Electricity: motive power systems – Positional servo systems – Program- or pattern-controlled systems
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-15
2003-11-04
Nappi, Robert E. (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Positional servo systems
Program- or pattern-controlled systems
C345S161000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06642685
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to force-feedback input device used for example in operating automobile air conditioners and in particular ideal for utilizing the force occurring during operation.
2. Description of Related Art
A force-feedback input device of the related art is described utilizing
FIG. 9. A
box-shaped frame
51
has a square top plate
51
a
, a round hole
51
b
formed in this top plate
51
a
, and four side walls
51
c
bent downwards on the periphery of the four sides of top plate
51
a.
First and second linkage member
52
,
53
made from metal plate each have respective slits
52
a
and
53
a
in their centers and form an arc shape. The first linkage member
52
is housed inside the frame
51
with both ends respectively attached to a pair of side walls
51
c
facing each other. The first linkage member
52
can rotate with these installation sections as supporting points.
The second linkage member
53
is housed inside the frame
51
to mutually intersect the first linkage member
52
. Both ends of the second linkage member
53
are respectively attached to the remaining pair of side walls
51
c
. The second linkage member
53
can rotate with these installation sections as supporting points.
The straight operating member
54
is inserted into the intersection of the slits
52
a
,
53
a
of the first and second linkage members
52
,
53
and can engage with the first and second linkage members
52
,
53
. One end of the operating member
54
protrudes outward through the hole
51
b
of the frame
51
and the other end is supported by the supporting member
55
installed in the bottom of the frame
51
and the operating member
54
can be tilted.
When the operating member
54
protruding from hole
51
b
is gripped and this operating member
54
is then moved (operated), the operating member
54
is tilted around the supporting points constituting the points supporting by the supporting member
55
. The first and second linkage members
52
,
53
engaging with this operating member
54
rotate along with the tilting movement of this operating member
54
.
When in neutral position, the operating member
54
is perpendicular to the supporting member
55
. In this neutral position, when the operating member
54
is tilted in the direction of arrow A parallel to the slit
52
a
, the second linkage member
53
engages with the operating member
54
and rotates.
Also, when the operating member
54
in neutral position is tilted in the direction of arrow B parallel to the slit
53
a
, the first linkage member
52
engages with the operating member
54
and rotates. Further, when the operating member
54
in a position midway between the arrow A direction and the arrow B direction is tilted in the direction of arrow C, both of the first and second linkage members
52
,
53
engage with the operating member
54
and both (the first and second linkage members) rotate.
The first and second detection members
56
,
57
constituting the rotation type sensors are respectively comprised of main pieces
56
a
,
57
a
, and rotating shafts
56
b
,
57
b
attached to the main pieces
56
a
,
57
a
and capable of rotation.
The first and second detection members
56
,
57
are installed on the supporting member
55
on the same horizontal plane. The rotating shaft
56
b
of the first detection member
56
engages with one end of the first linkage member
52
and rotates along with rotation of the first linkage member
52
, and the first detection member
56
is in this way operated.
The rotating shaft
57
b
of the second detection member
57
engages with one end of the second linkage member
53
and rotates along with rotation of the second linkage member
53
, and the second detection member
57
is in this way operated.
The first and second detection members
56
,
57
are configured for detecting the tilt position of the operating member
54
.
The first and second motors
58
,
59
are respectively comprised of main pieces
58
a
,
59
a
, and rotating shafts
58
b
,
59
b
attached to these main pieces
58
a
,
59
a
and capable of rotation.
The first and second motors
58
,
59
are installed on the supporting member
55
on the same horizontal plane. The rotating shaft
58
b
of the first motor
58
engages with the rotating shaft
56
b
of the first detection member
56
. The rotational force of the first motor
58
is conveyed to the rotating shaft
56
b
by the rotating shaft
58
b
. The rotating shaft
59
b
of the second motor
59
engages with the rotating shaft
57
b
of the first detection member
57
. The rotational force of the second motor
59
is conveyed to the rotating shaft
57
b
by the rotating shaft
59
b.
The operation of the force-feedback input device of the related art as comprised above is described next. When the operating member
54
is tilted, the first and second linkage members
52
,
53
rotate and the rotating shafts
56
b
,
57
b
are respectively rotated by the rotation of the first and second linkage members
52
,
53
operating the first and second detection members
56
,
57
, and the tilt position of the operating member
54
is detected.
When the operating member
54
is tilted, a signal is sent from the control section (not shown in drawing) to the first and second motors
58
,
59
. The first and second motors
58
,
59
are then driven and their driving force is conveyed to the rotating shafts
56
b
,
57
b
of the first and second detection members
56
,
57
.
The driving force of the first and second motors
58
,
59
is thereupon applied as the resistive force (or force-feedback or Haptic) of the tilting of the operating member
54
.
However, the force-feedback input device of the related art has the problem that if the first or second detection members
56
or
57
broke for some reason, or if the rotating shaft
56
b
or
57
b
broke for some reason, then the tilt position of the operating member
54
cannot be detected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention therefore has the object of providing a force-feedback input device that is compact and can reliably detect the tilt position of the operating member.
To resolve the above-mentioned problem, the invention has a first solution means having a tiltable first operating member, a pair of first detection members for detecting a tilt position of the first operating member and operated by the first operating member, and a pair of motors to convey force feedback to the first operating member. The first solution means further has a detection means slaved to and operated by the movement of the first operating member. The tilt position of the first operating member can be detected by the detection means.
In this kind of structure, even if the first detection member breaks, the tilt position of the first operating member can be detected by a separately installed supplementary detection means and the detection of the tilt position of the first operating member can be reliably performed.
A second solution means of the invention is comprised of a tiltable second operating member, a pair of second detection members operated by the second operating member. The second detection member is slaved to and operated by the first operating member and the tilt position of the first operating member can be detected by the pair of the second detection members.
The detection means with this kind of structure can be comprised of a compact, inexpensive joystick type input device.
In a third solution means of the invention, a tip of the second operating member engages with an engaging section formed on an edge of the first operating member, and the second operating member is slaved to and operated by the first operating member.
In a structure of this type, the second operating member reliably follows up (is slaved to) the first operating member and reliable operation is obtained.
As a fourth solution means, the detection means is installed along an axial direction of the first operating member.
In a structure of this type, the detection me
Miller Patrick
Nappi Robert E.
LandOfFree
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