User input device and related methods

A user input device, comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft carried by the housing and having a first end extending outwardly beyond the housing for manipulation by a user and a second end within the housing;
• a plurality of sensors carried by the housing to sense movement of the shaft;
• a first contact member within the housing;
• a coil spring coupled between the first contact member and the shaft and urging the first contact member and the shaft apart;
• a motor carried by the housing and having a rotatable output extending therefrom;
• a second contact member coupled to the rotatable output and in contact with the first contact member, the second contact member positioned to be selectively moved in a direction determined by a direction of motor rotation, and to set a compression of the coil spring while the first end of the shaft is being manipulated;
• and
• a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors and the motor and configured to operate the motor to set a return-to-center bias for the shaft at least partially in response to outputs of the plurality of sensors.

A method of making a user input device, comprising:

• mounting a shaft and associated sensors within a housing so that a first end of the shaft extends outwardly beyond the housing for manipulation by a user and a second end of the shaft is within the housing;
• and
• mounting a return-to-center bias arrangement to the shaft, the return-to-center bias arrangement comprising a first contact member within the housing,
• a spring urging the first contact member and the shaft apart,
• a motor having a rotatable output extending therefrom, and
• a second contact member coupled to the rotatable output and in contact with the first contact member to be selectively moved in a direction determined by a direction of motor rotation to set a compression of the spring and thereby set a return-to-center bias for the shaft while the first end of the shaft is being manipulated.