Non-contacting joystick.

摘要

A non-contacting joystick (100) includes a control shaft (105) being universally movable about a Z-axis. A spherical conducting body (115) is attached to an end of the control shaft (105). A plurality of conducting plates (120) are disposed circumjacent to the spherical body (115). A charging power supply (125) supplies electrical energy of a first polarity to the spherical body (115) and electrical energy of a second polarity to the plurality of conducting plates (120). Each conducting plate (120) forms a variable capacitor (130) with the spherical body (115). The capacitance value of each variable capacitor (130) is a function of the displacement of the spherical body (115) relative to the Z-axis. A circuit (300) produces a plurality of position signals, each position signal being responsive to a capacitance value of a respective variable capacitor (130). The position signals indicate the relative position of the spherical body (115).