Patent Publication Number: US-7220160-B2

Title: Gun grip controller

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a gun grip controller used for radio control or the like. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Generally, a radio-controlled toy includes a controlled body, such as a controlled model car, and a controller for controlling the controlled body. 
   For this controller, heretofore, there is known a controller that includes a controller body to be held by both hands of an operator, and switches, sticks, etc. to be manipulated by respective fingers of the operator&#39;s hands. 
   Besides this type of controller, a controller in the form of a gun grip has been used in recent years. 
   In this gun grip controller, a controller body corresponding to a pistol barrel and a grip corresponding to a pistol grip are constructed in a substantial L-shaped or T-shaped manner, while the controller body is provided with switches, dials, etc. and also provided, at a connection between the grip and the controller body, with a trigger-shaped lever or the like. In manipulation, an operator generally manipulates the trigger-shaped lever by an operator&#39;s index finger and further manipulates the switches, the dials, the sticks, etc. on the controller body by an operator&#39;s right hand while gripping the grip by an operator&#39;s left hand, 
   In the gun grip controller like this, however, it requires a large space for its package and becomes voluminous when carrying the controller because the grip and the controller body are generally in the form of L or T. 
   In view of solving the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a gun grip controller capable of realizing a compact configuration when packed for carrying, in spite of its “gun-grip” configuration. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is characterized by a gun grip controller comprising: a controller body having a manipulating part for controlling an object to be controlled, the control body being shaped like a rod substantially; and a grip arranged to project from the controller body, wherein the grip is arranged so as to be rotatable to the controller body and also adapted so as to allow an occupation of both a protrusive position where the grip protrudes from the controller in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the controller body and a folded position where the grip is folded to extend in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the controller body so as to occupy a position adjacent to the controller body and outside of the controller body, and wherein the grip is provided with a storage recess for accommodating a trigger shaped manipulating part at the folded position. 
   Another aspect of the invention is characterized in that the controller body has a trigger-shaped manipulating part at a connection part of the controller body with the grip, and the grip is provided with a storage recess for accommodating the trigger-shaped manipulating part at the folded position. Further, the storage recess is provided, at an opening thereof, with a door that is arranged in an open position to accommodate the trigger-shaped manipulating part at the folded position of the grip, and the door is arranged in a closed position when the grip is in a protrusive position. 
   An additional aspect of the invention is characterized in that the door is formed so as to be a double door. 
   In the invention the grip is arranged so as to be rotatably attached to the controller body and also adapted so as to allow an occupation of both the protrusive position where the grip protrudes from the controller in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the controller body and the folded position where the grip is folded in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the controller body, it is possible to position the grip in the folded position as occasion demands and therefore, it is possible to decrease the size of the controller remarkably in spite of its “gun-grip” configuration. 
   Furthermore, the controller body has the trigger-shaped manipulating part at the connection part of the controller body with the grip, and the grip is provided with the storage recess for accommodating the trigger-shaped manipulating part at the folded position. Additionally, the storage recess is provided, at its opening, with the door in the form of a double door that is arranged in its open position to accommodate the trigger-shaped manipulating part at the folded position of the grip and that is arranged in its closed position at the protrusive position of the grip. Thus, at the folded position, the door is forced to open by the trigger-shaped manipulating part, so that the trigger-shaped manipulating part is accommodated in the storage recess. While, at the protrusive position, when the trigger-shaped manipulating part retreats from the storage recess, the door automatically closes due to the urging forces of springs, etc. Therefore, it is possible to prevent dust etc. from invading the storage recess and also possible to improve an operator&#39;s feeling in gripping the controller. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a partially-notched sectional view showing a gun grip controller in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the gun grip controller of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the gun grip controller of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a gun grip controller in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 
     FIG. 1  shows a gun grip controller  1  of one embodiment of the present invention. This gun grip controller  1  includes a controller body  3  and a grip  7  provided to be rotatably attached to the controller body  3  about an axis (connection part)  5  as a rotation center. Corresponding to a pistol barrel in terms of shape, the controller body  3  is shaped as a rod and also provided, therein, with a transmitter (not shown) for controlling a model car etc., as an object to be controlled. On the right side of the controller body  3 , there are arranged a power switch  9  of the gun grip controller  1 , a steering dial  11  for manipulating a steering of the model car, other switches  13  and so on. Additionally, a transmittal rod antenna  15  is detachably arranged on the top of the controller body  3 . At packing and carrying, this rod antenna  15  is accommodated in an antenna storage groove  17  formed on the left side of the controller body  3 . In use, the antenna  15  is detached from the groove  17  and subsequently screwed into an antenna attaching part  19  on the top of the controller body  3 . Further, the controller body  3  is provided, on the upper side which is downwardly sloped, with a power lamp  21 . 
   A trigger-shaped lever  23  is arranged on the bottom of the controller body  3 . Pulling the trigger-shaped lever  23  backward allows the model car to move forward, while pushing the trigger-shaped lever  23  forward allows the model car to move backward. The velocity of the car is increased as an amount of pulling or pushing is increased. 
   The grip  7  provided to the controller body  3  can occupy a protrusive position  25  where the grip  7  protrudes from the controller body  3  in substantially an L-shaped or T-shaped mannerand a folded position  27  where the grip  7  is folded along a longitudinal direction of the controller body  3 . If the grip  7  is positioned at the protrusive position  25 , then a ratchet mechanism (not shown) automatically operates to allow the grip  7  to be locked in the protrusive position  25 . Further, the grip  7  is provided, at its top end, with an unlock button  29  for removing the grip  7  from a locked condition. Thus, pushing the unlock button  29  allows the grip  7  to be released from the locked condition, allowing it to be returned to the folded position. 
   Again, in the grip  7 , a lever storage recess  31  is formed in order to accommodate the trigger-shaped lever  23  when the grip  7  is in the folded position. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the lever storage recess  31  is provided, at an opening  33 , with a door  35  that is closed when the grip  7  is at the protrusive position  25  and that is open when the grip  7  is at the folded position  27  thereby allowing the trigger-shaped lever  23  to be accommodated. This door  35  is in the form of a double door and is usually urged to its closed position by springs or the like. This door  35  is forced to open when the trigger-shaped lever  23  is inserted into the lever storage recess  31 . When the trigger-shaped lever is extracted out of the lever storage recess  31 , the door  35  closes due to urging forces of the springs. When the grip  7  is at the protrusive position  25 , this door  35  prevents dust etc. from entering an inside of the grip and also serves to improve an operator&#39;s gripping feeling. A battery is accommodated in the grip  7  and utilized for a power source of the controller. 
   The operation of the gun grip controller  1  will be described. 
   When the gun grip controller  1  is packed for carrying, the grip  7  is pivoted to the folded position  27 . Then, the door  35  in the form of a double door is forced to open by the trigger-shaped lever  23  and it is accommodated in the lever storage recess  31 . In this way, the positioning of the grip  7  in the folding position allows the size of the gun grip controller  1  as a whole to be reduced remarkably. Thus, with the reduction in package size of the controller, it is possible to facilitate its portability. 
   On the other hand, when using the gun grip controller  1 , the grip  7  is raised by a pivotal movement. Then, when the trigger-shaped lever  23  retreats from the lever storage recess  31 , the door  35  automatically closes due to the urging forces of the springs etc. Further, when bringing the grip  7  into the protrusive position, the ratchet mechanism operates automatically to fix the grip  7  in the protrusive position. In this way, by raising the grip  7  to the protrusive position in using the gun grip controller  1 , the for gun grip controller  1  can be changed to a substantially T-shaped or L-shaped “gun grip” configuration, allowing an instant availability. Further, since the door  35  is automatically closed, it is possible to prevent an invasion of dust etc. and also possible to improve an operator&#39;s gripping feeling. 
   As mentioned above, this gun grip controller  1  includes the rod-shaped controller body  3  having the trigger-shaped lever  23 , the steering dial  11 , etc. for controlling a model car or the like and the grip  7  provided to protrude from the controller body  3 . Moreover, the grip  7  is arranged so as to be rotatably attached to the controller body  3  and also adapted so as to allow an occupation of both the protrusive position  25  where the grip protrudes from the controller body  3  to a direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the controller body  3  and the folded position  27  where the grip  7  is folded to a direction along the longitudinal direction of the controller body  3 . Accordingly, it is possible to decrease the size of the gun grip controller as a whole when packing and carrying the gun grip controller, in spite of its “gun-grip” configuration. This reduction in the package size of the gun grip controller  1  can be accomplished to facilitate its portability. 
   Again, the controller body  3  has the trigger-shaped lever  23  at a connection part of the controller body  3  with the grip  7 , and the grip  7  is provided with the lever storage recess  31  for accommodating the trigger-shaped lever  23  when the grip  7  is at the folded position  27 . Further, the lever storage recess  31  is provided, at the opening  33 , with the door  35  in the form of a double door. The door  35  is arranged in its open position, to accommodate the trigger-shaped lever  23  when the grip  7  is at the folded position  27 , and the door  35  is arranged in its closed position when the grip  7  is at the protrusive position  25 . Therefore, when the grip  7  is at the folded position  27 , the door  35  is forced to open by the trigger-shaped lever  23 , so that the trigger-shaped lever  23  is accommodated in the lever storage recess  31 . When the grip  7  is at the protrusive position  25  the trigger-shaped lever  23  retreats from the lever storage recess  31  and the door  35  automatically closes due to the urging forces of the springs etc. Therefore, it is possible to prevent dust etc. from invading into the recess and also possible to improve an operator&#39;s feeling in gripping the controller. 
   It is noted that the above-mentioned embodiment adopts a model car as the object to be controlled. Without being limited to the model car only, the invention is applicable to any object to be radio-controlled or remote-controlled. For example, the invention may be applied to controllers for models, such as airplane, ship, train and robot toys, other industrial equipment, vehicles, etc.