Flexure mechanism for interface device
US6639581B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 18, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 28, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 18, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2203/015
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A flexure mechanism for an interface device that interfaces a user with a computer system. An interface device includes a manipulandum physically contacted by the user. A five-bar closed-loop mechanism is coupled to the manipulandum to provide two rotary degrees of freedom to the manipulandum. The mechanism includes members coupled to each other by flexible couplings allowing rotation of the members. In preferred embodiments, four or five of the members are coupled together by flexible couplings that allow bending, thereby forming a unitary piece, where the couplings are oriented along axes of rotation of the mechanism. A sensor senses a position of the manipulandum outputs a sensor signal, and in some embodiments actuators are coupled to the mechanism to output a force to the manipulandum in particular degrees of freedom. The manipulandum can be a joystick handle or portion of a sphere, where the device in one embodiment can be a handheld gamepad or similar controller.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.