Modular Button Assembly with Pivoting Portions for Joystick
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional joystick button assemblies with soft foam pressure sensors experience high sensitivity leading to drastic variations in pressing force measurements and difficulty in identifying and replacing broken components due to accumulated tolerance and structural integration issues.
Innovation Solution
A modular button assembly design featuring a base with pivoting portions, a pressure sensor, and a keycap that transmits pressure with reduced accumulated tolerance, allowing for easier assembly and replacement, and integration with compatible carriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a soft foam pressure sensor is used to increase sensitivity, then the detective sensitivity is improved, but accumulated tolerance causes drastic variations in pressing force measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The button assembly is divided into separate modular components: the keycap, the pressure sensor module, and the base with pivoting portions. This segmentation allows the pressure sensor to be isolated from accumulated tolerance in other components, maintaining measurement stability while preserving the high sensitivity of the soft foam material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical button structures with a modular assembly that uses a pressure sensor mounted in an accommodating groove. The pivoting portions provide a controlled mechanical connection that reduces tolerance accumulation, allowing the soft foam pressure sensor to function reliably without being affected by mechanical play in the overall assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If components are integrated in a fixed structure, then assembly is simplified, but broken components are difficult to identify and replace
Solution Approach 1:
The button assembly is designed as a modular system with distinct components (keycap, pressure sensor module, base) that can be easily separated and reassembled. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity while enabling easy identification and replacement of broken components, as each module can be independently inspected and swapped.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure sensor module is designed as a universal, self-contained unit that can be replaced without affecting other components. The standardized mounting in the accommodating groove and the pivoting connection allow the same module to be used in different configurations, facilitating easy replacement and repair while maintaining assembly simplicity.
3Ease of repair
If a modular button assembly with pivoting portions is used, then component replacement is facilitated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The modular design segments the button assembly into replaceable modules connected by pivoting portions. While this increases structural complexity compared to a fixed design, the segmentation enables easy component replacement and maintenance, with the pivoting connections providing a simple mechanical interface that reduces assembly complexity.
4Device complexity
If the pressure sensor is mounted directly in the base without modularization, then device complexity is reduced, but accumulated tolerance causes measurement variations
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is mounted in a dedicated accommodating groove within the base, separated from the keycap by distinct pivoting portions. This segmentation isolates the pressure sensor from tolerance accumulation in the keycap and other moving parts, maintaining measurement accuracy while keeping the overall structure relatively simple through integrated mounting.
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
The modular design reduces accumulated tolerance and facilitates component replacement, enhancing the sensitivity and usability of the joystick button assembly while maintaining high detective sensitivity of the soft material pressure sensor.
Implementation Method 1
The two lower pivoting portions are pivoted with the two upper pivoting portions to enable the two upper pivoting portions to be rotatable relative to the two lower pivoting portions
Implementation Method 2
The contact portion is engaged with a top surface of the pressure sensor. When a user presses the button assembly, the keycap is utilized to transmit pressure to the pressure sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A button assembly is disposed in a rocker. The button assembly including a base, a pressure sensor and a keycap. The base has two lower pivoting portions with each of the two lower pivoting portions protruding outwardly from respective sides of the base. The pressure sensor is mounted on the base. The keycap overlies the pressure sensor. The keycap has two upper pivoting portions with each of the two upper pivoting portions protruding outwardly from respective sides of the keycap. The two lower pivoting portions are pivoted with the two upper pivoting portions to allow the two upper pivoting portions to be rotatable relative to the two lower pivoting portions. As described above, a push-button structure is thus formed by the two lower pivoting portions and the two upper pivoting portions configured among the base, the pressure sensor and the keycap to achieve the modularization of the button assembly.