Electrical resistors – Mechanically variable – Movable contact electrically adjustable over length of...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2002-08-06
Easthom, Karl D. (Department: 2832)
Electrical resistors
Mechanically variable
Movable contact electrically adjustable over length of...
C338S129000, C338S131000, C200S00600C, C273S14800B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06429767
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device, and more particularly, to a multidirectional input device in which a plurality of electric parts can be simultaneously operated by manipulating a control shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional multidirectional input device, as shown in
FIGS. 14-16
, a first interlock member
31
curved in an arch form is placed inside a box-shaped frame
30
that is surrounded by side plates and is open at the bottom. The first interlock member
31
has mounting portions
31
a
at both ends, and is turnably laid in the frame
30
with the mounting portions
31
fitted in holes
30
a
and
30
c
formed in the side plates of the frame
30
.
The end faces of the mounting portions
31
a
are provided with holes
34
with which rotation shafts
33
of variable resistors
32
serving as rotary electric parts are engaged. The arched portion of the first interlock member
31
has a slot
35
extending in the longitudinal direction.
Below the first interlock member
31
, a second interlock member
40
is positioned to extend in a direction intersecting the first interlock member
31
. The second interlock member
40
is made of metal by die-casting or by other methods, and has a spherical portion
41
at the center. Arm portions
42
horizontally extend right and left from the spherical portion
41
. Circular mounting portions
42
a
project at the leading ends of the arm portions
42
, and are fitted in holes
30
b
and
30
d
formed in the frame
30
, whereby the second interlock member
40
is rotatably supported in the frame
30
.
Holes
43
are formed in the end faces of the mounting portions
42
a
, and rotation shafts
33
of variable resistors
32
are press-fitted and engaged with the holes
43
.
A slot
45
vertically penetrates through the center of the spherical portion
41
. The first and second interlock members
31
and
40
are positioned so that the slot
35
and the slot
45
intersect.
A control shaft
36
is passed through the slot
45
of the second interlock member
40
. The control shaft
36
is made of metal or the like, and has an oval support portion
38
at the center. Sticklike columns formed integrally with the support portion
38
vertically protrude from the top and bottom thereof.
A disklike spring bearing
47
is formed integrally with the control shaft
36
at a position of the downward protruding column close to an end portion
36
a.
The support portion
38
of the control shaft
36
has a small hole
39
. The small hole
39
and a hole
44
formed through the second interlock member
40
are aligned with each other, a round pin
46
of a metal or the like is inserted or press-fitted in the aligned holes
39
and
44
, and both ends of the round pin
46
are caulked, whereby the control shaft
36
is tiltably mounted in the second interlock member
40
.
The column of the control shaft
36
extending upward from the support portion
38
is passed through the slot
35
of the first interlock member
31
. By tilting the control shaft
36
in the direction along the slot
35
, the second interlock member
40
can be turned or rotated on the mounting portions
42
a
. A grip
55
is fixedly mounted at the upper end of the control shaft
36
that extends upward through the slot
35
.
An operating member
37
made of resin or the like and having a saucerlike outer shape is mounted at the bottom end portion
36
a
of the control shaft
36
. The operating member
37
has a boss portion
37
a
projecting at the center, and the end portion
36
a
of the control shaft
36
is inserted in a hole
50
formed through the boss portion
37
a
, thereby allowing the operating member
37
to move vertically.
A bottom plate
49
is positioned to close the open bottom of the frame
30
. The bottom of the operating member
37
is in elastic contact with the bottom plate
49
.
The first interlock member
31
can be turned on the mounting portions
31
a
by tilting the control shaft
36
on the round pin
46
along the slot
45
of the second interlock member
40
, and the second interlock member
40
can be turned on the mounting portions
42
a
by tilting the control shaft
36
in the direction along the slot
35
of the first interlock member
31
.
The rotation shafts
33
of the variable resistors
32
retained on the side plates of the frame
30
are press-fitted in the holes
34
and
43
of the first and second interlock members
31
and
40
, respectively, so that the first and second interlock members
31
and
40
and the variable resistors
32
move together.
A substantially conical return spring
48
is placed between the spring bearing
47
of the control shaft
36
and the inner bottom face of the operating member
37
. The operating member
37
is elastically contacted with the bottom plate
49
by elastic force of the return spring
48
, so that the control shaft
36
is biased in the neutral upright position.
The operation of the conventional multidirectional input device will be described below. First, as shown in
FIG. 15
, when the control shaft
36
is in a non-operation state, it is in the neutral upright position with its upper end protruding up from a hole
56
of the upper side plate of the frame
30
, and the operating member
37
is horizontally placed in elastic contact with the bottom plate
49
by the return spring
48
.
By tilting the control shaft
35
from the neutral state along the slot
45
of the second interlock member
40
(for example, rightward or in the clockwise direction, as shown in FIG.
16
), the first interlock member
31
is turned or rotated. This in turn operates the variable resistor
32
to change the resistance thereof.
With the tilting operation of the control shaft
36
, the operating member
37
is tilted, as shown in
FIG. 16
, and a part of the rim of the tilted operating member
37
moves in sliding contact with the inner bottom face of the bottom plate
49
. With this, the operating member
37
moves toward the circular spring bearing
47
, thereby compressing and bending the return spring
48
.
When operating force applied to the control shaft
36
is removed, the elastic force of the return spring
48
causes the tilted operating member
37
to move in sliding contact with the inner bottom face of the bottom plate
49
, which moves toward the horizontal position with respect to the inner bottom face of the bottom plate
49
, and the control shaft
36
automatically returns to the neutral upright position shown in FIG.
15
.
In order to operate the variable resistor
32
engaged with the arm portion
42
of the second interlock member
40
, the second interlock member
40
is turned by tilting the control shaft
36
along the slot
35
of the first interlock member
31
, thereby changing the resistance of the variable resistor
32
.
In the tilting operation, the control shaft
36
contacts the end of the slot
35
of the first interlock member
31
or the end of the slot
45
of the second interlock member
40
, thereby constructing a stopper for the tilting operation.
The control shaft
36
can also circulate around the round pin
46
in the tilted state shown in FIG.
16
.
The end portion
36
a
of the control shaft
36
is fitted in the circular hole
50
of the operating member
37
. When the control shaft
36
is circulated, the bottom of the operating member
37
is elastically pressed against the bottom plate
49
by the return spring
48
, and friction arises between the bottom of the operating member
37
and the bottom plate
49
. Since this frictional force is greater than that between the end portion
36
a
and the hole
50
, the operating member
37
also circulates while the bottom of the operating member
37
slips on the bottom plate
49
.
In the above-described conventional multidirectional input device, however, since the end portion
36
a
of the control shaft
36
is fitted in the circular hole
50
of the operating member
37
, when the control shaft
36
is circulated in
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Easthom Karl D.
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