JP2002169654A - Joystick type indicating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an indicating device with a joystick free of standing and falling securing smooth operation when generating various indicating signals by adding pushing-down action of an operation stick to the indicating device with a joystick free of standing and falling. SOLUTION: In the indicating device with a joystick free of standing and falling having an urged operating stick supporting in a state free of standing and falling and restoring in a standing state, and a detector generating and outputting an electrical signal in response to tilting motion of the operating stick, the operating stick is supported to a base in a state free of standing and falling. Further, the operating stick is comprised of an outer shaft urged so as to restore in a standing state, and an inner shaft retained in the outer shaft in a state free of sliding and also urged upward and also integrated with a grip portion for operation. The detector in a sliding direction generating and outputting an electrical signal to the sliding direction of the inner shaft against the outer shaft is fixed on a switch cover. Thus, the electrical signal is generated and output so that the detector in the sliding direction is operated via a switch cabinet that is accommodated in the switch cover in a state free of up and down motion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tilting stick type pointing device suitable as an operating lever for video game software employing, for example, a three-dimensional image expression technique.
In particular, the present invention relates to a tilting stick type pointing device capable of generating and outputting an electric signal corresponding to a tilting operation of an operation stick and generating and outputting more various output signals by adding a vertical operation of the operation stick.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the contents of an instruction signal generated and output by this type of a tilting stick type pointing device include a front-back direction instruction signal, a left-right direction instruction signal, and an oblique direction instruction signal. It is limited to a plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the stick. For this reason, in the case of adopting it as an operation lever for video game software employing a three-dimensional image expression technique, it is necessary to provide a push button type pointing device in parallel.

For example, the movement of a character in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the diagonal direction on the screen is associated with the front-rear direction operation, the left-right direction operation, and the diagonal operation of the operation stick. Further, the movement of the character in the depth direction on the screen is associated with a combination of the front-back operation of the operation stick and the pressing operation of the push button.
Therefore, there is a problem that the operation is complicated because both hands are required to operate the two types of pointing devices.

As a solution to the above problem, it is conceivable that the operation stick itself can be pushed down and raised. With such a configuration, the operation stick itself replaces the function of the conventional push button switch, so that all direction indications on the screen can be performed by one-handed operation.

[0005] For example, as a tilting stick type pointing device in which a vertical motion is added in addition to a tilting motion, JP-A-2000-2000
The one disclosed in JP-A-3637 is known. In this known tilting stick type pointing device, FIGS.
As shown in the figure, the operation stick 1 is supported so that it can be tilted in all directions by a bearing 2a with respect to the base 2, and is returned to a neutral state by an urging spring 2b.

The microswitches 3 arranged in a point-symmetrical position so as to surround the operation stick 1 by grasping the operation grip 1a attached to the upper end of the operation stick 1 and tilting the operation handle 1a, Selectively ON or O in conjunction with the tilting operation of the operation stick 1
FF is performed, whereby a multi-bit electric signal indicating the tilt of the operation stick 1 is generated and output as an instruction signal.

Reference numeral 3a in the figure denotes a switch substrate 3a on which a plurality of microswitches 3 are mounted, and reference numeral 3b
Indicates terminals provided on the switch substrate 3a.

Further, in order to enable the operation stick 1 to be pushed down and raised, the operation stick 1 is
It has a double structure of an outer shaft and an inner shaft, and has two micro switches 4 for sliding displacement along the axial direction of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft.
a and 4b are used as sliding displacement detectors.

The micro switches 4a and 4b for detecting the sliding displacement of the operation stick 1 are fixed to the switch mounting plate 5 together with the corresponding operation levers 6a and 6b by screws 7a and 7b, respectively. The switch mounting plate 5 is provided on the left and right sides so as to be vertically symmetrical.

Further, a mounting piece having a stick mounting hole 5a is formed integrally with the switch mounting plate 5, and after the operating stick 1 is inserted into the stick mounting hole 5a and fixed, the operating stick 1 is fixed. And the microswitches 4a and 4b are integrated. Then, the operation rod 11a,
11b elastically deforms the corresponding operation levers 6a and 6b, and the micro switches 4a and 4b are turned ON / O.
FF is performed.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10, the operation stick 1 is tilted in all directions by grasping the operation grip 1a, so that the displacement along the inclination direction is detected by the microswitch 3 and the operation switch 1 is tilted. By performing a vertical movement along the axial direction of the operation stick 1 for pushing down or lifting the grip portion 1a, displacement in the sliding direction can be detected by the microswitch 4, and various electric signals can be generated and output.

[0012]

As described above, in the conventional tilting stick type pointing device in which the vertical movement is added in addition to the tilting operation of the operation stick, the operation stick 1
The micro switch 4 serving as a sliding direction detector is tilted integrally with the operation stick 1 by tilting operation in all directions of
Frequent movement of the microswitch 4 causes a reduction in switch reliability, and the weight of the microswitch 4 is added during the tilting operation, so that there is a problem that a smooth tilting operation of the operation stick 1 cannot be expected. .

Further, when the operation stick 1 is pushed down and pulled up, the operation rod 11 connected to the operation stick 1 comes into contact with the operation lever 6 to elastically deform the operation lever 6, resulting in poor durability. It has been pointed out that the reliability of the microswitch 4 is reduced by long-term use.

In addition, the work of assembling the micro switch 4 on the lower end side of the operation stick 1 is very troublesome, and a space for the micro switch 4 to move is required. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in addition to generating and outputting a signal corresponding to a tilt displacement of the operation stick in all directions, the operation stick can be moved up and down, and An inverting stick type pointing device capable of generating and outputting an electric signal corresponding to an up / down operation, and particularly capable of smoothly tilting and up / down operation of an operation stick, and improving reliability of a sliding direction detector. It is an object of the present invention to provide a raising and lowering stick type pointing device which can be easily assembled and can be made compact.

[0016]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation stick supported so as to be capable of being turned upside down and urged to return to an upright state, and a tilting operation of the operation stick. And a detector that generates and outputs an electric signal in conjunction with the operation stick, wherein the operation stick is supported by the base so as to be able to move up and down, and is biased so as to return to an upright state. Outer shaft, and slidably held in the outer shaft,
And an inner shaft integrated with the operating grip portion, further urged upward, and a sliding direction detector for generating and outputting a sliding displacement of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft as an electric signal, and a base. Attached,
A switch cover for supporting and fixing the sliding direction detector,
A sliding direction detecting mechanism, which is housed in the switch cover and moves up and down in conjunction with the sliding operation of the inner shaft and operates a sliding direction detector, is provided separately from the operation stick. It is characterized by having been done.

Here, in order to generate an electric signal corresponding to the amount of tilting displacement of the operation stick, a gimbal mechanism that operates in conjunction with the tilting operation of the operation stick is disposed on the base side, and the gimbal mechanism operates the gimbal mechanism. The tilting stroke amount of the stick is decomposed as a displacement amount in two orthogonal axes.
Thereafter, the displacement in each axial direction is converted into an electric signal by a displacement detector such as a step tension meter.

When generating an electric signal corresponding to the presence or absence of the tilt of the operation stick, a plurality of microswitches are developed and arranged at point symmetrical positions so as to surround the operation stick, and the operation stick is omnidirectional. Any micro switch can be selectively turned on in conjunction with the tilting motion along
By turning N or OFF, the tilt direction of the operation stick is converted into a multi-bit electric signal.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operation stick has the inner shaft held in the outer shaft so as to be slidable in the axial direction, and the inner shaft is constantly urged upward. Integrated with the operating grip, the sliding displacement of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft can be transmitted to the sliding direction detector via the switchboard if the operating grip is pressed down. The detector outputs an electric signal as an instruction signal.

Therefore, since the operation stick and the sliding direction detector are separated from each other, when the operation stick is tilted, a load corresponding to the weight of the sliding direction detector is not applied to the operation stick. In addition, since frequent movements are not applied to the sliding direction detector, a smooth tilting operation of the operation stick along all directions can be expected, and the reliability and durability of the sliding direction detector can be improved. .

Furthermore, compared with the conventional structure in which the switch is mounted on the lower end of the operation stick, a moving space for the switch to move during the tilting operation is not required, and a complicated assembling operation for mounting the switch mounting portion on the lower end side of the operation stick is performed. Can be eliminated, so that the apparatus can be made compact and the assembling workability can be improved.

According to the invention described in claim 2 of this application, the switch board is housed in the switch cover in a state where the switch board is urged upward by a coil spring, and the upper end surface of the switch board is a flange on the lower end side of the inner shaft. And
The inner shaft is returned to the reference position.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the switch board supported in the switch cover so as to be vertically movable is spring-biased by the coil spring in the opening direction of the switch, and has the operation stick. In this configuration, the operation stick is returned to the reference position by making elastic contact with the lower flange.

Therefore, the coil spring has two functions, that is, a switch opening / closing function and an operation stick returning function.

In addition, due to the spring property of the conventional operation lever, a stronger spring force can be applied as compared with the conventional structure in which the shaft is returned to the neutral position. Since the sliding stroke amount of the stick can be set long, it is possible to effectively cope with, for example, generating and outputting an electric signal corresponding to the sliding stroke amount (displacement amount).

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the operation stick is tilted, the upper end surface of the switch panel is
It is formed as a dish-shaped seating surface so as to be in sliding contact with the flange on the lower end side of the inner shaft, and the switch panel is housed and supported in the switch cover so as to be able to move up and down while maintaining a horizontal posture at all times. I do.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the upper end surface of the switch panel is provided with a dish-shaped seating surface corresponding to a tilting locus of the flange at the lower end of the operation stick due to the tilting operation of the operation stick. Therefore, when the operation stick is tilted in an arbitrary direction, a frictional resistance between the switch and the switch panel is small, and a smooth tilting operation can be expected.

Further, since the switch panel always maintains a horizontal posture, the distance between the switch panel and the sliding direction detector is always constant even when the operation stick is in the tilted position in all directions. The pressing operation of the operation stick can be accurately transmitted to the sliding direction detector, and the required electric signal can be generated and output with high accuracy.

The invention described in claim 4 of this application is characterized in that the sliding direction detector detects the sliding displacement of the inner shaft as the presence or absence of the displacement.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a binarized signal can be easily generated and output by grasping the operation grip and depressing the operation stick downward.

The invention described in claim 5 of this application is characterized in that the sliding direction detector detects the sliding displacement of the inner shaft as a displacement amount.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the operation stick is depressed by grasping the operation grip portion, a signal corresponding to the depression stroke (displacement) is generated and output. be able to.

[0033]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the tilting stick type pointing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the tilting stick type pointing device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a switch cover in the sliding direction detecting mechanism, FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a switch panel in the sliding direction detecting mechanism, and FIG. And FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the vertical movement of the operation stick in the tilting stick type pointing device.

The tilting stick type pointing device 100 is usually provided with an operation stick 20 from the center of a mounting base 10 mounted on a frame or the like of a video game machine in a horizontal posture.
Has the appearance of projecting upward.

The operation stick 20 can perform a tilting operation in a predetermined stroke in all directions around the same as the conventional operation stick, and an analog signal corresponding to a tilting stroke amount accompanying the tilting operation of the operation stick 20. Can be output. In addition, the operation stick 2
0 can be depressed downward by grasping the operation grip 30, and by depressing the operation stick 20,
It is configured to output an electric signal separate from the tilting operation of the operation stick 20.

Next, the falling stick type pointing device 10
0 and the assembly structure thereof will be described in detail with reference to an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1 and a cross-sectional view of FIG.

First, the operation stick 20 includes an outer shaft 21 made of a hollow metal pipe, and an inner shaft 22 made of a reinforcing fiber which is slidably fitted in a guide hole 21a of the outer shaft 21 along the axial direction.
The outer shaft 21 is provided with an annular convex portion 21b for locking the bearing 13 to be described later and an annular groove 2 for fixing an E-ring for fixing the spring assembly 40.
1c is formed.

The inner shaft 22 is set to be longer than the outer shaft 21. The inner shaft 22 has a male screw portion 22a formed at the mounting end of the operating grip portion 30, and the other end has a disk-like shape. Is formed.

The operation grip 30 as an operation lever attached to the operation stick 20 has an upper half 31 of a hollow hemisphere made of a resin molded body and a lower half 32 of a bowl shape.
It is composed of More specifically, the operating grip 30
Are aligned with the openings of the upper half 31 and the lower half 32, engage the locking claw 31a with the locking portion 32a, fit the embossed portions 31b, 32b together, and further along the outer peripheral joint. By performing ultrasonic welding, the upper half 31 and the lower half 32 are joined.

Further, the upper end of the inner shaft 22 is inserted into the embossed portion 32b of the operating grip portion 30, and the male screw portion 22 of the inner shaft 22 is inserted through the insertion hole 33a formed in the abutting portion 33 of the embossed portions 31b, 32b.
The inner shaft 22 and the operation grip 30 are integrated by tightening the nut 34 to the male screw 22a through the opening 31c of the embossed portion 31b in the upper half portion 31. The upper half 3
An ornament cap 35 is attached to the opening 31c of the embossed portion 31b in FIG.

Accordingly, the upper end surface 2 of the outer shaft 21
Since a clearance is set between 1d and the abutting portion 33 of the operating grip portion 30, the operating grip portion 30 and the inner shaft 2 correspond to the clearance.
2 can be depressed downward, and thus the operation stick 20 and the operation grip 30 constitute a stick assembly.

Next, the following structure is employed as a structure for supporting the operation stick 20 having the operation grip portion 30 integrated thereon so that the operation stick 20 can be turned upside down and restored to an upright state.

That is, the mounting base 10 is composed of an upper and lower divided body of a bearing base 11 and a base cover 12, and both the bearing base 11 and the base cover 12 are composed of an injection molded body of synthetic resin. Bearing base 1
A screw hole 11a is provided at each of the four corners of the video game machine to be attached to a frame or the like of the video game machine, and a through hole 11b through which the operation stick 20 is inserted is provided at the center.

A bearing 13 fixed to the operation stick 20 is accommodated in the through hole 11b.
Are locked to the annular convex portion 21b of the outer shaft 21, and the lower bowl-shaped curved surface 13a is in sliding contact with the pedestal surface (bearing surface) 11d of the bearing accommodating portion 11c to form a universal bearing. .

The bearing assembly 13 is assembled to the operation stick 20 and supported up and down on the universal bearing surface of the bearing base 11, and a spring assembly 40 is provided to apply a spring biasing force to a neutral state (standing state). Operation stick 2
0.

As the spring assembly 40, the coil spring 41 is sandwiched between the spring cover 42 and the spring end 43 from above and below, and then the E-ring 44 is engaged with the annular groove 21 c of the outer shaft 21.

Therefore, the spring cover 42 is in contact with the bottom surface of the bearing base 11 and the spring end 43 is
Since the operation stick 20 is tilted in all directions of front, rear, left and right by operating the operation grip portion 30 because the operation stick 20 is attached to a predetermined portion of the outer shaft 21 by the ring 44, the bearing 13 and the bearing surface 11d of the bearing base 11 are used. A good universal bearing function is obtained, and the operating stick 20 is urged by the spring assembly 40 to always return to the upright state (neutral state).

Further, in the tilting stick type pointing device 100 according to the present invention, the gimbal mechanism is converted into displacement amounts along two orthogonal axes as conversion means for tilting operation of the operation stick 20 in all directions. The displacement can be output as an analog signal.

That is, as the gimbal mechanism, a pair of guides 50a and 50b that swings along two axes orthogonal to each other when the operation stick 20 is tilted in any direction in front, back, left and right, and guide 50a , 50b respectively integrated in an arcuate ratchet 51a, 51b
And the pinions 60a and 60b that mesh with the arcuate ratchets 51a and 51b, respectively. Hereinafter, the details of the guides 50a and 50b will be described simultaneously.

The guide 50 is formed of a substantially U-shaped resin strip. Lock holes 521 are formed in the support arms 52 on both sides, and the rectangular outside of the bearing base 11 is formed in the lock holes 521. By fitting the protrusion 11f protruding from the side surface 11e, the guide 50 is swingably attached along the orthogonal two axial directions based on the locking hole 521, and the support arm 5
The outer shaft 21 is inserted into the guide hole 54 with the guide portions 53 between the two positioned so as to intersect each other in the orthogonal direction.

Therefore, when the operating stick 20 is tilted, the guides 50 (50a, 50b) swing in directions orthogonal to each other, and the arcuate ratchet 51 is integrated with the guide 50 based on the locking hole 521. Perform a rotation operation.

Then, the tooth portion 51 of the arcuate ratchet 51
1 and the pinion 60 are in mesh with each other, and further, the bracket mounting boss 111 (111a, 11a) of the bearing base 11 is provided.
1b), a bracket 61 (61a, 61b) is screwed and fixed. In this bracket 61, a variable resistor 62 constituting a potentiometer is attached to the outer surface of the bracket 61, and the rotation of the variable resistor 62 is performed. Shaft 63
The above-mentioned pinion 60 is mounted coaxially with.

Therefore, if the operation stick 20 is tilted along all directions of front, rear, left and right, the operation stick 20 is orthogonal to each other.
The guide 50 provided in the axial direction is the operation stick 2
In response to a tilt stroke of 0, each guide 50 (5
0a, 50b) perform a swing operation at a predetermined angle along two orthogonal directions orthogonal to each other, and cooperate with the teeth 511 of the arcuate ratchet 51 and the teeth of the pinion 60 to correspond to the tilt stroke of the operation stick 20. An analog signal can be output from the variable resistor 62.

Further, in the present invention, as described above, in addition to being able to output an analog signal corresponding to the amount of tilt stroke of the operation stick 20, the operation grip portion 30 is depressed, and the fixed outer Shaft 2
An electric signal can be newly generated and output by pushing down the inner shaft 22 integrated with the operating grip 30 with respect to the first.

That is, as described above, the inner shaft 22 is inserted into the guide hole 21a of the outer shaft 21, the inner shaft 22 and the operating grip 30 are integrated, and the outer shaft 21 is annularly convex. Since the portion 21b is in contact with the bearing 13, the vertical movement of the outer shaft 21 is restricted. However, as described above, the inner shaft 22 is formed by the upper end surface 21d of the outer shaft 21 and the embossed portion of the operating grip 30. 32b can be slid by a stroke corresponding to the clearance with the inner bottom surface.

As a biasing means for returning the pressable inner shaft 22 to the reference position, a sliding direction detecting mechanism 70 attached to the lower surface of the base cover 12 is used. In addition, the base cover 12 is the bearing base 1.
1 boss 11g for mounting the bearing base 11 for each
The mounting base 10 is assembled by matching the mounting bosses 12a of the base cover 12 with screws (not shown).

Next, the sliding direction detecting mechanism 70 includes a switch cover 71 attached to the lower surface of the base cover 12, a micro switch 72 attached to the lower surface of the switch cover 71, A switch board 73 is supported in the switch cover 71 so as to be able to move up and down so as to turn on and off the switch 72, and a coil spring 74 biases the switch board 73 and the inner shaft 22 upward. Have been.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the switch cover 71 is formed of a resin molded body having a cylindrical box shape with an open upper surface, and is provided with a base cover via a screw 12b inserted into a screw hole 71a. 12, a circular opening 71b is formed in the center of the bottom wall of the base cover 71, and switch mounting pieces 71c, 71d are provided to extend up to the circular opening 71b. . And these switch mounting pieces 71c, 71d
The micro switch 72 is fixed to the switch cover 71 by screws 72b so that the contact 72a of the micro switch 72 faces the inside of the switch cover 71 through the circular opening 71b.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the switch board 73 is provided with a pressing projection 73b for pressing the contact 72a of the microswitch 72 on the lower surface of a disk-shaped plate 73a.

Further, the upper surface of the plate 73a is moved to the inner shaft 2
2 It is formed as a dish-shaped receiving surface 73c so as not to apply a load from the flange 22b at the lower end. Also, on the lower surface of the plate 73a, two large and small guide walls 73d, 73d fitted in the circular opening 71b of the switch cover 71 so that the plate 73a can always move horizontally while maintaining a horizontal state. Guide walls 73e, 73e, each of which is at a 180 ° facing position, are formed. Also,
On each of the guide walls 73e, a stopper claw 73f for regulating the vertical position of the switch board 73 is formed.

A switch board 73 is supported in the switch cover 71 so as to be able to move up and down while maintaining a horizontal state.
The switch panel 73 is always urged upward by a spring because it is interposed between the lower surface of the switch cover 71 and the inner bottom surface of the switch cover 71, and elastically contacts the flange 22b at the lower end of the inner shaft 22. The spring force to return to is acting.

The plate 73 in the switch panel 73
A downward flange 73g that locks the upper end side of the coil spring 74 is provided on the periphery of “a”.

Now, the operation of the tilt stick type pointing device 100 according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, if the operation grip 20 is gripped by the hand and the operation stick 20 is tilted by a predetermined stroke, The operation stick 20 tilts in all directions based on the rotation center point indicated by A in FIG. 6, and the operation end of the operation stick 20 is located in the guide hole 54 along two orthogonal axes. When the operation stick 20 is tilted, the guide 50 swings along the longitudinal direction of the guide hole 54, and the arcuate ratchet 51 rotates integrally with the guide 50. The rotating operation of the operation stick 20 in an arbitrary direction is performed as an amount of displacement in two orthogonal axis directions. No. is output.

Next, the operation of the sliding direction detecting mechanism 70 attached to the lower surface of the base cover 12 will be described. The switch board 73 accommodated in the switch cover 71 is always urged upward by a coil spring 74. The operation stick 20 is always in elastic contact with the flange 22b on the lower end side of the inner shaft 22 of the operation stick 20.

At this time, in response to the tilting operation of the operation stick 20 along all directions, the upper surface of the plate 73a of the switch board 73 is a dish-shaped receiving surface 73c. Although being biased, when the operation stick 20 is tilted, the switch board 73 and the operation stick 20 are smoothly tilted along the omnidirectional directions without excessive sliding resistance being applied between them. Operation can be expected.

Therefore, the operation stick 20 does not have a structure in which the switch integrated with the operation stick is also tilted at the same time when the operation stick is tilted.
And the microswitch 72 do not operate integrally, so that a load corresponding to the weight of the switch is not applied, and since the upper surface of the plate 73a of the switch panel 73 is the dish-shaped receiving surface 73c, a tilting operation of soft touch is expected. In addition, the reliability and durability of the switch 72 can be improved.

In addition, there is no need to set a switch mounting portion on the operation stick 20, and similarly, no space for tilting and moving the switch is required. If the switch cover 71 provided with the micro switch 72 and the like is assembled to the base 10 supporting the stick 20, the assembling work is completed easily, and the workability is significantly improved as compared with the conventional complicated assembling work. be able to.

Further, the plate 7 in the switch panel 73
Only by the flange 22b of the inner shaft 22 sliding on the dish-shaped receiving surface 73c of 3a, the supporting posture of the switch board 73 can always be kept horizontal, and the micro switch 72 does not malfunction and the reliability of the switch can be improved. It is a factor to increase.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the operation stick 20 is pushed down, the inner shaft 2
The switch panel 73 is pressed downward by the second flange 22b, and the pressing projection 73a of the switch panel 73 turns on the contact 72a of the micro switch 72,
A binarized signal is generated and output according to the sliding displacement of the inner shaft 22.

Therefore, according to the present invention, if the operation stick 20 is tilted in an arbitrary direction, the amount of the tilt stroke can be input as an analog signal via the gimbal mechanism, and the operation stick 20 is pushed down. By this, ON / OF of the micro switch 72
Since the two states of the F state can be taken, variations of the instruction signal can be further diversified.

Further, the tilting displacement of the operation stick 20 may be generated and output as a digital signal. In this case, a plurality of switches are developed and arranged at point symmetrical positions so as to surround the operation stick 20, An arbitrary switch may be selectively turned on or off in conjunction with the tilting operation along the omnidirectional direction of the 20 to generate and output a multi-bit electric signal indicating the tilting direction as an instruction signal.

As the sliding direction detector used in the sliding direction detecting mechanism 70, the sliding displacement of the inner shaft 22 may be generated and output as an analog signal instead of the microswitch 72.

As described above, in the present invention, the operation stick 20 and the micro switch 72 are separate structures, and the micro switch 72 is moved through the vertically movable switch panel 73 accommodated in the switch cover 71. Since the operation stick is operated, the tilting operation and the vertical movement operation of the operation stick 20 can be performed smoothly, and the reliability and durability of the microswitch 72 can be improved. There are various advantages that the workability can be improved.

[0075]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when the operation stick is tilted in all directions, an electric signal corresponding to the amount of tilt stroke is generated and output, while the operation stick is moved to the outer side. With a double structure of a shaft and an inner shaft, and making the inner shaft slidable in the outer shaft, the displacement amount of the inner shaft in the sliding direction is generated and output as an electric signal,
The operation stick and the sliding direction detection mechanism are configured separately,
Since the switch board is vertically movable between the operation stick and the sliding direction detector, a load equivalent to the weight of the sliding direction detector is not applied when the operation stick is tilted. In addition to expecting smooth operability when tilting and moving the operation stick up and down, the durability and reliability of the sliding direction detector are improved, and the device is made more compact and assembly workability is improved. It has the effect that can be done.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view for explaining components of an up-and-down stick type pointing device according to the present invention and an assembly structure thereof.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a configuration of the tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory view showing a sliding direction detection mechanism in the tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a switch cover in a sliding direction detecting mechanism in the tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a switch panel in a sliding direction detecting mechanism in the tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a tilting operation in the tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing up and down movements of an operation stick in the tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 8 is an external view of a conventional tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a sliding direction detector in a conventional tilting stick type pointing device.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a tilting operation of a conventional tilting stick type pointing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Mounting base 11 Bearing base 11b Through-hole 11c Pedestal surface 12 Base cover 13 Bearing 20 Operation stick 21 Outer shaft 21a Guide hole 22 Inner shaft 22a Male screw part 22b Flange 30 Operation grip part 40 Spring assembly 41 Coil spring 42 Spring cover 43 Spring end 44 E-ring 50 Guide 51 Arc-shaped ratchet 52 Support arm 54 Guide hole 60 Pinion 61 Mounting bracket 62 Variable resistor 63 Drive shaft 70 Sliding direction detecting mechanism 71 Switch cover 72 Micro switch 73 Switch board 74 Coil spring 100 Inverted stick type pointing device

Claims (5)

[Claims] An operation stick is supported so as to be able to be turned upside down and is urged to restore to an upright state, and a detector that generates and outputs an electric signal in conjunction with a tilting operation of the operation stick. An up-down stick type pointing device, wherein the operation stick is supported by a base so that it can be turned upside down,
And an outer shaft urged to return to an upright state, and an inner shaft slidably held in the outer shaft and urged upward, and further integrated with the operating grip portion. A sliding direction detector that generates and outputs a sliding displacement of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft as an electric signal;
A switch cover attached to the base and supporting and fixing the sliding direction detector; and a switch housed in the switch cover and operating up and down in conjunction with the sliding operation of the inner shaft to operate the sliding direction detector. A tilting stick type pointing device, wherein a sliding direction detecting mechanism including a board is provided separately from the operation stick. 2. The switch board is housed in a switch cover in a state where the switch board is urged upward by a coil spring, and an upper end surface of the switch board is in elastic contact with a flange on a lower end side of the inner shaft so that the inner shaft is at a reference position. The tilting stick type pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device is returned. 3. An upper end surface of the switch panel is formed as a dish-shaped receiving surface so as to be in sliding contact with a flange on a lower end side of the inner shaft when the operation stick is tilted, and the switch panel always has a horizontal posture. 3. The tilting stick type pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the tilting stick type pointing device is held and supported in the switch cover so as to be vertically movable while being maintained. 4. The tilting stick type pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding direction detector detects sliding displacement of the inner shaft as presence or absence of displacement. 5. The tilting stick type pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding direction detector detects a sliding displacement of the inner shaft as a displacement amount.