A watertight control lever with buttons

Abstract

This invention discloses a watertight control lever with buttons, relating to the field of control lever technology. It includes: a lever body, a mounting base, a button assembly, and a locking component. The lever body is hollow inside, with a stepped inner wall. The outer wall of the mounting base has an annular groove, into which a sealing ring is embedded. The mounting base is fitted inside the lever body, with its bottom surface abutting against the stepped surface. The lower part of the button assembly is installed inside the mounting base. The locking component is connected to the top edge of the lever body, pressing the button assembly firmly and simultaneously pressing the mounting base firmly against the stepped surface. This invention discloses a watertight control lever with buttons. In addition to controlling the movement of the device in the planar direction, the lever can also output corresponding switch signals via buttons to control the underwater device's attitude, such as "surfacing" or "diving." The locking component can completely press all parts of the button assembly firmly in the vertical direction, forming a completely sealed cavity inside the lever body, thus achieving a watertight function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of joystick technology, and more specifically to a watertight joystick with buttons. Background Technology

[0002] The basic principle of a joystick is that the operator operates the joystick head, and the movement of the joystick head is converted into electronic information that can be processed by a computer via a circuit board, thereby controlling the equipment to move forward, backward, turn, etc. Joysticks have become commonplace in many industrial and manufacturing applications, and are widely used in equipment such as fighter jets, excavators, large lifting equipment, medical wheelchairs, and submersibles.

[0003] Underwater joysticks are a special type of joystick, mainly used in submersibles, divers' mobile equipment, etc., which need to be operated underwater. Due to the special nature of the underwater environment, the joystick's sealing performance needs to be considered to prevent water ingress and malfunction.

[0004] Most existing underwater control sticks have solid aluminum alloy cylindrical heads, sealed with rubber covers or clamps. When operating underwater, water pressure and the multi-directional movement of the stick head can cause irregular deformation of the rubber cover or clamps, creating leakage points. This can easily lead to short circuits in the internal circuit board of the control stick and seal failure. For example, a utility model patent (authorization announcement number CN210402136U) discloses an underwater control stick with a cylindrical rod. A first sealing ring is located between the side wall and the top cover, and a second sealing ring is located between the first and second bosses. The first and second bosses and the side wall form an annular sealing cavity. The deep-sea instruments and equipment are controlled by moving the control stick forward, backward, left, and right. During operation, some water will enter the rod body through the gap between the control stick and the guide plate. Therefore, a drainage hole is opened on the bottom plate, and the leaked water is discharged to the outside of the control stick through the drainage hole.

[0005] Therefore, providing a watertight joystick with buttons to prevent water leakage during operation and short circuits in the internal circuit board of the joystick is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. In addition to controlling the movement of the device in the planar direction, the joystick can also output corresponding switching signals through the operation buttons to control the attitude of the underwater device, such as "surfacing" and "diving". Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention provides a watertight control lever with buttons, which aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A watertight control lever with buttons includes:

[0009] A rod body, wherein the rod body is hollow inside and the inner wall has a stepped surface;

[0010] The mounting base has an annular groove on its outer wall, a sealing ring is embedded in the annular groove, the mounting base is sleeved in the rod body, and the bottom surface of the mounting base abuts against the stepped surface;

[0011] A button assembly, the lower part of which is mounted in the mounting base;

[0012] A locking element is connected to the top edge of the rod body, which presses the button assembly and presses the mounting base against the stepped surface.

[0013] Through the above technical solutions, the joystick provided by the present invention can not only control the movement of the device in the planar direction, but also output corresponding switch signals through the buttons to control the underwater device's attitude such as "surfacing" and "diving". The locking component can press all the components of the button assembly in the vertical direction, forming a completely closed sealed cavity in the joystick body, which plays a watertight role.

[0014] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, the mounting base is a cylindrical body with a closed top surface and an open bottom surface, and a through hole is formed on the top surface of the mounting base. As a mounting base for the button assembly, it can reasonably secure the various components of the button assembly to the mounting base.

[0015] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, the button assembly includes a wiring board, the wiring board is snapped into the inner wall of the bottom end of the mounting base, and a switch is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the wiring board, the switch corresponding to the through hole;

[0016] The elastic button at the top of the switch (27) is fitted with a push rod (25), and the push rod (25) is slidably connected in the through hole;

[0017] A button film (24) is attached to the top surface of the mounting base (3), and the button film (24) has an elastic button. The bottom end of the elastic button is connected to the top end of the top rod (25). The cover plate (23) is attached to the upper surface of the button film (24) and is fastened to the mounting base (3) by bolts.

[0018] A button sleeve (22) is attached to the upper surface of the cover plate (23). The locking member (5) presses the button sleeve (22) onto the cover plate (23). A sliding hole is provided on the button sleeve (22). A button (21) is slidably connected to the sliding hole. The button (21) is connected to the top end of the elastic button.

[0019] The technical advantages of the above solution are as follows: the button assembly is installed in the mounting base and can output signals to the operating lever, which can not only control the movement of the equipment on the plane, but also control the up and down movement of the equipment. At the same time, all components of the button assembly are detachable, making maintenance and replacement convenient.

[0020] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, symmetrical countersunk holes are formed at the upper and lower ends of the push rod. The button membrane is a silicone button membrane with an upper and lower protrusion. The countersunk hole at the lower end of the push rod is fitted onto the top of the switch, and the countersunk hole at the upper end of the push rod is fitted with the lower protrusion. The upper protrusion is fitted with the button. The button membrane is made of flexible material. The up-and-down movement of the push rod is controlled by the protrusion of the button membrane. The button membrane will reset due to the release of its own elastic potential energy. When the button is pressed, the push rod will rise with the button membrane, thus resetting and preventing the mechanical button from getting stuck due to water pressure.

[0021] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, the lower surface of the button sleeve has a protrusion, and the upper surface of the cover plate has a groove, with the protrusion inserted into the groove. This achieves a good positioning effect for the button sleeve.

[0022] Preferably, in the above-described watertight control lever with buttons, the cover plate is bolted sequentially from top to bottom to the button membrane and the mounting base. The bolts press the button membrane firmly between the mounting base and the cover plate.

[0023] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, the locking member is connected to the top end of the lever body, and the lower surface of the locking member abuts against the upper surface of the button sleeve. The locking member can press the various components of the button assembly tightly in the vertical direction, while forming a sealed cavity inside the lever body, thus achieving a better watertight effect.

[0024] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, there are at least two sets of button assemblies, and a rubber ring is inserted between the bottom surface of the mounting base and the stepped surface. The wiring board is then secured inside the mounting base, sealing the entire button assembly and the mounting base with the lever body, further improving the watertightness of the control lever.

[0025] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, the buttons are made of acrylic glass, and a spherical protrusion is formed on the top of each button; there are two buttons. The top rods are made of transparent acrylic glass, and there are two top rods. The top rods are symmetrically arranged in the through holes of the mounting base and can slide freely within the through holes of the mounting base. This design conforms to ergonomics and facilitates operator control of the equipment underwater.

[0026] Preferably, in the above-mentioned watertight control lever with buttons, the button sleeve is made of aluminum alloy, and a spherical protrusion is formed in the middle of the button sleeve. The buttons are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the spherical protrusion and can slide up and down within the button sleeve. The button sleeve can isolate the two buttons and prevent accidental button contact during underwater operation.

[0027] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the watertight control lever with buttons disclosed in this invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0028] 1. It can not only move the equipment on the plane, but also make the equipment float and submerge. The rod body is completely enclosed to achieve the function of watertightness.

[0029] 2. The button assembly can slide freely within the mounting base. Through the potential energy of the button membrane itself, the button can achieve self-reset, making operation simple and reliable.

[0030] 3. All components of the button assembly are detachable, making maintenance and replacement convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 The attached figure is a schematic cross-sectional view of the watertight control lever provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 The attached figure is a schematic diagram of the internal explosion of the watertight control lever provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 The attached figure is a schematic diagram of the right-side button of the watertight control lever provided by the present invention being pressed.

[0035] in:

[0036] 1- Rod;

[0037] 2-Button assembly; 21-Button; 22-Button sleeve; 23-Cover plate; 24-Button membrane; 241-Upper protrusion; 242-Lower protrusion; 25-Top rod; 26-Connecting board; 27-Switch;

[0038] 3-Mounting base; 4-Sealing ring; 5-Locking element; 6-Rubber ring. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0041] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "sliding", "connection", "fixing", "sleeving", etc., should be interpreted broadly. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Example 1:

[0043] As attached Figures 1-2 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a watertight control lever with buttons, comprising:

[0044] Rod 1 is hollow inside and has a stepped surface on its inner wall;

[0045] Mounting seat 3, with an annular groove on the outer wall of mounting seat 3, and a sealing ring 4 embedded in the annular groove. Mounting seat 3 is inside rod body 1, and the bottom surface of mounting seat 3 abuts against the stepped surface inside rod body 1.

[0046] Button assembly 2, the lower part of button assembly 2 is fitted inside mounting base 3;

[0047] Locking component 5 is connected to the top edge of rod 1. Locking component 5 presses the button assembly 2 in the vertical direction and presses the mounting base 3 onto the stepped surface inside rod 1.

[0048] In this embodiment, the mounting base 3 is a cylindrical body with a closed top surface and an open bottom surface. The bottom surface of the mounting base 3 is machined with a protrusion, and the top surface of the mounting base 3 has a through hole.

[0049] In this embodiment, the button assembly 2 includes two buttons 21, a button sleeve 22, a cover plate 23, a button membrane 24, two push rods 25, a wiring board 26, and a lockless switch 27.

[0050] In this embodiment, the terminal block 26 is snapped into the inner wall of the bottom end of the mounting base 3, and a switch 27 is welded to the upper surface of the terminal block 26. The terminal block 26 is snapped into the inner wall of the bottom end of the mounting base 3, and the switch 27 corresponds to the through hole at the top end of the mounting base 3.

[0051] The elastic button at the top of the switch 27 is fitted with a push rod 25, which is slidably connected in the through hole of the mounting base 3. The length of the push rod 25 is the same as the length of the through hole.

[0052] A button film 24 is attached to the top surface of the mounting base 3. The button film 24 has a flexible button, and the bottom end of the flexible button is connected to the top end of the top rod 25. The cover plate 23 is attached to the upper surface of the button film 24 and is fastened to the mounting base 3 by bolts.

[0053] A button sleeve 22 is attached to the upper surface of the cover plate 23. The locking member 5 presses the button sleeve 22 onto the cover plate 23. A sliding hole is provided on the button sleeve 22, and a button 21 is slidably connected in the sliding hole. The top of the button 21 is connected to the top of the elastic button.

[0054] To further optimize the above technical solution, symmetrical countersunk holes are opened at the top and bottom of the push rod 25, and the elastic button has an upper protrusion 241 and a lower protrusion 242; the countersunk hole at the lower end of the push rod 25 is fitted onto the elastic button of the switch 27, and the lower protrusion 242 is inserted into the countersunk hole at the upper end of the push rod 25; the upper protrusion 241 is fitted with the button 21.

[0055] To further optimize the above technical solution, the lower surface of the button sleeve 22 is provided with a rectangular protrusion, and the upper surface of the cover plate 23 is provided with a rectangular groove, and the rectangular protrusion is inserted into the rectangular groove.

[0056] To further optimize the above technical solution, countersunk screws pass through the top of the cover plate 23 and are bolted to the key film 24 and the mounting base 3 from top to bottom.

[0057] To further optimize the above technical solution, the thickness of the button film 24 needs to be calculated to determine the actual edge thickness. When working in an environment with a water depth of 15 to 20 m, the thickness of the button film 24 is 0.3 mm. When working in a deep water environment, the thickness of the button film is increased after calculation.

[0058] To further optimize the above technical solution, the diameter of the terminal block 26 is smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting base 3. The terminal block 26 is composed of some printed circuits. A rubber ring 6 is inserted between the lower surface of the terminal block 26 and the stepped surface. The rubber ring 6 holds the terminal block 26 into the interior of the mounting base 3. The height of the rubber ring 6 can be adjusted according to the size of the terminal block 26.

[0059] To further optimize the above technical solution, there are two buttons 21, which are made of plexiglass and have spherical protrusions on their tops; there are also two push rods 25, which are made of plexiglass and are symmetrically inserted into the through holes of the mounting base 3, and can slide up and down within the through holes of the mounting base 3.

[0060] To further optimize the above technical solution, the button sleeve 22 is made of aluminum alloy, and a spherical protrusion is prepared in the middle of the button sleeve 22. The button 21 is symmetrically located on both sides of the spherical protrusion of the button sleeve 22, and the button 21 can slide up and down inside the button sleeve 22.

[0061] To further optimize the above technical solution, the locking part 5 is a fastening nut made of aluminum alloy. The outer wall of the locking part 5 is threaded. The rod body 1 is made of aluminum alloy and the top edge of the rod body is threaded to cooperate with the locking part 5. The inner wall of the locking part 5 is machined with evenly distributed countersunk holes. The locking part 5 is installed and removed with the help of customized tooling. The lower surface of the locking part 5 abuts against the upper surface of the button sleeve 22, pressing the button assembly 2 in the vertical direction and pressing the mounting base 3 against the stepped surface inside the rod body 1.

[0062] To further optimize the above technical solution, the overall height and outer diameter of the operating lever are reduced for special usage requirements.

[0063] This invention discloses a joystick with buttons that, in addition to controlling the movement of the device on a flat surface, can also control the device's up-and-down buoyancy. The button membrane is made of flexible material, and pressing the button triggers a self-resetting mechanism. The inside of the joystick is completely sealed, preventing water leakage from causing short circuits in the wiring board, thus ensuring excellent water tightness. The button assembly uses a detachable connection method, facilitating maintenance and replacement.

[0064] Example 2:

[0065] The positions of the various components of the watertight control lever with buttons provided by this invention during right-side button operation are shown in the attached figure. Figure 3 As shown:

[0066] When the upper right button 21 is pressed, the button 21 slides down along the button sleeve 22, pressing the button membrane 24. Due to the thin edge of the button membrane and the special flexibility of the silicone material, the protrusion on the right side of the button membrane 24 is straightened by the force. The protrusion on the right side of the button membrane 24 and the push rod 25 move down as a whole. At the same time, the push rod 25 presses down and triggers the unlocked switch 27 to output a switch signal. When the button 21 is stopped, the button membrane 24 will release its elastic potential energy and bounce back up. At this time, the button 21 will reset, and the push rod 25 will also rise with the button membrane 24. At this time, the unlocked switch 27 pops up and stops outputting a signal, completing one operation cycle.

[0067] The present invention discloses a joystick with buttons that can self-reset during operation, making it simple and reliable to operate.

[0068] Example 3:

[0069] See appendix Figures 1-2 Based on the watertight joystick with buttons in real time 1, LED modules are welded on the wiring board 26, and corresponding patterns or engravings are processed on the surface of the button 21 and coated with translucent varnish.

[0070] The present invention discloses a joystick with buttons. The button film itself has light-transmitting properties. When the joystick is powered on, the pattern or lettering on the button will light up, which makes it easier for the operator to identify the button 21 in the underwater environment and effectively avoids misoperation.

[0071] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus disclosed in the embodiments, since it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the method section.

[0072] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A watertight control lever with buttons, characterized in that, include: The rod (1) is hollow inside and has a stepped surface on its inner wall; Mounting seat (3), the outer wall of the mounting seat (3) is provided with an annular groove, the annular groove is embedded with a sealing ring (4), the mounting seat (3) is sleeved in the rod body (1), and the bottom surface of the mounting seat (3) abuts against the stepped surface; the mounting seat (3) is a cylindrical body with a closed top and an open bottom, and a through hole is provided at the top of the mounting seat (3). A button assembly (2), the lower part of which is installed in the mounting base (3); Locking member (5), the locking member (5) is connected to the top edge of the rod body (1), the locking member (5) presses the button assembly (2) and presses the mounting base (3) onto the stepped surface; The button assembly (2) includes a wiring board (26), which is snapped into the inner wall of the bottom end of the mounting base (3). A switch (27) is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the wiring board (26), and the switch (27) corresponds to the through hole. The elastic button at the top of the switch (27) is fitted with a push rod (25), which is slidably connected in the through hole; A button film (24) is attached to the top surface of the mounting base (3), and the button film (24) has an elastic button. The bottom end of the elastic button is connected to the top end of the top rod (25). The cover plate (23) is attached to the upper surface of the button film (24) and is fastened to the mounting base (3) by bolts. A button sleeve (22) is attached to the upper surface of the cover plate (23). The locking member (5) presses the button sleeve (22) onto the cover plate (23). A sliding hole is provided on the button sleeve (22). A button (21) is slidably connected to the sliding hole. The button (21) is connected to the top of the elastic button.

2. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top and bottom of the push rod (25) have symmetrical countersunk holes, and the elastic button has an upper protrusion (241) and a lower protrusion (242); the countersunk hole at the lower end of the push rod (25) is fitted onto the elastic button of the switch (27), and the lower protrusion (242) is inserted into the countersunk hole at the upper end of the push rod (25); the upper protrusion (241) is fitted with the button (21).

3. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower surface of the button sleeve (22) is provided with a boss, and the upper surface of the cover plate (23) is provided with a groove, and the boss is inserted into the groove.

4. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate (23) is connected to the key film (24) and the mounting base (3) from top to bottom by bolts.

5. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking member (5) is connected to the top of the rod (1), and the lower surface of the locking member (5) abuts against the upper surface of the button sleeve (22).

6. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The button assembly (2) consists of at least two sets.

7. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, A rubber ring (6) is inserted between the bottom surface of the mounting base (3) and the stepped surface.

8. A watertight control lever with buttons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The button (21) and the top rod (25) are made of transparent organic glass; the mounting base (3), the locking member (5), the cover plate (23) and the button sleeve (22) are all made of aluminum alloy.

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