Lever Input Linkage With Asymmetric Holders for Neutral Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional input devices face issues where the holder fails to return to a neutral position due to looseness in the drive transmission part, leading to inaccurate output signals when the lever returns to its neutral position.
Innovation Solution
The operation device incorporates a first and second drive transmission part with a protrusion and engagement portion, where the holding pieces have different elastic properties to securely hold the protrusion, ensuring accurate return to the neutral position and precise output signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional drive transmission part is used, then the structure is simple, but the holder does not return to neutral position due to looseness
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement portion employs asymmetric holding pieces with different elastic properties (first holding piece more elastic than second holding piece). This asymmetric design creates differential engagement forces that actively counteract looseness in the drive transmission part, ensuring the holder reliably returns to the neutral position while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the elastic parameter of the holding pieces by designing the first holding piece to be more elastic than the second holding piece. This parameter variation allows the engagement portion to dynamically adapt to positional deviations caused by looseness, applying appropriate restoring forces to return the holder to neutral position without increasing overall structural complexity.
2Measurement precision
If holding force is increased to eliminate looseness, then neutral position accuracy improves, but mechanical stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement portion implements local quality differentiation by making the first holding piece more elastic than the second holding piece. This localized variation in elastic property allows the system to apply higher holding force only where needed (in the first holding piece) to eliminate looseness and ensure neutral position accuracy, while the second holding piece maintains lower stress levels, thus avoiding excessive mechanical stress overall.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration eliminates looseness and allows for accurate return to the neutral position, enhancing the accuracy of output signals by adjusting the holding force and reducing mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
A first holding piece of the pair of holding pieces of the first engagement portion is more elastic than a second holding piece of the pair of holding pieces
Data Source
AI summary
An operation device includes a lever configured to be tiltable; a substrate; a first resistor disposed on the substrate to extend in a first direction; a first actuator configured to rotate in accordance with tilting of the lever; and a first holder configured to hold a first slider and cause the first slider to slide on the first resistor by moving in the first direction via a first drive transmission part in accordance with rotation of the first actuator. The first drive transmission part includes a first protrusion integrated with the first holder and protruding in a second direction, and a first engagement portion integrated with the first actuator and including a pair of holding pieces configured to hold the first protrusion from both sides in the first direction. A first holding piece of the holding pieces is more elastic than a second holding piece of the holding pieces.