Neural receptor augmented G seat system
AssigneeThe Singer Company
InventorGerald Joseph Kron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved "G" seat system for use in aircraft simulators in which the motion associated with "G" forces is simulated by a plurality of individually controllable air cells which make up the seat and back, and the feeling of seat hardness is simulated by a plurality of firmness cells placed atop the air cells to come in contact with the seat occupant is shown. In another embodiment heat exchangers are placed in the firmness pads in the tuberosity region and used to further simulate pressure change by using temperature change.
Claims21
Apparatus for providing an occupant of a vehicle simulator with a realistic sensation of G forces associated with a particular vehicular maneuver or motion, comprising:
- a. a seat for said occupant comprising:
- 1. a supporting structure;
- 2. a plurality of inflatable air cells arranged in side-by-side relationship on said supporting structure, said air cells supporting the body of said occupant, the degree of inflation of said air cells being controllable to cause body excursion, and
- 3. a plurality of inflatable firmness cells, each of said firmness cells being located between different air cells and said occupant to independently apply pressure to selected portions of the body of said occupant, the degree of inflation of said firmness cells being controllable to selectively vary said applied pressure.
- b. coordination means for generating coordinated command signals representative of degrees of inflation of said air and firmness cells which will produce a compatible body excursion and applied pressure variation comparable to that experienced during said particular vehicular maneuver or motion;
- and
- c. means for selectively inflating and deflating said air cells and firmness cells in response to said command signals, whereby said compatible body excursion and applied pressure variation provide said realistic sensation of G forces to the occupant of said seat.
In a vehicle simulator having a seat comprising a plurality of side-by-side, individually inflatable motion cells supporting a part of a seated subject's body and operable to vary the position of the seated subject to induce motion sensations similar to those experienced during operation of an actual vehicle, the improvement comprising:
- first means located adjacent to at least one of said motion cells for independently applying pressure to a selected portion of the supported part of the subject's body without producing a body excursion perceptible to said subject;
- and
- second means for coordinating the operation of said first means with the operation of said motion cells to produce a compatible pressure variation across said selected body portion, whereby said compatible pressure variation reinforces the position variation produced by said motion cells and, thereby, induces motion sensations more closely resembling those experienced during actual vehicle operation.
A method for simulating accelerations without introducing unrealistic cues, comprising:
- seating a subject in a seat in which at least a portion of the body of said subject is supported by a dynamic component of said seat, said component comprising a plurality of individually inflatable, side-by-side air cells designed to produce variations in the position of the subject relative to the seat and an independently inflatable firmness cell located between at least one of said air cells and said subject to independently apply pressure to at least one selected section of said suppported body portion;
- altering the degree of inflation of at least one of said plurality of side-by-side air cells to vary the position of the subject relative to the seat;
- altering the degree of inflation of said firmness cell to vary the pressure applied to said selected section of the supported body portion;
- and
- coordinating said alterations in inflation in a manner which provides the seated subject with compatible body excursion and flesh pressure cues for the particular acceleration sought to be simulated.
A G-seat for use in simulating vehicular motion and maneuvers, comprising:
- a. dynamic seat means comprising:
- 1. a surface for supporting the buttocks of a seated subject,
- 2. first means for selectively altering the elevation and attitude of said surface to produce a desired body excursion of said seated subject, and
- 3. a firmness cell located between said surface and a buttock of said subject for varying perceived seat hardness;
- and
- b. second means for coordinating the operation of said first means and said firmness cell to produce body excursions and variations in perceived seat hardness comparable to those experienced in an operational vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.