(19)

& 
(11) EP 2 006 757 A3
(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3: (51) Int Cl.:

30.05.2012 Bulletin 2012/22 G05G 9/047 (2006.01) G05G 1/06 (2006.01)

(43) Date of publication A2:

24.12.2008 Bulletin 2008/52

(21) Application number: 07076084.8

(22) Date of filing: 27.05.2002

(84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors:

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU • Ryo, Yamamoto
MC NL PT SE TR Kobe-shi Hyogo 651-2276 (JP)
• Hideyasu, Muraoka
(30) Priority: 01.06.2001 JP 2001166425 Akashi-shi Hyogo 674-0068 (JP)

(62) Document number(s) of the earlier application(s) in (74) Representative: Dempster, Benjamin John Naftel
accordance with Art. 76 EPC: Withers & Rogers LLP
06013625.6 / 1 705 545 4 More London Riverside
02253712.0 / 1 262 854 London
SE1 2AU (GB)
(71) Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Kobe-shi, Hyogo 650-8670 (JP)

(54) Joystick device

(57) A joystick device (1) is provided including a larg-

er number of proportional control actuators than the prior
art thereby enjoying higher operability. Joystick device
(1) includes an operation lever (2) having a grip portion
provided on a surface thereof with a slide switch (3a)
substantially T-shaped in section. The slide switch (3a)
has a web portion connected to an upper surface of a
shaft rotatably supported at a lower portion of the oper-
ation panel. A magnet (6a) is embedded in a lower sur-
face of the shaft. When the operator slides the slide
switch (3a), the web portion of the slide switch pivots
about the shaft, while the shaft rotates to displace the
magnet (6a) in accordance with pivotal movement of the
web portion. A magnetic sensor (6b) detects a variation
in magnetic field intensity in accordance with displace-
ment of the magnet (6a), whereby a voltage proportional
to the amount of movement of the slide switch (3a) is
outputted.
EP 2 006 757 A3

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