The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 19, 1988
Filed:
May. 19, 1987
John O Roeser, Barrington, IL (US);
Leland L Seghetti, Vallejo, CA (US);
Otto Engineering, Inc., Carpentersville, IL (US);
Abstract
A multiposition precision joystick type control device having a transducer mode in which an actuator button is movable in any lateral direction away from a neutral position to cause flexure of flexible bar mechanism along one or both of two orthogonally related axes, there being a set of transducers for sensing such flexure and providing a coordinate-related signal to apparatus to be controlled, the control device having a depress mode in which the actuator button is axially depressed for actuation of a switch and thereby providing an alternate controlling function. Overload mechanism including a spring loaded articulated connection between the actuator button and the flexible bar mechanism limits the degree of flexure which can be imparted to the flexible bar mechanism by movement of the actuator button in any lateral direction from its neutral position to prevent damage to the sets of transducers. A first lock-out mechanism prevents simultaneous operation of the control device in transducer and depress modes, and a second lock-out mechanism prevents inadvertent operation of the control device in the depress mode.