Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Pivoted contact
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-07
2003-01-07
Scott, J. R. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Pivoted contact
C200S600000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06504115
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 wherein, by tilting an operating shaft, a variable condenser is operated and an operational direction of the operating shaft can be inputted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A multidirectional input device has heretofore been used as a controller for a computer game machine or as a balance controller for four speakers disposed in front, rear, right and left positions of, for example, a four-channel home theater system or a car audio system.
A conventional multidirectional input device will be described below with reference to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, of which
FIG. 5
is a longitudinal sectional view of the conventional multidirectional input device and
FIG. 6
is a transverse sectional view thereof.
As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a support portion
33
a
of an operating lever
33
is supported by an upper wall
31
a
of a casing
31
through a swivel bearing
32
, the operating lever
33
being tiltable at a predetermined angle in an arbitrary direction.
A generally U-shaped first arm
34
and a generally U-shaped second arm
35
are disposed substantially crosswise in the interior of the casing
31
, the first arm
34
being rotatable about Y axis which extends in Y axis direction (the vertical direction in
FIG. 6
) and the second arm
35
rotatable about X axis which extends in X axis direction (the right and left direction in FIG.
6
). More specifically, one end portion of the first arm
34
is supported pivotably with a pin
36
which extends through a side wall
31
b
of the casing
31
, while an opposite end portion of the first arm
34
is fixed to an input shaft
38
which is rotatable at a predetermined angle, the input shaft
38
projecting outwards from a first variable resistor
37
and passing through a side wall
31
b
of the casing
31
, the first variable resistor
37
being attached to an outer surface side of the casing side wall
31
b.
As to the second arm
35
, one end portion thereof is supported pivotably with a pin
39
which extends through a side wall
31
b
of the casing
31
, while an opposite end portion of the second arm
35
is fixed to an input shaft
41
which is rotatable at a predetermined angle, the input shaft
41
projecting outwards from a second variable resistor
40
and passing through a side wall
31
b
of the casing
31
, the second variable resistor
40
being attached to an outery surface side of the casing side wall
31
b.
Longitudinally extending elongated holes
42
and
43
are formed in the first and second arms
34
,
35
, respectively. A lower end portion of the operating lever
33
extends through both elongated holes
42
and
43
. Therefore, when the operating lever
33
is tilted in an arbitrary direction, the input shaft
38
of the first variable resistor
37
rotates in accordance with the tilt angle in the X-axis direction of the operating lever
33
and the input shaft
41
of the second variable resistor
40
rotates in accordance with the tilt angle in the Y-axis direction of the operating lever
33
.
Though not shown, the first and second variable resistors
37
,
40
are each provided with an insulating substrate having printed carbon resistor and electrode terminals, a slider adapted to slide on the carbon resistor, terminals connected to the electrode terminals, and a housing which houses those components therein.
An amplifier substrate
45
is attached to an outer surface side of a side wall
31
b
of the casing
31
through plural brackets
44
formed of an insulator, and an amplifier circuit (not shown) constituted by an integrated circuit for example is mounted on the amplifier substrate
45
.
The operation of this conventional multidirectional input device will be described below.
First, when the operating lever
33
is tilted in an arbitrary direction, the first arm
34
turns about the pin
36
and at the same time the second arm
35
turns about the pin
39
. The turning angle of the first arm
34
corresponds to the tilt angle in the X axis direction of the operating lever
33
and the input shaft
38
of the first resistor
37
rotates together with the first arm
34
. Consequently, the resistance value of the first variable resistor
37
varies in accordance with the tilt angle in the X axis direction of the operating lever
33
.
Likewise, the turning angle of the second arm
35
corresponds to the tilt angle in the Y axis direction of the operating lever
33
and the input shaft
41
of the second variable resistor
40
rotates together with the second arm
35
. Consequently, the resistance value of the second variable resistor
40
varies in accordance with the tilt angle in the Y axis direction of the operating lever
33
.
That is, X and Y components of inclination of the operating lever
33
are detected on the basis of changes in resistance value of the first and second variable resistors
37
,
40
, whereby, for example, it is possible to control the motion of characters in a computer game machine or control the balance of four speakers disposed in front, rear, right and left positions of a four-channel home theater system or a car audio system.
In the conventional multidirectional input device, as described above, the resistance values of the first and second variable resistors
37
,
40
vary upon tilting of the operating lever
33
in an arbitrary direction. However, since the first and second variable resistors
37
and
40
are each provided with an insulating substrate having a carbon resistor and electrode terminals, a slider, terminals, and a housing, the number of components is large and hence the number of assembling steps increases, that is, the cost of each variable resistor becomes high, thus giving rise to the problem that the multidirectional input device becomes expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished for solving the above-mentioned problems and it is an object of the invention to provide a multidirectional input device small in the number of components, superior in assemblability and less expensive.
According to the present invention, in the first aspect thereof, there is provided a multidirectional input device comprising a frame having an upper wall, a printed wiring board which closes a lower portion of the frame and which has a fixed electrode portion, and an operating shaft supported by the frame and adapted to be tilted with respect to the upper wall of the frame, wherein a movable electrode portion is attached to the operating shaft in an opposed relation to the fixed electrode portion and is moved by operation of the operating shaft to change an opposition area between the movable electrode portion and the fixed electrode portion, and a change in capacitance between both electrode portions is detected to obtain an operational direction of the operating shaft.
In the second aspect of the present invention there is provided, in combination with the above first aspect, a multidirectional input device wherein an interlocking member having a longitudinal slot is mounted bridgewise in the interior of the frame, the operating shaft is inserted into the slot and is supported by the interlocking member, the operating shaft can be tilted in both the longitudinal direction of the slot and a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the slot, and when the operating shaft is tilted in the longitudinal direction of the slot, only the operating shaft rotates, while when the operating shaft is tilted in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the slot, the interlocking member rotates, centered on the longitudinal direction, with rotation of the operating shaft.
In the third aspect of the present invention there is provided, in combination with the above first aspect, a multidirectional input device wherein a slide member is disposed on an upper surface of the printed wiring board so that it can be moved along the upper surface of the printed wiring
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Scott J. R.
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