Sealed joystick for the control of a machine, sealing element for that joystick and a control panel incorporating that joystick

A sealed joystick for the control of a machine, comprising:

• a function block provided with a mechanical piece which can be moved directly by the hand of a user to dispatch a command for control of the machine or a display of information on the current status of the controlled machine;
• an outer shell formed by joining two rigid half-shells these half-shells tightly enclosing the function block, each on their respective sides, each half-shell having for the purpose a joint surface along its entire perimeter following a three-dimensional path which terminates on itself and which extends in three dimensions in space, wherein the joint surface:
• is physically adjacent to-the corresponding joint surface of the other half-shell in a first joint zone;
• and
• is physically adjacent to the periphery of the function block in a second joint zone, the second joint zone being contiguous with the first joint zone;
• a sealing element comprising:
• a sealing cord extending continuously along the three-dimensional path between the joining faces within the first joint zone to ensure that the first joint zone is watertight;
• and
• a ring seal making a complete turn about the function block and located within the second joint zone to ensure that the second joint zone is watertight, the ring seal having a transverse cross-section which differs from the transverse cross-section of the sealing cord, wherein the sealing element comprises a block of one piece of elastomer material combining the sealing cord and the ring seal in the same block.