Apparatus for driving three-dimensional microgravity cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10214304-B2
Application number	US-201515575402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2015
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

The technical objective of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for driving a three-dimensional microgravity cable that can reproduce microgravity environments such as those experienced on the moon or Mars. To this end, the apparatus for driving a three-dimensional microgravity cable of the present disclosure comprises: a frame unit for forming a virtual space; a wire unit comprising three or more wires, provided at the frame unit; a winch unit for winding or unwinding each of the three or more wires; tension measuring units, respectively provided at the three or more wires, for measuring the tensions of the respective wires; a position sensing unit, provided at the frame unit, for sensing the position of a participant; and a support unit, positioned in the virtual space, for supporting the participant by the three or more wires.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for driving a three-dimensional microgravity cable, comprising:
a frame unit for forming a virtual space;
a wire unit comprising three or more wires, provided at the frame unit;
a winch unit for winding or unwinding each of the three or more wires;
tension measuring units, respectively provided at the three or more wires, for measuring the tensions of the respective wires;
a position sensing unit, provided at the frame unit, for sensing the position of a participant;
a support unit, positioned in the virtual space, for supporting a participant by the three or more wires;
and a control unit for controlling the tension of the wire unit by driving the winch unit;
wherein the control unit controls so that the sum of the forces of the tension acting on the wire unit in the vertical direction of the ground is smaller than the load of the participant; wherein the support unit comprises a support stand suspended by the three or more wires; and a gripping unit provided at a lower portion of the support stand to grip the participant; wherein the support unit further comprises a tilt compensation unit for compensating the tilt of the support stand so that a bottom surface of the support stand is parallel to a bottom surface of the virtual space; wherein the tilt compensation unit comprises a tilt measuring unit for measuring the tilt of the support stand; a length adjusting member provided on the upper portion of the support stand and adjustable in length; and a weight provided at an end of the length adjusting member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gripping unit comprises a connecting bar rotatably provided at a lower portion of the support stand; and a holder rotatably provided on the connecting bar to grip the participant.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the length adjusting member is adjusted in the length thereof to satisfy equation:
( I b +I a ){umlaut over (θ)}= m a r a sin θ− m b r b sin θ+ m a r a cos θ− m b r b cos θ

where, m a is the weight of the participant, m b is the weight of the weight, θ is the tilt of the support stand, r a is the distance from the support stand to the center of gravity of the participant, r b is the distance from the support stand to the center of weight of the weight, I a is the moment of inertia of the participant, and I b is the moment of inertia of the weight.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the length adjusting member is adjusted in length by a linear actuator method or a telescopic method.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the length adjusting member is connected to the support stand by a universal joint method.

Assignees

• Korea Inst Ind Tech

Inventors

• Kwon O-Hung
• Park Jae-Hwan
• Won Dae-Hee
• Kim Jin-Young

Classifications

• F16M11/18

  with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title

• F16H7/08

  Means for varying tension of belts, ropes or chains  (pulleys of adjustable construction F16H55/52) · CPC title

• F16H19/06

  comprising {flexible members, e.g. an} endless flexible member · CPC title

• F16M11/425

  along guiding means · CPC title

• B66C13/08

  for depositing loads in desired attitudes or positions · CPC title