JP2007072734A - Stick controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stick controller in which a part for returning a lever to an original position is small and a miniaturization can be realized.
SOLUTION: In a housing having upper openings 2a and 4a, intersect with each other at an angle of approximately 90 °, and two shafts 6 and 7 that are rotatably supported, respectively, and the intersection of both shafts 6 and 7 Operation lever 1 that is attached to the shaft 6 and protrudes above the upper openings 2a and 4a of the housing, magnets MX and MY provided on the shafts 6 and 7, and magnets MX and MY, respectively. Magnetic sensors SX and SY arranged opposite to each other, and abutting portions 13 and 14 provided for each of the shafts 6 and 7 and abutting portions 13 and 14 of the shafts 6 and 7 respectively. The abutting sliding members 17 and 18 and elastic members 15 and 16 for elastically urging the sliding members 17 and 18 in a direction against the rotational direction of the shafts 6 and 7 are provided. The shafts 6 and 7 are rotated back to the reference position by force.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a stick controller used as an input device such as a personal computer or a game machine.

  As a stick controller used as an input device, there are those shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this stick controller, variable resistors 30 and 31 are provided outside a housing in which an upper case 64 and a lower case 65 are fitted, and are orthogonal to each other in a space formed by the upper case 64 and the lower case 65. The shafts 66 and 67 are arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. The rotation shafts (not shown) of the variable resistors 30 and 31 are attached to the ends of the shafts 66 and 67, respectively. A lever 61 supported on the shaft 7 by a support pin 35 protrudes from the opening 64a of the upper case 64, and the resistances of the variable resistors 30, 31 are varied according to the operation of the lever 61. The resistance output can be taken out from 30b, 30c, 31a, 31b, 31c.

A push plate 32 is fixed to an inner end of the lever 61, and the coil spring 34 is compressed via the receiving plate 33. When the lever 61 is operated, the push plate 32 is tilted and the coil spring 34 is compressed via the receiving plate 33. Thereafter, when the operation of the lever 61 is finished and the operating force of the lever 61 is lost, the lever 61 returns to the original position by the restoring force of the coil spring 34.
JP 2002-149256 A

  The above-described conventional stick controller has large components (the push plate 32, the receiving plate 33, the coil spring 34, etc.) for returning the lever to the original position, and cannot be reduced in size when a printed circuit board or various electronic components are accommodated. There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-described problems, and has an object to provide a stick controller that has a small part for returning the lever to its original position and can be miniaturized.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stick controller according to a first aspect of the present invention, wherein the rod controller intersects at an angle of approximately 90 ° with each other in a housing having an upper opening. An operating lever attached to one shaft and projecting above the upper opening of the housing, at least one magnet provided on each shaft, and a magnetic sensor disposed facing each magnet. In the stick controller provided, at least one contact portion provided on each shaft, a sliding member that contacts the contact portion of each shaft, and the sliding member elastically in a direction against the rotation direction of each shaft An urging elastic member is provided, and each shaft is rotated and returned to the reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member.

  Since this stick controller smoothly rotates and returns each shaft to the reference position by the contact portion, the sliding member, and the elastic member provided on each shaft, the parts are small, and the size can be reduced at low cost.

  The stick controller according to claim 2 is characterized in that the sliding member is slidably held by a holding portion provided in the housing.

  This stick controller is easy to assemble because the elastic member and the sliding member are held by the housing, so that the elastic member and the sliding member do not come off during assembly.

  The stick controller according to claim 3, wherein a stop portion for determining a reference position of the sliding member is provided in the vicinity of the contact portion of each shaft, and when the sliding member comes into contact with the stop portion, the sliding member Is in contact with the contact portion of each shaft.

  In this stick controller, since the elastic member always returns to the reference position by the stop portion, the sliding member does not come into contact with the abutting portion of each shaft and is stably rotated and returned to the reference position. be able to.

Since the stick controller of the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.
(1) Since each shaft is smoothly rotated and returned to the reference position by the contact portion, sliding member, and elastic member provided on each shaft, the parts are small, and the size can be reduced at low cost.
(2) Since the elastic member and the sliding member are held by the housing, the elastic member and the sliding member are not detached at the time of assembly, and the assembly is easy.
(3) Since the elastic member always returns to the reference position by the stop portion, the sliding member does not come into contact with the abutting portion of each shaft and can stably rotate and return each shaft to the reference position. it can.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a stick controller according to the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part taken along line CC, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2 when the lever 1 is tilted in the plus X-axis direction.

  In this stick controller, two magnetic sensors SX, SY are provided in a casing constituted by an upper cover 3, a case 4, and a lower cover 5, and an operating lever 1 protrudes to the outside. The housing is covered with a shield case 2 made of a magnetic material in order to make it less susceptible to external magnetism and to reduce internal magnetism from leaking to the outside.

  A printed circuit board 8 and shafts 6 and 7 are arranged in an internal space formed by the upper cover 3, the case 4 and the lower cover 5. The printed circuit board 8 has a magnetic sensor SY mounted in one direction (X-axis direction) and a magnetic sensor SX mounted in a direction perpendicular to the direction (Y-axis direction). An external circuit connector 10 (see FIG. 1) is attached to one end of the printed circuit board 8, and the connector 10 can be connected to, for example, a lead wire. Various electronic components 9 are mounted on the printed circuit board 8.

  The lever 1 protrudes to the outside through the opening 4 a of the upper cover 3 and the opening 2 a of the shield case 2. The shaft 6 has a through hole 16 through which the lever 1 is inserted in the center. The lever 1 is rotatably attached to the shaft 6 by the support shaft portion 1a while being inserted through the center of the through hole 16 of the shaft 6. On the other hand, the shaft 7 has a shape that receives the central portion of the shaft 6, and similarly has a through-hole 17 through which the lever 1 is inserted. The through-holes 16 and 17 of the shafts 6 and 7 are positioned so that the major axis direction thereof is the longitudinal direction of the shafts 6 and 7, and the opening width in the minor axis direction can slide without the lever 1 rattling. Is set to

  Here, the shaft 6 is positioned in the Y-axis direction, the shaft 7 is positioned in the X-axis direction, and both axes are orthogonal. Convex portions 11 and 12 project from the both end surfaces of each shaft, and the convex portions 11 and 12 are fitted into holes formed between the upper cover 3 and the case 4, thereby Is supported in a swingable manner. Of course, the support shaft portion 1a, the convex portion 11 of the shaft 6, and the convex portion 12 of the shaft 7 are located on the same plane.

  A planar contact portion 13 is provided at one end of the shaft 6, and a sliding member 17 is accommodated in an accommodating portion (holding portion) 19 of the upper cover 3 so as to be in contact therewith. The sliding member 17 can freely slide in the housing portion 19 and is elastically biased in a direction against the rotational direction of the shaft 6 by an elastic member 15 made of a compression coil spring or the like. The accommodating portion 19 is provided with a locking portion 23, and the hook 21 provided on the sliding member 17 prevents the sliding member 17 from being detached from the accommodating portion 19 during assembly. In this state, the elastic member 15 is provided so that an elastic force is applied to the contact portion 13 via the sliding member 17, and the shaft 6 is stably maintained at the reference position. Similarly, a contact portion 14 is provided on the shaft 7, and a sliding member 18 and an elastic member 16 are provided on the upper cover 3.

  By such a connecting structure of the lever 1 and the shafts 6 and 7, the lever 1 can be inclined in all directions of 360 °, and the inclination angle is within the range of the opening width of the through holes 16 and 17 in the long axis direction. is there. For example, when the lever 1 is tilted in the X-axis direction, the shaft 7 remains unchanged without being swung, but the shaft 6 is pushed by the lever 1 and is in a direction opposite to the tilting direction of the lever 1 (in the case of the minus X-axis direction). Swings around the convex portion 11 in the plus X-axis direction, and in the plus X-axis direction, the minus X-axis direction). At this time, the contact portion 13 provided on the shaft 6 is also inclined, and the sliding member 17 moves upward to bend the elastic member 15. When the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original position by the elastic force of the elastic member 15. When the lever 1 is tilted in the Y-axis direction, the shaft 6 does not move, and the shaft 7 swings in the direction opposite to the tilting direction of the lever 1 with the convex portion 12 as a fulcrum. When the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member 16.

  Magnets MX and MY are attached to one part of the shafts 6 and 7, respectively. The magnets MX and MY are opposed to the magnetic sensors SX and SY on the printed circuit board 8 with a slight gap therebetween. The magnets MX and MY are arranged so that the north and south poles are oriented in the swing directions of the X and Y axes, respectively, and the north and south poles are displaced relative to the magnetic sensors SX and SY by the swing of the lever 1. Has been. The magnetic sensors SX and SY and the magnets MX and MY are arranged such that when the lever 1 is positioned at the middle position (reference position) when the lever 1 is not operated, the magnetic sensing portions of the magnetic sensors SX and SY are the N pole and S of the magnets MX and MY. It is positioned to face the boundary with the pole. Therefore, when the lever 1 is in the reference position, the magnetic sensors SX and SY do not sense magnetism and do not output them.

  The magnets MX and MY are curved surfaces (arc surfaces) whose confronting surfaces with the magnetic sensors SX and SY are substantially concentric with the center O of the swing of the shafts 6 and 7, and their positions change due to the swing of the shafts 6 and 7. Even so, the distance between the opposing surface and the magnetic sensors SX, SY is kept constant. In this case, the outputs of the magnetic sensors SX and SY with respect to the inclination angle of the lever 1 are linear, and the output changes in proportion to the inclination angle.

  Next, the operation of the stick controller configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 6, when the lever 1 is not operated, the lever 1 is positioned at the upright reference position. At this time, the central axis (one-dot chain line) of the lever 1, the center O of the oscillation of the shafts 6 and 7, the boundary between the N pole and the S pole of the magnets MX and MY, , Line up in a straight line. Further, as described above, since the boundary between the N pole and the S pole of the magnets MX and MY faces the magnetic sensing part, the magnetic sensors SX and SY do not detect and output a magnetic change.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7, when the lever 1 is tilted in the plus Y-axis direction, the lever 1 rotates with the support shaft portion 1 a as a fulcrum, and accordingly, the shaft 7 is pushed by the lever 1 and the lever 1 Oscillates with the convex portion 12 as a fulcrum O in the opposite direction (minus Y-axis direction). At this time, the contact portion 14 is also inclined, and the elastic member 16 is bent (the elastic member 15 is not bent). The shaft 6 does not swing because the lever 1 only moves in the long axis direction through the through hole 16 and is not pushed by the lever 1. When the shaft 7 swings, the magnet MY of the shaft 7 is also rotationally displaced in the same direction, so that the N pole gradually becomes a magnetic sensor SY from the boundary between the N pole and the S pole of the magnet MY according to the inclination angle of the lever 1. approach. Therefore, the magnetic sensor SY outputs a voltage proportional to the approach degree (tilt angle) of the N pole of the magnet MY. On the other hand, since the shaft 6 does not swing, the magnetic sensor SX does not detect and output a magnetic change of the magnet MX. Here, when the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member 16.

  Conversely, when the lever 1 is tilted in the minus Y-axis direction, the shaft 6 does not swing similarly, but the shaft 7 swings in the plus Y-axis direction, and the magnet MY is also rotationally displaced in the same direction. At this time, the contact portion 14 is also inclined, and the elastic member 16 is bent (the elastic member 15 is not bent). This time, depending on the inclination angle of the lever 1, the S pole gradually approaches the magnetic sensor SY from the boundary between the N pole and the S pole of the magnet MY, and the magnetic sensor SY outputs a voltage corresponding to the inclination angle. The magnetic sensor SX does not output. Here, when the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member 16.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when the lever 1 is tilted in the plus X-axis direction, the shaft 6 is pushed by the lever 1 and swings around the convex portion 11 as a fulcrum O in the minus X-axis direction. At this time, the contact portion 13 is also inclined, and the elastic member 15 is bent (the elastic member 16 is not bent). The shaft 7 does not swing because the lever 1 only moves in the long axis direction through the through-hole 17 and is not pushed by the lever 1. If the shaft 6 oscillates, the magnet MX of the shaft 6 is also rotationally displaced in the same direction, so that the N pole gradually moves from the boundary between the N pole and the S pole of the magnet MX according to the inclination angle of the lever 1. Approach SX. Therefore, the magnetic sensor SX outputs a voltage proportional to the tilt angle of the lever 1. On the other hand, since the shaft 7 does not swing, the magnetic sensor SY does not detect and outputs a magnetic change of the magnet MY. Here, when the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member 15.

  Conversely, when the lever 1 is tilted in the minus X-axis direction, the shaft 7 does not swing similarly, but the shaft 6 swings in the plus X-axis direction, and the magnet MX is also rotationally displaced in the same direction. At this time, the contact portion 13 is also inclined, and the elastic member 15 is bent (the elastic member 16 is not bent). This time, depending on the inclination angle of the lever 1, the S pole gradually approaches the magnetic sensor SX from the boundary between the N pole and the S pole of the magnet MX, and the magnetic sensor SX outputs a voltage corresponding to the inclination angle. The magnetic sensor SY does not output. Here, when the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member 15.

  On the other hand, as is clear from the above, when the lever 1 is tilted, for example, between the plus X axis direction and the plus Y axis direction, both the shafts 6 and 7 are pushed by the lever 1 and the minus Y axis direction and the minus Y axis direction, respectively. Oscillating in the X-axis direction, the N poles of the magnets MX and MY approach the magnetic sensors SX and SY, and the magnetic sensors SX and SY output a voltage proportional to the tilt angle of the lever 1. At this time, the contact portions 13 and 14 are also inclined, and the elastic members 15 and 16 are bent. Here, when the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic members 15 and 16.

  Also, if the lever 1 is inclined in the intermediate direction between the plus X axis direction and the minus Y axis direction, the N pole of the magnet MX approaches the magnetic sensor SX, and the S pole of the magnet MY approaches the magnetic sensor SY. The magnetic sensors SX and SY output according to the tilt angle. At this time, the contact portions 13 and 14 are also inclined, and the elastic members 15 and 16 are bent. Here, when the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic members 15 and 16.

  In this manner, the 360 ° tilt direction and tilt angle can be detected based on the outputs of the magnetic sensors SX and SY.

  FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a sliding member used in a stick controller according to another embodiment, and FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view when the lever 1 is inclined in the plus X-axis direction.

  A flat contact portion 13 is provided at one end of the shaft 6, and the sliding member 44 is accommodated in the accommodating portions 41, 42 of the upper cover 3 so as to be in contact therewith. The sliding member 44 is provided with an abutment plate 45, and the sliding member 44 can freely slide in the housing portions 41 and 42. The elastic member 15 formed of a compression coil spring or the like allows the shaft 6 to move. It is elastically biased in a direction that resists the direction of rotation. The accommodating portion 41 is provided with a locking portion 43, and a hook 46 provided on the sliding member 44 prevents the sliding member 44 from being detached from the accommodating portions 41, 42 during assembly.

  On the other hand, the case 4 is provided with stop portions 40 on both sides of the contact portion 13 of the shaft 6. When the lever 1 is in the reference position, the sliding member 44 contacts the stop portion 40 and the contact portion. 13 also abuts. At this time, the contact surfaces of the contact portion 13, the stop portion 40, and the contact plate 45 are configured to be located on the same plane. In this state, the elastic member 15 is provided so that an elastic force is applied to the contact portion 13 via the contact plate 45, and the shaft 6 is stably maintained at the reference position. Similarly, the shaft 7 is provided with a contact portion 14, and the upper cover 3 is provided with a sliding member (not shown) and an elastic member (not shown).

  When the lever 1 is tilted in the X-axis direction, the shaft 7 does not swing and remains as it is, but the shaft 6 is pushed by the lever 1 and is in a direction opposite to the tilting direction of the lever 1 (in the case of the minus X-axis direction, plus It swings around the convex portion 11 as a fulcrum in the X-axis direction and the plus X-axis direction in the minus X-axis direction). At this time, the contact portion 13 provided on the shaft 6 is also inclined, and the sliding member 44 moves upward to bend the elastic member 15. When the force to incline the lever 1 is removed, the sliding member 44 slides due to the elastic force of the elastic member 15, and the contact plate 45 contacts the stop portion 40 and stops. At this time, the abutting portion 45 of the shaft 6 is swung by the abutting plate 45 and completely abuts on the abutting plate 45, and the lever 1 returns to the original position.

  When the lever 1 is tilted in the Y-axis direction, the shaft 6 does not move, and the shaft 7 swings in the direction opposite to the tilting direction of the lever 1 with the convex portion 12 as a fulcrum. At this time, the contact portion 14 provided on the shaft 7 is also inclined, and the sliding member (not shown) moves upward to bend the elastic member (not shown). When the force for inclining the lever 1 is removed, the lever 1 returns to the original reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member.

  In the above embodiment, the elastic members 15 and 16 and the sliding members 17, 18 and 44 are provided between the upper cover 3 and the shafts 6 and 7, respectively. It may be provided, or may be provided between the side surfaces of the shafts 6 and 7 and the upper cover 3 (or case 4).

It is an external appearance perspective view of the stick controller which concerns on one Embodiment. It is sectional drawing in line AA of FIG. It is sectional drawing in line BB of FIG. It is sectional drawing in line CC of FIG. It is principal part sectional drawing when a lever is inclined in order to demonstrate the effect | action of the controller. It is principal part sectional drawing when a lever is located in a reference position in order to explain an operation of the stick controller of the embodiment. It is principal part sectional drawing when a lever is made to incline to the plus Y-axis direction in order to demonstrate the effect | action of the same embodiment stick controller. It is principal part sectional drawing when a lever is made to incline to a plus X-axis direction in order to demonstrate the effect | action of the same embodiment stick controller. It is principal part sectional drawing of the stick controller which concerns on another embodiment. It is principal part sectional drawing when a lever is inclined in order to demonstrate the effect | action of the controller. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the conventional stick controller. It is sectional drawing in line XX of FIG. It is sectional drawing in line YY of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Lever 3 Upper cover (housing)
4 Case (housing)
5 Lower cover (housing)
6,7 Axes 13,14 Abutting part 15,16 Elastic member 17,18,44 Sliding member 40 Stop part SX, SY Magnetic sensor MX, MY Magnet

Claims (3)

A housing having an upper opening intersects with each other at an angle of approximately 90 °, and is rotatably supported by two shafts, and is attached to one shaft at the intersection of both shafts. In a stick controller comprising an operation lever protruding above, at least one magnet provided on each axis, and a magnetic sensor disposed opposite to each magnet,
A contact portion provided at least one place on each shaft, a slide member that contacts the contact portion of each shaft, and an elastic member that elastically biases the slide member in a direction against the rotation direction of each shaft The stick controller is characterized in that each axis is rotated and returned to the reference position by the elastic force of the elastic member.   The stick controller according to claim 1, wherein the sliding member is slidably held by a holding portion provided in the housing.   A stop for determining the reference position of the sliding member is provided in the vicinity of the contact portion of each shaft, and when the slide member contacts the stop portion, the slide member contacts the contact portion of each shaft. 3. The stick controller according to claim 1, wherein the stick controller is in contact with the stick controller.

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