Electric motion platform and a control system for controlling the same

• US 6,445,960 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronbotics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ronbotics Corporation
• Inventors: Borta, Ronald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US09/086,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 700/28, 744/900.3, 744/71.XY, 744/79, 434/30, 434/55, 472/59, 273/119, 463/37
• US Class Current: 700/28
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/02 for teaching control of vehicles or other craft
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/12 Motion systems for aircraft simulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20317 including electric motor

Abstract

A motion platform comprises a base, a top, a pair of positioning motor assemblies mounted to the base, and an arm assembly extending between each of the positioning motor assemblies and the top of the platform. Each of the arm assemblies is responsive to rotary motion of a respective one of the positioning motor assemblies and includes a rotating arm mounted at one end on the motor shaft and rotatable over a full 360-degree arc. Sensors detect the position of the arm assemblies and the speed and amount of rotation of the positioning motor assemblies. The motion platform further comprises a microcontroller, electrically connected to the positioning motor assemblies and responsive to input commands and to signals from the sensors, for controlling rotational speed, rotational direction and rotational extent of the positioning motor assemblies and thus angular displacement of the top of the motion platform relative the base. The motion platform has two degrees of freedom, pitch and roll, to mimic real world motion.

Claims

1. A motion platform comprising:

a base;

a top;

a support member for supporting the top relative to the base with freedom of movement about at least one horizontal axis;

a pair of positioning motor assemblies mounted to said base;

an arm assembly extending between each of said positioning motor assemblies and said top, said arm assembly being responsive to rotary motion of a respective one of said positioning motor assemblies and adapted to rotate 360 degrees about said respective positioning motor assembly to effect relative movement of said top about said at least one axis; and

a microcontroller electrically connected to said positioning motor assemblies for controlling a rotational speed and a rotational direction of said positioning motor assemblies and thus angular displacement of said top of said motion platform.

2. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, further comprising a first beam extending across said top and a second beam extending across said base,

wherein said support member comprises a support beam extending between, and perpendicular to, said first beam and said second beam.

3. A motion platform as defined in claim 2, wherein said first beam bisects said top, said second beam bisects said base, and said support beam extends along an axis intersecting a center of said top and a center of said base.

4. A motion platform as defined in claim 3, wherein said base is generally rectangular.

5. A motion platform as defined in claim 4, wherein said top is generally rectangular.

6. A motion platform as defined in claim 2, wherein said support beam includes fins extending from an outer surface of said support beam to said second beam, said fins reinforcing said support beam.

7. A motion platform as defined in claim 2, further comprising a joint positioned between said support beam and said first beam, said joint mounted to said support beam to allow movement of said top relative to said support beam.

8. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein a surface area of said base is greater than a surface area of said top.

9. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said base is composed of an aluminum alloy.

10. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said top is composed of an aluminum alloy.

11. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, further comprising solid state relay and delay circuitry electrically connected between said positioning motor assemblies and said microcontroller to allow relatively instantaneous reversal of a direction of rotation of said positioning motor assemblies.

12. A motion platform as defined in claim 11, wherein said base includes motor supports for supporting said positioning motor assemblies, and said solid state relay and delay circuitry is mounted to a bottom surface of at least one of said motor supports.

13. A motion platform as defined in claim 12, wherein

said base and said top are generally rectangular and have a front arm, a rear arm, and two side arms,

said motion platform further comprises a first beam bisecting said top and a second beam bisecting said base,

said support member comprises a third beam extending between a center of said first beam and a center of said second beam, and

said motor supports extend from said second beam to a top surface of said rear arm of said generally rectangular base, thereby elevating said positioning motor assemblies relative to said base.

14. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said positioning motor assemblies each include a positioning motor and a reducer gear, said reducer gear being coupled between respective ones of said arm assembly and said positioning motor.

15. A motion platform as defined in claim 14, wherein each said arm assembly includes a rotating arm for connection to an output of said reducer gear, a connecting arm for connecting a rear arm of said top to said rotating arm, and a joint for coupling said rotating arm to said connecting arm to allow angular displacement of said connecting arm relative to said rotating arm.

16. A motion platform as defined in claim 14, wherein said positioning motors of said positioning motor assemblies are A/C motors.

17. A motion platform as defined in claim 14, wherein said positioning motors of said positioning motor assemblies are DC motors.

18. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said positioning motor assemblies are elevated above said base.

19. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein each said arm assembly includes a rotating arm for connection to an output of a respective one of said positioning motor assemblies, a connecting arm for connecting a rear arm of said top to said rotating arm, and a joint for coupling said rotating arm to said connecting arm to allow angular displacement of said connecting arm relative to said rotating arm.

20. A motion platform as defined in claim 19, wherein, when said top is at a start position, said rotating arm and said connecting arm form an obtuse angle.

21. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said arm assembly displaces said top of said motion platform where said arm assembly connects to said motion platform up to ±

35 degrees from an imaginary plane level with a ground surface.

22. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said base includes motor supports for supporting said positioning motor assemblies, and said microcontroller is mounted to a bottom surface of at least one of said motor supports.

23. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, further comprising first sensors for sensing a position of each said arm assembly and second sensors for sensing rotation of each of said positioning motor assemblies.

24. A motion platform as defined in claim 23, wherein said positioning motor assemblies include a positioning motor having fan blades, and said second sensors monitor passage of each of said fan blades to sense rotation of the positioning motors.

25. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said top comprises a one-piece frame.

26. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a one-piece frame.

27. A motion platform as defined in claim 1, further comprising a user module mounted to said top of said motion platform.

28. A motion platform comprising:

a base;

a top;

a support member for supporting the top relative to the base;

a pair of positioning motor assemblies mounted to said base, said positioning motors including fan blades;

an arm assembly extending between each of said positioning motor assemblies and said top, said arm assembly being responsive to rotary motion of a respective one of said positioning motor assemblies to move said motion platform, each said arm assembly including a rotating arm for connection to an output of said respective positioning motor assembly, a connecting arm for connecting a rear arm of said top to said rotating arm, and a joint for coupling said rotating arm to said connecting arm to allow angular displacement of said connecting arm relative to said rotating arm;

a microcontroller electrically connected to said positioning motor assemblies for controlling rotation of said positioning motor assemblies; and

sensors coupled to said microcontroller and mounted on said positioning motor assemblies, each sensor supplying a pulse to said microcontroller each time a fan blade passes said sensor, wherein said rotating arm is rotatably connected to said respective positioning motor assembly to rotate 360 degrees relative to said respective positioning motor assembly.

29. A method for controlling movement of a motion platform comprising the steps of:

initializing the motion platform so that a top of the motion platform is level;

receiving data input into a data entry unit, the data being converted into signals for controlling activation, speed, and direction of rotation of positioning motors for positioning the motion platform;

activating the positioning motors in response to the received data;

when the positioning motors are activated, moving the positioning motors in a specific direction and at a specific speed in response to the received data to orient the motion platform;

sensing a home position of an arm assembly connecting one of the positioning motors to the motion platform; and

recalibrating the home position of the arm assembly each time the home position of the arm assembly is sensed.

30. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein said data entry unit receives at least one of real-time data or predetermined data.