Help me identify components please

[Doggen]

Inspired by the excellent deskmounting solution in this thread:

HOTAS/HOSAS setup upgrade

I build me a HOSAS/HOTAS setup. It comes with two "rails" and I can "fold" it under my desk and hide it. No tools and no unpluging needed. this was my old setup back in 2018: (link below test forum)...

testsquadron.com

I thought wat would suit me best. and made a very detailed technical drawing. I have no idea if these components exist or what to use or what they are called.
Basically I know nothing.

Detailed technical drawing top view:

 

[Doyzer]

I use foxx mount desk mount and unclamp and put on side of desk when not in use. I also use foxx vatiable mount bracket to mount with an angle.

 

[Bambooza]

I have also seen people use articulating laptop mounts and mount them upside down.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I search-engined "Retractable Joystick Mount" and found this, its obviously not a game joystick mount but is it along the lines of what you are searching for?

This is Permobil

At Permobil, our purpose is to create advanced assistive solutions that enrich the lives of people living with disabilities.

www.permobil.com

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Thinking about it from an engineering perspective, the pivot becomes a weak point aganst the twisting motion of the Stick and especially on the end of a boom which then becomes a lever multiplying the force on the pivot. Stick monunts are made to be as solid as the desk you are playing on so moving parts present a challenge it appears no one has risen to... yet.

This video of a prototype for a sliding mount from a few years ago shows the challenges of ridgidity:

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mNiBFaWACSI


So first thought is super-basic: push your setup along your desk and bolt your stick to the part nearest the corner. When you want it out the way, move it round to the non user facing edge. This would be known as the "No Engineering" solution as it would mean having to clamp/unclamp it constantly and you have to mess about with where you sit. You could sit normal, loosen, slide along and tighten again but it remains on your side and maybe in the way...?

Second thougt is are there any quick-release mounts available which come with two clamps the rest of the mount clips in to... you game on one clamp and have the other where you want to store and just clip it off one to the other when you want to. Means leaving the Game clamp in situ which might get in the way, but a folding one on a pivot would leave the clamp in the same position so not that big of a problem. What is a problem is, nope, Quick Release switchable clamps and mounts dont exist from what I can find. Its not as bad as having to unscrew all the time but the Release mechanism will have to be well engineered or its just another weak point but not as bad as a pivot as a clipping point is not a moving part, whereas a pivot is. If this suddenly becomes a mass market product all i ask is "NNBF" is in the Model Number :-)

Next post: Strong pivot ideas when i can get on a machine with MS paint.

EDIT: One thing I'll say for the pivot thoughts right away is only the extended position has to be super strong and ridgid, the folded position can be totally without tention which takes 50% of the problem away.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Righto, while turning on my old shiposting laptop and grabbing my drawing tablet, it dawned on me there is a way to approach the pivot issue which lets you twist the stick out of the way while maintaining the strength of the mount on the table and making a more lockable moving part - by placing a hinge in the Boom arm rather than a pivot in the mount.

For a pivoting system, the clamp and mount will remain in the same position no matter where the stick is moved to, so if there is a hinge in the Boom arm you can still twist the stick out of the way just like a pivot and the mount stays in exactly the same place so there is no loss in that regard:

The above picture suggests there could be a drawback in the length of the boom arm is jutting out along the desk but if the mount point is further back the hinge point can be further back too and keep most of the arm under the table.

Further to the above, I have three thoughts on approaches to the hinge itself:

1) The Folding Bike: In my younger years I had a Giant Halfway folding bike. Wonderful thing, it's the heavy duty hinge and clamp on the frame I remember:

Screenshot taken from this video:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR-Bwrf2u2I


The heavy duty locking lever and hinge kept that frame solid as a rock when in use and was a simple unclip and the thing was folded in moments. Fast, efficient but very heavy duty. It would need a hinge and clip up to the task which might be costly to manurefacture... so...

2) Collar over the hinge: Another approach could be having a hinge which a metal collar slides over, stopping it from being able to move:

This however may allow excessive moment in the hinged section and the collar would need some kind of arresting system. It's viable, but then I had my final thought with takes the hindge out of the equation almost entirely while playing:

3) Boom boom shake the room: The boom could secure to the mount, only using the hinge when one wants to move the arm out of the way:

The hinge could be inside a slightly thicker boom arm, which secures to the mount with folding clips. Unclip the arm, and slide it out along the hinge pole, then simply fold out of the way. When you want to play again, fold back and push the boom arm back over the hinge. The hinge then only has to be strong enough to carry the weight of the stick in its stored position and doesn't have to be heavy duty enough for game play:

I prefer idea 3 as the hinge is removed from the game-play strength aspects of the design, the arm should be able to be clamped firmly in to place to the rest of the mount while playing.