Patent Publication Number: US-6222179-B1

Title: Fiber optic control having joystick

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     1. My copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/251,780 filed Feb. 17, 1999 and entitled FIBER OPTIC CONTROL WITH JOY STICK, and having the same ownership and same inventorship as the present application. 
     2. My U.S. application Ser. No. 09/309,437 filed May 11, 1999, entitled FIBER OPTIC CONTROL WITH POSITIVE MECHANICAL DRIVE FROM JOY STICK, and having the same ownership and same inventorship as the present application, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,424. 
    
    
     STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
     Research and development of the present invention and application have not been Federally-sponsored, and no rights are giver under any Federal program. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to joystick devices of the kind having a swivel mounted manually-engageable lever capable of movement from a center position to any one of a number of angular positions lying within a theoretical upwardly-extending conical surface, for controlling the operation of various types of electronic or electromechanical equipment. 
     2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR Sections 1.97-1.99 
     The following references are hereby cited as being representative of some of the known prior art in the field to which the present invention pertains: 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 
     4,459,022 4,731,530 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,022 discloses a fiber optic sensor wherein a mirror is directly carried by a joystick so as to have universal movement as the joystick is manipulated. An optical cable having five fibers is mounted to cooperate with the mirror One cable directs a light beam against the mirror on the joystick to be reflected thereby, and the remaining four cables pick up light that is reflected from the mirror and carry the light to a light responsive control, from which signal functions are obtained to operate various pieces of equipment. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,530 a joystick operates sector members which have a predetermined varied transparency. Light beams are directed against the sectors and pass through the same with varying degrees of intensity, in the manner of a filter. These filtered beams are then utilized by means of electronic circuitry to effect control functions for operating different pieces of equipment. 
     While the foregoing patents disclose fiber optic cables in connection with joystick controls, the junctures where the cable were connected were shown as mostly diagrammatic in nature, with specific details largely omitted, and in practice such showings left much to be desired. 
     Such shortcomings in the prior art where the primary actuator is to join with the fiber optic cables are obviated by the present invention, and one object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified, especially effective juncture means between cable ends on the one hand and the primary actuator on the other hand, which is reliable at all times. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fiber optic control device of the type having cables and a joystick, which is especially straightforward and simple in its construction and economical to fabricate. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an improved fiber optic/joystick control as above set forth, wherein the number of moving parts are of simple shape and construction, thereby reducing manufacturing cost, simplifying assembly, and improving reliability. 
     Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. 
     In accomplishing the above objects the invention provides a joystick control comprising, in combination a joystick having fixed thereon a pivot ball which enables the stick to have a universal pivotal movement. A base provides a socket for the pivot ball and also a pivotal mounting means for a pair of swivel members which can move about non-coincidental axes. The swivel members have slots through which the lower end portion of the joystick can pass and freely slide, thereby to establish a related relationship between the members on the one hand and the movements of the joystick on the other hand. Each swivel member carries a mirror, and there is a fiber optic light transmission means which is cooperable with the mirrors and which includes light sources, that is operable to provide output light signals which then are a function of the virtual position of the joystick at any time. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings showing several embodiments of the invention: 
     FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of the improved joy stick controller taken on the line  1 — 1  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the controller of FIG. 1, with the bottom cover plate removed. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the controller, with portions removed revealing fragmentary horizontal sectional views. 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the salient working parts of the controller looking in the direction of the arrow “X” in FIG. 3, and 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a lower portion of the controller, illustrating another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 4, the improved controller of the invention comprises a joystick  10  having a lower portion  11  and an operating knob  12 , and having affixed to it intermediate its ends a pivot ball  14  which when suitably mounted permits the joystick to have universal movement about the center of the ball. 
     Support of the joystick  10  is effected by a base structure  16  comprising an upper member  18  which has a downwardly facing hemispherical socket formation  20  which receives the upper half portion of the ball  14 , and comprising a lower base member  22  with a complementary socket formation  24  which receives the lower half of the pivot ball  14 . The base members  18  and  22  can be screwed together as seen in FIG. 2, by screws  26 . 
     On the stick  10  there is slidably carried a centralizing bushing  28  which is urged downwardly by a compression spring  30  into a concavity  32  in the upper surface of the base member  18 , thereby to normally yieldably hold the joystick  10  in the upright position shown in FIG.  1 . 
     In accordance with this invention, the universal movements of the joystick  10  are utilized in a unique manner in conjunction with mirrors and light sources, together with fiber optic light transmission means, to provide output light signals which are a function of the virtual position of the joystick  10  at any time. In accomplishing this, and referring to FIG. 4 particularly, the invention provides a pair of arcuate swivel members  34  and  36  which in this case are of are semi-circular configuration and which are pivotally mounted on the base  16  for movement about non-coincidental axes  38  and  40 , such axes in this case also being respectively disposed at right angles to each other and preferably passing through the pivot ball  14 . 
     The members  34  and  36  have pivot pins  42  and  44  respectively to effect their mounting on the base structure  16  as shown, and have arcuate slots  46  and  48  through which the lower portion  11  of the joystick  10  slidably passes. 
     As provided by the invention, a mirror  50  is mounted on one of the pivots  42  to turn therewith, and a second mirror  52  is mounted on one of the pivots  44  to turn therewith. As may now be readily understood from a viewing of FIG. 4, any universal movement or tilting of the joystick  10  other than along one of the axes  38 ,  40  will result in either one or else both of the swivel members  34 ,  36  being tilted or swivelled about their respective axes  38 ,  40 . This will result in either one or else both of the mirrors  50 ,  52  being tilted, and the tilting of the mirrors will be a function of the universal, integrated movement of the joystick. 
     Use is made of this motion transmission combination to convert the movements thereof into useful output optical signals which faithfully reflect the angular or tilted positions of the joystick. In conjunction with the mirror  50  a light source indicated by the arrow  55  (FIG. 4) is provided, which sends a beam of light along a fiber optic cable  54  so as to strike the mirror and be variously reflected thereby depending on the angularity of the mirror. Likewise, a second source of light indicated by the arrow  57  is provided to send a second beam of light along a second fiber optic cable  56  to strike the mirror  52  and be variously reflected thereby according to the tilted position of this second mirror  52 . The reflected light beams from the mirror  50  can strike, more or less, fiber optic signal cables  58  and  60  which are strategically located with respect thereto to provide light pulses or signals which can then be usefully employed to control output equipment in a well known manner through electronic circuitry and components. At the same time, the light beam supplied to the cable  56  for the mirror  52  can be reflected according to the tilt of the mirror  52 , to effect a like control through light pulses or signals picked up by the fiber optic cables  62  and  64 . 
     Due to the mechanical connection effected by the lower portion  11  of the joystick  10  in slidably passing simultaneously through the slots  46  and  48  in the swivel members, a relationship exists between the signals which are picked up by the fiber optic cables  58 ,  60  and the joystick, and also between the signals that are picked up by the cables  62 ,  64  and the joystick. 
     The entry of the various fiber optic cables into the base  16  are clearly shown, in the various relevant views of FIGS. 1-3. In these views it will be seen that one set of the cables exits at one side of the base  16 , whereas the other set of cables exits at another side of the base. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5, which shows both sets of the fiber optic cables exiting at the same side of the base  16 , making for a slightly more compact arrangement of the control. In this embodiment, components which have been previously described have been given like reference numerals. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the swivel member  36  carries a mirror  66  on the other of its pivot pins  44  instead of the arrangement shown in FIG.  4 . Cooperating with the mirror  66  is a light supply fiber optic cable  68 , and reflected signal receiving fiber optic cables  70  and  72  receive the reflected light from the mirror  66 . All of the six fiber optic cables as shown exit from the base  16  at one side edge thereof, according to this embodiment of the invention. 
     The present fiber optic control is small and compact, requiring little space, and is readily adaptable to use in crowded environments, as can now be understood. 
     Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     Each and every one of the appended claims defines an aspect of the invention which is separate and distinct from all others, and accordingly it is intended that each claim be treated in this manner when examined in the light of the prior art devices in any determination of novelty or validity. 
     LISTING OF THE NUMERALS 
       10 . Joystick 
       11 . Lower portion of Joystick 
       12 . Joystick knob 
       14 . Pivot ball on joystick 
       16 . Base 
       18 . Upper member of base 
       20 . Hemispherical socket formation 
       22 . Lower base member 
       24 . Complementary socket formation 
       26 . Screws 
       28 . Centralizing bushing 
       30 . Compression spring 
       32 . Concavity 
       34 . Swivel member 
       36 . Swivel member 
       38 . Axis of swivel member 
       40 . Axis of swivel member 
       42 . Pivot of swivel member 
       44 . Pivot of swivel member 
       46 . Arcuate slot 
       48 . Arcuate slot 
       50 . Mirror 
       52 . Mirror 
       54 . Fiber optic cable 
       55 . Light source 
       56 . Fiber optic cable 
       57 . Light source 
       58 . Fiber optic signal cable 
       60 . Fiber optic signal cable 
       62 . Fiber optic signal cable 
       64 . Fiber optic signal cable 
       66 . Mirror 
       68 . Fiber optic cable 
       70 . Fiber optic signal cable 
       72 . Fiber optic signal cable