JPH09146697A - Joy stick device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the durability, reliability and operability of the joy stick device. SOLUTION: The joy stick device capable of outputting at least two electric signals only by one joy stick is provided with a three-legged member 2 fixed to one end of the joy stick 1 and extended to three directions at an equal interval in a plane vertical to the stick 1, a supporting member 3 for supporting the member 2 by respective leg parts of the member 2, pressure sensitive sensors arranged between respective leg parts and the member 3, a prepressing member for depressing the member 2 to the member 3, and an operation part 8 for receiving outputs from the sensors, decomposing input operation for laying down the stick 1 in an optional direction or input operation for rotating the stick 1 in addition to the laying-down operation at least into two rectangular components and outputting the decomposed components.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a joystick device which outputs at least two electric signals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A joystick device is used as an operating device for instructing drive in a device that drives a driven object in two directions at right angles (for example, an XY stage) or a device that drives in three directions at right angles (for example, a three-dimensional measuring machine). . The input (command) operation by the joystick device that outputs three signals is performed by displacing the joystick in the left-right direction (X), the front-rear direction (Y), and the rotation direction around the axis of the joystick. It is read by a potentiometer or encoder and three signal outputs of X, Y and Z are obtained. The joystick device is provided with a mechanism for returning the joystick to the neutral position by a force such as a spring (a spring for returning the neutral position) when there is no input operation.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional device has a drawback that it lacks durability and reliability because it has a mechanically movable portion. Further, since the input operation is accompanied by the movement of the hand for displacing the joystick, the operation time is likely to be delayed. In many cases, the input operation is performed without looking at the joystick state, so the current input amount is not recognized from the displacement amount such as the tilt angle of the joystick, but the spring for returning the neutral position caused by the displacement of the joystick. It is made by feeling the repulsive force of.
However, since the repulsive force of the neutral position return spring does not change so much by the displacement of the joystick in order to improve the operability, there is a drawback that the actual operation amount and the operator's recognition are likely to deviate. there were.

An object of the present invention is to provide a joystick device which is excellent in durability and reliability and which allows an operator to correctly recognize the operation amount of the joystick.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a joystick device which outputs at least two electric signals with a single joystick, and which is provided at one end of the joystick and which is perpendicular to the joystick. A tripod member extending in three directions at equal intervals, a support member for supporting the tripod member at each leg of the tripod member,
A pressure-sensitive sensor installed between each of the legs and the support member, a preload member for pressing the tripod member against the support member,
And, receiving the output of the pressure sensor, an input operation for tilting the joystick in any direction, or an input operation for rotating the joystick in addition to the above operation is decomposed into at least two orthogonal components. The joystick device has a calculation unit for outputting the output (Claim 1).

The leg portion has a V-shaped (V-groove) cross section, and the support member has a V-shaped groove (V-shaped groove) for engaging the V-shaped (V-shaped groove) to support the leg portion. The V of the leg
It is preferable to dispose a pressure-sensitive sensor between each of the two engagement surfaces of the chevron (V groove) and the two engagement surfaces of the support portion (claim 2).

[0007]

1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the structure of the same. At one end of the joystick 1, the three legs 2a of the tripod member 2
2c is fixed so as to extend in a plane perpendicular to the joystick 1. The three leg portions 2a to 2c extend in a direction forming an angle of 120 degrees with each other at equal intervals, and the cross-sectional shape forms a V-angle shape of 90 degrees on the bottom surface.
V-grooves 4a to 4c having a cross-sectional angle of 90 degrees are formed on the support member 3 at 120 degrees, and are engaged with the V-shaped ridges of the legs 2a to 4c. Pressure sensors 5a are provided on both slopes of each V groove.
.About.5f are arranged at positions equidistant from the intersection point O of the three V grooves, and support the legs 2a to 2c.

As shown in FIG. 2, the support member 3 has a hole 7 centered on the intersection O of the V groove. A tension spring 6 is provided through the hole 7, one end of which is on the bottom surface of the support member 3,
The other end is fixed to the bottom surface of the tripod member 2. Due to the repulsive force of the tension spring 6, the legs 2a to 2c form the V groove 4a to
Since it is pressed by 4c, the pressure-sensitive sensors 5a-5f are preloaded. The preload of each sensor is equal because the tension spring 6 is centered at each sensor position. The preload on this sensor is Fp.

As for the tension of the tension spring 6, the leg portions 2a to 2c are V-grooves 4a to 4 by the input operation to the joystick.
It is set to be sufficiently large with respect to the force for operating the joystick so that it will not be separated from c. The pressure-sensitive sensors 5a to 5f have a voltage proportional to the pressing force (force perpendicular to the surface) acting between the V-shaped surfaces of the leg portions 2a to 2c and the slopes of the V-grooves 4a to 4c of the support portion at the respective locations. Is output. Reference numeral 8 in FIG. 1 denotes an arithmetic unit that receives the outputs of the pressure-sensitive sensors 5a to 5f and outputs the X, Y, and Z direction components of the input operation to the joystick. FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the X-, Y-, and Z-direction components of the force applied to the joystick 1 for the input operation and the amount of change in the pressing force applied to the pressure-sensitive sensors 5a to 5f by the force. The symbols in the figure have the following meanings. Here, the joystick is described as JS.

Fx; Force to tilt JS to the left and right (X direction component of operation input) Fy; Force to tilt JS to front and back (Y direction component of operation input) Fz; JS axis rotation direction Force (Z direction component of operation input) Fa: change amount of pressing force applied to the pressure sensitive sensor 5a Fb: change amount of pressing force applied to the pressure sensitive sensor 5b Fc: press force applied to the pressure sensitive sensor 5c Amount of change in pressure Fd: Amount of change in pressing force applied to the pressure-sensitive sensor 5d Fe: Amount of change in pressing force applied to the pressure-sensitive sensor 5e Ff: Amount of change in pressing force applied to the pressure-sensitive sensor 5f By the way, the following relationship holds. .

Fx = (Fa + Fb)-[(Fc + Fd) + (Fe + Ff)] (1) Fy = (Fb + Fc + Fd)-(Fa + Fe + Ff) (2) Fz = (Fb + Fd + Ff)-(Fa + Fc + Fe) (3) Further, the pressure sensor Since 5a to 5f output a voltage proportional to the pressing force, the following relationship holds when the above equation is applied to this output.

Vx = (Va + Vb)-[(Vc + Vd) + (Ve + Vf)] (4) Vy = (Vb + Vc + Vd)-(Va + Ve + Vf) (5) Vz = (Vb + Vd + Vf)-(Va + Vc + Ve) (6) However, for each variable The meaning is as follows. Vx; output voltage corresponding to X-direction component of operation input Vy; output voltage corresponding to Y-direction component of operation input Vz; output voltage corresponding to Z-direction component of operation input Va; change in output voltage of pressure-sensitive sensor 5a Amount Vb: Amount of change in output voltage of pressure-sensitive sensor 5b Vc: Amount of change in output voltage of pressure-sensitive sensor 5c Vd: Amount of change in output voltage of pressure-sensitive sensor 5d Ve: Amount of change in output voltage of pressure-sensitive sensor 5e Vf Amount of change in output voltage of pressure-sensitive sensor 5f Using the above relationship, the input operation to the joystick can be decomposed into three components of X, Y, and Z and taken out.
The process will be described with reference to FIG.

Joystick 1 to joystick 1
When a force for tilting the joystick 1 in an arbitrary direction and / or a force for rotating the joystick 1 about its axis are applied, the pressure-sensitive sensors FA-
The FF acts and the output voltages VA to VF are output. At this time, the legs 2a to 2c are supported by the support member 3 via the pressure sensitive sensors 6a to 6f, and the support member 3 is supported by the repulsive force of the spring 6.
The joystick does not move because it is pressed by.

Here, FA = Fa + Fp, FB = Fb +
Fp, ..., FF = Ff + Fp. VA = Va + V
p, VB = Vb + Vp, ..., VF = Vf + Vp. However, Vp is the output voltage of the pressure-sensitive sensor when there is no input operation to the joystick, that is, the output voltage due to preload.

VA to VF are amplified by the buffer amplifiers 9a to 9f and then input to the arithmetic unit 8. Arithmetic unit 8
Stores the output voltage Vp of the pressure-sensitive sensor when there is no input operation to the joystick,
The pre-processing unit 10 is provided which subtracts p to obtain Va to Vf. X command computing unit 1 of computing unit 8 for computing equation (4)
1, the Y command calculation unit 12 that calculates the formula (5) and the formula (6)
Each of the Z command calculation units 13 for calculating
Outputs Va to Vf are input to perform a predetermined calculation, and Vx, V
Calculate y and Vz.

In the above embodiment, three output signals Vx,
Although the joystick device having Vy and Vz has been described, the cross-sectional shape of the legs 2a to 2c of the tripod member 2 and the groove of the support member 3 are rectangular, and the pressure-sensitive sensor is provided between the side surface and the bottom surface of both. Various supporting structures for the joystick can be considered. In the case of a device that drives in two directions, for example, the z command calculation unit 13 may be omitted, and a joystick device having only two output signals Vx and Vy may be provided.

[0017]

The joystick device of the present invention has high durability and reliability because it has no mechanical moving parts. Moreover, since the input operation does not displace the joystick but applies force to the joystick, there is no movement of the hand.
As a result, the time delay of operation can be reduced. Furthermore, since the reaction force of the operation force applied to the joystick, which is the input amount, is directly received by the hand or finger, the current input amount can be correctly recognized and the operability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the structure of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a relationship between an input to a joystick and an output of a pressure sensor.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a signal processing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Joystick 2 ... Tripod member 2a-2c ... Leg part 3 ... Supporting member 4a-4c ... V groove 5a-5f ... Pressure sensor 6 ... Extension spring 7 ... Hole 8 ... Calculation part 9a to 9f ... Buffer amplifier 10 ... Pre-processing unit 11X ... Command calculation unit 12Y ... Command calculation unit 13Z ... Command calculation unit O ... V groove intersection point

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A joystick device for outputting at least two electric signals with one joystick, comprising: a tripod member provided at one end of the joystick and extending in three directions at equal intervals in a plane perpendicular to the joystick,
A support member that supports the tripod member at each leg of the tripod member, a pressure sensor that is installed between each leg and the support member, a preload member that presses the tripod member against the support member, and In response to the output of the pressure-sensitive sensor, an input operation for tilting the joystick in an arbitrary direction, or an input operation for rotating the joystick in addition to the above operation is decomposed into at least two orthogonal components. A joystick device having an arithmetic unit for outputting. 2. The leg portion has a V-shaped (V-groove) cross section,
The support member has a V groove (V mountain) for engaging the V mountain (V groove) to support the leg portion, and two engaging surfaces of the V mountain (V groove) of the leg portion, The joystick device according to claim 1, wherein a pressure sensor is arranged between each of the two engagement surfaces of the support portion.