JP6872275B1 - Joystick controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a joystick controller capable of reliably transmitting to an operator that a shaft has reached a designated tilt angle.
A joystick controller 1 includes a spring return mechanism unit 50 that displaces a movable spring receiver 23 along a shaft 21, and a detection unit 40 that detects the displacement of the movable spring receiver 23. The detection unit 40 is a detent mechanism having a groove portion 25 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21 and a ball plunger 41 that can engage with the groove portion 25 provided on the movable spring receiver 23.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 3

Description

The present invention relates to a joystick controller that detects a displacement of a shaft and controls a target device accordingly.

The joystick controller is used in various fields because it can control the target device according to the displacement (tilt angle) of the shaft.

A joystick controller that detects the tilt angle of a shaft by using a sensor that detects a change in the magnetic flux of a magnet member provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft is known (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 6629925

However, in the joystick controller described in Patent Document 1, in order to notify the operator that the tilt angle of the shaft has reached a predetermined angle (designated tilt angle), a display to that effect is displayed on the screen of the monitor. It is necessary to turn on the lamp or sound the notification sound. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare physical means such as a display screen, a lamp, and a buzzer, which causes problems such as cost and securing of installation space for the physical means.

Furthermore, depending on the working environment of the joystick controller, the operator may overlook the display of the monitor or the lighting of the lamp, or may miss the notification sound of the buzzer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a joystick controller capable of reliably transmitting to an operator that a shaft has reached a specified tilt angle.

In order to achieve the above object, the joystick controller of the present invention includes a housing provided with a sliding plate and a housing case, and a shaft supported by the housing in a state in which the joystick controller can be tilted and rotated around a center of rotation. , An operation unit that tilts and rotates the shaft by applying an external force, a movable spring receiver that is inserted and supported by the shaft and can move along the shaft, a fixed spring receiver fixed to the shaft, and a movable spring receiver. It is provided with a spring sandwiched by a fixed spring receiver. Further, from the state where the shaft is held vertically to the sliding plate by the spring, the shaft is tilted and rotated by the external force applied to the operating portion to compress the spring, and the movable spring receiver is displaced along the shaft. It includes a mechanism unit and a detection unit that detects the displacement of the movable spring receiver. Further, the detection unit is a detent mechanism having a groove portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and a ball plunger capable of engaging with the groove portion provided on the movable spring receiver.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably notify the operator that the shaft of the joystick controller has reached the designated tilt angle.

It is a perspective view of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention cut by the line AA shown in FIG. It is an enlarged sectional view of the designated angle detection part (detent mechanism) of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a partial sectional view of the ball plunger used in the embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged sectional view of the detent mechanism (groove part) which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged sectional view of the detent mechanism (ball plunger) which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the tilt angle detection part of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an exploded view which shows the assembly procedure of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the operation of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is the partially enlarged view for demonstrating the operation of the designated angle detection part. It is a figure which shows the output characteristic of the joystick controller which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the joystick controller of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as “this example”) will be described with reference to the drawings. The common members in each figure are designated by the same reference numerals. Further, in each figure, the notation of the lead wire connecting the sensor and the relay board is omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the joystick controller 1 of this example.
As shown in FIG. 1, the joystick controller 1 of this example includes a housing 10 and an operating body 20 that is supported by the housing 10 so as to be tilted and rotated (tilted). Although not shown in FIG. 1, it has a tilt angle detecting unit 30 (see FIG. 7) that detects the displacement of the tilted operating body 20 and outputs an electric signal according to the displacement.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the joystick controller of this example cut along the line AA shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 10 has a fixing flange 11, a sliding plate 12 installed on the fixing flange 11, and a housing case 14. The fixing flange 11 has an opening on the flange surface. The sliding plate 12 has an opening at a position corresponding to the opening of the fixing flange 11. The housing case 14 is formed in a dome shape and has an opening at a position corresponding to the opening of the fixing flange 11 on the upper part of the dome. A rubber cover 27 having an annular step is attached so as to cover the opening of the housing case 14. The rubber cover 27 is fixed to the fixing flange 11 by the annular rubber cover retainer 28.

The housing case 14 is provided with a stopper 15 at the edge of the opening, and the stopper 15 stops the tilting of the operating body 20 at the end of the tilting operation of the operating body 20. The stopper 15 may be formed integrally with the housing case 14, or may be attached to the housing case 14 as a separate body.

The operating body 20 as an operating unit has a shaft 21 and a knob 22 attached to the shaft 21 to facilitate the tilting operation of the operator, and the shaft 21 rotates about the rotation center 17. While tilting and displacementing. A movable spring receiver 23 is attached to the lower portion of the shaft 21, and a fixed spring receiver 24 is attached to the upper portion.

The movable spring receiver 23 is slidably inserted into the shaft 21 along the length direction of the shaft 21. The movable spring receiver 23 includes a flange portion 23a that slides and rotates while in contact with the sliding plate 12, and a cylindrical portion 23b that slides in the vertical direction while in contact with the shaft 21. The flange portion 23a is composed of a disk-shaped thick portion 231 and a tapered portion 232 that is inclined from the thick portion toward the lower tip. The fixed spring receiver 24 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 21.

A spring 26 is arranged between the movable spring receiver 23 and the fixed spring receiver 24. Then, the movable spring receiver 23, the fixed spring receiver 24, and the spring 26 constitute the spring return mechanism portion 50. That is, in the spring return mechanism portion 50 of this example, the flange portion 23a of the movable spring receiver 23 is always pressed against the lower sliding plate 12 by the force of the spring 26, and the operating force is applied to the knob 22. If not added, the operating body 20 (shaft 21) is held upright.

An tilt angle detecting unit 30 is provided below the fixing flange 11, and detects the tilt angle of the shaft 21. A relay board 6 and a connector 5 are arranged below the tilt angle detection unit 30, and a lower cover 29 is fixed to a fixing flange 11 so as to cover them.

Further, a designated angle detection unit 40 is provided in the spring return mechanism unit 50 as a detection unit for detecting that the tilted shaft 21 is tilted to a predetermined tilt angle (designated tilt angle). The designated angle detection unit 40 of this example is configured by a detent mechanism as will be described later.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the designated angle detection unit 40 of the joystick controller of this example, and shows an enlarged state in the vicinity of the rotation center 17 of FIG.

The designated angle detection unit 40 of this example has a groove portion 25 formed in a V shape on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21, and a ball plunger 41 provided on a movable spring receiver 23 that can engage with the groove portion 25. It consists of a detent mechanism. The detent mechanism is a mechanism that holds a moving body in a predetermined position by an artificially created resistance, and the moving body can be moved to another position by applying a force that overcomes the resistance. In the detent mechanism of this example, the resistance generated by engaging the ball plunger 41 and the groove 25 can guide the shaft 21 to a specific state having a designated tilt angle, and temporarily hold the state. it can. Further, by applying further force, the specific state can be released.

The groove portion 25 is composed of a V-shaped groove formed over the entire radial direction of the shaft 21. The position of the groove 25 formed on the shaft 21 is formed at a position where the tip of the ball plunger 41 fixed to the movable spring receiver 23 faces the position when the shaft 21 is tilted to a designated tilt angle.

The ball plunger 41 is held by the movable spring receiver 23 in a state of being inserted into the insertion hole 42 formed in the outer surface of the thick portion 231 of the flange portion 23a. The insertion hole 42 is formed in a direction in which the center line of the hole is orthogonal to the axis of the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 23b of the movable spring receiver 23. That is, when the movable spring receiver 23 is inserted into the shaft 21, the insertion hole 42 is formed so as to be orthogonal to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the ball plunger used in this example.
As shown in FIG. 4, the ball plunger 41 is composed of a cylindrical housing 41a having a hollow portion inside, a ball 41b built in the hollow portion, and a spring 41c for urging the ball 41b to the outside. To. Further, a male screw portion is formed on the surface of the housing 41a. The ball plunger 41 is normally held in the housing 41a with a part of the ball 41b protruding outward, and when the ball 41b is pressurized, the ball 41b opposes the spring 41c and the ball 41b is inside the housing 41a. It works to sink into.

In this example, the ball plunger 41 is arranged in the insertion hole 42 so that rattling does not occur when the ball 41b engages with the groove portion 25. After adjusting the position of the ball plunger 41 in the insertion hole 42 by turning the male screw portion, the ball plunger 41 is fixed using an adhesive.

When the operator grips the knob 22 and tilts the operating body 20, the movable spring receiver 23 moves in the length direction while sliding on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21. At this time, the ball 41b pushed into the housing 41a moves while rolling on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21. When the tilt angle of the shaft 21 reaches the designated tilt angle, the pressure on the ball 41b is released by the space of the groove portion 25. As a result, the ball 41b is pushed out by the urging force of the spring 41c to engage with the groove 25, and the shaft 21 is held in a state of a designated tilt angle. At this time, the operator can detect that the shaft 21 has reached a predetermined designated tilt angle by the tilting operation of the operating body 20 due to the vibration generated when the ball 41b and the groove portion 25 are engaged with each other.

The shape of the groove 25 and the structure of the ball plunger 41 need not be limited to this example, and may be any one that can hold the operating body 20 in a specific state by engaging with the groove portion 25.

Further, in this example, the number of groove portions 25 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21 is set to one, but as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of groove portions 25 are provided along the length direction of the shaft 21. You may.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the designated angle detection unit (groove portion) in another example.
As shown in FIG. 5, in this example, two groove portions 25a and 25b are formed along the length direction of the shaft 21. The groove portion 25a formed on the lower side (tip side) of the shaft 21 corresponds to the designated tilt angle having the smaller tilt angle. In this example, the lower groove portion 25a corresponds to a designated tilt angle of ± 7.5 °, and the groove portion 25b formed on the upper side of the groove portion 25a corresponds to a designated tilt angle of ± 15 °. When detecting a larger designated tilt angle, a groove may be formed on the upper side of the groove 25b, and when detecting a smaller designated tilt angle, a groove may be formed on the lower side of the groove 25a. Just do it. By providing the plurality of groove portions 25 in this way, it is possible to detect different values of the designated tilt angles.

Further, in this example, the number of ball plungers 41 is set to one, but as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of ball plungers may be provided.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the designated angle detection unit (ball plunger) in another example.
As shown in FIG. 6, in this example, two ball plungers 41 and 41'are provided so as to face each other with the shaft 21 in between. Further, the heights of the tips of the ball plungers are arranged so as to coincide with each other in the length direction of the movable spring receiver 23. In this case, the insertion holes 42 for inserting the ball plunger are also formed at two places. In this example, the number of ball plungers used is two, but three or more may be used. By providing a plurality of ball plungers in this way, it is possible to increase the number of engagement points between the groove 25 and the ball plunger 41 and improve the holding force of the shaft 21.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the tilt angle detection unit 30 of the joystick controller 1 of this example, and shows a state in which the lower cover 29 of FIG. 2 is removed.
As shown in FIG. 7, the tilt angle detection unit 30 of the joystick controller 1 is a guide member that swings the shaft 21 in the X-axis direction in a state of being connected to the shaft 21 of the operating body 20 below the fixed flange 11. The X-axis arm 31 and the Y-axis arm 32 as a guide member swinging in the Y-axis direction, the X-axis sensor 33 for detecting the displacement of the X-axis arm 31, and the Y-axis sensor for detecting the displacement of the Y-axis arm 32. It has 34 and. A magnet 36 (see FIG. 2) is attached to the tips of the X-axis arm 31 and the Y-axis arm 32, and the X-axis sensor 33 and the Y-axis sensor 34 are held at positions facing the magnet 36 by a holder.

The tilt angle detection unit 30 detects the change in the magnetic flux of the magnet 36 changed by the swing of the X-axis arm 31 or the Y-axis arm 32 due to the tilt operation by the X-axis sensor 33 and the Y-axis sensor 34, thereby detecting the change in the magnetic flux of the magnet 36. The tilt angles of the shaft 21 in the direction and the Y-axis direction can be taken out, respectively. The tilt angle taken out by the X-axis sensor 33 and the Y-axis sensor 34 is transmitted to the relay board 6 as an electric signal via a lead wire (not shown), and then sent to an external device via the connector 5 on the relay board 6. Be transmitted.

In this example, it is possible to detect that the shaft 21 has reached the designated tilt angle due to the vibration generated when the ball plunger 41 and the groove portion 25 are engaged with each other. Therefore, the X-axis sensor of the tilt angle detection unit 30 can be detected. There is no electrical effect on 33 and the Y-axis sensor 34. As a result, the detection accuracy of the tilt angle detection unit 30 can be improved.

Further, in this example, since the groove portion 25 is formed over the entire radial direction of the shaft 21, the designated angle detection unit is formed even if the tilting operation direction of the operating body 20 by the operator is the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. At 40, it can be detected that the shaft 21 has reached the designated tilt angle.

Next, an example of the method of assembling the joystick controller 1 of this example will be described with reference to the exploded view of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, the shaft 21 is swingably supported with respect to the fixing flange 11. Next, the housing case 14 is mounted on the fixing flange 11 by using the housing case fixing screw 52. Then, the movable spring receiver 23 to which the ball plunger 41 is adhesively fixed is inserted into the shaft 21, and then the spring 26 is inserted into the shaft 21. Then, with the spring 26 compressed to some extent, the fixed spring receiver 24 is fixed to the upper portion of the shaft 21. Finally, the knob 22 is attached to the tip of the shaft 21 using the knob fixing screw 51, and the operating body 20 is assembled. The assembled operating body 20 is supported so as to be tiltable.

Next, the operation of the joystick controller 1 of this example will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the joystick controller of this example and an enlarged view for explaining the operation of the designated angle detection unit 40.

The joystick controller 1 is operated by the operator operating the knob 22 of the operating body 20 to tilt and displace the shaft 21 with the rotation center 17 as a fulcrum.

When the operator does not operate the knob 22, the movable spring receiver 23 is pressed against the sliding plate 12 by the force of the spring of the spring 26. That is, in the state where the operating force is removed from the knob 22, the operating body 20 is held in an upright state by the spring return mechanism portion 50, as shown in FIG. 9A. Further, the ball plunger 41 is held by the movable spring receiver 23 in a state where the ball 41b is sunk inside the housing 41a due to the pressurization from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21.

When the operator operates the knob 22 to tilt the shaft 21 to a designated tilt angle (15 ° in this example), the movable spring receiver 23 is pushed up by the sliding plate 12 as shown in FIG. 9B, and the spring. The spring 26 is compressed against the urging force of the 26. When the spring 26 is compressed, the movable spring receiver 23 slides upward along the shaft 21, and the ball plunger 41 moves to a position facing the groove 25 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21. At this time, the pressure on the ball 41b is released by the V-shaped space portion of the groove portion 25, and the ball 41b pushed out by the urging force of the spring 41c and the groove portion 25 engage with each other as shown in the enlarged view. The shaft 21 is held in a state of being tilted at a designated tilt angle.

In this way, the operator can sense that the tilt angle of the shaft 21 has reached the designated tilt angle (15 °) due to the vibration generated when the ball 41b and the groove portion 25 are engaged with each other. In this example, since the groove portion 25 is formed over the entire radial direction of the shaft 21, the flange portion 23a of the movable spring 23 rotates in the circumferential direction of the shaft 21 due to the repulsive force of the spring 26. Even in this case, it is possible to reliably detect that the specified tilt angle has been reached.

When the operator operates the knob 22 to further tilt the shaft 21, the movable spring receiver 23 resists the urging force of the spring 26 and further upwards along the shaft 21 as shown in FIG. 9C. Sliding. At this time, the ball plunger 41 is again pressurized from the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 21, and as shown in the enlarged view, the ball 41b is held by the movable spring receiver 23 in a state where the ball 41b is sunk inside the housing 41a. .. Further, when the shaft 21 is tilted, the fixed spring receiver 24 is pressed against the stopper 15 provided at the upper end of the housing case 14, and the tilting operation of the operating body 20 is stopped.

In this example, the tilt angle (± 15 °) of the shaft 21 in the state shown in FIG. 9B is set as the designated tilt angle, but the designated tilt angle may be any value, and as described above. By providing the plurality of groove portions 25, a plurality of tilt designation angles can be set.

FIG. 10 is an output characteristic diagram of the joystick controller 1 of this example.
FIG. 10 shows an output characteristic diagram of the tilt angle detection unit 30 using an analog output voltage as an example.
As shown in FIG. 10, when the tilting operation range of the operating body 20 is within the tilting angle (-15 ° to + 15 °), the outputs of the X-axis sensor 33 and the Y-axis sensor 34 taken out from the connector 5. The voltage is set to be in the range of 20 to 80% of the output voltage. When the operating range of the operating body 20 exceeds the tilt angle of about ± 15 ° and reaches the tilt angle of ± 20 °, the output voltage is in the range of 10 to 20% and 80 to 90%. Is set to. In this example, the range of the tilt angle at which the operating body 20 can be tilted is set to about ± 20 °. Further, the inclination of the output voltage ratio shown in the figure is an example, and the range of the inclination angle at which the operating body 20 can be tilted can be set to an arbitrary range.

As described above, according to the joystick controller 1 of this example, it is possible to reliably notify the operator that the shaft 21 has reached the designated tilt angle.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention described in the claims. For example, the configuration of the movable spring receiver 23 is not limited to this example, and may be any structure that can slide with the sliding plate 12 and move along the shaft 21.

Further, as the X-axis sensor 33 and the Y-axis sensor 34, a non-contact type sensor or a contact type sensor may be used. Further, in this example, a two-dimensional joystick controller that detects in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is used, but it can also be applied to a one-dimensional joystick controller that detects only in the X-axis direction. It can also be applied to a three-dimensional joystick controller in which a sensor for detecting the Z-axis direction is added to the knob 22.

1 ... Joystick controller, 5 ... Connector, 6 ... Relay board, 10 ... Housing, 11 ... Fixing flange, 12 ... Sliding plate, 14 ... Housing case , 15 ... Stopper, 17 ... Center of rotation, 20 ... Operating body, 21 ... Shaft, 22 ... Picking, 23 ... Movable spring receiver, 23a ... Flange, 23b ...・ ・ Cylindrical part, 24 ・ ・ ・ Fixed spring receiver, 25 ・ ・ ・ V-shaped groove, 26 ・ ・ ・ Spring, 29 ・ ・ ・ Lower cover, 30 ・ ・ ・ Tilt angle detection part, 31 ・ ・ ・ X-axis arm , 32 ... Y-axis arm, 36 ... magnet, 40 ... designated angle detector (detent mechanism), 41 ... ball plunger, 41a ... plunger body, 41b ... ball, 41c ...・ ・ Spring, 42 ・ ・ ・ Insertion hole, 50 ・ ・ ・ Spring return mechanism part, 231 ・ ・ ・ Thick part, 232 ・ ・ ・ Tapered part

Claims (5)

A housing with a sliding plate and a housing case,
A shaft supported by the housing in a state where it can be tilted around the center of rotation,
An operation unit that tilts and rotates the shaft by applying an external force,
A movable spring receiver that is inserted and supported by the shaft and can move along the shaft, a fixed spring receiver fixed to the shaft, and a spring sandwiched between the movable spring receiver and the fixed spring receiver. In the state where the shaft is held perpendicularly to the sliding plate by the spring, the shaft is tilted and rotated by an external force applied to the operating portion to compress the spring, and the movable spring receiver is pressed. A spring return mechanism that displaces along the shaft,
A joystick controller including a detection unit that detects the displacement of the movable spring receiver.
The detection unit
A joystick controller which is a detent mechanism having a groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and a ball plunger provided on the movable spring receiver and capable of engaging with the groove. The joystick controller according to claim 1, wherein the groove portion is formed over the entire radial direction of the shaft. The joystick controller according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the groove portions are provided along the shaft. The joystick controller according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the ball plungers are provided, and the tip positions of the plurality of ball plungers are arranged so as to coincide with each other in the length direction of the movable spring receiver. The joystick controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of guide members for guiding the tilt rotation of the shaft are provided.

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