis physical-to-electrical quantity converter of claim 13 including connecting to at least some of the conductive traces. 16. An improved multi-axis physical quantity of the type having a manually operable input member that can be operated in 6 degrees of freedom with respect to a reference member of the transducer.
An electrical quantity converter, wherein the converter has a restoring force centered along at least three mutually orthogonal linear axes, the converter representing an electrical output signal representative of the operation of the input member. A housing that includes at least a portion, and a carriage that is movable relative to the housing by operation of the input member, the sensor having four degrees of freedom. An improved multi-axis physical-to-electrical quantity converter comprising at least a sufficient number of carriages cooperating and interacting with the sensor to translate the operation of an input member. 17. The carriage interacts cooperatively with at least a sufficient number of the sensors to translate operation of the input member in five degrees of freedom.
The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter described in. 18. The carriage interacts cooperatively with at least a sufficient number of the sensors to translate operation of the input member in six degrees of freedom.
The improved multi-axis physical quantity-electric quantity converter described in.