Autonomous safety system for the users of vehicle simulators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9552740-B2
Application number	US-201113989173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2011
Priority date	Dec 8, 2010
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the safe use of a vehicle simulator is provided. The apparatus having an access zone, a rescue unit, a shock absorbing surface, and a projection surface. The rescue unit being moveable with the vehicle simulator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the safe use of a vehicle simulator in the form of a simulation cockpit actuated by a 6-axis robot, in particular of a flight simulator, comprising:
a) an access zone, which is open to those authorized and has at least one sensor to monitor access,
b) a rescue unit, the rescue unit being moveable on a running rail to each location of the operating zone of the vehicle simulator, wherein this rescue unit has a rescue platform, a railing and a rescue slide,
c) a shock-absorbing surface installed throughout the operating zone, wherein said surface extends over the operating zone of the cockpit, and
d) a projection surface to display video.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least two 6-axis robots, wherein the cockpit is secured on a platform which is, in turn, actuated by the at least two 6-axis robots.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the access zone is formed by at least one access door safeguarded by at least one monitoring sensor, and in that at least one access door leads to a boarding stair, the at least one access door is monitored by a sensor layer in respect of entry or of the weight of the person entering.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a shock absorbing surface installed in the safety zone comprises a plurality of airbag devices.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein failures in robot components of the 6-axis robot are detected by an acoustic or optical device, and failures in electrical systems of the apparatus are detected by a smoke detecting device.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an alarm that is triggered in response to predetermined fault indications or foreign-body indications.

7. A method for the safe use of a vehicle simulator in the form of a simulation cockpit actuated by means of a 6-axis robot, in particular of a flight simulator, comprising:
a) an access procedure which safeguards the access zone,
b) provision of a rescue unit which can be moved to any location of the vehicle simulator,
c) the provision of a shock-absorbing surface installed throughout the operating zone, wherein said surface extends over the operating zone of the cockpit, and
d) the provision of a projection surface to display video.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising at least two 6-axis robots, wherein the cockpit is actuated by the at least two 6-axis robots.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a shock absorbing surface installed in the safety zone comprises the covering of a multiplicity of airbag devices.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein failures in robot components of the 6-axis robot are detected by an acoustic or optical device, and failures in the electrical systems of the flight simulator are detected by a smoke detecting device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein an alarm is triggered in the event of predetermined fault indications or foreign-body indications.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having the program code of a computer program configured to control a simulation cockpit actuated by a 6 -axis robot comprising:
a) an access procedure which safeguards the access zone,
b) provision of a rescue unit which can be moved to any location of the vehicle simulator,
c) the provision of a shock-absorbing surface installed throughout the operating zone, wherein said surface extends over the operating zone of the cockpit, and
d) the provision of a projection surface to display video.

Assignees

• Guehring Olaf
• Schmidt Holger
• Grenzebach Maschb Gmbh

Inventors

• Guehring Olaf
• Schmidt Holger

Classifications

• G09B9/08 Primary

  for teaching control of aircraft, e.g. Link trainer · CPC title

• G09B9/05 Primary

  the view from a vehicle being simulated (G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence) · CPC title

• A62B1/02

  by making use of rescue cages, bags, or the like (elevators, escalators or moving walkways B66B) · CPC title

• E06C1/52

  with non-rigid longitudinal members · CPC title

• A63G31/16

  creating illusions of travel · CPC title