JPH08227316A - Joy stick device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a joy stick device capable of holding an operation handle on its neutral position and smoothly inclining the operation handle at the inclining operation of the handle. CONSTITUTION: The joy stick device provided with the operation handle 2 connecting a movable member 3 to its lower end part and allowed to be inclined in multiple directions, plural springs 4 arranged between the member 3 and a fixing member 10 and capable of automatically restoring the handle 2 to the neutral position by spring force and a linear operation type potentioneter to be driven in accordance with the inclining operation of the handle 2 is also provided with a neutral position fixing mechanism 6 for fixing the member 3 to the member 10 on the neutral position of the handle 2 and releasing the member 3 from the fixing to the member 10 in the inclinding operation of the handle 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a joystick device for manually operating a transfer robot, an electric trolley for consumer goods, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional joystick device, there is one described in JP-A-1-140976. In this type of joystick device, a movable member consisting of at least a spring supporting member and a potential meter operating unit is fixed to a lower end portion of an operating handle, the movable member is supported by a universal bearing with respect to a stationary portion, and the bearing is substantially centered. As a result, a plurality of coil springs are arranged in a compressed or tensioned state between the spring support member and the stationary portion so that the operating handle is automatically returned to its neutral position by the spring force. It activates the tension meter. Further, the joystick device of the prior art has a plurality of positioning screw bodies for accurately positioning the neutral position of the operation handle when it is not operated.

However, when the joystick device of the prior art is used in an electric cart or the like which requires a certain length of the operating handle, the load of the operating handle also increases in proportion to the length. As a result, there is a problem that the operating handle cannot be held in the neutral position only by the pressing force of the coil springs arranged around the universal bearing and the positioning spring bodies.

[0004]

To solve this problem, in order to maintain the neutral position of the operating handle, it is conceivable to increase the pressing force due to the spring force of the coil spring and the positioning spring body. The tilting operation of the operating handle has a drawback that the movement of the operating handle becomes heavy.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and holds the position of the operation handle in the neutral position, and in the tilting operation of the operation handle, the operation handle is tilted gently. The purpose is to provide a joystick device that can be used.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, in the joystick device of the present invention, in claim 1, an operating handle which is tilted in multiple directions around a spherical bearing, and an operating handle of the operating handle are provided. A movable member connected to the lower end, a plurality of return springs arranged between the movable member and the fixed member in a compressed or tensioned state to automatically return the operation handle to its neutral position by spring force, A joystick which is provided with a linear actuation potentiometer which is actuated in response to a tilting operation of the operation handle, and which is adapted to actuate the linear actuation potentiometer in accordance with the tilting operation of the operation handle by the movable member. In the device, the movable member and the fixed member are fixed at a neutral position of the operation handle, and when the operation handle is tilted, It is provided with a neutral position fixing mechanism for releasing the fixing of the fixed member and the movable member.

In the second aspect, in addition to the first aspect,
The neutral position fixing mechanism includes a neutral position lever that can be locked / unlocked by the operation handle and slidably penetrates through the movable member, and an engagement groove in either the neutral position lever or the fixing member. Alternatively, the engaging portion is provided with an engaging member that matches the engaging groove, and a load spring that urges a spring force in a direction of moving the engaging groove and the engaging member close to or apart from each other. It is something.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the switch mechanism that is activated by the engagement of the movable member and the fixed member is provided in the first or second aspect.

[0009]

As described above, according to the joystick device of the present invention, in claim 1, the movable member is fixed to the fixed member at the neutral position of the operation handle by the neutral position fixing mechanism to regulate the inclination of the movable member. And fix its neutral position
In addition to holding it, in the tilting operation of the operation handle, the fixation of the movable member and the fixed member is released to allow the movable member to freely incline, so that the position is fixed and held at the neutral position of the operation handle, and In tilting the operation handle, the operation handle can be tilted gently.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the engaging portions provided on the neutral position lever and the fixing member are caused by the spring force of the load spring.
Alternatively, by engaging against the spring force, the inclination of the movable member through which the neutral position lever slidably penetrates is restricted, and the engagement of the engaging position between the neutral position lever and the fixed member is prevented. The movable member can be freely tilted by the spring force of or by releasing it against the spring force. Therefore, the neutral position fixing mechanism having a simple structure fixes the position at the neutral position of the operating handle. The operation handle can be held and the operation handle can be tilted gently.

Further, since the switch mechanism which is operated by the engagement of the movable member and the fixed member is provided, it is possible to detect whether or not the operating handle is in the neutral position, and the operating handle can be securely operated. It is possible to fix and hold it in the neutral position.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A joystick device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of the joystick device according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2A shows a state where the neutral position lever of the joystick device according to the present embodiment is unlocked. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a main part showing a locked state of the neutral position lever of the neutral position fixing mechanism of the joystick device according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a joystick device, which includes an operating handle 2, a movable member 3, a plurality of return springs 4, 4, 4, ..., A linear movement type potentiometer 5, 5 and a neutral position. The fixing mechanism 6 is used as a main part. Reference numeral 10 denotes a housing having an internal space A serving as a fixing member, and the spherical bearing 1 is provided on the opening 10a.
1 is fixed and arranged. The operation handle 2 includes a spherical knob 2A and a cylindrical rod 2B extending from the knob 2A.
The spherical rod 11 penetrates the spherical body 11a of the spherical bearing 11 from the end side of the cylindrical rod 2B, and is supported by the spherical bearing 11 so as to be tiltable (sliding) in multiple directions.

The movable member 3 has a circular plate main body 12 having a peripheral wall with the center of the spherical bearing 11 as a reference, and a radial outer direction (a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the cylindrical rod 2B) from the peripheral wall end of the plate main body 12. ) And a plate-shaped portion 13 extending in the direction of). The plate body 12 is fixed to the cylindrical rod 2B, and the operation handle 2 is continuously provided. Thereby, the movable member 3
Can be tilted in multiple directions following the tilting operation of the operating rod 2. In addition, a plurality of return springs 4, 4, 4,
Is a coil disposed between the plate-shaped portion 13 of the movable member 3 and the opening 10a side of the housing 10 and at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction with the spherical bearing 11 being substantially the same center. It is a spring. The return springs 4, 4, 4, ... Have both ends at the housing 10 or the plate-like portion 13 of the movable member 3.
Are fixed in a compressed or tensile state, respectively.

The linear actuation type potentiometers 5 and 5 are
With a well-known structure and a spring (not shown) inside,
As a result, the actuating rods 5a, 5a are urged. The actuating rods 5a, 5a are attached and fixed to the bottom 10b side of the housing 10 at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction about the same center as the spherical bearing 11, and the actuating rods 5a, 5a are attached. 5 a and 5 a project toward the opening 10 a side of the housing 10 to project the plate-shaped portion 1 of the movable member 3.
3 (a plurality of return springs 4, 4, 4, ...
··· Abutting engagement from the side opposite to where ). As a result, in the linearly actuated potentiometers 5 and 5, the actuating rods 5a and 5a are moved from the neutral position to the operation handle 2.
The resistance value is changed by projecting to the side or being pushed into the bottom 10b side of the housing 10. That is, the linear movement type potentiometer 5,
5 has a certain resistance value at the neutral position of the operating handle 2, but the resistance value increases when the respective operating rods 5a, 5a are positioned so as to project from the neutral position, and when the operating rods 5a, 5a are pushed in, the resistance value becomes 5. The signal corresponding to the tilting operation of the operating handle 2 is obtained in a decreasing manner. 15
Is a dust cover, which is made of rubber or the like and is flexible, and has an annular mounting member 16 made of metal at its lower end.
Is fixed, and the mounting member 16 is mounted on the housing 10 so as to cover the spherical bearing 11 and the opening 10a while including the cylindrical rod 2 of the operation handle 2, thereby making It deforms in accordance with the tilting operation in the direction, and exhibits a dustproof and dustproof function. 17
Is a C ring that prevents the spherical bearing 11 from coming off.

The neutral position fixing mechanism 6 includes a neutral position lever 3
0, the engaging member 3 provided on the neutral position lever 30
7. The load spring 38 is a main part.
The neutral position lever 30 is used for the cylindrical rod 2 of the operation handle 2.
The shaft-shaped portion 33 having a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the B is integrally formed with a lever portion 34 that is bent outward in the radial direction from the one end side of the shaft-shaped portion 33, and has an L-shape. The cylindrical rod 2 of the operation lever 2 is loosely fitted and penetrated in the cylindrical rod 2B of the operation lever 2.
It projects to the outside through a locking hole 35 formed by opening on the peripheral surface of B. As shown in FIG. 2A, the locking hole 35 is located in the axial direction of the operation handle 2 and in the housing 1.
0A of the shaft hole portion 35A extending to the bottom 10a side,
A peripheral hole portion 35B continuously extending in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical rod 2B from the end on the side of the knob 2A of A. And
The lever portion 34 of the neutral position lever 30 is allowed to move in the axial direction and the circumferential direction of the operation handle 2 while being guided by the shaft hole portion 35A and the peripheral hole portion 35B of the locking hole 35, and protrudes to the outside, as shown in FIG. As shown in a), the lever portion 34 is positioned above the peripheral hole portion 35B and is in a locked state. still,
In order to release the lock of the neutral position lever 30 (release of lock), as shown in FIG.
It is released by moving to the shaft hole portion 35A of No. 5, and the neutral position lever 30 can be moved in the axial direction.

Further, the shaft-like portion 33 of the neutral position lever 30 is a guide hole 3 provided in the central portion of the dish body 13 of the movable member 3.
6 is slidably pierced and protrudes toward the bottom 10b side of the housing 10 by a predetermined length, and an engaging member 37 is provided at the protruding end of the shaft-shaped member 33. This locking part 3
7 has a conical shape in which a tapered engagement surface 37a is formed which gradually reduces in diameter from the movable member 3 toward the bottom 10b side of the housing 10, and is disposed between the movable member 3 and the movable member 3. The load spring 38 urges the housing 10 toward the bottom 10 a. Bottom 10 of housing 10
In b, the engaging groove 3 is provided at a position corresponding to the center of the spherical bearing 11.
9 is formed. The engagement groove 39 is formed by the engagement member 37.
A conical groove formed with a tapered engagement surface 39a that gradually decreases in diameter from the movable member 3 toward the bottom 10a side of the housing 10 so as to match the tapered surface 37a of
The engaging member 37 constitutes the engaging portion 40. Thus, when the neutral position lever 30 is in the locked state (the state shown in FIG. 2A), the engaging member 37 causes the load spring 38 to move.
Against the spring force of the housing 10, the housing 10 is separated from the engagement groove 39, that is, the movable member 3 and the fixed member.
When the locking of the operating handle 30 is released and the neutral position lever 30 is in the unlocked state [state shown in FIG. 2B], the engaging member 37 is loaded. The neutral position of the operation handle 30 is fixed / held by being brought into a state of fitting / engaging with the engaging groove 39 by the spring force of the spring 38, that is, by fixing the movable member 3 to the housing 10 serving as a fixed member. Is.

Further, a micro switch 41 for detecting the neutral position of the operating handle 2 is provided on the bottom 39b of the engaging groove 39, and the engaging member 37 is provided with the micro switch 41.
When the engaging member 37 is engaged with, the tip end of the engaging member 37 comes into contact with the operator 41a to be turned on, and the engaging member 37 is separated to be turned off.

Joystick device 1 in the present embodiment
Is configured as described above. Next, the operation of the joystick device 1 will be described. For convenience of explanation, the operation handle 2 is in the neutral position (the position shown in FIG. 1), and the neutral position lever 30 has the lever portion 34 of which the shaft of the locking hole 35 is provided, as shown in FIG. The engagement member 37 is in the unlocked state in the hole portion 35A and the engagement member 37 is engaged with the engagement groove 39.
It is assumed that the operation handle 2 is fixed / held at the neutral position by matching / engaging with (the movable member 3 and the housing 10 are engaged).

When the operation handle 2 is tilted in either direction from its neutral position, the operator first operates the neutral position lever 30 to change the unlocked state to the locked state. . This is performed by moving the lever member 34 of the neutral position lever 30 to the knob 2A side of the operation handle 2 while being guided by the shaft hole portion 35A, and locking the lever portion 34 in the peripheral hole portion 35B. At this time, the shaft portion 33 is also moved in the same direction following the movement of the lever portion 34 of the neutral position lever 30, so that the engaging member 37 at the tip of the shaft portion 31 causes the spring force of the load spring 38 to be applied. Against this, the movable member 3 is separated from the engaging groove 39 (the fixing of the movable member 3 and the housing 10 serving as the fixed member is released). Further, the separation of the engagement member 37 turns off the micro switch 41, and informs the operator that the operation handle 2 can be tilted through a device (not shown).

After the neutral position lever 30 is locked,
When the operator tilts the operation handle 2 in either direction, the movable member 3 also tilts in the same direction as the operation handle 2 following the tilting operation. Thereby, the movable member 3
Is inclined against the spring force of the plurality of return springs 4, 4, 4, ... (With the return plurality of springs 4, 4, 4, ... In a compressed or tensile deformed state) and tilted. By this inclination, the respective operating rods 5a, 5a of the pair of linearly actuated potentiometers 5, 5 project toward the operation handle 2 side or are pushed into the bottom 10b side of the housing 10 to change their resistance values. Operation handle 2 by changing the resistance value
Detects in which direction and how much is tilted. Then, after the desired tilting operation is completed, when the operating force of the operating handle 2 is released, the plurality of return springs 4, 4, which are in the compression or tensile deformation state due to the tilting of the movable member 3,
The spring force of 4, ... Rotates the movable member 3 in a direction to release this inclination. Thereafter, the movable member 3 is engaged with a positioning mechanism (not shown), whereby the operation handle 2 is accurately and automatically restored to the neutral position.

After the operation handle 2 is automatically restored to the neutral position, when the neutral position is fixed and held, the operator operates the neutral position lever 30 to release the locked state from the locked state. To This is done by moving the lever member 34 of the neutral position lever 30 from the peripheral hole portion 35B to the shaft hole portion 35A, and moving the neutral position lever 30 to the bottom 10a side of the housing 10 by the spring force of the load spring 38. Be seen. At this time, the engagement member 37 is also moved in the same direction following the movement of the neutral position lever 30, and finally the engagement member 37 of the shaft-shaped portion 33 is caused by the spring force of the load spring 38 to engage the engagement groove 39. (The movable member 3 and the housing 10 serving as a fixed member are fixed). After that, the engagement member 37 is continuously urged by the spring force of the load spring 38 to the engagement groove 39 to fix the neutral position of the operation handle 2.
Hold. Further, the engagement of the engagement member 37 turns on the micro switch 41, and informs the operator that the neutral position of the operation handle 2 is in the fixed / holding state through a device (not shown).

As described above, according to the joystick device 1 in this embodiment, the engaging member 37 is engaged with the engaging groove 39 by releasing the neutral position lever 30 at the neutral position of the operation handle 2. The movable member 3 is fixed to the housing 10, which is a fixed member, in a non-tiltable manner, and the neutral position lever 30 is brought into a locked state so that the engaging member 37 is separated from the engaging groove 39. Then, the movable member 3 and the housing 10, which is the fixed member, are released from the fixed state so that the movable member 3 can be freely tilted. Therefore, even if the operation handle becomes long and its weight becomes heavy, for example, Also, in the neutral position of the operation handle 30,
By fitting and engaging the engaging member 37 with the engaging groove 39, the engaging member 37 can be reliably fixed and held at that position, and the operating member 2 can be tilted by separating the engaging member 37 from the engaging groove 39. Since the tilting operation can be performed, it is possible to apply it to not only the mounting robot but also the transport robot and the electric trolley for consumer products.

Further, the engaging member 37 matches the engaging groove 39.
When engaged, it abuts on the actuator 41a of the micro switch 41 to turn on the micro switch 41, and when the engaging member 37 separates from the engagement groove 39, the micro switch 41 is turned off. Whether or not the operation handle 2 is in the neutral position can be detected by the ON / OFF state of the micro switch 41, and the operation handle 2 can be reliably fixed and held in the neutral position.

In the joystick device 1 of this embodiment, the operating handle 2 is provided with the engaging member 37, and the housing 1
Although the engaging groove 39 is formed in the bottom 10b of No. 0, the engaging groove 39 is formed at the tip of the cylindrical rod 2B of the operation handle 2 and the bottom 10 of the housing 10 is operated as shown in FIG. The engaging members 37 may be formed so as to project to the handle 2 side, and the actuator 41a of the microswitch 41 may be arranged to project from the engaging member 37 to the engaging groove 39 side. .

Further, in the joystick device 1 of this embodiment, the lever portion 34 of the neutral position lever 30 is operably projected to the outside from an engagement hole 35 formed in the peripheral surface of the operation handle 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be the one shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). FIG. 4A shows the shaft-shaped portion 3 of the neutral position lever 30.
3 is made to project from the knob 2A of the operation handle 2 in the axial direction, and a lever portion 34 extending in the radial direction is provided at the tip of this, so that the operator can move the operation handle 2 in the axial direction through the lever portion 34. The shaft-shaped portion 3
The engaging member 37 of No. 3 is separated from / engaged with the engaging groove 39 to fix / hold the neutral position of the operation handle 2 and release the neutral position. Accordingly, when the operator tilts the operation handle 30 in any direction, the operator sequentially applies the neutral position lever 30 to the engaging member 37 from the engaging groove 39 to resist the spring force of the load spring 38. Although it is necessary to apply a pulling force in the direction of separating the operation handle 2, when the operator feels a danger, the operation handle 2 is separated from the neutral position lever 30 together with the operation handle 2 so that the operation handle 2 is as described above. Then, the neutral position lever 30 is automatically returned to its neutral position, and the neutral position lever 30 automatically moves the engaging member 37 into the engaging groove 39 by the spring force of the load spring 38 so that the neutral position of the operating handle 2 is changed. Can be fixed and held.

4 (b), a through hole 50 is formed at the end of the shaft-like portion 33 of the neutral position lever 30 on the side of the knob 2A of the operating handle 2, and an inclined surface engaging with this through hole 50 is formed. Block body 51 having 51A and this block body 5
1, a lever mechanism 53 including a lever portion 52 extending radially outward from the peripheral surface of the cylindrical rod 2B of the operating handle 2 and protruding outward is provided. The lever portion 52 of the lever mechanism 52 is arranged in the radial direction. By reciprocating in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the operation handle 2, the shaft-like portion 33 of the neutral position lever 30 engages with the inclined surface 51A of the block body 51, and the reciprocating movement is performed by the axis of the operation handle 2. By converting into a reciprocal movement in the gland direction and reciprocating the neutral position lever 30 in the axial direction, the neutral position of the operating handle 2 is fixed / held and the neutral position is released.

Further, the neutral position fixing mechanism 6 in the joystick device 1 of this embodiment is not limited to this, and may have a structure as shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the shaft-like portion 33 of the neutral position lever 30 is projected from the bottom 10b of the housing 10 to the outside, and at the protruding end, the taper member is gradually reduced in diameter from the bottom 10b of the housing 10 toward the operation handle 2. Meeting 60
The conical engaging member 60 having a is provided, and the shaft-like portion 33 is provided between the movable member 3 and the bottom 10 of the housing 10.
The load spring 62 is disposed between the movable member 3 and the protrusion 61 that is integrally formed with the movable member 3 and projects radially outward. Further, the bottom 10b of the housing 10b facing the engagement member 60 is provided with an engagement groove 63 having a tapered engagement surface 63a whose diameter gradually decreases from the bottom 10b toward the engagement member 60. . In such a configuration, when the intermediate position lever 30 is unlocked, as shown in FIG. 5, the engaging member 60 is separated from the engaging groove 63 by the spring force of the load spring 62. When the intermediate position lever 30 is in the locked state, the engaging member 60 is engaged with the engaging groove 6 against the spring force of the load spring 62.
3 is engaged / engaged with to fix / hold the operation handle 2 in the neutral position. The engagement groove 63 and the hole portion 64 formed continuously from the engagement groove 63 and opening in the housing 10 do not interfere with the shaft portion 33 of the neutral position lever 30 when the operation handle 2 is tilted. So that it has a sufficient radius.

[0029]

As described above, according to the joystick device of the present invention, at the neutral position of the operating handle by the neutral position fixing mechanism, the movable member is fixed to the fixed member to regulate the inclination of the movable member. In addition to fixing and holding the neutral position, the tilting of the movable member is released by releasing the fixation between the movable member and the fixed member in the tilting operation of the operation handle. Since it can be held and the operation handle can be tilted gently, it can be applied not only to the mounted equipment but also to the transport robot, and to the consumer electric cart etc. Becomes

Further, the neutral position lever is slidable by engaging the engaging portions provided on the neutral position lever and the fixing member with the spring force of the load spring or against the spring force. The inclination of the movable member that penetrates is regulated, and the engagement of the engaging portion between the neutral position lever and the fixed member is released by the spring force of the load spring or against the spring force. The neutral position fixing mechanism, which has a simple structure, fixes and holds the neutral position of the operating handle, and tilts the operating handle gently when tilting the operating handle. Therefore, it is possible to apply to any electric equipment such as a consumer electric trolley as well as a transfer robot regardless of the mounted equipment.

Further, since the switch mechanism which is operated by the engagement of the movable member and the fixed member is provided, it is possible to detect whether or not the operating handle is in the neutral position, and the operating handle can be securely operated. It is possible to fix and hold it in the neutral position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of a joystick device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an arrangement state of a neutral position lever of a neutral position fixing mechanism of a joystick device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a view showing a locked and unlocked state of the neutral position lever. Part enlarged view, (b) is an essential part enlarged view showing a locked state of the neutral position lever.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an essential part showing a modified example of the engagement member and the engagement groove of the neutral position fixing mechanism of the joystick device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a modified example of the neutral position lever of the neutral position fixing mechanism of the joystick device according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows the neutral position lever projecting in the axial direction of the operation handle. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of a main part, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of a main part showing a neutral position lever which is moved by using a lever mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modification of the neutral position lever, the engaging member, and the engaging groove of the joystick device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Joystick device 2 Operation handle 3 Movable member 4, 4, ... Return spring 5 Linear actuation type potentiometer 6 Neutral position fixing mechanism 10 Housing (fixing member) 11 Spherical bearing 30 Neutral position lever 37 Engaging member 38 Giving Load spring 39 Engagement groove 40 Engagement portion 41 Micro switch (switch mechanism)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An operating handle that is tilted in multiple directions around a spherical bearing, a movable member connected to the lower end of the operating handle, and a compressed or pulled state between the movable member and a fixed member. And a plurality of return springs that automatically return the operating handle to its neutral position by spring force.
A joystick having a linear operation type potentiometer which is operated according to a tilting operation of the operation handle, wherein the linear operation type potentiometer is operated by the movable member according to a tilting operation of the operation handle. In the tech device, a neutral position fixing mechanism that fixes the movable member and the fixed member at the neutral position of the operation handle and releases the fixation of the movable member and the fixed member when the operation handle is tilted. A joystick device characterized by being provided. 2. The neutral position fixing mechanism includes a neutral position lever that is lockable / unlockable with the operation handle and slidably penetrates through the movable member, and any one of the neutral position lever and the fixing member. An engaging portion provided with an engaging groove or an engaging member that matches the engaging groove, and a load for urging a spring force in a direction to bring the engaging groove and the engaging member close to or apart from each other. The joystick device according to claim 1, wherein the joystick device comprises a spring. 3. The joystick device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch mechanism that is activated by engagement between the movable member and the fixed member.