Abstract:
A flight simulating apparatus is capable of directing combinations of elevation, yaw, roll, pitch and three-space accelerations to a cockpit. Continuous rotation is provided by a rotational drive and elevation, roll and pitch are provided by linear positioning devices engaged with the rotational drive and extending upwardly from it. An x-y table and the elevation linear positioning device provide accelerating forces.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a continuation-in-part application of a prior filed and currently pending application having Ser. No. 09/774,777 and file date of Jan. 30, 2001 now pending, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/570,328 having file date of May 12, 2000 which has been abandoned. 
     
    
     
       INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
         [0002]    Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0004]    This invention relates generally to flight simulators and similar apparatus, and more particularly to a simulator that simultaneously provides full continuous rotation of a cockpit as well as fully independent vertical, horizontal, pitch, and roll motions.  
           [0005]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0006]    The following art defines the present state of this field as defined by two literature searches conducted in examination of the sited parent applications to this continuation-in-part application.  
           [0007]    Allison et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,663 teaches a helicopter simulator enabled for vertical, yaw, pitch and roll motions. Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 2,805,061 teaches an amusement device with vertical, yaw and pitch but without roll motion. Stensager, U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,500 also teaches an amusement device using a linear positioning actuator for vertical motion, and actuation for yaw, pitch and roll motions. Helper, U.S. Pat. No. 1,934,464 teaches a simulator capable of yaw, pitch and roll motions but without vertical motion. Meghnot et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,757 teaches an operator platform with two orthogonal axis of tilt to simulate pitch and roll motions, but which does not teach enablement for yaw or vertical motions. Alet et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,078 teaches motion actuation in an x-y plane, but does not teach an enablement for a flight simulator having additionally, yaw, roll, pitch and vertical motions. No combination of the above-sited references teaches how to enable vertical, yaw, pitch and roll positioning of a cockpit simultaneously with independent accelerations about the three orthogonal axes of three-space. However, the present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use, which give rise to the objectives described below.  
           [0009]    In order to simulate the full motion and inertial forces experienced in flight, a stationary trainer must execute the orientation motions of yaw, roll and pitch that an aircraft will experience, and also it must provide vertical and horizontal (x, y, and z) accelerations so as to impart to the student, the inertial forces experienced during climb, dive and the various lateral motions of the aircraft. The prior art does not teach how this objective may be accomplished and therefore, prior art simulators lack inertial and orientation realism. Clearly, an aircraft pilot may experience negative inertial forces of acceleration (negative G-forces) along the longitudinal axis of his aircraft, with simultaneous vertical axis acceleration (positive G-forces) while at the same time the aircraft is rolling to the left, yawing right and pitching nose upwardly, for instance. The prior art does not teach how this may be simulated. It should be noted that to achieve true flight realism, the positioning of the cockpit, i.e., enablement of the cockpit to move in yaw, pitch and roll, from one orientation to another must be separated from the enablement of acceleration forces in three-space on the cockpit. This is because, in actual flight, forces acting on an aircraft include independent sources including thrust and drag vectors, lift and weight, as well as inertial forces resulting from these, and also, completely independent aerodynamic forces from slipstream, weather and a variety of other sources. Therefore, the positional manipulation of a simulator cockpit is not enough to achieve realism. Wholly independent attitudinal and acceleration manipulations are necessary as taught herein.  
           [0010]    Without providing independent positioning motions and accelerations to a cockpit it is impossible for the student to experience the full realism of actual flight. The present flight simulating apparatus is capable of directing combinations of elevation change, yaw, roll, pitch and three-space accelerations to a cockpit. Continuous rotation is provided by a rotational drive and elevation, roll and pitch are provided by linear positioning devices engaged with the rotational drive and extending upwardly from it. An x-y table and the elevation linear positioning device provide the accelerating forces.  
           [0011]    A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a flight simulator apparatus having advantages not taught by the prior art.  
           [0012]    A further objective is to provide a flight training simulator-providing: yaw, roll, and pitch motions of a trainer cockpit, as well as the inertial forces in x-y and i-directions for realistic simulation of aircraft maneuvers in three-dimensional air space.  
           [0013]    An important objective of the present invention is to provide true continuous rotation of the cockpit.  
           [0014]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0015]    The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment showing the method of mounting a platform for an x-y table below a cockpit of the invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment showing placement of the x-y table on the platform;  
         [0020]    FIGS.  3 - 14  are elevational views thereof with an x-y direction acceleration table mounted directly under the cockpit and illustrating the cockpit in: stationary horizontal attitude; motion along an x-direction; motion along a z-direction; negative pitch motion; positive pitch motion; start of left yaw motion; continuing left yaw motion; right yaw motion; motion in y-direction; left roll motion; left roll motion coupled with negative z-direction acceleration; and positive pitch coupled with side-to-side yaw, respectively;  
         [0021]    FIGS.  15 - 23  are elevational views thereof with an x-y direction acceleration table mounted directly under a rotation device of the invention and illustrating the cockpit in: stationary horizontal attitude; motion along an x-direction; motion along a z-direction; negative pitch motion; right yaw motion; motion in y-direction; left roll motion; left roll motion coupled with negative z-direction acceleration; and positive pitch coupled with side-to-side yaw and motion in y-direction, respectively; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 24 is a block diagram of the actuation and control system thereof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]    The above drawing figures illustrate the invention, a flight simulator apparatus comprised of a cockpit  10  which is movable in yaw, roll and pitch, and able to be moved in short acceleration motions as well in combinations of the x ( 100 ′), y ( 100 ″) and z ( 100 ) directions, where the x-direction is along the longitudinal axis of the cockpit, the y-direction is along the lateral axis of the cockpit, and the z-direction is along the vertical axis of the cockpit. As shown in FIG. 2A or  2 B, the cockpit  10  rests, either directly on a platform  20 , or on an x-y motion table  30  which itself is mounted on the platform  20 . The platform  20 , in turn, is mounted on a gimble  40  and linear actuator means  50 ,  60  and  70  as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The gimble  40 , shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B enables the cockpit  10  to move through complex motions as shown in FIGS.  3 - 23 .  
         [0024]    A means for continuous yaw rotation  90 , preferably a hydraulic or pneumatic or electric motor, provides rotation in either rotational direction about the vertical axis  100 . A first linear actuator  70  provides vertical positioning to cockpit  10  as shown in FIGS. 5, 13,  17  and  22 . The actuators  50 ,  60  and  70  are preferably hydraulic cylinders with pistons  50 ′,  60 ′,  70 ′ able to move with telescoping motion in either direction, i.e., extension, retraction, as is well known. Second and third actuators  50 ,  60  are fixedly mounted by collar  80  to first actuator  70  and are able to pivot about pivot joints  82 . Actuators  50 ,  60  are positioned at right angles to each other, with actuator  50  aligned in the x-direction and actuator  60  aligned in the y-direction; the actuator  50  is thereby enabled for causing pitching motions to the cockpit  10  as shown in FIGS. 6, 7,  13 ,  14 ,  18 ,  21  and  22 , and the actuator  60  is thereby enabled for causing rolling motions to the cockpit  10  as shown in FIGS. 12, 13,  21  and  22 .  
         [0025]    Hydraulic accumulator  110  produces hydraulic pressure, which is transferred through lines  112  and  114  to actuators  50 ,  60 ,  70  as well as x-y-direction actuators  92  and  94 , the later producing acceleration of the cockpit  10  in the y-direction and the x-direction respectively as shown in FIG. 2B. Pressure lines for actuators  50 ,  60  and  70  are not shown in the figures, but are used in the same manner as for actuators  92  and  94 .  
         [0026]    Means for continuous yaw rotation  90  turns actuator  70 , which is joined to a rotating member of rotating means  90 . Therefore, the cockpit  10  is able to rotate in either direction continuously.  
         [0027]    In a further enablement of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1B the x-y direction table  30  is mounted under rotating means  90  and therefore is able to accelerate the rotator  90 , actuator  70 , and cockpit  10  in the x-direction, y-direction and combinations of these two directions. In this embodiment, the cockpit  10  is mounted directly onto the platform  20 . Alternately, the cockpit  10  may be mounted directly onto the gimble  40 . The several mounting and fastening arrangements would be easily completed by one of skill in the art with common fasteners and well known techniques.  
         [0028]    The x-y direction table  30  incorporates platform  20 , V-groove wheels  32 , actuators  92  and  94 , which may be hydraulic drive motors, stationary linear gears  34 , and parallel V-tracks  36 . Platform  20  supports parallel tracks  36 , which are positioned in the y-direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2B. Frame  37  is supported on tracks  36  by V-grooved wheels  32  which engage the y-direction tracks  36  for movement in the y-direction thereon. Frame  38  is supported on tracks  36 ′ by V-grooved wheels  32  which engage these x-direction tracks  36 ′ for movement in the x-direction thereon.  
         [0029]    Drive forces are controlled by a flight control system through hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical actuating valves, as is well known, and they in turn provide the operational signals to drive the actuators and the rotating means  90 . The simultaneous actuation of these elements results in the omnidirectional motions necessary for full flight simulation as discussed above.  
         [0030]    In operation, the student pilot actuates the various devices, including the rotating means  90  and the several actuators to produce any combination of inertial forces at cockpit  10 , including any combination of elevational change while yawing, rolling and/or pitching, and lateral or longitudinal acceleration forces. The invention is enabled to simulate helicopter or airplane flight attributes through computer control of the described control mechanisms. Such computer control of actuation devices for simulators is very well developed in the art and described in the background above.  
         [0031]    While the invention has been described with reference to at least two preferred embodiments, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.