Multidirectional input device

Details Multidirectional input device Multidirectional input device

2001-03-15

2003-09-09

Easthom, Karl D. (Department: 2832)

Electrical resistors

Mechanically variable

Movable contact electrically adjustable over length of...

C338S131000, C074S4710XY

Reexamination Certificate

active

06617957

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device that permits the simultaneous operation of a plurality of electric parts through the operation of a single operating shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 20
, a conventional multidirectional input device has a box-shaped case
31
. At the center of a top plate
31
a
of this case
31
, there is formed a hole
31
b
. First and second interlock members
32
and
33
are rotatably supported in the case
31
so as to cross each other at right angles.
The first interlock member
32
has a substantially U-shaped connecting portion
32
a
. A first elongated hole
32
b
extends longitudinally through the connecting portion
32
a
. The lower portion of one end portion of the connecting portion
32
a
comprises an engagement claw
32
c
protruding in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion
32
a
. The lower portion of each end portion of the connecting portion
32
a
further comprise protrusions
32
d
protruding in a direction perpendicular to the engagement claw
32
c.
Below the first interlock member
32
, there is disposed a second interlock member
33
configured so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the first interlock member
32
. This second interlock member
33
has a bar-like connecting portion
33
a
and a second elongated hole
33
b
extending longitudinally through the connecting portion
33
a.
At one end portion of the connecting portion
33
a
, there protrudes an engagement claw
33
c
in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion
33
a
. Each end portion of the connecting portion
33
a
further comprises protrusions
33
d
protruding in a direction perpendicular to the engagement claw
33
c
. A shaft support hole
33
e
extends through the second elongated hole
33
b.
An operating shaft
34
is disposed through the hole
31
a
of the case
31
. This operating shaft
34
has a bar-like cylindrical portion
34
a
. Below this cylindrical portion
34
a
, there is formed a flat portion
34
b
. A protrusion
34
c
protrudes downwardly from this flat portion
34
b
. Further, a support hole
34
d
extends through the flat portion
34
b.
The operating shaft
34
is connected to the second interlock member
33
by pin
39
, which extends through the shaft support holes
33
e
in the second interlock member
33
and the shaft support hole
34
d
in the flat portion
34
b
of the operating shaft
34
. The cylinder portion
34
a
extends upwardly through the first elongated hole
32
b
of the first interlock member
32
.
A rotary electric part, such as a variable resistor
35
, is mounted to a first side plate
31
c
of the case
31
(shown on the left-hand side of FIG.
20
). A second variable resistor
35
(not shown in
FIG. 20
) is connected to the second side plate
31
d
, which is perpendicular to the first side plate
31
c
. The variable resistor
35
consists of a substrate
35
a
and a slider receiver
35
b
. In this slider receiver
35
b
, there is provided an engagement hole
35
c
which can be engaged with the engagement claws
32
c
and
33
c
of the first and second interlock members
32
and
33
.
Below the first and second interlock members
32
and
33
, there is disposed a substantially square push-up member
36
. The push-up member
36
includes an abutment portion
36
a
against which the protrusion
32
d
of the first interlock member
32
can abut, and an abutment portion
36
b
against which the protrusion
33
d
of the second interlock member
33
can abut, each being formed near the corner portion of the push-up member
36
. A hole
36
c
is provided through the central portion of the push-up member
36
.
A coil spring
37
is positioned below the push-up member
36
, and is mounted to a bottom plate
38
so as to provide an elastic biasing force against the push-up member
36
. Thus, the push-up member
36
is pushed up towards the first and second interlock members
32
and
33
by the coil spring
37
.
When the operating shaft
34
of this conventional multidirectional input device is inclined in the direction of the arrow A (as shown in FIG.
21
A), the flat portion
34
b
rotates within the second elongated hole
33
b
by using the pin
39
as a fulcrum. At the same time, the first interlock member
32
rotates using the protrusions
32
d
at both ends as fulcrums, thereby making it possible to operate the variable resistor
35
engaged with the engagement claw
32
c.
As shown in
FIG. 21B
, when the operating shaft
34
is inclined in the direction of the arrow B, the cylindrical portion
34
a
of the operating shaft
34
moves along the first elongated hole
32
b
of the first interlock member
32
. At the same time, the second interlock member
33
rotates using the protrusions
33
d
as fulcrums, thereby making it possible to operate the variable resistor
35
engaged with the engagement claw
33
c.
When the force that has been applied in the direction of the arrow A or B of the operating shaft
34
is cancelled, the push-up member
36
is pushed upward by the elastic force of the coil spring
37
, causing the first and second interlock members
32
and
33
to rotate to their initial attitude. The operating shaft
34
is therefore automatically restored to the vertical neutral position.
In this conventional multidirectional input device, it is possible to simultaneously operate two variable resistors mounted to the case
31
by inclining the operating shaft
34
in both the A and B directions. For example, it is possible to easily perform input operation through a cursor or the like on the display of a personal computer.
However, in the conventional multidirectional input device described above, the connecting portion
32
a
of the first interlock member
32
is disposed above the second interlock member
33
so as to be astride the second interlock member
33
. In addition, a large gap must be formed between the top plate
31
a
of the case
31
and the second interlock member
33
so that the connecting portion
32
a
can freely rotate. As a result, it is difficult to achieve a reduction in the thickness of the conventional multidirectional input device.
Further, the positions at which the protrusions
32
d
and
33
d
of the first and second interlock members
32
and
33
, respectively, abut the push-up member
36
are offset from the center of the operating shaft
34
. Consequently, when the push-up member
36
is pushed downwardly by the rotation of the first or second interlock member
32
or
33
, the push-up member
36
can be tilted. This results in the generation of friction and a creaking noise in the central hole
36
c
and the guide portion
38
a
of the bottom plate
38
.
It is therefore impossible to smoothly push down the push-up member
36
, with the resultant deterioration of the operational feeling of the operating shaft
34
.
Further, the position of the lower end portion of the coil spring
37
tends to slide when the push-down member
36
is vertically moved, causing a variation in the biasing force of the coil spring
37
on the push-down member
36
. This results in an unstable operational force needed to incline the operating shaft
34
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high-performance multidirectional input device having a reduction in thickness, a superior operational feeling for the operating shaft, and a constant operating force needed for inclining the operating shaft.
As a first embodiment for solving the above problems, there is provided a multidirectional input device comprising a first interlock member that is rotatable and has a first elongated hole, a second interlock member that is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first interlock member, that is rotatable and which has a second elongated hole, and a frame body supporting the first

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