Magnetic manual user interface devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9870021-B2
Application number	US-75606810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2010
Priority date	Apr 15, 2009
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

Various finger tip controlled manual interface devices that can be used as inputs to personal computers, electromechanical systems and video game consoles utilize concentrically arranged magnets. The polarities of the magnets are oriented to provide restoration forces on a one of the magnets to bias it toward a neutral position. A magnetic sensor including a plurality of sensing elements such as Hall effect devices generates output signals representative of direction and amount of movement of the magnet that is biased to the neutral position.

First claim

We claim:

1. A manual user interface device, comprising:
a manual actuator having an axis;
an annular magnet having a central bore;
a substantially spherical magnet that can be operatively coupled to the manual actuator, the spherical magnet being positioned in the bore of the annular magnet, the magnetic axes of the magnets being substantially co-axial, and the polarity of the magnets being oppositely oriented such that the interaction of their magnetic fields provides restoring forces that urge the spherical magnet so that its axis is aligned with a neutral axis; and
a three-axis magnetic sensor positioned to detect changes in a magnetic field due to movement of the spherical magnet and generate signals representative of the direction and amount of movement of the spherical magnet relative to the neutral axis.

2. The manual user interface device of claim 1 wherein the manual actuator is a pliant deformable cup-shaped member.

3. The manual user interface device of claim 2 wherein a central section of the cup-shaped member can be depressed and deformed to establish a frictional contact with an upper surface of the spherical magnet.

4. The manual user interface device of claim 3 and further comprising a ball-sleeve supporting the annular magnet.

5. The manual user interface device of claim 4 wherein the ball-sleeve is dome shaped and includes a neck around which the annular magnet is seated.

6. The manual user interface device of claim 3 and further comprising a mechanically activated switch beneath the spherical magnet which can be activated by depressing the central section of the cup-shaped member.

7. The manual user interface device of claim 6 wherein the switch is a dome-switch.

8. The manual user interface device of claim 6 and further comprising a low-friction barrier separating the spherical magnet and the two state switch.

9. The manual user interface device of claim 6 and further comprising a carrier float separating the magnetic sensor and the two state switch.

10. A manual user interface device, comprising:
an annular magnet;
a sleeve supporting the annular magnet;
a substantially spherical magnet positioned in a bore of the annular magnet, the magnetic axes of the magnets being substantially co-axial, and the polarity of the magnets being oppositely oriented such that the interaction of their magnetic fields provides restoring forces that urge the spherical magnet so that its axis is aligned with a neutral axis;
a manual actuator having an axis, the manual actuator including a pliant deformable cup-shaped member with a central section that can be deformed downwardly by manual engagement with a user's hand to establish a frictional contact with an upper surface of the spherical magnet, the central section being deformable laterally to allow the spherical magnet to be tilted by moving the central section away from the neutral axis;
a mechanically activated switch beneath the spherical magnet which can be activated by depressing the central section of the cup-shaped member; a low-friction barrier separating the spherical magnet and the switch; and
a three-axis magnetic sensor positioned to detect changes in a magnetic field in three-axes at a point in space resulting from movement of the spherical magnet and generate signals representative of the direction and amount of movement of the spherical magnet relative to the neutral axis.

11. The manual user interface device of claim 1 wherein the annular magnet has a rigid shape.

12. The manual user interface device of claim 10 wherein the annular magnet has a rigid shape.

13. The manual user interface device of claim 1 , wherein the three-axis magnetic sensor is an integrated circuit sensor for sensing magnetic fields in three orthogonal axes at a point in space.

Assignees

• Olsson Mark S
• Merewether Ray
• Canepa Loni M
• Warren Alexander L
• Jessup Amos H
• Martin Michael J
• Jemmott George L
• Seescan Inc

Inventors

• Olsson Mark S
• Merewether Ray
• Canepa Loni M
• Warren Alexander L
• Jessup Amos H
• Martin Michael J
• Jemmott George L

Classifications

• G05G2009/04755

  Magnetic sensor, e.g. hall generator, pick-up coil · CPC title

• G05G5/05 Primary

  Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0338

  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 · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G05G9/047

  the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks {(for switches H01H25/04)} · CPC title