抄録
This paper concerns a new type joy stick for teaching operation of manipulators. The device is equipped with conic coil springs as force transducers which have non-linear force-deflection characteristics: An operational force applied to the device can be detected with high sensitivity in small range and with wide dynamic range. The device is assembled with lever mechanisms of paired springs to obtain independent 3 degrees of momental freedom. The springs added are designed to have linear characteristics as well for the smaller half of the maximum deflection as a countermeasure to retain the effectiveness of non-linearity. Deflection of each spring is directly detected as change of inductance so it contributes to make the composition of the device simple without any other measures of detecting it. In the study, the force sensing transducers made of conic coils and the 3-axis joy sticks were actually manufactured. And, their detection characteristics were evaluated to obtain satisfactory results.
