Gearshift for a vehicle simulator having a solenoid for imposing a resistance force
First Claim
1. A gearshift for a simulated vehicle, said gearshift comprising:
- a gearshift lever;
a first axle connected to said gearshift lever so as to provide movement of the gearshift lever along a first axis;
a second axle normal to said first axle connected to the gearshift lever so as to provide movement of the gearshift lever along a second axis;
a first position sensor connected to said gearshift lever for transducing mechanical position along said first axis into a first sensor signal;
a second position sensor connected to said gearshift lever for transducing mechanical position along said second axis into a second sensor signal;
means for selectively locking the gearshift lever in a plurality of predetermined positions and for providing variable resistance when shifting said gearshift lever out of and between said plurality of predetermined positions;
a solenoid in communication with said locking and resistance means to selectively prevent movement of said locking and resistance means and to provide variable resistance to said locking and resistance means when shifting said gearshift lever into as well as between said plurality of predetermined positions, said solenoid controlled by a solenoid signal; and
a control unit which simulates an engine and a transmission, and generates engine and transmission modeling information, said control unit responsive to said first and second sensor signals and at least partially therefrom determines when to generate said solenoid signal so that said locking means secures said gearshift lever in one of said predetermined positions and when to modulate said solenoid signal so that a selected resistance is applied to said locking and resistance means.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for creating a realistic feel for a simulated gearshift includes a simulated gearshift for a simulated transmission in a simulated vehicle and has a gearshift lever and a simulated shift pattern for simulating the look and movements through an actual shift pattern of an actual gearshift in a actual vehicle. A pivoting mechanical coupling couples the gearshift lever to a housing for allowing the gearshift lever to pivot about at least two axes. A solenoid is coupled to the pivoting mechanism and has a control signal input for receiving a control signal that controls the amount of force applied to the pivoting mechanism to cause resistance to movement by the shift lever along at least one of the axes. A control computer generates to apply an amount of force to the pivoting mechanical coupling which simulates the actual forces which would be felt by said operator in making the corresponding movement of the gearshift in an actual vehicle.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A gearshift for a simulated vehicle, said gearshift comprising:
-
a gearshift lever; a first axle connected to said gearshift lever so as to provide movement of the gearshift lever along a first axis; a second axle normal to said first axle connected to the gearshift lever so as to provide movement of the gearshift lever along a second axis; a first position sensor connected to said gearshift lever for transducing mechanical position along said first axis into a first sensor signal; a second position sensor connected to said gearshift lever for transducing mechanical position along said second axis into a second sensor signal; means for selectively locking the gearshift lever in a plurality of predetermined positions and for providing variable resistance when shifting said gearshift lever out of and between said plurality of predetermined positions; a solenoid in communication with said locking and resistance means to selectively prevent movement of said locking and resistance means and to provide variable resistance to said locking and resistance means when shifting said gearshift lever into as well as between said plurality of predetermined positions, said solenoid controlled by a solenoid signal; and a control unit which simulates an engine and a transmission, and generates engine and transmission modeling information, said control unit responsive to said first and second sensor signals and at least partially therefrom determines when to generate said solenoid signal so that said locking means secures said gearshift lever in one of said predetermined positions and when to modulate said solenoid signal so that a selected resistance is applied to said locking and resistance means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A gearshift mechanism for a driver training system, comprising:
-
a gearshift lever that generates gearshift lever position signals in response to movement of said gearshift by an operator; a locking mechanism capable of selectively locking said gearshift lever in a plurality of gearshift lever positions and providing a variable resistance when shifting said gearshift out of and between said plurality of gearshift positions; a solenoid coupled to said locking mechanism that selectively prevent movement of said locking mechanism and provides variable resistance to movement of said mechanism; and a control unit which simulates an engine and a transmission by producing data including a level of torque applied through said simulated transmission and a series of slip ratios between gears of said simulated transmission and based at least partially thereon determines whether resistance to the movement of said gearshift lever from said first gearshift lever position to said second gearshift lever position should be applied, said solenoid control unit communicating a solenoid control signal to said solenoid based on such determination, said solenoid control signal varying the force generated by said solenoid and thereby varying the mechanical resistance of said locking mechanism to movement of said gearshift lever into as well as out of said gearshift positions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification