Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Pivoted contact
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-24
2001-01-23
Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Pivoted contact
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177640
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite switch, and more particularly, to a composite switch best suitably usable to control a video game machine in playing a video game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For example, the Japanese Publication of unexamined Utility Model Application No. 62-62730 discloses a switch assembly destined primarily for use with a TV game machine, comprising a joystick rotatable about its axis when the switch assembly is operated, swivel member supporting the joystick at the middle portion thereof freely tiltably, guide plate secured to the upper surface of the bearing member with a spacer provided between them to define a space between them and having formed in the center thereof a guide hole which receives the bottom end portion of the joystick and guides it in tilting directions, and a plurality of switches provided in the space between the guide plate and bearing member and secured to the lower surface of the guide plate, each of the switches having an actuating lever and the switches being disposed to selectively be pressed on the actuating lever thereof by the tilted joystick.
Recently, as more and more complicated TV games are developed for use in TV game machines, a joystick provided with a thumb switch or trigger switch which can be turned on and off by the user with the fingers has been demanded which could give a shock or vibration or similar to the finger of a user playing the game. Such a shock or vibration will effectively give greater fun to the game player. Under these circumstances, if the joystick is rotated about its axis when the user operates the switch assembly in playing a TV game, the position of the thumb and trigger switches will be varied. In this case, the thumb or trigger switch cannot be operated easily and positively, and harnesses led out from the thumb or trigger switch will possibly be broken.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing a composite switch having a joystick not rotatable about its axis while being operated, and which is designed for an easy and positive operability of joystick switches and a simpler structure.
The above object can be achieved by providing a composite switch comprising:
a joystick having a shaft and provided therein a plurality of switches operable by the user with the fingers;
a housing having formed in the center thereof a through-hole through which the joystick shaft extends;
a plurality of switches provided around the through-hole outside or inside the housing;
a guide plate provided on the upper surface of the housing and having a guide hole formed in the center thereof;
a shell bearing supported in the housing pivotally in one direction and having a guide slot formed therein;
a core bearing supported in the shell bearing pivotally in a direction perpendicular to the shell bearing and in which the joystick shaft extending through the guide slot in the shell bearing is secured;
the joystick shaft extending upward and downward through the through-hole in the housing and guide hole in the guide plate;
a switch control provided at a portion of the joystick shaft extending beyond the fulcrum of the joystick to turn on and off the switches in the joystick;
a seat provided opposite to the switch control; and
a spring provided around the joystick shaft between the seat and switch control to automatically return to its neutral position the joystick once tilted.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the shell bearing may be provided with support arms projecting therefrom and supported with the support arms born in the bearings in the housing pivotably in one direction and the core bearing may be provided with support pins and supported with the support pins born in bearing holes formed in the shell bearing pivotably in a direction perpendicular to the shell bearing.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the housing may consists of upper and lower blocks which are superposed on each other, a switch base plate having a plurality of switches secured thereon may be provided under the lower block, and a mount plate be provided on the upper block to fixe itself to a control panel of a TV game machine.
These objects and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2747035 (1956-05-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5068499 (1991-11-01), Kuratani
patent: 5406040 (1995-04-01), Johnson
patent: 62-62730 (1987-04-01), None
Okabe Kenji
Omori Hirokatsu
Luebke Renee
Notaro & Michalos P.C.
Sanwa Denshi Co., Ltd.
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