Patent Publication Number: US-2023132572-A1

Title: Control device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     A control device (hereinafter referred to as a device) is a device consisting of a handle, a stationary base and a mechanism located under a stationary base. The device can be used to control various manned and unmanned vehicles, including flying, ground, underwater, as well as to control work with computer equipment, and in particular to control spacecraft in outer space. In addition, the device can be used to control computer games. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     The device of the invention relates to the joystick design, as described for example, in U.S. Pat. US4870389A. The sidestick designs are also disclosed in the following patent documents: US5149023A, GB2484830A, US9051836B2, US9056675B2, US9067672B2, US9405312B2. All the above-noted devices have several drawbacks that make it difficult to use them to perform controlling functions. Among such drawbacks are a large distance between the handle and the axis of rotation, as in US5149023A; or an insufficient number of degrees of freedom as in US9051836B2. The device of the invention overcomes the above discussed disadvantages. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a front view of the device showing a stationary base  1 , a hemisphere  11 , a handle  2 , a bracket  3 , front buttons  4 , an adjustment screw  5 , a main mount  6 , a core with sphere  7 , a solenoid with sphere  8 , a bottom of the stationary base  9 , a gap  10  and a trigger-switch  22 . 
         FIG.  2    is a rear view showing rear buttons  12  and a scroll wheel  13 . 
         FIG.  3    is semi-section view showing the stationary base  1 , the handle  2 , the bracket  3 , the main mount  6 , the core with sphere  7 ,  11  the hemisphere  11 , the gap  10 , the sphere  14 , the solenoid with sphere  8 , the lower stationary base  9 , an optical sensor  15 , a notch for bracket  20 , a spherical cavity of the main mount  21  and a spherical cavity  28 . 
         FIG.  4 A  is a view showing the bracket  3  with the adjustment screw  5 , an adjustment screw mount  18 , nuts  19 , the main mount  6  and the spherical main mount cavities  21 . 
         FIG.  4 B  is a section view according to section line D-D of  FIG.  4 A  showing a bottom of the bracket  32 , a top of the bracket  34 , an adjustment screw mount  18  and the main mount  6 . 
         FIG.  5    is another view of the device showing the stationary base  1 , the handle  2 , the sphere  14 , the optical sensor  15 , permanent magnet pads  16 , electromagnets  17 , spring bracket  23  and a spring  24 . 
         FIG.  6    is a top view showing the sphere  14 , the permanent magnet pads  16  and the electromagnets  17 . 
         FIG.  7    is a further view of the device showing the stationary base  1 , the bracket  3 , the sphere  14 , a pendulum pointer bracket  25 , a pendulum pointer  26  and a stationary hemispherical housing with sensors  27 . 
         FIG.  8    is still another view of the device showing triggers-switches  22 . 
     
    
    
     DEATAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The device of the invention consists of a handle  2  ( FIG.  1   ) with front buttons  4  and rear buttons  12  ( FIG.  2   ), as well as a scroll wheel  13 . A stationary base  1  has a hemisphere  11  made of slippery material and a trigger-switch  22  ( FIGS.  1  and  8   ). A stationary sphere  14  ( FIG.  3   ) is integrated into the stationary base  1 , which has a rigid connection to the handle  2  by means of a bracket  3 , which can be adjusted in length using an adjustment screw  5 . On the bottom side of the stationary base  1 , there is a recess for the bracket  20 , which serves to restrict the movement of the bracket  3 . 
     The sphere  14  ( FIG.  3   ) is rigidly connected to the main mount  6  through the bracket  3 . The main mount  6  has spherical cavities of the main mount  21  ( FIGS.  3 ,  4   ) into which cores  7  with spheres are inserted, which in turn enter the solenoids  8  with spheres, wherein such spheres are placed in the spherical cavities  28  of the lower stationary base  9  ( FIG.  3   ). The mechanism shown in the figures located below the sphere  14  is intended to simulate feedback from the execution mechanisms of the vehicle controlled by the presented device. In addition,  FIGS.  4 A and  4 B  show another embodiment of the design of the bracket  3  consisting of the upper part  34  and the lower part  32 , as well as the fastening of the adjusting screw  18 , the nut  19 , the adjusting screw  5 , the main mount  6  with the spherical cavity of the main mount  21 . In addition to the presented version of the bracket  3 , other designs are possible. 
     Another solution is also possible to implement the simulated feedback. For example, as illustrated in  FIGS.  5  and  6   , where there is provided a stationary base  1  having a sphere  14 , an optical sensor  15 , an arm  3 , a spring bracket  23 , and a spring  24 . The spring is designed to return the handle  2  to a vertical position. In addition to the spring, it is possible to use a solenoid with a sphere  8  and a core with a sphere  7  or a hydraulic cylinder (not shown in the figures). 
     On the sides of the sphere  14  (see  FIGS.  6  and  7   ), there are provided pads with permanent magnets  16  which can move a short distance towards the center of the sphere  14  and stationary electromagnets  17 . To create an imitation of feedback with actuating mechanisms, an electric current is supplied to electromagnets. During the passage of the current through the windings of the electromagnets  17  a magnetic field is created with the same arrangement of poles in the direction of the sphere. In this case, with the pads having the permanent magnets  16 , which are located with the same poles in the direction of the electromagnets, when the electric current is applied to the windings of the electromagnets  17 , it will push the magnets  16  to squeeze the sphere  14 . Thus, when the handle  2  is moved the user will feel the resistance to his force. 
     An embodiment is also possible comprising of the following elements (see  FIG.  7   ): the bracket  3 , the stationary base  1 , the sphere  14 , a pendulum indicator arm  25 , a pendulum indicator  26 , and a stationary hemispherical body with sensors  27 . The position of the handle  2  is monitored upon rotation of the sphere  14  located within the stationary base  1 . The sphere  14  which, by means of the pendulum indicator arm  25  moves the pendulum indicator  26 . The indicator  26  when the position of the handle  2  changes will point to one of the electromagnetic sensors located on the stationary hemispherical body with sensors  27  (the sensors are not shown in the figures). When the handle  2  is moved, the data from the electromagnetic sensors is transmitted to the computing device of the controlled mechanism, thereby determining the direction and distance of movement of the handle  2 . Based on the received data, the computing device generates commands and sends them to the executing mechanisms of the controlled vehicle. It is possible to provide the device of the invention for both the right- and left-hand users. You will find below an example of the device applicable for the right-hand user. 
     The device operates in the following manner: the user holds with his/her hand the handle  2  shaped somewhat narrowed towards the bottom. This shape of the handle  2  is needed so that when the handle is squeezed, the user’s hand receives a small force vector directed downward, to create conditions for reliable tactile contact of the user’s hand with the hemisphere  11 . In this manner, the lateral side of the little finger and the edge of the palm form a “ring” that covers the bottom of the handle  2  and rests on a hemisphere  11  made of slippery material. The thumb of the hand is above or next to the handle  2 , where the rear buttons  12  and the scroll wheel  13  are located, while the index finger is on the front of the handle  2 , in front of or next to the front buttons  4 . The other three fingers (middle, ring, little finger) cover the handle  2  and at the same time can press the trigger switch  22  ( FIGS.  1  and  8   ), designed to turn on the optical sensor  15 . When the trigger switch  22  is pressed, the optical sensor  15  ( FIGS.  3  and  5   ) is turned on and it starts reading information from sphere  14  ( FIGS.  3 ,  5 ,  7   ). This function can be useful in a situation when during the use of the device the handle  2  is moved, and the bracket  3  reaches the limiting angle of movement and it rests against the wall of the recess for the bracket  20 . In this case, the user opens his fingers and releases the trigger switch  22 . The trigger switch  22  turns off/disables the optical sensor, so that the user can move the handle  2  to the middle position without fear that during this movement the optical sensor  15  will be in an active state. An embodiment of the device without front buttons  4  is possible. In this embodiment, four fingers of the user’s hand, i.e., index, middle, ring, little fingers cover the handle  2  and press the trigger-switch  22 . 
     By holding the handle with his hand in this way, the user can move the handle in all directions, within the sector bounded/limited by the recess for the bracket  20  ( FIG.  3   ). This occurs when the optical sensor  15  continues to read information about the movement of the handle  2 , and the side of the little finger and the edge of the palm will retain tactile contact with the hemisphere  11 . Tactile contact with the hemisphere  11 , made of slippery material, allows the user to accurately retain position of the hand when driving various vehicles and computer equipment. At the same time, the user will be able by holding the handle  2  (which maintains a tactile contact with the stationary base  1  through the user’s hand) to fix it in any place of the stationary base  1 , without fear that his hand and the handle  2  will move. Moreover, the user, in accordance with the size of his hand, by rotating the adjusting screw  5 , can reduce or increase the gap  10 , thus changing the length of the bracket  3 , consisting of the upper part of the bracket  34  and the lower part of the bracket  32 . Accordingly, the distance from the handle  2  to the surface of the hemisphere  11  will also change. A stepping motor can be used in this unit, Thus, adjustment to accommodate the size of the hand can be automated, and if several people use the joystick (sidestick) their data can be entered into the memory unit, so that when changing the user, the length of the bracket  3  will be adjusted automatically. 
     When using the device and changing the position of the handle  2  relative to the hemisphere  11 , the force is transmitted by means of the bracket  3  to the sphere  14  ( FIG.  3   ). When the sphere  14  rotates, the optical sensor  15  directed at the sphere will register this movement and transmit the related data to the computing device. In this manner the computing device which will determine its direction, the trajectory of this action, and then a corresponding command will be sent to the executing mechanisms of the controlled vehicle. At the same time, to simulate the feedback of the executing mechanisms with the user’s hand, the device has a mechanism located under the stationary base  1 . This mechanism is connected to the sphere  14  through the bracket  3 , which, using cores with spheres  7 , are fixed in the spherical cavities of the main attachment  21  ( FIG.  3   ) and solenoids with spheres  8  fixed in the spherical cavities  28  of the lower stationary base  9  ( FIG.  3   ). This mechanism creates for the user an imitation of the counteraction of the executing mechanisms of the vehicle controlled by the presented device. 
     Imitation of the counteraction of the executing mechanisms is carried out by cores with spheres  7  and solenoids with spheres  8  using a computing device in accordance with a program embedded therein that controls the decrease or increase in the voltage of the electric current supplied to some solenoids with spheres  8 . This depends on the direction and length of movement of the handle  2 . When a current is applied to a solenoid with a sphere  8 , it draws/pulls inside a core with a sphere  7 , with the help of a magnetic field that has arisen in it. At this time, all other solenoids with spheres  8  located next to it or on the opposite side of the lower stationary base  9  can be supplied with a greater or lesser current. This depends on what motion is recorded by the optical sensor  15 . In this case, the user holding the handle  2  with his hand will feel the counteracting force. 
     Imitation of the counteraction of the executing mechanisms is carried out by cores with spheres  7  and solenoids with spheres  8  using computing device in accordance with the respective program, which controls the decrease or increase in the voltage of the electric current supplied to some solenoids with spheres  8 , depending on the direction and length of movement of the handle  2 . When the current is applied to the solenoid with the magnetic field pulls into itself a core with a sphere  7 . On the other hand, all other solenoids with spheres  8  located next to it or on the opposite side of the lower fixed base  9  can be supplied with more or less current, depending on what movement is recorded by the optical sensor  15 , while the user, holding the handle  2  by hand, will feel the opposing force. 
     The drawings illustrate four pairs of cores with spheres  7  and solenoids with spheres  8 , but in a real device their number may be different, and hydraulic mechanisms may be used instead.