# US 8,770,056 B2 · Joystick device

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- Number: US 8,770,056 B2
- Document ID: US8770056B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/443,051
- Filed: 2012-04-10
- Published: 2012-10-18
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-12
- Assignees: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Takanori Terao; Satoru Nakagawa; Hideaki Ito
- Inventors: Takanori Terao; Satoru Nakagawa; Hideaki Ito
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770056B2

## CPC

- G05G 9/047: the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks {(for switches H01H25/04)}
- G06F 3/0338: with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
- G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)}
- Y10T 74/20201: Control moves in two planes
- 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)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- 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
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

In a joystick device where a tilting operation direction of an operation shaft is detected based on positional change of a magnet relative to a magnetic sensor, the magnet being moved with tilting of the operation shaft, a slider is arranged between a base facing a board fixed to a case and a magnet holder to which the operation shaft is swingably coupled; the magnet holder is joined to the slider such that the slider guides relative movement of the holder in a first linear direction orthogonal to the axis of the operation shaft but prevents relative movement of the holder in a second linear direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a guide mechanism configured to guide movement of the slider in the second direction is provided between the slider and the base. This prevents variation in the detection accuracy regardless of tilting of the shaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A joystick device comprising: an operation knob; an operation shaft coupled to the operation knob on one end thereof; a case supporting the operation shaft while allowing the operation shaft to tilt from a neutral position about a tilting center set on an axis of the operation shaft; a magnetic sensor provided on a board fixed to the case; a magnet arranged to face the magnetic sensor in such a manner as to move in accordance with the tilting of the operation shaft, in which a tilting operation direction of the operation shaft is detected based on positional change of the magnet relative to the magnetic sensor, wherein
the board is fixed to the case in such a manner as to extend along a plane including a first linear direction and a second linear direction, the first linear direction being orthogonal to an axis of the operation shaft placed at the neutral position, the second linear direction being orthogonal to the axis of the operation shaft placed at the neutral position and to the first linear direction,
a base is fixed to the case, the base facing the board and including a first opening portion which the magnetic sensor provided on the board faces,
the magnet is fixed to a holding protruding portion which is provided on a magnet holder and is inserted into the first opening portion, the other end of the operation shaft being swingably coupled to the magnet holder,
a slider is arranged between the magnet holder and the base, the slider including a second opening portion into which the holding protruding portion is inserted,
the magnet holder is joined to the slider such that the slider guides relative movement of the magnet holder in the first linear direction but prevents relative movement of the magnet holder in the second linear direction, and
a guide mechanism configured to guide a movement of the slider in the second linear direction is provided between the slider and the base.