Obstacle device for vehicle driving experience

• US 8,485,823 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hirai, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US12/665,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20100192464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 434/68, 434/66, 446/73
• US Class Current: 434/68
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/042 providing simulation in a real vehicle G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

Abstract

An obstacle device for vehicle driving experience is provided which includes a support arm (3) disposed outside a path (P) of a vehicle (V), a support rod (4) supported on the support part (3) and capable of swinging back and forth along the path (P), and an obstacle (5) attached to a tip of the support rod (4) and positioned within the path (P) of the vehicle (V), swing control means (30) being provided between the support part (3) and the support rod (4), the swing control means (30) making resistance to a return swing of the support rod (4) from a forward swing position to a rear larger than resistance to swinging of the support rod (4) to a front due to collision of the vehicle (V) with the obstacle (5). Thus, during vehicle driving experience, even if the vehicle collides with the obstacle, it is possible to mitigate the collision impact effectively and to place the obstacle at a fixed position easily and quickly after the collision.

Claims

1. An obstacle device for vehicle driving experience comprising a support part that is disposed outside a path of a vehicle, a support rod that is supported on the support part and is capable of swinging back and forth along the path, and an obstacle that is attached to a tip of the support rod and positioned within the path of the vehicle, wherein a swing control device is provided between the support part and the support rod, the swing control device making resistance to a return swing of the support rod from a forward swing position to a rear larger than resistance to swinging of the support rod to a front due to collision of the vehicle with the obstacle.

2. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 1,

wherein the support part is disposed above the path of the vehicle, the support rod is hung from the support part via the swing control device, and the obstacle is attached to a lower end part of the support rod.

3. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 1,

wherein the swing control device is formed by disposing in series a one-way clutch and a damper between the support part and the support rod, the one-way clutch allowing the forward swing of the support rod but restraining the rearward swing, and the damper generating a damping force for at least the rearward swing of the support rod.

4. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 2,

wherein a support post is standingly provided on a support platform placed outside the path of the vehicle, a support arm as the support part is connected to an upper end part of the support post, the support arm extending above the path of the vehicle, the support rod is detachably mounted on the tip of the support arm, and the support arm is arranged so that a state thereof can be changed between an extended state in which the support rod can be hung therefrom and a contracted state in which the support rod is stored on the support platform.

5. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 2,

wherein the obstacle is formed from a mounting plate connected to the lower end of the support rod and an obstacle main body, made of an impact absorbing material, mounted on the mounting plate so as to cover the mounting plate, a radio wave reflection device is mounted on the mounting plate the radio wave reflection device being covered by the obstacle main body, and the radio wave reflection device is disposed so as to reflect radio waves, transmitted by a radar of an obstacle handling system provided on the vehicle, toward the radar side.

6. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 5,

wherein the support rod is connected to the support part so that the support rod can swing in a direction perpendicular to the path of the vehicle.

7. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 5,

wherein a stable block is provided so as to be connected to the obstacle, the stable block being disposed so as to have friction against the road surface.

8. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 7,

wherein the stable block is formed so as to be separable from the obstacle, and the obstacle and the stable block are connected via a connecting cord.

9. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 5,

wherein a target mark is displayed on a front face of the obstacle facing the vehicle on the path, the target mark having dimensions that can be recognized by a driver of the vehicle that is waiting at a distance and having a color that stands out from the surroundings.

10. The obstacle device for vehicle driving experience according to claim 5,

wherein a support post is standingly provided on a support platform placed outside the path of the vehicle, a support arm as the support part is connected to an upper end part of the support post, the support arm extending above the path of the vehicle, the support rod is detachably mounted on the tip of the support arm, and the support arm is arranged so that a state thereof can be changed between an extended state in which the support rod can be hung therefrom and a contracted state in which the support rod is stored on the support platform.