Movement control method, movement manipulation apparatus, and method for manipulating movement of moving body

Abstract

In a movement control apparatus manipulation can be carried out while watching the movement of the moving body, without needing to watch one's hands, so even a novice operator can perform the manipulation easily, safely, reliably, and quickly. The apparatus can include a signal transmission cable, a casing of a manipulation remote controller disposed at one end of the cable, a rotary encoder that produces a signal corresponding to the direction of the casing, and a motor drive control circuit that is disposed on the other side of the cable and controls the movement of a moving body on the basis of a signal corresponding to the direction of the casing. The signal corresponding to the direction of the casing can be supplied from the rotary encoder, through the cable, to the motor drive control circuit. Therefore, the operator can hold down a manipulation switch without looking at his hands and thereby adjust the direction of the casing of the manipulation remote controller while looking at the movement direction of a load.

1 . A movement control method for manipulating the movement of a moving body, comprising:
 disposing a manipulation remote controller and a movement mechanism for moving a moving body respectively at one end and an other end of a slender member; and   controlling drive of the movement mechanism on the basis of a signal related to a direction of a casing of the manipulation remote controller.   
   
   
       2 . The movement control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the direction of the manipulation remote controller casing is a direction, determined with respect to the slender member or determined using the slender member as a reference. 
   
   
       3 . The movement control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal is supplied, through a signal transmission cable that either is the slender member or is disposed within the slender member, from the manipulation remote controller to a drive control apparatus that controls the drive of the movement mechanism. 
   
   
       4 . A movement control method for manipulating the movement of a moving body, comprising:
 disposing a manipulation remote controller and a movement mechanism for moving a moving body respectively at one end and an other end of a slender member that is either a signal transmission cable or is equipped with a signal transmission cable;   supplying a signal related to a direction of a casing of the manipulation remote controller to a drive control apparatus and controlling drive of the movement mechanism; and   producing a control signal on the basis of the signal in part of the drive control apparatus, whereby the drive of the movement mechanism is controlled in the rest of the drive control apparatus on the basis of the control signal.   
   
   
       5 . The movement control method according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal is a signal related to the direction of the casing, and the casing is rotatably attached to the slender member. 
   
   
       6 . A movement manipulation apparatus, comprising:
 a slender member that either is a signal transmission cable or is equipped with a signal transmission cable;   a casing of a manipulation remote control disposed at one end of the slender member;   a casing direction identification device configured to produce a signal related to a direction of the casing; and   a drive control apparatus that is disposed at an other end of the slender member and is configured to control movement of a moving body on the basis of the signal, wherein   the signal is supplied, through the signal transmission cable, from the casing direction identification device to the drive control apparatus.   
   
   
       7 . The movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the casing is rotatably attached to the slender member, and the casing direction identification device is configured to produce a signal related to the direction of the casing, determined with respect to the slender member or determined using the slender member as a reference. 
   
   
       8 . The movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a display configured to display the direction of the casing with respect to the slender member at a location that is easily visible by an operator who holds the casing in hand and remotely manipulate the movement of the moving body.   
   
   
       9 . A method for manipulating the movement of a moving body by using the movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 6 , comprising, moving the moving body to a desired location by changing a direction of the casing with respect to the slender member or changing the direction using the slender member as a reference. 
   
   
       10 . A method for manipulating the movement of a moving body using the movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising a moving the moving body to a desired location by visually confirming a direction of the casing with respect to the slender member displayed on the display device, while relatively changing the direction of the casing with respect to the slender member. 
   
   
       11 . A drive control method for controlling the drive of a movement apparatus that moves a moving body, comprising:
 providing a manipulation remote controller disposed at one end of a slender member, the slender member including at least two rod-like members and a connecting member that bendably connects the rod-like members;   controlling the drive of the movement apparatus disposed at an other end of the slender member.   
   
   
       12 . A movement manipulation apparatus, comprising:
 a slender member having at least two rod-like members and a connecting member that bendably connects the rod-like members;   a casing of a manipulation remote controller rotatably attached around an axis of one of the rod-like members disposed at one end of the slender member;   a signal production device, disposed inside the casing, the signal production device configured to produce a signal related to an amount of rotation or a rotational direction of the casing around the axis of the one of the rod-like members;   a movement apparatus, disposed at an other end of the slender member, and configured to move a moving body;   a drive control apparatus configured to control drive of the movement apparatus on the basis of the signal; and   a transmission device configured to supply, either through a signal transmission cable or wirelessly, to the drive control apparatus a signal related to an amount of rotation or a rotational direction of the casing.   
   
   
       13 . The movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the signal production device is configured to produce the signal related to the amount of rotation or the rotational direction of the casing, which is determined relatively with respect to the one of the rod-like members to which the casing is rotatably attached, or determined using the rod-like members as a reference. 
   
   
       14 . The movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a display configured to display movement direction of the moving body or a direction selected by an operator who holds the casing in hand, and configured to remotely manipulate movement of the moving body, the display disposed at a location that is easily visible by the operator.   
   
   
       15 . A movement control method for controlling drive of a movement apparatus that moves a moving body, the movement control method comprising:
 providing a manipulation remote controller disposed at one end of a slender member and configured to control the drive of the movement apparatus disposed at an other end of the slender members; and   controlling the drive of the movement apparatus on the basis of a signal generated according to a change in a distance between
 a switching device located at a casing of the manipulation remote controller, the casing being disposed at the one end of the slender member and is attached rotatably around an axis of a portion of the one end of the slender member or a rod-like member, or a member that works in synchronization with the switching device, and 
 a portion of the one end of the slender member disposed inside the casing or an object that is integral with the portion, or the rod-like member that constitutes a portion of the one end of the slender member, or an object that is integral with the rod-like member. 
   
   
   
       16 . A movement control method for controlling the drive of a movement apparatus that moves a moving body, the movement control method comprising:
 providing a manipulation remote controller disposed at one end of a slender member and configured to control the drive of the movement apparatus, the movement apparatus being disposed at an other end of the slender members; and   controlling the drive of the movement apparatus on the basis of an output signal of an optical sensor, the signal being outputted according to a change in a distance between a push button located at a casing of the manipulation remote controller or a member that works in synchronization with the push button and at least one of,
 a portion of the one end of the slender member disposed inside the casing, 
 a disk that is fixed coaxially with the portion of the one end, 
 a rod-like member that constitutes the portion of the one end of the slender member, and 
 a disk that is that is fixed coaxially with the rod-like member, 
   wherein the casing is disposed at the one end of the slender member and is attached rotatably about at least one of,
 an axis of a portion of the one end of the slender member, and 
 the rod-like member constituting the portion of the one end of the slender member. 
   
   
   
       17 . A movement manipulation apparatus, comprising:
 a slender member;   a manipulation remote controller including a casing and rotatably attached about one end of the slender member or a rod-like member;   a movement apparatus, disposed at an other end of the slender member, the movement apparatus configured to move a moving body;   a drive control apparatus configured to control drive of the movement apparatus;   a switching apparatus located at the casing;   a signal production device configured to produce a signal according to a change in a distance between
 at least one of the switching apparatus a member that works in synchronization with the switching apparatus 
 and 
 at least one of a portion of the one end of the slender member disposed inside the casing, an object that is integral with the portion of the one end, a rod-like member that constitutes a portion of one end of the slender member, and an object that is integral with the rod-like member; and 
   a transmission apparatus configured to supply, either through a signal transmission cable or wirelessly, the signal to the drive control apparatus.   
   
   
       18 . The movement manipulation apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the switching apparatus is a push button located at the casing, and the signal production device includes an optical sensor configured to detect the push button or a member that works in synchronization with the push button, and the optical sensor is located at a sensor portion of the one end of the slender member disposed inside the casing or at a disk that is fixed coaxially with the sensor portion, or at the rod-like member or a disk that is fixed coaxially with the rod-like member.