Patent ID: 11964198
Assignee: RAZER (ASIA-PACIFIC) PTE. LTD.
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A

Claim 19:
20. A handheld controller device comprising
a controller housing; and
a directional pad assembly comprising
an interface frame structure coupled to the controller housing in a manner so as to be non-movable relative to the controller housing, the interface frame structure being exposed from the controller housing, wherein the interface frame structure comprises
a plurality of frame members arranged to define a central opening and two or more auxiliary openings around the central opening,

a directional-control unit disposed below the interface frame structure, wherein the directional-control unit comprises
a plate structure having an upper plate face and an underside plate face with a centre axis extending perpendicularly through a centre of the plate structure, the upper plate face being directed towards the interface frame structure and the centre of the plate structure being aligned to the central opening of the interface frame structure, and
two or more plunger elements distributed along a perimeter portion of the plate structure, each of the two or more plunger elements being slidable relative to the plate structure between a retracted position and an extended position along a sliding axis parallel to the centre axis of the plate structure, the two or more plunger elements being respectively aligned to the two or more auxiliary openings of the interface frame structure,

a main support structure coupled to the controller housing in a manner so as to be non-movable relative to the controller housing, whereby the main support structure is in a fixed spatial relationship with the interface frame structure and non-movable relative to the interface frame structure, the main support structure being disposed below the directional-control unit, wherein the main support structure is in engagement with the underside plate face to support the centre of the plate structure in a manner such that the directional-control unit is multi-directional tiltable about the centre of the plate structure with respect to the main support structure
two or more switches arranged around the main support structure, each switch of the two or more switches comprises an activation element directed towards the underside plate face of the plate structure of the directional-control unit, the two or more switches respectively aligned to the two or more plunger elements,
wherein the directional-control unit is operable between a first mode and a second mode to activate the two or more switches,
wherein, in the first mode, the plate structure of the directional-control unit is tiltable to urge at least one of the two or more plunger elements in the retracted position towards a corresponding one of the two or more switches for activating the switch,
wherein, in the second mode, the plate structure of the directional-control unit is stationary with respect to the main support structure, and the two or more plunger elements are individually slidable relative to the plate structure into the extended positions to respectively activate the two or more switches.