Paddle accessory for a game controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10232255-B2
Application number	US-201514701305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

A paddle accessory includes a blade, a sensor-activation feature extending from the blade, and a mounting interface spaced apart from the sensor-activation feature. The blade is sized and shaped for manual manipulation by a finger. The mounting interface is configured to selectively mate with a pivot of a game controller to removably affix the paddle accessory to the game controller. The paddle accessory is configured to rotate relative to the pivot to translate a touch force applied to the blade into an actuation force applied by the sensor-activation feature to a paddle-actuatable sensor interior an aperture of the game controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A paddle accessory for a game controller, the paddle accessory comprising:
a blade sized and shaped for manual manipulation by a finger;
a sensor-activation feature extending from the blade; and
a mounting interface spaced apart from the sensor-activation feature, the mounting interface being configured to selectively mate with a pivot of the game controller to removably affix the paddle accessory to the game controller, the paddle accessory being configured to rotate relative to the pivot to translate a touch force applied to the blade into an actuation force applied by the sensor-activation feature to a paddle-actuatable sensor interior an aperture of the game controller.

2. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the mounting interface is positioned between the sensor-activation feature and the blade.

3. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the sensor-activation feature is positioned between the mounting interface and the blade.

4. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the blade is curved to follow a contour of a hand portion of the game controller that is configured to be gripped by a hand.

5. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the mounting interface includes a magnet configured to magnetically affix the paddle accessory to a magnet of the pivot.

6. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the mounting interface is made at least partially of ferromagnetic material to magnetically affix the paddle accessory to a magnet of the pivot.

7. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the mounting interface includes a rounded head configured to mate with a socket of the pivot to collectively form a hinge.

8. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , wherein the sensor-activation feature includes a projection configured to extend into an aperture of the game controller to apply the actuation force to the paddle-actuatable sensor responsive to the touch force being applied to the blade.

9. The paddle accessory of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stabilization fin positioned between the sensor-activation feature and the mounting interface, the stabilization fin configured to extend into a mating slot of the game controller.

10. The paddle accessory of claim 9 , wherein the stabilization fin extends a first depth into the mating slot when no touch force is applied to the blade, and wherein the stabilization fin extends a second depth into the mating slot responsive to the touch force being applied to the blade, the second depth being greater than the first depth.

11. A paddle accessory for a game controller, the paddle accessory comprising:
a blade sized and shaped for manual manipulation by a finger;
a sensor-activation feature extending from the blade; and
a mounting interface spaced apart from the sensor-activation feature, the mounting interface being made at least partially of ferromagnetic material to magnetically affix the paddle accessory to a magnetic pivot of the game controller, the paddle accessory being configured to rotate relative to the magnetic pivot to translate a touch force applied to the blade into an actuation force applied by the sensor-activation feature to a paddle-actuatable sensor interior an aperture of the game controller.

12. The paddle accessory of claim 11 , wherein the mounting interface is positioned between the sensor-activation feature and the blade.

13. The paddle accessory of claim 11 , wherein the sensor-activation feature is positioned between the mounting interface and the blade.

14. The paddle accessory of claim 11 , wherein the blade is curved to follow a contour of a hand portion of the game controller that is configured to be gripped by a hand.

15. The paddle accessory of claim 11 , wherein the mounting interface includes a rounded head configured to mate with a socket of the pivot to collectively form a hinge.

16. The paddle accessory of claim 11 , wherein the sensor-activation feature includes a projection configured to extend into an aperture of the game controller to apply the actuation force to the paddle-actuatable sensor responsive to the touch force being applied to the blade.

17. The paddle accessory of claim 11 , further comprising:
a stabilization fin positioned between the sensor-activation feature and the mounting interface, the stabilization fin configured to extend into a mating slot of the game controller.

18. A paddle accessory for a game controller, the paddle accessory comprising:
a blade curved to follow a contour of a hand portion of the game controller that is configured to be gripped by a hand, the blade being sized and shaped for manual manipulation by a finger;
a sensor-activation feature extending from the blade;
a mounting interface spaced apart from the sensor-activation feature, the mounting interface being configured to selectively mate with a pivot of the game controller to removably affix the paddle accessory to the game controller, the paddle accessory being configured to rotate relative to the pivot to translate a touch force applied into the blade to an actuation force applied by the sensor-activation feature to a paddle-actuatable sensor of the game controller; and
a stabilization fin positioned between the sensor-activation feature and the mounting interface, the stabilization fin configured to extend into a mating slot of the game controller.

19. The paddle accessory of claim 18 , wherein the stabilization fin extends a first depth into the mating slot when no touch force is applied to the blade, and wherein the stabilization fin extends a second depth into the mating slot responsive to the touch force being applied to the blade, the second depth being greater than the first depth.

20. The paddle accessory of claim 18 , wherein the mounting interface is made at least partially of ferromagnetic material to magnetically affix the paddle accessory to a magnet of the pivot.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Gassoway Gabriel Michael Rask
• Schmitz Aaron
• Tsai Jason Victor
• Kujawski Christopher H

Classifications

• A63F13/245

  specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels · CPC title

• A63F13/24 Primary

  Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles · CPC title

• A63F13/00

  Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions · CPC title

• A63F13/98

  Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers · CPC title