Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.

Coactive Technologies, LLC

Michael Cemerika

Michael Stoffers

Henning Koschke

Uwe Gillman

Joachim Meyer-Quade

Thomas Goebelt

Christian Buchhold-Tomazic

A joystick for controlling the functions of machines and/or vehicles comprises an actuator which can be moved in different directions by means of a joint having preferably two degrees of freedom, wherein the back-and-forth motions of the actuator occurring in a first plane are subjected to an active force feedback in the form of an electromotor and a reduction gear, and the back-and-forth movement of the actuator which occurs in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane is subjected to a passive force feedback in the form of a sprung reset device. In order to make such a joystick which allows for a low-cost serial production, the invention proposes that the reduction gear is designed with low backlash and is connected on the output side to the actuator via a preferably leaf-spring assembly which connects a swing arm to a joint part.

Joystick

A rocker switch with a shaft ( ) that can be pivoted clockwise or counterclockwise from a neutral position, which reliably returns to the same neutral position without &ldquo;play&rdquo;, and which is of simple design. A coil spring ( ) which extends around the shaft, has front and rear opposite coil end portions ( ) with corresponding spring ends ( ), and which has a spring middle ( ). Arms mounted on the shaft include a first arm ( ) engaged with the front spring end and a second arm ( ) positioned to engage the spring middle. When the shaft is turned clockwise from the neutral position, the arms turn the first spring end ( ) and spring middle ( ) clockwise while loading only the rear coil end portion ( ). When the shaft turns counterclockwise, the spring middle ( ) is prevented from turning by a spring center support ( ), so only the front coil portion ( ) is loaded.

Rocker switch with centering torsion spring

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Berlin, Germany

Michael Cemerika