IP Library Granted Patent US 10,039,973
Granted Patent B2
US 10,039,973 · App. 14/366,485 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Manipulator and manipulation apparatus

Inventors: Hiroshi Osawa (Kanagawa, JP); Takeshi Yamagishi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
A63F13/00G01L5/16G01L5/223G05G9/047A63F2300/1043G05G25/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,039,973
App. No.
14/366,485
Granted
Aug 7, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A manipulator includes a manipulation body having a plurality of bar-shaped portions which intersect orthogonally with each other at one intersection point, and a plurality of detection bodies which detect a displacement of the manipulation body. The plural bar-shaped portions include a bar-shaped portion and another bar-shaped portion which intersect orthogonally with each other. The plural detection bodies include a first detection body which detects a displacement of one end side of the bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, a second detection body which detects a displacement of the other end side of the bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, and a third detection body which detects a displacement of one end side of the bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point.

Claims (22)

1. A manipulator comprising:

a manipulation body having a plurality of bar-shaped portions which intersect orthogonally with each other at one intersection point; and

a plurality of detection bodies which detect a displacement of the manipulation body;

the plural bar-shaped portions including: (i) a first bar-shaped portion and a second bar-shaped portion which intersect orthogonally with each other, and (ii) a third bar-shaped portion intersecting orthogonally with the first bar-shaped portion and the second bar-shaped portion at the intersection point;

the plural detection bodies including: (i) a first detection body which detects a displacement of one end side of the first bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, (ii) a second detection body which detects a displacement of the other end side of the first bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, (iii) a third detection body which detects a displacement of one end side of the second bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, (iv) a fourth detection body which detects a displacement of the other end side of the second bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, (v) a fifth detection body which detects a displacement of one end side of the third bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point, and (vi) a sixth detection body which detects a displacement of the other end side of the third bar-shaped portion with respect to the intersection point;

each of the plurality of detection bodies include at least one pressure-sensitive element located such that a detection face thereof which detects pressure when the corresponding bar-shaped portion is abutted with the detection face is directed to the bar-shaped portion, wherein:

the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the first detection body has and the detection face of the pressure-sensitive element which the second detection body has define respective planes that intersect orthogonally with one another;

the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the third detection body has and the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the fourth detection body has define respective planes that intersect orthogonally with one another;

the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the fifth detection body has and the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the sixth detection body has define respective planes that intersect orthogonally with one another; and

the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the first detection body has, the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the third detection body has, and the detection face of the at least one pressure-sensitive element which the fifth detection body has define respective planes that intersect orthogonally with one another.

2. The manipulator according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of detection bodies have a pair of the pressure-sensitive elements.

3. The manipulator according to claim 2 , wherein

the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements which the first detection body has and the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements which the second detection body has intersect orthogonally with each other;

the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements which the third detection body has and the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements which the fourth detection body has intersect orthogonally with each other;

the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements which the fifth detection body has and the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements which the sixth detection body has intersect orthogonally with each other; and

the detection faces of the pressure-sensitive elements which the first detection body has, the detection faces of the pressure-sensitive elements which the third detection body has and the detection faces of the pressure-sensitive elements which the fifth detection body has intersect orthogonally with each other.

4. The manipulator according to claim 2 , wherein a gap between the detection face of one of the paired pressure-sensitive elements and the bar-shaped portion and a gap between the detection face of the other one of the paired pressure-sensitive elements and the bar-shaped portion have dimensions equal to each other.

5. The manipulator according to claim 2 , wherein the manipulator has a position holding member which positions the bar-shaped portion between the paired pressure-sensitive elements.

6. The manipulator according to claim 2 , wherein each of the detection bodies:

outputs, when the bar-shaped portion contacts with one of the detection faces of the paired pressure-sensitive elements, a second voltage higher than a first voltage which is outputted when the bar-shaped portion contacts with the other one of the detection faces, and

outputs, when the bar-shaped portion does not contact with any of the detection faces which the paired pressure-sensitive elements has, a reference voltage having an intermediate value between the first voltage and the second voltage.

7. A manipulation apparatus including the manipulator of claim 1 .

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 26, 2018
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 046452/0409 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 033130 FRAME 0377. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 20, 2014
From: OSAWA, HIROSHI; YAMAGISHI, TAKESHI
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 033203/0158 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2014
From: OSAWA, HIROSHI; YAMAGISHI, TAKESHI
To: SONY COMOUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 033130/0377 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011290317 · Dec 29, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140323219A1 · Oct 30, 2014
Cited By (1)
US 12,298,800