A rotation operation detection mechanism that includes a housing, an operation surface disposed on a first main surface of the housing, operation units formed integrally with the housing and protruding on the operation surface side, and a sensor that detects a stress generated in the housing when the operation units are rotated.

An operation apparatus mountable to one hand of a user includes: a first operation section that is located on a front surface side and that can be operated by the thumb of the one hand; a second operation section that is located on a back surface side and that can be operated by a finger other than the thumb; and a first contact surface with which the palm of the one hand makes contact. At least one of the first contact surface and an extension plane of the first contact surface is inclined relative to a virtual plane in such a direction as to be spaced more therefrom in going in a first direction, the virtual plane being defined by the first direction from the front surface side toward the back surface side and a second direction being orthogonal to the first direction and directed from a bottom surface side toward a top surface side.

An operation apparatus mountable to one hand of a user includes: a first operation section that is located on a front surface side and that can be operated by the thumb of the one hand; a second operation section that is located on a back surface side and that can be operated by a finger other than the thumb; and a first contact surface with which the palm of the one hand makes contact. At least one of the first contact surface and an extension plane of the first contact surface is inclined relative to a virtual plane in such a direction as to be spaced more therefrom in going in a first direction, the virtual plane being defined by the first direction from the front surface side toward the back surface side and a second direction being orthogonal to the first direction and directed from a bottom surface side toward a top surface side.

An operation lever of a work vehicle has the operation surface including: a connection portion; a front operation surface extending obliquely so that a height from a reference plane increases from the connection portion toward the forward side of the connection portion in a cross-sectional view including a front-rear directions and a front-side edge of the operation surface being defined as a front-side top portion; and a rear operation surface connected to the front operation surface, extending obliquely so that a height from the reference plane increases from the connection portion toward the backward side of the connection portion and a rear-side edge of the operation surface being defined as a rear-side top portion. A length in front-rear directions along the reference plane in the front operation surface is larger than a length in the front-rear directions along the reference plane in the rear operation surface.

An appliance knob stabilization device includes a bushing defining a first passage receiving an appliance knob shaft of an appliance knob therein. The device includes a flange having a radially extending first surface with the bushing being integral therewith and extending axially therefrom. The first surface of the flange is mountable behind a front panel of an appliance such that the bushing extends outwardly through an opening defined in the front panel. The flange defines a second passage receiving an appliance shaft operably engaged with an actuatable component in the appliance. The first passage and the second passage cooperate to form a continuous passage. The appliance knob shaft engages the appliance shaft along the continuous passage to reduce lateral movement of the appliance knob perpendicularly to the appliance shaft during rotational actuation of the actuatable component by the appliance knob. An associated method is also provided.

A controller including a first control member and a second control member that extends from a portion of the first control member. A controller processor is operable to produce a rotational movement output signal in response to movement of the first control member, and a translational movement output signal in response to movement of the second control member relative to the first control member. The first control member may be gripped and moved using a single hand, and the second control member may be moved using the thumb of the single hand.

An operator mechanism for a control enclosure includes a shaft assembly having an adjustable length. A shaft extender may be selectively slidable longitudinally along an operator shaft to selectively adjust the length of the shaft assembly, and selectively lockable on the operator shaft to inhibit sliding of the shaft extender on the operator shaft to retain a selected length of the shaft assembly. A shaft extender may be received in a longitudinal passage of a mount sleeve and extend distally outward from the mount sleeve. The shaft extender may be selectively movable longitudinally within a longitudinal passage of the mount sleeve relative to a shaft operator to selectively adjust the length of the shaft assembly.

A method and apparatus for using unique landmarks to position industrial vehicles during start-up. In one embodiment, a method of using pre-positioned objects as landmarks to operate an industrial vehicle is provided. The method comprises identifying a start-up scenario from sensor data, wherein the start-up scenario comprises a unique marker start-up or a pre-positioned object start-up. in response to the identified start-up scenario, either a unique marker or pre-positioned object is identified within a physical environment, wherein the pre-positioned object or unique marker corresponds with a sub-area of the physical environment. The industrial vehicle pose is determined in response to the identity of the pre-positioned object or unique marker and the industrial vehicle is operated based on the determined industrial vehicle pose.

Robot includes an assembled component having a fixed member and a moving member. The moving member includes a multi-hole bar member and a multi-hole circular plate. The multi-hole bar member has a width four times longer than its thickness. The multi-hole bar member includes a set of connecting holes running through the multi-hole bar member along a thickness direction of the multi-hole bar member. The multi-hole circular plate has a central hole and fixed holes distributed around the central hole and arranged circumferentially. The fixed member includes a multi-hole plate and a multi-hole bent plate. The thickness of the multi-hole plate is the same as the thickness of the multi-hole bar member. A bent portion is formed by bending at least one end of the multi-hole bent plate. The fixed holes are arranged in a matrix on the multi-hole plate and distributed on the multi-hole bent plate in a matrix.

A joystick for controlling a machine in multi-axes includes a control portion having a body in which at least one circuit board having at least one sensor is provided; a top portion having a flexible boot forming at least partly an outer periphery of the top portion provided on the control portion; a control arm mounted on a pivotal member for pivotal movement relative to the body; wherein said control arm is made of plastic in an injection-molding operation and has an overmolded magnetic member suitable to interact with the sensor, said magnetic member provided in the proximity of the circuit board wherein said control arm has a connection portion such that said flexible boot is attached to the control arm from said connection portion. Thereby usage of the overmolded control arm which made of plastic provides sensitivity, production quality and additionally, thriving resistance to vibration.