JPS61198322A - Joy stick mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the rotating and turning operations of a joy stick and the switching of switches with a single hand by arranging an operatoin button for the switching of switches in a rotating knob fixed to the upper part of a shaft. CONSTITUTION:When the rotating knob 13 fixed to the upper part of a shaft 7 is rotated, a housing 6 is rotated, and the rotating force is transmitted to an optical system vertical moving mechanism. An operation button 18 is arranged on the top of the rotating knob 13 through a spring 19. Switches 22 and 23 are fixed to a turning knob 9, and switches 22 and 23 are operated when a ring plate 21 is pressed downward. For example, when measurement is performed by a refraction meter for eye after automatic oscillatory mist, this mechanism is useful for the purpose of performing the operation quickly with a single hand by performing vertical and horizontal movement due to a joy stick because the plural switches which are switched in accordance with the difference of the extent of pressing-in amount can be built in the joy stick.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A.0 Objective of the Invention E.1. Industrial Application Field The present invention enables the optical system placed on a fixed table, especially the optical system of an ophthalmological device, to be moved vertically and horizontally to align it with the eye to be examined, as well as to switch the device. This relates to a joystick mechanism.

E2. Conventional technology During fundus treatment using a laser photocoagulation device and fundus observation using a slit lamp microscope, the operator and examiner hold a contact lens with one hand, press it against the eye to be examined, and operate the device with the other hand. .

Furthermore, when photographing the fundus using a fundus camera, if photographing is difficult due to the eyelids of the subject's eye, the examiner must operate the equipment while opening the eyelids with one hand.

Therefore, it would be ideal to be able to perform small movements of the machine in the vertical and horizontal directions as well as opening and closing switches for treatment, imaging, and measurement at the same time while holding the joystick with the other hand.

As a conventional device, a joystick mechanism has been disclosed in which the optical system can be slightly moved in the vertical direction by rotating the joystick about an axis, and by turning the joystick, the optical system can be slightly moved in all directions in the horizontal direction. In either case, due to mechanical constraints, it was difficult to incorporate the switch inside the joystick and to extract the signals obtained by opening and closing the switch to the outside via electric wire.

When a device using these requires a switch operation at the same time as a slight movement, it is common to use a foot switch.
Accurate operation could not be expected and the switch was often pressed by mistake. Furthermore, since the entire joystick rotates and pivots, there is a drawback that even when only slight movement in the vertical direction by rotation is desired, the joystick pivots slightly and shifts its position in the horizontal direction. A mechanism has been disclosed in which the upper part of the joystick is released from rotation and the lower part is rotated to perform precise adjustment of the instrument, but this method involves resting the hand at the top of the joystick and grasping the rotating part of the lower part with the fingers. Therefore, the hand placement is unnatural and requires some getting used to.
Long-term operation was difficult. Furthermore, since the top is covered by hands, it is impossible to place switches or the like here.

It has also been proposed that the upper part of the joystick is rotatable and the lower part is separated from rotation, but this method, which includes a cross joint and transmission gear to transmit rotation to the spherical interior of the lower part of the joystick, is It has a defect that unintended horizontal movement occurs when the upper part of the joystick is rotated in the turning position, and is not practical.

E3. Problems to be Solved by the Present Invention Accordingly, the present invention provides operation buttons for performing treatment, imaging, and measurement at the upper end of a joystick that aligns the optical system vertically and horizontally by rotating and pivoting. , dissociates the bottom of the joystick from rotation,
By making the upper part of the joystick rotatable with a finger, the operator and examiner can perform extremely precise positioning of the instrument in a natural position, and the joystick mechanism that enables switching is reliable and simple. The goal is to provide a method.

8. Structure of the Invention 10. Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, the present invention has a rotatable and pivotable shaft arranged on the central axis of the joystick, and a finger on the top of the shaft for rotation. The rotary knob is fixed, and an operation button for opening and closing the switch is placed inside the rotary knob. A swing knob is disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft and at the bottom of the rotation knob via a ball bearing, and a groove and a pin or a cross joint are used at the lower end of the swing knob to securely separate the switch from rotation and fix the switch to the rotation knob. A ring-shaped plate is fixed to the operation button via a connecting shaft, and the distance between the ring-shaped plate and the switch is constant at any rotational position of the rotary knob, and the operation button can be pressed. This allows the switch to open and close. Then, by rotating the rotation knob,
Rotation is transmitted to the gear via the groove and key of the spherical bearing at the bottom of the shaft, allowing the optical system to move up and down.

By turning the turning knob, the shaft is turned through the ball bearing, and the shaft turns using the sliding plate at the lower end of the shaft as a fulcrum, thereby making it possible to make small horizontal movements of the instrument.

According to the present invention, treatment, shooting, and
In addition to arranging operation buttons for measurement, the lower part of the joystick can be separated from rotation, allowing the examiner to not only independently operate the rotation and rotation of the joystick with one hand, but also to open and close the switch. .

Row 3. Example The present invention will be described below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a joystick according to the present invention.

(1) is a fixing table for the instrument, and (2) is a baize that can be moved horizontally on a friction plate (4) via a sliding plate (3). An optical system such as a camera is supported. A housing (6) is installed on the base (2) via a pole bearing (5), and inside the housing (6), the lower spherical part of the shaft (7) engages with the key (14). By turning the turning knob (9) of the joystick (8), the shaft (7) is turned around the spherical part in the housing as a fulcrum via the ball bearing α, so that the lower end of the shaft (7) does not slide. Swing the moving plate (3). The frictional force between the sliding plate (3) and the friction plate (4) is caused by the frictional force between the plate (11) fixed to the base (2) and the sliding plate (12) embedded in the sliding plate (3). By selecting a material that is stronger than the frictional force of
1) on the sliding plate (12) in the horizontal direction to achieve fine horizontal movement.

A rotation knob (13) is fixed to the upper part of the shaft, and by turning the rotation knob (13), the shaft (7) is rotated, and the housing (6) is rotated via the key (14).

A gear (15) is fixed to the housing (6),
The rotational force can be transmitted to an optical system vertical movement mechanism (not shown).

The turning knob (9) has a pin (16) fixed to the upper cover (17) at a horizontal position with respect to the turning center point of the shaft (7), and fits into the groove at the lower end of the turning knob (9). , disengaging the pivot knob (9) from rotation.

An operation button (18) is placed on the top of the rotation knob (13) via a spring (19), and a ring plate (21) is fixed via a connecting rod (20).

The turning knob (9) has switches (22) and (23).
) is fixedly installed, and when the ring plate (21) is pushed down, the switches (22) and (23) are activated, and a signal is sent to a control circuit (not shown) via the electric wire (24) to perform treatment and imaging. , measurement is started.

Switches (22) and (23) are installed at different heights, and by pressing the operation button (18), switch (22) is activated first, and by pressing it further, switch (23) is activated. .

For example, in a laser photocoagulation device, in order to prevent laser light from entering the operator side, it is necessary to reliably insert a filter for protecting the operator into the observation optical system immediately before the laser beam is emitted. With a fundus camera, before imaging, the anterior segment of the eye is observed and the positional relationship between the eye to be examined and the device is accurately aligned, and then the optical path is switched and the fundus is observed to confirm that there is no flare in the fundus image. Take pictures. Furthermore, when measuring the eye refractive power needle after applying automatic convergence for a certain period of time, in order to quickly perform the operation with one hand, and also to move vertically and horizontally with the joystick, it is necessary to press the needle differently. Therefore, it is useful to have a plurality of switches built into the joystick that can open and close the switches.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which the switch does not need to be a general contact type switch, but may be a photoelectric switch using a combination of a light emitting element (25) and a light receiving element (26). Alternatively, it may be a switch that utilizes a change in resistance due to a Hall element.

It is also possible to use a cruciform joint (27) as shown in this embodiment instead of the groove and pin (16) shown in FIG. 1 to ensure rotational release of the pivot knob (9).

In the second embodiment, the outer periphery of the rotation knob (13) is extended to the lower part, so that the rotation knob (9) is not exposed to the outside, and rotation and rotation can be operated independently. Although one function of the present invention in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is lost, the basic structure regarding the switch is the same, and it goes without saying that it is included in the present invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of the invention. (1)...Fixed base (2)...Base (6)...Housing (7)...Axis (8)...Joystick (9)...Swivel knob (13)...Rotation Knob (16)...Pin (18)...Operation button (20)...Connection shaft (21)...Ring plate (22), (23)...Switch (25)
)...Light emitting element (26)...Light receiving element (27)...Cross joint

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An axis that can be rotated to vertically move an optical system such as a slit lamp or fundus camera, and rotated to slightly move the optical system in the horizontal direction is arranged on the central axis of the joystick. A rotary knob for the operator to rotate with his/her fingers is fixed on the upper part of the outer periphery of the shaft, and an operation button for operating a switch is placed on the top of the rotary knob via a spring. A turning knob separated from rotation is disposed at the bottom, at least one switch is fixed inside the turning knob, a connecting rod is fixed to the operating button, and a ring-shaped plate that engages with the switch is installed therein. The joystick mechanism is characterized by: 2. As a means for separating the turning knob from rotation, a rotation stopper using a groove and a pin is disposed at at least one location on a horizontal plane including the turning center point. Joystick mechanism. 3. The joystick mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a cross joint is disposed on a horizontal plane including the center point of rotation as a means for separating the rotation knob from rotation.