Lever type potentiometer

Abstract

The invention discloses a lever type potentiometer which comprises a shell, a PCB (printed circuit board) is arranged in the shell, a resistance value sensing element is arranged on the PCB, a lever which swings vertically or horizontally is arranged in the shell, and one end of the lever extends out of the shell to form a swing type driving end. Compared with the prior art, the invention has the advantages of being applicable to common keys, gamepad trigger type keys, deflector rod switches and knob switches, and meanwhile, being relatively thin in size, being applicable to ultra-thin products, and being wide in application range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a potentiometer, and more particularly to a lever-type potentiometer. Background Art

[0002] Currently, existing potentiometers mainly include rocker-type potentiometers, rotary shaft potentiometers, push-button potentiometers, etc. The rocker-type potentiometer is used for the handle rocker, the rotary shaft potentiometer is used for the rotary knob switch, and the push-button potentiometer is used for ordinary buttons. Moreover, when applied to a trigger button of a game controller, a linkage mechanism needs to be additionally provided to change the pressing direction for matching use, which is rather inconvenient. Obviously, each of the foregoing types of potentiometers can only be adapted to one use scenario, and different potentiometers need to be used in different use scenarios. At the same time, due to the relatively large volume and thickness of the foregoing types of potentiometers, it is difficult to apply them to ultra-thin products. Therefore, developing a lever-type potentiometer with a wider application range has become an urgent problem for those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention is to solve the above deficiencies and provides a lever-type potentiometer.

[0004] The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions: A lever-type potentiometer includes a housing, a PCB board is provided inside the housing, a resistance value sensing element is provided on the PCB board, and a vertically or horizontally swinging lever is provided inside the housing. One end of the lever extends outside the housing to form a swinging drive end.

[0005] Further, a reset member is provided on the lever.

[0006] Further, the reset member is a spring or a torsion spring.

[0007] Further, the fulcrum of the lever is provided at the inner end of the lever, and rotating shaft ends are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports inside the housing.

[0008] Further, the fulcrum of the lever is provided in the middle of the lever, and rotating shaft ends are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports inside the housing.

[0009] Further, a strip-shaped hole is provided at one end of the outer side of the lever.

[0010] Further, the resistance value sensing element includes an optical pair tube composed of a photosensitive element and a light-emitting element, and a light-shielding portion. The light-shielding portion is provided in the middle section of the lever, or the middle section of the lever directly serves as the light-shielding portion.

[0011] Further, the resistance value sensing element includes an integrated infrared transmitting and receiving tube and a reflecting surface, the reflecting surface is arranged on the lever and is arranged opposite to the integrated infrared transmitting and receiving tube.

[0012] Further, the resistance value sensing element includes a Hall sensor and a magnet, and the magnet is fixed on the lever.

[0013] Further, at least one end of the rotating shaft at the fulcrum extends outside the housing and forms a spare rotation driving end.

[0014] The advantages of the present invention compared with the prior art are: the present invention can be applied to ordinary buttons, game controller trigger buttons, toggle switches and rotary switches. At the same time, it has a relatively thin body and can be applied to ultra-thin products, with a wide range of applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic external structure diagram of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 is an exploded structural diagram of Embodiment 5 of the present invention (using a vertically swinging lever).

[0021] Figure 7 is a schematic external structure diagram of Embodiment 5 of the present invention (using a vertically swinging lever).

[0022] Figure 8 is an exploded structural diagram of Embodiment 5 of the present invention (using a horizontally swinging lever).

[0023] Figure 9 is a schematic external structure diagram of Embodiment 5 of the present invention (using a horizontally swinging lever).

[0024] Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of the lever with a strip-shaped hole in the present invention.

[0025] Figure 11 is an assembly schematic diagram of the present invention and a trigger button. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Embodiment 1: As shown in Figure 1 、 Figure 2 Figure, a lever potentiometer includes a housing 1. A PCB board 2 is provided inside the housing 1. The PCB board 2 is provided with pins 201, and a resistance value sensing element is provided on the PCB board 2. A vertically swinging lever 4 is provided inside the housing 1. One end of the lever 4 extends outside the housing 1 to form a swinging drive end. The fulcrum of the lever 4 is arranged at the inner end of the lever 4. Rotating shaft ends 5 are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports 6 inside the housing 1. A reset member is provided on the lever 4. The reset member is a spring or a torsion spring 7 (a torsion spring is used in this embodiment). The resistance value sensing element includes an optical coupler composed of a photosensitive element 301 and a light emitting element 302 and a corresponding light shielding portion 303. The middle section of the lever 4 directly serves as the light shielding portion 303. The photosensitive element 301 and the light emitting element 302 are located on both sides of the light shielding portion 303.

[0028] During operation, the light emitting element 302 emits light to the photosensitive element 301. When the lever 4 is acted on by an external force and swings between the light emitting element 302 and the photosensitive element 301, that is, the light shielding portion 303 blocks the light, thereby changing the amount of light received by the photosensitive element 301, and then obtaining different resistance values. A photoresistor is an element whose resistance value changes with the intensity (brightness) of external light. The stronger the light, the smaller the resistance value; the weaker the light, the larger the resistance value.

[0029] Embodiment 2: As shown in Figure 3 Figure, a lever potentiometer includes a housing 1. A PCB board 2 is provided inside the housing 1. The PCB board 2 is provided with pins 201, and a resistance value sensing element is provided on the PCB board 2. A vertically swinging lever 4 is provided inside the housing 1. One end of the lever 4 extends outside the housing 1 to form a swinging drive end. The fulcrum of the lever 4 is arranged at the inner end of the lever 4. Rotating shaft ends 5 are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports 6 inside the housing 1. A reset member is provided on the lever 4. The reset member is a spring or a torsion spring 7 (a torsion spring 7 is used in this embodiment). The resistance value sensing element includes an infrared transmitting and receiving integrated tube 304 and a reflecting surface 305. The reflecting surface 305 is arranged on the lever 4 and is arranged opposite to the infrared transmitting and receiving integrated tube 304.

[0030] During operation, the infrared transmitting and receiving integrated tube 304 emits light. When the lever 4 is acted on by an external force and swings to the position of the light emitted by the infrared transmitting and receiving integrated tube 304, that is, the light is reflected to the light receiving area of the infrared transmitting and receiving integrated tube 304, thereby changing the amount of light received, and then obtaining different resistance values.

[0031] Embodiment 3: As Figure 4 shown, a lever potentiometer includes a housing 1. A PCB board 2 is provided inside the housing 1. The PCB board 2 is provided with pins 201. A resistance value sensing element is provided on the PCB board 2. A vertical swinging lever 4 is provided inside the housing 1. One end of the lever 4 extends outside the housing 1 to form a swinging driving end. The fulcrum of the lever 4 is arranged in the middle of the lever 4. Rotating shaft ends 5 are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports 6 inside the housing 1. A reset member is provided on the lever 4. The reset member is a spring or a torsion spring 7 (a torsion spring 7 is adopted in this embodiment). The resistance value sensing element includes a Hall sensor 306 and a magnet 307. The magnet 307 is fixed at one end inside the lever 4.

[0032] During operation, when an external force acts on the lever 4, the magnet 307 gradually approaches the Hall sensor 306 driven by the lever 4. The Hall sensor 306 senses the change in the strength of the magnet 307, thereby obtaining different resistance values. The closer the magnet 307 is to the Hall sensor 306, the stronger the magnetic field and the greater the resistance value, and vice versa.

[0033] Embodiment 4: As Figure 5 shown, a lever potentiometer includes a housing 1. A PCB board 2 is provided inside the housing 1. The PCB board 2 is provided with pins 201. A resistance value sensing element is provided on the PCB board 2. A horizontally swinging lever 4 is provided inside the housing 1. The fulcrum of the lever 4 is arranged in the middle of the lever 4. Rotating shaft ends 5 are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports 6 inside the housing 1. One end of the lever 4 extends outside the housing 1 to form a swinging driving end. A reset member is provided on the lever 4. The reset member is a spring or a torsion spring 7 (a torsion spring 7 is adopted in this embodiment). The resistance value sensing element includes an optical coupler composed of a photosensitive element 301 and a light emitting element 302 and a corresponding light shielding portion 303. One end inside the lever 4 directly serves as the light shielding portion 303. The photosensitive element 301 and the light emitting element 302 are located on both sides of the light shielding portion 303.

[0034] During operation, the light emitting element 302 emits light to the photosensitive element 301. When an external force acts on the lever 4, it drives the end light shielding portion 303 to move in an arc, changing the amount of light passing over the edge of the end of the light shielding portion 303, thereby changing the amount of light received by the photosensitive element 301, and then obtaining different resistance values.

[0035] Embodiment 5: As Figure 6 、 Figure 7 shown, on the basis of any of the foregoing embodiments, the rotating shaft ends 5 on both sides of the fulcrum extend outside the housing 1 (as Figure 8 、 Figure 9As shown, the rotating shaft end 5 on only one side extends outside the housing 1), and a spare rotating drive end 8 is formed. The spare rotating drive end 8 can be used to connect with a knob and be used as a knob switch, thereby increasing the function of the present invention as a shaft-type potentiometer.

[0036] The lever 4 of the present invention is directly connected to the shift lever and can be used as a shift lever switch. At the same time, it can also be directly used in cooperation with a trigger button or a normal button, that is, when the trigger button or the normal button is pressed down, it can directly press against the outer end of the lever 4 of the present invention. Of course, if it is necessary to establish a connection with the trigger button 9 or the normal button, then as Figure 10 、 Figure 11 shown, a strip-shaped hole 10 needs to be provided at the outer end of the lever 4, and it can be slidably connected to the drive end 11 provided on the trigger button 9 or the normal button through the strip-shaped hole 10. When one end of the trigger button 9 is pressed down, it slides in the strip-shaped hole 10 and presses down the lever 4. Conversely, it is also possible to set the strip-shaped hole 10 on the drive end 11 of the trigger button 9 or the normal button. Correspondingly, a sliding end is provided at the outer end of the lever 4 to cooperate with the strip-shaped hole 10. It can be seen that even when the present invention is used in cooperation with a trigger key, there is no need to adopt a link mechanism to realize the action of pressing down the potentiometer when the trigger key is used in cooperation with a push-button potentiometer.

[0037] The above are only embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention accordingly. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made by using the specification and drawings of the present invention, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, shall be similarly included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lever potentiometer, comprising a housing, a PCB board is provided inside the housing, and a resistance value sensing element is provided on the PCB board, characterized in that: A lever that swings vertically or horizontally is provided inside the housing, and one end of the lever extends outside the housing to form a swinging drive end.

2. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A reset member is provided on the lever.

3. The lever potentiometer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reset member is a spring or a torsion spring.

4. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fulcrum of the lever is arranged at the inner end of the lever, and rotating shaft ends are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports inside the housing.

5. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fulcrum of the lever is arranged in the middle of the lever, and rotating shaft ends are provided on both sides of the fulcrum and are rotatably installed in corresponding shaft end fixing ports inside the housing.

6. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A strip-shaped hole is provided at one end on the outer side of the lever.

7. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The resistance value sensing element includes an optical pair tube composed of a photosensitive element and a light-emitting element, and a light-shielding part. The light-shielding part is arranged in the middle section of the lever, or the middle section of the lever directly serves as the light-shielding part.

8. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The resistance value sensing element includes an integrated infrared transmitting and receiving tube and a reflecting surface. The reflecting surface is arranged on the lever and is arranged opposite to the integrated infrared transmitting and receiving tube.

9. The lever potentiometer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The resistance value sensing element includes a Hall sensor and a magnet. The magnet is fixed on the lever.

10. The lever potentiometer according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The rotating shaft end on at least one side of the fulcrum extends outside the housing and forms a spare rotating drive end.

Images