Joystick control having optical sensors

An electromechanical control for producing an electrical output signal that varies as a function of the angular position of a manually engageable lever, comprising in combination:

• (a) a base and means pivotally mounting the lever on the base,
• (b) a source providing a beam of radiant energy,
• (c) a first and a second detector means, each being adapted to receive part of said beam, and
• (d) means mechanically coupled to said lever, for modulating the part of the beam received by one detector such that the energy received by the latter varies between a maximum and minimum value as the manually engageable lever is operated from one position, through a center position, and toward an opposite position with respect to the base, and for modulating the part of the beam received by the other detector such that the energy received by the latter remains constant at a value intermediate said maximum and minimum values,
• (e) the energy received by the one detector means being substantially equal to that received by the said other detector means only when the the manually engageable lever is disposed at its center position.

A joystick control comprising, in combination:

• (a) a lever,
• (b) means mounting said lever for swivelling movement in the directions of x and y axes,
• (c) a single energy source providing a beam of radiant energy,
• (d) means dividing said beam into two parts,
• (e) means responsive to movement of said lever in a direction of one of said axes, for varying the intensity of one of said beam parts between lower and higher values, and
• (f) means responsive to movement of said lever in a direction of said one axis, for effecting from the other of said beam parts, a reduced-energy beam of predetermined constant value between said lower and higher values,
• (g) said intensity-varying means being adapted to produce, when said lever is disposed at a given predetermined angle with respect to the said one axis, a resultant beam of intermediate intensity having solely one fixed relationship to the intensity of said reduced-energy beam.

An electromechanical control for producing an electrical output signal that varies as a function of the angular position of a manually engageable lever, comprising in combination:

• (a) a base and means pivotally mounting the lever on the base,
• (b) a source providing a beam of radiant energy,
• (c) a first and a second detector means, each being adapted to receive part of said beam,
• (d) means mechanically coupled to said lever, for modulating the part of the beam received by one detector such that the energy received by the latter varies between a maximum and minimum value as the manually engageable lever is operated from one position, through a center position, and toward an opposite position with respect to the base, and for modulating the part of the beam received by the other detector such that the energy received by the latter remains constant at a value intermediate said maximum and minimum values,
• (e) the energy received by the one detector means being substantially equal to that received by the said other detector means only when the the manually engageable lever is disposed at a given predetermined position intermediate the said one position and the said opposite position.