Joystick controller for power machine
View Patent ↗Joystick controllers having one or both of a reference bar and a throat plate. The reference bar substantially surrounds the joystick and is mounted to a control panel, and provides a hand rest surface for an operator while operating the joystick. A top curved surface of the reference bar extends substantially parallel to the path of movement of the joystick in the fore and aft direction of travel. The throat plate has a shape oriented with tapered surfaces and vertices at the furthest fore and aft points to limit turning, caused by movement of the joystick in a side-to-side direction, at higher forward and aft speeds. The joystick can be biased such that, in the neutral position, it is oriented aft of center to allow for a full forward stroke, while limiting rearward stroke.
1. A power machine comprising:
a frame;
a tractive element;
a hydraulic drive pump;
a drive motor coupled to the hydraulic drive pump to receive hydraulic power from the hydraulic drive pump;
a control panel connected to the frame;
a joystick mounted to the frame and extending through the control panel to provide control signals for controlling the hydraulic drive pump, the joystick biased to a neutral position and configured to be moved fore and aft of the neutral position; and
a reference bar coupled to the control panel, surrounding the joystick, and including a curved top surface extending between a fore most reference bar position and an aft most reference bar position, and wherein between the fore most reference bar position and the aft most reference bar position a side of the reference bar follows an arc of the joystick as the joystick moves between a fore most joystick position and an aft most joystick position.
2. The power machine of claim 1 , and further comprising a joystick range of movement limiting mechanism configured to define a total range of movement of the joystick.
3. The power machine of claim 2 , wherein the joystick range of movement limiting mechanism comprises a throat plate in the control panel, the throat plate having an aperture and the joystick extending through the aperture of the throat plate.
4. The power machine of claim 3 , wherein the throat plate aperture has tapered fore end surfaces and tapered aft end surfaces to reduce left and right movement of the joystick as the joystick approaches the fore most position and the aft most position.
5. The power machine of claim 3 , wherein the throat plate has side surfaces, between the tapered fore end surfaces and tapered aft end surfaces, spaced apart such that left and right movement of the joystick is not reduced by the throat plate in intermediate joystick positions fore and aft of the neutral position.
6. The power machine of claim 1 , wherein the neutral position of the joystick is oriented aft of a center position between the fore most position and the aft most position such that a range of allowed joystick movement in the fore direction and corresponding forward travel speeds are greater than a range of allowed joystick movement in the aft direction and corresponding reverse travel speeds.
7. The power machine of claim 1 , wherein between the fore most reference bar position and the aft most reference bar position, the joystick extends above the reference bar by substantially the same amount.
8. A reference bar configured to be coupled to a control panel of a power machine surrounding a joystick extending through the control panel, the reference bar comprising:
a curved top surface extending between a fore most reference bar position and an aft most reference bar position, and wherein between the fore most reference bar position and the aft most reference bar position a side of the reference bar follows an arc of the joystick as the joystick moves between a fore most joystick position and an aft most joystick position.
9. The reference bar of claim 8 , wherein the reference bar curves in an arcuate manner such that in all positions of the joystick, the joystick extends above the reference bar by substantially the same amount.
10. The reference bar of claim 8 , wherein the reference bar has a radius, relative to a pivot point of the joystick, which is substantially the same as a radius of a fixed point on the joystick relative to the pivot point, and wherein between the fore most reference bar position and the aft most reference bar position, the reference bar radius, relative to the pivot point of the joystick, is substantially the same as the radius of the fixed point on the joystick relative to the pivot point.
11. The reference bar of claim 10 , wherein the curved top surface of the reference bar further extends between a left most reference bar position and a right most reference bar position, wherein between the left most reference bar position and the right most reference bar position, the reference bar radius, relative to the pivot point of the joystick, is substantially the same as the radius of the fixed point on the joystick relative to the pivot point.
12. The reference bar of claim 8 , wherein the curved top surface of the reference bar extends between a left most reference bar position and a right most reference bar position, wherein between the left most reference bar position and the right most reference bar position, the reference bar radius, relative to the pivot point of the joystick, is substantially the same as the radius of the fixed point on the joystick relative to the pivot point.
13. The reference bar of claim 10 , wherein between the fore most reference bar position and the aft most reference bar position, at least one of left and right portions of the reference bar curve laterally.