# US 2018/0321704 A1 · Joystick assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0321704 A1 - Document ID: US20180321704A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/034,458 - Filed: 2018-07-13 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-25 - Assignees: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC - Applicants: Allegro Microsystems, LLC - Inventors: Ali Husain Yusuf Sirohiwala; William P. Taylor; Katherine Shamberger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321704A1 ## CPC - G05G 5/05: Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) - G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)} - G05G 1/04: Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers - G05G 1/08: Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels - G05G 9/047: the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks {(for switches H01H25/04)} - H01F 7/021: {Construction of PM (H01F7/0278 takes precedence; PM compositions H01F1/032)} - H01F 7/0252: {PM holding devices (H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence)} - H01F 7/0273: {Magnetic circuits with PM for magnetic field generation} - H01F 7/0294: {Detection, inspection, magnetic treatment} - G05G 2009/04755: {Magnetic sensor, e.g. hall generator, pick-up coil} - G05G 2505/00: Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES ## Abstract A joystick assembly for use with a device including a joystick surface and a first magnet having north and south magnetic poles includes a second magnet having north and south magnetic poles and a movable elongated shaft having first and second opposing ends arranged along a major axis of the shaft. The first end of the shaft is coupled to the second magnet such that movement of the shaft results in movement of the second magnet relative to the first magnet such that a line between centers of the north and south magnetic poles of the second magnet is movable relative to a line between the north and south magnetic poles of the first magnet. An attraction of the second magnet to the first magnet results in a restoring force upon the shaft, and the shaft and the second magnet are removable from the joystick surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A joystick assembly for use with a device comprising a first magnet having north and south magnetic poles, comprising: a second magnet having north and south magnetic poles; a movable elongated shaft having first and second opposing ends arranged along a major axis of the shaft, the first end fixedly coupled to the second magnet such that movement of the shaft results in movement of the second magnet relative to the first magnet such that a line between centers of the north and south magnetic poles of the second magnet is movable relative to a line between the north and south magnetic poles of the first magnet, wherein an attraction of the second magnet to the first magnet results in a restoring force upon the shaft; and a handle coupled proximate to the second end of the movable elongated shaft, wherein the handle is foldable with respect to the shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The joystick assembly of claim 1, wherein the moveable elongated shaft comprises a recess configured to receive at least a portion of the handle when the handle is folded. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The joystick assembly of claim 2, wherein when the handle is folded and the portion of the handle is received in the recess, the moveable elongated shaft and the handle form at least one common planar surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The joystick assembly of claim 1, wherein the moveable elongated shaft comprises a first elongated shaft and the handle takes the form of a second elongated shaft having first and second opposing ends arranged along a major axis of the second elongated shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The joystick assembly of claim 1, wherein the movable elongated shaft comprises at least an inner tube and an outer tube which is telescopically slideable with respect to the inner tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The joystick assembly of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a joystick surface adjacent to the first magnet and wherein the moveable elongated shaft and the second magnet are removable from the joystick surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The joystick assembly of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a joystick surface adjacent to the first magnet and a magnetic field sensor between the joystick surface and the second magnet, the magnetic field sensor comprising a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements supported by a substrate and configured to generate a respective plurality of magnetic field signals and to detect a position of the second magnet relative to the first magnet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The joystick assembly of claim 1, wherein the device is at least one of a smartphone, a tablet computer, an instrumentation console, a video game console, a video game controller, a keyboard, and a laptop computer.