Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-26
2002-08-06
Chiu, Raleigh W. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
C273S14800B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06428416
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a manipulating device that is connected to an entertainment system, such as a video game machine, television set, video tape recorder, and music player, and manipulated by an operator, and to an entertainment system having the same manipulating device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, in an entertainment system, such as a video game machine, a manipulating device or controller that is independent of the main unit allows the human operator to enter his commands to the main unit. For the gaming machine, because there are a wide variety of commands related to its game, its manipulating device has a plurality of operation buttons. The operator controls the behavior of a game character or characters on screen or the progress of the game play by manipulating those operation buttons.
The manipulating device of this type is such that it can be manipulated while it is gripped by the hands and fingers of the operator, and a portion of the cross-shaped operating portion is exposed from its housing. The operator manipulates this operating portion to enter specific commands to the gaming machine and cause a game character(s) or the like on screen to act or move in a specific manner.
A prior art manipulating device has a cross-sectional structure as shown in
FIG. 4
, for example. A manipulating device
200
shown has a protruding or dome portion
210
on the bottom of an operating portion
201
, so that the operating portion
201
pivotally displaces at a contact with a housing
220
. For the structure of such a manipulating device
200
, reference may be made, for example, to Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-13951 (13951/1991).
When the operator depresses one end of the operating portion
201
, an elastic member
230
having an electrically conductive portion
231
on which the operating portion rests is pushed down, which causes an electrode portion
232
thereunder to be shorted by the electrically conductive portion
231
, and thus become electrically conductive.
However, with the manipulating device
200
of such a structure, if the operator manipulates it in an unexpected manner or moves the operating portion
201
with an unexpected force, the housing
220
or operating portion
201
may be damaged around the dome portion
210
. Normally, the operating portion
201
or the like is formed of a durable material in order to prevent such damage; nonetheless, there may be cases where the operating portion
201
would become slower to return to its predetermined position.
In order to solve such problems, a manipulating device
300
of structure shown in
FIG. 5
is proposed, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. 6-38137 (38137/1994), Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 8-24439 (24439/1996), and Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 9-326219 (326219/1997).
The manipulating device
300
has an operating portion
301
placed on an elastic member
330
having an electrically conductive portion
331
, and a stopper portion
340
is disposed in the center of the elastic member
330
, so that there is a small gap between a tip of the stopper portion
340
and the operating portion
301
. Thus, when the operating portion
301
is depressed, it tilts as if the bottom of the operating portion
301
slides on the stopper portion
340
, so that its wear and damage may be restricted. Additionally, as a dent
310
is disposed in the bottom of the operating portion
301
, the tip of the stopper portion
340
may snuggly fit into the dent
310
to make it less likely for the operating portion
301
to be misaligned, so that ease and feel of operation is enhanced for the operator.
More recently, a manipulating device that permits a character or characters on screen to be controlled in an analog fashion via an analog input from the operating portion
301
(see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 7-10252 (10252/1995) and Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 90042-11 (90042/1999)) is also available. In addition, another manipulating controller is also proposed where a pressure-sensitive element is used in the electrode portion
333
of the manipulating device
300
of
FIG. 5
to permit changes in the action and movement of the on-screen character(s) in response to the pressure applied to the operating portion
301
.
However, even with the manipulating device
300
of the structure shown in
FIG. 5
, it seems likely that the operator may apply excessive pressure to the operating portion
301
. In that case, the stopper portion
340
and/or operating portion
301
may be unavoidably worn away; additionally, if the pressure-sensitive element is used in the electrode portion
332
, excessive depressive pressure applied to the pressure-sensitive element may cause the characteristic of the pressure-sensitive element to be changed, resulting in subsequent problems for use of the manipulating device
300
.
As a gap is provided between the stopper portion
340
and operating portion
301
, the operating portion
301
hits the stopper portion
340
when the operating portion
301
is depressed, so that its movement is temporarily slowed down. In that case, the manipulation feels stepwise, which may reduce the appeal of the analog input, especially when the pressure-sensitive element is used.
Thus, the present invention has its objective to provide a manipulating device for an entertainment system that overcomes the above problems, and an entertainment system that includes the same manipulating device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A manipulating device of the present invention comprises: an operating member that can tilt in a certain direction when depressed by an operator; and a pivotally supporting member for supporting the operating member, said operating member and said pivotally supporting member contained in a housing. The pivotally supporting member is constructed so that, when said depressive pressure is released, it pushes up said operating member to restore it to its initial state.
The pivotally supporting member may be formed so that while the depressive pressure is applied to said operating member, a force opposing said depressive pressure is applied to said operating member.
Additionally, a dent into which an end of said supporting member is fitted may be disposed in said operating member to hold said operating member in a predetermined position.
The pivotally supporting member has its tip formed, for example, in convex curved shape, while said dent is formed in concave curved shape so as to mate the convex curved shape, and it is constructed so that as said dent slides on the tip of said supporting member, said operating member tilts over said pivotally supporting member in a predetermined direction. More specifically, said operating member has a depressing portion for applying said depressive pressure; an electrically conductive portion formed corresponding to the depressing portion and opposite to a surface to which the depressive pressure is applied; and an electrode portion for making said electrically conductive portion either conductive or nonconductive depending on the tilt when the operating member is tilted by the depressive pressure applied to the depressing portion. A pressure-sensitive element, for example, is used in the electrode portion. If a pair of depressing portions are provided, said dent is placed in the middle of this pair of depressing portions. Said electrically conductive portion is disposed on a movable contact member, which isolates, by an elastic force, the electrically conductive portion and electrode portion that oppose each other; when the movable contact member corresponding to said depressing portion is depressed by tilting of said operating member, the electrode portion disposed on that movable contact member becomes conductive.
It should be appreciated that in the above manipulating device, the pivotally supporting member has leg portions provided as a structure for effectively adding a restoring force to the pivotally supporting member. When depressing pressure is applied via said operating member, th
Chiu Raleigh W.
Sony Computer Entertainmant Inc.
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