Hand controller for a remote operated vehicle

(19)

(11)

EP 1 283 535 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	17.11.2004 Bulletin 2004/47

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	12.02.2003 Bulletin 2003/07

(21)	Application number: 02255523.9

(22)	Date of filing: 07.08.2002

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: H01H 9/02, B63H 25/40, B63C 11/42

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30)

Priority:

10.08.2001 US 928258

(71)	Applicant: H2EYE (International) Limited
	Tortola (VG)

(72)	Inventors:
	Shelton, Chris D. London N1 0JD (GB) Cooper, Jeremy Daniel London NW4 2RE (GB) Dormer, Michael William Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4DO (GB) Pullin, Graham Michael London SE5 7RR (GB) Miro, Jaime Valls London N18 1JL (GB) Samalionis, Frances, c/o IDEO London London EC1R 5DF (GB)

(74)	Representative: Haines, Miles John et al
	D Young & Co 120 Holborn London EC1N 2DY London EC1N 2DY (GB)

(54)	Hand controller for a remote operated vehicle

(57) A hand controller for a submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV) with left, right and vertical thrusters. The hand controller can be gripped between the fingers and palm of one hand. A joystick (340) is mounted for thumb actuation and configured to provide control signals for the ROV's left and right thrusters, thereby to control surge and yaw. A. A trigger (348) with two buttons (350, 352) is mounted for index finger actuation. The two buttons respectively provide control signals for up and down control of a vertical thruster of the ROV, thereby to control heave. This ergonomic design has proved to be easy to learn and use.

Search report