US 11,740,649 B2
Multidirectional input device
Kunio Hosono, Miyagi (JP); Masaru Komatsu, Miyagi (JP); Sadayuki Yaginuma, Miyagi (JP); and Yasuji Hagiwara, Miyagi (JP)
Assigned to ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Dec. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/643,902.
Application 17/643,902 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/023065, filed on Jun. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-113912 (JP), filed on Jun. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0100223 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. G05G 9/047 (2006.01)
CPC G05G 9/047 (2013.01) [G05G 2009/04725 (2013.01); G05G 2009/04748 (2013.01); G05G 2009/04762 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multidirectional input device comprising:
an operation input part including
an operation stick configured to be operated and pressed by a user,
two coupled parts configured to convert a tilt of the operation stick into two rotation angles orthogonal to each other,
at least one return spring configured to return the operation stick to an upright position, and
a frame accommodating the two coupled parts, the at least one return spring, and a part of the operation stick;
a base having a plate shape, the base being provided below the frame and fixed to the frame;
a columnar part provided below the base;
a load detector provided on the frame or the base and configured to detect a load applied to the frame, the load detector including a plurality of distortion sensors configured to detect distortions;
one or more rotation sensors configured to detect rotation angles of the two coupled parts; and
a controller configured to determine, at a time when the load detector does not detect a load in a horizontal direction, that the operation stick is in a non-operated state, and use values of outputs of the one or more rotation sensors at the time, as an origin of the outputs of the one or more rotation sensors, to perform correction,
the controller being further configured to determine that the operation stick is further pressed when an amount of distortions detected by the plurality of distortion sensors increases in a state where the operation stick is tilted to a maximum angle, and determine a pressing load applied to the operation stick according to an increase in the amount of distortions.