Autonomous safety system for the users of vehicle simulators

• US 9,552,740 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH (Rudolf Grenzebach,)
• Original Assignee: Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH (Rudolf Grenzebach,)
• Inventors: Guehring, Olaf, Schmidt, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crocker, Elroy S
• Application Number:
  US13/989,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20130252209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 434/34, 434/69
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/08 for teaching control of aircraft, e.g. Link trainer

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.

Claims

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.